East West Hike

5 Peaks- 5ish Hours- Hiking San Gabriel Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:30:00 +0000

There was Five of Us, Five against the world. Five against poodle dog bush. Five trying to summit five peaks in one day (maybe as an homage to Cinco De Mayo?), we had a plan, would we succeed?

First up, getting to the San Gabriel saddle, the weigh-station for numerous peaks in the Angeles. The going was rough, despite the general flatness of the trail, there were tunnels my friends

And beautiful mountains surrounding us, trying to lure us to hike them instead.

But much like Odysseus, we lashed our minds to our mental masts (say that five times fast) and proceeded forward to San Gabriel Peak.

First Peak: San Gabriel

Of the five peaks, SG has the second most difficult approach. There are lots of switchbacks, lots of elevation gain in a short amount of time.Gain it we did, making our way up through the impressive remnants of the 2007 Station Fire.

To the peak we went and obtained the summit disc action photo which I know you all covet!

1 summit disc was not enough to quench our thirst my friends, no! We must drink deeply from the troughs of other summits!

Second Peak: Mt. Disappointment

What can I say? It was true to its word.

When you hike on pavement

to a concrete summit several hundred feet below San Gabriel?

Well the peak lives up to its name. ONWARD!

Third Peak: Mt. Deception

Deception, it comes from Latin, the first part "Decep" means "false summit" and the second part "Tion" means "crushing your dreams".

"Let's go up to the summit. What, that is not the summit?" Etc.

Its a fine trail, lots of the poodle dog bush, a bit steep and scambly in parts, but all in all, THIS mountain also lives up to its name.

Fourth Peak: Mt. Markham

This is a bitch, no two ways about it. You hike ridgelines, you battle poodle dog bush, you scramble up the sides of the mountain, you hike more ridgelines. Then you get a weirdo summit cylinder.

Unless you really want to hike this one, let it go, just let it go...

Fifth Peak: Mt. Lowe

Oh Mt. Lowe, how you thwarted me during my not-so-recent sojourn to Inspiration Point where I didn't feel inclined to go up you. How I suffered the slings and arrows of regret for not summiting you but on this day, summit I did!

Lowe provides beautiful views of most of the Angeles and I could see the other mountains crying that I did not summit them this day

as this was number five. Numero Cinco! All those other mountains could wait another day as I could not wait to get down off of Mt. Lowe and into a cold beer and warm pizza.

I gained many summits on this day but in retrospect, five is a bit much but an accomplishment nonetheless. It was also great to summit them with some of SoCal's finest bloggers, Josh, Zac, Jeff and Derek.

Final Note: Be WARNED about this area. It is full of the lousy good for nothin poodle dog bush, a nasty customer to be avoided at all costs. The area is rife, rife I tells you with it so perhaps best to stay clear or proceed with caution.

Here is a summary from Jeff about the outting: http://socalhiker.net/2013/05/hiking-san-gabriel-peak-mt-disappointment-deception-markham-lowe/

Summer Is Almost Here- microCOOL off with Terramar!

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:45:00 +0000

This blog has been filled recently with my adventures to the cold Sierras. However, what most of us in Southern California really think about how to stay cool in the warm temps that we have here. As part of my ongoing #TerramarThursday blog posts, I wanted to hip you guys to the "square" of one of Terramar's new lines, the MicroCool.

http://www.terramarsports.com/templates/terramar/micro_cool_ad.pdf

This is a yarn-based shirt and underwear that is supposed to cool you as you get working out there on the trail. This is especially welcomed news to yours truly who is always looking to cool off "down there" (get your minds out of the gutters). Also, the underwear provides UVA/B protection, why you need that protection from this type of clothing, I will leave to you and your therapist to work out.

I hope to get my hands on some of this gear soon and give you a full rundown on my thoughts!

Disclaimer:

I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Scenes From The Verdugos

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Me And Terramar Thermawool

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

What's that, its another Thursday? Well if its Thursday, then it must be time for #TerramarThursdays (Sierra Edition) where we here at EWH look at the best and brightest products from Terramar. In today's installment, I got to check out the Thermalwool sock for "sub zero" comfort.

What could be more sub zero then taking these puppies out in the high Sierras for snow camping (which I recently detailed)? So how did these socks do?

Well the conditions sadly weren't "sub zero" (more like 20-40 degrees) but these socks kept my feet warm at camp. I also wore them on a night hike and they held up well in my boots. They are a slightly bulkier than other socks that I use to hike with but held up well on a mini-hike. The real value of the socks were in camp as my feet were toasty as clams in a soup (or some other metaphor).

Often times you sacrifice comfort for bulk but not in this case, these are honestly some of the most comfortable socks that I own and are really great when you are sitting around the fire, waiting for the popcorn and/or s'mores to be passed.

http://www.terramarsports.com/product/1012-2?page=1

Disclaimer:

I was provided this product because I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Sierra Snow Camp- Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

We had several optional hikes this day at camp but considering how cold and windswept it was, my body was telling me that it was mandatory to go on a hike. I chose an adventure hike bushwhacking around the Sabrina dam area.

