Skills

Author: James Lucas Publish date: Oct 19, 2018 In January 2015, the photographer Brett Lowell dangled in space, 1,200 feet above the Valley floor and 100 feet out from El Capitan’s Dawn Wall (VI 5.14d). Using advanced rigging techniques, Tommy Caldwell, Eric Sloan, and I had helped position Lowell so he could photograph the Crystal Dike Traverse, the crux of the route. The picture came out perfectly, showing Caldwell dancing on small edges from a unique vantage accessible only through ninja skills. Working on the Dawn Wall and various other shoots, I’ve learned a few tricks about climbing photography. While you’ll probably never need to drag 70 pounds of rope up El Cap like we did, you can elevate your photography from amateur-level buttshots to pro-level artistry with just three simple tips. 1. Scope the route First, do your research—the more groundwork, the better the results. Choose a route Home in on the route you want to shoot. Look for … [Read more...] about Climbing Photography: 3 Top Tips to Shoot Like a Pro

Find home anywhere, one leaf at a time. Author: Corey Buhay Publish date: Oct 18, 2018 The wind whips through the sumac grove’s twisted branches. The leaves are tomato-sauce red, and the shrubs hunch over the trail from either side, as if skeptically regarding the dirt path between them. The sky is a chilling gray, and I’m shivering. The car—and its heater—are close, but I’m busy. I kneel in the dirt on the side of the trail, just beyond the sumac’s reach, and thumb a blade of grass to compare the ligule—a pale, sheath-like structure at the base of the leaf—to my fingernail. To anyone else, the bundle of stems wouldn’t be worth a second glance. But it is to me. I need to know what it is. I need to know its name. I lived in North Carolina for four years while I earned a degree in environmental science. There, I spent two years working in a garden where I learned which weeds to pull and which plants to leave. … [Read more...] about Why Hikers Should Know Their Plants

Author: Nina Williams Publish date: Oct 16, 2018 In the spring of 2015, I stood at the base of Blue Suede Shoes, a notorious old-school V5 in Yosemite Valley’s Camp 4. Despite my trying for the better part of an hour, the send eluded me no matter how hard I crimped on the tiny handholds. “It’s only V5,” I thought with increasing frustration. “I can climb V5!” The more I threw myself at the problem, the less progress I made. Strength failed me. I reconsidered, thinking of Yosemite’s delicate, technical style. I needed to approach Blue Suede Shoes differently. I silenced the voice of disbelief that told me there was no way I could cling to this slick rock. Then I stepped onto the sloping dish feet, trusting my body position and gravity to keep me over the footholds, instead of muscle. Step by step, I shifted my hips with each insecure move until I found myself at the top. Crimping the handholds was one-third of the successful … [Read more...] about Climb Smart: Prioritizing the Technical and Mental Aspects of Climbing

15 expert tips on how to winterize your cold-weather camping game, thrive and survive. Keep your core (and your gear) warm in the coldest weather with this ultimate guide. Author: Kristin Hostetter Publish date: Oct 16, 2018 There is nothing like the scent of pine amidst the quiet of an alpine lake or a clear sky speckled with stars against snow-capped mountains. But even the most spectacular sights won’t make up for a miserable night camping in cold weather or freezing temperatures. Whether you’re cross-country skiing or backpacking by snowshoe, don’t be ill-prepared. Get the gear you need to stay warm and endure those subzero winter extremes. Here’s how to make your adventure more about comfort and less about battling the cold. Essential Cold-Weather Camping Gear Checklist Closed-cell foam sleeping pad Coupler strap (and a buddy) Sleeping bag with an appropriate lower-limit temperature rating Synthetic or wool base layers Socks, gloves, and a … [Read more...] about Cold-Weather Camping Tips to Keep You Warm While You Sleep

The challenge: Make a dozen cupcakes with an ultralight stove. Author: Will McGough Publish date: Oct 15, 2018 When I told my friend Bird I wanted to try baking on my dinky ultralight stove, he snorted. Sure, he said, if I had an Outback Oven or some other fancy equipment, no problem. But with only my heat-blasting canister stove and a small pot? No way. He reminded me that, though a longtime backpacker, I was a total culinary novice: If I tried to bake, I’d be eating raw batter and scraping burnt bits off my pan for weeks. I’d always feared the inconvenience of packing in extra fuel—and packing out any failed attempts—but I was sure a little research and persistence would reveal just how easy it was. Besides, being able to bake bread or cinnamon rolls seemed like a good skill to have if I ever got tired of tortillas and smashed bagels on an extended trip. But I’d start with something simpler (and a little more exciting): dessert. So I … [Read more...] about Pass/Fail: Bake in the Backcountry