Deep water Soloing & Standup Paddling In Texas

Jul 24, 2013

By Dave Costello A border patrol agent in army fatigues is riffling through my drybag, awkwardly straddling the three 12’ 6” rental standup paddleboards (SUPs) hanging out the back of our short-bed pickup. The nearest water is at the U.S.-Mexico border 30 miles away on Lake Amistad. A five-year drought has left the reservoir on the Rio Grande nearly bone-dry. The nearest surfable waves are 300 miles away in the Gulf of Mexico. I can’t blame him for thinking that three dudes with boards in the middle of the desert look a little suspicious. We do. But we’re not after waves. We’re looking for rock. I’d been tipped off that the climbing in the Lower Pecos River Canyon was first rate, and mostly untouched, since it could only be accessed…

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Climbing Mystery Mountain: Mt. Waddington

Jul 22, 2013

  Mount Waddington is almost a nightmare in its grim inaccessibility, draped with plumes of huge, crumbling ice-feathers. -Don Munday Don and Phyllis Munday first set their eyes on the 13,186 ft. peak in 1925 from Mount Arrowsmith, on Vancouver Island. Dubbed as “Mystery Mountain,” Mt. Waddington’s very existence was questioned before it was initially explored by the couple that same year. Though they made several attempts to climb the mountain and reached its lower northwest summit in 1928, the first ascent was made over ten years later by Fritz Wiessner and Bill House via the South Face in 1936. The climb to the summit and back to base camp took over 23 hours. Grateful for good climbing conditions, the team followed a left branch of the couloir and reached a snow patch…

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Overview: HyperFlow Microfilter

Jul 17, 2013

The combination of compact size, design features, and tool free maintenance make the Hyperflow Microfilter a great choice for trips of any length. Here are some tips for getting the best performance out of this lightweight and easy to pack filter.

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Shoutout: Adventure Appetites

Jul 15, 2013

If you are ever sitting by the campfire wondering why you aren’t eating something better, you should check out Adventure Appetites. Founded in 2012 by Dan Oberlatz & Aaron Fetter, Adventure Appetites’ goal is to create pre-packaged gourmet meals that are easy to prepare and delicious to eat. Having been guides and adventurers themselves, they know how good it feels to eat real cuisine after enjoying the outdoors all day. Hear what else they have to say here:

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The ultimate Road Trip: Life with Katrin and Lars Schneider

Jul 12, 2013

Katrin and Lars Schneider are living a life most of us envy—for more than ten years, they have been traveling, exploring and working together all around the world. Their photography and writing showcases a great variety of outdoor pursuits from backpacking, kayaking, freeriding, ski touring and snowshoeing, to mountain biking, yoga, trail running and bike touring. Take a look at their blog, and get inspired to take your own journey. Lars and Katrin gave us an inside look on what life is really like on the ultimate road trip:          

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MSR Backcountry Cafe: Lightweight Trail Spaghetti

Jul 10, 2013

Have you ever tried dehydrating food yourself for backcountry meals? In this episode of  CampCookingTV, Christine and Tim Conners show you an easy and lightweight recipe for Spaghetti that’s great for hiking and backpacking. Try it on your next trip! For hundreds of mouth-watering camp recipes be sure to  check out Tim and Christine Conners’ bestselling series of books. You can find more information and purchase books, on their website, http://www.lipsmackincampin.com.

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Riding our Thumbs into the North Cascades

Jul 3, 2013

Photos and Story By Ben Kunz Well you’ve probably never heard of the Toyota MasterAce. It is the original name of the Toyota van distributed worldwide from 1982-1989. These vans have a bit of a cult following , much like Volkswagen vans.  And they are equally infamous for breaking down. Recently, on a climbing trip to Washington Pass, the North Cascades granite playground, it was my partner’s turn to drive. We planned to take his beloved Tawny, a 1986 Toyota van that has its quirks. So I suppose it wasn’t a huge surprise when we broke down near Rockport, WA. Without cell phone service it took considerable effort to find a phone and get AAA involved. While we waited I reflected on how comfortable our lives are compared to our…

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Maintaining Your MSR MiniWorks Filter

Jul 1, 2013

Backpacking season is here and it’s time to get ready for the trail! Before you head out the door, check out your MSR MiniWorks filter and make sure it’s ready for another year of service. Here are some easy maintenance tips that will keep your filter working at its full potential for years to come. Need more info? The complete owner’s manual is available on our website.

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MSR Backcountry Cafe: Green Curry

Jun 24, 2013

Photos and Story By  Lindsey Kunz This dish is a welcomed alternative to freeze-dried meals and competes with freeze dried packages for weight savings and cook time, thanks to the powdered coconut milk. And I’ve yet to find someone who doesn’t love this dish, both for its taste and for the ease of making it vegan and gluten free. One pot is all you need. Servings: 2 Ingredients 2 bundles thin rice vermicelli noodles (a package of 8 can be purchased at an Asian food market for just over a buck, or you can find in the international section of your grocery store)

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