For more than year, T and I have been living in a 1989 Volkswagen Vanagon. The choice to live in the van wasn’t dictated by…
Author: dandurston
[Darn Tough] Socks for Backpacking
Sock Functionality Why wear socks? Opinions differ widely in what functionality a backpacking sock should deliver, but the main candidate functions are warmth, cushioning and a reduction in abrasion/blistering…
A Guide to Ferns of the Pacific Northwest
It’s amazing how much time you can spend outdoors and still know so little about nature. Before I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014…
Bob Marshall Packrafting 2016
Myself, family and friends headed into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for the last week of June. We planned a nice 172km hiking/packraft loop on the…
Looper Canyon
T and I went to Looper Canyon this past weekend to dip a toe into the canyoneering world. It was a good opportunity to get…
Stein South Divide: Attempt 1 Recap
This past week I made my first attempt at the Stein South Divide Ski/Raft route. I had given myself an 80% chance of completing the route…
2016 Winter Hard Trip: Stein South Divide
Since 2012 the southern skyline of the Stein Valley has been, for me, the pinnacle of outdoor aspiration. I first glimpsed it in 2010 – heavily glaciated, remote…
My Closest Calls
Since tales of backcountry rescue are making the rounds I’ll share my closest calls. By far the closest I’ve came to being rescued was New Years 2011/2012….
Review: Hanchor Marble 67L Pack
Summary The Marble is a high volume (67L) and lightweight (38oz) pack from Hanchor, a newer brand out of Taiwan. Strong points of the Marble…
A Complacent Powder Traverse
My wife and I headed out for a short ski traverse over the holidays targeted more at chasing powder than covering miles. I figured we’d…