There were several use trails that we followed but then branched off into the upper crags surrounding the dam. All that scrambling paid off for views like this:

After experiencing the high of the mountains, it was time to pack up camp and head down the mountain. After hiking and backpacking for a few days it is good to get off the trail and into pizza, which I did with a flourish at the Pizza Factory

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-factory-bishop-bishop

Thus concludes my Sierra backpacking adventures! What trip I had, so many great vistas, trail miles and memories made. Now on to the next adventure!

Me and the Terrmar TXO 3.0 Pant

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:02:00 +0000

Can it be time for another #TerramarThursday (Sierra Edition) here at EWH? Well, yes, yes it can.

Today is all about longjohns, specifically the TXO 3.0 pant. When Terramar says pant, they mean it. These things are soft, thick and warm in my apartment. Well what happened when I took them up into the Sierras on my recent snow camping trip?

They did exactly that and more. These were my go-to fleece pants while in camp. They kept me warm, even while I camped on snow! I think they would be a bit warm and bulky when you are exercising or unless you are exercising on Everest but for being in camp, these things are very comfortable.

Also, after several days of use, no real smell (well you smell bad regardless hiking and backpacking for several days of course) but these had no bad odors and I dug putting them on every night.

Some longjohns I have tried out are weird sizes, they seem too long for my legs, but these were sized right and were tough to take off in the mornings given how great they worked. Overall, I was very happy with how they performed up in the Sierras!

http://www.terramarsports.com/product/W8309

Disclaimer:

I was provided this product because I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Sierra Snow Camp- Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

There are so many areas in California to explore. For the most part, I have been puttering about in Southern California and exploring the many trails down here but through my Wilderness Travel Course, I went up into the Eastern Sierras to go snow camping and hiking. Here is what happened on Day 2! You can read all about Day 1 here.

The morning in camp started off rather pleasant, the air was nice and a warmish 40 (if you can call that warmish) and everyone took their time breaking down camp, eating some breakfast and getting ready for the day. I am not a fan of oatmeal as it really has to be gussied up for me to ingest it (I mean MASSIVE amounts of brown sugar, cinnamon, berries, etc. need to be added for me to get over the oatmeal hump). Thankfully Quaker Oats had recently come out with this new oatmeal to-go cup called Medley and had a great taste due in no small part to all the apples, nuts, berries and other goodies contained in each cup. I ate one of those puppies and was ready for the day.

The day started off lugging the 30 pound + pack up 1,000 feet to the next camp.

Yes, we hiked on the road but when you are carrying a heavy pack, that still counts as "hiking" especially when you pass waterfalls like this one.

Still the views were amazing up at around 9,000 feet.

At this campground, there was actually snow (snow at snow camp, that is a novel concept!) and my tentmate and I decided to stake out one of the few patches of snow for our tent

(yes all the other campsites had no snow, we were the winners in this lottery).

The surrounding area had another beautiful stream which added a nice serene backdrop to the campground.

It also provided us with another source of water for the next few days. I would have to say that boiling takes a long time, tablets don't taste so great and I am slightly suspicious of the Steripens (batteries seem to run out a bunch whether due to cold or otherwise). Maybe this leaves me with going the filter route for my further backpacking adventures, I am not sure.

What I am sure about was that next on the adventure schedule was a hike to North Lake and some snowshoeing.

We gained another 500 feet or so in elevation and quickly got into our snowshoes and into the woods.

It was my first time snowshoeing and I felt like I was "doing it wrong" during the first mile or so (I felt like I was just learning how to walk and I hadn't learned to trust my snowshoe crampons to hug into the snow and mud). Still, I can come out looking pretty jaunty all things considered, no?

Don't worry, I bit it several times but I chalk up snowshoeing in the "fun" category and am looking forward to getting out and doing it again sometime soon (especially with seeing views like this).

Then it was back to camp for food and fun. Everyone was pretty beat but a few of us went on a night hike to a nearby dam to check out the stars and the ragged peaks. That was exactly the type of experience I was looking for. Even though I was half asleep on the hike back from the dam, looking up at the stars with no light pollution, seeing a few shooting ones against the silhouette of the mountains, well I couldn't ask for much more from that night (I am bad at taking pictures at night, you will just have to imagine it).

Then it was back to camp to go sleep on the snow (I guess that's why they call it snow camping).

Me And The Terramar TXO 3.0

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Time for another #TerramarThursday (Sierra Edition)! Today, I review this pretty cool fleece jumper from Terramar:

This fleece is thin but warm so generally good for layering. How did it do on my recent trip to the Sierras?

I wore the fleece over a standard long sleeve shirt during all of my hikes and it kept me warm but I didn't really overheat. If I was feeling warm as I was huffing and puffing my way up a ridgeline somewhere, the half-zip zipper is a good thing as that allows for more venting so I could cool off a bit that way. It was thin enough for my activities but warm enough when I was standing around.

The only downside to the fleece is that there are no pockets! I wear cargo pants for a reason (because I am unable to pack well ;)) so I need lots of space to put things in which are readily accessible and this would be a great fleece if it came with pockets. Also, as I said above, it is a bit thin so if you are in camp on a cold night, you might want to put on a heavier jumper but for activities through the brush, this quickly became a favorite top.

