FAQ "What do you get out of this website" - someone asked recently in 2016. ANSWER: Financially obviously it's nothing. It has been 8 yrs and I have yet to receive my 1st Google Ads check (since it hasn't hit $100), and the original intention of this website was for family & friends to explore these places themselves, that's it! But the real reason to keep this website is because it reminds me of what to do when things get difficult, and it reminds me the beauty in this world. I was intensely happy when someone told me that they followed our footsteps & changed the way they live, the way they view the world. I smiled when I heard the cancer patient took a long drive from Texas to Canada Rockies after looking at my website & she still enjoys her life 8 yrs later, & I say hi to her from time to time. I smiled when I saw travel pictures from my uncle who is following our footsteps, even with a fused spine & constant pain, he raised 2 boys mostly by himself & finally he can climb a new mountain for himself after 21 yrs! I am glad I can lend a hand to make his dreams come true! Honestly, I've never thought about this question... I like things pure & simple. There need not to be a reason for everything we do, it just has to be good. My friend. ;)
"Is Climbing dangerous" - we hear that a lot! ANSWER: True, the inherent risk of climbing is fairly high when compared to other popular sports. However, we practice climbing with extreme discipline & never push ourselves in an outdoor environment. When one of our friends told us her daughter is taking rappel lessons & they just got back from a cruise where they enjoyed zipline, I ask her if she sees anything wrong with the picture? Since we would steer away from these activities as much as possible. Bungy jumping? Heck no! See, once we get to the top, only if it's absolutely necessary we would rappel. That's right, we only use equipment as a backup. We climb with a mindset like Alex Hannold + extra safety of equipment. So for us, Climbing is NOT dangerous. Statistically speaking, most climbing accidents are related to improper use of gear or gear failure. When indoors, that's when you can have a bit of fun with solid anchors & cushions abound.
"I am starting out, what are the must haves with minimal investment?" - from Josh, WI (2002). ANSWER: 1) A pair of good hiking boots with GOOD ankle support, 2) Waterproof Upper Shell, 3) Small First Aid (incl. Emergency Blanket & Firestarter Kit), 4) Flashlight, 5) Hat, and 6) A pair of Treking Poles, and 7) Notify someone your destination.
"Have your guys encountered situations where rope are required, or do you carry ropes on every hike? Also do you guys climb or backpack? I've seen a couple of pictures with you carrying ropes. Any quick advice for climbing or backpacking?" - from Stephan, Austria. (2000) ANSWER: A section of 6-8mm rope is extremely handy in long hikes/back packing trips, even without harness, the rope can be used to facilitate snow crossing if you are doing non technical mountaineering. We always carry a coil of rope on longer hikes. We are amatures in climbing, backpacking; overall for climbing due to our low risk tolerence (in relative terms) we favor easy to moderate trad climbing routes only. Climbing is inherently dangerous & we are not qualified to give advice but let's throw in an important piece of info we learned from a guide- we keep a log of our climbing inventory, and record the log after EACH trip. After each hard fall, we also record the piece subjected to the force! Stay safe & see you on the trail. Oh don't forget to retire old equipment; don't sell them please throw them away/recycle for safety reasons. TIPS |
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Clothing for Day Hike
Equipment for Longer Day Hike
Overall Tips for Day Hikes (also refer to our articles with tips tailored to individual hikes)
Sample Checklist (for trip planning)
Modified Via-Ferreta Setup (Note; a majority of the equipment used by us for hiking/backpacking trips are extreme lightweight climbing aids for alpine climbing use, not for regular rock climbing) Please refer to the Disclaimers before trying out our methods. Use#1: connect 2 carabineers with a ~5 feet section of 6MM Rope (or double rope, double carabineers on both end points). Clip into anchors (chain links/anchors) as an extra precaution when traveling, helping others, or taking photos while climbing. This is useful on hikes such as Half Dome (Yosemite) or Precipice Trail (Acadia). Use#2: use a section of 8mm Rope (~15 feet) and use it to connect 2 people when traveling the most dangerous sections (e.g,, crossing a glacier stream). Hiker #1 will anchor him/herself and keep the rope tight, the 2nd person will cross the section. The 2nd person will now anchor him/herself... repeat. Basically, you and your partner are traveling section by section but are always anchored to a point. Keep the rope taut to minimize the need for a energy absorption devices such as Shorty Screamer. Note: IMPORTANT – this setup cannot be used if no reliable anchors are found. Without proper anchors (chains, climbing bolts, iron lugs, dead trees, rocks), a sudden fall/jerk can cause severe injury/death and/or bring both people tumbling down the mountain. We both carry dedicated Via Ferreta sets for real via ferreta routes. What's explained above is only for emergency use because it weights next to nothing. For climbing equipment, and any safety equipment in general, NEVER BUY USED, even if they look brand new! If you have any question regarding the specific brand of product we use, please email us.
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