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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
OUR GEAR PICKS FOR SUMMER
Marie's picks:
- Kayland Apex rock mountaineering boot; After 10 years with Meindl,(which I still have), I decided to try a lighter hiking boot, versatile, rigid but comfortable. Kayland delivered on all the above. So far, it has thumbs up for me.
- Thermarest NeoAir mattress - I cannot remember last time I had a 'great' sleep outdoors, unless I collapsed from being exhausted after a long hike and could basically sleep anywhere. Well, we splurged this year and each got "the world's most advanced engineering in ultralight comfort" from Thermarest. It is worth the price - the matt inflates to a good 2 inches thick, the large one weights 1 pound 3 ounces, and packs down to the size of a 1 litre bottle - it is SO comfortable, I couldn't go back to a regular air matt now. It is also the winner of many outdoor awards, and we can definitely see why. If you do any type of overnight backpacks, or any other types of overnight outdoor trips, you will love this mattress.
Outbound Acapulco beach chair - this mesh chair is amazing, not to take on backpacking trips (a bit too heavy) but with friends by a campfire, or at the beach - it is very comfortable because it has arm rests and the frame is steel so more durable.
Mountain Hardware Butter topper - this is a winner for me. I'm always cold, so this piece of gear for me is awesome. Lightweight, wicking, fast drying stretch fabric with a hoody, extremely soft - I've been wearing them (I have one in every colour...)all fall, winter and spring, even this summer on colder nights. I do not leave home on trips without bringing one.
Deuter Futura Pro 34 SL - Deuter has figured out that women need a pack to fit a woman's body. What a difference, this pack felt so good on even before I adjusted all the straps. Their pack colours are great too (not that fashion is that important in the middle of nowhere - but it is nice to have such great selection). We have a special on with women's backpack: buy a women's fit SL pack from Deuter and receive a free gift (pack rain cover, or fanny pack). You can see my pack on one of the pictures below these posts.
Mike's Picks
Tecnica cross training shoes - Tecnica has produced a new style of cross trainer built with a rolling sole so as to transfer your energy more efficiently when you are running. These shoes were built for trail running but can easily be used for the road as I do. They are also a great choice for those of you who have to stand or do a lot of walking at your job. This is the best pair of shoes of this type that I have ever bought, the cushioning in the sole and insole are to die for. Once you try a pair on you wont take them off.
Buff - What is a Buff, no you are not hiking naked, maybe that guy I saw a number of years ago hiking in the buff got it wrong, and there were many mosquitos, ouch. A buff basically is a tube of micro-fibre designed to fit over your head in many different ways to transfer perspiration away from your skin and to quickly evaporate. It can also be worn under a helmet or by itself for extra warmth in those colder days. It has now become an essential part of my pack list when I go out. For those of you who watch survivor this is where the Buff became famous as that is what all the participants are wearing.
Suunto Vector wristop computer - I am really excited about this one, it has been many years since I have had an altimeter watch, and so far I am very excited about the new Suunto. We have just received them in the store and after only two weeks of owning mine I am very impressed. This watch has a compass, barometer, stop watch, altimeter with log features and a few more options, plus it is water resistant to 30M. The settings are easy to adjust and simple to use.
- Kayland Apex rock mountaineering boot; After 10 years with Meindl,(which I still have), I decided to try a lighter hiking boot, versatile, rigid but comfortable. Kayland delivered on all the above. So far, it has thumbs up for me.
- Thermarest NeoAir mattress - I cannot remember last time I had a 'great' sleep outdoors, unless I collapsed from being exhausted after a long hike and could basically sleep anywhere. Well, we splurged this year and each got "the world's most advanced engineering in ultralight comfort" from Thermarest. It is worth the price - the matt inflates to a good 2 inches thick, the large one weights 1 pound 3 ounces, and packs down to the size of a 1 litre bottle - it is SO comfortable, I couldn't go back to a regular air matt now. It is also the winner of many outdoor awards, and we can definitely see why. If you do any type of overnight backpacks, or any other types of overnight outdoor trips, you will love this mattress.
Outbound Acapulco beach chair - this mesh chair is amazing, not to take on backpacking trips (a bit too heavy) but with friends by a campfire, or at the beach - it is very comfortable because it has arm rests and the frame is steel so more durable.