I wore this puppy snowshoeing and hiking and it could take the beating I gave it so I am pleased as punch at its durability. Overall, a great fleece for adventuring and will definitely be put in my pack in the future.

http://www.terramarsports.com/product/W8373

Disclaimer:

I was provided this product because I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Sierra Snow Camp- Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

It really is an impressive range of mountains and these pictures do it no justice at all. After Lone Pine, we headed up to Bishop and turned in to the mountains to begin the adventure. We unloaded our gear from the bus and also unloaded snowshoes and avalanche shovels despite the distinct lack of snow.

(yes that is a Duraflame log that I carried for 2 days, it weighed 5 pounds, I felt so good when it got off my back and burning!)

In fact, it looked like there hadn't been snow in our neck of the woods for some time. This was billed as a snow camp, with lots of snow adventures. Would there be any? I suggest checking out the trip report for Day 2 next week for the answer ;).

But on this day we loaded up and hiked to camp (the poetically named Intake 2 Campground).

The hiking was hard, not just because of the elevation gain but for the 30-40 pound packs on our backs. While I had been hiking around the neighborhood with the pack, it is much more difficult when it is fully loaded up and you are hoofing it on trail. Still, the scenery made up for the struggle I was undergoing with the pack:

As you can see, snow in the mountains but not so much on the ground.

We eventually got to the campground and started getting set up. Tents and food were a necessity

I must admit, part of the struggle of this camping is learning how to pack things, unpack them and then repack them! However, by the end of the weekend, I had my system down but the first night, next morning was a bit rough on the logistical front.

After camp was set up, it was time for a hike and time for a "real" bushwhack (meaning bushes were whacking me everywhere). One of the most valuable pieces of gear I had this weekend was knee high gaiters that kept the brush and dirt away from my legs and boots.

I can't tell you what trail to take from the campground as you can see, there was no trail. We went about 3 miles and then cut across country to the road which led us back to camp. There was a weird boggy swamp we had to get through and a lot of trees that tried their best to poke at my eyes but it was a grand adventure overall.

Back in camp it was time for eating, boiling water taken from the stream (a first for me, I treated my water every which way this weekend)

and then hanging around the campfire trading stories and jokes with my fellow hikers. Whew, what a first day! What was the rest of the weekend going to be like? Stay tuned for Day 2 coming soon!

Backpackin

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Well the time is almost here. Me and my WTC classmates are preparing for our adventure into the Sierras which means I have to learn how to backpack.

Truth be told, I am just a hiker, a hiker who yearns to do more and to go more places but a hiker first and foremost not a backpacker. I have car camped a lot but it is certainly different than strapping a 30-40 pound pack on your shoulders and sallying forth.

This week has been a steep learning curve for me.

I might look jaunty but it took me awhile to figure out how to pack things in the pack and then load it up on my shoulders. I have been walking around my neighborhood this week getting used to the pack and the pack's weight. It is a Teton Sports Outfitter 4600 and in addition to the weight I put in there, I put actual weights in the pack as I will be schelping snowshoes, a shovel and maybe parts of a tent in addition to everything else I have already packed so I want to make sure I know the "real" weight of what I will be carrying.

There are many blog posts out there about what to bring, how to pack it, how to save weight, etc. This will not be one of those posts. I am throwing in what I need, trying to maneuver it as needed and will see how it all plays out later this week in the Sierras.

The beauty of backpacking is that you take your house with you and can set down wherever you want (being mindful of the Leave No Trace principles) and it allows you to see sights that you can't see from you car. Backpacking gives you freedom and I for one am looking forward to what I do with it.

I am also bringing some cool Terramar gear with me to test out in the Sierras. They will include some thermal socks which I have already tried out beforehand and they are really comfy and warm.

Can't wait to see how they handle the Sierras.

I will also be trying out what I hope is my go to "jumper" as the European kids call em nowadays, the TXO 3.0 fleece jumper

I have also been giving this thing some mild workouts around LA and can't wait to see how it does in "slightly" more severe conditions.

Finally, when you go out in the cold and snow, you need some longjohns, I mean long underwear, I mean the TXO 3.0 Men's "pants".

I have tried these on and can already tell they are going to be super warm and comfortable so I know I will be rocking out in my sleeping bag wearing these puppies.

Of course, you, the loyal blog readers, will get the full play-by-play of my adventures in the Sierras this weekend, I can't wait to get up there and do some tromping!

Disclaimer:

I was provided these products because I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like these as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Reviewing the Asolo TPS 520 GV Boots

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

(Before Shot)

Awhile I knew that my La Sportiva boots that have taken me through so many adventures were slowly coming apart at the seems (literally). I order lots of things online, trusting that my general size dimensions will also match the general size dimensions of the gear I am buying, but not boots. No siree, you have to try those suckers on, you have to stomp around and do the little downhill test that most outdoor stores have set up nowadays.

I have always been intrigued by full leather grain boots, these are the tanks of the outdoor world, very much out of step with the lighter faster ethos that permeates today's marketplace. Clocking in at 3lbs 13oz, these boots are definitely not a part of that world but I decided to take the plunge and buy them. So how are they so far?

