Articles (2020)

Gear Guide: Ultralight Inflatable Pillows

Neck problems? Back problems? An ultralight inflatable pillow may be an ideal solution, but don’t dive in head first. Read this first to see which ultralight pillows are the best.

Updates

October 7, 2014: Mont-Bell UL Comfort System Pillow and Klymit X-Pillow added to spec table and ratings section. Thanks to both John Klinepeter and Rick Sutton for contributing data and feedback about these two pillows.

Apriil 2, 2015: Big Sky DreamSleeper Deluxe Pillow added to spec table and ratings section. Thanks to Rex Sanders for contributing data and feedback about these two pillows.

Introduction

This gear guide presents an introduction to the market of “ultralight inflatable pillows” for backpacking.

The criteria for a pillow’s inclusion into this gear guide is purely arbitrary: the weight of the pillow must be less than 4 ounces. This reveals a manufacturer’s intention to make a pillow that is light enough where its weight is a design feature, and not an afterthought.

Not included in this gear guide is a comprehensive assortment of the so-called disposable hospital-style inflatable pillows, like the FlexAir Pillow manufactured by Graham Medical. However, the latter has been included in the specifications table as a frame of reference.

Design Features

Mechanism of Support

All pillows in this Gear Guide are inflatable – similar to an inflatable air mattress – and so their primary mechanism of support is, of course, air. It is worth noting that “support” (defined here as the ability to stabilize one’s head both vertically (i.e., hold the weight of the head) and laterally (i.e., keep the head in one spot rather than have it wobbling around across the surface of the pillow). This latter type of support is affected by the pillow’s thickness (thicker pillows make for a wobblier surface), size (larger pillows tend to be more stable), shape and contouring (pillows with internal beams, outer surface ridges/valleys, or other shaping are more stable), and the presence of fibrous fill material (enough fill will improve stability).

Shape

The conventional pillow shape is rectangular, of course. Many of the pillows in this Gear Guide are some shape other than rectangular. They may be oval, trapezoidal, or contoured in a way that cradles the head and neck more comfortably (or at least, this is what the manufacturer might be led to believe). Shape is not meant to be categorized in this gear guide. Instead, you can have a look at the photos and make your own judgments about what shape you think is best.

Size

Smaller pillows are lighter, and tend to squirt out from under your head when you move around at night. Larger pillows are more stable, and are more likely to stay in place. There is a tipping point to pillow size, and it’s different for everyone, and is governed by their sleeping styles (stomach, back, or side), how much they move around at night, and their tolerance for keeping their big heads on small targets during the night!

Thin pillows are best for stomach sleepers. Thick pillows are best for some side sleepers (those who sleep with arms at their sides), but don’t work well for side sleepers who sleep with their head cradled in their lower arm. Back sleepers may find that something in between “thin” and “thick” is best.

Elevation Contouring / Cradling

If you welded two flat pieces of fabric together and inflated it, you’d end up with a pillow where two apexes existed – one on the bottom (where the pillow lays on your sleeping pad), and one on the top (where you lay your head). These types of pillows (like the FlexAir Pillows) are uncomfortable and wobbly. Pillows that offer some contouring that (a) allow the pillow to lay flat, and (b) allow your head to be cradled on the pillow without sliding around are beneficial.

Weight

The lightest pillows are small in size, thin, made with the lightest fabrics, and offer the least amount of contouring. As with any piece of gear, there’s always a tradeoff – small pillows may not be as stable or supportive; thin pillows may not be good for back or stomach sleepers; light fabrics may not be so durable; pillows without contouring make for a wobbly sleeping experience.

Fill

All pillows in this Gear Guide are inflatable – air is used as the primary “fill” for both warmth and support. Some inflatable pillows also contain fiber fill, include a fibrous fill material for additional warmth, and (perhaps) comfort.

In addition, fiber fill or down “pillow cases” are available to slide over an inflatable pillow to provide a comfortable “pillowtop” effect (e.g., Cascade Designs Down Pillow, Goosefeet Down Pillow).

Fabrics

Fabrics range from sticky nylons to brushed polyesters, but for the lightweight backpacker who is intentional about using every bit of gear to its maximum advantage, the discussion is almost irrelevant – just grab an extra shirt, fleece top, or even a neck gaiter and use it as a pillow case. On cold nights, you might be wearing a hat or balaclava anyways, so the pillow’s fabric may not be so noticeable.

The Pillows

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Ultralight Inflatable Pillows. Row 1 (L to R): Cocoon Hyperlite, Graham Medical FlexAir, Big Agnes Clearview; Row 2 (L to R): Cascade Designs NeoAir, Sea to Summit Aeros Premium, Quechua Inflatable Pillow; Row 3 (L to R): Exped Air Pillow, Exped Air Pillow UL, REI Flash Air Pillow; Row 4 (L to R): Big Agnes Q-Core SL, Big Agnes Insulated Air Core, Big Agnes Camp Pillow.

Durability

The million dollar question regarding any inflatable, whether a pillow, a pad, or a packraft, is whether or not it will be resistant to leaks.

In my experience with inflatables, two things I know to be undeniably true.

First, everything will spring a leak at some point. The reason for a leaky “new product” resulting from a manufacturing defect is most often a poorly-welded seam. These leaks spring sooner rather than later in a product’s life cycle. I’ve experienced leaky pads and pillows from every manufacturer in this review, and I’ve done my best to research the experience of others. Frankly, leaks seem to be randomized, prevalent amongst all makers, and simply a part of the risk you accept by taking an ultralight inflatable into a hostile outdoor environment.

Second, learning to fix leaks goes much farther in fostering a positive backcountry experience than getting ticked off at the manufacturer that sold you a leaky product.

All this stuff is made in China. Learn to deal with the leaks and become a good patcher.

