Take Dad for a hike (part 2)

This weekend my sister, her husband and myself took my Dad for a birthday hike. We thought it would be a good excuse to get back in touch with good old mother nature, get some exercise, and for the reasons mentioned previously. We decided to go to the Waterfall Glen Forrest Preserve which is part of the Forrest Preserve District of DuPage County.

The weather was really quite bad earlier in the day. 31 degrees, snowing, windy and slushy. This made for sloppy hiking conditions, and some of the waterfalls we encountered that usually can be crossed were impossible to ford. As we continued on the hike, the weather improved to the point that I had to remove layers. As they say, Chicago has all four seasons, sometimes all on the same day.

This mini-adventure covered approximately 5 miles, and there was a decent amount of muddy hills to be hiked. There were a few opportunities to cross creeks and small rivers, and in better or worse weather, that is where the prime adventuring is to be done. Overall, it was a great beginner hike, and an excellent example of something to do with Dad on his birthday. 

Take Dad for a hike.

There are several reasons why you should take your Dad for a hike for his birthday.

1.       1. All Fathers’ love the outdoors. If your Dad does not love the outdoors, there is a high chance that you have two Dads and that you are adopted. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.)

2.       2. Secondly, all Father’s have one thing in common. They are extremely cheap, and they say do not want anything for their birthday.  Although it is true that most Dad’s do not actually require things, when they say that they want nothing, they really want-- GEAR.  But, a hike is a great birthday activity option, it will quench your Dad’s cheapass desire to do something free for his birthday.

3.       3. A hike is a great opportunity to get out there and put some of your gear into use. Although gear is nice to have and to look at and play with, it is a lot more fun to actually use it, and scuff it up a little. On a short birthday hike, you will get to use your knife, compass, binoculars, and whatever else you want. If your Dad does not like gear, and he prefers accessories, then sorry, you are adopted. (nothing wrong with that.)

4.      4. Spend some time with family. There is no better place than in the outdoors for your Dad to hang out with the kids he may or may not have adopted.

 

Coming soon… I actually took my Dad for a birthday hike. 

Gear

What is it that every outdoor enthusiast dreams about when he closes his eyes? No, it is not a beautiful scantily clad female climbing partner, it is GEAR. Gear-hiking boots, sleeping bags, tents, carabiners, headlamps, knives, axes, and the list goes on infinitely. Whether it is window shopping at REI or gearing up for your next adventure with Campmor, outdoor adventurers may be just as obsessive about gear as their girlfriends are with coach purses and Manolo Blahnik shoes.

For any person with a passion for the outdoors, their cache of gear is never complete, and must evolve along with technological improvements, trip requirements, and selfish personal preferences.

Over the next few days, we are going to discuss Gear. The gear we have available to us, the gear we require, and will even outline the buying process for a few items we will buy.

 

Cheers to Gear!

Contributor Bio: Brian Tucker

• Name: Brian Tucker
  
• Base Camp: Redwood City, CA
• Education: University of Florida, Go Gators!
• Industry: Residential Lending
• Music: Alternative Rock
• Adventuring Experience: Wilderness Survival, Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Fishing, Snowboarding, Surfing, Kayaking, Snow camping.
• Non-Adventure Hobbies: Classic Car Research and Restoration, Reading, Wood Working.
• Countries Traveled: USA, Canada, Mexico.
• Places where I'd like to pitch a tent: Yellowstone, Redwood National Forest, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park.
• Where I want to travel: Everywhere
• Best part about Adventuring and Travel: I try to prepare for unexpected problems when camping or hiking. I enjoy researching typical pitfalls and problems and have assembled a kit of items that would be helpful in a survival situation. I have not been in a situation that required survival skills, but feel confident that I would be prepared to handle any perilous situation that may arise.

Contributor Bio: Jeff Eckenhoff

• Name: Jeff Eckenhoff
• Home Base: San Francisco, CA
• Education: Graduated from University of Colorado-Boulder
• Industry: Commercial Real Estate
• Music: Bob Marley, Sublime, Classic Rock
• Adventuring Experience: Wilderness Survival, Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Fishing, Skiing, Surfing, Rockclimbing, Mtn. Biking, Canoeing, Kayaking, Snow camping, Cliff Jumping, international travel, Eagle Scout
• Non-Adventure Hobbies: Sand between my toes or in my hair, sports gazing, lifting
• Countries Traveled: USA, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Australia, Thailand, England, Scotland, Ireland
• Noteworthy Adventures: Backpacking on the Kalalau Trail twice(Kauai, HI); Snowcamping (Lake Tahoe, CA); Camp Oljato (Fresno, CA); Middle Fork River Rafting Trip-5 nights (Idaho)
• Places I want to set up a tent and sleep in it: Bear Valley (CA), Pacific Coast, Mexico, Colorado Rockies, Half Dome (CA), Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Alaska
• Where I want to travel: All over the world, definitely Germany for Oktoberfest, back to Australia, South America
• Best part about Adventuring and Travel: I love being prepared for what my travels could throw my way. Being prepared is all about having the right gear for the right situations. When I don't have the right gear, I enjoy the rush of adrenaline in surviving when I don't have what I need. It is all about getting out in the wilderness, away from electricity and tvs, and spending some time with the outdoors. Backpacking 11 miles on tough terrain to a white sand beach that can only be accessed by foot or helicopter is what I dream about...

