Featured Image: Courtesy of Salt Lake County

Andrew McLean is no stranger to the spotlight. With a career that spans from Black Diamond Equipment designer to professional skiing and climbing guide to author, Mclean has made headlines for his invention of the Ice Axe Whippet, his appearance in the 2007 ski film Steep and writing his own guide book to steep skiing in the Wasatch Mountains, The Chuting Gallery.

Last week, however, McLean and his wife, Park City attorney Polly Samuels McLean, made headlines when the couple was charged with felony theft and misdemeanor charges for criminal mischief on Thursday, September 6, according to Park Record. Andrew and Polly were caught stealing $1,500 worth of hunting equipment, including two deer stands and a trail camera, captured via a second trail camera. The hunting equipment and trail cameras belonged to Skip Sheldon Roberts, who posted the photos to the Facebook group UTAH HUNTING, FISHING AND CAMPING, asking for people to help him identify the thieves. Eventually the duo were identified and police were notified.

The Unified Police Department issued search warrants for the McLeans’ home in Park City as well as their cabin in Lamb’s Canyon where the deer stands and camera were recovered. It is reported that an additional $500 worth of damage was done to the stolen equipment.

Here’s a quick video on how to use one of fly tying’s most iconic tools. It might seem intimidating to a beginner, but it’s actually quite easy to use if you follow these simple steps. On a side note, while they come in various designs, my favorite is this style because they rotate freely and last forever. I use the standard for general fly tying and the extended reach version for tenkara sakasa kebari.

Australia / New Zealand, Trip Reports » Touring to North Stradbroke Island

Touring to North Stradbroke Island

Posted by TallManCycles

We live in a country that seldom has to feel the real distance of travel. We let motor powered car tires pound the bitchumen for us. Many Brisbane dwellers usually drive to Cleveland, travel across Morton Bay, Land in Dunwich and drive to 20 mins to their camping destination.

Enter 5 dudes, 5 bikes and 5 Pairs of legs ready for the journey!

The Crew

START

As the 4 of us assembled our bikes with our over packed bags (mostly Aaron), our journey began. I say the 4 of us because we had a 5th member who decided to put his bike rack together the morning of the ride, couldn’t locate some runaway bolts and decided to catch the train to our journeys first destination. Cleaveland Ferry!

We left Brisbane, sharing the roads with the other car drivers. Our chosen path was much busier than expected, but we managed to eat our way to the Cleaveland Ferry just in time to catch our planned Water Taxi!

CLICK HERE to see the Route

The water taxi was easy, you just put your bike at the back of the boat, pay $10 and you are there!

Once we got to the other side, the harder part of the ride began. The road rolls across the middle of the island, with peaks and dips along most of the way. Our heavy bikes started to take their toll as we mentally struggled up the inclines.

Adder Rock is a paid campsite, and it ended up costing just under $70 for the 5 of us to camp. As we passed the T-Rex computer operator, we setup camp and began to eat…

We walked to the pub (because we’re responsible bike riders and never operate heavy machinery under the influence of freedom) and had a few beers at sunset.

RETURN

As we woke up, we made our breakfast and set out over the rolling island hills with plenty of momentum. We all found the need for speed as we sped into the Water Taxi terminal in record time.

CLICK HERE to see the return route

The journey back was relatively hot for a winters morning. We journeyed back along the route we had ridden the day before, whilst attempting to avoid all the heavy traffic areas.

Every now and then, we need to push the reset button and venture out into the unknown, take a few bikesquats and test out the equipment for the Europe Adventure that is to come in August 2017…. now just to make it more regular!

An 87-year-old cyclist is thought to be the oldest man to ride from Land’s End to John o’ Groats. Even more impressively, Donald Wells cycled his 18-year-old folding Brompton bike on the 1000-mile journey the length of Britain.

Despite many challenging cycle trips around the world, Donald said the Land’s End to John o’ Groats cycle was the hardest thing he has done because of its “sharp, unforgiving hills”.

Donald, from Hampshire, took five weeks and two days to complete the route at what he described as a “leisurely pace”.

Tony Rathbone holds the current Guinness World Record for the eldest man to make the journey in 2014, aged 81. Donald and his son are investigating whether he will now be recognised for being the oldest record breaker.

Donald in Bristol on his ride of the length of Britain.

Donald is a keen lifelong cyclist and member of the national cycling charity Cycling UK. He has been enjoying solo long-distance cycling trips since his wife passed away 23 years ago.