Mountain Hardware Butter topper - this is a winner for me. I'm always cold, so this piece of gear for me is awesome. Lightweight, wicking, fast drying stretch fabric with a hoody, extremely soft - I've been wearing them (I have one in every colour...)all fall, winter and spring, even this summer on colder nights. I do not leave home on trips without bringing one.
Deuter Futura Pro 34 SL - Deuter has figured out that women need a pack to fit a woman's body. What a difference, this pack felt so good on even before I adjusted all the straps. Their pack colours are great too (not that fashion is that important in the middle of nowhere - but it is nice to have such great selection). We have a special on with women's backpack: buy a women's fit SL pack from Deuter and receive a free gift (pack rain cover, or fanny pack). You can see my pack on one of the pictures below these posts.
Mike's Picks
Tecnica cross training shoes - Tecnica has produced a new style of cross trainer built with a rolling sole so as to transfer your energy more efficiently when you are running. These shoes were built for trail running but can easily be used for the road as I do. They are also a great choice for those of you who have to stand or do a lot of walking at your job. This is the best pair of shoes of this type that I have ever bought, the cushioning in the sole and insole are to die for. Once you try a pair on you wont take them off.
Buff - What is a Buff, no you are not hiking naked, maybe that guy I saw a number of years ago hiking in the buff got it wrong, and there were many mosquitos, ouch. A buff basically is a tube of micro-fibre designed to fit over your head in many different ways to transfer perspiration away from your skin and to quickly evaporate. It can also be worn under a helmet or by itself for extra warmth in those colder days. It has now become an essential part of my pack list when I go out. For those of you who watch survivor this is where the Buff became famous as that is what all the participants are wearing.
Suunto Vector wristop computer - I am really excited about this one, it has been many years since I have had an altimeter watch, and so far I am very excited about the new Suunto. We have just received them in the store and after only two weeks of owning mine I am very impressed. This watch has a compass, barometer, stop watch, altimeter with log features and a few more options, plus it is water resistant to 30M. The settings are easy to adjust and simple to use.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
WRAGGE BEACH PADDLE, SLOCAN LAKE
July 3/4
Our first overnight paddle since moving to Nakusp 2 years ago. Our friends Jodee, Don, Wayne, Mona and kids Zoe and Maia and dog Jewel were camping for the weekend, so after closing Little Mountain on Saturday, we decided to paddle over from Hills to join them.
Again, under questionable skies but warm enough, we had an incredible paddle across Slocan Lake. We launched the kayaks around 7pm, and arrived at the beach 45 minutes later, so a very easy paddle.
They had chosen a beautiful site, and luckily, we didn't get any rain over night. THe rain came in the morning so we packed up earlier than we wanted and paddled back to Hills.
The site although busy felt remote, it's very well maintained and clean. It is accessible by vehicle, however it was fun to just have a quick paddle across. Our kayaks were so loaded for only one night - we still can't believe we were able to pack so much, including a coleman stove and my great beach chair from Outbound that goes everywhere I go now.
I just got my kayak this year, a beautiful Riot Brittany and so far it's been great. We've only done a few quick trips, a few hours here and there and at sunset. We're hoping to do a longer paddle overnight soon, stay tuned. If you're interested, you can join us.
We also recommend the Chamber website where a set of paddling maps are available for downloads. They are amazing and well done, lots of detail with all the coordinates to find the proper beaches, point of interests, etc... (www.nakusparrowlakes.com) if you're traveling and don't have access to a printer, we sell them at the store (to cover our printing cost only).
Happy paddling, it is spectacular to paddle here.
Our first overnight paddle since moving to Nakusp 2 years ago. Our friends Jodee, Don, Wayne, Mona and kids Zoe and Maia and dog Jewel were camping for the weekend, so after closing Little Mountain on Saturday, we decided to paddle over from Hills to join them.
Again, under questionable skies but warm enough, we had an incredible paddle across Slocan Lake. We launched the kayaks around 7pm, and arrived at the beach 45 minutes later, so a very easy paddle.
They had chosen a beautiful site, and luckily, we didn't get any rain over night. THe rain came in the morning so we packed up earlier than we wanted and paddled back to Hills.
The site although busy felt remote, it's very well maintained and clean. It is accessible by vehicle, however it was fun to just have a quick paddle across. Our kayaks were so loaded for only one night - we still can't believe we were able to pack so much, including a coleman stove and my great beach chair from Outbound that goes everywhere I go now.
