Over the weekend of June 19th through 21st, Porcupine and I completed completed another section hike along the Finger Lakes Trail. This time, we were joined by our friend Splash. To avoid car shuttling, we made up a loop route that would incorporate several other Catskill’s trail with a section of the Finger Lakes Trail in the Big Indian Wilderness.
Over the weekend of May 22rd through 25th, 2020, Porcupine and I and I hiked a 30 mile section of the Finger Lakes Trail from Alder Lake to Downsville. The Finger Lakes Trail is a 580 mile long distance trail stretching from Slide Mountain in the Catskills to Allegheny State Park on the NY/PA Border. I’ve been wanting to start section hiking this trail since about 2013 and my dream is finally taking shape.
When heading out into the wilderness, one must always plan ahead, study the route and weather predictions, carry the correct gear, and have a back-up plan. Perhaps these rules are never more true than when winter backpacking. Knowing your the route, the weather, the abilities of your crew, how to properly use your gear and having some survival skills make a fun time out of a potentially dangerous situation. Continue reading Winter Backpacking – Backup Plan Implemented
I first became interested in backpacking in the early summer of 2012. Not really knowing where to begin, I subscribed to Backpacker Magazine on my iPad. I started reading through as many back issues as I could. I came across an article titled “America’s Best Campsites.” Each site came with a stunning photo and a glowing review. Most seemed pretty hard to get to, requiring a long or difficult hike. One in particular stuck out: Great Sand Dunes National Park. Continue reading Great Sand Dunes National Park
On Christmas Day, my friend called me and asked if I wanted to go camping. Of course I did! Christmas was on Thursday, so we planned on a quick one-night outing to Harriman State Park for Friday evening. I had recently been to the Fingerboard Shelter and thought it would be nice to head back. I packed up my gear that night, and we were on the road shortly after noon the next day. Continue reading Harriman State Park Christmas Campout
In the first installment of this series, I discussed the events that led me to ditch my tent in favor of sleeping under a backpacking tarp. In Part 2 I talked about buying that first tarp, what it was like to sleep under it, and some of the advantages it had over a tent. In the most recent chapter, I explained my rationale for making my own tarp, and some of the considerations that went into its design. Continue reading I Made My Own Backpacking Tarp, Part 4
If you go hiking or camping in Western New Jersey often enough, you’ll probably see a bear. New Jersey is home to approximately 3500 American Black Bears, mostly living in the Kittatinny region. This area provides bears with an abundance of convenient food, including unprotected dumpsters in camps and population centers. Continue reading CampingJay’s Bear Story
In the summer of 2013, three of my sisters and I spent a week hiking the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail. We took it slow, averaging just under 10 miles per day. Though the weather was hot and the bugs were biting, we had a great time. We decided that one of our goals over the next few years would be to hike the New York section, even if we had to do it weekend-by-weekend. My sister CampingMeg and I finally put ourselves to the task of some winter backpacking over Thanksgiving weekend in 2014. We planned for several weeks, and then it snowed. A lot.
Continue reading Winter Backpacking: Elk Pen to Tiorati Circle
This is Part 3 in a series on my recent adventure in the Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness. In this section, I will discuss planning for the backpacking trip.
Planning for base camp is very easy compared to planning for backpacking. When you are backpacking, you rely much more on your planning and your wits than you do on your gear. It is very important to have a route mapped out and to understand the terrain, climate, and local restrictions. It is also very important to have a good understanding of the capabilities of your group, as I found out the hard way. Continue reading Adirondack Adventure 2014, Part 3: Planning for Backpacking
This is Part 2 a trip report for a recent adventure through the Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness in New York’s Adirondack Park and will concentrate on planning for camp. The Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness is a 43,883 acre wilderness preserve situated just a few minutes outside of Ticonderoga, NY. It is a favorite hiking and camping destination for my friends and I. Continue reading Adirondack Adventure 2014, Part 2: Planning for Camp