Gear Guide: Specification Table

Brand Model Inflatable? Other Fill? Weight (oz) Size (in)
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium Size R Yes Yes 2.8 14 x 10 5
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium Size L Yes Yes 3.7 16.5 x 11.5 x 5.5
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow Size R Yes No 2.0 14 x 10 x 5
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow Size L Yes No 2.5 16.5 x 11.5 x 5.5
Exped Air Pillow Size XL Yes No 3.9 20.5 x 13.4 x 5.1
Exped Air Pillow Size L Yes No 3.5 18.1 x 11.8 x 4.7
Exped Air Pillow Size M Yes No 3.0 15 x 10.6 x 4.3
Exped Air Pillow UL Size L Yes No 1.6 18.1 x 11.8 x 4.7
Exped Air Pillow UL Size M Yes No 2.0 15 x 10.6 x 4.3
Cocoon Hyperlite Pillow Yes Yes 2.4 13 x 17
REI Flash Air Pillow Yes No 2.6 12 x 9
Big Agnes Clearview Air Pillow Yes No 3.0 12 x 16 x 2
Big Agnes Q-Core SL Pillow Yes No 3.0 12 x 16 x 3
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Pillow Yes Yes 4.0 12 x 16 x 3.5
Big Agnes Camp Pillow Yes No 3.0 12 x 16 x 3.5
Cascade Designs NeoAir Pillow Size S Yes No 1.9 11 x 9 x 2.5
Cascade Designs NeoAir Pillow Size M Yes No 3.1 15 x 11 x 2.5
Quechua Inflatable Pillow Yes No 2.9 14.5 x 10.6 x 3.9
Mont-Bell UL Comfort System Pillow Yes No 2.4 10.6 x 18.5 x 3.9
Klymit X-Pillow Yes No 2.1 15 x 11 x 4
Graham Medical FlexAir Pillow Size L Yes No 0.9 19 x 12.5
Graham Medical FlexAir Pillow Size S Yes No 0.6 14 x 10
Big Sky DreamSleeper Deluxe Yes No 1.4 20 x 12 x 4

Pillow Ratings

See here to review our rating system.

Exped Air Pillow UL – Highly Recommended

The lighter-fabric version of the Exped Air Pillow. Highly Recommended rating is awarded for the size and functionality packed into its ultralight weight. Good choice for back and side sleepers.

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium – Highly Recommended

A brushed surface, polyester fill pillowtop, and contouring for a decent head cradle makes this one a winner. Highly Recommended rating is given for its feature:weight ratio. This is the luxury choice of the whole bunch. Enough thickness for most side sleepers.

Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight – Recommended

Simple, light, and contoured enough. Another decent choice for side sleepers.

Exped Air Pillow – Recommended

Heavier than it needs to be now that there’s an ultralight version, but well-respected for its long term durability (owing perhaps to an edge in manufacturing quality?). Seems to be comfortable for most, whether you sleep on your side or back.

Cascade Designs NeoAir Pillow – Recommended

Soft, simple, stable, and light in its smallest version. It’s a thin pillow, so may be a good choice for stomach sleepers and back sleepers who snore with thicker pillows, and side sleepers who like a little more padding when they lay across their lower arm. If you want a tiny pillow, this is a good one.

Mont-Bell UL Comfort System Pillow – Recommended

“Systems” integration allows the pillow to attach to a Mont-Bell pad, but subtle baffles don’t cradle the neck quite as well as the Exped UL Air Pillow. Impressive reports of long term durability from users of this one. Author, however, has no personal experience with it.

Klymit X-Pillow – Recommended

I finally had the chance to sleep with one of these. An interesting design pretends to be novel but doesn’t keep your head in place any more than the Exped UL Air Pillow or the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium – which cradle the head a little more comfortably (since the head isn’t lying in a single “point” of depression). Specs say the pillow is about 3.5 inches thick, which in theory should be OK for side sleeping, but I found other pillows with the same thickness spec, and thicker pillows, more comfortable when on my side. Light weight is this pillow’s greatest asset – and its X-Design perhaps its greatest flaw, for being a little wobbly and unstable.

Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Pillow – Above Average

Contouring design of top surface doesn’t cradle the head as well so isn’t as comfortable as Exped’s pillows, but polyester fill insulation increases its warmth noticeably over pillows filled only with air during cold winter nights. Just thick enough for some side sleepers.

REI Flash Air Pillow – Average

One of the smaller pillows in this Gear Guide – too small, in fact, not to have to fiddle with it a lot at night, and doesn’t cradle as well as larger and similarly contoured pillows from Exped.

Big Agnes Clearview – Average

A sticky, uncomfortable fabric that’s not so pleasing next to skin combined with pronounced “tube” contouring makes this one’s comfort a bit questionable for many who try it. Too thin for side sleepers, and stomach sleepers weren’t huge fans of their cheeks sticking to the pillow fabric.

Big Agnes Q-Core SL – Average

Contouring design of top surface doesn’t cradle the head as well so isn’t as comfortable as Exped’s pillows. Otherwise, there is little to distinguish this one in the market. Too thick for stomach sleepers, too thin for side sleepers.

Big Agnes Camp Pillow – Average

An entirely unremarkable version of the Q-Core SL. The only meaningful difference is that this one is a half inch thicker, so it’s an OK choice for some side sleepers.

Quechua Inflatable Pillow – Average

The contouring results in a square depression in the middle of the pillow’s top surface that’s just large enough for small heads to roll around on. Durability and construction quality don’t inspire the confidence of the NeoAir or Exped pillows, but you can get them for ten bucks on eBay, which is this pillows sole redeeming quality.

Cocoon Hyperlite – Below Average

Slippery fabric makes this one really squirty. Lack of contouring means a lot of head wobble. An antiquated design that served a purpose during its day, but it’s now obsolete.

Big Sky DreamSleeper Deluxe Pillow – Recommended

Rex Sanders: “I’m a rotisserie sleeper with big shoulders. Fully inflated, the DreamSleeper is perfect for me for both side sleeping and back sleeping, and easy to move out of the way for stomach sleeping. The pillow case is luxurious with slight padding that prevents that icky sleeping-on-plastic feeling. The brushed polyester-feeling cover is sticky enough to keep the pillow from sliding.”

Author’s Choice

I use an Exped Air Pillow UL (Size M). At 1.6 oz, only the small NeoAir pillow is as light, but the Exped is far more comfortable for me (I’m predominantly a side sleeper). I’ve owned two Exped pillows over the past several years. Neither has ever sprung a leak. I cover the top of mine with a down pillowcase from Goosefeet Gear (which has as its shell fabric Pertex Quantum), for a luxuriously soft pillow that’s plenty warm enough for a Montana winter.

Flash Reviews No. 1

Introductory reviews of ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket & Pants, JepPak Custom Pack, and the Zebralight H52Fw Floody Headlamp (Neutral White).

What are “Flash Reviews?”

Welcome to Flash Reviews, a new column at Backpacking Light.

