This week I am heading to Ponca, Arkansas, to get in some early summer backpacking and fly-fishing. The Buffalo River Trail is a 37-mile walk that runs along the river and above the bluffs in northern Arkansas. Smallmouth bass dominate the fish population along the Buffalo, and I’m hoping to catch a few on my trip. But, when the sun goes down and dinner is done, how do you like to entertain yourself so you’re not asleep before the Late Show has even started back home?

Generally the most obvious choice of entertainment is a good book. Sometimes I find it difficult to choose exactly which type of book I should take on my outdoor excursions. Does the environment call for a more introspective body of content like poetry? Or do I need to get lost in a good page-turning novel? Here are some of my favorites of each:

For poetry or prose, I always recommend William Stafford or his son Kim Stafford. They are both representative writers of the West and Northwest in particular, but their descriptions of the wilderness and the feeling that it evokes are unmatched. “Stories That Could be True” and “Allegiances” are just two of William Stafford’s books that I highly recommend as a backcountry companion. “Having Everything Right” is also an excellent choice for short stories and prose from William’s son, Kim. Both of these writers have an excellent way of letting you get lost in the material.

Obviously, there are thousands upon thousands of novels you could choose for reading outside, but two of my favorites are fairly different – John Steinbeck and Edward Abbey.

John Steinbeck captures so much with his writing. He can poetically describe any environment and its landscapes, but also draw you in with his human characters and the dramatic elements that follow them. His library of novels will give you anything from a reading experience that you want. If you’re looking for something longer, “East of Eden” is an enthralling classic. Shorter novels great for a backpacking trip are “Cannery Row” and “Tortilla Flats.” However, I cannot stress enough that any Steinbeck book would be a good choice.

On the other side of the spectrum, there is no other author in my mind that can make you laugh or cry as quickly as Edward Abbey. His writing is beautiful, funny, sarcastic and infuriating – all at the same time. “The Fool’s Progress” and “The Monkey Wrench Gang” are both examples of Abbey’s stellar fiction, while, “The Journey Home” and “Desert Solitaire” are some of his best non-fiction works. The content of Abbey’s books are perfect for any backcountry experience and will not do you wrong.

These are just a few of my favorite books to take on a backpacking trip or any outdoor trip for that matter. But, my opinion is not the “end-all” of what you should be reading. Check out these lists of good outdoor books:

The Wall Street Journal: Outdoor Adventures

Bookride.com: Backpacker Classics

Alastair Humphreys: Books to Take Backpacking this Summer

And here’s a list of National Outdoor Book Award winners:

NOBA Winners

I may get more excited than some people about a simple piece of paper. To me, this piece of paper is history – a map is more than data, it’s a living and breathing story.

The USGS is currently having a huge sale on all of their old maps, around 60,000 of them. I was surprised when only a few people I told were intrigued at all. While I may consider myself a map nerd, I don’t think people realize how important these documents are to our world and history. Classic novels have a certain legendary status in our culture, and they are treated as such. Maps have been given a duty of functionality and representation, not of creativity and depth.

It is often too easy to see why this is a fact. Maps are not being used anymore. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t useful, but people don’t know that you can pinpoint your exact location, examine natural history, and find your way with just a simple map and compass.

Much more can be read from a map than just direction. Since 1884, the United States has been surveyed and mapped out. In the beginning, people stood in field, mountain and valleys with tape and rulers to get an “exact” measurement of the landscape we lived in. This was part of the American adventure, to report on the unknown. These men were making the first records of areas that we now take for granted as familiar.

As we all know, this was a crude process. It is very interesting to see how the maps change over time. The methods of surveying and measuring were updating constantly. The USGS workers weren’t using simple tape measure, but levels and planes became useful for reading elevation and the rise of the horizon. Photography then became an integral part of how maps were created, and then followed by computers and satellite.

The best part about all of this – it belongs to all of us. Every part of the country where we live has these living records of not only our geologic and ecological history, but also the history of how we gathered the data in the first place. I’m not trying to get too reminiscent about the “good old days.” Maps need to be changing, that is their nature. GPS and satellite data is just as much a part of the mapping process, if not more so. With new technology we can get record of our geology with pinpoint accuracy.

