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TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

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Contributors to this blog

  • Aaron Zagrodnick 236
  • Mark Wetherington 76
  • PaulMags 27
  • Susan Dragoo 25
  • Steve Ancik 16
  • tmountainnut 12
  • David Cobb 10
  • Eric 10
  • HappyHour 9
  • jansenjournals 8
  • DustyD 7
  • HikerBox 6
  • Karen Garmire 6
  • Cinny Green 6
  • AndreaL 5
  • Daniel Anderson Jr 5
  • SparbaniePhoto 5
  • George Graybill 5
  • michaelswanbeck 5
  • Wired 4
  • mgraw 4
  • JimR 3
  • Kevin DeVries 3
  • JimG 3
  • Steven Genise 3
  • eliburakian 3
  • seano 2
  • Doug Emory 2
  • Adrienne Marshall 2
  • Jessica Smith 2
  • Jen 2
  • MattS 2
  • sarahtied 2
  • Ben Libbey 1
  • Tucker Ballister 1
  • DKim and PatriciaV 1
  • Peter 1
  • Curry Caputo 1
  • Claire Murdough 1
  • Greg Jansky 1
  • Madeline Salocks 1
  • J. Parascandola 1
  • BSuess 1
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  • Adel 1
  • Tephanie H. 1
  • Isak Kvam 1
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Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Trips

Backpacking in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness

November tends to be a dead zone for Colorado hikers. It's too early for skiing or even snowshoeing in the high country. But cold temps and the threat of blizzards are present even if the snow is lacking. Most backpackers sit out the month, maybe catching up on their favorite trail magazine. Not all Colorado is high country and 14er's though. Out beyond the West Elks, the Uncompahgre Plateau runs from the Utah border 60 miles southeast down to the edge of the San Juans. Elevations range from 400
HappyHour

HappyHour in Trips

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Trips

The Tremont Lollipop Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountains contain many remarkable places. Some areas convey rugged grandeur, others ancient elegance and beauty. This hike provides tastes of those things, but more significant than any of those features, it's one of the most calming, peaceful hikes I've enjoyed anywhere in the region. It may not be the most photogenic trail, but something about it draws me back again and again. I hike this trail more frequently than any other in the park, and I always leave wanting more. The soothing
SparbaniePhoto

SparbaniePhoto in Trips

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Food

Sweet & Savory Noodles with Broccoli Backpacking Recipe

In my book, a good trail meal needs to taste great and pack in needed calories and nutrition, without being overly complex or time consuming to make on the trail. With dinner frequently being fit in just as the light begins to fade and with tired legs, I often want to jump in the sleeping bag sooner rather than later, but still want a great meal. This one takes a little prep at home and just a little specialty shopping before the hike, but is still ready in minutes on your trip and tastes great.
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Food

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Trips

Backpacking Craters of the Moon: A Quick Report & Guide

Though it had been spring for 2 months, with 4 feet of snow still blanketing the high trails close to home I looked for a break. Utah often occupies my hiking plans in spring, but while the canyons have their undeniable appeal, I was looking to set my own course somewhere with a view. The map revealed a destination I hadn’t previously considered farther north. Backpacking Craters of the Moon National Monument made for quite the unique experience. Craters of the Moon National Monu
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

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Gear

Lixada 10 Watt USB Ultralight Solar Panel Review

While I make every effort to make electronics as small a part of the backcountry experience as possible, I can’t say I’ve ever gone on a trip without taking along some type of electronic item. Whether the old school giant Petzl headlamp that I packed on trips in the 90s, or the smartphone and satellite communicator (along with, thankfully smaller and lighter headlamps) of today, electronics are admittedly a part of every trip in some manner for just about all of us. Even on trips where I haven’t
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Trips

October Alpine: Fall Backpacking in Montana

Among its many inimitable charms, prime backpacking season in the Northern Rockies is also unfortunately defined by a cruel brevity. Try to hike too early in the season and you wind up postholing through leftover snow, anxiously evaluating raging creeks for the safest place to cross, and camping near lakes still thawing out from winter – adventuresome, but not exactly ideal. A few weeks later and things are more amenable to backpacking, but bugs (especially the biting kind) become so numerous th
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

2
Trips

Section Hiking and Backpacking Along the Ouachita Trail

I hear the wind approaching as it moves up the ridge. No other sound breaks the night's long silence, not even the rustle of a possum in the undergrowth. It is early autumn in a year of drought; perhaps the lack of water at this elevation keeps the critters away, which suits me fine. We took care to hang the bear bag high off the ground, regardless. Why tempt fate? I drift off, awakening later to an unmistakable sound a few feet away. Zzip! Opens the tent. Zzip! Closes the tent. It is Mary,
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