Donald took very few supplies on his latest cycling journey, stopping at petrol stations, cafes and local supermarkets for food. He slept in hostels, hotels and even endured a night on a park bench when he was unable to find a place to stay.

The only comfort that Donald will admit to is that he replaced the saddle on his much-loved Brompton before the start of the journey “for a more comfortable ride”.

Donald said he cycles for the sheer enjoyment of it. He likes to keep active and is part of a walking group at home.

He said: “I’m pleased with what I did but it’s just like any normal cycle ride for me, I don’t see it as anything particularly daring.

“I felt fine after I finished the ride – no aches and pains. I don’t rush and tear around. I take it easy.

“I suppose it’s what’s I’ve been doing all my life. I feel at home on a bike.”

Want Custom Bullets? Go To Custom Mold Makers

By Mike “Duke” Venturino
Photos: Yvonne Venturino

Reloading tool companies like Lyman, Redding/SAECO, RCBS and Lee do a fine job of supplying quality bullet molds. That’s if you stick more or less to the beaten path. This isn’t a criticism — those big outfits make molds retail stores are likely to keep in stock.

But what about us oddballs who like to delve into cartridges of long ago? Or shoot a game in which cast bullets only are allowed and want to experiment with our own designs? Our salvation is the custom mold maker.

These three custom-made molds are Hoch, Brooks and Paul Jones (now retired).
The bullets shown are all extra heavy .45s.

When Mike wanted a 4-cavity mold for his Navy Arms Model No. 3 .44 Russian, he turned to Hoch Moulds.

Then And Now

Only a few decades back about the only fellows making molds were servicing Schuetzen competitors. Their game was precision oriented and allowed only cast bullets. Schuetzen shooters generally fired at paper targets 200 yards distant and used rifle calibers between .32 and .38. It’d be a safe bet 99.9 percent of their molds were single-cavity for moderate weight, plain-base bullets.

Nowadays there are custom mold makers offering molds from .22 up and for rifles and handguns — both plain-base and gas-check designs. They can be for solid or hollowpoint or hollowbase, with and without grease grooves, or combinations of all those features. Some makers will cut multiple cavity molds and even ones where each cavity is different.

The following examples will only be from custom mold makers I’ve used personally. There are many more in business with whom I’ve had no experience. Some years back I wanted a 4-cavity mold for an old Lyman design of a 200-gr. RN with 0.430″ diameter.

Dave Farmer of Hoch Moulds whipped one out for me that shoots perfectly in my Navy Arms Model No. 3 .44 Russian (and any .44 Special). When I happened on a .351 Winchester Model 1907 I turned to Accurate Molds for a 0.351″ 180-gr. RN, but cut to take .38/.357 gas checks. It shot accurately and functioned perfectly from that old semi-auto.

From Buffalo Arms (left to right): .38-55, 370-gr., 530-gr., 540-gr. Creedmoor
and 565-gr. Government-style RN.

When Duke needed bullets for a .351 Winchester Model 1907, he turned to Accurate Molds
for a custom, gas-checked 180-gr. RN.

This range of bullet shapes and weights are ones Duke had made by custom mold makers for BPCR silhouette.

Feeding A BPCR Addiction

As an avid competitor in Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) Silhouette, I’ve ordered dozens of custom bullet molds from various makers. In BPCR, the metal targets are at 200, 300, 385 and 500 meters. Rifles must be exposed-hammer single shots using only lead alloy bullets without gas checks over black powder. It’s a demanding, accuracy-oriented game. But a fun one.

After years of experimenting for BPCR loads, I’ve settled on extra-heavy .45 bullets for my ever-changing array of single-shot rifles. On hand now I have a 550-gr. Hoch mold that’s roundnose with a small flat (because it’s a nose pour), a 555-gr. Creedmoor Style bullet with five grease grooves from my long-time friend and two-time BPCR Silhouette champion, Steve Brooks. I’ve also got a 565-gr. bullet mold with “Government” RN from Buffalo Arms. In fact, I’ve had — and still have — a number of molds from all three of those makers that were my former brainstorms for BPCR competition.

The mass-production method of cutting a mold is to have a “cherry” — which is the diameter and shape of the bullet design. Then the two pre-cut halves of the mold blocks are pressed against it as it’s spinning. Lathe-bored molds used to be one-on-one affairs, usually done by experienced gunsmiths.