Well there is a break-in period. Most people that I have read online have said 100ish miles to break in which seems about right to me. The first few 7-10 mile trips were definitely taxing on the old feet. One thing I highly recommend is to waterproof the boots a few times. While the boots are already pretty waterproof, putting on a cream waterproofing agent like Nikwax actually helps to soften the leather which makes these boots feel MUCH better quicker.

However, once these boots are broken in, they will get you anywhere you need to go. I recently took them on my adventure to Mt. Pinos and these boots can kick steps into the snow with the best of them, keeping you dry in the process and can take all the dings you throw at them on the trail. If you are looking to take these on a nature walk, it is overkill. If you are looking to take these on rugged terrain, possibly backpacking, these boots will take a licking and keep on ticking.

The only downside to the boots so far is that the sole is not as sticky as my Sportivas. Sure, it is Vibram and it is really good on most surfaces, it is not so hot on wet slippery rocks and the crossing thereof. Personally I think I need to trust my boots a bit more but that slippage factor is still there, my hesitation or not. However, the boot more than makes up for it in every other category and I am happy with the boots. I think putting even more trail miles on em will make them feel even more like a nice housecoat (who even calls them that anymore, am I 80?) and I can't wait to see what adventures are in-store for me and the boots!

(after)

Overall, I am really happy with Asolos and am quickly becoming a convert. Soon, I may need to replace some of my other footwear and am already eyeing the Asolo Reston's which got rave reviews in Outside Magazine

Is that next on the horizon? Who knows but color me a fan of Asolo!

Me And The Terramar Sportsman 3.0

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

It is yet another #TerramarThursday here on the blog and I will admit it, I am a sucker for Henley-style shirts. You know, those are the shirts with the buttons that go down a quarter way on the front?

Yea, yea those! Awhile ago, Terramar sent me one of these bad boys and I have been wearing it for quite some time and totally dig it.

Let me get the downside out of the way first. It is made of 50% cotton. Yea, yea "cotton kills" (which I don't necessarily believe in BTW). So most people won't be taking this on the trail. What if you aren't on the trail, what then?

Well, then my friends gather round cause let me tell you a story about a great shirt that makes up for the the cotton with 40% merino wool and is a nice warm layer to wear about town.

(shirt pictures, is there nothing more exciting on the Internet?)

To be honest, when I first got this shirt, I put it in my closet and forgot it. One day, it was cold here in LA (and not that its 68 so it feels cold) but ACTUALLY cold and I put on this shirt and have been loving life since. It is not super thick like a sweater but as a base layer this thing rocks out. I know I have been positive about other Terramar products previously reviewed on this site (for good reason) and while I have liked all of them and they have all done their job, this one is my current favorite, it is a nice solid Henley.

Not everything in your closet has to be technical and able to be worn on the top of Everest. This shirt would be perfect for your base camp-selves, or even your in town hanging out-selves, soft and warm enough, sounds pretty good to me.

http://www.terramarsports.com/product/W7923?page=3

Disclaimer:

I am a part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. It's the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Hiking Mt. Pinos Area

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

As some of you know, I am currently taking a Wilderness Travel Course which teaches you skills to learn the "freedom of the hills". The focus of the second half of the course is all about snow camping which is the final "exam" of the class. Before going camping we have to get our "snow legs" under us by going snow traveling (which can be a hard thing to do in a place like Southern California). So we lit out for Mt. Pinos in search of snow and adventure!

Of course, snow travel is like water off a duck's back to an Upstate kid like me and after tromping around on the snow for a few minutes, it was like I never left New York.

You might be thinking, is there even snow there in SoCal? Well yes, yes there is

but the majority of the Pinos area was in full Spring-mode.

Of course, this old dog can still be taught new tricks like wearing knee-high gaiters

and learning the basics of snow travel. Our class set out for adventure and learnin'

and a-learnin' we did. Throughout the day we learned several of the basics of backcountry life including how to make a fire

(yes Fritos are a good accelerant)

How to pitch a tent in the snow

(get your minds out of the gutter)

and the basics of snow travel. This included kicking steps into the mountain to go up as well as traversing and the all-important going DOWN the mountain. Throughout the day we were also navigating around in the Mt. Pinos area and several times I was the lead dog postholing through the snow to lead the team (Team Blazin' Pinatas) to some higher ground. Let me tell you, that higher ground lead to some spectacular views which put an amazing cherry onto this sundae of a day.

Overall, a great day with the WTC and Team Pinatas. Getting to play in the snow brings out the Upstate in ADKinLA and it was a fun adventure, one which you should have while the snow still exists here in SoCal!

The Lowdown On Terramar Contests

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Are you on the Facebook? The Book-of-Face? FB The Elder?

It is a place not just for seeing who has "swelled" (to use a fantastic Grosse Pointe Blank reference) before your next high school reunion but is a great place with tons of information and more importantly, access to Terramar swag!

As part of the ongoing #TerramarThursday series here at EWH, I wanted to clue all you hepcats into the fact that every Friday Terramar gives something away on it's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/TerramarSports

All you do is have to answer questions, some weeks it is about where you want to hike. Some weeks it is all about trivia.

You really can win, I should know, I won a few of the contests over the last few years before I became part of the Tribe so your free gear dreams can come true, just play the game!

