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Hi Rob and welcome. What type of production quality are you looking for? Most would use a smartphone if you have one. For a higher production quality than that, and they are often pretty good, you’d be looking at some more expensive professional or higher end camera gear.

Glad to hear, another fast and easy addition instead of rice is couscous. This product only needs hot water, so doesn't need to be heated in a pot or pan. Cooks in under 5 minutes, and you use a fork to separate the couscous. I particularly enjoy it with parmesan cheese, Hungarian Smoked Paprika, onion & garlic powder, and I add some sort of minced veggies to it. Lot of calories for little weight, and it surely fills you up.

Good suggestion... thanks.

Happy to be here! One thing I have learned is that it is good to communicate with others that are on the same journey and many times have already done what you are trying to do. I have done some hikes in the last several years. the alum cave trail in the smoky mountains (all the way to the top) was rough. Also did the manitou incline in the Rockies which was equally rough. Other hikes were a very high hike in the snow up a trail in Salt Lake city and some other smaller ones in nevada. I only do day hikes, I have no interest in camping, but I want the most difficult hike I can find. I want to be challenged. I often say that if at some point I don't utter these words during the hikes... "what in the hell was I thinking"... then I didn't pick the right trail. lol I am creating a bucket list of tough hikes in the national parks to get accomplished. I have my eye on half dome, Mt. Whitney, grand canyon rim to rim and a few more. Look forward to chatting with others and picking up some helpful tips.

First of all, I am sorry to hear about this. It's no fun hiking when you are terrified. And it's no fun being at the top of a precipice and feeling that you might well fall over! There are certainly plenty of hikes in the world that don't involve cliffs (exposure, in climbing terms) and of course you can always just focus on those. My wife suffers from a mild version of this, and we've still hiked more than 2,500 miles in various mountains around the world. Soemtime, admittedly, a bit slowly! There's no real cure for acrophobia (the technical name for fear of heights.) Some people find it helpful to work with a psychotherapist, and that treatment usually involves something called, ironically, exposure therapy. This means that you take baby steps towards your fear, slowly trying to bring it under control. With virtual reality, this can be done in an office! Medications to ease your fear/concern may no be a great idea, because people fear heights for a reason--they can be deadly. You want to keep that survivla instinct alive!

Paul Magnanti with thoughts and an introduction to backcountry Nordic Skiing – read the full article below: Backcountry Nordic Skiing in Issue 20 Backcountry Nordic Skiing: An Introductory Guide - Republished on the TrailGroove Blog Issue 20 Page 1

It is almost comical, almost, but not quite; I make my own Texas Hot sauce with engineered Habanero Peppers, (think of MACE but not Bear spray, Caspian wise), and one day I forgot that my former spouse had estimators coming in. The 2 of them walked in and within seconds I heard a clearing of the throat from both of them, then a cough, a sniffle, seconds later rubbing of the eyes, and then some choking followed by "OMG, my eyes are burning" by one of them, then a Hell of a lot of gagging & coughing... Moral of this story, Caspian is something to respect... If you ever test Bear Repellant spray again, make sure you spray it on edible vegetation, so you will already have pre seasoned your Chili con Carne ingredients... Btw, long time Mate, good to chat with ya again Aaron.

Aaron is right. For hiking, you need more room at the end of your shoes for your toes. The fact that you have bruising on the ends of your toes and on top of your toenails tells me that your boots are too short! Note that it is the longest of your toes that is taking the brunt of the damage. Step up a size in boots, and I bet this problem will disappear. One additional suggest--lave up your boots nice and tight. That will keep your feet from sliding forward and hammering into the toes of your boots. Most hikers do this as a habit when they start a long downhill stretch, for exactly that reason. So get larger boots, lace them up snug, and I bet your problems will be solved.

If you want to meet that price point, you aren't going to get a top of the line pack. You can get packs that are rated pretty decent if you go with something from Teton Sports. When Teton Sports first started selling packs online, they looked a lot like the cheap Chinese packs that were flooding ebay and Amazon, but they appear to have come a long way since then. They have a 20% off sale right now, and one of their nicer packs (Hiker 3700) had an even better discount for Memorial Day. Teton Sports has a "Limited Lifetime Warranty" I've never owned anything from Teton myself. https://tetonsports.com/collections/backpacks

Hi guys, I know nothing about backpacking. I’ve been tasked with finding packs for a retreat/camp organization in New England. The packs would be used year round by different people on short trips (3 days or so). Here’s their criteria: - 55-65 L - adjustable - durable (including withstanding rain, ice, and snow) - lightweight - the person that leads the trips prefers the Osprey Renn and Rook… …But here’s the hard part: they only want to spend around $100 a pack. Maybe a bit more for guaranteed durability so they’d last a few years. Any ideas on what brands/models to look for within those confines? It’s a bit hard to shop for a pack that could be used by many different types of bodies. Thanks!

