May 18th, 2012
Staying Cleanse inside Wild
Proceeding outdoor camping and cleanliness looks like it’s nearly complete opposite ambitions. Of course, abdominal muscles act of outdoor camping usually means hanging out into nature, coping with the animals, uncovering yourself to the sun and rain and food preparation, consuming and sleep on to the ground. Even now, personal hygiene in the course of your campout encounter is vital each towards the evening in, time out existence in camp out also to your wellbeing and intellectual tranquility throughout the time that you are In .toughing itIn.
The exact task of camping is getting means to get a very good total well being with out the majority of he niceties which our modern-day life-style affords us. In most cases, few of us go camping for the reason that we must. We camp for fun and doubtless for rather shorter intervals. Nevertheless excellent care and get away cleanness is crucial for customer health and fitness and to so that you stay organized and go mattress each night realizing you camped effectively.
Like anything that brings about your success in backpacking, preparation makes the distinction. Component of becoming prepared for camping and making it possible for you to continue being fresh more than several days in camp out arises from being aware of what to anticipate. So check the elements estimate to the spot exactly where you can be outdoor camping to ensure that if there is rainfall predicted, you’ll be able to occur wanting to cleanup some rainy and colorless travelers. But whether or not the prediction you can see and dry up, it constantly pays to be prepared for virtually every unexpected change in the weather although camping outdoors. So particular it is wise to do for any campout a camping web-site clean and your hikers like this as well.
Beneficial hiking gear will help you keep some volume of civil hygiene while in the campout. A highly covered outdoor tent is able to keep normal water out so even when some dirt and dirt receives in, it will not switch your camping tents interior to a mudslide. Also provide a good amount of cleaning utility caddy to vine ripened straight down platforms, clean up unclean covering floorings also to clear outdoorsmen as well. Other than that, the best prep will probably the camp site knowing whole nicely that a hiking group will get grubby and becoming prepared to clean them up for meals and sleeping.
In the camp out day time, your benchmarks of personal hygiene might be a much more peaceful. After all, should the children keep coming back on the camping play area insured in airborne dirt and dust however the next pastime is often a rise for the water, just getting them to an elementary wellbeing volume of personal hygiene such as thoroughly clean looks and fingers might be adequate. It is possible to allow dirt to become part of their medical scrubs of your hiking spouse and children and just chill out for a little bit and let them have pleasurable.
Obviously inside camp web site on its own, health indicates retaining litter and junk obtained and hang up absent in junk sacks. And keep the trash properly separated and collateralized, tie up your trash can tote with an greater item for instance a outdoor tent up-right or perhaps a hardwood leg so everyone is able to chose the present functioning rubbish carrier and strive to help to increase it through the entire camping morning and evening hours. But also stage recurrent Half inchmonitoringInches occasions to obtain the kitten up with the camp out internet site during the time when most people are in foundation camping. Want you are prepared to fall asleep the folks lower, the camp ground site need to be neat and the trash recinded to dissuade pets from checking out it at night.
There isn’t any motive to give up essential cleanliness even though camping out. Some camp good grounds have restrooms which may even have bath areasBrand New even when there isn’t any tub areas obtainable, each individual recreational camper can go to the toilet place and please take a soft towel, relax it in water that is clean and provide independently a sponge bath prior to becoming clean up apparel before going to sleep.
Clearing in this way is important to your regular health insurance cleanliness from the camping outdoors knowledge. Ensure you group lots of fresh variations of clothes each camper. Every person should get to sleep immediately after washing away from and becoming wholly fresh clothes. Putting on dirtied clothing to sleep, even if it’s only dirty with sweating and the entire body essential liquids tends to make people attire a smaller amount effective in keeping the rv warm at night, can cause skin breakouts when they slumber and is a sketch for insect pests or wildlife who stench all those messy points and know they will locate sleeping mankind and in which getting to sleep mankind is he might discover foodstuff. So ensure that every person alterations clothes right before bed and therefore messy clothes are plastic box and located from the sleeping hikers.
The necessities of adjustments of garments as well as boots and shoes will always make all the difference in maintaining a contented camp out site through a couple of days. Outdoorsmen ought to know not to ever provide grubby or damp shoes and boots to their camping tents. Convey some modifications of shoes if they chose the boots and shoes these folks were donning in daytime are unacceptably dirty, they might have fresh new shoes or boots with the early morning though their old shoes are flushed and dry.
An ample supply of massive trash luggage will probably be your finest defense in isolating and acquiring soiled items to be delivered household for cleaning. Just about every camper should be offered a junk carrier to dispose of their soiled apparel into. Then right after get away has finished, all bags of messy things may be tied up off and taken the place to find be cleansed adequately inside the washing laundry.