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Trips

Hiking & Backpacking in Algonquin Provincial Park

When it comes to outdoor recreation, Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada is known mostly for its interconnecting canoe routes and park maintained portages. While not its most popular pastime, those on foot will find a hidden gem of a trail system and a true Canadian wilderness experience. Over 2000 lakes dot the landscape, many offering good fishing opportunities, and with almost 2 million acres of this lake-filled forest, one could spend a lifetime exploring the various nuances of the
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

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Trips

A Hike on the Florida Trail: Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Our boots sunk deep in the sugar white sand, making each step more laborious than we were used to. My calves had begun to burn right along with my pale skin. There was no shade to hide under, no trees to from which to seek relief. Florida is a state with more than 30,000 lakes, but around us was as hot and dry as a desert. I had grown up in North Central Florida, and knew just how unforgiving the heat could be, but the Southern winters had become much too warm for me. My years away in cold mount
Jessica Smith

Jessica Smith in Trips

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Technique

Backpacking and Hiking Jargon: Down Fill Power (FP)

Fill Power is a grading system for goose / duck down. Often abbreviated as FP. Higher fill power will add more loft and warmth to an outdoor garment or sleeping bag at the same given amount of weight. Measured using a cubic inch per oz system. 500 fill power down will fill 500 cubic inches of space per ounce used. 900 will fill 900 cubic inches of space per ounce. A high fill power down cluster. What Fill Power is Best? It all depends on the application. For use off the trai
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Technique

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Technique

An Introduction to Backpacking and Tenkara Fishing

Thought that lightweight backpacking and fishing along the way weren’t compatible? Think again. Tenkara was born and still lives in the mountains of Japan. Although likely dating back further, the earliest recorded mention of the Tenkara fishing style dates back to 1878, when British diplomat Ernest Mason Satow referenced it in his work. At that time, Tenkara was a tool used by commercial fishermen out of necessity and simplicity. Rods were constructed from bamboo, lines were han
Ben Libbey

Ben Libbey in Technique

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Trips

Backpacking in Bears Ears: Canyon Contemplation

In 1943 and after years of fruitless political wrangling, President Franklin D. Roosevelt finally used his unilateral authority under the Antiquities Act to establish Jackson Hole National Monument. The state challenged the monument declaration in court. Ranchers drove cattle across the Monument in direct defiance of Federal authority. On one side, there were accusations about rich outsiders interfering in local matters. On the other side, conservationists launched a campaign to convince the pub
Kevin DeVries

Kevin DeVries in Trips

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Trips

A Bailey Range Traverse: Hiking in Olympic National Park

We were five days into a trek across Olympic National Park – at low elevation in mid-summer. Even though I was tired and about as cold as I think I've ever been, I was relishing the experience. I knew it was always the hard days that we remember most, and most of the days on this trip were hard. Really hard. And after this experience down at Cream Lake I knew I’d be able to tell a good story. We also remember the beautiful days. Our ten-day journey – our own take on a traverse of the Bailey
eliburakian

eliburakian in Trips

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Food

Southwest-style Omelet in a Bag Backpacking Recipe

After a hiatus due to grad school, I am now enjoying the outdoors again on a regular basis. Having enjoyed the summer wildflowers, walked among the aspen leaves of autumn and plan to explore the canyon country of Utah over Thanksgiving. My usual solo backpacking fare of cold food for breakfast doesn't always work . And while a hot dish of cream of wheat, dried cherries and almonds can hit the spot on a cool Colorado morning in the backcountry, sometimes I want to make a breakfast perhaps a
PaulMags

PaulMags in Food

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Trips

Luna Peak: Hiking the Heart of the Wild North Cascades

The Cascades have a reputation for long and brushy approaches, and the Pickets, a subrange in far northern Washington, have a particularly bad reputation in both respects. Even after escaping the dense vegetation, reaching many of the summits would feature more technical climbing than hiking. Together, these two factors have deterred most hikers from even contemplating a trip to this rugged and scenic area. The Pickets' reputation is not entirely deserved: Whatcom Peak at the far nort
seano

seano in Trips

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Trips

Northern Rockies Gold: Hiking in Search of the Fall Larch

The Rocky Mountains provide hikers with countless opportunities to immerse themselves in backcountry areas filled with quintessential landforms. Majestic mountain peaks, sublime subalpine lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, and wildflower-filled meadows come immediately to mind. Rolling high-altitude plateaus, cascading mountain streams, and fragrant forests of dense conifers are also key contributors to this enchanting landscape. Somewhat surprisingly, there are even some natural arches scattered acro
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