Flash Reviews will feature short, introductory reviews of selected products that may be new on the market, have not yet received “official” press at backpackinglight.com, or may be just outside the scope of our core product review program to warrant a full review.

This column will allow us to feature more gear than ever before in a unique context – actual user experience from a wide variety of authors. The source of the gear may come from different places – the gear may have been submitted for review by a manufacturer (either solicited or unsolicited) or purchased by the author. In any case, you’ll get our honest and sometimes frank opinions about how this gear works for us.

Flash Reviews, in all cases, will represent gear that is new to the author writing the column issue. Our hope is that the author could provide their fresh perspective on gear that is new to them, and review it in the context of their kit, how that new gear might find a place in their kit, and what the new gear might replace for them.

We hope this column provides value and interest to the reader, so please leave your feedback in the forum below as we allow you to help us evolve this column.

If you are interested in writing a Flash Reviews column, please submit your proposal via our Story Submission Form.

Issue No. 1

ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket & Pants

Until 2012, my rain pants of choice have been old pairs of Gore-Tex Paclite pants (various brands) trimmed below the knees with a pair of scissors to make “knickers”. This makes getting the pants on and off easy over shoes. In 2012, I upgraded to a simple Cuben Fiber version of the same style (also knicker-style) from ZPacks. I wore the knicker-style pants on about 2/3 of my trips, but I always kept a full length pant in the quiver, which provided better protection and warmth in the fringe and winter seasons, and for packrafting.

In addition, I’ve always kept a quiver of rain jackets for various purposes and seasons. However, over the years, I’ve found myself grabbing one style above all others: a simple, full-zip, highly breathable rain jacket with a single chest pocket. It was time to minimize the number of choices there as well.

In an effort to reduce the quantity of equipment that I own and use (and thus, to make trip preparation easier through simplified decision-making), I am exploring the idea of using a single set of raingear for all trips in all seasons. For my choice, I opted for the ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket (5.6 oz) and Pants (3.8 oz).

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Wearing the ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket in my shelter in the Gallatin Mountains while writing this review on an iPod Touch. In addition to the possibility that it’s going to replace several other rain jackets, I’m also exploring the possibility that it just may replace my wind shirt as well. I’ve worn the jacket in dry, windy conditions, and while sleeping, and am happy to verify its excellent breathability in a wider range of conditions than what I’ve experienced with most, if not all, of my other raingear.

Made with a 1.6 oz/sq. yd. waterproof-breathable Cuben Fiber material (a laminate of Spectra fibers, eVENT, and ripstop nylon), the Challenger garments are compact, lightweight, breathable, and have a stiffer hand characteristic of much heavier fabrics. In addition, they fit well, offer high quality trim (e.g., waterproof YKK zips), and don’t skimp on design features important to backpackers (e.g., room for layering, long sleeves and pant legs, articulation, adjustable cuffs).

I’ve used the pants for a year and they have officially replaced all other rain pants in my kit. I’ve worn the jacket for just a few trips in 2014 so far, and I foresee the same future for my other rain jackets. I’ve experienced their effective breathability and comfortable next-to-skin feel (e.g., when worn over shorts or a short-sleeved shirt); I love the fit, finish, and manufacturing quality of the garments; and have been impressed by their waterproofness and durability when bushwhacking, sitting in a packraft all day, and sitting and kneeling on wet ground.

As for as long term durability, the jury’s still out on this particular fabric. However, for now, they have edged out at least six other jacket-and-pant garments from my closet, and I’m expecting those to find their way to other owners soon.

Learn More: ZPacks.com

JepPak Custom Pack

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My custom JepPack on an overnight trip to the Windy Pass Cabin, Montana.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with a new backpack manufacturer, JepPak, to build a custom pack and review their process. I’ve now received the finished pack and have used it on a short overnight backpacking trek in the Gallatin Mountains.

My primary pack is a 2.5-lb full Spectra version of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter 4400. Mine is actually a bit bigger than 4400 ci, with a heavier-than-stock harness and suspension, for carrying the heavier loads required of my longer expeditions, while guiding clients, and carrying packrafting or climbing gear. I was hoping to use my HMG pack for all my trips, but I found it to just be too much for short trips. So, I’m looking to add one pack back to my quiver.

The specs I sent to JepPak were simple: build me a mostly waterproof pack with a top lid, rear pocket, and robust enough suspension to carry a heavy-ish load. The pack was to be durable and simple. Volume was to be compact – in the range of 35 liters – without sacrificing the length required for a nice long torso.

Sam Jepson, the owner and maker, built a little beauty of a pack with these specs:

  • Cuben Fiber CT5K.18 2.9 oz/sq. yd. 50d polyester-laminated, main body fabric (1.5 oz/sq. yd.)
  • Aluminum tubular “U”-shaped frame stay
  • 37L of volume in the main body (verified by me)
  • Compact dimensions (10.5” wide and 7” deep)
  • Torso length to fit me (23.5”)
  • Roll-top closure
  • Fully taped inside seams for waterproofness
  • Double layer bottom (reinforced with 210d Dyneema grid)
  • Twin rear daisy chains
  • Removable top pocket with waterproof zip closure
  • Removable back pocket with waterproof zip closure
  • Removable hip belt that can be used on top pocket for fanny pack
  • Dual daisy chains
  • Stripped weight (pack bag with shoulder straps): 13.8 oz
  • Total weight (pack bag, hip belt, frame, top pocket, back pocket): 29.7 oz

I’ve tested the pack to about 35 pounds and am thrilled with its comfort at this weight. This is about as dense as I’ll pack it – on those winter day trips where the pack is filled with carabiners, ice screws, and rope. The combination of wide padded shoulder straps and a wide padded hip belt with an aluminum frame immediately set this pack apart from floppy ultralight sacks that require some manifestation of a rolled or folded sleeping pad for a frame.

The pack is well made, aesthetically pleasing, and has a narrow profile that’s fun to wear in tight spaces. It’s comfort is outstanding, in part because it’s a custom fit for me, and in part because Sam pays attention to how loads should be carried, and builds harnesses accordingly.

I don’t have a lot of experience with my custom JepPak yet, but if first impressions are good predictors of the future, I can recommend one to you.

The most enjoyable part of owning this pack has been getting to know the JepPaks family and working with them through the process of designing and building the pack. Sam has a great attention to detail and pays careful attention to customer needs.

