Base Camp

Even if you have gone camping many times before (Like me) you should listen to these tips (I didn't and was very cold last weekend). 1. Make sure ALL your gear fits you. I hadn't used my cold weather sleeping bag in about a year before I used it this weekend. It was too small and my shoulders didn't fit in the sleeping bag. 2. DO NOT USE a survival blanket (Like the one I reviewed) unless you are really in a survival situation. I did and my sleeping bag was very wet for the entire weekend. 3. Bring microspikes or a similar kind of crampon. I actually remembered these on my trip and almost everyone else on the trip didn't. I was able to walk on the ground (A huge sheet of ice) without slipping. 4. Have a mummy bag style sleeping bag for winter camping. These are a lot better for winter because they have a hood to go over your eyes. If you go camping a lot you will generally have 2 types of sleeping bags, a mummy bag for cold weather and a different one for warm summ...

Climbing Rope Equipment: Rock climbing (Top rope and lead):      In order to rock climb you need a harness , rope (usually provided for no or little cost at most rock gyms), a climbing carabiner that is locking , climbing shoes , and a belay device . You will only need 1 belay device and carabiner for 2 people (Unless you are planning on practicing rappelling. If you are rappelling you will need a second rope, carabiner, and belay device). You will also need two people. If you are climbing at a gym that has auto belay systems, you will only need a harness and maybe a locking carabiner depending on the system.  Most rock gyms have rental services for harnesses and shoes. Chalk and a chalk bag is also recommended for climbing and bouldering. A climbing shoe Bouldering:      If you are planning on going bouldering you only need climbing shoes and possibly a chalk bucket for bouldering . Some climbing gyms allow you to use street sho...

The chalk bag filled with chalk When you are doing rock climbing or bouldering many people use chalk. People use chalk to make their hands less sweaty and improve their grip. When most people are climbing they bring a chalk bag filled with chalk in case they have to use chalk mid-climb. If you are going bouldering, most people bring a large chalk bucket that is meant to be left on the ground. This chalk bag is medium sized and is made with a fairly strong material. This chalk bag is made by the climbing supplies company Petzl. The inside of the chalk bag is soft on the top and on the bottom is a similar material to the outside. On the right side of the bag there are 2 chalk brush slots. The bag is designed to be able to be opened with one hand if you forget to open it before climbing. The belt is adjustable and the bag can be used without a climbing harness. This is useful if you want to use it while bouldering. I am currently using this bag when climbing and it works great. ...

Top Rope Climbing Recently I had the opportunity to try both top rope climbing and bouldering at EVO in Portland. I also learned about lead climbing. Rock Climbing is the most basic of all of these three methods. This is when you climb up a fairly tall rock wall and you are tethered to the top of the wall and to a belayer. This is the safest of these methods when done correctly. Lead Climbing Lead Climbing is when you are climbing up a rock wall but are not tethered to the top of the wall. As you climb you clip your rope into different carabiners on the rock wall. You are also tethered to a belayer on the ground. When you are lead climbing if you fall, you will generally fall from 6 to 20 feet (Twice the distance from you to your last tie-off point). You generally want a belayer who is heavier than you so that when you fall they don't fly into the air. Bouldering Bouldering is when you climb up a wall that is about 16 feet tall without being strapped/h...

This past week I cross country skied almost every day. Cross country skiing is a great winter sport that is fun to do and can be done in many different places.  Cross country skiing is also a great way to get cardio exercise. I cross country ski in the classic style. This makes it easier to ski in tight trails when there is not much space. During this past week I have skied on an open field, trails in the woods, snow-covered sidewalks, and on a road that was covered in about an inch and a half of snow. None of the places I have skied have been groomed and I had a good time every time I skied. Almost every time I skied there were different snow conditions and different weather. I skied on hard snow and soft snow and when it was snowing, sunny, and cloudy. This shows the versatility of cross country skiing. You can cross country ski in most weather and most snow conditions. There are two different kinds of skiing. These two kinds are skate and classic. Skate is when you are moving yo...