Archive for June, 2007
The FBI has alerted dive shops throughout the US to be on the lookout for suspicious people asking for SCUBA training. The specific request was that the dive shops be weary of people asking for advanced trainings on diving in murky water and/or sewage pipes. I have to hand it to the terrorists, they must be committed if they’re willing to swim in poop. The FBI says there have been no specific threats, that this is just a routine request.
So if you are a SCUBA instructor or work for a dive shop, keep your eyes peeled and your harpoon guns ready.
June 29th, 2007
I love me a pyramidal peak. A pyramidal peak is a peak that has been weathered by glacial ice and shaped into a point or protruding shape. The famous Matterhorn is a pyramidal peak. Another term used for this type of mountain is a horn. Although, “horn” is usually only used for the most dramatically pointed peaks. Usually very difficult to climb, they make a beautiful backdrop for landscapes.
Mount Wilbur - (9,321 ft - 2,841 m)
Mount Wilbur is a prominent peak located in the heart of Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. Plainly visible from the region of Many Glacier, the peak rises over 4,500 feet above Swiftcurrent Lake and is a steep pyramid on three sides. The west slopes of the peak join to ridges along the Continental Divide. Much of the climbing routes are rated at class 4 to 5, with some only used once. The sedimentary rock of the mountains makes for oftentimes poor anchoring points and enhances the difficulty.
June 28th, 2007
Below is the second installment of our Leki Trekking Pole gear test.
Leki Ultralite Ti Ergometric Poles - $109.95/pair
Specs
- Shaft - Aluminum
- 15.8 oz per pair
- Grip - Ergometric
- Automatic Comfort Strap
- Anodized Finish
- Performance Baskets included
- Adjusts from 62-150 cm
- Lifetime Warranty Against Shaft Breakage
- SLS Locking System
The Low Down
These poles were tested by Outdoorzy member “Elizabeth“. Here is what she had to say:
I am the kind of hiker that believes she can handle her pack for as many miles as it takes, so when I was approached to do review of the Leki Ultralite Ti Ergometric trekking poles I was skeptical. “Won’t these poles just get in my way,” I thought, but boy was I ever wrong!! This weekend I was able to backpack in Mammoth Cave National Park and these poles were a god-send!!
The poles fit my 5’0 frame great and my height always gives me a challenge with gear. If you have a short person in your life—check out these poles:)
At the beginning of our trek the Leki poles were very easy to adjust. Both upper and lower sections adjusted to 130 cm long and all I had to do was twist it to tighten and loosen them.
The ergonomic hand grips were so comfortable and I loved the adjustable wrist straps which kept my hands snuggly fitted to the grips. My only issue with the grips was by the end of the hike I needed to adjust my hands in order to avoid a blister between my thumb and first finger. It was not a problem as long as I placed my thumb on top of the handle.
The Ultralite poles live up to their name since they are SUPER light. I picked up my partner’s poles and I was very pleased to be testing my pair! The feather light poles make a big difference by the end of the day.
And speaking of the end of our day, the heavens opened and a flood descended upon us! I have never squeezed so much water out of my quick dry shirt in my life. The Leki Ultralie Ti Ergometric poles were essential in helping me to NOT break a leg; Because of the poles, I was able to keep up my pace as a gully of muddy rain water, 5 inches deep in places, rushed at my boots. The poles gave the extra energy, security, and edge I needed to finish our backpacking-drowning trip:)
I give the Leki Ultralite Ti Ergometric poles an A+ –perfect for a small framed women!
June 27th, 2007
Now that Outdoorzy is gaining some trail cred here in the outdoor industry we’re going to start providing the readers here at the blog with detailed gear tests from time to time. We have started searching for companies that will provide us gear to test here on the blog. The first company to step up is Leki.
I contacted Leki recently and they agreed to send us two sets of trekking poles to test for you guys. One set for a male backpacker, and one set for a female. The poles were put to the test in Mammoth Cave National Park in south central Ky. The trails are moderate with quite a bit of elevation gain and loss. It rained HEAVILY when we were testing these poles, so they got a real workout on the slick uphills.
