An Unmapped Route: A Hiker's Blog

Category: Gear

  • Emergency Beacon Angst

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    In my preparation for hiking some bushwacks in the mountains, I knew I would have to pull the trigger and purchase an emergency beacon. Deciding which one I needed was another story. Hiking in the mountains means spotty cell coverage. For years I had been hiking in the mountains of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.…

    Written by

    snowpackjack
    A hiker standing on a helicopter pad on top of a mountain. his back is to the camera. he is looking at a cell phone communications tower that has been destroyed and is bent and collapsed.

  • New England’s Scourge

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    Beneath the snow, they lie sleeping. Soon they’ll emerge again to wreak havoc on unsuspecting hikers.

    Written by

    snowpackjack
    tall stalks of golden grass reach towardsa blue sky

  • Approaching Zero

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    In the late summer of 2020, A friend and I hiked the Carter- Moriah range in the White Mountains. It was a sweltering hot week, and my first summer using zero drop shoes. I had purchased a pair of Lone Peak Altras, not because of the zero drop feature but due to the very lightweight…

    Written by

    snowpackjack

  • My Favorite Shoes

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    I was presented with a subject prompt last week. “What are your favorite shoes?” I had to think long and hard on this. As a hiker, shoes can become an obsession. I’m a minimalist, and don’t buy more than I need. I have winter boots, summer trail runners, a few pairs of mids that can…

    Written by

    snowpackjack