Wake-up: Time flies...

...when your having fun. I don't know how a whole week went by without a single post, not even Sunday Supper. The week was crazy busy.

A calm Scorpion Anchorage midday Saturday.

Then we took a long 3 day weekend to celebrate September birthdays with a camping trip to Santa Cruz Island (part of the Channel Islands, CA).

View west from Scorpion Anchorage with 40 MPH winds on Sunday.

Now I'm back in the midst of a busy work week and an over-scheduled weekend. Sunday Supper is back on for next weekend so I'll see you there.

photo credit: Cayenne 10.04.09 & 10.05.09

Wake-up: Live the Dream

I said earlier that I would write more about the Yosemite, CA and Patagonia, Chile backpacking trips during the rest of August. I kept putting it off and I now realized there was a reason-there are some things that you just have to do for yourself. You need to live the dream and see these places from your perspective which will be very different from my perspective. I loved both the Yosemite, CA and Patagonia, Chile trips for different reasons. Yet they were both great trips and ones that I would highly recommend.

Chile tested my ability to hike in terrible weather conditions for multiple days.

Yosemite was an elevation roller coaster in the midst of endless blue sky.

See my previous posts on what clothing and gear to bring backpacking, how to waterproof your backpacking gear, our route and the lottery for the high sierra camps, and making reservations for the W trail in Chile.

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have regarding these trips so please email me or comment and leave your email so I can respond directly.

photo credit: Cayenne, Paine Grande Lodge (Ranger Station) on "the W" trail February 2009 and Tuolumne Meadows, High Sierra Camps Yosemite, CA July 2009.

Wake-up: Smell the flowers in Yosemite

The rest of August is going to be focused on backpacking. The Yosemite high sierra trip was amazing and definitely a must-see in California. I left everyone hanging on the Chile "W" trail trip and I really want to finish posting about that great backpacking trip. Just think of the Yosemite High Sierra Camps as the "W" of North America--surprising similar and yet the terrain is very different. Ansel Adams describes Yosemite best:

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” -Ansel Adams

photo credit: Cayenne 07.26.09

Weekend: Yosemite

We are off to start our trek in Yosemite. See posts on backpacking here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

photo credit: El Capitan Canyon, found via suziebeezieland

Backpacking: Yosemite High Sierra Camps

TEB and I will be hiking the High Sierra Camps trails in Yosemite with our fathers this coming weekend. Permits for hiking the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite are issued via lottery in October. We are heading north today to acclimate to the higher altitude and fingers-crossed that I don't get altitude-sickness yet again. Here is the route we are going to take:

day 1 - drive from Fresno to Tuolumne Meadows, sleep at 8,775 ft elevation
day 2 - hike to Vogelsang (10,300 ft)
day 3 - hike to Merced Lake (7,150 ft)
day 4 - hike to Vogelsang (10,300 ft)
day 5 - hike to Tuolumne (8,775 ft) and drive back to Fresno

Each day is approximately 7-9 miles of hiking with some elevation gains that could be hard. But we are getting dinner and breakfast at the camps so that cuts out a lot of weight from our packs. Our fathers are staying in canvas tents are outfitted with steel frame beds, mattresses, pillows, and woolen blankets. There is no electricity and showers might be available at Merced Lake (though that depends on the weather conditions and number of people there).

If this sort of trip sounds like fun, keep an eye out for the lottery forms in October. The easiest way to get a spot is to be really flexible on your dates. We basically said any 4 days covering a weekend in July/August was fine.

Backpacking: Waterproofing your Gear!

One of the most useful things I learned while in Torres del Paine was the value of waterproofing my backpack. There are basically two ways to go about waterproofing. One is cheaper and easier in the short term but will add up over time and is just generally a hassle. The other is more expensive in the short term but well worth the investment if you plan to continue backpacking. Pick the one that best suits your situation!

OPTION 1: Trash Bags
Take two heavy duty black trash bags and situation them so they line your backpack. Pack all your lose items, by category, into gallon Ziploc bags and put into your backpack's large main compartment. Take your sleeping bag and line the stuff sack with a trash bag and stuff your sleeping bag into it.