I’ll be writing a complete review of the process used by JepPaks, and a review of this pack, as I get more experience with it.

Learn More: JepPaks.com

Zebralight H52Fw Floody Headlamp (Neutral White)

In addition to a goofy name, there are other unique features of this interesting little headlamp.

First, the highlights:

  1. Its LED is a Cree XM-L2 – which outputs a whopping 266 Lumens (Lm) at full power. To the layman, this can be translated to mean: “really freakin’ bright”. I can light up the side of a mountain several hundred yards away with this thing;
  2. It uses a single AA battery;
  3. The lamp is detachable from a headband so it can be used as a conventional flashlight, stood on end as a table light, or clipped to a belt/pocket;
  4. Current-regulated in all lighting levels/modes;
  5. Waterproof (IPX7 – 2 meters at 30 minutes);
  6. Very powerful customization options;
  7. A wide variety of lighting modes and runtime options:
 
Mode Description Output (Lm) Runtime (hr)
High H1 266 Lm 0.9 hr
High H2 163 1.7
High H2* 102 3
Medium M1 47 7.5
Medium M2 23 12
Medium M2* 11 27
Low L1 2.6 4 days
Low L2 0.32 3 weeks
Low L2* 0.06 2 months
Low L2** 0.01 3 months

In addition to these modes, the H52Fw offers two beacon strobe modes (4Hz and 19Hz), both at level H1.

Did you see the asterisks in the above table? Those modes indicate so-called “sub-levels” that you can select via custom programming.

And that leads to the primary limitation of this light:

  1. You have to read the instructions to get the most out of it!

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The Zebralight H52Fw is a very well-made and outrageously bright headlamp with a nice form factor. It has a lot going for it, but at an MSRP of USD$64, it will have an uphill row to hoe if it’s going to compete with the simpler, more popular headlamp models that dominate the outdoor industry from Petzl, Princeton Tec, and Black Diamond.

My preliminary experience with the H52Fw is that its operation is not as intuitive, as say, a Petzl. Read the instructions to understand what is happening when you click the button through various modes, or hold the button down through various mode cycling.

Second, I’m discovering much shorter battery life (even with the manufacturer-recommended Sanyo 2000 mAh Eneloop AA battery) at the suggested outputs than what the manufacturer is claiming. This is based on circumstantial field observations, and not on a controlled test environment, so take this observation with a grain of salt.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth review of this light to come. My experience is limited with it, but I’m looking forward to spending some time studying its performance. For me, this light competes with my old standby – a Petzl Tikka+ XP, which weighs about the same but uses 3xAAA batteries. I like the Zebralight’s superior manufacturing quality, maximum light output, and utility when removed from its headband. But I like the Tikka+ XP’s simplicity, reliability, and runtime predictability…

Learn More: Zebralight.com

Review of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes by John Vonhof

A very well-written book that is recommended for anyone interested in learning the best ways to take care of their feet.

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Book cover.

Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes by John Vonhof (Author)

Paperback: 392 pages

Publisher: Wilderness Press; Fifth Edition (February 1, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0899976387

Introdction

In 1997, John Vonhof published the first edition of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatment for Athletes. There are several foot books out there, but John’s is unique because it’s written for endurance athletes who travel by foot. John has been trail running and participating in ultra marathons since 1982. In 1987, he and Will Uher speed packed the 211-mile John Muir Trail in 8.5 days. In 1992, he made a career change to the medical field and has volunteered his feet-fixing services at numerous endurance competitions throughout North and South America.

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John’s website banner.

Book Review

In the first part of his book, John shares an email he received from Nathan Wilson of Australia who had just finished a seven-day, 155-mile race. Three months before the race, Nathan read Fixing Your Feet and learned how to deal with the feet problems he had during previous races. I think Nathan’s email is a good example of how this book can help the backpacking community. He says, “After reading people’s stories of soaking their feet, removing calluses, and filing their toenails, I was motivated to do the same on a near-daily basis. It also motivated me to work on my ankle strength and my calves to help my feet. I suppose if I had not done the prep work, all of the taping, Hydropel, toe socks, and so on would have helped some, but it might not have made such a difference. A lot of people have asked about the race and the blisters ‘I must have had.’ I just laugh and tell them that I didn’t get a single one.”

What makes this book a credible and valuable reference is John’s expertise (developed while patching thousands of trail-damaged feet) and his copious inclusion of advice from other feet fixers and athletes. Many of his enlightening points are quotes from other sources. This compilation of the experimentation, mistakes, and successes of many different feet fixers and endurance athletes, gives the reader the benefit of hundreds of years of combined experience representing tens of thousands of miles. It’s important to note that John also brings in the weight of published academic and medical research.

The book is divided into five parts: The Basics, which includes biomechanics, conditioning, and foot-care basics; Footwear Basics, which covers the different types of footwear and socks and includes a detailed chapter on minimalist footwear and going barefoot; Prevention, a 120 page section that seemingly includes every preventative foot-care measure imaginable; Treatments for blisters, musculoskeletal injuries, heel and toe problems, and others; and lastly, Sources and Resources. Although I found all of the information useful, the two parts that were of most value to me were Prevention and Treatments. The treatments section has a chapter on foot-care kits that was also very helpful.

A key principle I took from the book is that there is no single solution that works for everyone’s feet. He says, “Each runner and hiker needs to find a prevention strategy that works for him or her. One may use a lubricant, another may use Zeasorb powder, and yet another may pretape his feet. They each may use one of many types and styles of socks. Determine what foot problems you normally experience, study this book, and then begin the task of finding what works best for your feet.”

Additionally, what has worked for someone in the past, may not work for him or her now. There are too many variables in people’s feet, how their feet change over time, the kinds of activities they do, and the different footwear they use. Despite this, John gives us his three absolutes that apply to everyone: first, always use moisture-wicking socks; second, have properly trimmed toenails; and third, wear gaiters on trails.

He has a full chapter on socks. A statement he makes in that chapter is indicative of the approach he takes throughout the book: “If cotton crew socks work for you, continue using them. If, however, hot spots and/or blisters plague you, consider trying other types of socks.” He spends the rest of the chapter expounding on different sock fibers and construction, and even includes advice on the art of putting on your sock and deciding when to retire a sock. Some of this may sound trite, but if you subscribe to Backpacking Light, you’re probably like me-interested in learning every detail that might make your next adventure more enjoyable and successful. This book is full of those details.