For me, nothing can replace the maps of our past. I don’t see the mistakes and changes as bad things. I see them as a story. That’s why I got excited about the sale going on at the USGS website. They are selling their old, outdated maps. Over 60,000 pieces of our history ready to be explored. I’m excited about getting my crude, outdated maps of the Latir Wilderness, Pecos Wilderness, Sierra Nevada mountain range and Tuolumne Meadows. How often do you get a piece of functional, American history for $1 each?

For a crash course on basic map reading and orienteering, check out this site.

All three of these peaks are located in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. This beautiful, dramatic range juts out of the plains of eastern Colorado and down into New Mexico. The elevation drop from any of these peaks is very impressive and is responsible for some very spectacular views.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Wheeler Peak (3^rd Class Hike) 13,161ft

Wheeler Peak is known as the highest point in New Mexico, and it does offer some of the most beautiful views in the state. This peak is very good for those who are looking to get a good intro into summiting peaks at higher altitudes than they are used to. It does not take any technical knowledge of mountaineering, and is climbable for a significant portion of the year (May through December).

Two trails give backpackers access to the peak: the Bull-of-the-Woods Trail and Williams Lake Trail. I highly recommend getting an early start on either of these trails, due to the fact that early afternoon thunderstorms are extremely common during warmer months. The trailheads are located just a few miles north of Taos.

2. Blanca Peak (4^th Class Hike/Scramble) 14,343ft

Further up north is the beautiful Blanca Peak, which is the 4^th highest point in the state of Colorado. This is definitely a step-up in difficulty from Wheeler and will feel more like classic mountaineering. Beware, the approach to the basecamp at Lake Como is very tough. It will challenge anyone who is not used to running up high altitude mountain trails. However, you will be rewarded once you get there. Lake Como is a pristine alpine lake that lies just below the towering peaks of Ellingwood, Blanca and Little Bear.

Blanca peak can be climbed without gear, but a helmet is suggested. Snow will not melt off of the peak until mid-June in most years; so climbing months for most people are between June and November. Avalanche danger is extremely high in spring and winter months, so climbing during this time is generally not a good idea.

The difficulty of this peak is not to be underestimated, but is worth the effort. The two neighboring peaks, Ellingwood and Little Bear, can be linked with Blanca as well. However, Little Bear is very exposed and may require a little more technical expertise. Gear (if needed) can be rented from Adams State College, located in the nearby town of Alamosa, Colorado. The trailhead is located just south of town.

3. Crestone Needle (3^rd/4^th Class or 5.7 Trad Climbing) 14,197ft

Last, but not least, I wanted to include the Crestone Needle. It is ranked 20^th in elevation, but offers a lot to the aspiring mountaineer. Located on the east side of the Sangre de Cristo range, it is hidden among the plethora of jagged, scary-looking peaks that litter this area of the range. The approach to this peak is a little gentler than the Blanca Peak approach, especially if you have a high-clearance and/or 4-wheel drive vehicle.

The reason I wanted to include the Needle, is because it offers a non-technical summit route and a technical summit route as well. The non-technical approach does require a lot of scrambling and route finding, but the approach is beautiful and the climb is very rewarding. The technical route would be a good option for someone who is experienced with traditional rock climbing and wants to expand into alpine rock climbing. The route is rated 5.7 and has very good placement options for protection.

The climbing season for this peak is similar to Blanca’s, around June through November. There is a 4^th class traverse to the neighboring Crestone Peak, which could add a nice element to a day on the mountain. I would suggest hiking as high on the trail before setting up basecamp. This will make for a much easier day for reaching the summit the next morning.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All three of these peaks are not to be taken lightly, but they are all good options for someone looking to challenge himself or herself this summer. There are many other options for peaks to climb as well, I just chose these because I have experience with them and they seem appropriate and unique. Summitpost is a really good resource for any information regarding these mountains, and you can find all three at that website. Simply click on the name of the peak, and it will open a new link to the corresponding Summitpost page.

Remember to wake up early to avoid mountain thunderstorms, always wear a helmet, and have a great time.