Cherry-cut molds give the same bullet dimensions, although they can change slightly as the cherry wears. Lathe-bored molds are made individually. In the past the consistency from mold to mold was only as good as the man operating the machines. Now that we are well into the computer era, CNC machines can be programed to cut the same design over and over again.

Bullet molds can be made of iron, aluminum and brass. I’ve tried all three and settled on iron for mine. For BPCR competition I favor single-cavity molds but get beat regularly by people who use multiple-cavity ones of brass or aluminum. There’s only one word of warning I can give beyond the inherent dangers of dealing with molten lead alloys.

That’s “Beware: Dreaming Up Custom Molds Can Become Addictive!”

www.accuratemolds.com
www.buffaloarms.com
www.hochmoulds.com
vwww.brooksmoulds.com

Read More Montana Musings Articles

Purchase A PDF Download Of The GUNS Magazine November 2018 Issue Now!

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (Sept. 12, 2018) —Tepui, the leading brand of rooftop tents and outdoor adventure gear, launches Tepui UpCycle, a program designed to minimize the brand’s impact on landfills and turn used tent materials into new creative adventure gear. Tepui UpCycle will first offer an opportunity for customers to send in well-loved tent travel covers for a new cover with updated Tepui logo and a unique backpack or gear bag crafted from the usable material in the returned travel covers.

“We take pride in our sourcing of quality materials. Tepui UpCycle reflects our company's commitment and endeavor to minimize our impact on the landfills and maximize the use and lifespan of these materials,” said Evan Currid, Tepui founder. “The travel covers are made from quality weatherproof PVC material that translates into rugged walls for backpacks and gear bags. We plan to continue our efforts in reducing material waste by finding ways to upcycle old tent canopies and components into exciting new products.”

Tepui has a phenomenal customer base. This initiative is also directed to thank customers for being a part of the Tepui family. Tepui UpCycle is simple:

1)After many adventures and seasons of use, replace your well-loved Tepui travel cover by selecting the Tepui UpCycle bundle on Tepui.com

2) We'll take used travel covers and repurpose them to create heavy duty all-purpose gear bags and backpacks.

3) Receive your brand new replacement Tepui travel cover, a return shipping label for your well-loved travel cover, as well as your choice of a upcycled backpack or gear bag!

The Tepui UpCycle backpacks and gear bags will be for sale as individual accessories or as the UpCycle bundle. For the price of a new travel cover, the Tepui UpCycle bundle includes a new travel cover, backpack or gear bag, and a return slip to send in the old travel cover. In line with Tepui’s mission to manufacture locally when possible, Tepui UpCycle uses an American production facility to clean the tent covers and repurpose them into the backpacks and gear bags.

###

About Tepui
Founded in 2010 and based in Santa Cruz, California, Tepui Tents makes the highest quality rooftop camping tents and excursion accessories available. Engineered with market-leading designs that utilize premium materials, Tepui Tents are easy to install on almost any vehicle with a roof rack. From off-road warriors at the Baja 1000 to families car camping for a weekend at the lake, Tepui Tents and rugged accessories make any adventure a comfortable home away from home. For more information, visit www.tepui.com.

Revant Optics is disrupting the eyewear industry once again. The first time around it was creating replacement lenses for your favorite glasses. This time they are rethinking the sunglass all together. I got to test these new shades out in Sedona, AZ a few weeks ago. I can assure you they don’t disappoint!

White Line Trail

I’ve visited Sedona many times over the years. I’ve been hiking, overland style remote camping and offroading, but never mtn biking. I recently got an invite down to Sedona for a few days of product testing new sunglasses from Revant Optics, an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.

Let’s start with the highlight. It involved me trail running about 1.5 miles, each way, of the Broken Arrow trail with an overloaded camera bag. The plan was for Revant Optics Team Rider Carson Storch to mtn bike the infamous White Line Trail. The team thought we could drive very close to the base of this iconic trail, but that turned out not to be an option.

With time running short, as myself and most of the rest of the crew needed to catch flights home from Phoenix, a 2+ hr drive from Sedona, I strapped my big camera bag to my back and took off running. It is a beautiful trail and a great trail run, especially on the brisk sunny morning we had.

Once we got to the White Line, Carson eyed it up from afar, aired his tires down a bit, waited for myself and the rest of the team to setup for photos and video, and then casually styled it. Yep, he didn’t even walk the line first, he just went for it. It’s a good thing he had crystal clear vision through his new Revant Optics sunglasses! He even stepped up to the plate and did it a second time, so we could get all photo angles covered.