On trimming toenails, John explains that, “I have observed that untrimmed toenails are the number one cause of problems leading to toe blisters and black nails.” His advice is to trim toenails straight across the nail-never rounded at the corners. “Leave an extra bit of nail on the outside corner of the big toe to avoid an ingrown toenail.” After trimming your toenails, take the time to smooth the front and top of the nail with an emery board or nail file.

In his brief chapter on gaiters, John says, “Whether you are an adventure racer, a simple short-distance trail runner, a hiker, or an ultrarunner, you owe it to yourself to cover your socks and shoes with gaiters. Gaiters can mean the difference between finishing a trail run or a long hike with feet in good shape or feet plagued with hot spots and blisters.” He includes advice on making your own gaiters.

John presents his ten easy steps for happy and healthy feet:

  1. Make sure your footwear fits.
  2. Buy high-quality footwear.
  3. Wear moisture-wicking socks.
  4. Practice self care of your feet.
  5. Manage your toenails.
  6. Strengthen your feet and ankles.
  7. Rest your feet.
  8. Condition your feet for your sport.
  9. Learn how to prevent blisters.
  10. Carry a small foot care kit.

Each of these tips is explained in detail in his book.

On conditioning feet, John points out a pitfall that many long-distance backpackers experience. He tells the story of Brick Robbins who was a well-trained runner that hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. His feet were in good condition for running, but weren’t used to the stressed caused by the extra weight of a pack. “After 100 miles his feet were sore and bruised. By the time he reached Idyllwild-another 70 miles down the trail-he had killer blisters that took another 270 miles to heal.” John explains the obvious lesson here, “Your feet must be conditioned to endure the rigors and stresses of your chosen sport or sports.” He advises that at least 60% of your training should be done wearing a pack that weighs the same amount that you’ll carry on trip you are preparing for. He also encourages training in the same type of terrain you’ll encounter and for longer distances.

There are some many nuggets of good advice in this book that it is beyond the scope of a book review to cover more than just a few of the highlights. I have learned a lot from John’s book. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve the health and fitness of this key component to backpacking-your feet!

Part One: The Basics

1. Seeking Medical Treatment

2. You Can Have Healthy and Happy Feet

3. Sports and Your Feet

Part Two: Footwear Basics

4. The Magic of Fit

5. Footwear & Insoles

Part Three: Prevention

6. Making Prevention Work

7. Socks

8. Compounds for the Feet

9. Taping for Blisters

10. Orthotics

11. Gaiters

12. Lacing Options

13. Self Care for Your Feet

14. Extreme Conditions & Multiday Events

15. Teamwork and Crew Support

16. 12 Mega Distance Athletes Talk about Foot Care

17. 175 Ways to Prevent Blisters

Part Four: Treatments

18. Treating Your Feet

19. Blisters

20. Sprains & Strains, Fractures and Dislocations

21. Tendon & Ligament Injuries

22. Heel Problems

23. Toe Problems

24. Forefoot Problems

25. Numb Toes & Feet

26. Skin Disorders

27. Cold and Heat Therapy

28. Foot Care Kits

Part Five: Sources and Resources

Appendix:

A. Product Sources

B. Shoe & Gear Reviews

C. Medical & Footwear Specialists

D. Feet-Related Websites

Cinnamon Monkey Bread

The winner of the BPL summer recipe contest made this tasty treat.

BPL recently hosted a summer recipe contest/giveaway. The winner receives a brand-new Jetboil Joule cooking system. Read the details about the contest here.

The following is the recipe submission from Ken Larson which won the contest.

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This is it! The classic monkey bread recipe, oozing with warm brown sugar and cinnamon AND it is easy to make……. as well as being irresistible!

This was the #1 baking treat made by the four granddaughters (ages 11, 12, 14, 14) on our last year’s eleven day adventure on Isle Royal National Park.

Enjoy!

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The four bakers.

6 servings (287.5 Cal/serving)

Preparation Time : ~20 min; Total Time 1hr & 10min

Equipment

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The block is used with the Sidewinder Ti-Tri & 1.3 Evernew Ti Pot System.

  • Sidewinder Ti-Tri & 1.3 Evernew Ti Pot
  • Epicurean Stove (Wooden block shim is needed under stove plate (L 2in x W 1.7in x .433in) + one 14g Esbit Tablet; OR Fat Cat It’s a Snap Windscreen without Wooden block shim OR KOVEA gas stove with either Sidewinder or Fat Cat It’s a Snap Windscreen.
  • 1ea Pint Ziploc bag, 2ea Sandwich bags
  • Fat Daddio’s 5″ round pan

Ingredients

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Looks delicious!

Dough

  • 1 Cup Bisquick
  • ½ tsp oil
  • 4 Tbsp. Instant Milk
  • 1 ½ tsp Butter Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Dry Vanilla Power
  • ½ tsp Ova Dried Egg Mix
  • 1/3 Cup (~80g) Dried Blueberries & Dried Cranberries OR Raisins & Dried Cherries
  • 1/4+ Cup water

Topping

  • 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • ½ Tbsp. Chopped Pecans & Walnuts (Place in Sandwich bag)

Coating

  • 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
  • ½ Tbsp. Chopped Pecans & Walnuts
  • 1 Tbsp Butter Powder (Place in sandwich bag)

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Preparation

Mix the Dough ingredients together in the Ziploc bag until soft dough forms.   Lightly oil a 5” round pan and place a parchment paper disk (slightly smaller than the diameter of the pan) on the bottom of the Fat Daddio’s Pan.  Sprinkle the Topping into the pan and spread out to form an even layer. Mix the Coating ingredients together in a plastic bag till creamy.

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Baking over! Time to eat!

Flatten dough in Ziploc mixing bag, cut bag longitudinally down the mid portion and then cut left and right to open bag. Divide Dough into 6 pieces using a spatula/knife. With oiled hands, roll dough into 6 equal sized balls (~1-inch ) and then roll them in the Coating.  Make sure that all sides of the dough are covered. Place the coated dough balls randomly into the Fat Daddio’s Pan.  Pat down the dough to make an even layer across the top of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining Coating on top of dough.

Cooking time ~45 minutes. Remove pan; cool 10 minutes. Serve warm.

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Take a bite!

The Greatest Trip That Never Happened

Although the trip was never completed, the lessons learned were irreplaceable and the experience was very memorable.

