Hayduke Route, UT & AZ
A section-hike of the Hayduke Route through Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, with an add-on bonus hike through the Grand Canyon.
Read More
Sulphide Glacier, Mt. Shuksan
A summer climb of Mt. Shuksan via the Sulphide Glacier to SE Rib.
Emmons-Winthrop, Mt. Rainier (Tahoma)
A climb of the Emmons-Winthrop route on Mt. Rainier. July 2019.
North Ridge, Mt. Adams (Pahto)
An early summer climb of Mt. Adams via the North Ridge (North Cleaver).
South Hogsback, Mt. Hood (Wy’East)
A summer climb of Mount Hood via the classic south side.
Trail Kitchen: No-Mess Meals
Scrape, scrape, scrape. . . That’s normally how the end of any freeze-dried dinner went for me, my spork scratching the inside of my aluminum mug, desperately trying to remove the caked bits of my meal so that my hot chocolate or tea would not taste of chicken, beef, or vegetables. All in vain, too. Until a little trial, error, and to be honest, laziness, helped me realize a simple fix: freezer Ziploc bags. || How I Used to…
Gear Explained – Trekking Poles
Hiking sticks. Walking poles. Ski poles. Trekking poles. Whatever they are called, I want them with me on every trip I take, no matter what. || Brief Backstory || Trekking poles are a fairly recent invention. If your grandfather hiked the Appalachian Trail, you will have a hard time finding trekking poles in any of his photos. The “history” of trekking poles originates in Scandinavia with cross-country skiing (also known to many as “Nordic” skiing). Cross-country skiers would use…
The Engineered For Adventure Aconcagua 2019 Expedition
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUj44-Dadvk] EXCITING NEWS! Our team is proud to announce the Engineered For Adventure Aconcagua 2019 Expedition. During December 2019, myself, Tom Orchard, and Andrew Speirs will be embarking on an attempt to summit Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. At 22,841′, Aconcagua is a beast of a mountain. We will be approaching via the Vacas Valley route, also known as the “False Polish Traverse”. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, we will make our way…
Trail Kitchen: A DIY Version of Freeze-Dried Meals
Packing food for backpacking trips can be intimidating at times. How do I keep my food from going bad? How much food will I need to bring? How do I make my food INTERESTING, not just plain granola and energy bars? If you’ve done any amount of research on conventional “backpacking” food, you’ve probably heard of or come across freeze-dried meals. Think MountainHouse, Backpacker’s Pantry, AlpineAire, etc. Not quite “astronaut” food, but a simple and easy, just add hot water option.…
Trail Logistics: Transportation to your Backcountry Destination
So you’ve mapped out your route on Caltopo, crunched numbers on the aspect ratio and elevation per mile for your route, and you’re ready to go. But wait. . . how do you even GET THERE? It’s in the middle of nowhere! Yesterday a friend of mine was talking me through her plans to hike the Colorado Trail this summer and mentioned that she was having trouble figuring out ways of getting BACK to civilization after finishing her hike. I…
Trail Reviewed – Northwoods Cheese
It can be hard to find a balance between foods that are interesting and tasteful, and foods that hold up well on the trail. Especially cheese. True, many sharp cheeses can hold up for days at a time, but eventually they all get moldy, slimy, and gross. In preparing to hike the John Muir Trail, my Dad and I did extensive research and testing of what we wanted to eat for lunch. PB & J seemed an obvious option, but…
Visualizing Your Route on Google Earth
Data. It’s my favorite. As an engineer, I’m a data geek, especially when it comes to the outdoors. I’d rather spend a solid few hours on Caltopo doodling around than at a party or watching a movie. No lie. For me, one of my favorite parts of expeditions is the preparation process, the lead-up and planning and all of the work that goes into creating my dream adventure. I enjoy the visualization, the homework behind understanding the route, its features…
Trail Kitchen: The “Oatmeal Bomb”
“This thing is like jet fuel.” I couldn’t agree more. Oatmeal is a staple for many hikers, its ease and packability making it a favorite for a power-packed breakfast. However, When my Dad and I were experimenting with trail meals for our thru-hike of the John Muir Trail, we wanted something more balanced than plain oats. Being the “foodies” that we are, we had analyzed macro and micro nutrients, seeking out ways to add protein, fats, and micronutrients, all the…
Summer 2019
Recently, I’ve been getting the question of “what are you doing this summer??” more and more often. As an engineering student, I’m sure the anticipated response is the name of some company or an explanation of an amazing internship that I’ll be assigned to. The Answer??. . . Chapter 1: Hayduke (early May) Beginning in early May, I will be hiking two sections of the Hayduke Trail through Utah and Arizona. The “trail” is more of a navigational route, twisting…
