Trip Report: Sasse Mountain
A previous excursion to Sasse Mountain via the Jolly Mountain trail ended in heartbreak as the snow just below the summit became too mushy to handle without the snowshoes that I'd left back at the cabin. Fast forward past a month of snowmelt to my second snowshoe-free attempt (this time via the Sasse Mountain trail) and voila! Another turnaround due to too-deep too-soft snow just below the summit. If only I'd had some sort of warning - a premonition, perhaps? - or some way to predict this outcome... Oh well. Goals Reach the summit of Sasse Mountain (total failure, but [...]
May 2020 Loot!
Here I was making edits to the April loot post when I realized that, uh, it's not April anymore. That's ok because April was pretty meh on gear but May is shaping up to be pretty outstanding: Montbell Versalite Rain Shell Can an ultralight rain jacket with pit zips function as both a wind shell and rain shell? It's five ounces of weight savings over my current cagoule/Veil combo so let's hope so! (using a stock photo here since I haven't figured out a good way to take clothing photos) ($199, 190g) KUIU Peloton 97 Zip Fleece In his book [...]
Trip Report: Hex Mountain
On Sunday we had a break in the rain so I decided to explore another one of the local trails. The south-facing approach and 5,000 foot elevation of Hex Mountain all but guaranteed a snow-free adventure but after last month's turnaround just below the summit of Sasse Mountain I decided that I'd lug along a pair of snowshoes just in case. It would prove to be one of the lesser mistakes on this trip. The first half of the trail to Hex Mountain is just an old logging road; eventually the actual trail splits off to follow a ridge to [...]
April 2020 Loot!
After an entire month of not buying anything backpacking-related it's time to get back on the wagon. Between a new lens purchase and the arrival of my custom EE Enigma quilt I'm now sitting at a base weight that's just below 15 pounds. Hot damn! Fujinon XF 18mm F2 R Lens After lugging around my 375g astrophotography-capable wide-angle lens for a whole year and not having a single astro shot to show for it I thought that it might be time to invest in a lighter setup. The Fuji X mount ecosystem only has two lenses that approach the pancake [...]
Gear Review: Sawyer Select S1
The Sawyer Select S1 is a convenient way to filter water that's contaminated by farm runoff - as long as you don't follow the directions. Stats Make: SawyerModel: Select S1Model year: 2019Measured weight: 228gDate purchased: 2019-03-29Price paid: $29.93Usage: 3 trips in the Quincy Lakes Wildlife Area Unit Construction The hollow fiber filters that Sawyer is typically known for are great at removing viruses and bacteria but they're unable to remove chemicals (including the pesticides found in water that's contaminated by farm runoff) or heavy metals. To address these needs Sawyer has a Select line of foam-based filters currently consisting of [...]
Gear Review: Lunar Solo
The Lunar Solo is a pyramid-style single-wall trekking-pole tent. It stands out for its affordability, light weight, polyester construction, and livability and only requires a single trekking pole to pitch. It is both my first trekking-pole tent and first single-wall tent. After almost two years of use in everything from 34mph windstorms to granite basins it is still my go-to tent for 3-season trips. Stats Make: Six Moon DesignsModel: Lunar SoloModel year: 2018Measured weight: 725gDate purchased: 2018-07-06Price paid: $200 plus $30 for seam-sealingUsage: July 2018 - present (over a dozen trips, two dozen nights, 200+ miles) Materials Eh, not my [...]
Anchoring Your Tent On Rock, Sand, or Snow
The system in use The built-in stake loops on most tents aren't wide enough for snow stakes (which you need when you're on snow or sand) and they certainly aren't wide enough for rocks which are often all you've got when you're above the treeline. After a handful of nights on rock, snow, and sand I think I've perfected a system which allows you to anchor your tent to rocks or snow stakes so that you can pitch it just about anywhere. Ingredients For each stake loop on your tent you'll need: A mini carabiner (Litesmith or Zpacks)A LiteOutdoors tensioner9" [...]
Trip Report: Sasse Mountain
Last weekend I went out on a day hike to Sasse Mountain to focus on elevation-related fitness as well as to test out some gear. At the trailhead I discovered that the snow was particularly crusty so I left my snowshoes behind in favor of just using trail runners and traction spikes. This got me to just below the summit where the road petered out and I would have needed to ascend a steep ridge to continue. Since the snow was pretty slushy I opted to avoid postholing for the next hour and turned around. Goals Reach the summit of [...]
The Landscape Photography Book
The Landscape Photography Book packs hundreds of tips into its pages and has something to offer beginners and intermediates alike even if you've been shooting for a few years. After reading the first book in Scott's digital photography series I decided to pick up a copy of his dedicated landscape photography book as well. Although I still have 4 more volumes to go in the original series I would imagine that this book's purpose is to consolidate all of the tips that are specific to landscape photography in one place. The book is not terribly long at 224 pages but [...]
Book Review: The Digital Photography Book Part 1
Over the years I've read piles of digital photography books. I wish I had read this one first. Although Scott's chapter introductions (which he sells a separate book of) and humor are groan-inducing they're worth overlooking because this book is a treasure trove of real-world photography tips from someone who is clearly an expert on a whole different level. Most importantly, the book is intentionally written in a style that's accessible to everyday people rather than professional photographers. It isn't steeped in obtuse technical jargon and even includes simple and straightforward recipes on "how to get the shot", from wedding [...]