Sometime during the past few weeks I made up my mind to get Caleb some proper outdoor gear. He’s made it through two winters now in his bulky Columbia snow jacket, which served its purpose very well, but is too puffy for some applications. The jacket is waterproof and warm, which is great when playing/hiking outdoors in the snow, but overkill for any semi-warm to warm wet weather during the other three seasons. He had a rain jacket at some point but grew out of it. And about a year ago, when we were exploring New York City, we ducked into a store to buy him the only rain jacket available — an oversized pullover anorak.
I like being outdoors quite a bit (a lot, actually), but Caleb may actually like being outside more than I do. So, rather than force him to wear his winter jacket in wet spring weather, or his bulky (width-wise) anorak (I suppose he could also wear it over his backpack like a poncho…), I figured it was time to get him a proper shell for his torso, and perhaps a pair of rain pants as well.
I did a bit of research online as well and decided that the jacket should be more of a performance item (waterproof with as much breathability as possible) and figured he could live with semi-breathable rain pants to save a few bucks. Now comes the hard part… In looking at the various jacket options in-person, I found that as the sizes increased from the toddler range to the “boys” range, the girth noticeably expanded as well. This was a consistent feature in many of the jacket brands I checked out. (I’ll save my comments about childhood obesity, diabetes, exercise, quality of diet, television, parental responsibility, etc. for some other time…)
I managed to find two jacket brands that stayed slim as the size increased: The North Face, and Marmot. Since Caleb seems to grow a few inches in height every time I blink, I eyeballed the jackets for a size that I figured would carry him through two seasons (we did the same with his Columbia jacket, which was also on the trim side). Both jackets were quite nice but I settled on the Marmot for a few outdoorsy-geeky reasons (front pockets above the hip belt, double storm flap, lightweight and more flexible fabric) and because Marmot is an awesome company.
For pants I chose REI’s Cascade Pants, which have a waterproof, windproof, breathable material. They are also nice and trim and the pair I bought him may actually last him three seasons (the first two will require some cuffing, of course!).
So, head to toe, save gloves, Caleb is now water and wind-proof. For winter outings we’ll layer him up (just like we do) rather than encase him in a single puffy layer, and for the other three seasons we’ll do the same, with fewer layers, of course. I’m eager to get him out for longer hikes and have a few camping/hiking trips for he and I (+ Megan and Nadine for a few) planned between now and next winter.
Here’s a photo of Caleb in his new high-tec shells:
And what does any responsible outdoor-type person do as soon as they bring new gear home? They test it out of course! (Yes, I know I’m a dork but I’d rather find out something is not waterproof in my shower than 5 miles down a trail in pouring rain…)
This past weekend we spent a few days in the fantastic White Mountains of New Hampshire. Megan’s parents were along for the trip and even pulled babysitting duty one morning and afternoon so Megan and I could get a nice hike in together (check out a few videos…). We drove up early Friday morning and stayed through Sunday afternoon. I managed a hike just after the drive up, finally getting to the top of Mt. Avalon and the higher yet less-impressive Mt. Field. Megan and I hiked to the summits of Mt. Pierce and Mt. Eisenhower, and on the last day, everyone enjoyed an extended exploration of Elephant’s Head, the approach to Bugle Cliff, and had a nice and slippery walk around Saco Lake.
Click on the photo below to see all the images!
Here are two videos, both of Megan, from our trip to the White Mountains this past weekend.
The first is of Megan on the very windy and cold summit of Mt. Eisenhower. We think the temperature was around 10° F or so, and with the 40mph+ winds the wind chill was around -15° F (though we also think the wind was 45-50mph+). The hike from Mt. Pierce to Mt. Eisenhower (the second video) was entirely along an exposed ridge and subject to the same wind, but it seemed measurably worse on the final approach and top of Eisenhower. Otherwise the conditions were perfect — completely clear skies, and a view well worth the effort!
While mom and dad were traipsing about above the treeline, Caleb had some quality time down below with Grandma and Grandpa. Photos and more about our trip to come…
Megan and Caleb allowed me to capitalize on a conference I had to attend in New Hampshire with some solo winter hiking and camping in the days just prior. I had to be in Manchester all-day on Tuesday so I figured why not head up to Franconia Notch to climb a few mountains on Saturday, Sunday and Monday?
I am posting this here, even though Caleb was not along for the trip, because I think he and I will take many of these types of trips in the future. Plus, I think three days of solitude in the mountains is important for a Dad. I thought about he and Megan a lot and was able to spend time doing something I love. I can’t wait to have him join me on a future winter trip, and he and I are already planning some spring and summer outings.
