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Home »Posts tagged  backpacking

Tag: backpacking

One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie

Posted onFebruary 23, 2026February 23, 2026AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at some effective sun hoodies for cool to cold weather use. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbackpacking, budget gear, clothing, gear, gear review, hiking, shirt, sun protection

Shoulder Season – The Time in Between

Posted onNovember 18, 2025December 8, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

You’ll often see publications and experienced outdoors people talk about “shoulder season.” What is it? And what adjustments do you need to make? Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbackpacking, camping, Colorado, gear, shoulder season

A properly attired hiker: Blaze orange in hunting season

Posted onSeptember 23, 2025February 24, 2026AuthorPaul Mags27 Comments

Different options for the wearing of blaze orange and other hi-vis colors while hiking during peak hunting season. Updated Fall 2025. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbackpacking, blaze orange, hiking, hunting, popular

Cold and Wet: The Hardest Hiking

Posted onSeptember 4, 2025December 3, 2025AuthorPaul Mags15 Comments

What to wear in what many people consider to be among the most difficult of conditions: cold and wet. Updated Sept 2025. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbackpacking, gear, hiking, winter

Words of wisdom from 1877

Posted onApril 25, 2025August 1, 2025AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

How to Camp by John M. Gould was written 150 years ago. But it still has some practical advice applicable for any outdoors person today. Read More …

CategoriesBooks and Media, Gear, Getting StartedTagsbackpacking, books, camping, favorite

Dirt Bagger Winter Stove Platform

Posted onDecember 12, 2023April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

How to build an inexpensive  stove platform for winter backpacking. Bonus: doubles as a heat reflector.
Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting Started, Quick TipsTagsbackpacking, blue foam, budget gear, DIY, gear, heat reflector, myog, quick tip, stove base, stove platform, winter

How to get outdoor trip ideas

Posted onNovember 25, 2020August 5, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

How to get ideas for backcountry trips? Here’s how I do it. Updated for 2020. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, Trip PlanningTagsbackpacking, trip ideas

Eight miles away – Backpacking near home

Posted onApril 2, 2020April 3, 2020AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

The trailhead’s three-miles away, we slept eight miles from where I’m typing, another local backpack. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsbackpacking, keeping it local, utah

Glove in Hand – Layering for Cold Weather

Posted onDecember 7, 2018April 26, 2025AuthorPaul Mags11 Comments

A fair amount of people ask what to wear on the hands for cool and cold weather hiking. Here’s my take.
Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbackpacking, clothing, gloves, hiking, skiing, winter

Quick Tip: Backcountry Slushies

Posted onJuly 5, 2018January 3, 2021AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Hiking in the glorious alpine terrain? See some snow banks? Time to make a backcountry slushy! Read More …

CategoriesQuick TipsTagsbackpacking, colorado-tip, cooking, food

2017: The theme was “Transition”

Posted onDecember 20, 2017December 20, 2017AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A look over 2017. A year of transition. A year that started off with too much time being taken from me. And ended with me giving the gift of time to myself. Read More …

CategoriesMusings, PMags NewsTagsbackpacking, hiking, time bank, work life balance, year in review

Amble in Arizona – Part 1 : The Grand Canyon

Posted onMarch 7, 2017May 25, 2017AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Three days of backpacking in The Grand Canyon as the first part of my Arizona vacation. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsArizona, backpacking, Colorado Plateau, Grand Canyon, Pueblo

A peaceful backpack

Posted onJanuary 30, 2017January 30, 2017AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A quick overnighter in Peaceful Valley. Read More …

CategoriesOther Outdoor JauntsTagsbackpacking, camping, Colorado, skiing, winter

2016: The theme was “Change”

Posted onDecember 29, 2016February 7, 2017AuthorPaul Mags9 Comments

A look over 2016. The short version? Trips. Divorce. Pet passed on. Busy. Website did well. More to come in 2017! Read More …

CategoriesMusings, PMags NewsTagsbackpacking, hiking, time bank, work life balance, year in review

Useful items for the outdoors person

Posted onDecember 6, 2016April 25, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

A grab bag of favorite items that I have consistently used for a variety of outdoor activities. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbackpacking, camping, car camping, clothing, gear, gear list, hiking, test of time

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

Wonderful fall

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

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

CategoriesMusingsTagsbackpacking, camping, Fall, hiking

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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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@ramblinghemlock and I changed our plans because our usual March haunts were already pushing 90°F. We headed higher to places we usually visit in May. The blooming paintbrush, greening plants, and the lack of snow on the 11,000+ foot peaks in the distance made me wonder what the coming fire season might bring.
@ramblinghemlock and I have had to do some adulting lately. A career transition and a 1956-era house will do that. It sometimes means skipping overnight trips.
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.

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      • 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
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