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Home »RamblingsPage 12

The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 Gear Challenge

Posted onApril 2, 2024December 11, 2025AuthorPaul Mags45 Comments

Backpacking gear on the cheap. A complete gear list for $300 and under 15 lbs. Revised for 2024. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbeginner, budget gear, gear, gear list, popular

Long term review – Flat Stone Cooking Platform (FSCP)

Posted onApril 1, 2024April 4, 2024AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

A long term review of the Flat Sone Cooking Platform. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsApril Fools, gear review, stove

Down the Colorado and up the canyons

Posted onMarch 26, 2024March 26, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A weekend of packraftng where I floated the Colorado River and made my way back via the canyons. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, packrafting

The Budget Backpacking Kit

Posted onMarch 24, 2024April 25, 2025AuthorPaul Mags20 Comments

A sequel of sorts to my $300 gear challenge. A little over $800 and 10 lbs for a kit that is light, functional, and easily, assembled. Updated Mar 2024. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbudget gear, gear list, Six Moon Designs

Reddit AMA – Around the Campfire

Posted onMarch 24, 2024March 24, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A bit late in posting (!), but there’s an AMA-style posting I did on Reddit. Read More …

CategoriesPress

Ten year gear review: Montbell Superior Down (updated)

Posted onMarch 20, 2024April 18, 2026AuthorPaul Mags11 Comments

A well-designed three-season puffy with a hood that is under 9 oz. I’ve used one version or another of this garment for overa Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, down coat, gear review, montbell, puffy

Keeping it local in Moab

Posted onMarch 19, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Some misc trips when the raods got muddy or snowy and we did not want to get stuck somewhere in the back of beyond. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Into canyon country

Posted onMarch 17, 2024AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A weekend spent in the nooks and crannies of canyon country. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Poking around in Capitol Reef

Posted onMarch 5, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Some enjoyable time in Capitol Reef National Park. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Gear Review – The Tractive GPS Tracker

Posted onMarch 4, 2024July 2, 2026AuthorJosh Zapin2 Comments

My good friend Josh review the Tractive GPS ; a device that’ lets pet owners track their furry friend and combines a bit of Strava functionality, too. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsapp, electronics, gear, gear review

The plates turning green

Posted onFebruary 29, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

The license plates star turning green on Presidents Day Weekend. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Gear Review – The Squak Mountain Co Woolie

Posted onFebruary 20, 2024February 4, 2026AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A merino blend, cold weather base layer hoodie with excellent ventilation from Squak Mountain Co. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, gear review

A Superb Owl Sunday

Posted onFebruary 19, 2024February 22, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A Superb Owl Weeknd with good friends and amazing imagery. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Another weekend, another pocket

Posted onFebruary 12, 2024February 12, 2024AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Another weekend in a pocket of solitude and seeing places new to us. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

Quick review – Groundhog clone tent stakes

Posted onFebruary 2, 2024March 24, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Just in time for February 2nd, here’s a review of some budget-minded Groundhog-style stakes that also work for less money.
Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, shelters. gear review

Grand times in the monument

Posted onFebruary 1, 2024April 13, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Though we enjoy our life in Moab, we do not find as many services in our desert home as in other places. So, like many good Moab-ites, we find we do more and more of our errands in the “big Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, Colorado National Monument

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

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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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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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      • 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
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