The photos just don’t do this line justice. I slipped a few times just walking out to a good photo spot! It is steep enough in spots that the uphill pedal hits rock on the down stroke. While the line isn’t technically all that hard, the consequences are pretty big if you messed up. If you fell you’d probably bounce for a few hundred feet before coming to a sudden stop at the bottom of the hillside.

We all managed to catch our flights, after some quick trail running and professional content creation from the whole group. Besides the impressive White Line feat by Carson, the diverse group of journalist, PR and Revant employees got to enjoy some trail running and mtn biking in the hills around Sedona. The trails truly live up to the hype!

Revant Performance Eyewear

Revant Optics, based in Portland, OR has served over 500,000 customers, replacing over 1 million pairs of lenses across every major make and model of eyewear, since 2010. The company has just launched a Kickstarter for a whole new line of performance eyewear.

Unlike some Kickstarter campaigns this is not a vapor wear product. I’ve personally used all three new Revant sunglass models, in near production form. The Revant Kickstarter will run through May 23rd, and then the glasses will ship in June. They will also be available exclusively on RevantOptics.com starting in June.

I’ve got really good vision, so if I wear sun glasses with poor optics I usually get a solid headache within about ½ hour of wearing them. I tried a wide variety of Revant lens in all three frames, and was thoroughly impressed with the optical quality of them all.

Things You Should Know About Revant Sunglasses:

-CRAZY lightweight!

-Industry leading warranty.

-Every part is recyclable and replaceable.

-No paint on frames, which means they aren’t going to chip, fade or peal, like many high end sunglasses I currently own.

-Very comfortable and secure.

-Impressively durable.

-California built frames, Asian lens manufacturing and Portland assembly.

I’ve got a long narrow head and a big nose, which means that not many sun glasses work on my face. Surprisingly all three of the new Revant frames fit me well. I like the style of the F1L for everyday use and the S1L for high adventure activities. The S2L will probably fit and perform the best for most people, but I found them to look a bit goofy on my face.

I’ve tried a bunch of different sunglasses from the top manufacturers over the years, and I’ve never been as impressed as I am with these new offerings from Revant. Check out all the details and get in early on the Kickstarter for some great pricing on these quality new shades.

(Revant Optics has provided me with pre-production samples of these sunglasses. This is not a paid post.)

Have you ever hiked all day to a seemingly pristine campsite, only to set up your shelter and see used toilet paper sticking out of the ground right next to where you were planning to rest your head that evening? Unfortunately, this phenomenon is increasingly common as more and more humans venture into wild places.

The good news is at Outward Bound, we do all we can to educate our students to leave places better than they found them. On our courses we dismantle illegal fire pits, rebuild trails and, most importantly, teach and abide by the seven Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. These principles include things like ‘Plan Ahead and Prepare,’ Dispose of Waste Properly,’ and ‘Leave What You Find.’ These guidelines are critical for students on our courses, but we must also ask ourselves: how do we take these principles and apply them to our lives back home?

Photo by Kelly Crandall

Dispose of Waste Properly

We’re all going to produce waste, especially when it comes to food. This is one of the LNT principles that that is actually much easier to implement once you’re back home. Read: no more digging catholes to go to the bathroom or stuffing leftover food in plastic bags.

Consider composting. At home, it can be as simple as setting aside food scraps in a separate bin or as complex as starting your own worm compost at home or work. More than 150 cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, and Austin will even pick up your organics at the curb. If this doesn’t happen where you live, you can still contact your local community garden, which almost always has a compost pile on site that is hungry for extra food scraps.

Minimize Fire Impacts

In 2018, wildfires have burned nearly 6 million acres of land across the US. There are currently 10 large active fires in Colorado and 110 nationwide. And guess what? According to a recent study, more than 80% of wildfires are caused by humans. So what can you do to minimize your impact?

Photo by Ryan Harris

First off, be aware of the fire danger in your area by paying attention to Forest Service signs or checking out this easy to use website. Secondly, follow all fire restrictions in your region which may be specific to your county, state or local park. Typical restrictions include: open fire bans (including both BBQs and campfires), smoking restrictions to enclosed areas, fireworks bans and off-road vehicle restrictions in areas with dry grass and other brush. Finally, educate yourself—especially if you live in a fire prone area, learn more about wildfire risks and what you can do to prevent forest fires where you live.

