Posting has been / will be light for a few days, as tomorrow morning I will be heading up to Mount Whitney for the first time.
Team WWED and I have been training all year, and will be taking a leisurely approach over the next few days – camping at ever-higher elevations before we tackle the mountain itself on Monday and Tuesday.
Against my shoulder’s protests, I’ve decided to take my DSLR along – so hopefully I’ll have some nice photos and stories to share when I get back. Wish us luck over the next few days!
The crew at SoCalHikes is not to be messed with. They scramble up abandoned trails, punish their skin by bushwhacking through Spanish bayonets, and encounter THREE mountain lions and live to tell about it.
The hiker known as Pitownpi was hiking by himself in Mill Creek in the San Bernardinos last week when he came upon three mountain lions on a steep stretch of trail. With one hand on his point-and-shoot camera and another on what I can only assume was a very large rock, he documented the events as the cats watched him, then split up and approached him.
AHHHHH!!!!!
I honestly don’t know what my reaction to seeing three lions on the trail would be, but I’m betting it would involve much less photography and a lot more yelling and throwing things.
I’ve previously written up a short account of the Modern Hiker charity hike for the American Foundation for Children with AIDS this July. Now (wow, this took me a long time), I’ve finally posted a short video featuring some of the photos and videos we took along the way.
Of course, there’s a lot more to this, but I think this at least captures some of the great weather and steep hiking we had along the way.
Again, I really can’t thank everyone who participated in this enough – either by putting in some miles with me or by sponsoring one of the hikers. We did a lot of good that day – and who knows? Maybe I’ll make this a semi-annual event!
As if all those upcoming sales and clearances weren’t enough to get your credit card trigger finger itchy, huge-cut discounters The Clymb just threw down a major contest.
As part of their Gear for a Year contest, lucky winners will receive $200 in Clymb credit each month for a year (the $4000 number they’re toting is the retail value of the gear, not your actual credit on the site). You can use the credit to stock up on the heavily-discounted gear the Clymb offers every week. All you have to do to enter is invite (or re-invite) some friends to join the site for free.
Even if you don’t win, you’ll get a few bucks in credit for each friend who signs up, and you’ll get to enjoy slashed prices on great gear. They’re running a promotion on GoLite shoes right now, but I’ve managed to get incredible deals on sunglasses, packs, and clothes through these guys already and have nothing but great things to say about shopping with them.
At the Outdoor Retailer show, Klymit unveiled its new air mat – the Inertia X Frame Sleeping Pad.
The company claims this new future-device weighs just 9.1 ounces and packs down to the size of a soda can. It also looks CRAZY.
I’m jealous of the backcountry types who can sleep on stuff like this. I am a notoriously light-sleeper, leaping to action at the slightest sound, jabbed shoulder, or sliver of sunlight. I have to use heavier air pads like the ExPed Synmats, which usually weigh in at least double the weight of this thing. But cutting weight isn’t worth it if you don’t sleep at night, right?
No pricing info on this little guy yet This will retail at $99.95 in November.
If you haven’t hit up the Icebreaker end-of-season sale yet or just didn’t find anything you wanted, you’ll be happy to know a few other outdoor retailers are getting in on the price-reduction action.
From today through August 23rd, Patagonia is having a Summer Sale as well, with merchandise getting knocked back 30-60% off retail. There’s a lot of nice winter jackets for half-off, and great deals on Capilene tees, which are really nice for warm-weather hiking as well as baselayers during the cooler months. If you’re looking to refresh your urban wardrobe with some cotton tee shirts, Patagonia’s got you covered there, too. Poke around and see if there’s anything that’s been on your wish list for a while.
If you like to keep it local, Adventure 16 is launching their Summer Clearance, too! Starting tomorrow and continuing through September 6th, A16 is slashing prices on all kinds of gear, from Kelty tents and sleeping bags to CamelBaks, Gregory backpacks, SteriPENs, North Face and Patagonia clothing, climbing gear and more. And if you happen to live along the beaches, the Huntington Beach REI is holding their members-only used-gear sale on Saturday, August 21st at 10AM. Be sure to get there WAY earlier than you think you’d need to.
Now’s a great time to stock up on gear and save a bit of cash while you’re doing it!
Vimeo user ph dee went out into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park last week to try to get some time-lapse photos of the Perseid meteor shower, but was upset that the skies were mostly just cluttered with airplanes.
However, I think you’ll agree that his beautiful night sky footage is very much NOT the fail he claims it to be, even with the airplanes.
I missed this during my several-week hiking hiatus to take care of work business, but Derek of 100 Peaks has summited Mount Whitney!
If you’re in the mood for some unbelievable pictures and fantastic writing, carve out some time, pour a cup of coffee and enjoy the vicarious experience of a 3-day, 33+ mile trek to the highest mountain in the lower 48.
Congratulations, Derek – and thanks for the inspiration!
Side note / question to other Whitney Summiteers – did you take a DSLR with you on your trip? If not, what did you take, and did you regret not having your big camera? I’m in the middle of a highly indecisive packing planning period right now …
Well, it’s getting close to the end of summer, which means it’s time for that annual celestial show – the Perseid Meteor Showers.
This year, Sky and Telescope magazine is predicting an even more spectacular show for North America, as the meteor showers also happen to coincide with a new moon – an event that happens every three years or so.
It goes without saying that in order to see the most meteors, you’re going to want to be in a dark, rural area. Your cool rooftop balcony in Pasadena ain’t gonna cut it – but I’ve had luck just driving north to the Antelope Valley. You’ll still get a bit of light pollution (it’s tough to avoid in L.A., unless you can head further into the desert), but you should be able to spot a pretty good amount of shooting stars as the light pollution on the north side of the San Gabriels is much smaller than on the south side.
Prime viewing for the Perseids is from about 11PM on Thursday night through the first light of dawn, with up to 100 meteors or more per hour during the peak.
Sky and Telescope has some in-depth tips for viewing, but you can probably just snag a comfy site, curl up with a hot drink, sleeping bag or blankets, and mosquito repellent, and just patiently gaze toward the northeast.
Are you too cheap to spring five bucks to spend a day in our local National Forest? Then you’re in luck, because this Saturday and Sunday, August 14th and 15th, the Angeles National Forest is celebrating a Fee-Free Weekend.
For these days, you will not need to purchase or display an Adventure Pass while parking in the Angeles National Forest, although other fees like campground reservations and concessions will still be in effect.
To save yourself some trouble or heartache, be sure to check the list of fire closures to make sure the place you’re headed isn’t closed down.
Other National Parks and Forests are also celebrating this fee-free weekend, including the San Bernardino and Los Padres National Forests (The Cleveland National Forest may be fee-free, too, but I haven’t found any evidence on their web site) and several National Parks, including Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and the Cabrillo and Pinnacles National Monuments, among others.
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Posting has been / will be light for a few days, as tomorrow morning I will be heading up to Mount Whitney for the first time.
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