Issue 20 Released

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Issue 20 of TrailGroove Magazine is now available! Click the preceding link or the cover below to take a look:

In This Issue:

Backpacking Fish and Owl Creek Canyons, UT

The Wonderland Trail

Jargon: Contour Interval

Trail Runners in the Backcountry

Backcountry Skiing

Trail News

Gear Mash

Tip: A Quick Snow Shelter

Photo Tips from the Trail: Zooming In

Isle Royale

Backcountry Cuisine: Chocolate Cheesecake Smoothies

Media: Wild – A Film Review

Flash

The Sunset

Over 100 free pages dedicated to backpacking and hiking. Special thanks to all of our readers and contributors for your support and contributions towards the latest issue! If it's your first time viewing the magazine, we suggest starting on Page 1 for viewing tips and tricks. Prefer a different format or want to view the magazine offline? A PDF (Coming Soon) is also available. Your input is highly appreciated. Let us know what you thought about Issue 20 here on the TrailGroove Forum, or shoot us an email anytime. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for Issue 21, due out in March.

[Gary M]

Aaron/TrailGroove

Really enjoyed Issue 20, as always filled with great articles and sensational photography.

My favorite piece was on Southern Utah canyon hiking by Ted Ehrlich. I haven't hiked the Utah canyons for many years, but I easily recall two things:

First I loved Utah and the canyons................. and........................

Second, I had a bit of an issue with my orientation while in the canyons. This was well before I had a GPS, and I experienced a "getting lost problem"; in other words I got turned around and lost for a bit! It was hard for me to tell which direction I was going (due to the twisting and turning trail and rock walls) and the scenery all pretty much looked the same to a novice canyon guy such as myself.

Any thoughts on this? Is canyon hiking a special challenge for non-veteran canyon hikers?

Again, really fine article and TG issue!

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

"Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such things?"

Edited January 31, 2015 by Gary M

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Thanks Gary. One thing I've always defaulted to in the canyons is to utilize upstream / downstream as a directional indicator if things get confusing and around junctions. But keeping a detailed map handy and always being aware of direction definitely helps. Glad to hear you liked Issue 20!