1
Gear

Review: PowerFilm USB+AA Lightweight Solar Charger

Disposable batteries are just not ideal for backpacking. After every trip, batteries keep piling up – whether from headlamps, Steripens, or even just from non-backpacking devices we used around the house. Most of the time, getting back from a trip batteries will still have some juice left, but how much? Enough to take along next time? I found myself either installing new batteries for nearly every trip, or taking extras, unless I’d barely utilized the batteries the last time around. Worst of all
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Technique

Tips for Photographing Mushrooms: The Flowers of Fall

Mushrooms are the flowers of fall, and photographing them may look easy but it’s not. Here are a few helpful tips to use when photographing them. First, you’ll want to correctly identify the mushrooms you shoot, so pick up a good mushroom book to help with identification. My favorite book on fungi is Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora. I also recommend his mushroom field-pocket guide. When I photograph mushrooms, I often begin with a document photograph. This helps me identify the m
David Cobb

David Cobb in Technique

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Technique

Hunting Season Hiking and Backpacking Considerations

Fall – a time of the year when the crisp air is enjoyed and the greens of summer are replaced with hues of orange and yellow. And, it’s also the time that we as hikers contend with hunting season. Strategies for hiking during this time range from doing nothing different at all to simply staying home, and while hunting season is a worthy pre-hike consideration, by taking a few steps and modifying our gear and routine just a bit, we can continue hiking during hunting season with a few changes to o
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Technique

0
Trips

Hiking Mount Kumotori, Japan (in the Rain and Mud)

The trail before me had become a treacherous, muddy mess. My backpack felt like a sodden weight pulling me down, and my shoes squished and oozed water with every step. I was looking down at what would have been a sharp descent, now transformed into a muddy slide. As I debated between simply sitting down on the trail and letting gravity carry me along or staggering forward and attempting to remain upright, I thought again about how I had let this happen. The answer involved a series of
MattS

MattS in Trips

6
Gear

Buzz Away Extreme Insect Repellent Review

No matter if it’s a low snow year or not and even during summer drought conditions, mosquitoes tend to maintain a strong foothold here high in the mountains of Wyoming. As I’ve migrated from DEET to Picaridin to natural insect repellents over the years, I’m always on the lookout for products that either work better or have better ingredients. While I’ve been using Herbal Armor for several years, the best version of their product – the pressurized continuous spray has recently become hard to find
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

2
Trips

Hiking & Backpacking the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness

It rained, and then it rained some more, and then it snowed. And then it began raining again. It was the first week in May in Boulder, a time when hikers start looking to the hills, and begin hanging up snowshoes and getting out the trail runners. It would be a month or more before the high country was open, of course, but some lower-elevation hikes – Lost Creek Wilderness, the first sections of the Colorado Trail – would be feasible with 3-season gear. Usually. But not this year. 3 weeks o
HappyHour

HappyHour in Trips

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Food

Savory Cranberry Nut Couscous Backpacking Recipe

Dishes that are a bit lighter tasting can be desirable at many times of the year and especially in warmer weather. The palette does not crave cream, cheese, and the other heavy foods associated with winter. Instead, a touch of citrus might be wanted. A bit of mint on the tongue. And perhaps something a bit tart and a little sweet to balance the flavors out? This simple, but tasty and filling, couscous meal just may be the perfect dish for those July backpacking trips near an alpine la
PaulMags

PaulMags in Food

0
Reading

Media: The Sagebrush Sea Film Review

The flyover area. The Big Empty. The places in between. All names for the area known colloquially as The Sagebrush Sea. At one point encompassing over 500,000 square miles, the area between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada is often a place thought of as barren, devoid of life and uninteresting. However, after watching PBS Nature’s newest documentary, a viewer may change their mind. The Sagebrush Sea is a wonderful documentary about the vast area between the Sierra and Rockies often ignored
PaulMags

PaulMags in Reading

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Reading

Unbranded: The American West on Horseback Film Review

If there is an enduring archetype about the American West, it is the cowboy on his faithful horse riding through the wilderness and into the sunset. This archetype was formed by numerous books, songs and John Ford westerns and has passed into the collective American cultural mythos. Unfortunately, this romantic view of the old West sometimes clashes with reality. In the modern American West, these wilderness lands are bisected by private property, roads, different land agencies, and jurisdi
PaulMags

PaulMags in Reading

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