There’s nothing like pulling your pants down to take a quick pee in the woods. It’s liberating, yet at the same time I’m constantly checking to make sure no woodland creature comes and takes a nip at my bum. Or my husband isn’t around the corner trying to catch me with my pants down. But…
Category: Hiking
Hike the Honeycomb Cliffs
The Honeycombs Cliffs are a popular spot for backcountry skiers to find fresh lines when the resorts are tracked out. The cliffs tower over the boundary line between Solitude and Brighton ski resorts, and make a great summer destination as well. The high altitude starting point translates to moderate temperatures; when the valley is still…
Brooks-Range Ultralite Solo Tarp review
Ultralight gear for backpackers comes in all forms. There’s titanium cookware, weightless tents, and even people cutting the handles off toothbrushes. Tarps, on the other hand, aren’t a very sexy item to fret over, yet it’s a piece of gear that is essential to anyone carrying a featherweight pack into remote areas. The Ultralite Solo…
Hiking Deseret Peak
So you want to bag a big peak, but the crowds in Big and Little Cottonwood are just too much. Or perhaps you want to get above 11,000′ but aren’t quite ready for the Class 3-4 scrambles that many Utah mountains require. What if I told you that there was a gorgeous summit just 50…
Brooks-Range Ultralite Alpini Bivy Sack review
When it comes to backpacking, some people are obsessive-compulsive about lightweight gear. Others (like me) don’t mind bending under the weight of a heavier pack for a more comfortable experience in the mountains. A lot of progress has been made in an effort to make outdoor gear both lightweight and comfortable. But when the choice between tents and…
Hidden Lake revealed in the Uinta Mountains
The dilemma: you want to backpack somewhere close to home in a beautiful mountain setting, and have the place to yourself. Sounds like just the kind of tall order that most hikers dream up every weekend. The answer: Hidden Lake in the western Uintas. This serene alpine lake delivers on all three of those demands…
Lower Calf Creek Falls closed for construction
One of the most iconic landscapes of desert paradise in Utah will be off limits to the public for a month due to construction. The Calf Creek Recreation Area, located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, will close on July 6th for approximately 30 days. This closure will affect access to the popular Lower Calf Creek…
SteriPEN Adventurer Opti review
On long backpack trips, clean drinking water is vital. Nobody wants to carry heavy water from home in the pack, but water from streams and lakes can be infected with microscopic bacteria that will ruin the trip (and make you dig a bunch of holes in the woods.) There are several options available for filtering…
Hike to White Pine Lake in Little Cottonwood
White Pine Lake is a beautiful reservoir high in White Pine Canyon, nestled in an alpine cirque at 10,000 feet where the water is held back by a small dam. The lake is the main draw here for hikers in the summer months, and for good reason. The clear, blue water, surrounded by an amphitheater…
Hike Mount Raymond
Mount Raymond is a classic Wasatch Mountain hike; the pyramid-shaped summit can be viewed from many points both in the Salt Lake Valley and from high in the Cottonwood Canyons. Rising to 10,241 feet, Raymond’s peak is a lofty perch that provides spectacular views of the surrounding summits. The best part about it? All that…