These standard health actions you can think through before you’ll actually retrieve to visit camping out is likely to make holding a clean up camp out web-site sorted and forward movement daily far less difficult. It is just a technique it does not make an effort to refuse that hiking produces people today in touch with soilBrand New it is aware that finding soiled is the main enjoyment of camping outdoors and sets programs and methods into position which everybody can go back to basics higher level of personal hygiene every day no less than enough to keep healthy and happy for the next day’s backpacking entertaining.
The people in this lobby weren’t super awesome. I could have gone 9-3 nearly every game if I started aiming down sights at the traffic areas too. As a matter of fact, this was my worst and only negative game against these guys. Still, it left me confused because I don’t think even the best guys on youtube would have fared a whole lot better. When TDM is played competitively, it’s all about camping. It’s about getting up by one kill and making them come to you. The first kill is the most important. I don’t know what to say, I think when it come to TDK KD ratio it’s hard to beat a camper. What would you have done differently? T-Shirts: woodysgamertag. Spreadshirt. Com Like My Page facebook. Com Twitter: twitter. Com Tags and stuff: new mw3 multiplayer online gameplay call of duty modern warfare 3 commentary xbox ps3 woodysgamertag commentary tdm team death match deathmatch seatown new mw3 multiplayer online gameplay call of duty modern warfare 3 commentary xbox ps3 woodysgamertag commentary tdm team death match deathmatch seatown new mw3 multiplayer online gameplay call of duty modern warfare 3 commentary xbox ps3 woodysgamertag commentary tdm team death match deathmatch seatown
About The Author
Gray Rollins is a featured writer for CampingEarth.com – your complete resource for camping information. If you’d like to learn more camping basics, please visit us. Also, be sure to check out our comprehensive guides such as the complete guide to fifth wheel campers.
Filed under: Camping Blog
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 18th, 2012
Yesterday, my family hit the Waldo Canyon Loop Trail. We hadn’t been able to go hiking in quite a while, due to conflicting schedules and other plans, so it was nice to get out.
My Boyfriend found the trail using AllTrails, and downloaded the map, which is a nice feature of the app. We had an embarrassing amount of trouble finding the trailhead, as the dropped pin on Google maps was about a mile off. After we passed the dropped pin, we pulled into a small parking lot on the side of the highway to turn around. After driving around a bit, unable to find the place, we realized that parking lot we turned around in was actually our trail head – doh!
One we got going, and hiked far enough for the highway to be out of earshot, we quite liked the trail. We enjoyed the thick woods as well as the scenic views. The trail itself seemed well-maintained, which I surely appreciated. There was evidence that a tree had fallen onto the trail, but had been cut and moved out of the way. Further down, there was a nice bench made of polished logs made by a local scout troop
This was the first hike that Molly wore her dog backpack for. It fits a bit awkward on her as she’s too large for a small, but a bit too petite for the medium-sized pack that I bought. Still, it didn’t seem bother her at all, and she loves putting it on as she knows it means going somewhere fun (we’ve had her wear it to the dog park to get used to it.) It was really nice not to have to unpack ourselves to give Molly food and water when she needed it, she had that herself. In one side of her pack, she had her water, on the other side, she had her food and a collapsible bowl with compartments for food and water. You can carry your own things now, dog!
Sadly, as we had a late start, we weren’t able to complete the trail and had to turn back early. It was getting dark by the time we made it back to our car. It would be nice to return to this trail another time.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 15th, 2012
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 15th, 2012
Many teens (okay, adults, too!) dream of escaping their lives and heading off for an unforgettable backpacking adventure in another country. In the Young Adult novel WANDERLOVE, Kristen Hubbard captures that journey for all of us to experience.
18-year-old Bria has just broken up with her boyfriend and after planning a trip abroad together, she is determined to still go. Her two friends back out, but Bria believes it’s a prophecy when she’s handed a Global Vagabonds pamphlet. She heads off to Guatemala with a tourist group, but realizes that hanging out with a group of middle-aged tourists isn’t going to help her find herself. She meets a girl named Starling and her brother Rowan, and before you know it, Bria is leaving the group for one unforgettable backpacking adventure.
Along the way, Bria digs deep into self-discovery, independence and self-confidence. Yes, there’s romance and more as this is an adventure that will have you reaching for your backpack, on the search for your own Global Vagabonds pamphlet! Not only will teens relate to Bria as she’s trying to find herself, going through big changes, and attempting to rediscover her passion, they’ll appreciate the realization that we all need to tackle our own adventures every now and then, so we can move forward and discover ourselves.