An unfortunate consequence of my growing immersion in the world of running has been the nagging voice of others questioning my motivation for wanting to do the things that I do or the much more ominous and obvious question of my sanity. That question has never really bothered me much. My simple rationale behind running has always been simple; I enjoy running and it makes me feel good, so I end up doing it a lot. That’s always been enough for me.

I first became interested in the concept of expedition trail running when I finished my first big solo backpacking trip – 280 miles in 10 days on Vermont’s Long Trail. I was happy with the pace of my walking, but I had been running competitively for several years and after a big triathlon, I felt ready to apply the focused discipline of athletics to the world of long trails.

A job in outdoor education had brought me to Australia, so I cast my gaze around Oceania for a long trail where I could explore the idea of expedition trail running. After a few listless weeks of clicking around on the internet I found the Te Araroa, a trail that ran the entire spine of the island nation of New Zealand. The southern island section was thirteen hundred kilometers of some of the most beautiful trail in the world. New Zealand was high on a short list of places that I wanted to explore while in Australasia, so it was an easy call. All that was left was figuring out how I was going to run eight hundred miles.

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A photo of the author doing what he loves.

I started the planning process by asking a few friends if they’d be interested in joining. It seems to take a special type of person to willingly spend some good money to fly to New Zealand to run with me for three weeks without stopping. Eventually I found Casey. Between his passion for running, his fierce willingness to try crazy things, and his calendar availability, I found my partner.

Casey graduated from the same university that I went to when I was a freshman, so he still had that allure of the cool older-brother-type friend that had never really been filled by a close relationship with my own older brother. He wore a long mustache and longer hair, which fit with his vocation of following the summer tour of the band Phish and managing a crew of volunteers. I was never really sure what he was doing when he wasn’t skiing or cycling. It didn’t really matter, because our mutual love of physically and mentally demanding days in the outdoors and that was enough to cement a close relationship between us.

Our plan was simple enough. We’d meet in Invercargill, at the southern tip of the South Island. I’d have three boxes of food with me: five day’s rations that we would start with, seven day’s rations to drop about a third of the way up at Queenstown, and another six day’s rations cached about two thirds of the way up, near Arthur’s pass. We’d rent a car, and hide the supplies somewhere near the trail where only we’d be able to find them, before racing back down south to start the run. This approach would spare us the hassle of trying to organize and coordinate with a support team while still keeping our packs light with only fourteen pounds of food at it’s heaviest. All of our previous backcountry-forays relied upon this self-supported strategy, and purity of style was something that is important to us.

Our timeline was tight, given that we both had jobs we had to get back to. Eighteen days of food – eighteen days until a flight was scheduled to take off from Nelson with us aboard, near our route’s northern terminus. Our gear was also bare-bones. A sleeping bag, a head torch, and a small piece of plastic intended as an ’emergency bivy’ filled out the bulk of our small daybags. As the day of departure drew closer, training intensified and final details were chased up and confirmed. Casey printed the maps and I bought a plane ticket. Things were unfolding well, all along the lines of the ambitious plan that we had set out.

Casey called me a few days before I was to leave and told me he wouldn’t be coming. Tendinitis had hobbled his knees and his doctor was telling him that running eight hundred miles with weight on his back probably wasn’t the best idea. I was on my own.

Despite this late-in-the-game setback, I managed to keep my cool. It’s fine, I’ll just do everything myself, I told myself. I was working in the field the last few days before the trip but I rented a car, printed an alternate copy of the maps, and tried to mentally prepare myself for the prospect of eight hundred miles of trail by myself.

I left my home in Moss Vale when the schedule dictated and picked up the rental car when I arrived at the Invercargill airport, amazed at how easily they handed over the keys to a brand new Toyota Yaris to a 21 year old stranger. After replacing the peanut butter that was confiscated from my rations at customs, I gunned the small car north, racing towards the second cache near Arthur’s pass, a full seven hundred kilometers away.

The farther north I drove, the more I knew the situation was not looking good. The outdoor educator in me was the first to know that the plan wouldn’t work. I had spent the night on a layover in Christchurch to fly down to Invercargill, only to drive back the distance that I had just flown. For this impossibly long solo drive, I only had the car until 10am the next morning – after 18 hours of travel I’d have to drive almost nonstop for a thousand miles if I was going to drop off the packages and make it back down south in time. My lack of accurate and detailed maps also left with me with serious concerns about whether or not I’d be able to quickly find the drop site.

I was pissed off. Even in the lowlying hills, snow covered the ridgelines and valleys in heaping drifts. When the sun dropped behind the mountains around 4:30, I tried adding up in my head the number of hours I’d have to be running in winter darkness to make my daily targets. All I wanted was to be able to get on the phone and call someone, if only to vent about how frustrated I was, but I was by myself and not really sure if I was going the right way.

Despite the fact that a small sliver of the intellectual, rational part of my being knew that I wouldn’t be able to complete what I had come to this place to do, I pressed on into the darkness. Each kilometer of mountain road weighed on both my eyelids and my mood. Somewhere outside of Ashburton, the critical point was reached. The road that my rudimentary directions said I should continue following snaked off towards the left, back the way I had come. A road continued straight, towards the mountains, but it wasn’t state highway 77, which was the single sheet of legal-sized paper said I was supposed to follow.

I wouldn’t need a GPS, I had told myself back at home.

I slowed the car down, unsure of what I was supposed to do. I slammed the steering wheel with the flat palm of my hand, hoping for some sort of navigational insight. I continued straight, figuring in my sleep-deprived mind that if I continued to head towards the mountains that I’d eventually find the extremely specific trail junction where I needed to leave this box of food. A few hundred meters down the deserted road I stopped, turned around, and went back. I performed the same cursory exploration of the other option, hoping for a sign that said something like “This Way For Te Araroa Food Drops For Underprepared Americans”. There was no such sign, and I returned to Ashburton, continuing to curse under my breath the whole way.

I sat in the McDonald’s there, walking in circles. Once that got old, I’d sit down at a table and look around the room for a few seconds before moving to a different table. I still couldn’t accept the fact that I wouldn’t be starting a record-breaking run the next day; the concept of going back empty-handed to those back home who I had told about the run terrified me. I posted an extremely pessimistic and forlorn status on Facebook, packed up my stuff, and started the long, miserable trip back south. I looked at the two big boxes of food on the backseat and almost laughed out loud at myself.

