Information Trekking

I've been a bit MIA the last few weeks (okay, months) having fun with my new website, which is now is now in a semi-presentable format! Woo! So, wander over and check it out if you can. I'll be adding more content in the weeks to come.

(I think I'm mostly just excited that I found a name that seems to fit me!)

Something I stumbled on while reading Jen Huntley's The Making of Yosemite: James Mason Hutchings and the Origin of American's Most Popular National Park. I've always been really interested in California history, especially as related to the mining boom of the late 1800's, but it's really interesting to see the connection that mining had with the history of Yosemite.

Hutchings, who left England in 1848, spent a winter in New Orleans, and from there arrived in California in 1849 during the mining boom. Through his profits made through mining, Hutchings eventually invested in other ventures, and continued his involvement in the newspaper industry. While standing in for a friend at the Placerville Herald in 1853 he wrote "The Miner's Ten Commandments" which, if you read it, is pretty funny. It actually ended up being a very popular piece, and was reprinted in different mining camps around California. It was then turned into an letter sheet (a new term for me, here is what wikipedia says), which is a beautiful piece of work.

As some people know, Hutchings was intimately entwined with Yosemite's early history as a new tourist destination (he actually lived in and owned a hotel in the park, amongst other things), and is generally viewed as somewhat of a villain cast against the forces that wanted to conserve the park in it's "natural "state. From the perspective of thinking about Hutchings, it's interesting to make the connection between nature, conservation, economics, and tourism, and to realistically see that in many ways, these cannot be separated.

Interestingly, Huntley correctly (in my opinion) makes the connection between our own perceptions of conservation and nature and the industrial complex of the 1800's. That is, the exhalation and conservation of natural beauty was a direct result of industrialization, because without industrialization the construct of preserving these unique (and "untouched") places might not hold the same value. It's vastly more complicated, but that is one of the main take home messages anyways.

I love gear. I love talking about it, testing it out, reading about it. I obsessively find ways to cut ounces off my pack by either not bringing certain things with me, or removing parts of the gear I do have (i.e no more stuff sacks). I've had a lot of trips this summer to test gear out, and since I have the day off, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on some specific gear I've been using or opted to STOP using:

1. Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 tent: Well. As my boyfriend well knows, I did a lot of research (probably more than I should have) on ultra light, 2 person tents before buying one. My thoughts were along the lines of getting something light enough that I could *in theory carry it myself, but also use it as a 2-person on the occasions where my man-friend joins me for a trip too. I feel like this might have worked out better, had the design on this tent been better. While it oddly has a million rave reviews around the internet, it just hasn't really done it for me for a number of reasons:

-You have to basically kick your partner in the head to get out, or somehow drag your torso over your pillow through the opening of the tent, since it's where you heads are (just look at the diagram). Just, why?

-It can be kind of a pain to get everything tight enough to where the sides don't slump inward. Don't get me wrong, you can do it, but, it's kind of a process.

-Um, why is the rain fly a giant condom?

So, I think I'm going to sell this to some unknowing sucker (I kid, I kid) at some point soon and use the $$ to look into better options (maybe even the Light Heart 2-person tent...)

Gossamer Gear Mariposa Ultralight Backpack: I'm going to admit, I initially wasn't sure I made the right choice between the Mariposa and one of the ULA packs. I've heard a lot of good things about both, but for some reason I feel like I'd heard better things about the ULA from other women. But, I've been super happy with my mariposa, and feel like I've really had the chance to use the hell out of it over the summer. It's the first time I've really ever been able to backpack and NOT feel sore from my pack, which is really amazing. I think part of the reason for this is that the mariposa is smaller than the Osprey pack I previously used, so I'm forced to bring less stuff. It also just seems to fit my body really well.

Nemo Nocturne 30 Sleeping Bag: I love this bag. So much. It's seriously made it possible for me to sleep like a semi-normal person in the backcountry. This is because is super cozy, but it's also really good for people who are side sleepers/leg benders because of its spoon shape. I feel like I can roll around and it doesn't really get tangled like a normal mummy bag. It also has this great little down filled collar that is attached, where I can sleep on my side and tuck it in around my neck. Where before, when side sleeping in a regular mummy bag, I'd have a lot of drafts hitting my neck (I usually sleep in a hat and gaiter because of this), the nemo has basically fixed this issue. In retrospect, I kind of wish I would have opted for the 15 degree bag (as evidenced by my very chilly night at Cathedral Lakes a few weeks ago, when the temp was below freezing), but, I got a super good deal on the 30 degree bag, and I've started to pair it with down pants for when it's going to be colder. Also part of my thinking: realistically, how often am I REALLY going to be using it in below-30 degree weather in the next few years? (Incidentally, it seems like overall, this bag is pretty true to it's temperature rating). 

Weekend trip to Ten Lakes. I could only count 4 lakes, but, maybe there are 6 more hiding back here.

Just ridiculously beautiful, the whole thing. I got to the top of Ten Lakes Pass and uttered a lot of profanities because of the view that you get after a pretty strenuous climb (about 2000+ feet to get up to this pass, so that could be related to why I was swearing too). 

Feast your eyes!