Skip to content
Menu

Primary Menu

  • 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
  • Write Me
  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
    • About Joan West
      • Joan’s articles
Header Toggle
Facebook Twitter Feed Pinterest YouTube Instagram Reddit
PMags.com
Facebook Twitter Feed Pinterest YouTube Instagram Reddit
Home »2019 (Page 2)

Year: 2019

Quick Tip: Firearms oil for pole maintenance

Posted onNovember 28, 2019September 6, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

With oil used to lubricate and clean firearms and some simple scrub brushes, you’ll keep your hiking and ski poles in optimal condition. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting Started, Quick TipsTagsgear maintenance, poles, quick tip

Some thoughts: Brave New West by Jim Stiles

Posted onNovember 22, 2019November 4, 2021AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Some of my thoughts on “Brave New West” by Jim Stiles. If you are interested in the future trajectory of “The West”, I suggest giving this a book a read. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and MediaTagsbooks, utah-tip, Wilderness Ethics

STCT USB Headlight – The poor person’s Nitecore

Posted onNovember 21, 2019April 26, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

The STCT USB Headlight is a $17 headlamp with 145 Lumens and high water resistance that boasts similar features of more expensive models. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, gear review, lights

Giveaway: Wanderlust USA by Cam Honan

Posted onNovember 20, 2019November 22, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

I’ll be giving away two copies of the latest book by Cam Honan: Wanderlust USA by Gestalten. Tell me your best outdoor volunteering story for 2019. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and Media, PMags NewsTagsbooks, Cam Honan

Doing it like a local

Posted onNovember 20, 2019November 20, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

I am taking Moab’s “Do it like a local” campaign to heart. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsdo it like a local, Moab, utah

Communication technology options: A vendor neutral view

Posted onNovember 18, 2019April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

An overlook at various options for communication technology in the backcountry for personal use, emergency, commercial, or search and rescue applications. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagscommunication, connectivity, electronics, wilderness first aid

Wilderness First Responder course – Overall impressions

Posted onNovember 15, 2019April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Some thoughts and impressions on my experience of taking the Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course through NOLS. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, MusingsTagsWFA, WFR, wilderness first aid

From the web – November 7th

Posted onNovember 7, 2019November 9, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Tis the season when Halloween pumpkins becoming mingled with Santa Claus hats and when we again complain about the time change. Read More …

CategoriesFrom The WebTagsfrom the web

Getting organized, some light construction, and a sewing room

Posted onNovember 6, 2019April 22, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

What I’ve been up to and answering the occasional questions of how we organize all our gear and clothing. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear room, organization, time bank

Solo in The Maze

Posted onNovember 5, 2019April 21, 2022AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

A solo trip into the fabled Maze District of Canyonlands National Park via Colorado River crossing by packraft. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsCanyonlands, national park, packrafting, The Maze, utah

What’s in your mail drop?

Posted onOctober 30, 2019October 30, 2019AuthorJoan5 Comments

Joan details what she places in her maildrops for long hikes and why. With a focus on her cold food (no stove) strategy.

Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsfood, Joan West, mail drops

From the web – October 28th

Posted onOctober 28, 2019October 28, 2019AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A select carving of outdoors news, shenanigans, chuckles, and items to ponder for Oct 28th. Read More …

CategoriesFrom The WebTagsfrom the web

Keeping it local – Jaunts and rambles around Moab

Posted onOctober 25, 2019October 25, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Some local hikes here in Moab ; and musing about the cultural geography while walking through it all. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsMoab, utah

Quick Tips: Finding archaeological sites on your own

Posted onOctober 24, 2019January 2, 2021AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

How to find arc sites on your own without GPX coordinates, map annotations, guidebooks, web sites, or social media. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Quick TipsTagsAncestral Pueblo, quick tip, Rock Images, utah-tip

Those we left behind: What to tell the people at home

Posted onOctober 22, 2019April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Here are some ideas and tips for information to leave with friends and family when you take off on a backcountry trip. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Trip PlanningTagscommunication, emergencies