Respect Wildlife

Once we go back home after being in the wilderness—whether we live in an urban or rural area—it can be hard to remember that we still share these spaces with wild creatures. Though our most common companions may be animals like pigeons, racoons, starlings and squirrels – these creatures too are part of an ecosystem of our own creation. Furthermore, it is more and more evident that wilder creatures also share our spaces. For example, there were a pair of coyotes that raised their pups in a parking lot in the heart of downtown Chicago, a mountain lion family that settled in the suburbs of Los Angeles, and of course, black bears that raid trash cans in communities across the country.

The key here is to remember that human settlement has encroached on many areas that were once wild. So, how do we respect wildlife when we get back home? An easy step is to secure your trash, keeping it safe from rodents or bears, as this is a great first step that helps keep animals wild. One study by the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife found that conflict with black bears was cut in half when bear proof trash storage was used.

Bonus: Think Before You Buy

A few weeks ago I logged onto Amazon to buy a Chemistry book I needed for school. A half hour later I found my cart full with a pair of Carhartt shorts, an auxiliary audio cord and some peppermint essential oil—everything except the thing I actually needed.

I share this because it illustrates one of the most important mistakes many of us make in ‘Disposing of Waste Properly’: forgetting to ask ourselves if we really need an item at all. It is easier than ever to fill an online cart full of stuff, pay for it, and have it show up at your door with a simple click of a button. But, do you really need the latest puffy jacket or new climbing shoes, or could you get something comparable at your nearest used gear store?   

Of course, sometimes we do need to buy stuff for our lives. Perhaps it’s a cup of coffee on the way to work, groceries for the week or new clothes for the school year. How can we reduce the waste involved with buying that item? For example, can you bring a reusable mug for that coffee or canvas bags for your groceries? Or, can your household consolidate your online shopping orders to reduce the amount of packaging involved with the orders? Be thoughtful with your purchases and the impact they’ll make on your life and the world around you.

The LNT challenge

As an Instructor, one of the most challenging parts of an Outward Bound course for me is the ‘Duffle Shuffle.’ This is the part of a course where I have to tell my students they should leave behind their favorite hairbrush, extra shirt, romance novel or other optional item they packed. I tell these students that they will be happier if they leave these items behind because their packs will be lighter and they will find that our community thrives on authentic engagement with one another and not what we carry on our backs.

The same idea applies to life back home. I find the simpler I make my life, the happier I am. Less plugged-in, less stuff and more time to make deeper connections to people and places are some of the most important things I’ve taken home from Outward Bound. Conveniently, LNT principles help us achieve those objectives.

I challenge you to implement just one of these everyday LNT practices into your life. Of course, there are so many other ways to implement LNT back home—we only covered 3 of 7 principles after all. More than anything, pay attention to your environmental impact, think how you can make that a bit smaller, and notice how your relationship changes with the people, creatures and place you call home.

In the comments section below please share your tips, tricks, and suggestions on how we can all incorporate a little more Leave No Trace into our daily lives!

About the Author

Dan Susman is an Instructor at the Colorado Outward Bound School who loves running long distances, climbing rocks and playing with other people’s dogs. While not instructing, Dan teaches science and runs the outdoor program at the Midland School outside of Santa Barbara, CA. His favorite thing to eat on an Outward Bound course is homemade pizza with wild foraged mushrooms. Dan received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and has a Master of Education from Harvard University.

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Posted In :

Leave no trace outdoor education sustainability

Source: https://www.outwardbound.org/blog/3-lnt-principles-you-can-challenge-yourself-to-do-at-home/

It’s been raining for a while now, not the heavy kind but enough that I’ve retreated to my tent with a book. Cozied up in my sleeping bag, I occasionally stop reading to watch the raindrops gather at the top of my Dagger™, then suddenly race down the sides. I’ve set up camp in Dash Point State Park just south of Seattle, Washington for the night, awaiting the arrival of my travel buddy for our upcoming trip. My eyelids feel a bit heavy after my own day of travel and I’m just drifting off when…

Instant panic bubbles up as I realize… Oh no! Where are the keys to the rental car?!

I frantically pull apart the inside of the tent, lifting my Cosmo™ pad, Rhumba™ sleeping bag — nope. Let’s see… backtrack, Where was the last place I had them? Well, inside my raincoat which I hung on the driver’s side headrest to dry when it began to rain. Inside the car. The locked car.