Hubbard has written a beautiful story–one perfect to curl up with over the summer on a lounge chair. Since Wanderlove is about celebrating favorite places, Hubbard has even turned the Wanderlove website (www.wanderlove.com) into a place to upload and chat about your own hidden destinations, so be sure to visit and upload your own photo!
Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 13, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0385739370
ISBN-13: 978-0385739375
Source of review copy: publicist
Disclosure:
Some of the books I review are
received from publishers , PR
agencies, and authors, but it does not sway
my opinion of the book.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 12th, 2012
Walking into the unknown…
I´m excited about the world; the unknown; and the limitless options I have right now, in this moment, as I hold the world in the palm of my hands. I sit here browsing voluntary opportunities in Granada, Spain – one of my many destinations. My body tingles as I feel the adventure, my mind races. A month from now anything could happen…
I could find myself on a farm in the Sierra Nevada looking after the horses, and riding them in my spare time; I could find myself wondering the capital of Madrid, sitting on some grass, and watching the world go by; I could find myself on an interesting road trip down the coast listening to The Forrest Gump soundtrack, and drinking decaffeinated coffee; or I could even find myself staying longer in Catalonia, exploring the endless hiking trails; or who knows what else.
Why not? Anything is possible right now. My motto is “think BIG, and always keep an open mind”. Opportunities are all around us, we just have to take them when they come. People say I´m lucky, I just say I´m prepared. When I feel myself saying no to an opportunity, I say yes!
Inspirational writing…
I read a quote today on some traveller´s blog post,
“One life. Just one. Why aren’t we all running like we are on fire towards our wildest dreams?”
Sometimes we lose ourselves and stray from the most fundamental thing in life. We focus so much on routine and time races by – our most important commodity. I have strived all my life for adventure, and now, at this very moment in time, I am living the life I want. I´m living for the here and now, for this very moment in time, not in the past, nor the future. As the past cannot be changed, and the future is only changed by the here and now. People spend so much time building the future in their heads, they lose a sense of what truly defines the future, the present.
Why I travel…
Travel is an adventure, it´s something you feel inside, it´s not something which can be bought. Trying to explain this to people has always been difficult for me, another quote from the same blog post sums it up pretty nicely.
“Why do birds migrate? They can’t explain why, they just do. They’re overcome with an urge to go a certain way and they get where they need to go because of it.“
When I talk to people about travelling, all I ever hear are excuses about why they can´t travel. To all those people, stop making excuses and start planning for the life you want, don´t give up, if you really, truly want anything in this world, you will get it.
Re-aligning one´s self…
I´ve been reading an interesting book recently as I rummaged through Vivien´s book shelf. It´s called “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships”. I´ve started to become interested lately in self-help books, so naturally I picked it off the shelf. After an hour of reading I was amazed! For me, the book is great as it´s helped me communicate my feelings with people when they´ve upset me, and it´s even managed to help me unlock some deep emotions and understand how to handle them to make positive changes in my life. It´s changing my life for the better, and anything that does this is a real bonus.
My second family…
The people I´m staying with are the most wonderful people I´ve ever met. I consider them as my own family, and will definitely be back here to see them again. On a very good note, my mum is coming to stay for a week. It´s the first time she´s been abroad since she was 18, as such, it´s going to be a great week for us, and I can´t wait to see her – it´s been 6 months!
Work hard, play harder…
I´ve been working at the farm mostly. I spend most of my days painting in the sun with my top off – working on my super tan of course! I am hopefully going to make a visit to Port Aventura which is 30 minutes away – how could I possibly resist, the weather is heating up, it now averages 24c and the BBQ has been getting hammered, what´s more perfect than a BBQ and a beer on a beautiful sunny day in paradise.
Moving south where the sun shines harder…
I have started making plans for early June, I have made contact with some people in Granada, and they have accepted me. There are many other places to stay around Granada, so I can see myself spending a few months there in the Summer – can´t wait!
Until next time guys, peace and love, Jonathan x
p.s – I upload new photos quite regular, and sometimes a new video, don´t forget to check my twitter for regular updates!
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 12th, 2012
Backpacking is one of the most fun adventures to go on. College students for years and years have enjoyed grabbing their gear, some good friends, and a map and setting out onto an unknown place. It is also one of the best economical ways to vacation. Don’t worry about burning the cash because with these top ten places to backpack you will be seeing the world without dipping too far into the bank account. Get ready for a fun time with some good friends. Grab your gear and let’s go.