Leki Super Makalu Ergometric AS - $139.95/pair
Specs
- Series - Mountain Trek
- Shaft Aluminum 3-section
- 21.7 oz. per pr.
- Strap Auto Comfort Strap
- Grip Ergometric
- Finish Anondized
- Baskets Performance Trek Basket
- Sizes Adjusts from 71-140cm
- Lifetime Warranty Against Shaft Breakage
- Carbide Flex Tip
- Interchangeable basket system
- LS Locking System
- SAS Antishock System
- Positive Angle Grip
The Low Down
I liked these poles quite a bit. My previous poles were Leki Makalu so I had high expectations. One key difference I notice in this series as opposed to my old poles is that the material on the grips has changed. My old poles were a rubbery type material and these poles have a foamy type material. I really like the new foamy material. I thought it might soak up my sweat and get slick or smelly, but neither happened. The sweat does soak up a bit into the grip, but not enough to cause a problem. The sweat seems to evaporate from the grip before becoming saturated.
The poles fit my 6′ 1″ frame well, and I didn’t have to extend them all the way. I had at least 20-30 more centimeters left to extend. The poles do come in a “long” size to accommodate taller people. The Super Makalu Ergometric AS were light too. They are aluminum poles, and the poles tested by our female tester were titanium. There was a noticeable difference in weight, but not enough to be an issue. The weight difference is only a few ounces. I liked the anti-shock on the poles, but didn’t feel them coil unless I really hammered down on them stepping up or down from rocks. The straps are adjustable, which is nice and the poles come with a clip that holds them together when traveling. A novelty Leki carabiner also comes with the poles. Leki provides a lifetime warranty against breakage, so you won’t have to worry about that. The final verdict on these poles is that they are a bit pricey if you are looking for your first set of trekking poles. But, if you are an avid backpacker, or you are considering some serious peak bagging and you want reliability and durability, you need to go with a pole you can trust. And these trekking poles are definitely in that category. Check out Hit The Trail, from our business directory, or Leki.com for more information on these great poles.
Tune in tomorrow when our female reviewer will review the Leki Ultralite Ti Ergometric poles.
June 26th, 2007
If flying half way around the world to load your gear on a camel and race through the desert sounds like an adventure you can’t live without then check this race out. Complete with ancient buildings, mountains, hiking, sea kayaking, rope work, orienteering, and even…. inline skating?? With its interesting variety of disciplines and the unique setting, this could be an epic race. Oh, and did we mention $200,000 in prizes, and only 30 teams can enter?
The Scoop:
- A 6-day expedition length adventure race, open to co-ed teams of 4.
- Race logistics is catered for by the Organization.
- A maximum of 30 international teams can participate in this first edition, registration is on a first come / first served basis.
- Prize purse of around 200 000 USD.
- Disciplines: Sea Kayak, orienteering, rope works, camel hiking , MTB, & inline skating. (Carpet riding has not been announced as of yet)
- Registration fee: 3500 Euros / team Includes: logistics & assistance at the race, Sea Kayak equipment, 2 hotel nights (B&B) prior to departure + 1 at the arrival, food at the bivouacs, dinner & prize giving ceremony.
Check their site as more information is added: Abu Dhabi Adventure
June 25th, 2007
If you haven’t read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, then do yourself a favor and go buy the book today. It is a great read for anyone who has ever dreamed of just dumping life and taking off on an adventure, not knowing where it will take you. The great news is that a film has been made based on the book. The trailer was recently released and I just caught my first glimpse today. I hope it lives up to the book, and from the trailer it seems like it could do just that.
The book is about a young man, Christopher McCandless, who comes from an upper middle-class family on the east coast. He decides he wants to do away with all his earthly possessions and take out on the road to discover the world. During his travels around the US, Mexico, and Canada. He gets into all sorts of tight situations and meets several people who try to help guide him along the way. It’s a story about a young man searching for who he is. And for those of us not brave enough, or crazy enough, to set out and do what he did, it’s a great way to live vicariously.
Go check out the Into the Wild trailer and see if it makes you want to go out and pick up the book.