See, this was my first day in Washington state gearing up for my first NEMO GO FAR trip. My college friend, Bre, and I had a great week planned — first to Olympic National Park for a few days, then off to North Cascades for the rest of the week. In fact, this trip would be my first long distance adventure on my own.

Our trip was off to a bumpy start and believe it or not, losing the keys was just the tip of the iceberg. Bre’s travel situation included one canceled flight, a missed flight, and a delayed flight before arriving in Seattle 24 hours later than expected. Sheesh.

So really it couldn’t get any worse.

After some sheer panic, I was able to locate the keys in the depths of my sleeping bag. Crisis averted. A bright spot in an awful, jet-lagged day.

DAY 1 & 2: Olympic National Park – South Coast Trail

Where I learned that I’m happiest when completely immersed in nature.

Olympic National Park has everything an adventurer could ever dream of; rugged coastlines, lush rainforests, looming mountains, and some of the world’s largest cedar trees.

The “plan”: Bre and I would backpack from Third Beach (near La Push) to Toleak Point for an overnight along Olympic’s coastline. Seemed simple enough. However, picking up our backcountry permit, tide charts, and bear canister is hard when the Ranger Station hasn’t opened for the season yet! And yes, we did check ahead of time. So, a visit to the Park Ranger Office Headquarters further into the park the next day would start us on the trail a day late.

No problem, we made the most of our unexpected extra time and explored other parts of the park not on our original plan. We ended up finding an educational wilderness trail in the Kalaloch rainforest which was totally amazing. Who knew a dead tree held so many forms of life after its own death, sometimes for decades to come! And we discovered the Kalaloch Big Cedar tree, one of the largest cedar trees on the West Coast. So… day one in Olympic? Success.

After a good night’s sleep in our Dagger™ 3P, we headed to the Ranger Office, collected our necessities and we were finally on our way to the Third Beach trailhead. This hike was about a 12-mile round trip, the perfect distance for us since it wasn’t just a stroll along the beach. Some of the trail goes up from the beach into the forest and the elevation gain was hellish — at most points the descent up (and down!) the trails was downright scary with heavy backpacks on our backs.

We had to hoist ourselves up the steep slopes on ladders and ropes! But what’s an adventure without a little danger? The high vantage points (once we’d scrambled up the slopes, that is) offered magnificent views of the coast. Oh, and did I mention that the weather was absolutely pristine? Sunny, clear blue sky with temperatures in the mid 60s. Great weather for hiking.

At Toleak Point, we found ourselves in a whole different world — it felt like we were dropped into a Jurassic Park movie. Huge trees, beautiful beach and some of the biggest rock outcroppings I’ve ever seen. The outcrop of rocks offshore were definitely my favorite scenery of the trip — carved and shaped over time by the wind and water. Once we reached our camp spot, we were surprised to find that past visitors had built tables, benches, and swings all from driftwood along the campsites at Toleak Point. A perfect little paradise.

After we set up our Dagger™, and of course tried out the driftwood swing, we settled down for dinner. As we ate, I noticed we weren’t the only ones inhabiting Toleak for the night. Two bald eagles were nesting high in the trees above us. As the sun began to dip down toward the ocean, the eagles would take turns soaring out and landing on an outcrop of rocks about 300 yards from shore. They’d hang out for a bit then take off and come back to perch in the trees. As our new eagle friends soared high above, Bre and I sat in contented silence with the sea breeze teasing our hair and watched the sun slowly drift down to meet the ocean.

What a wondrous place, this spot on the beach—with a front row seat to nature’s most spectacular show.

Toleak Point gave me that immersive feel of nature that I’ve never really experienced before. We had backpacked 6 miles to this place with no highways or cars to be heard, just the crash of the ocean waves. There were three other groups of people camping along the coastal point that night but we didn’t hear them and barely saw them. We had it all to ourselves.

Us and nature.

The next morning we packed up and headed back the way we came, breathing in the ocean air and soaking up every last bit of this place before we returned to our car for our next adventure.

DAY 3: Olympic National Park – Hurricane Ridge

More bear bell, please.

“Where to next?” we said. We had reached the (purposely) unplanned part of our trip, where we wanted to be spontaneous.

Point to a place on the map. And go.

We had some ideas and decided instead of retracing our steps and going back out of the Park the way we came, that we would instead work our way to the tippy-top of Olympic to visit Hurricane Ridge.