Of course if you could care less about FB, there still might be other ways to win Terramar gear (hint hint, there might be opportunities coming up here at EWH, refresh this page hourly for the next 9 months or so just in case).

Disclaimer:

I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. It's the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Back to the Backcountry of Griffith

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

What a mess I was in the morning when we "sprung ahead" with our clocks. I knew I wanted to revisit the backcountry of Griffith again (yes again, this was a rare double hike but its well worth it). Part of this mess resulted in me not taking any camera with me other than my cell phone so please excuse the crapiness of this picture essay.

I love the backcountry of Griffith Park, it gets you away from the hordes that descend on GP every weekend as most people never check out these little bumps in the backcountry.

and most people never venture onto the "summits" of these hills so you basically have them all to your own.

To reach the summits you have to follow animal use trails which can be a little steep at times but well worth it as you look out into the vastness that is LA.

Incidentally, butterflys!

They were everywhere on this previous weekend in SoCal and were bouncing around the summits in particular. They weren't the only living things making their presence known, I saw my first camera trap in SoCal as I was hiking one of the ridgelines.

(looking for large cats no doubt)

Usually how I hike this route is East to West meaning I made my way to the Hollywood sign after tromping around the ridges of the backcountry.

Yea Hollywood Sign (and such)

Visiting the Sign is great but then you have a 2-3 mile hike back to the Observatory dodging horses and looking for shade. Grumble grumble I know, it was a great day out I just wish the hike back was as interesting as the hike out. Still, can't recommend the backcountry of GP enough, definitely one of my favorite spots.

If you want a more legit writeup of my adventure, I suggest checking out this previous blog post: http://www.eastwesthike.com/2011/01/hike-8-griffith-park-backcountry.html

Me And The Terramar TXO 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:31:00 +0000

You ready for another #TerramarThursday ?

Awhile ago I was fortunate enough to receive the TXO 2.0 shirt from Terramar. According to the website, the shirt is made out of polyester and spandex and the shirt also contains "activated carbon with nano-silver embedded within yarn" which sounds pretty fancy schmancy to me.

How does it work in the field? Well I took the shirt to Yosemite when it snowed on me in May and the shirt was a great choice. The interior of the shirt feels like a nice soft fleece and kept me warm during the snow squall and the outerlayer definitely looks like it could take a beating in the elements.

I decided to take the shirt with me on my recent trip to Joshua Tree and used the shirt as I was "chilling" in base camp that night.

The shirt by itself kept me warm in the desert night all by itself as the temp hovered in the 50s. I did use a jacket later on in the night but I was surprised how warm the shirt actually is. It is also good for cool desert mornings as well...

Forgive the terribleness of my mug, it was about 6:30am when I took this pic.

The reason I like this baselayer is that is thicker than others and really provides you with a sense of warmth. It is not an end-all, be-all you still need to layer with other gear but it is a pretty kicking shirt.

http://www.terramarsports.com/product/W8303

Disclaimer:

I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Joshua Tree- Wonderland of Rocks

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Ahh Joshua Tree, unlike another other national park I have ever been to. Not a lot of waterfalls, or greenery here, nope no sir. Just lots and lots of weirdo rocks. My wilderness class decided to explore those rocks and spent 2 days in the park which was a great but tiring experience.

First, setting up the tent!

It has been AGES since I was camping so thankfully Marmot makes an idiot-proof tent to sent up, just 2 poles, regular dome structure and even color coding so you know how to put on the fly. Considering it was about 8 in the morning when I set up this tent, I needed all the color coding help I could get.

Then it was on to the day in which I learned all the basics of rock scrambling. Let me tell you friends, I was like a little baby goat out there, legs and arms all a whirling dervish trying to hang on to ledges and footholds, it was not a pretty site.

After lunch, the next thing was to put these skills into practice and go climb a peak. How did we get there? Well through a boulder filled gully of course!

It might have been only a mile or 2 but it took us a good 3-4 hours to navigate the gully and come up to what one could charitably call a flat spot.

I was scared during parts of it, tired during other parts and looked like I knew what I was doing for exactly 1% of the ascent.

Eventually the summit of 4377 came into view (I think JTree gave up on naming mountains and just named them after their elevations).

I wish I could tell you that I made it to the summit but I did not. My fear of exposed heights (heck just regular heights) kicked in and I decided to call the summit push at a place I felt comfortable. When I hike, I usually hike with a purpose and more often than not, it is to hike to a summit or distinguishable landmark. So while I fell short of my usual goal and was disappointed I could not join my classmates on the summit, I felt like I made the right decision for me because getting up the mountain is only half the battle, getting back down it is the other half.

Getting back down it you say? Well yes, we had to get back down and while the descent was not nearly as bad as the ascent, we had the extra challenge of doing it in the dark!

(those lights are part of our party coming down the mountain)

Once we got back to camp, we were all pretty beat up and things were made slightly easier on us with a backpacker potluck meal and a nice campfire.

The next morning we were back at it again with a day full of learning navigation and applying it to our surroundings. I know what I am doing on paper but applying it to the field was a whole 'nother challenge and my instructor Will really helped lock it in for me.