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A photo of the author doing what he loves.

I arrived back at the Invercargill airport only an hour late to drop off the car, completely distraught. My gut reaction was to call up the airline to get my ticket changed and get on the first plane out of there, back home. I knew that I was in New Zealand and probably should take advantage of the time I had, since I was already here and had the time off from work. Perhaps it was the embarrassment of what had happened, the abject disappointment and the mounting recognition of failure that grew stronger with time. I spent more time than seems necessary on a pay phone trying to work out with Virgin Australia how much it would cost to get me on the next outbound flight to Christchurch. The price tag of leaving made me pause and reexamine my options. It seemed I couldn’t afford to leave and couldn’t afford to stay.

I walked out the deserted airport drive into town, thinking the walk would clear my head and finally be able to conceive of the possibility of some kind of solution. The road was wet and I didn’t know what to do. For months I had been preparing for and training for a run that hadn’t even gotten off the ground. I walked to the library and turned on my phone. I was pretty humbled by the amount of Facebook love my pessimistic post had gotten. Many of my friends were thoughtful enough to hazard an encouraging comment, and some messaged me directed to offer some words of support.

Most of the people who messaged me reiterated my overall feeling on the merits of setting challenging goals and reaching as far as possible outside of our comfort zones. Some, conversely, told me that I set goals that were too challenging and put too much pressure on myself. Sitting there in the lobby of that public library, agonizing over my decision and over my failure, I could see the merits of both of these perspectives. I tried to think of a Facebook status that would sound artistic and intellectual and explored the importance of failure while not leaving me open to rude comments from friends that questioned my resolve, ability, or manhood. I couldn’t think of anything.

I was pretty hard on myself during the few hours of soul-searching and self-punishment that followed. My ego refused to acknowledge that I had committed to something that was, that day, out of my reach, which just transitioned into me being angry at myself for telling people I was going to do this big thing and then messing it up. I wanted to run back home and hide in obscurity until everyone I knew forgot I had been talking about a trip to New Zealand, but I knew if I did that I’d be unable to fight the boredom. The thought of staying on the South Island and doing a shorter hike by myself was out of the question, due perhaps to my terror at committing to something else I might fail at. Only the middle ground was the way forward, so I bought a one-way ticket towards Wellington and a bus ticket to Turangi, where a friend of mine was living and working as a raft guide.

A trip that was meant to be a broad, expansive tour of the entirety of the island became a focused study of one town, next to one mountain and one river, where I’d spend two weeks with one friend in one farmhouse. The farm lay on the side of a mountain on the banks of the massive Lake Taupo.

Self-doubt bounced around in my head as the small prop plane crossed the Cook Strait over to the North Island, but it was starting to become a good trip again, all on its own. Without an agenda or any daily mileage targets, I ran in the hills surrounding the town, purely for my own pleasure. I won’t go as far as trying to inject some kind of falling-in-love-with-running-again metaphor, but I will say that it was much more pleasant than running to trail for some abstract, remote record attempt. Two weeks flew by with the pleasant company of friends that I hadn’t seen in a while and probably would have missed if I had finished the run. I was again in good spirits when the bus took me back south and the ferry crossed the strait, heading towards my flight home.

The plane took off on time from Nelson with me on it. I felt good about what had happened. I hadn’t run the south island, but that attempt felt months away. A friend had once told me that developing an athletic injury is just the universe telling you to slow down a bit and refocus on the basics, but that can probably be said about any failure. As my flight gained and altitude and banked towards home, though, I was making notes on things to change for the next time I come back to New Zealand and make that trail mine.

Where the Mountains Meet the Sea: Trekking the Olympic Range (Photo Essay)

Boy Scouts tackle the Olympic range – from rainforest to snowy divide – in lightweight style.

I grew up in Seattle. I learned backpacking skills in the Olympics, and it’s where I cut my teeth as a trekking and mountain guide in the early 1990s.

It was in the Olympics where I first learned about packrafting log-choked, glacier-fed, ice cold rivers. It was in the Olympics where I first learned about real bushwhacking and infectious slopes of slide alder and devil’s club. It was in the Olympics where I first learned about glacier travel, postholing, talus, bears in camp, and navigating with a map and compass in the fog.

And of course, it was in the Olympics where I first learned how to manage severely inclement weather – interminable rain, fog, and sleet – and the penetrating, chilling humidity that makes synthetic fill gear so valuable there ten months out of the year.

It was in the Olympics where my love for the outdoors evolved from youthful passion into something less glamorous but more mature – an appreciation for all of what Mother Nature had to offer, in all of her inglorious adversity, uncertainty, and mood swings.

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Blue Glacier, preparing for a Mount Olympus climb. Photo: Stephanie Jordan, August 1990.

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Much of the Olympics remained unexplored until the early part of the 20th century. Many summits and off piste routes were pioneered by ambitious Boy Scouts and “Hikemasters” (i.e., trek leaders) walking out of Camp Parsons, situated between the deltas of the Quilcene and Dosewallips rivers.

In 1987 I would join the Camp Parsons Staff, and within a few years would carry the Hikemaster moniker with a later generation of Boy Scouts keen on exploring the range’s glaciers, slide alder, and talus.

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Parsons Boys on a Mount Constance trek, 1921. Photo courtesy of the Camp Parsons Museum.

In 1990 I’d start dating the Camp Director’s daughter, a fellow staffer. She ran the trading post, had a perm, and seemed strangely attractive … in a Boy Scout uniform.

In 1991 Stephanie and I would embark on our second Olympic mountain hike together – a trip up the Quinault River valley to Mount Anderson and the iconic (and now-endangered) Enchanted Valley Chalet. A little over a year later, we’d marry.

In 1998, our first son, Chase, was born. In 2004, he’d join Scouting. In 2011, he’d visit Camp Parsons for the first time. In 2013, he too, would explore the Olympics with some of his pals as part of the Camp Parsons high adventure program, and follow in the footsteps of Boy Scouts from Parsons who have been walking the Olympics for more than 90 years.

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We Jordans have a storied history with Camp Parsons and the Olympics. We have the Enchanted Valley Chalet painted on a milk can that resides in our home.

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In late June of 2013, we’d take a group of Scouts from Bozeman, Montana to a trailhead near Forks, Washington, and begin a trek through the Olympic rainforest. This photo essay presents a few highlights from the trek and hopefully, captures the spirit of Scouting, and the Olympics, in an inspiring way.