1. Thailand
Backpacking Thailand is easy and inexpensive. As far as countries go for cheap backpacking this place tops the list. Food, accommodations, and travel are very cheap compared to other places around the world. Backpacker’s hostels are located in all the major cities and many touring guides appeal to college travelers as well. Backpacking Thailand means leaving luxuries like hot water pressure and air conditioning at home in exchange for some pretty incredible sites and people to meet.
2. Brazil
Places like Rio de Janeiro draws tourists in, yet there are many more things to see here that you may have not thought of. Head to Porto Alegre and see Aparados da Serra National Park. Regional buses can take you from city to city to help getting around easier. Also taking a Portuguese phrase book with you will make transactions and bartering less stressful. Make sure you also plan some time to backpack through the Amazon jungle. It’s quite the sight.
3. Portugal
Portugal has the Mediterranean flavor without the high costs like Spain and Italy. Here your dollar can stretch far with things like food and hostels. Travel is fairly cheap as well. The well connected train lines connect most of the major cities. Taxis are much cheaper in cities like Lisbon then in places like Paris and London. Head to Algarve for incredible beaches. This will be the most costly of the places you can go here, but it is still much cheaper then beaches in the South of France and Spanish beach cities.
4. Sri Lanka
Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lana, is the most popular city to visit here. Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is actually the capital of the country and worth a visit to as well. The Buddha statues and Galle Face Green Promenade in Colombo are awesome. You will feel as though you have traveled to another time and place when you come to Sri Lanak. The people are very friendly and willing to meet your needs.
5. Mexico
Mexico is awesome and for the most part very cheap to backpack through. As long as you steer clear of places like Cancun you will be all set. As with many slightly economically depressed countries, Mexico offers hostels and B&Bs at excellent prices. Plan to see the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, Mexico City and the commercial capital of the country, a volcano in Toluca, and if there’s time go white water rafting in Veracruz.
6. Greece
One of the oldest and most established cultures in the world, Greece is a tourists haven. Many of the cities like Athens lure tourists in with their ancient ruins, charm, incredible food, and entertainment. Summer is the best time to come here when the weather is perfect and every shop is open for tourist season. You can visit ancient ruins from thousands of years ago or head to the beach on one of the amazing islands. Whatever you choose you will be having a fabulous time exploring Greece. Plus you get to it all for very cheap as a college backpacker.
7. Morocco
Lots of sand plus camels plus henna equals a unique and fun time. Morocco is a holistic paradise where you check your home comforts at the door and welcome getting back to the basics. Here there isn’t electricity and running water everywhere. Although hotels and most hostels have it. The key here is to learn about the culture, see some incredible sites, and save some money while backpacking.
8. Bali
Indonesia’s pride and joy, Bali is a must for any backpacker looking for fun and saving money. Tropical jungles, long stretches of beaches, caves, volcanoes, and locals are why tourists love to come to this place. For college students, it is easy to get around and meet other college students Visit museums and galleries and take in a Balinese dance with an authentic dinner.
9. Peru
Peru is really an amazing place to visit. When choosing where to backpack inexpensively consider this place as your destination. Rainforests, ruins, and beaches are plentiful. Lima the capital is a good place to start your trip if you don’t have a game plan. The cool part about Peru also is that you don’t really need a plan. Just have a map, a little Spanish under your belt, and a good pair of hiking shoes. You’re all set for a once in a lifetime adventure.
10. Croatia
Visiting Croatia can give you the illusion that you are somewhere expensive. However, unlike Europe, you can get the glam without the pricetag. And if you are backpacking Croatia then you are all set. Hostels and inexpensive restaurants and bars are plentiful. Don’t worry about wasting money on pricey hotels. You can stay in a comfortable youth hostel with other college students and still see all the great sites. If you are planning to visit this summer make sure you get over to Dubrovnik. There is a large summer festival going on the entire month of July.
Source: studentuniverse
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 6th, 2012
Sahale Glacier Camp, North Cascades National Park
It had been almost 10 years since I had done any serious backpacking. Life has a way of distracting you from what’s important…but now, with my priorities straight, I was packed and ready to hit the trail…if only my friends would show up!
After living overseas for 7 years I moved back to the states and wound up, through a twist of fate, living in New Jersey. There I slowly renewed my love of hiking, the only problem was, where to go? The Delaware Water Gap  became my go-to destination in the Garden State, but it didn’t fit my idea of either mountains or wilderness.
