Charlton Peak Snowshoe, Jan 31 2015

I finally participated in my first meetup hike. I joined meetup in 2012, but since most of my hikes were summer hikes on established trails with a group of friends, I didn’t see the need for meetup. Thinking back, I think it’s been three years since I went on a hike that I did not plan. This year I am going on … Read More

2014 (Major) Hike Log

In the past, I’ve kept very detailed logs of all of my hikes and training. With a 2 year old in the house, I feel lucky when I’m just able to get out;  I have a hard time sitting down to log everything afterwards. I spent some time looking through my pictures & emails and I have complied list of the major hikes I … Read More

Alto Diablo Peak via ‘Duct Tape Ridge,’ Jan 17 2015

If you regularly hike or backpack in California, please join our Facebook group, California Hiking and Backpacking! It’s a great place to ask questions and share your photos, trip reports and gear recommendations.   Having received some new gear over the last couple of weeks, I was very eager to get out on the trail to find some snow. I recently learned about … Read More

Hillsound Equipment’s Winter Traction Devices

posted in: Hiking Gear, Winter Hiking

_____________ Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen some confusion regarding the ‘winter traction devices’ that Hillsound Equipment produces. Here is a table showing the 4 models I’ve seen hikers mention and their distinguishing features.   FreeStep6 Crampons  Trail Crampon Trail Crampon Ultra Trail Crampon PRO # of Points 21 11 18 10 Point Length 1.2 cm 1.6 cm 1.5 cm 2.0 cm … Read More

Gear: Packing Lists

posted in: Geek Files, Hiking Gear

Over the last couple of years, I’ve developed several ‘packing lists’ that I use when preparing for a hike. I don’t ever bring everything that is on any of the lists, I just use the lists as a reminder of anything I may want/need to bring. What I usually do is print out the most appropriate list for my hike, … Read More

The Year in (Dog Hiking) Photos, 2014

posted in: Hiking with Dogs, Photos

My time on the trail was limited this year, so Riley did not get to hike as much as usual. Here are some photos from the trips he was able to make in 2014: The photo gallery below (50+ photos) loads slowly. Thank you for your patience.

Gear Repair: Winter Traction Devices

posted in: Hiking Gear

Question: Have any of you needed to repair Kahtoola Microspikes, Hillsound Trail Crampons or a similar product while you’ve been out on the trail? What’s the most effective way to repair them? Is it worthwhile to carry a backup set if you have them available to you? I am in the process of putting together a repair kit to carry on … Read More

Gear Review: Hillsound Trail Crampons

Why Buy? I purchased a set of Hillsound FreeSteps6 Traction Devices for my father-in-law earlier this year in preparation for our Mt. Whitney. Looking at their construction and materials, I thought they were very similar to my more expensive Kahtoola Microspikes. I began to wonder why I had not seen FreeSteps recommended on the several hiking forums and facebook hiking groups I belong to. … Read More

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