Gear Page Update #1

I decided that I would inform you of my gear page updates as posts so that my readers will know when I make an update to that page. As I've stated on my My Gear page, I'm hoping to be able to show a picture or video of each product in use. This is basically a fun addition to my site, and I hope to continue filling up that page with links.

Today, I've added 3 videos to my gear page showing the use of Kahtoola Microspikes, the Keen Targhee II Mid hiking boots, and the REI OXT Tech Tee.

The Keen Targhee Mid II Hiking Boots are great. They are very lightweight and are waterproof. I have used these in spring, summer, and fall, and have also hiked in a few inches of snow with them. The waterproof capability of these boots is great; I can only recall a few times when I noticed my sock getting wet. The video below shows them put to use on the Rocky Branch Trail in October of 2010. The trail was basically a river, and while I successfully rock-hop the trail in this clip, you can see my boots are soaked and not slowing me down.



I got the Kahtoola MICROspikes for Christmas this year, and I can see what all the craze is about. These things are fantastic when it comes to climbing up an icy mountain. On New Year's Eve this year, I hiked Mt. Monadnock, using the spikes for the first time. The trails were packed out below, but the ice on the top of the mountain made it necessary for me to have these on. Right away, I could feel the power these things have. This video is a great example of the ability of Kahtoola's Microspikes.





The REI OXT Tech Tee comes with me on every single trip, whether its kayaking, hiking, or working outside. Its basically my first layer, unless I have my REI base layer on. In the video below, I am wearing it as I paddle with my brother down the Pow Wow River. Its comfortable and airy, and keeps me dry, and also dries quickly.



If you have not checked out my gear page, please do, as I already have some cool videos and pictures of me using my gear. I'm certainly open to any questions or comments anyone has on these products. Enjoy!

Mt. Tom - January 22, 2011

On Mt. Tom, near the summit

After hiking Mt. Tecumseh the day before, the plan for Saturday was to hike Mt. Tom, Field, and Willey. However, the hike from yesterday took a toll on each of us, and we did not wake up according to plan. That cut a few hours off, resulting in us only going for Mt. Tom when we reached Crawford Depot. Although we got a late start, we were apparently the first on the Avalon trail. The guys at the lodge registration said the trail was nicely packed out, but that wasn’t the case, not sure what they were thinking. There were no footprints or tracks leading to the trailhead from the parking lot either. We were packing the trail from the get-go making it harder. That was until the speedy regulars came out and passed us when we were about half way up, and as they did, they all thanked us for packing it out.

Mt. Tom is a pretty steep hike. Once you walk about 100 yards in from the depot station, it’s all uphill from there. The trail is very pretty, and I imagine it would be a great summer hike too. The trail passed over several snow bridges and small streams that were all frozen over. In some spots, there were steep banks where a slip on the snowshoe could send your left or right leg sliding towards the depths, so that was interesting. The powder was very deep, especially as we ascended higher.

Incredible view towards Mt. Field and beyond

All of the highlights on this hike came at the summit. However, I still want to share a couple of photos here that display how perfect of a day it was for a winter hike. One thing that made this a better hike, and another hiker coming down brought it to our attention, was how deep the snow was, especially on Mt. Tom. You can see that there is a lot of snow, but when we reached the summit, there was significantly more snow. He said the view was better than normal, and he seemed extremely excited about it, as he mentioned it and continued on. We continued on, and were pleased when we reached the summit.

Our friend that just appeared

The view was spectacular, it was the best, and the first view I've had out of my first 4 mountains. Just a short distance from the actual summit, we had views of Mt. Washington and the Presidentials. The best views were to the west, looking at the other mountains I will climb this year. A very pretty and friendly Gray Jay greeted us just after we reached the summit look out. It was absolutely hilarious how it happened because he was just right there all of sudden, like he was watching us congratulate each other, saying you fools or something. He was a fat guy, likely because he stalks every hiker for food. It's common, and we were also treated to that, and you can see it by viewing the video below.

Below, is the panoramic view from the summit. The blue sky, ice, and total whiteness was an amazing sight.

Me, Sean, and Bill on Mt. Tom, 4th 4K of the year. (2nd for Sean)

Be sure to check out the slideshow below for some more good pictures from this hike. To see them bigger, click on the slideshow to be taken to the album.

Hike Stats
Trails: Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur
Miles: 5.8
Elevation: 2150 ft