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Tag: Wilderness

The Importance of Fun-Factor

The Importance of Fun-Factor

In 2013, Brian and I were visiting friends and family in Montana. One of my all-time bucket list climbs for Montana is a burly mountain called Great Northern. It stands just beyond the southern edge of Glacier National Park rises to 8,705 ft. It’s the tallest peak in the Great Bear Wilderness, so the views into Glacier from the peak are fantastic. The trail isn’t maintained, or even marked. It’s kind of a local’s secret, so is more of a…

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Backcountry Tales… the Creepy Kind

Backcountry Tales… the Creepy Kind

As I sat outside, alone by the fire this evening, my dog sat with his ears perked up, staring off into the darkness. He was probably just listening to a squirrel or something, but it freaked me out that a moose was going to pop out of the bushes. When you are alone, you tend to “hear” things you wouldn’t normally. Which got me thinking back to some of the best creepy backcountry tales that friends have shared with me…

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Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace

A while ago, I wrote about “Wilderness Jackwads” and how crazy they make me.  So I figured I should address the idea of Leave No Trace… What is Leave No Trace? Leave No Trace is an ethical code of conduct for anyone exploring the wilderness or really doing any outdoor activities. Leave No Trace is also a non-profit that was founded as part of a conservation educational program by multiple government agencies in the early 90s. Why should you care…

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Backpacking Upper Cataract Lake: The Zombie Shuffle

Backpacking Upper Cataract Lake: The Zombie Shuffle

This past weekend, I finally got back outside for a little overnight backpacking trip with Brian and Scotty dog. The last year was a little crazy for us with work, travel and moving to CO, so we haven’t been backpacking since an amazing long weekend trip in 2013. That year, we spent 4 days backpacking the southern and western slopes of Mt Adams in Washington. We didn’t see a single soul the entire trip, until the last 1/4 mile of…

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Don’t Be That Guy

Don’t Be That Guy

According to the all-knowing Urban Dictionary (which I never in a million years thought I would be citing), a “Jackwad” is defined as follows: ” A person containing the attributes of both a “Jack ass” and a “Dick wad”. Having a inept attitude or ignorance.” ” The term Jack Wad is used to describe an uneducated, moronic, ******, with absolutely no regard for any other person. This term is mostly used to describe a law breaker or other low life…

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A Long, Dirty Love Affair

A Long, Dirty Love Affair

A lot of folks asked me how I got involved in the outdoors. Most folks assume that I grew up with it like Brian did. If you’ve ever met my family, you’d know there is NO WAY I was genetically inclined. I was raised outside Washington, DC. Camping meant taking the RV for the weekend when I was growing up. Despite this, I still loved being outside. I played in the woods and built forts and campsites. I was a…

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