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Home »2018 (Page 3)

Year: 2018

Sleepings Pads – A grounded view

Posted onOctober 9, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags22 Comments

An overview and comparison of sleeping pads for backpacking and camping. Updated October 2018. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagspopular, sleeping bag, sleeping pads

Gear review: Altra Superior 3.5

Posted onOctober 9, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A very comfortable and light shoe that fits wider toe-boxes well. Not durable, however, and best for maintained trails and non-rough terrain. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsAltra, footwear, gear, gear review, review

Rainy Arches Weekend

Posted onOctober 8, 2018October 8, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An overnight backpacking trip in Arches National Park and nearby BLM land. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsArches National Park, Colorado Plateau, utah

Gear Review – Atlas Guides GDT app

Posted onOctober 5, 2018January 3, 2020AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A review of the Atlas Guides (Guthook) Great Divide Trail app for Android and iOS-based devices. More than just navigation, it works as a guidebook, too. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsapp, electronics, gear review, maps, navigation

Gear Review: Montbell Versalite

Posted onOctober 4, 2018December 21, 2023AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A light, functional, and effective jacket that packs a lot of features in a 6 oz package. Including pit zips! Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, gear review, montbell, rain gear, versalite

Rain Gear – What To Wear?

Posted onOctober 4, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Which rain gear or shell to wear? Depending on the conditions, one piece of gear may be better than another. Updated October 2018. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsclothing, rain gear, shell, wind shirt, winter

Gear review: Salomon X Ultra 3 Hiking Shoes

Posted onOctober 3, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

An all-purpose hiking shoe good for rough trails and conditions in addition to off-trail jaunts. Reminiscent of the old Montrail Hardrocks in many ways. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfootwear, gear, gear review, review

Quick Tip: Baking Soda and Vinegar for stains

Posted onOctober 2, 2018October 2, 2018AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Nasty dirt, oils, sweat, and salt in your outdoor clothing and gear? Grab some white vinegar and baking soda! Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting Started, Quick TipsTagsgear maintenance, quick tip

Ground Cloths : A quick overview

Posted onOctober 1, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags45 Comments

An overlook at some options for ground cloths when backpacking or camping. Updated for 2018. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsground cloth, popular, shelters

Tushar Mountains Autumn Splendor

Posted onOctober 1, 2018October 1, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A four day weekend of backpacking, camping, hiking, and Rock Images exploration in Utah’s third-highest range. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsSkyline Trail, Tushars, utah

A Quick and Dirty Guide to the GDT

Posted onSeptember 26, 2018April 25, 2025AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

A quick and dirty overview of Canada’s Great Divide Trail. Read More …

CategoriesQuick and Dirty Guides, Trip PlanningTagscanada, Great Divide Trail, quick and dirty

Autumn Equinox in the La Sals

Posted onSeptember 24, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A weekend to bring in the new season. Crisp weather, above treeline delights, and beautiful aspen. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsLa Sals, Moab, utah

Busy in Moab

Posted onSeptember 21, 2018AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

Starting up a business, driving to Colorado and back with camping, and unpacking takes up a lot of time. I’ll write on a regular basis again next week. Read More …

CategoriesPMags NewsTagsMoab, time bank, utah

Quick Tip: LNT Rule of Thumb for Animal Photos

Posted onSeptember 14, 2018April 30, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A literal rule of thumb for gauging if you are too close to an animal for photo taking. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Quick TipsTagsLNT, photography, photos, quick tip

Yogi Berra – Outdoor Philosopher

Posted onSeptember 12, 2018September 13, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Yogi Berra may be a baseball Hall of Famer. But his Zen-like koans are perhaps his most lasting legacy. And many of these observations apply to the outdoors. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsphilosophy, quotes, Yogi Berra

First Week in Moab

Posted onSeptember 12, 2018September 12, 2018AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Getting in some outdoor time as we unpack some stuff, the business is set up and learning to adjust to a new home. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsLa Sals, Moab, utah

Pumpkin Beer is the Delaware of craft beer

Posted onSeptember 11, 2018February 8, 2019AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

A few thoughts on Pumpkin Beer as I settle in my new home. ‘Tis the Season. With apologies to the fine people of Delaware. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsbeer, food, pumpkin

One year ago today

Posted onSeptember 5, 2018AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

One year ago today, my life became much different. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsgift of time

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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!

The Squak Alpha Fleece 

                                                                    

– 15% off coupon = PMAGS-SQUAK                                                                                                      

  • REI: Shop Deal of the Day at REI Garage!
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  • REI: Official Coupons and Rebates page
  • REI: Used Gear Store

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The annual navel-gazing I call the “Year in Review.”
We wrapped up the time @ramblinghemlock had off during the week of New Year’s with two more nights in the backcountry.
We closed out 2025 with four days on the Colorado Plateau. We returned to familiar places, Joan showed me sites she’d seen while I was away, and we spotted new ones together.
A little oasis near the village. Second-largest live oak in the state!
Happy Solstice! A quick Honda-friendly trip while our truck is in the body shop. We followed an old stock trail, wandered around a mesa, and caught an incredible sunset over canyon country. Not a bad little outing to welcome the winter months; even if it feels more like October.😔
@ramblinghemlock and I scouted a route for a future trip, visiting a few places that were new to us and returning to others we hadn’t seen in some time. There’s something about the December light that makes the canyon country feel sublime.

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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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      • Appalachian Trail
      • Pacific Crest Trail
      • Colorado Trail
      • Continental Divide Trail
      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
      • Benton Mackaye Trail
      • Tahoe Rim Trail
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      • Collegiate Loop
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