Planning for a short day hike or an overnight backpacking trip can be daunting and even seasoned packers can make mistakes. That's why most have developed a checklist to make sure they do it right. Gear apps like Lighterpack and GearGrams have checklists for this very reason. Here's my checklist to help get you started … Continue reading Hiking / Backpacking Checklist
I started this blog while planning my Camino - but now that Backcountry Pilgrim is a YouTube channel, I don't really need to keep posting videos here since viewers can subscribe to the channel itself. (But maybe follow this blog in case YouTube ever kicks me off!)
Click for Video 2020 has . . . not been the best year. However, you all have been good to me and Backcountry Pilgrim has seen some tremendous growth, several firsts, and is showing no signs of slowing down in 2021. Thank you all so much for watching, and I'll see you next year!
Click for Video I took my girlie up to Knight's Ferry, CA to hike, swim, and explore / climb the ruins. Along the way we participated once again in the #GallonBagChallenge.
Click for Video! How do we keep our food safe from bears (and bears safe from our food)? In the second of this two-part series, I look at one of the best (if also hated) backcountry methods: storing food in bear canisters.
LINK I am a big fan of Hetch Hetchy - the flooded valley in Yosemite that many miss due to its location north of the more famous valley. For this hike I went way off trail in an attempt to reach the top of Wapama Falls before the gate closed at 5pm. It was a … Continue reading Hetch Hetchy Off Trail to the Top of Wapama Falls and Race to the Gate!
Click for Video How do we keep our food safe from bears (and bears safe from our food)? In the first of this two-part series, I look at one of the most popular backcountry methods: hanging bear bags.
Click Image for Video As a long-time fan of Foxelli trekking poles and other outdoor gear, I was very excited to get my hands on (and feet in) their new hiking boots! After a few good hikes in them, I am ready to report my experience. Enjoy!
Click for Video! What is the history of today's backpacks? How did they evolve into the high tech packs we carry today? Here I do a quick walk-thru of the high points of backpack design history.
Click Image for Full Video! On my last California backpacking trip before moving out of state for 15 years, I saw Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness for the first time. I was 1,500' above the valley, and Aloha was like a magnificent series of gems set in granite. Little did I know that it would … Continue reading Desolation Wilderness: Bucket List Hike to Lake Aloha