From the web – October 17th

Posted onOctober 17, 2019October 18, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An overstuffed burrito of some news, items, and chuckles from the greater outdoor world… Read More …

CategoriesFrom The WebTagsfrom the web

My day pack – what I have prepacked

Posted onOctober 16, 2019April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Rather than accidentally forget the gear, I always have my ~3 lb daypack pre-staged. Here’s what’s in my day pack. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, day hiking, gear list, organization, packs, utah-tip

Crack in the Rock Pueblo – Wupatki National Monument

Posted onOctober 15, 2019October 15, 2019AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

We went on an NPS ranger-led hike to the “Crack in the Rock” Pueblo at Wupatki National Monument. . This article includes information on trip planning as well. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Arizona, national monument, Wuptaki

Post navigation

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Virtual tip jar

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!
  • REI: Outlet 50% off deals
  • REI: Official Coupons and Rebates page
  • REI: Used Gear Store

PMags Instagram

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.
@ramblinghemlock and I pivoted from an original trip after much-needed rain on Friday. On Saturday, we avoided muddy roads that would have derailed our original plan and spent two nights poking around a place we could reach only because of temporary, water-filled potholes and a handy Ziploc bag that made it possible. We also revisited sights we hadn’t seen in a while. Red rock, grand views, and old images marked the unofficial long weekend kickoff of spring around Moab.
@ramblinghemlock and I finally felt better and took a long-overdue trip into the backcountry. We slept outside and enjoyed the peace of the wild places. Canyon wrens filled the canyon with song during the day, and owl calls echoed off the walls at night. We returned to places we had not seen in a while and saw places new to us. The land endures.
@ramblinghemlock and I are recovering from the flu, so we decided to keep things local this weekend.
Small, good things.

PMags Popular Posts

  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Latest
  • Today Week Month All
  • The Colorado Trail “End to End” Guide The Colorado Trail “End to End" Guide
  • Backpacking Loops – Mags Favorites Backpacking Loops – Mags Favorites
  • The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 Gear Challenge The Frugal Backpacker - The $300 Gear Challenge
  • PCT trail marker A Quick and Dirty Guide to The Pacific Crest Trail
  • A Quick and Dirty CDT Guide A Quick and Dirty CDT Guide
  • Stove Comparison – Real World Use Stove Comparison – Real World Use
  • Talus vs. Scree – What is the difference? Talus vs. Scree - What is the difference?
  • Ground Cloths : A quick overview Ground Cloths : A quick overview
  • Build a gear sled the dirt bagger way Build a gear sled the dirt bagger way
  • From GIS Sleepings Pads - A grounded view
  • One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie
  • A bit of winter in Moab A bit of winter in Moab
  • Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service
  • Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management
  • Presidents Day Weekend 2026 Presidents Day Weekend 2026
  • Standard vs Grid vs Alpha vs Octa Fleece for Backpacking: Real-World Pros and Cons Standard vs Grid vs Alpha vs Octa Fleece for Backpacking: Real-World Pros and Cons
  • Off-Piste: Keeping an Aging Laptop Useful Off-Piste: Keeping an Aging Laptop Useful
  • Canyon Country in February Canyon Country in February
  • Local in Moab – Flu Recovery Local in Moab – Flu Recovery
  • Some small, good things. Some small, good things.
  • Today Week Month All
  • Sorry. No data yet.
Ajax spinner

Archives

Recent Comments

  • Mike J on Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management
  • Alex on Canyon Country in February
  • Paul Mags on Some small, good things.
  • Paul Mags on A Quick and Dirty CDT Guide
  • Matt clark on Some small, good things.

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.

 

© 2026 - PMags.com - All Rights Reserved -Privacy Policy
Scroll Up
  • 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
  • Write Me
  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
    • About Joan West
      • Joan’s articles

Subscribe to PMags.com

  • Receive an email notification of new posts direct to your inbox once a week.
  • Old school text email digest
  • It is easy!

ClickHereButton

×