OPTION 2: Dry Sacks
Head to your local outdoor store and buy dry sacks. My favorite brand is Sea to Summit and you can buy a number of their products at REI. I use one sack that goes in my top backpack pouch - this is easily transferable out to my REI flash 18 pack for day hikes. Then I use a several of the Ultra-Sil Dry Sacks to separate the smelly backpacking clothing (socks go into their own plastic bag) from the (less smelly) camp clothing. Lastly my down sleeping bag is kept dry in the eVent compression dry sack.
The third option is to buy a backpack cover and this works just fine if you are confident that your backpacking conditions involve only light rain and mild wind. This was not the case for Patagonia where a backpack cover would have just been a hassle but I'm sure it works perfectly in other conditions.

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

*images from REI website

Backpacking: Gear List

Here are a few more gear-related items that can be found in my backpack. This post is part of a series on preparing for backpacking. See my clothing pack list here, sunscreen recommendations here, and cooking gear here.

TOILETRIES
- sunglasses + case
- TP + scent-free baby wipes
- first aid kit
- eye mask + ear plugs
- medicine
- watch w/ alarm
- small lightweight towel
- sunscreen + bug dope (often I mix these together and put them on all at once)

ENTERTAINMENT
- bananagrams or cards
- camera + extra batteries + case
- pen
- reading (The New Yorker or New York Review of Books articles as loose pages)

BACKPACKING GEAR
- sleeping bag + sleeping pad
- 1L platypus + hose
- large 1L SIGG
- rain cover for backpack or large plastic bags (more on waterproofing packs later)
- 2 small stuff sacks for separating clothing

KITCHEN GEAR
- food
- food prep, cooking items

Up next: Waterproofing your backpack!

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

*all images from the REI website

Weekend: High Sierra Flowers

I took the earlier part of this week off for a trip up to the western sierras. LMD and I hiked out to Pear Lake and spent two days roaming around the high country. We were surprised to find that it was still spring up at 9,500 ft. Flowers were in bloom everywhere. Below is view of Pear Lake (see trees in the basin of the tall rock spires) from another ridge.

photo credit: Cayenne 07.06.09

Weekend: Off the Grid in Sequoia

Sunday I am heading to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park for a little R&R. LMD and I are hiking out to Emerald and Pear Lakes for a few nights. I'll be posting again at the end of next week. Have a happy and safe 4th of July!photo credit: Emerald Lake by adriAAnsen; PearLake by LoveOurEarth

Backpacking: Clothing List

I cannot believe that I still have stuff to post from my trip to Chile. I am heading out to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks for a short 2 day backpacking trip for the long 4th of July weekend. Also at the end of the July TEB and I will be hiking the High Sierra Camps trails in Yosemite (with our fathers). A gear list seemed necessary. I use TaskPaper to make lists, if you are looking for a good electronic organization system.

When in Patagonia I used the advice from the owner of Erratic Rock Hostel (publisher of Black Sheep newspaper and blog); pack two sets of clothing. One set for hiking and one set for camp. This worked fantastically while out on the W trail for 8 days. I plan to keep using it and with virtually no adjustment this list works if you are going out for 2 days or up to 8-10 days.

CLOTHING PACKLIST

Undergear:
- gals: 1 pair underwear/2 days out
- guys: 2 pairs underwear
- sock liners (2x)
- hiking socks (2x)

Hiking clothing (set 1):
- hiking pants, preferably ones that zip-off into shorts
- short sleeve shirt
- long sleeve shirt
- bandana

Camp Clothing (set 2):
- fleece pants or shorts depending on weather
- long underwear top + bottoms (for sleeping)
- short sleeve shirt
- lightweight down jacket
- lightweight sandals that you can wear with socks
- hat that you are comfortable sleeping in
- 1 pair socks

Outergear:
- sun hat that has a cinching mechanism to keep on head in windy conditions
- rain jacket
- rain pants
- hiking boots, preferably gortex if you are investing in good boots

Tips:

One of the most important things to keep in mind is the fabric of your backpacking clothing. My mom uses the adage "cotton kills" when referring to her own backpacking list. Cotton does not dry quickly, which is an essential quality when out in the backcountry. A synthetic quick-dry fabric or wool are good options. I am allergic to wool so everything from my underwear to my long-sleeve, half-zip mock shirt is made from synthetic material.

