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Home »RamblingsPage 15

Start here: My unofficial outdoor guidebook

Posted onAugust 16, 2023January 27, 2026AuthorPaul Mags18 Comments

Here’s a quick reference to articles that will be useful for anyone starting out with camping, hiking, or backpacking in all four seasons. Updated Aug 2023. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Quick and Dirty GuidesTagsbeginners, quick and dirty

Some La Sals camping

Posted onAugust 14, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A quick getaway after some a busy couple of weeks. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsLa Sals, utah

Images, not vandalism

Posted onAugust 11, 2023August 11, 2023AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

Thoughts on why images are not vandalism. And reasons why people are calling them images rather than “rock art” as well. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Arizona, Colorado, favorite, Friday repost, New Mexico, Petroglyphs, pictrographs, utah

The Inside Passage

Posted onAugust 8, 2023August 8, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A family vacation in on the Inside Passage in Alaska. Not our usual mode of travel but some fantastic scenery, some good hiking, and fun times with the family. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsAlaska

The South La Sals

Posted onJuly 21, 2023August 16, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Some hiking at the southern part of the La Sal mountains. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsLa Sals, utah

Completion of a dream

Posted onJuly 21, 2023July 21, 2023AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

“I finally completed all 2650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. I started in 2014, and this was my last of five long section hikes” . Joan continues to amaze me. A dream fulfilled. Looking forward to seeing her Saturday. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsJoan West, Pacific Crest Trail

The last journey

Posted onJuly 14, 2023January 27, 2026AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

Polar explorers talk about the concept of last journeys. Maybe we are in the age of last, traditionally defined, other outdoor journeys as well? Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsclimate change, favorite, Friday repost

On the Grand Mesa

Posted onJuly 10, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A quick overnighter to the world largest flatop mountain. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, Grand Mesa

Another Blues Weekend

Posted onJuly 9, 2023September 21, 2023AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Another weekend escaping the desert heat by escaping into The Blues. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsabajo mountains, utah

Utah’s Canyon Country Place Names by Steve Allen

Posted onJuly 7, 2023July 7, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Looking at an amazing two-volume set that’s a place name encyclopedia for Utah . Read More …

CategoriesBooks and MediaTagsbooks, Steve Allen

Three simple outdoor guidelines

Posted onJuly 7, 2023July 7, 2023AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

Three guidelines for the outdoors: be safe, be courteous of others and their experience, have fun. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsFriday repost, guidelines, outdoors

Up in the mountains and down in the desert

Posted onJuly 2, 2023AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A weekend in the mountains and an evening stroll in the desert. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsArches National Park, utah

The Trail Show – Episode 131 – The SouthEast Utah Group Circuit (SEUG)

Posted onJune 30, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

My interview on the The Trail Show about the SEUG Circuit. Read More …

CategoriesPressTagsThe Trail Show, utah. SEUG Circuit

Review – RecPak

Posted onJune 29, 2023July 6, 2023AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A very promising shake supplement with lots of protein, carbs, fat, vitamns (and caffiene!) but one that lends itself more to day use vs. backpacking. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfood, gear review

How to plan routes

Posted onJune 28, 2023August 5, 2024AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Here are the steps, resouces, and ideas I use to plan out the routes I’ve done over the years. Read More …

CategoriesTrip PlanningTagstrip ideas

Mountains and Valley

Posted onJune 22, 2023June 22, 2023AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A trip to where I’ve recently visted but seeing something new. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsutah

An overlook – The issues with outdoors overcrowding

Posted onJune 21, 2023AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

An interesting video that touches upon many topics that I’ve thought about over the years. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and MediaTagsdocumentaries

An overlook – Squak Alpha UL

Posted onJune 20, 2023April 13, 2025AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

A look at the well-designed Alpha direct fleece from the Utah-based Squak Mountain Company. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, fleece, gear review

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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 

                                                                    

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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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    • 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
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