Planning a trip back to Washington I found my old, dusty copy of “Hiking the North Cascades” that I had packed away and looked for what sounded like a great, relatively short hike. Part of the trail description read: “…the trail reaches a series of camping spots at the toe of Sahale Glacier, each one atop its own mound of ruble and protected against the winds by a stonework ring. This is the loftiest developed camp in North Cascades National Park and looks out across a sea of jagged peaks. Vistas like these are usually reserved for mountaineers, following demanding and dangerous ascents.”
It sure sounded great! I called Darin, my closest friend, (who had never been backpacking) and read him the text, told him he should come. He said he could probably borrow equipment from his sister and it was set! My wife and I flew out to Seattle and made it to Tim’s place in Sedro-Woolley.
Finally around noon they rolled in, smiling and ready to hit the trail. Well, mostly ready. We piled all the stuff in the pick up and headed up Highway 20, east, towards Marblemount. Stopping for last minute supplies and then for our permit we flew as fast as we could in Tim’s old dilapidated Toyota along the Cascade River Road.
I still have an image blazed in my memory of barreling along the dirt road over a small bridge where I was headed straight for a squirrel in the middle of the road. He was hanging onto an acorn of mammoth proportions, obviously the find of a lifetime. He didn’t budge lest he loose his prize. I swerved madly around him, my friends swearing at me loudly from the back of the truck…
It was almost 3pm when we arrived at the trailhead and hurriedly got started. I knew we would probably wind up hiking in darkness, but what to do? Darin and his girlfriend, Nichol, were game and we hurried through the dense forest up the 30-something switchbacks to Cascade Pass. The weather was perfect, a few puffy clouds adding texture to the azure sky.
As we sat for a break and late lunch I read out loud the trail description, making special note of the steepness of the trail. Trying to emphasize that we still had a long way to go (mostly up!) I urged that we get going.
My two friends had no idea what any of the details portended, “2,300 feet elevation gain in 1.6 miles” meant nothing to them. My wife, Svetlana, an experienced mountaineer understood what would come next. She got her pack on and helped urge us all on.
The next section of trail, up to the junction with the trail to Doubtful Lake, is steep and rocky. We strung out along the trail, each of us struggling to keep up. Finally arriving at the trail junction we stood gaping at Sahale Peak.
A few hikers passed us, headed back to the pass and I stepped aside to ask how much further was Sahale Glacier Camp. They pointed up (way up!) at the peak and the three small mounds just below its summit, and said “There, on top of those mounds of rock is the camp…” At first I was sure they were joking. I had been hoping that the climb from the pass to the trail junction had taken us at least halfway, but it was clear that we had a very long way to go.
Darin and Nichol, both obviously ready to stop hiking and start camping, joined me then and asked, what did they say? I told them it was still further to go.
Hiking on Sahale Arm is always pure joy. Green tundra, wildflowers;  lupine, bistort, paintbrush, heather and many more add color. And the views: Cascade Peak, The Triplets, Magic Mountain, Pelton Peak and Glory Mountain. Nothing beats ridge hiking in the North Cascades. The splendid scenery provided much needed distraction to our suffering as we plodded along.
The trail climbed the lower Arm, passing the old mine and started on a straight line up the mountain. Svetlana and I reached the point where a creek runs along side of the trail, just before the last steep pitch up to the camp. Darkness was not far off. My friends arrived, both looking exhausted, and I finally let them in on the deal: the camp is atop those mounds, just head straight up!
That last section of trail is pretty brutal. We strung out along the way, Svetlana in the lead, followed by me, then Darin and Nichol.
As I crested the top I looked back and could see those two struggling in the twilight to find the trail, slowly trudging along…As most of the camp sites were full, Svetlana and I started scouting east along the camp ridge looking to see if there was one vacant spot left…finally finding one I got busy setting up the tent and getting the stove going while Svetlana went back to look for our friends.
They finally arrived loudly cursing me, smiling, tired, cold, hungry and relieved. They later told me that the only reason that they didn’t turn back was that I had the car keys and the only reason they didn’t kill me as soon as they arrived in camp was because they were too exhausted. A hot meal and warm tent soon improved their spirits, along with the views and we were all soon having a great time and I was (mostly) forgiven.
Waking up first I made it out of the tent with camera in hand to see where things were. The view was unsurpassed. To the west I could see Puget Sound glinting in the sun. South I could make out the massive hulk of Mount Rainier, 150 miles away. Exploring the camp I made my way to the official camp toilet, perched on a narrow ridge with a view not be beat!
The days plan was simple: do nothing! We lazed around camp, recuperating. In the early afternoon we moved camp back to the top of the ridge, just where the trail crests the top, to the well established spots with rings of stone stacked for protection from the wind. From higher up on the slopes of Sahale peak these camping spots looked like little turrets, guard posts for the castle keep.
