Screen Name Required

Archive for 'December 2011'

Be a Citizen Scientist: Join a Bird Count This Winter

I'm no serious birder. I don't own a spotting scope or a camera with a foot-long lens. Nor am I a "life lister" as depicted in The Big Year, a recent comedy about competitive birdwatching. But I do love seeing birds while I'm out hiking in the mountains, walking on the beach or hanging out in the backyard. I also enjoy taking their photos with my point-and-shoot camera, even if the pictures are less than coffee-table-book worthy. I've come across some cool birds while out on the trail this ...

Posted by Julie in Seattle on December 19, 2011 12:42 PM & Tagged Hiking, bird count, birdwatching and stewardship | permalink | Comments



Life Lessons: What Yosemite Taught One REI Top Guide

Here is someone whose passion for outdoor places spills from her pores. To say she belongs in Yosemite is an understatement. To say Yosemite belongs in her becomes evident when she so much as looks out to the valley below. Meet Karen. Her love for this park manifests itself in her career: guiding for REI Adventures. She is enthusiastic about teaching visitors everything she knows of Yosemite. She is also passionate about opening her mind, heart, and spirit to the life lessons Yosemite can teach ...

Posted by Liz Bee on December 16, 2011 1:20 PM & Tagged REI Adventures, Travel, Yosemite and national parks | permalink | Comments



No More Icy Fingers: Warm Tips from the Wilderness Medicine Institute

Do your fingers and toes easily get cold? You may be experiencing Raynaud's Phenomenon. As an instructor at the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS, I share my friend Abby's story and tips on how you can avoid it happening to you. Abby and I were dayhiking in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon, headed up to see Multnomah Falls. The walking was easy, the day was clear and beautiful, and we were having a grand time immersing ourselves in the lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest. We stopped at ...

Posted by Hovey WMI on December 15, 2011 2:30 PM & Tagged NOLS, Raynaud's Phenomenon, WMI and layering | permalink | Comments



Smartphones in the Outdoors: Do They Belong?

Last month, professional climber Tommy Caldwell posted to Facebook, "Feels crazy up here with this 40 mph up draft tonight. I hope it blows me right up this pitch …" By "up here," Caldwell meant his hanging camp located over 1,000 ft. up the side of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Caldwell was attempting to free climb what will likely be the hardest route on El Capitan if it is completed, and he provided live updates along the way with his iPhone. The New York Times recently ...

Posted by Joe P. on December 15, 2011 2:08 PM & Tagged Climbing, Tommy Caldwell, Yosemite, facebook and iPhone | permalink | Comments



Outdoor Stocking Stuffers: Tiny Gifts with Big Appeal

Good things really do come in small packages. If you've got stockings set aside for outdoor-minded people, here are some worthwhile, small-scale stuffers (under 8 ounces, less than 10 inches) likely to be a good fit: ITSY-BITSY BACKPACKING STOVES The Soto OD-1R Micro Regulator stove ($69.95) sits lightly (just 2.6 ounces) atop a fuel canister, maintains a steady flow fuel in varying conditions (including chilly weather) and even includes a piezo igniter. As of this writing, it has attracted 49 ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on December 14, 2011 5:05 PM & Tagged Climbing, Cycling, camping, gifts, lights and stoves | permalink | Comments