I got a lot of feedback from a recent blog post on my website about trailwork to Lake Margaret. Lots of people wondering why we are taking down cairns. It's pretty simple: they're unnecessary. And part of Leave No Trace is to ...you know...Leave No Trace. I knocked down more than 130 cairns in 4 miles on this trail. I left three. So here's my summary of cairn policy. Should you ever put up a cairn? Before you do, ask yourself this question: Am I lost? If you are lost, don't put up a cairn. It will just confuse anyone who follows you. If you are not lost, then you don't need to put up a cairn. You found your way just fine. Please allow other hikers to do the same. If you can see where the trail goes, don't put up a cairn. If you can see the trail behind you, don't put up a cairn. If you can see a log cut for the trail, don't put up a cairn. If you can see a blaze on a tree, don't put up a cairn. If you can see a strip of plastic ribbon, don't put up a cairn. If you can see footprints in the dirt or sand, don't put up a cairn. If you can see a path through the grass, don't put up a cairn. If you can see branches outlining the trail, Don't put up a cairn. If you can a cairn ahead or behind you, don't put up a cairn. If it's obvious where the trail goes, don't put up a cairn. If you are moved to create artwork with natural materials, do it in your garden at home. Don't put up a cairn. And if you do put up a cairn to help you find you way back....take it down on your way back. When in doubt, don't put up a cairn.

First off you will need to determine what will be the average size of the hikers torso. Not everyone will be a medium torso length. Secondly, Osprey's warranty would get my first consideration for a heavily used pack. Your going to be hard pressed to find any decent pack at $100 each unless you buy used and a $100 used Osprey is a rare bird indeed. Gregory makes a decent pack also and may be in the price range. Lightweight and durable come at a price. It depends on what you consider to be "lightweight" and just how durable your willing to accept. The conundrum of the hiking world is that everyone wants a light pack that will last forever at absolutely the lowest price. There is no such pack or gear. Alas, you must also consider how many packs are for women and how many are for men. S-Straps and certain hip belts make a world of difference for women. You get the idea I'm sure. So lets set some real life parameters. Lets day lightweight is from 2.5-4.5lbs, average torso of medium height, easily replaceable/adjustable hip belt for people of different girths, is comfortable by the average persons opinion, can carry loads of 20-35lbs comfortably, and is made of durable enough materials. That sounds like an osprey all day. Suggestions: Osprey Rook/Renn 65L (#1 choice) retails at $180 https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/rook-65-ROOK65.html?packfinder=true Gregory Amber 55L retails at $200 https://www.gregorypacks.com/packs-bags/backpacking-packs/amber-55-126869XXXX.html?dwvar_126869XXXX_color=Arctic Grey&cgidmaster=packs-activities-backpacking Gregory Stout 60L retails at $200 https://www.gregorypacks.com/packs-bags/backpacking-packs/stout-60-126873XXXX.html?dwvar_126873XXXX_color=Fennel Green&cgidmaster=packs-activities-backpacking REI Flash 55L retails at $200 https://www.rei.com/product/148589/rei-co-op-flash-55-pack-mens REI Trailbreak 60L retails at $150 https://www.rei.com/product/168251/rei-co-op-trailbreak-60-pack-mens Gregory Octal 55L retails at $165 https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/213864/gregory-octal-55-pack-womens

Just an added note; REI is having a sale over Labor Day, and some of their packs are as much as 30% off. They would come close to meeting your budget. The Ospreys are about $180-200.

Yeah, well, for $100 you don't get Osprey packs. Packs are always a compromise between space, weight, and price. Given your requirements, and knowing how camps budget their funds, I'd sacrifice weight. After all, it's unlikely that you'll be using these for extended (five days or more) trips where weight really becomes more critical. If it were me, I would take this question to the nearest REI store and ask them to make you their best deal. You'll get decent quality, a reputable store that will take returns, and the advice of someone who is used to fitting packs to a lot of different people and bodies. There's no easy answer to this one, so plan on making a few compromises, and getting some packs that at least a bunch of people can use for a few basic trips.

I stand corrected. thanks for the info, Hope you are doing well!

A truly great Mountain Range.

@Eric details 2 trips exploring the Bighorn Mountains and Cloud Peak Wilderness in Wyoming - you can take a look below: Exploring Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains in Issue 49 Issue 49 Page 1 Backpacking Wyoming’s Breathtaking Bighorn Mountains - Republished on the TrailGroove Blog

True, my research tho has led me to believe that Yellowstone has some rather unique rules regarding some things and I didn't want to assume. I was originally going alone but I talked the wife into tagging along also. She's not going hiking with me due to health reasons but we are going to take in the sights together as well. Expect pictures when I am back.