June 22nd, 2007
Much is known of this mountains bigger brother, Rainier. And all of us know his little brothers, Mt Hood and Mt St Helens. But most people not from the Washington/Oregon area couldn’t tell you anything of Mt Adams. Lewis and Clark “discovered” it, but thought it was St Helens. It seems that all of Mt Adams neighbors have much more notoriety than him. This is a shame because Mt Adams is a beautiful volcano that dominates it’s landscape and contains some great climbing and great views. I climbed to the summit a few years back via the South Spur. This is considered a non-technical route, but you must have an ice axe and crampons and know how to use them in order to cross the glaciers. There are a few steep pitches so know your self arrest moves. A volcano pass is required by the National Forest services and special permission is required on many of the routes in the Yakima reservation. A fun way to descend the South Spur is to glissade back down the glacier to the lunch counter. The lunch counter is a relatively flat area used as a camp for many people.
Mount Adams (12,276 ft - 3,742 m)
From Wikipedia - Mount Adams is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and the second-highest mountain in the state of Washington, USA. Adams is a member in the Cascade Volcanic Belt and is located in a remote wilderness approximately 35 miles (56 km) east of Mount St. Helens. The Mount Adams Wilderness comprises the upper and western part of the volcano’s cone. The eastern side of the mountain is part of the Yakama Nation.
Air travelers flying the busy routes above the area sometimes confuse Mt. Adams with nearby Mt. Rainier, which has a similar flat-topped shape. Adams’ asymmetrical and broad body rises a mile and a half (2.4 km) above the Cascade crest and its nearly flat summit looks as if the volcano was decapitated (which it in fact has not been). The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the west flank of the mountain.
June 21st, 2007
Australian adventurer Mark Scholinz is attempting to solo hike the 3,000 km length of the Great Wall of China, from Jiayuguan to Shanhaiguan. The hike is expected to take 6 months. Regular posts, photos, and video, will be posted on his website, www.greatwalltrek.info. Along the way he’ll be raising money for communities in the developing world. You can donate to Oxfam through his site.
Scholinz has already passed the 1,000 km mark after starting the walk in March at the western end of the Ming Dynasty section of the Great Wall. He plans to finish his hike through desert, mountain ranges, and farmland in August. Mark is being tracked by GPS as well, so you can follow along with his position on the site as well.
Good idea for an adventure Mark, and a great cause too!
June 20th, 2007
I’m rarely impressed by corporate America these days….. very rarely. But I have to give a shout out to Montrail. I bought a pair of Montrail Gore-Tex XCR’s last October. They fit like a glove, are water proof, have a grippy tread, etc. Good all around shoe for hiking, trail running, adventure racing, and just kickin it. However, the plastic grommets slowly ripped out of the tops. This is the top grommet where the lace comes through by the ankle. I was disappointed every time I would lace the shoe up and hear that creak when I cinched down on the laces. Well after the third one ripped out I decided I was going to do something about it… or try anyway. So, I emailed Montrail about it.
They told me to send the shoes to them and they would see if it was covered under the “defect” clause and let me know. Here I am 3 weeks later with a brand new pair of the same shoes. We’ll see if these hold up, but the bottom line is that Montrail replaced the shoes with no questions asked. They came through on their promise and didn’t make me go through a bunch of red tape BS to get my shoes back.
This is the 3rd pair of Montrails I’ve owned, and they won’t be my last.
June 19th, 2007
We all know global warming is a big issue these days. We have to make significant changes, and do it fast, if we want to salvage certain things. One of those things is the sport of skiiing. It is predicted that by 2020 snow line may be 300 feet higher, which will present a huge issue for resorts all over the world. CBS4 in Denver reported yesterday, however, that Colorado may not have as rough of a time with global warming as
many other places. They interviewed Robert Henson, who works at the Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. He said that the altitude of most of Colorado’s ski resorts may help it survive longer.
Let’s hope that is true. The resorts in Colorado are a natural resource we all need to consider precious. So, keep voting for environmentally responsible legislators, recycling, reducing, and reusing, and let’s keep these resorts safe. It may be too late for some resorts at lower altitudes.
June 18th, 2007
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