1. Pack light: The less things you bring the less you have to carry and the further you can go. You will be amazed how little you need.
2. Leave valuables at home: Just bring some cash for emergencies. That way you don’t risk of loosing your wallet on the trail.
3. Let someone know about your plans: In case something happens to you, it is important to share your trip plans with a friend or family member. Let them know where you are planning to go backpacking and when you should arrive at your planned destinations.
4. Stay hydrated: Make sure to bring enough water and a water filter in case you run out of water. And remember to drink enough water while hiking. The general rule of thumb is that you will need 100 oz. per day for personal consumption plus another 10-15 oz. for cooking dehydrated foods. I own a water filter made by MSR that works great.
5. Pace yourself: Do not waste all your energy in the beginning of the hike. You don’t want to find yourself out of breath in the backcountry and you might need some extra energy on hiking uphill the next day.
6. Leave no trace: Respect nature and leave the trail and campsite exactly how it was before you got there. Nobody wants to see a trail covered in trash.
7. Bring a map and compass: A physical map still works when you do not have GPS or cell phone reception.
8. Bring a first aid kit: So you can respond quickly if you get injured. REI sells a great kit that covers the needs of up to 6 people for 8 days while traveling in the backcountry.
9. Bring a cell phone: If you do have cell phone reception, you can call for help in case of an emergency. You will be amazed where you have cell phone reception these days.
10. Familiarize yourself with the area before you go: Study the topo map and get an idea where your sources of water are. Try to find a trail description online. They might share valuable information on where to camp, what areas to avoid, etc.

The first leg of our trip peaked at about 8,800 feet elevation (Mount Pinos). From there we descended for about 6 miles to about 6,000 feet elevation and set camp at Mesa Springs campground. The views at Mesa Springs were breath-taking.

The next morning, we started our journey from Mesa Springs in the west and hiked east to Sheep Camp where we set camp for the night. Unfortunately the only trail that goes back to Sheep Camp is the trail we came from. Therefore we bushwhacked east for about 3-4 miles to Boyscout Road (see trail map). It was fairly cold and we welcomed the hot chocolate from a boyscout group that we met at our campsite.

The last leg of the trip was a 4 mile hike from our campsite back to the car near Mount Pinos peak. It was a great adventure!

Backpacker Magazine has another great recommendation for a backpacking trip in the Chumash Wilderness (it inspired our trip).

Trail Map:

Chumash Wilderness Trail Map (click to enlarge)

Trip Highlights:

• Length: About 18 miles
• 5,000+ feet in elevation gain (get ready for a workout)
• Don’t miss the amazing views from Mesa Springs
• Due to the high elevation, you can expect snow as late as in June (bring warm clothes)
• Overall Difficulty: ★★★★

I pulled out my iPhone and searched for “peak” in the App Store and voila, I found the free app Peak.ar from Salzburg Research.

Below a screenshot of Peak.ar in action, showing the elevation of some of the local mountains here in Santa Barbara, CA:

Peak.ar works pretty well and does exactly what you downloaded it for: Displaying heights of mountain peaks. The peak symbols on the display sometimes don’t exactly overlay with the image of the camera, but that’s pretty much the only complaint I have.

Go download Peak.ar and check out your local peaks!

Highlights:

• Our Rating: ★★★★
• Price range: FREE

Outpost, Mammoth Mountain California

This is one of my favorite shots of Mammoth Mountain in California. I took this picture on the top of Santiago Bowl and it overlooks the Outpost on the backside of the mountain. Looking at this picture makes me want to go to Mammoth right now!

Osprey Manta 25

Are you looking for a day hiking backpack? In my opinion, the best backpack for day hikes is the Osprey Manta 25 – hands down! I took this backpack on multiple day hikes and I absolutely love it. It is very durable, light and really comfortable to wear.

The Osprey Manta 25 is slim & long and fits snug onto your back, so that your arms are not scrubbing against it while hiking. This also makes it a great backpack for trail running.

My back tends to start sweating quickly and the Osprey AirSpeed suspension offers a great amount of ventilation between the pack and your back.

Check out another great review of the Osprey Manta 25 at Gear.com.