I just got my kayak this year, a beautiful Riot Brittany and so far it's been great. We've only done a few quick trips, a few hours here and there and at sunset. We're hoping to do a longer paddle overnight soon, stay tuned. If you're interested, you can join us.
We also recommend the Chamber website where a set of paddling maps are available for downloads. They are amazing and well done, lots of detail with all the coordinates to find the proper beaches, point of interests, etc... (www.nakusparrowlakes.com) if you're traveling and don't have access to a printer, we sell them at the store (to cover our printing cost only).
Happy paddling, it is spectacular to paddle here.
WILSON LAKE FALLS
Mid June -
On a somewhat rainy afternoon, friends, Mike and I decided to drive to Rosebery for a quick hike to the falls and continue afterwards to the Wild Rose for dinner. This is a very easy hike, we had 2 kids with us ages 8 and 5 and they had no problem there and back. It's very beautiful, in the lush forest and at the end, the waterfall is spectacular, a lot bigger than I expected. The kids had fun walking on the logs, we hiked up a little bit above the fall - a bit slick with muddy areas but it was nice to be so close and feel the mist on our faces.
Finishing with a great Mexican dinner and a most excellent marguerita at the Wild Rose to celebrate our friend Don's birthday was the perfect closing for another amazing day.
Highly recommend as an easy hike, beautiful and well worth the short hike to get there.
SADDLE MOUNTAIN
Sunday, July 11, 2010
After moving here 2 years ago, we finally did the Saddle Mountain Lookout trail hike. WOW! WOW! WOW! What an amazing trail. Under somewhat questionable weather conditions, (sunny/menacing clouds, possibility of thunderstorms), we decided to go for it. The drive was easy, with a four wheel drive, definitely easy climb to the trail head. We started the hike at 1:45pm, and took 2 1/4 hours to the top. The views are spectacular ~ and aside from one small area that was steep with a bit of snow left, we had no difficulty on the trail (I was very glad to be hiking in my new Kayland Apex Rock - what an incredible boot!) - it is well marked, just one area with a bit of overgrown brush, whoever has been looking after maintaining this trail is doing an awesome job!
However, if you are afraid of heights, you may have trouble going all the way to the top; the trail is very narrow, steep, and you have to navigate your way through the rocks but the prize is the views. And the lookout is still there, we walked around for a while, it was really windy and definitely we needed our fleece jackets.
We highly recommend this hike! I would NOT take a dog, the rocks are not that stable and could be slippery and hazardous. And on a hot day, the rocks are really hot and it could hurt the dogs paws. Plus there is some really nice wild flowers, so better leave the pooch home on this one.
Let us know if you've done it. We may have to go back, we wanted to do the second peak but it was getting late.
Happy trails!
And as always, Be safe, and respect wildlife and nature!
UPCOMING HIKES
Little Mountain has been asked to let others know of upcoming hikes that Mike and I (Marie) plan to do. we will post upcoming hikes if you'd like to join us. This is for those who would like to hike but have no one to go with, so let us know if you'd like to come. You must be a medium to advance hiker, have all your safety gear and proper attire for hiking. Little Mountain takes no responsibility, this is simply to accomodate those who want other people to go hiking with. Email us if you are interested.
Next hike: Sunday, August 1st - Alps Alturas
Departure time to be determined.
Next hike: Sunday, August 1st - Alps Alturas
Departure time to be determined.
September long weekend (Saturday and Sunday) - we're going back to Alps Alturas (hopefully under sunny skies) for an overnight trip. You must have all your own equipment (tent/sleeping bag/cooking unit etc...) - let us know if you're interested. we want to explore a bit more of the area on day 2.
GRAND RE-OPENING
Little Mountain Outdoor Gear, in Nakusp, B.C. has expanded ~ we are still on the main street, (Broadway), but now have 1100 sqf of retail space.
We have a large inventory of outdoor apparel, casual fashion, footwear, tents, backpacks, equipment, accessories and more.
Brands like: Mountain Hardware, Sierra Design, Deuter Backpacks, Billabong, Fox Racing, Orb, Arson, Keen, Merrell, Tevas, and more. Camping equipment from Mountain Hardware, Outbound, MSR, and more.
Come visit our new store - if we don't have it in stock, we'll order it. Visit our website at www.littlemountainoutdoorgear.com for more information.
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