At lunch time we got together and emptied our packs to see what food there was and what to eat. We’re all pulling out the regular stuff, nuts and protein bars, except Darin. He opens his pack and pulls out a bag full of apples. I look over and say, “Hey, any more fruit in there?” he goes on to unload 8 pears, 4 oranges, an entire bunch of bananas and several huge cans of beef stew. By this time I am doubled over with laughter. “So, THAT”S why you were so dead yesterday, you had more than 30 pounds of fruit in the pack!”. He smiled and pulled out his last prize: a medium sized honeydew melon!!!
We had a good time making fun of him…and eating all the fruit.
Now that I live nearby I make a trip to Sahale every year. Each time is different. It’s always thrilling to reach the pass and get started hiking along Sahale Arm. One year I was almost swept away by a huge avalanche of mud and snow after a freak thunder storm. On three trips I’ve been visited at camp by several mountain goats, happy to pose for pictures.
Four years after that first trip I went back up to Sahale camp with Darin. Between these visits we had logged hundreds of miles on trails through out the North Cascades and the Pasayten Wilderness. Darin stopped packing fresh fruit in his pack but I never let him live down the 30+ pounds of fruit from that first trip.
We set up camp, had dinner and as I started to set up my tripod for pictures Darin mentioned he’d brought along a surprise. I was turned away for a moment, and when I looked up Darin was there with a wide grin and a whole watermelon.
I can’t recall having more fun eating watermelon…
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 6th, 2012
There I was, at Narita Airport in Tokyo. I’d just gotten off my first solo international flight and was awaiting my backpack already christened ‘the Beast’ on the baggage carousel. I spied the 21-kilo behemoth and almost wiped myself out trying to swing it onto my back.
I know, I know, rookie mistake. Pack light. Amateur.
In only a few short weeks, I noticed that I’d made a lot of such mistakes. I carried around a sewing kit for five months, for God’s sake.
Looking back, here are my favourites. Enjoy, and please take the advice. And put down that sewing kit.
10. Kathmandu should not supply your entire wardrobe.
I went a little bit nuts at the fabled backpacking store before I set off. I bought fleeces, rainwater jackets, thermals and jumpers, not to mention by Kathmandu-branded backpack, daypack, umbrella, drink bottles and quick-dry towels. I looked like a walking Kathmandu catalogue. I thought that my loot would be comfortable and practical; no, I just stood out as a very prepared Aussie backpacker.
9. Leave the sleeping bag at home.
Unless you’re trekking through the Amazon, there is actually very little need for a sleeping bag on a trip involving hostels. I found this out very quickly; sheets were almost always included in the hostel’s price and for some where they weren’t (hello, Boathostel in Stockholm) they wouldn’t let you use a sleeping bag for ‘hygiene reasons’. Despite my sleeping bag being quite small (purchased at, you guessed it) it was a bugger to carry around. I experimented with it for a while; clipped to the top, clipped to the side, inside the bag… but all just added to the bulk. Clipping it to the side had the added bonus of donking everyone on the head when you board a train and find out that your reserved seat is eight carriages away.
Unless you’re sleeping here, ditch the sleeping bag. Photo credit: Airplane Journal on Flickr.
8. You won’t get away with wearing a fleece at a nightclub.
I severely underestimated just how much nocturnal socialising goes on whilst backpacking. Even though you can get away with slightly rougher clothes going out as a backpacker, you need at least one outfit (and crucially, one pair of shoes) which you can dress up a little. I’m looking at girls here – cruelly, the world thinks it’s OK for guys to get away with a pair of boardies for an entire summer.
7. Always aim for an aisle seat on a plane.
My favourite seats on the plane are window seats. I love looking at the sprawl of the city I’m leaving as well as the one in which I’m arriving and having that new excited feeling about visiting a new place. However, if a flight is more than three hours, bugger the view. I will be more excited about the concept of free alcohol and will definitely need to utilise the bathrooms at least once. Every time I’m busting my neighbour would be fast asleep.
Quite fond of gin and tonics on the plane? Stick to the aisle. Photo credit: sargant on Flickr.
6. Book accommodation.
Hostelworld and Hostelbookers were only just starting out when I started travelling (yep, way back yonder in 2007). Instead, I’d been surrounded by friends and guidebooks who advocated finding accommodation once in the desired city. Not only did this waste me precious time, but deals were the same if not more expensive than on the Internet. Add to this my questionable sense of direction and you get one very lost Aussie on the streets of Porto, vowing to always book accommodation in future.