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Crew Leader Chase Jordan prepares the duty roster for the week. Each crew member would have assigned responsibilities daily, including navigating, cooking, firebuilding, water treatment, food storage and bear bagging, camp cleanup, and erecting the shelters. These responsibilities would rotate daily. These are critical components of what Scouting calls “The Patrol Method” and are designed to foster responsibility and accountability.

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Honoring the raising of the United States flag the morning we left. Camp Parsons has a long (if somewhat interrupted) tradition of having the high adventure Scouts wear their loaded packs to flag ceremonies. The purpose of this is twofold: to promote the high adventure program in a visible way to younger campers, and of course, to show the rest of the camp that there’s no room for weenies in the high adventure program – “Stand up straight, give a proper salute, and stop complaining about your heavy pack,” the Hikemaster would say.

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One of the most difficult challenges to overcome in Scouting is that of getting rid of hiking boots for expedition trekking. The primary resistance comes from old guard adult leaders who are intolerant of change or the recognition that perhaps there is a better way today. Twenty years ago, we’d disqualify a Scout on a high adventure trek for not having sturdy, waterproof boots. Currently, I serve as the Program Director for the Montana High Adventure Base (MOHAB). At MOHAB, we disqualify Scouts for not having well-draining (i.e., non-waterproof!) trail running shoes (at least for our long distance, advanced programs).

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When I was a Camp Parsons hikemaster, I immediately decommissioned the brand new geodesic dome tents that were donated by a thoughtful donor and replaced them with blue poly tarps from the local hardware store. They were lighter, drier, cheaper to maintain, rewarded good pitching skills (and penalized bad ones!) and fostered better group dynamics because we could fit a whole patrol of boys under them. Not much has changed today except the technology. I’m still a fan of using large, lightweight floorless shelters that can house a bunch of boys and require them to use some thought and skill in pitching them.

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Ian Engelbech, a modern-day Camp Parsons hikemaster, still doing what a hikemaster is supposed to do: mentor the Crew Leader and let the Crew Leader lead his crew. In 2013, I missed being the hikemaster (instead being relegated to a passive observant) but immensely enjoyed a new generation of hikemaster and Scout learning to appreciate the art of expeditioning.

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Trekking past massive Douglas Fir in the Olympic rainforest of the Hoh River Valley. For us in the northern Rockies, “old-growth” means little when you’re constantly surrounded by twiggy lodgepole pine forest. So when our boys were exposed to these massive bastions of the Olympic backcountry, they felt like they were on another planet.

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Early mornings bring eerie light to the Olympic rainforest. Moss coats every limb and reflects light in all directions. Sunlight doesn’t burn hot on the rainforest floor, filtered by the innumerable ecosystems defined solely by tree elevation.

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The core of Scouting high adventure programs is threefold: cultivate positive group dynamics, expedition leadership, and advanced skills. Backpacking skills that emphasize weight-saving philosophy, techniques, and equipment must be foundational to an advanced backcountry skills program. No heavy pump style water filters for this group.

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High adventure – expedition trekking – is work, especially for those tasked with positions of leadership. Long days and late nights are the norm rather than the exception if you plan to tackle an expedition of any difficulty (and thus, real reward). Here, the next day’s Navigator reviews route options with the Crew Leader at 11PM, after everyone else has gone to bed.

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Boys have an incredible gift at finding fun in the moment in the midst of toil. Drumming with a bear canister at a camp on the Hoh River.

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Summit peanut butter, a Camp Parsons tradition. I learned from the hikemaster that I trained under, that any summit worth climbing must be climbed with an ice axe, and that any summit achieved in such style shall be celebrated by marrying the pick of the axe to a jar of peanut butter. That lesson was instilled in me 25 years ago. I passed it down to these summiteers atop Bogachiel Peak in 2013. I’m confident the tradition will continue.

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Steep tundra and prolific snow characterized our early-July route from C.B. Flats to the Sol Duc Valley. It was over this difficult terrain where I learned about the need to keep pack weight insanely light back in the 1980s. We used to circle our high adventure Scouts around a trash can in the Camp Parsons parade field, with their gear laid before them. The hikemasters would then walk around the circle and, with great compassion for the future suffering the Scouts would endure, remove bits of their kit and toss them into the garbage can (from where they could retrieve them at the end of their trek). Doing this successfully allowed us to keep pack weights below 25 pounds for a 5-day trek in the 1980s. Not much has changed today, except that we’ve replaced the garbage can with a more objective tool: a gear checklist and a scale.

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A Scout climbs back up a steep snow slope after losing his footing and sliding down it several yards before self-arresting with a shortened trekking pole. We did not equip everyone with an ice axe (like the old days). Instead, we equipped them with a more useful, and lighter tool (a trekking pole) and taught them how to use it effectively for snow travel in steep terrain.

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Traversing the snowy High Divide, thankful for no rain and infinite visibility.

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Descending the High Divide with the Mount Carrie massif looming ahead.

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Searching for confirmation of our arrival at Sol Duc Park on our last night.

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The majestic sentinel of the Olympic Range – Mount Olympus – as seen from a high slope above C.B. Flats on the Hoh Lake Trail.

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The Camp Parsons Silver Marmot High Adventure Program, Week #1, 2013. Hoh River to Sol Duc via High Divide.

Acknowledgments

This trip would not have been possible without the advocacy of the parents of each one of the participating Scouts, and their belief in the value of high adventure for their boys. In addition, our travel was funded in part by generous donations from many Parsons staff alumni, Adventure Medical Kits, American Tactical Construction, Redmon Law Firm, Chief Seattle Council BSA, and many others who supported a crowdfunding campaign that has resulted in the movie “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea”, a film about the Camp Parsons Silver Marmot High Adventure Program that will be premiered this fall.

About the Author

Ryan Jordan and his Parsons-bred wife Stephanie are the co-founders of backpackinglight.com. Ryan is an Eagle Scout, and has served as a Scoutmaster. Ryan and Stephanie are the chartering sponsors for BSA Venturing Crew One of Bozeman, Montana, and the Program Director for the Montana High Adventure Base. Venturing Crew One, whose membership includes seven members of the Olympic trek featured in this story, recently completed a 13-day, 105-mile packrafting expedition in the Bob Marshall Wilderness without resupply. Read the trip blog at Ryan’s website.