Bre and I made the hour drive to a campground just below the Ridge and set up our camp. After a dinner of mac and cheese, we started our journey up the winding, narrow road to Hurricane Ridge by car for the sunset. And wow, what a sight to see.

It was so peaceful up there.

Bre and I quietly took seats on a stone wall and gazed out at the Olympic range. A group of deer moved slowly up and down the slopes below us and occasionally a couple would come up to check us out, only a foot away. Once they realized we didn’t have any food, they would move on, slowly working their way across the slopes to the next group of people.

Soon, the sun began to set and we headed back down the steep road before complete darkness fell. We didn’t want to drive off any cliffs.

The next morning brought us back to Hurricane Ridge for one last hike before we headed inland for North Cascades National Park. We found a trail that boasted 360 views of the mountains and, perhaps, mountain goats, though from all the signs it sounded like they were not friendly creatures. As we began the trail, a couple was just finishing and informed us that the hikers before them had spotted a bear 100 yards off trail. We thanked them for the information and re-assessed whether we should keep going. We had purchased bear bells for the trip and decided to run back to the car to grab one as a good precaution to keep bears (and I guess aggressive mountains goats as the sign warned) from bothering us. Off we went again, my backpack obnoxiously ringing with every step. I’ve never actually used a bear bell before, what an annoying device! It must’ve worked though, the only animal we encountered was a marmot peeking out of its burrow. He didn’t look too happy about all the ruckus either.

Amazingly there was still about four feet of snow along the trail in some areas. We slipped and slid our way up the summit to the promised 360 degree views. We stopped for a rest (and much needed break from the overbearing bear bell, pun intended) and breathed in the crisp mountain air. Soooo many mountains out there. And I wanted to explore every single one.

After some time, we headed back down the trail, feeling like we’d soaked in every ounce of mountain air that Olympic had to offer. We hopped back in the car and were off to our next National Park.

DAY 4: North Cascades National Park – Cascade Range

“A little bit of everything good” – Mazama General Store

Who knew the Olympic and North Cascades National Parks would be so different from each other? We got to appreciate two different pictures of Washington: The coastal rainforest region and the densely forested, glacial lake region. However, we never lost sight of the mountains.

To me, North Cascades has an east coast feel to it — lakes, forests, and mountains that felt like home in the Adirondacks and the Whites. Bre and I had some ideas of hikes we wanted to do but we wanted to talk to the experts. So, our first stop—the Ranger Station! And they were actually open!

The park ranger took us through the park by map, recommending both short and long hiking trails. Surprisingly, she also recommended driving up through the Cascade Mountains, where the most fantastic views were. She also recommended we visit a sweet little town called Mazama. New park map in hand, we thanked the ranger and were out the door and ready to explore. With no real plan on what to do first, we decided the mountain route sounded different and that we should give it a try.

And we were so glad we did. The views were breathtaking. The mountains loomed over us as we drove the winding road up and down and made our way to the other side of the Cascade Mountain range.

The drive felt surreal — we stopped often to take pictures and gape at the majestic peaks that sat before us. Before we knew it, we were out of the mountains on the other side of the range and on into Mazama.

A quaint little mountain town, Mazama warmed my heart and reminded me of the inviting mountain towns of Colorado. This community definitely had character. What struck me the most was the architecture of residents’ homes. Houses were designed to blend into the trees and mountains with brown wood and angled roofs that matched its natural surroundings. What a great way to integrate and live in harmony with one’s surroundings in nature.

Keeping with the theme of the community’s “at home with nature” feel, the Mazama General Store had a rustic feel as well. As we walked in, we were welcomed with the scents of baked goods and brewing coffee.

Bre and I were instantly drawn to a section dedicated to the “Mountain Goat” (Mazama translates to mountain goat in Spanish). The town’s namesake was everywhere — t-shirts, hydroflasks, hats, beer cups, coffee mugs. We wanted it all. Not to mention the other local merchandise sold there which included soaps, beer, pottery and so much more. We must’ve spent an hour in there, soaking in every bit of the store’s local culture. We finally settled on t-shirts, sandwiches, and slice of double chocolate banana bread before we made our way to sit and enjoy our lunch in the sun. Such a cool little town, we were so glad we had taken the ranger’s advice.

After our hearty lunch, we made our way back through the mountains to our campground on Lake Diablo.

DAY 5: North Cascades National Park – Lake Diablo

The devil wasn’t in the lake — he was in those damned hand-dryers.

