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Home »2018 »January

Month: January 2018

Into The Valley of Fire

Posted onJanuary 31, 2018February 1, 2018AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Some time spent at The Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada not far from Vegas. Red rocks, bighorns, and desert landscapes abounded! Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsNevada, southern tier road trip, Valley of Fire

Random observations from the road

Posted onJanuary 25, 2018October 15, 2019AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Some musings, ideas, and mildly useful tips from two months of traveling Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagscar camping, southern tier road trip

Zion Wanderings

Posted onJanuary 24, 2018March 7, 2019AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A visit to Zion National Park on my way to points west. Conveniently, I have friends associated with the park! Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagssouthern tier road trip, utah, Zion National Park

Arches Ambling and Beyond

Posted onJanuary 21, 2018January 21, 2018AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

I visited a friend in Moab, saw some unique pictographs, enjoyed Arches National Park in the off-season, and wondered how the government shutdown would affect my trip. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsArches National Park, Colorado Plateau, southern tier road trip, utah

Walking the Ancient Paths in Bears Ears

Posted onJanuary 20, 2018May 21, 2019AuthorPaul Mags11 Comments

Four days of backpacking and an additional day of hiking and camping exploring the Ancestral Pueblo culture in (what is for now) the Bears Ears National Monument at the Cedar Mesa and Grand Gulch areas. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Bears Ears National Monument, Cedar Mesa, Colorado Plateau, southern tier road trip, utah

Canyon de Chelly

Posted onJanuary 11, 2018February 1, 2018AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Some time spent at a place that is home to not only Ancestral Pueblos but also the Dine’ (Navajo) nation. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Arizona, Canyon de Chelly, Colorado Plateau, Dine', Navajo, southern tier road trip

Colorado Ancestral Pueblo Meanderings

Posted onJanuary 10, 2018July 4, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Weather conditions made me modify my trip plans. But the new plans proved to work out just fine. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Canyons of the Ancients, Colorado, Colorado Plateau, Mesa Verde, southern tier road trip

Some down time in Colorado

Posted onJanuary 6, 2018July 4, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Spending some post-Christmas time in Colorado. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, New Years

Quick Tip: Estimating amount of daylight left

Posted onJanuary 4, 2018January 4, 2018AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

A quick and dirty way of estimating the amount of daylight left for hiking, backpacking, skiing, etc. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Quick TipsTagsquick tip

Gear Review: Montbell Frostline Parka

Posted onJanuary 3, 2018December 21, 2023AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A well-rounded, all-purpose winter backpacking down parka that is under-$300. But has many of the features of more expensive winter parkas. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, down coat, gear review, montbell, parka, puffy, winter

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A Quick Guide to Moab

The Squak – A readily available, $60, active-focused grid fleece hoodie from a Utah-based company. Read the review.

Women’s | Men’s | Children’s   

The Squak Camp Dress 

One of Joan’s favorites!

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Between the fires, a brief monsoon season, the AQI, and life in general, we didn't make it to our summer retreat in the San Juans as much as we'd hoped. But this "weekend," Joan and I finally made it back to our favorite mountains in Colorado.
Joan and I hosted some friends this past week. We gave them the classic tour, starting with an early morning visit to the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. While Joan attended a meeting, I played tour guide a bit for other parts of the park. That afternoon, we headed to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park to take in the sweeping views across the Colorado Plateau. Today? We escaped to our local mountains, looking down at the desert floor far below.
Not a good year for backpacking in the Abajos or the San Juans, but our local mountains still offer some good opportunities for camping and hiking. And only an hour away. With @ramblinghemlock
The once and future Bears Ears.
@ramblinghemlock and I went to some local(ish) mountains to avoid the fires and smoke in our usual places.
A hike to our local mountains did not go quite as planned. With an AQI of 176 in Moab due to the fires in our corner of the world, we sought refuge in the mountains.

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Disclosure: This website may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products to which I link. These sites include Amazon, REI, Moose Jaw, Gaia GPS, Six Moon Designs, Squak Mountain Co, and ULA Equipment. There is no additional fee for purchasing items through these links.

 

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  • Home
  • Ramblings
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    • Videos
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    • 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
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    • Food
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      • All Gear Posts
      • Gear Reviews
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      • 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
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