Another key clothing item are your boots. You want these to be waterproof (gortex) and to be well-broken in before embarking on any overnight trips. I suggest buying large, expensive items at REI (become a member, if you are not already) so that you can try breaking in your boots or backpack. If you find them uncomfortable then you can return it for something else or get your money back.

Hike 20+ hours, approximately 3 day hikes, in your boots before taking them on a longer trip. Adjust the thickness of your socks or add superfeet insoles for the perfect fit. If you absolutely cannot dayhike in your boots, wear them around town for 40+ hours before a big trip. It is just asking for disaster if you bring unfamiliar boots out into the backcountry. The last thing you want to do is hike 30 miles with open blisters.

Up next: Other gear and organizing your backpack!

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

photo credit: Cayenne 02.01.09

Chile: The W Route

Our very last stop, Refugio de Los Torres, was next to the Hosteria Torres Del Paine which had a 3D model of the Torres del Paine Park, complete with the "W" route. In the top photo:

Day 1- We crossed Lago Pehoe on a catameran to reach Hosteria Paine Grande. From there we hiked north to Refugio Grey.
Day 2- We went on a day hike further north with spectacular views of Glacier Grey, stayed the night in the campground.
Day 3- Backtracked to Hosteria Paine Grande
Day 4- Headed east to Refugio Los Cuernos

Second Photo:
Day 5- Backtracked west and then headed north through Valle Fransaise another night at Los Cuernos (small yellow building on the north side of Lago Nordenskjold)
Day 6- Hiked from Los Cuernos to Los Chileano
Day 7- Ascended to the Los Torres, hiked back to Chileano and then took off for Refugio Torres del Paine
Day 8- Caught a midday bus (the earliest bus you can get) out of the park back to Puerto Natales, with only an hour to spare we checked email and finally boarded another bus to Punta Arenas.

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

photo credit: Cayenne 02.20.09

Fairbanks, AK: Combating Super Dry Air

I think I have mentioned here before that Alaska is a cold desert. The air is extremely dry. If you don't put lotion on every day, you will after only a few days in the frozen north. Having dry, cracking lips is quite possible the worst but I found that Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm fixes them right up.I have been a devoted user of Neutrogena hand lotion since high school. It is good for hands that get a lot of washing, so it really helps my laboratory-stress hands. I even like the new formula Neutrogena Norwegian Formal Fast Absorbing Hand Lotion (mentioned before here). I use the original formula for camping because it has NO smell, i.e. does not attact bugs, and you can use it both as general lotion and lip balm.
I'm still working on what to do for my dry-itching arms and legs. Suggestions?

Chile: Puerto Natales

We had about 12 hours in the small port town of Puerto Natales before we were to leave for the Torres del Paine National Park. We chose to stay at the Erratic Rock and the place is full of hostels and hospedajes so you should have trouble making reservations, even at the last minute.

Now if you want to stay at Erratic Rock (ER) then I suggest you follow their reservation policy of only taking reservations one week in advance because this place is always full. ER is truly a full-service hostel for those heading to and from Torres del Paine. They can rent you all kinds of camping equipment, lead a tour for you, and arrange for your bus tickets. In fact the daily bus to the park stops at Erratic Rock making the 7 am pick-up just a little bit easier.

The owner of ER is also the publisher of Black Sheep newspaper and blog. He has a very useful info session on backpacking The W (and the circuit) at 3pm next door to his hostel - anyone can attend. You could do no planning and bring NO equipment, then show up in Puerto Natales at ER for the 3pm info session and be set to leave the next morning for the park with everything you need. If you want to tent your route this system works just fine.

On the other hand, if you want to experience the refugios along the trail then you need to do some planning and request those reservations a few months in advance. We made our reservations about 1.5 months in advance of when we were going to need them. Reservations for Refugio Grey and Paine Grande Lodge can made through Vertice Patagonia and for Albergue Los Cuernos, Refugio Albergue El Chileno, and Refugio Las Torres see the Fantastico Sur website.