Then back on the bus and heading back to LA, sore but significantly challenged.

As some of you know, Joshua Tree is not my favorite of places but it sure does provide for some pretty pictures.

Overall if you attempt to hike in the Wonderland of Rocks, be sure you know what you are doing and make sure you budget enough time to do it in! Sure my muscles might be sore now but when I look back on these pics I will look back on them with fondness. Onward!

Me And The Terra-T

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

So a few weeks ago I announced (rather breathlessly) that Terramar and I would be joining forces and I have now become part of the Terramar Tribe. Over the course of the year, Terramar will be sending me some stuff to try out in the field and I will let you know my thoughts here at #TerramarThursdays at EWH. First up, the Terra-T!

The specs say this puppy is made out of 100% recycled polyester and gives you a UPF rating of 25+. Yes, this is dry boring stuff except to the 1% of us outdoor geeks who salivate over the next technical innovation but the cool part of the above is the "recycled" part of the shirt. This shirt basically takes 2 plastic bottles out of the dump and puts them on your back (in the most sanitary way possible I am sure ;)) AND a percentage of the sales goes to help Save The Poles a worthy cause close to all of us outdoorspeople's hearts.

So enough about the technical and charitable worthiness of this shirt, how does it actually do out in the field?

Well it feels great against the skin, that is for sure. Synthetics have been getting better and better regarding feel over the last few years and this shirt, despite its plastic bottle origin, feels great against my skin.

Other than that, it is a solid wicking baselayer that I took with me on my recent adventure to the Circle of Rocks.

I worked up a sweat getting to those rocks and the Terra-T did a good job keeping me dry. Its a lightweight layer which is perfect for sunny SoCal days but you might want to layer if you are using it in cooler climes.

Basically, it felt great, it did its job on the trail and I really dig the social good that a t-shirt can do!

Terra-T reviewed!

http://terramarsports.com/product

Disclaimer:

I was provided this product because I am part of the Terramar Tribe. I try to review items like this as honestly as possible. Whether I liked it or not, I don't gain anything if you go out and buy these things. Its the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and gain from it what you can.

Hiking Deukmejian- Circle of Rocks

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

There are plenty of weird things that you see out on the trail. Things that in the esteemed words of our C+C Music forefathers, make you go hmmm. When I heard about a weird circle of rocks in the Deukmejian wilderness, I knew I had to go and check it out for myself.

It was another beautiful but windy day here in SoCal when I found myself at the Deuk.

The trail start off on a rather rocky track

that follows the Dunsmore Canyon trail but then veers off to the right and heads into the mountains.

If you are a person who loves switchbacks then you might want to take this trail to Vegas and marry it. From here on out it is a 1,000 foot elevation gain with as many switchbacks as you care to hike.

The trail itself is a rugged little guy

which has been made less rugged by the efforts of Karen and all the other great trail building volunteers in the park. They have really been working hard on this trail recently and the evidence is everywhere.

What also is evident is how quickly the park has bounced back from the effects of the fire back in the late 2000s. While there were burnt trees littering the trail, there was also lots of new green growth everywhere and the park is looking in top notch shape.

Eventually, the switchbacks mercifully stop and you make it to the aforementioned circle of rocks. You can go further, the trail will take you to a saddle and then eventually on to Mt. Lukens but today was all about rocks, as the first picture can attest.

What possessed someone to do this? To take rocks up or down the mountain and make them into a circle? I have no idea what the answer is but it certainly is a fun weird hike to do and one that I recommend you take!

WTC Class 3

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

While you learn about all aspects of wilderness travel in the WTC course that I am taking, it is fair to say that the main emphasis of the class is on navigating the wilds via your compass and map.

Class 3 started this learnin' in earnest with all of the lectures and class work focusing on the basics (what is latitude?) to the harder stuff (what the heck is a universal transverse mercator?) and everything in-between.

I think it is fair to say that most people can look at a map and figure out where they are and where they want to go. However, when dealing with topographic maps, they offer a wealth of information compared to a general street map and if you work at it, you can get a lot out of the map. For example, topographic maps have contour lines which tell you things like elevation, features of the land (mountains, streams, gullies, etc.) and once you learn those features, you have a great sense of what the land actually holds for you and how hard your travel over the land will be (if you are using topographic maps to get around I am betting your level of hardness will be somewhere around ridiculously hard).

Of course, practice makes perfect (yes, yes PERFECT practice makes perfect) so lots of my homework and upcoming outings will be all about putting this new-found knowledge of orienteering to work on the map and in actual situations. This will be tough for me because when I am out in the outdoors I want to be looking up and around not buried in a map but it is worthwhile to learn so I might sacrifice a little bit of outdoorsy-ness now for the skillz I will be learning in this class.

Class 3- officially recapped!

Hiking Mt. Wilson- With WTC

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

If there is one thing I have learned in my 34+ years is that the sun rises early my friends, much too early. If the sun took a break and rose at, let's say, 9am, that would suit me just fine. However, since it insists and rising at godawful times, then I must deal with it as everyone congregated at the Chantry Flats trailhead in order to hit the trail as soon as the sun rose on a recent Saturday morning.