5. Don’t count on getting things done on the train.
Once I got into writing by blog, I’d dedicate time on trains to brainstorm and write posts. Depite my best intentions, I don’t think that ever happened. Instead, I would fill six hour plus train rides with feverent people-watching (especially on those old-school six-person compartments) and simply gazing out of the window, mind completely blank.
I loved the concept of train compartments. They are actually quite ridiculous. Photo credit: Sapphireblue on Flickr.
4. Pay attention in language classes.
Oh, how I wish I was good at languages and actually had the stamina to continue with them after verb conjugations were introduced. In places like Italy and China (after learning the characters in Japanese) I would forever stare at printed words, knowing that at one stage I was aware of their meaning but that such knowledge had since escaped me.
3. Learn to love breakfast.
I’m not a breakfast person. I can easily skip it, despite knowing that not eating a meal in the morning apparently shaves five years off your life expectancy. Breakfast is however the most important meal for backpackers. It’s often free, provided by hostels, and buffet-style so you can fill up on as much as you want (and, despite the signs, we all do chuck the fruit in our backpacks for later). If you have a massive breakfast, often you’d only need to pay for one meal for the rest of the day.
Don’t grab just one thing – grab everything. Photo credit: asirap on Flickr.
2. Always carry a pen.
When travelling by yourself, you have to remember everything. There’s nobody else constantly there who can say years later, “oh, remember that time when…?” No, it’s all up to you. Write it down, even in dot point form. Solo travellers talk to themselves (at least I do) and sometimes we can ‘say’ very witty things. At the very least, it gives you something to do when you’ve ordered that coffee and cake alone at the cafe and don’t want to look like a loser staring off into the distance.
1. Don’t write a diary. Write a blog.
I did both. Or, I should say, I did write a blog, and I carried a diary that was used solely for keeping track of my budget. When I first started this blog, I was fifty per cent sure that I wouldn’t write a second entry. Unlike a diary, a blog has two functions; it’s essentially your diary, but also comes with the added function of being a dozen or so emails to individual people at once. Today, my blog is my favourite souvenir of my travels, despite knowing nothing about the caper beforehand.
jQuery(‘.nrelate_default’).removeClass(‘nrelate_default’);
Posted in Information | No Comments »
April 27th, 2012
Backpacking in GTNP: Paintbrush to Cascade
April 26, 2012 at 8:16 pm Painted Buffalo Inn
Grand Teton National Park boasts a large network of trails, a majority of which are not suitable for day hikes but rather  overnight backpacking trips. One of my favorite overnight trip is Paintbrush to Cascade. Starting at Paintbrush Canyon you ascend through the canyon, passing wildflowers and paintbrushes (a brilliant red flower) crossing the Paintbrush Divide and then dropping down to Solitude Lake and Cascade Canyon and then back out to String and Jenny Lake.
The hike can be broken down into two nights for the slower hiker or one night for the aggressive backpacker. It is the perfect backpacking trip for the visitor who would like to do an overnight in the Tetons and experience the vastness of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) without spending too much time in the woods. Jared and I made our trip two nights. We like camping and I didn’t know how fast we would be able to cover ground. We started midday on the first day and were out of the woods by 9am on the third day.
The day before our trip we went to the GTNP Visitor’s Center in Moose and secured a camping permit for the Outliers campsite and North Fork of Cascade Canyon. The permits cost $25 and can only be reserved the day before your trip. When we got our permit, they also gave us a bear canister that we were asked to use on the trip. We hadn’t factored the bear canister into our packing so we had to repack our bags to accommodate the bulky canister. The canister is about a foot and a quarter long and about 8 inches wide (not exact measurements). You may use a penny, fingernail or knife to open the canister. You are requested to store all of your food, waste and any other items that may attract bears in the canister. For more information on bear safety click here.
Once we were all packed up we drove up to the String Lake parking lot and shrugged on our backpacks. Just keep in mind, the longer you stay out in the back country the heavier your pack will be from food and supplies. I recommend bringing a water filter or jet boil (camp stove) along in order to fill up with water. Both canyons have streams that run down the center of them so there are plenty of places to fill up.
 We started our hike around String Lake and then up Paintbrush Canyon, passing picnicking families and kids splashing in the frigid lake. Once in the canyon it was just us and the wildlife. We spotted a moose or two, but no bears, fortunately. It is imperative that you bring bear spray with you when hiking in the Tetons. We made it to our campsite – the Outliers Site, a solitary site located between the Lower Paintbrush Canyon camping area and the Holly Lake Camping area, in about 3 hours.
