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Home »2009 (Page 2)

Year: 2009

Vagabonds for Beauty

Posted onMarch 14, 2009November 17, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A few days ago I rode into the red rocks and sandy desert and it was like coming home again. –Everett Ruess, VAGABOND FOR BEAUTY There are certain places that always call to me. Places that are never far from Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsbackpacking, Colorado Plateau, Hackberry, lightweight, Paria, utah

Benton MacKaye Trail

Return to the Hills – 2009 Benton MacKaye Trail Journal

Posted onMarch 6, 2009February 4, 2026AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

The journal from my 2009 thru-hike of Benton MacKaye Trail. This article also has planing info.  

CategoriesJournals, Trip PlanningTagsBenton Mackaye Trail, lightweight backpacking, lightweight gear

WD-40

Posted onFebruary 3, 2009November 17, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A good friend of mine celebrated her 40th B-day in style: Three days of skiing, good food, wine and friends up at McNamara Hut just outside of Aspen, CO. The trip started off under a blanket of those wonderful winter Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTags10th Mountain Huts, hut trip, ski

Sourdough Nordic Traverse

Posted onJanuary 25, 2009November 17, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Three years in a row now, my buddy d-low has organized the Sourdough Nordic Traverse an ~13 miles tour on skis that makes wonderful way to see much of the Nordic areas around Boulder. Both d-low and I were a Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, nordic, ski, sourdough trail

Photos for Sale

Posted onJanuary 23, 2009October 25, 2010AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Every so often, I get an e-mail asking to buy a photo. I never really pursued this too strongly because my free time is limited (esp with my current work schedule) and I'd rather go out and  play then hawk Read More …

CategoriesDeals, Press

The Northern Wind – Section House Hut trip

Posted onJanuary 20, 2009November 17, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Hut trips. Perhaps a bit decadent for this self-proclaimed dirt-bagger thru-hiker. But I love ’em. The outdoors person in me loves skiing in the mountains for three days. Seeing those intense Colorado winter skies, the bright sunshine and being in Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsboreas pass, hut trip, section house, ski

Ski to the Divide & Merry Wanderers of the night

Posted onJanuary 11, 2009November 17, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

What makes for a good trip? Beautiful scenery? Good company? Perfect conditions? An unidentifiable “something”? A “good trip” can be hard to define. But you know it when it happens. At the end of the trip, you have a grin Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsfull moon, ski

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A Quick Guide to Moab

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@ramblinghemlock and I have had to do some adulting lately. A career transition and a 1956-era house will do that. It sometimes means skipping overnight trips.
We did some volunteer work for an organization we are active with on Saturday and Sunday, and made it into a local camping trip in between the assignments.
Some local hiking this weekend. I scouted a route for a possible packrafting trip later this month, and on Sunday, @ramblinghemlock and I meandered through a canyon we’ve been curious about for a while.
I can’t imagine this landscape with a wall.
Two years inside the Park Service, trying to balance trade and calling. I left in fall 2025, and I’m still making sense of it - part grief, part gratitude, and part closure.
With a brief but noticeable bit of winter this past week, we opted not to travel the muddy, snowy roads into more remote areas. Instead, we tackled some home projects on Saturday and spent Sunday revisiting a place we hadn’t seen in a while. Red rock, canyon wrens, images, and late winter desert light accompanied the day.

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  • Home
  • Ramblings
    • Musings
    • Books and Media
    • Videos
    • From The Web
    • Thru Hikes, Long Walks, or Routes
      • My Alphabet Soup summary
      • Vermont’s Long Trail
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Pacific Crest Trail
      • Colorado Trail
      • Continental Divide Trail
      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
      • Benton Mackaye Trail
      • Tahoe Rim Trail
      • Uinta Highline Trail
      • Collegiate Loop
      • A Walk Across Southern Utah
      • Great Divide Trail (Canada)
      • The Northern New Mexico Loop
      • Grand – Moab Route
      • SEUG Circuit
      • A Walk Across New England
    • Other Outdoor Jaunts
      • Utah
      • Colorado
      • New Mexico
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Nebraska
      • New England
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
      • South Dakota
      • Texas
      • Wyoming
    • Photos
    • PMags News
    • Press
  • Nuts and Bolts
    • New to the outdoors? Start here!
    • Getting Started
    • Quick Tips
    • Trip Planning
    • Quick and Dirty Guides
    • Food
    • Gear
      • All Gear Posts
      • Gear Reviews
      • Gear Quivers
      • Gear Lists
      • Budget Gear
      • What I’m Wearing
      • Clothing and related
      • Footwear
      • Packs
      • Shelters and related
      • Sleeping bags, quilts, and pads
      • Stoves, cooking, and related
      • Tools
      • Water containers
    • Road trip and car camping – gear and techniques
    • Winter trip reports, gear overviews, tips, and techniques
  • Subscribe by email
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  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
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