The goal? To hike Mt. Wilson, sure but also to put some of our navigation skillz into practice, to make sure our legs are in shape for the other outtings the course holds for us and to generally have fun with each other out on the trail.

First things first, we had a mandatory "gear check" to make sure we had all the necessary gadgets and doodads in case we became stuck out in the wilderness.

While I don't normally hike with nearly this amount of stuff in my pack, I think it is a good to have a certain amount of emergency gear with you just in case. I now have a stuff sack full of stuff (what else would be in there?) that I will take with me on all of my adventures thanks to this class.

The first part of the trail, we ducked down and headed toward Sturtevant Falls (I won't bore you with the details of this part of the trail, you can read about it all here). Then, the excitement began as we climbed above the falls

and went up canyon on this beautiful singletrack paralleling the stream and the little waterfalls that inhabit the upper canyon. I am sorry I don't have more pictures of this section of the trail but with a group of 30 going over a narrow section of trail, you don't really stop to photograph the scenery but I highly recommend this section of the trail.

Then its a straight climb up to Wilson.

A long climb up, that is not necessarily straight as there are many a switchback to be had (especially during the last 2 miles). There are plenty of campgrounds along the way which were inviting to me to stop and curl up in a tent for an hour or 3 rather than pressing on to the summit

but press on we did. Mt. Wilson is one of the "must do" peaks in the area but it will punish you with its length (I think it clocks in at 12.2 miles but most have it at 14 miles) and its elevation gain of 3,000+.

What Mt. Wilson gives you in addition to the calves workout is several different environments to hike through. The lower part of the trail is waterlogged and then as you make your way up the canyon, you go through a lot of oaks

and then higher still is the alpine pine tree "zone" (a scientist, I am not).

which THEN makes its way up through a sandy windblown section of the mountain.

What I am saying is Mt. Wilson is a "land of contrasts".

Another surprise about the trail up to Wilson is how enclosed the tree canopy was over the trail. There were very few opportunities to see the sights as you only broke through the canopy a few times.

The real payoff is on the summit. While Wilson has its share of radio towers like several summits surrounding LA

the real manmade feature of note is the crazy observatory array if the summit. There are numerous telescopes that are all linked to each other through a complicated mirror system and as a fan of astronomy, it was a treat to what the observatories were packing.

Of course, you don't normally summit a mountain for its man-made features, you want to see some OTHER mountains and this mountain has views in spades:

(I spent a lot of time identifying these mountain as part of the WTC navigation skills, go ahead, quiz me!)

(Baldy was in knockout form on this day)

After lunch and more navigation practice, we headed down the Wilson trail making a loop back to Chantry. You have the option of either taking the road or a goat trail and I always argue for the goat trail (which we took).

The only downside of taking the loop trail is that the next 3-4 miles is poison oak central and while the leaves aren't out yet, it can still get ya so be careful taking this trail.

The downhill portion of the trail is loooong and when all you want to do is to get to celebratory pizzas and beers, those minutes just seem to drag. Still, made it we did and then the race was on to pizza. It could have been the worse pizza in the world but it sure didn't taste like it after 14 hard mountain miles.

As you loyal readers might know, I tend to hike solo so hiking with 30+ people was a real interesting situation for me but it worked out for the best as I made fast friendships with many people which made the trail miles go much quicker. The WTC outtings are off to a whizbang start, next up, Joshua Tree!

Here is a terrible Youtube video by yours truly:

Terramar And Me

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Michael Jordan, Danica Patrick, Tiger Woods. All athletes that are sponsored by various companies don't have anything on me. Why not? Because they aren't sponsored by Terramar!

Terramar asked me to be part of their Tribe, one of their brand ambassadors. I jumped at the chance because I have become familiar with their products over the last several years and know what solid merchandise they make and wanted to help put the word out there on their behalf.

So what will you be seeing at EWH over the coming months? Well, there will be products reviews of the gear I get and I also hope to be sponsoring some giveaways and give you an honest opinion of the gear in my travels so you may see Terramar pop up from time to time in my trip reports.

I am hoping to devote most of the upcoming Thursdays on the Blog to letting you know my thoughts about Terramar products (both the good and the bad) as part of my #TerramarThursdays project for this year (creative in naming things I am not).

As I have said on my oh-too-infrequent posts reviewing other gear, this is the Internet, so take the reviews with a grain of salt. I am getting some products from Terramar and while I know that you all love me, make your own decisions about whether to buy the gear.

That being said, I am super stoked to be a part of the Tribe. Great things are happening here at EWH, I have deep into my wilderness travel course, I have started patrolling as part of the Glendale trail patrol, I am planning trips to Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Mt. Baldy and the Sierras this year and now with Terramar literally getting my back, I think this is going to be a great 2013!

Terramar has rolled out a new Facebook Page devoted to us ambassadors which I highly recommend you check out:

https://www.facebook.com/TerramarSports/app_197602066931325

#TerramarTribe

WTC Class 2

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:00:00 +0000

We are starting to get our feet under us in class. The groups are coalescing, information about the outdoors is flowing fast and furious. Elementary schools were transformed into staging grounds for the great outdoors.

WTC Class 2 had lots of info, lots of good times with the class and we are fully in the flow.