The weather was phenomenal, in my book, ranging from about 0˚ to 28˚ F depending on the time of day, with an added wind chill of anywhere from 10˚ down to -25˚ F on the exposed portions of the mountain. I only experienced the extreme end of those temperatures on my last day of hiking (on the approach and also on the summit of Mt. Tom) and otherwise had very nice hiking weather.
The evening temperatures were a bit on the cold side as I chose not to buy a new winter sleeping bag and instead brought my light-weight 25˚ bag (which, I have decided after this trip, is clearly a 35-40˚ bag). I made up the difference, as the temperature was between 0˚ and 10˚ each night (inside the tent), with a liner and by sleeping fully clothed, minus my shells. That meant that on my legs I had two pairs of socks, mid-weight long underwear, and my insulation pants (synthetic fill, and quite warm). On my torso, I had a wicking shirt, a mid-weight top, and my insulation jacket (same fill as the pants). I also wore my gloves, my hat, my fleece face mask, and the first night, my wind stopper balaclava as well. I wised up the second night and added a fleece to my torso, a third pair of socks (a liner + two mid weight pairs) and created a foot warmer with a Sigg full of boiling water (nestled in a sock) for the bottom portion of my bag. I left off the second balaclava, cinched myself in, and was more comfortable on the second night, despite a temperature of roughly 10˚ lower. It all worked out just fine, BUT, in the future, I’m bringing a 0˚ bag or warmer, and saving myself a lot of trouble and hassle.
On to the hiking. As I was on my own, and lacking in some key equipment (hmmmm, like winter boots, crampons, and snowshoes), I decided to stick to moderate summit attempts. My trail running shoes (yes, waterproof, but absent any kind of insulation or real support) performed perfectly, as did my trusty MicroSpikes. In short, I stuck to peaks that had minimal alpine zones and kept things simple. By Monday afternoon, I had managed to summit Mt. Liberty, the north peak of Mt. Kinsman, and Mt. Tom.
If you want to see some of the photos and read more about the trip, click on the image below.
OK, I finally had some time to sit down and put text next to each image from our recent trip to Costa Rica. Click on the photo below to view the images and read more about our trip.
As a brief overview, we spent a week on the Pacific side of the country just north of a beautiful fishing village (Puerto San Juanillo). We were there for a wedding (Megan was the photographer) and spent most of our down-time relaxing (read: hammock time, pool time, beach time, etc.) and exploring a bit (a few hikes and two small outings (Tamarindo and a turtle boat tour). We had a wonderful time, and may possibly be in love with Costa Rica as a result of our time there. Now we just have to plan a trip so we can experience the rainy season…
Yes, we had a phenomenal time! A longer post will come in the next week or so, but in the meantime enjoy the few ‘teaser’ photos below, or check out all of the photos in this gallery.
Just a few photos from my hike in the Middlesex Fells Reservation yesterday. I did the Reservoir Loop Trail, which aside from the various dog excrement land mines, was very pleasant.
He coined the term (at least between he and I) of “microspiking,” or hiking while wearing MicroSpikes. Here are a few photos from our second Micro-spiking adventure…
…sleeping by the front door on a lazy winter workday…
I’m at home tending to one rather sick Caleb this morning so now is as good a time as any to post the resource to the right. If you click on the image (or here), a US Forest Service guide to hiking in the White Mountains will download (or display in your browser, if you have that capability). While the guide is geared specifically toward hiking and backpacking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the infomation is easily applicable to outdoor pursuits in almost any region.
In particular, I recommend that everyone read the following sections:
- Hiker Responsibility Code (pg. 2)
- Recommended clothing and equipment (pg. 2)
- Stepping Safely (pg. 3)
- Leave No Trace (pg. 8)
On item #2 above, I have one essential to add to the list of ten essentials, and two optional items to add, depending on the type of hike: 1) sunscreen, 2) an extra pair of socks, and 3) extra water.
1) I am a little surprised that sunscreen is not considered an essential, especially for the White Mountains. Exposure can creep up on you while you are hiking, and moreso if you are lucky enough to be hiking for extended periods above the treeline.
2) I recommend considering a second pair of socks if you anticipate that your first pair may get wet and uncomfortable while hiking. An extra pair adds little weight and bulk, but can be priceless if you accidentally get your feet wet miles away from the trailhead. I almost always carry an extra pair regardless of the season, but on winter hikes, my pack is never without a spare liner and winter sock replacement.
3) The single most important item in your pack, aside from a map and compass, perhaps, is plenty of water. That said, water is heavy, and I frequently battle with taking too much water and having to lug around the extra weight. On the upside, if you are hydrating properly, your pack will become lighter throughout the day as you transfer the water from bottle to your digestive system…
