Thru-Hiking the Te Araroa: Food Planning
Where to shop, what to eat, and how to send resupply boxes ahead on New Zealand’s long-distance trail.
Hiking West Maroon Pass From Aspen To Crested Butte
This 12 mile day-hike is a rite of passage for Coloradans and features a blaze of color in the fall.
Thru-Hiking New Zealand: The Fabled Tararua Ranges
In our quest to conquer Te Araroa, New Zealand’s 3,000km tramping trail that runs the length of both islands, one last challenge lies between us and the end of the North Island: the Tararua Ranges. The first real mountains on Te Araroa, the Tararuas are fabled to be one of the toughest hikes yet. From steep climbs and descents to hazardous weather blowing in from the Antarctic, we are in for a real challenge, whether we’re ready for it or not. By now, my dad and I have been on the trail for nearly two months and have already conquered some challenging terrain: steep and muddy rain forests, rocky volcanic scree, and the concrete jungle of Auckland. Though the Bluff, the end of the trail, is still over 1,300 km…
Staff Picks: Our All-Time Favorite Tents
MSR has been making tents since 1973 when the MSR Mountain Tent debuted as a rugged mountaineering shelter able to withstand any abuse the alpine inflicted. Though our tents have evolved since then, our design principles have not. As a shelter, a tent is a very personal thing. And many people, from hardcore climbers to weekend warriors, feel a particular attachment to their wilderness home-away-from-home. We asked several employees around the office which tent, old or new, they rely on for everything from kayak tours to extended backpacking trips. Diane Levy, lead of Customer Service, Warranty & Repairs: Superfusion 3 My favorite MSR tent is the Superfusion 3, which was made from 2005-2007. It was the last phase in the evolution of a model that began as the Moss Deltoid. It’s a versatile…
New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail: Tramping vs. Hiking
Perhaps it was the face plant into ankle deep mud, my feet ensnared in slippery roots and grasping vines, my pack pressing me deeper into the sludge. Or maybe it was bushwhacking through a tunnel of needle-prick gorse, my arms and face cut by a thousand tiny, green swords. Or, no, it could have been the time an electric fence was stretched directly across the trail—when I realized New Zealand’s famed Te Araroa might not quite be what I was expecting.
Backcountry Pole FAQs: Your Questions Answered
As many winter hikers, snowshoers, skiers and splitboarders will attest, backcountry poles help you maintain stability and safety as you cross snowfields, navigate icy switchbacks, and traverse frozen hillsides. Plus, they help you reduce joint impact and minimize fatigue, so you can save strength and better endure the elements. Adjustable winter poles are especially useful for navigating steep inclines and descents, letting you shorten or lengthen poles to match the terrain for improved efficiency. Adjustable poles also pack up and stow away easily while in technical terrain, or when splitboarders are ready to ride down. Here are five frequently asked questions (FAQs) of our customer service department along with information to help you select and use MSR® backcountry poles that are right for you, for your environment, and for the…
Hit the Trail: Five Great Hikes to Explore in the New Year
With the New Year comes new opportunity for adventure. Where will your wanderlust take you in the coming months? We asked five MSR reps to divulge their favorite hikes—near or far—to get your bucket list off to a great start. Make these treks part of your new year’s resolution and make this year one for the books.
OnLocation Collective Takes on Big Bend National Park
Article by Steve Rokks – Images by Steve Rokks, PaulGo, and Daniel Davis DAY 1 – NOV 4, 2014: 5:00AM The forecast called for non-stop rain, 40+ mph winds, and occasional hail; so Paul Golangco, Ty Clark and I loaded up our vehicle and headed south down I-20. Our latest onLocation trip was taking us to the mountains and valleys of Big Bend National Park in South Texas where we planned to meet up with Daniel Davis, Kris Rutherford, and Jacob Combs who were leaving from Austin. The onLOCATION Collective is our crew of adventurers, creators and storytellers. Together, we’re on a journey to beautiful destinations around the world with one simple purpose: to seek adventure as a means to inspirational and creative experiences. At 12:45pm on this November day on…
Timelapse of a Glacier: A Climbing Ranger’s Perspective of Mt Baker
Photos and story by Leif Whittaker Every weekend when I arrive at a trailhead that I have been to a hundred times before I wonder if I should get a new job. Most climbers would find it monotonous to visit the same ridges, valleys, glaciers, and summits over and over throughout the summer. Admittedly, I often look at the first few steps of a familiar trail and have trouble getting motivated. But after three years on Mount Baker I have learned to appreciate the tiniest details of the seasonal cycle and I believe the mountain is always telling a new story.