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Home »RamblingsPage 57

Book review: The Great Divide

Posted onNovember 1, 2016November 17, 2023AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

A review of the The Great Divide by Stephen Pern. An account of backpacking the Continental Divide in 1983. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and MediaTagsbooks, continental divide

A trip to the Tetons and a change

Posted onOctober 31, 2016January 25, 2017AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

A weekend up in the Tetons. A weekend that signifies a life change. Read More …

CategoriesPMags NewsTagsIdaho, Tetons, Wyoming

“Feeling the love” and other news…

Posted onOctober 20, 2016June 18, 2017AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Two shout-outs just in time. My life is settling down a bit as I am in the process of some life changes. Should have more energy to write at my usual rate. Read More …

CategoriesPMags NewsTagslife changes, time bank

Long term review: My favorite fleece hat

Posted onOctober 12, 2016November 17, 2023AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Cold and drizzly today in Colorado. Which means I had to grab my favorite hat. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, gear review, hats, winter

Kenosha Ridge Walk

Posted onOctober 11, 2016July 4, 2018AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Life can get busy. And that is especially why even a short outdoor trip is needed. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsbackpacking, Colorado, Fall, Lost Creek Wilderness

Musings on Hatch Green Chile, 4oz can

Posted onOctober 6, 2016November 17, 2023AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

And now for a review of something that is very important: An item of food. Why? Because if you don’t think food is important, you don’t backpack enough. 😉 Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsbackpacking, food, luxury items, New Mexico

An overlook: Sierra Designs High Route 1FL

Posted onOctober 5, 2016April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Some initial impressions of the High Route 1FL shelter. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsAndrew Skurka, gear review, shelters, Sierra Designs

First impressions: Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor

Posted onOctober 4, 2016April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags8 Comments

Initial impressions of the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor backpack. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsAndrew Skurka, backpacks, gear review, packs, Sierra Designs

Buffalo Peaks Walkabout

Posted onOctober 3, 2016July 9, 2018AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

An overnight loop in the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness. Fall color galore and a seldom visited set of 13k foot peaks were the highlights. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsBuffalo Peaks Wilderness, Colorado, Fall

Trail Groove Issue 30- Enchanted New Mexico

Posted onSeptember 30, 2016October 6, 2016AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

Trail Groove Issue 28 featuring some more articles I wrote. Read More …

CategoriesPressTagsfood, New Mexico, Trail Groove

Wonderful fall

Posted onSeptember 28, 2016September 28, 2016AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Fall. The best time to be outside. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsbackpacking, camping, Fall, hiking

The AliExpress wormhole

Posted onSeptember 27, 2016April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

AliExpress is becoming more and more of a choice for outdoor gear. Some observations. Read More …

CategoriesGear, MusingsTagsbudget gear

FKT meets Jerry Springer

Posted onSeptember 23, 2016September 24, 2016AuthorPaul Mags10 Comments

Another FKT record. And then another controversy. So it goes. And will probably be how it will go again next year. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsFKT

Gear review: Six Moon Designs Skyscape Trekker

Posted onSeptember 22, 2016October 17, 2023AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

A reasonably priced 24 oz shelter that works well for my shoulder season, group trips or when it is insect prone. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear review, shelters, Six Moon Designs, tent

Gear review: ULA CDT backpack

Posted onSeptember 20, 2016February 15, 2022AuthorPaul Mags16 Comments

An older lighter weight warhorse that works well if you need to go lighter, enjoy versatility, durability and venture off-trail. Bonus: Not expensive. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbackpack, gear review, packs, ULA

Wind River Obscure Route

Posted onSeptember 19, 2016July 10, 2017AuthorPaul Mags10 Comments

A simple backpacking trip mainly on the Wind River Indian Reservation land. Obscure and faded trails. Washed out bridges. Cold and wet weather. And all good. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsTrailGroove, Wind River Obscure Route, wind river range, Wyoming

Wind River Dreaming

Posted onSeptember 9, 2016September 9, 2016AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Off to the Winds for a week of backpacking bliss. Read More …

CategoriesPMags NewsTagswind river range, Wyoming

Sand to Alpine: Great Sand Dunes to Ellingwood

Posted onSeptember 7, 2016July 9, 2018AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A weekend backpacking trip from the Great Sand Dunes National Park to the Blanca group. On the trip I was with Cam Honan of The Hiking Life. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTags14ers, Cam Honan, Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Sangres, The Hiking Life

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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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We did some volunteer work for an organization we are active with on Saturday and Sunday, and made it into a local camping trip in between the assignments.
Some local hiking this weekend. I scouted a route for a possible packrafting trip later this month, and on Sunday, @ramblinghemlock and I meandered through a canyon we’ve been curious about for a while.
I can’t imagine this landscape with a wall.
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.

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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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      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
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