Contributor Bio: Charley Tucker

• Name: Charley Tucker
• Home Base: Chicago, IL
• Education: Graduated from University of Florida
• Industry: Technology
• Music: All, especially Classic Rock
• Adventuring Experience: Camping, Hiking, Survival, Paddling, Trekking, Trail Running, Fishing, Rafting,     International Travel, limited climbing, surfing and snowboarding. Eagle Scout.
• Non-Adventure Hobbies: Reading, Watching Sports(Florida Gators, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears), Running, Playing Sports,
• Countries Traveled: USA, Mexico, Canada, England, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Grand Cayman
• Noteworthy Adventures:
• Boundary waters Canoe trip(Minnesota, Canada, 2 times)
• Philmont Boy Scout Ranch(Cimarron, New Mexico)
• Appalachian Trail(Hiked about 100 miles of the trail)
• Europe(Backpacked when I was  a Boy Scout)
• Devil’s Bridge(Sedona, Arizona)
• N.P.’s visited: Yellowstone, Rushmore, Redwood, Everglades, Badlands, Grand Teton, Mammoth Cave, Sequoia, Voyageurs, Wind Cave,  Devil’s Tower, Glacier, and probably more.
• Places I'd like to pitch a tent: Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Zion, Joshua Tree
• Where I want to Travel: Ireland, Italy, Germany for Oktoberfest, Hawaii, South America, Mexico again
• Best part about Adventuring and Travel: I think the best way to learn about yourself is by getting out of your comfort zone, and getting out of your daily routine.  There is no better way to do that than by taking time to cut the cord between yourself what life tells you is “important” from Monday to Friday. My favorite part about adventuring and travel is exploring new situations and experiencing the unknown. Nature is relaxing but you can never know who or what you will encounter on the trail, or while traveling. Being outdoors is refreshing and you can usually tell that by the friendly people you meet along the way.Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.  ~Albert Einstein

Mountain Survival Exercise

I spent last weekend in the Sierra Mountains in Northern California, I decided to use some of this time to build a winter survival shelter. The igloo in the picture to the right was the result of many hours cutting, shaping, and assembling blocks of snow.


Location: Alpine County, CA

Elevation: 7400 ft above sea level

Tools required: Snow Saw, shovel, Ski Poles, length of nylon cord.


I chose to build the igloo in a clearing on a south facing slope about halfway between the valley floor and the ridge, the prevailing wind was coming from the North, the entrance was built to face away from the wind to prevent excessive drafts through the structure.


In order to create a circle pattern for the igloo foundation, I used two ski poles and a 4 ft. length on nylon cord as a makeshift compass. The result was better than expected, a circle that was nearly perfect.


I then began the task of harvesting the frozen snow. The snow was acceptable, but is was not perfect. Some of the snow had been exposed to the sun and melted and was frozen again, this caused several of the blocks to break.

When the snow has been compressed and frozen, the tool of choice would be to use a snow saw, because the snow was relatively soft I was able to use a specially constructed wooden board to cut the blocks of snow. I would carry the rough blocks to the structure and shape them to fit with the edge of a snow shovel. Each time I added a block to the igloo I would place it closer to the center so that it would over hang and produce a smaller opening. Each block is cut into a partial wedge so that is fits snug to the block it is being placed beside, the prior block is helping to support the block which allows you to hang the block further out.

I cut each block to the same initial dimensions, and the result was a fairly large block of snow, this really helped the igloo take shape right away, but caused the igloo to grow rather tall, toward the end of construction I actually used the snowmobile sled as a scaffold, so that I could place the final pieces to enclose the roof. Next time I intend to use the spiral method, where you shape the first layer like a ramp so that you can construct the igloo in one continuous coil. I will also use shorter blocks to that the height doesn't present a problem. This igloo was more than 8 feet tall on the outside when I finished. I could actually stand inside of it. The inside dimensions were large enough to shelter at least three adults comfortably.




The conditions were fairly mild while I built the igloo, the temperature was in the upper 30's I decided to test the igloo and spent a couple of hours inside the igloo after dark with a tarp, and several blankets. I found that I was rather comfortable, but chose not to spend the night because the inside surface was not smoothed out and my body heat and the candles that I was burning were producing alot of drips. Overall I really enjoyed the experience, I learned alot about the construction of igloos, and I look forward to the next one. Since building this igloo the area received a massive snow storm that dropped four feet of snow. I wonder if the igloo survived.







Adventure note: We spotted two coyote around the entrance of the igloo the following morning, we watched them as they made their way to the ridge, and even saw them attack a black squirrel.

Camelback Hike

Camelback Mountain

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Coordinates:33°30′53.0″N 111°57′41.8″W

Elevation: 2706 Ft

Vertical feet of Hike: 1334 Ft.

Length of Hike: 1.5 Miles

Packing List: 32 oz of water, 1 orange

The Camelback Mountain hike is a really great hike, that I highly 

recommend for anyone visiting the Phoenix area. On Saturday 

February 28th, my two buddies Kevin and Gene and I hit the 

mountain starting at about 9 AM. The temperature was perfect, 

in the low to mid eighties, and there was some shade to find on the

trail because it was early. 

I have done this hike several times, but it is always strenuous.  

Although it is aerobically challenging for a one and a half mile 

hike, it pretty much can be completed by anyone, and is very

popular with residents and tourists alike. 

To me, there seems to be three logical sections of the hike. The 

lower third is composed of steep stairs made of wooden railroad 

ties. The second section is extremely steep and semi-slippery

rock with sections of railing climbing up the path. The third

section is a steep hike up a few vertical fields of small boulders. 

This stage is a great quad workout.

                                                                                   

rail section

boulder 

section

We summited Camelback mountain at around 10 AM., and

enjoyed amazing views of the entire valley, and I enjoyed my 

celebratory orange. What a great way to start a morning!

view from 

the top

summit

pushups

Previous Weekend's Adventures

This Last weekend was an eventful one for all of us. Charley went to Arizona, and climbed Camelback Mountain. Jeff went to Seattle, and Brian constructed a professional grade igloo in Bear Valley, California. Over the next couple days we will post stories and pictures of last weekend's adventuring, as well as the promised Bios.