This is the part of the trip that I wish we’d had more wiggle room to be more spontaneous.

We booked a campsite on Lake Diablo two months earlier, since this part of the trip landed one day out from Memorial Day weekend and campgrounds were filling up fast. As with any trip, there’s always the worry you’ll end up with obnoxious neighbors. We also weren’t expecting our lakeside campsite to be 5 feet from three other campsites. With absolutely no privacy on our first night, we had a group of college  kids camping next to us who were a bit rowdy going into the night. After our long hike days all week, our bedtime of 9 pm wasn’t exactly easy to keep with noisy neighbors. I’ll also mention that we were about 300 feet from the bathrooms, where the electric hand-dryers startled us awake in the middle of the night. Definitely not the outdoor experience we were hoping for in North Cascades.

We made the most of our camping situation and thank goodness we weren’t there through the weekend (we headed back to Seattle on Saturday). We explored the hiking trails around the beautiful glacial lake, Lake Diablo.

After some short hikes around the lake, we decided to finish our Washington trip with a long hike. We decided on an 11 mile round trip route on Friday that took us up about 5 miles of grueling uphill switchbacks. It was an awesome trail, however we were told that we’d have some great views of the mountains at the top. We found the summit (could you call it a summit?) but the only views we could see were small glimpses of mountains through the dense treeline. I guess being an east coast girl makes me a little spoiled with my “360 degree summit view” expectations. A little disappointed, Bre and I headed back down the switchbacks. After about a half mile of hiking, we realized how great the trails were for trail running. Running back down the switchbacks was SO much better than going up.

We arrived back at our campsite, sufficiently tired with sore knees. We knew we’d probably regret running the 5 miles back down the mountain the next day. But, for now, we were content.

We started our dinner and were taken aback when we ran out of fuel halfway through boiling water for our dinner. What perfect timing, now we didn’t have to worry about wasting a can of fuel since we couldn’t bring it back on the plane. We finished boiling our water over our campfire and later celebrated the last hours of our trip with Reese’s s’mores.

And what a trip it had been.

Afterthoughts

If my GO FAR trip taught me anything, it was that sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Nothing’s perfect and planning your trip down to the tee isn’t the best way to go. Adventure is in the unplanned surprises, the spontaneity, and being flexible when things don’t go the way they’re supposed to.

When we started planning, I remember feeling that if we didn’t completely book our time, we’d miss out on something. I finally told myself to take a step back and leave some of our trip to fate. I enjoyed being flexible. It gave us room to decide what we wanted to do in the moment rather than follow an itinerary we had made months before. We realized it was a blessing that we didn’t have everything planned down to the hour. 

Every trip needs a little plan, but what I appreciated the most about my adventure were the things I wasn’t expecting. A bumpy start forced us to re-evaluate our travel plans and find a way to accept and make the most of any situation. I ended up appreciating that bumpy start. I was proud of the fact that we overcame a travel debacle and were able to make the most out of losing the first 24 hours of our trip. The unexpected is always going to happen and if we didn’t go with it, we would have missed out on some pretty great experiences. We wouldn’t have discovered a little mountain town full of love and pride, nestled behind the Cascade range. We wouldn’t have experienced being completely immersed in nature, with no distractions, on the coast of Washington. And, we also had some GREAT times figuring that all out.

From now on, I’ll live by the Mazama motto… and I’ll have “a little bit of everything good.”

Essential Gear

• Dagger™ 3P Backpacking Tent – This tent has more comfortable living space and storage area than any other tent I’ve seen in its category. Divvy™ stuff sack came in handy as well.
• Cosmo™ Sleeping Pad– A good night’s rest is key to staying happy on the trail and this pad provides amazingly comfortable cushioning for your body after a long day on the trail.
• Rhumba™ 15° Reg – This bag was perfect for the various temperatures I encountered from sea level to elevation. Rhumba™ was replaced by Jam™, a technical, performance bag designed specifically for women.
• Fillo Elite™ Pillow – Supreme comfort and packability, this pillow is a must have for every adventure.

The NEMO GO FAR (Get Outside For Adventure & Research) Program gears employees up and sends them out to spend time in interesting places in NEMO gear. We believe great design starts with real adventures, and are committed to making sure all NEMO employees get to experience it. Sam Rokos manages Warranty and Repair at NEMO, loves to x-country ski, and is an aspiring triathlete.

Source: https://www.nemoequipment.com/a-little-bit-of-everything-good/