Key Features:

• Packing Volume: 25 Liters / 1,300 cu.
• Weight: 11 oz. (empty)
• Pack includes a 3 liter Nalgene Hydration Reservoir with a 180° on-off pivot bite valve
• Integrated rain cover and pole stowing system
• Magnetic sternum strap buckle
• Elastic stretch woven front pocket
• Light alloy frame suspension
• Tensioned breathable mesh fabric provides superb airflow through back contact zone.
• Side crescents for side ventilation

Highlights:

• Our Rating: ★★★★★
• Light-weight, comfortable and very durable
• Price range: $97.98 – $139.70

Where to buy?

• $111.16 at Backcountry.com
• $139.00 at Amazon.com
• $139.00 at Moosejaw
• $139.00 at REI
  

Salomon 3D Fastpacker Mid GTX

Looking for a great hiking boot? I recently purchased a pair of Salomon 3D Fastpacker Mid GTX hiking boots at our local outdoor store, Real Cheap Sports in Ventura, CA.

I tested them on a hike to Inspiration Point in Santa Barbara, CA. It rained quite a bit the week prior and the terrain was slippery and muddy. The boots offered great traction on the wet ground.

My ankles tend to get tired quickly and the slightly raised boot offers great support.

One of my considerations for purchasing the Salomon hiking boots was that I could wear the in the snow (water protection), but also during the summer (light weight).

Key Features:

• Water resistant. Full GORE-TEX® construction to keep your feet warm and dry.
• Weight: 16 oz.
• Gusseted tongue to keep debris out.
• Heel foam for cushioning.
• Protective rubber toe cap with mud guard.
• Molded EVA midsole provides cushioning and support.
• 3D Advanced Chassis™ construction provides maximum stability and protection over harsh terrain.
• Ortholite® sockliner cushions, is breathable, and is anti-odor/anti-microbial.
• Contagrip® rubber outsole is a mix between density, compounds, and geometry in order to optimize grip and durability.

Highlights:

• Our Rating: ★★★★★
• Lightweight (16 oz.) and water resistant
• Price range: $102.98 – $169.00

Where to buy?

• $102.98 at Amazon.com
• $134.96 at Backcountry.com
• $150.00 at REI

My favorite part of the movie though was the Southern Utah scene with Zach Crist. Skiing and snowboarding in that kind of terrain looks absolutely phenomenal. Below a short clip from that scene to get you amped up for the season. Enjoy!

The upper part of Scotty’s is fairly steep, but it flattens out about half way down. Since Scotty’s is a wide run, you do not need to worry too much about running into people and you have plenty of space to do your turns. To the left and the right of Scotty’s you usually find a lot of un-groomed terrain, which makes Scotty’s my favorite run.

If you stay towards your left when you are coming down, you will find some of my favorite terrain off-side the groomed runs. Lots of powder with a few trees make going that route down a lot of fun.

Costco is currently offering a 4-day lift ticket voucher for $239.99. This saves you between $32.01 and $128.01, depending on how early you would purchase the lift tickets online (just make sure you are aware of the black-out dates).

Below some pictures from my last Mammoth trip. Enjoy!

I endured several weeks of gnarly blisters and moleskin before I decided there must be a better way. That’s when I came across my Rossignol Electra Pro boots.

Electra Pro Rossignol Ski Boot

These boots are comfy enough to make any snowboarder think twice about scoffing at putting on ski boots.

Key Features:

• High performance women’s ski boots that offer comfort without sacrificing power and feel.
• Compatible with both Alpine and “AT” (Apline Touring) bindings
• Rich, great fitting liners, made to deliver the highest performance combined with an amazing out-of-the-box fit for aggressive and expert women skiers.
• Engineered with F.I.T. (feminine Intuitive Technology) which incorporates a true women’s upper cuff which is lower than a unisex boot to accomodate a woman’s calf muscle.
• Gecko rubber soles for extra grip while hiking for those extra turns and cruising around the lodge decks.

Highlights:

• Our Rating: ★★★★★
• Compatible with Alpine and AT bindings
• Price range: $529.95 – $530.00

Where to buy?

• $529.95 at Backcountry.com
• $529.95 at Amazon.com

These boots made for a great season and happy feet. They proved to be very durable and I should be able to enjoy them for many seasons to come.