The next day we continued up Paintbrush Canyon towards  the Paintbrush Divide. We stopped briefly at Holly Lake, which is a beautiful high altitude lake. We continued on our way to the divide, passing through fields of wildflowers until we hit the end of the canyon. At the end of the canyon the trail started to ascend to the Paintbrush Divide. The trail to the divide is steep and rather exposed. We crossed two snowfields – fortunately for us it had been a low snow year so we didn’t need ice axes. Ask at the visitor’s center if you will need ice axes on your hike across the divide. The view was spectacular, mountains everywhere you looked without a trace of civilization. It was breathtakingly beautiful, but rather windy, since the top of the divide is at 10,700 feet and an exposed ridge line.
We continued along the trail into Cascade Canyon. The hike down the switchbacks into Cascade  Canyon provide sweeping views of the canyon, Solitude Lake and the Grand Teton. Once again, I was in awe. We made it to Solitude Lake around 3 in the afternoon and then set off to find our campsite. The North Fork of Cascade Canyon has a number of campsites; all which are on a first come first serve basis. As we hiked down from Solitude Lake we peered into each campsite. We were picky at first until we realize that a majority of the sites had already been claimed. To indicate that someone was at the site the hikers put some dead fall timber in the shape of an X at the entrance to the path that leads to the site. We realized all too late that there were a fair amount of campsites on our right hand side but they had no access to running water, which we needed. Before we knew it we were at the end of the camping zone, stuck with no campsite and having to trudge our way back uphill. At this point our patience was running thin – we had 40 pound packs on our back, retracing our steps uphill after hiking about 8 strenuous miles, we were ready to be done.
Finally, we found a campsite that suited our needs,  to boot there was an unobstructed view overlooking the Grand Teton. I was beyond joyous. Somehow I found the renewed energy to jump up and down and shriek like a little school girl, “How cool is this??” Not to mention the fact that once we set up the tent Jared pulled out a bottle of wine and we were able to have a drink while watching the sun set on the Grand. It is one of those memories that will stick with me forever. We gorged ourselves on Velveeta (nothing tastes better than guilt-free mac and cheese) and then retreated to our tent, exhausted yet fulfilled.
The next morning we were up early with the sun and on the trail by 7AM. Fortunately, the hike from where we were out Cascade Canyon was all downhill. But man, did it get trying towards the end. Once we got to Jenny Lake we knew we still had a mile of flat hiking before reaching our car. I think that was the hardest part: knowing that we were so close to being done yet still having a mile of hiking to go.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this overnight trip. It is a very popular backpacking trip, especially mid July to mid September. To make sure that you get a camping permit in the zones that you want to camp in  I suggest that you go to the Visitor’s Center on the morning before you are schedule to depart on your backpacking trip. They allow 1/3 of the campsites to be reserved ahead of time online and leave the remaining 2/3rds vacant to be booked the day before on a first come first serve basis. That means getting to the visitor’s center at 8AM when they open. If you can’t get a permit in the camping zones you want, consider doing the route from Cascade Canyon to Paintbrush Canyon. This route offers an easier ascent and is actually the most popular way to do the trip. I hope that you get a chance to backpack through Grand Teton National Park. The views are out of the world and it is an experience that you will remember forever.
Entry filed under: Hiking, National Parks, Summer Activities. Tags: wyoming, jackson, Jackson Hole, grand teton national park, hiking, GTNP, overnight, Backpacking.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
April 27th, 2012
New Mexico’s 555,000-acre Gila Wilderness is a vast untrammeled patchwork of virtually unlimited forest types, climatic conditions, and wildlife. This rugged landscape boasts sweeping tundra, hot springs, mountain views, and deep gnarled canyons. Within Gila’s boundaries, you can follow trails to views of the breathtaking peaks of the Mogollon Range, wonder at ancient cliff dwellings, and wind your way along stream-ribboned ponderosa forests.
  New Mexico’s 555,000-acre Gila Wilderness is a vast untrammeled patchwork of virtually unlimited forest types, climatic conditions, and wildlife.
Hiking New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness 
Hiking New Mexico, 3rd: A Guide to 95 of the State’s Greatest Hiking Adventures
Laurence Parent is a freelance photographer and writer specializing in landscape, travel, and nature subjects. He has published thirty-six books, including Hiking Texas, Hiking Big Bend National Park, and many other FalconGuides.
  Ninety-one hikes from the La Luz Trail to the San Mateo and Peloncillo Mountains.
Hiking New Mexico, 3rd: A Guide to 95 of the State’s Greatest Hiking Adventures (State Hiking Guides Series) 
Posted in Information | No Comments »
|
|
