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Home »RamblingsPage 11

Guiding to the classics

Posted onJune 23, 2024AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

I enjoted playing tour guide for a good friend on his family vacation.
Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Stikky Tracks and Stikky Night Skies

Posted onJune 17, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Some informative, engaging, and whimsy books about animal tracks and the night sky. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and MediaTagsbooks

La Sals camping

Posted onJune 15, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A simple, relaxing, and overall enjoyable camping trip to escape the desert heat with Joan Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Into “The Maze”

Posted onJune 9, 2024June 9, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A packrafting trip along the river and into “The Maze” with my good friend “LarryBoy.” Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagspackrafting, utah

Gear review: Topo Terraventure 4 Trail-Running Shoes

Posted onJune 4, 2024June 6, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

I loved the Ultraventure 3s and now I love the Terraventure 4s even more. An excellent “do it all” shoe for many different conditions. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfootwear, gear, gear review, review

More structured rambling

Posted onMay 30, 2024May 30, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Wandering to and fro like most other weekends. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

A milestone backpacking trip

Posted onMay 23, 2024June 4, 2024AuthorPaul Mags10 Comments

Spending a milestone in the desert lands with one of my favorite people. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

On “Structured Rambling”

Posted onMay 16, 2024March 16, 2025AuthorPaul Mags16 Comments

What got directed as an insult months ago seems less an insult and more of an aspirational idea worth striving for. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfavorite, structured rambling

A place in between

Posted onMay 15, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A weekend at a place in between the desert and the mountains. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Looping around the ponderosas

Posted onMay 13, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A backpacking loop among the ponderosa pines. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

A fine and local weekend

Posted onMay 9, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Two days of local hikes in some lesser seen parts in Moab. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Fifteen-plus year review – Bison Designs belt

Posted onApril 30, 2024May 1, 2024AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Long term look at a humble, but well-made and afforadable, hiking belt. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbelts, clothing, gear review

Some swell trailwork, hiking, and camping

Posted onApril 29, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Hiking, camping, and trailwork with friends. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagstrailwork, utah

Pants for trailwork

Posted onApril 24, 2024February 22, 2026AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

The pants I use for trail or related work. One pair for heavier duty or cold weather work and one for lighter duty work or when it’s warm. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, clothing, gear review, pants, surplus

Float over the canyon

Posted onApril 22, 2024AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

A quick float over to a scenic canyon I last saw about a decade ago. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, packrafting

Gear Review – The Squak Mountain Co The Swell sun hoodie

Posted onApril 11, 2024April 14, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the desert use of the Squak Mountain Co sun hoodie. Light, breathes well, and comfortable. Take care when bashing through brush. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, gear review

A cold spring in the high desert

Posted onApril 9, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Three nights out makes for an enjoyable weekend in the High Desert.
Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

In the valley

Posted onApril 3, 2024December 1, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A relaxing weekend on the CO/UT border and meeting up with some dear frineds from Colorado. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado

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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                                                                                                      

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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.
"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. "

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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
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
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    • PMags News
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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
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      • 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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    • Who is Paul Mags?
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