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Home »2024 »January

Month: January 2024

A weekend in the pocket

Posted onJanuary 24, 2024AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Another backpacking trip in a favorite winter place. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

South to Arizona

Posted onJanuary 21, 2024April 13, 2025AuthorPaul Mags8 Comments

A few days of hiking and backpacking Petrified Forest National Park. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsArizona

10+ year gear review – Flytop tent

Posted onJanuary 16, 2024March 24, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An off-hand purchase about a decade ago of our current backup/loaner tent makes me think of the place and use of budget gear items. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, gear review, shelters

New Year’s on the Colorado Plateau

Posted onJanuary 7, 2024January 8, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A few days of solo backpacking to bring in 2024. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Gear review: Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 shoes

Posted onJanuary 7, 2024April 27, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the Topo Ultraventure 3 shoes. I found these shoes a worth successor to the 2s. I only wish for less flashy color choices! Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfootwear, gear, gear review, review

The long winter nights – What to do?

Posted onJanuary 7, 2024January 7, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Winter backpacking means solitude, gorgeous winter light, and long nights. Here’s what Joan and I find works to make those long nights enjoyable. Read More …

CategoriesGetting StartedTagswinter

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

@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.
"Effective today, June 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM, all Forest Service lands, roads, and trails within the Monticello Ranger District of the Manti-La Sal National Forest (San Juan County, Utah) are temporarily closed due to the Babylon Fire. "
"So far this year, 35,247 fires have burned more than 2.9 million acres nationwide. " -National Interagency Fire Center
The CDT forms the backbone of the continent. The Long Trail makes a classic East Coast walk. Brett Tucker's routes require some advanced skills. My DIY routes don't even have schwag.
A couple of days at the edge of the San Juans. Storms moving in had us trading backpacks for a car camping trip, but we still wandered to the edge of treeline. We also settled in with hot drinks while wearing puffies, a welcome contrast to the sweltering heat in Moab earlier in the week.

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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
    • 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
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      • New England
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      • North Carolina
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  • 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
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