We started off with some info on tents, 3 season vs. 4 season. Since the class is structured around the ultimate snow camp extravaganza there is an emphasis on all things snowy with the tents and then transitioning into the next lecture all about layering clothes for winter travel.

I learned some good tips and there seems to be a real reliance on rain jackets as shells which was interesting and put a new spin on things than I had contemplated in my layering out outdoor clothes.

Then everyone broke up, went to their groups and we finished out the night's lessons covering a WIIIIIIDE range of topics from clothes to going to the bathroom in the woods to beginning to learn about orienteering.

This is all leading up to our first group trip to Mt. Wilson in a few weeks. I am getting stoked to getting out into the field with everyone and put into practice what we have been learning.

Week 2, in da books!

Hiking Jones Peak

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Clocking in at only 3.3 miles (one way) one might think that hiking up to Jones Peak via Bailey Canyon would be a cakewalk. A pleasant diversion away from the crowds of nearby Chantry Flats. That is decidedly not the case, Jones Peak is a heck of tester gaining over 2,000 feet of elevation in those 3.3 miles but the effort is well worth it with million dollar views along the way plus the result of actually making it to the Peak.

The trail starts off on a blessedly flat portion of the trail (albeit paved) and a good way to warm up before the climbing begins.

There are several junctions along the way up to the Peak but the signage doesn't exactly tell you which way is which soooo... when you reach the footbridge

keeping going straight, DON'T go on the footbridge (one of many mistakes in orienteering I made on this day).

Eventually you come to another junction and you want to bear right to head up the mountain. There are several splits up in the mountains so keep your eyes open for these orange streamers, they mark the way.

Once you are on the right trail it is a single track all the way up.

It is a rugged little track but much tender love and care were evident with trail crew tools at various places and I and my hiking partner passed by a lone trail crew guy just out there doing his thing with a hoe (I passed no judgments).

Then the trail heads North into the hills

and to a devilish number of switchbacks. I mean a LOT of switchbacks. Some of the switchbacks are 300 feet long some are only 20 feet long before the next switcher. Its really insidious. The benefit of switchbacks of course is to gain elevation easier than going straight up the mountain and gain elevation you do leading to some blockbuster views of the canyons.

These views almost made up for the switchbacks (almost).

About 2 miles in to the switchbackfest you reach the remains of a cabin.

Who lived here? A hunter, an outdoor enthusiast, a bear who was born with opposable thumbs? It is a mystery for the ages.

The last mile is more of the switchback same but with the added adventure of SNOW

Snow at 3,000 feet! (which is really low for SoCal, we are a desert after all). The snow was pretty but quickly covered the trail and made the footing treacherous. This was brought home even more-so when we got to Jones Saddle. To gain the Peak, you have to scramble up about 100-200 feet up to the Peak which right of the Saddle.

The snow made this ascent slick and the descent downright treacherous Still, all was forgotten when I gained the summit!

I don't want to oversell the switchbacks too much. If you are in a modicum of hiking shape, you will be able to do this trail but it still will take effort and the summit is a sweet reward.

As evidenced by the snow, it was rather cold on the summit so after a quick bite to eat, I didn't linger and booked it back down the mountain in much faster fashion than going up it!

I dug the day, dug the trail and had fun with a new hiking companion. If you are looking to limber up for larger trails (Mt. Wilson is looming in my future) this one will let you know how you are stacking up.

If you want to read a more in-depth review of the trail check out the always great Dan: http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/jones.html

TSP- The First Patrol

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Flanigan) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Firsts are something you will always remember. First hike, first time you saw your girlfriend, first sandwich made of Steakums. Firsts are great!

I was lucky enough to be on the first patrol for Glendale's new volunteer program which patrols the mountains in Glendale (yes there are mountains in Glendale!).

The inaugural patrol happened in Brand Park which, if you have never been there, is a multi-use park with soccer fields, access to the mountains and some crazy statues.

Normally there are 2-3 patrol members who go out in a team to walk or ride the pathways of the Verdugos and other mountains in Glendale but this day we had a bunch more patrol members as we had a press photoshoot for the kickoff of the patrols and they had us scurrying everywhere for shots.

After our glamour shots, it was off on an official patrol. We took the Brand Motorway up which led to some nice vistas on this non-marine layer day.

My patrol buddy was Dave, an accomplished outdoorsman, and we traded stories back and forth as we climbed to the Verdugo Motorway.

Once we got to the top of the Brand Motorway, we set up camp and met a lot of hikers and bikers. Of course, we talked to everyone along the way, not just the top because it is part of our job to be outgoing and friendly to everyone, which is not what you are used to if you hike solo a lot!

After chatting it up with some nice folk, giving directions, helping out, we hiked back down the mountain, but not without me taking some glamour shots of the mountains, the sky was so clear!

Overall the experience was about what I expected and I had fun doing it. I had been looking for ways to volunteer to give back to the outdoors which has given me so much over the last few years and this day got things off to a great start!

Check out this article about the TSP and some great action pics of yours truly!

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-0203-trail-safety-patrol-looking-for-volunteers-to-patrol-glendale-narrows-riverwalk-along-the-los-angeles,0,4201119.story