If you have questions regarding planning a trip to Patagonia please comment. The next several posts will detail the W route we took and give you a little glimpse of the refugios. You don't need a guide to hike the W and the trip is appropriate for a wide range of age groups. I recommend the book Trekking in the Patagonian Andes, a Lonely Planet publication.

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

photo credit: Cayenne 02.12.09

Chile: Volcan Villarica

In retrospect the funnest and most exciting part of our trip was the day we climbed Volcan Villarica. The beautiful white topped volcan, pictured above, looks huge from town and it felt tall as we were climbing it too. The climb started in the wee hours of the morning where we met our guides and fellow climbers at the Aguaventura Office in downtown Pucon (just a few blocks from Ecole). Everything was up in the air at this point. It has poured rain two days previously and climbing the volcan is contingent on the weather being good.
Even when we got out to the base camp the guides reassess and conferred with the other climbing groups. The weather was clear and sunny so we were off! the first hour was on gravel and followed the ski lift path, which sometimes is operating and can shave an hour off the hike. Around the second hour we had to put on crampons and learned how to use an ice axe to stop us from slipping if we fell. From this point on we were climbing on a small glacier, i.e. ice, hence the crampons.
We continued upwards and crossed a terribly windy ridge where I almost got blown away. It was after this treacherous climb that I expressed my desire to proclaim this point my "top." My "too windy" excuse was immediately determined to be not-a-good-excuse by our french/chilean guide. The rest of the ascent I was right behind him so that I could grab his backpack if it got too windy. He was right, it never got that windy again though looking down would take your breath away.

Just 30 minutes from the top we were able to take our crampons off and leave our backpacks so that we could quickly reach the top and come back down. Volcan Villarica is still an active volcano so it spews smoke and ash continuously. Obviously, ash is not good for your lungs so we covered our mouths with bananas and continued on.
Climbing without crampons made me really nervous but I just focused on putting one foot after the next, not looking ahead, and not looking back down. Just like the whole journey of earning a PhD this trip had its ups and downs, its challenges, and points when I just wanted to quit.

When we reached the top, I was thankful that I was forced to continue on. The air was calm, the view was impressive as we could see the lakes and other volcanos in the area. Reaching the top was just half the battle.
I was surprised to find out that we were going to SLIDE down the volcano on small plastic saucers. TERROR!! I managed to brake with my ice axe all the way down. Unfortunately, since we were trying to not fly off the side of the volcan we have no pictures of the descent. If a hiking challenge is your type of thing, don't miss the opportunity to climb Volcan Villarica in Pucon, Chile.

{recap: I traveled to Chile during the month of February. I was distracted these past few months and am only now getting to post about my experience in South America. Click here to see all my posts about this fantastic Ph.D. Trip}

photo credit: Cayenne and LMD 02.06.09

Moab, UT: Good Eating

I had some great food in Moab, UT. My three favorite eats in Moab were the Peace Tree Cafe, Ye Olde Geezer's Meat Shoppe, and the Saturday Farmer's Market. We bought an unbelievable sunflower seed bread, garlicly pesto, and fresh peaches. Oh we wish that we had bought more peaches.

Peace Tree Juice Cafe - I had the mini breakfast wrap but everything on the menu looked fantastic.
Address: 20 South Main Moab, UT 84532

Ye Olde Geezer's Meat Shoppe - (found via AT LA) We tried every single one of their jerky meat flavors. Spicy teryaki was my favorite. Take note they are closed on Sunday and Monday.
Address: 1240 S. Hwy 191 Moab, UT 84532


photo credit: take by EE at Aztec Butte, Canyonlands, UT 08.31.08 from L to R: Cayenne, MT, and TB
{Cayenne is on vacation. All posts this week have been pre-scheduled and comments will be moderated after September 28th.}

Backpacking: Nau New Fall Line!

