Here’s a video describing those “class” ratings you may see on discussion boards like summitpost.com. It’s the Welzenbach System. Class 1 is basic hiking, on trail and off; class 5 is straight up the rock face with ropes, pitons and…
Gear
Trekking poles video
by tom • March 5, 2008 • 12 Comments
Found this gem on Youtube: Because it’s a local TV news report — and therefore trivialized in the most fingernails-on-a-chalkboard means possible — there is at least one fact error for alert viewers to watch for. Video posted by Trekking…
Big Basin Redwoods
Berry Creek Falls via Skyline to the Sea Trail
by tom • March 4, 2008 • 6 Comments
One for the it’s-hell-getting-old file (whose corollary is “holy shit I get more like my old man every day”): My dad got his absent-mindedness from his old man and thoughtfully passed it along to me. Because I’ve been trying to…
Big Basin State Park
Berry Creek Falls today
by tom • March 3, 2008 • 6 Comments
I’m doing the big loop at Big Basin to check out the water flow … pix & chatter tonight.
Hiking
Traffic was terrible here yesterday…
by tom • March 2, 2008 • 5 Comments
Which means you kids were out there hiking where you belong! Today’s my wife’s birthday so I’m keeping her entertained all day … back with more juicy hiking coverage tomorrow.
Gear
Calipidder reviews Garmin’s Colorado GPS
by tom • February 29, 2008 • 2 Comments
I can’t seem to pull the trigger on buying a GPS unit, but Rebecca has no such reticence. She has an in-depth collection of first impressions of the new Garmin Colorado 400t GPS unit. Among them: The 400t model includes…
Blogs
Link payback to Rocky at The Goat
by tom • February 29, 2008 • 9 Comments
If you’re a gear hound, you’re probably already one of Rocky Thompson’s devoted readers. If not, the back story: Rocky’s the guy Backcountry.com brought in to be the company’s tell-it-like-it-is gear blogger. I have no idea what they’re paying him,…
Media (books, DVDs, etc)
Fear of the wilderness, cont.
by tom • February 28, 2008 • 2 Comments
Steve at the WildeBeat has posted Part II of his “Scared Inside” podcasts. If you listen you’ll get the chance to hear me rambling at a pace roughly equivalent to Martin Scorsese on crack. As long as I’m on the…
Gear
Hiking boots: anybody still wearing them?
by tom • February 28, 2008 • 21 Comments
I realize this is heresy against the footwear in my blog’s logo, but a post at Uncooped the other day reminded me I ought to throw this out there and see what sticks. When I was auditioning footwear awhile back…