I am gearing up for the big Ph.D. trip (no worries, I will tell you soon where I am going). On my short list is a windproof layer that I can put under a lightweight, waterproof shell. I was contemplating getting either the Patagonia Powerstretch Zip-neck Jacket or the Mountain Hardwear Limestone Jacket. Then I noticed that Nau is going to putting out a new fall line (read about the rebirth of Nau at Treehugger). I am so waiting for the acoustic jacket that I posted about back in May or the Profile Fleece Hoody (pictured above).

{Cayenne is on vacation. All posts this week have been pre-scheduled and comments will be moderated after September 28th.}

Backpacking: Cooking Pot

I forgot in my Food Prep Gear post (see full post here) to include a pot. You have to have something to cook your food in. We are still trying to find a good multi-tasking pot: one that is more pot-like than saucepan-like, nonstick, lightweight, long handle, and medium sized. Any suggestions? I am thinking about this GSI Soloist Cook System.

Travel: All-in-one Soaps

I have been blogging quite a bit about backpacking gear and this is not one of the items I pack for a backcountry trip, but I think it might be good for backpacking traveling. With the new airline rules about only checking one bag I think the soap bar is a nonliquid and might not count toward your quart bag limit.

I am testing a few all-in-one soap products for the Ph.D. trip, see posts here and here. I love products that multi-task so this soap is right up my alley.

First up, I have Woody's Meat and Potatoes Cleansing bar, price 10.95$. It has a nondescript smell and the bar is huge. I can barely hold it in one hand - this was clearly made for men or those with larger hands. So far so good.Second, I bought Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar, price 6.00$. I have yet to try this one and it does not say that it is body soap but I am going to try it.Third, the Keys Windsurfer Soap is not a soap bar but a multi-tasking liquid that lathers in salt water and in fresh water while being biodegradable. Still working on testing this one, price 13.95$ for 8 oz.Finally, the Solid Shampoo Bar by ShopRedLeaf on etsy. I am going to have to order this one in the BEACH scent and it comes with its own travel tin, price 11.00$. There are a lot of other shampoo bar options on etsy, I just chose the ShopRedLeaf one because of the tin.

Backpacking: Food Prep Gear

Since I have completely failed on the backpacking dinner recipes, I do have a lightweight cooking gear setup for you. A stove is a must. We have an MRS dragonfly stove, which works fine but the simmer setting on the Simmerlight is very appealing. I think being able to simmer food will expand our dinner options. The egg holder is luxury but a good one. For two people, six eggs fed us breakfast and dinner on a 2 night/3 day trip.

I got TEB the Orikaso folding bowl as an anniversary present. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical but the bowl was easy to fold, clean, and pack. There are many utensil options I just happen to like the looks of the spork. I also bring it to work so that I don't have to use the disposible plasticwear from the cafeteria. Centrifuge tubes work fantastically for bringing in cooking oil. They don't leak at all.

The spice shaker is another luxury but worth hauling in an extra couple of ounces. I mentioned the mexican hot cocoa yesterday. I use the 8 oz PC nalgene, screw top round bottle to keep the hot cocoa warm while I eat dinner. The Bamboo Wooden Rice spoon is lightweight and useful for making dinners. We bring all this gear and an extra spork for the two of us. I will probably get another orikaso bowl and maybe a folding, plastic laddle for scooping out hot water.

MRS SimmerLight Backpacking Stove; Coghlan's Six Egg Holder; Orikaso Bowl picture from Backpack Gear Test; Light My Fire Spork; Centrifuge Tubes; Kenyon Multi Spice Shaker; 8 oz PC Jar; Bamboo Wooden Rice Spoon

Backpacking: Dinner

All the backpacking dinners I have had are nothing to write home about. Dinners have been planed and seem to be good in concept but I am always disappointed. Fortunately, I have mastered the after-dinner hot cocoa made with mexican hot chocolate (no dried milk).

I need backpacking dinner inspiration. Here are the constraints: all ingredients must not need refrigeration; we have a backpacking stove and the only heat setting is high so no simmering or cooking things for 20 minutes; everything must be cooked in one sitting, no turning the stove on, off, and then on again; everything must be cooked in one pot. What is your favorite backpacking dinner?

photo credit: Cayenne on the Twin Lakes trip, Sequoia, CA. You can see our tent through the trees.