Desert Magazine was published from 1936 – 1985. It showcased the desert southwest and it also a pretty cool view into publishing in the early and mid 20th century. The folks over at Cold Splinters had a link to a great website that has every single copy of this magazine in digital form. You can click on the cover of each issue and read the entire thing. So if you’re looking for about 50 years’ worth of light reading, go check out this really cool magazine. Perfect link for a rainy day, right?

Over the weekend, Steven Sexton and I took an official Mountain Hideaway trip to the Llano River to kayak and fish for a couple days. Yes, we did kayak and fish. But the weekend proved to be much more than a float trip down the Llano.

We drove to the small, scenic town of Mason, Texas, down in the hill country. For those of you who haven’t made it to this place, it is unlike any place I have been in the state. It looks like many of the classic, old towns you would see anywhere else. However, Mason has a very strong music and art culture that thrives in the community. Small art galleries litter the square and it doesn’t have a shortage of good food (Steve and I highly recommend Santos Mexican food). Tony Plutino, owner of Llano River Region Adventures, provided boats for our river trip.

After getting a brief sample of the Mason community, the 13 participants began to trickle in to our campsite. We set up camp at an RV park that sits on the Llano, a beautiful location for our trip. The final group of kayakers pulled in at 11:30PM, just as we rolled out our sleeping bags for the night.

We woke the next morning and began to shuttle kayaks to our drop-off point. Due to a lack of rain, the river was running low for the weekend. Steve and I had been concerned about how the low levels would affect the float. Everything was set for the float and we began paddling out down the Llano. We were all surprised to see that the river was running well despite the lack of rain. We glided down the river, some more gracefully than others. The rapids in the river were low, but still added some excitement to the float. The 6-mile stretch of river offered beautiful scenery, some classic Texas architecture and large granite boulders and outcroppings (some of which we failed to avoid hitting with our boats).

After 6 miles, the 100 degree heat had worn on just about all of us. We pulled our boats out of the river and shuttled back to the campsite. While some were moderately (or severely) sunburned, the float was a success.

The float was over, but we still had Saturday to enjoy what the hill country had to offer. The first night we had noticed a banner that said: “Mason County Volunteer Fire Department Barbeque.” Steve seemed interested, so six of us decided to hunt it down. The barbeque was in full-swing at the community center, which was a large metal barn on the outside of town. Some prominent ranchers had assembled their families for an auction to raise money for the fire department. We were all surprised to see what sort of money was being spent. Apple pies were being sold for $500 and a knife even sold for $3500. For me, it was a view into a much different world. Central Texas has a rich ranching history and many of these families have deep roots in the area. Family means much more than relation, and some names had been in the region for over one hundred years. Seeing this culture was an interesting perspective on something that is not thought of as unique in a place like Texas.

Storm clouds had begun to loom to our northwest, so we headed back to our campground to secure our tents. That night a large storm provided some interesting theatrics. Some of the loudest thunder we had ever heard cracked over our heads. Accompanied with bright flashes, thunder and lightning exploded like fireworks for hours. It was an exciting ending to an interesting trip.

All in all, our first official Mountain Hideaway trip was a success. We want to start something new and bring more community with our trips. This is just the beginning and we want to expand this to many other outdoor activities. Steve and I want you to be involved. As more people show interest, the more trips we can take and the longer they will be. No river or mountain is off-limits, and hopefully we can take you there.

Here at the Mountain Hideaway there seems to have been surge in the popularity of running, both with our employees and our customers alike. New catalogs for running shoe companies have been making their way around the shop, and talk of trail races and new running techniques have become some of the more prevalent topics of conversation among our patrons. Recently I ran my second marathon and my coworker, Jacob, competed in a 10k trail race near Austin. With all of the excitement building around the sport of running in the shop, I couldn’t help but wonder what the sport is doing in the rest of the country. Is it starting to gain the popularity that I think it is?

After navigating the maze of Google searches, I finally found some information. There were plenty of people who had opinions and thoughts on the subject of running, but the people over at the Outdoor Foundation put some research into the subject. Based on numbers gathered in 2009, they compiled some information on the demographics of trail running and just how many people are getting out. Sure, numbers can’t tell you why people are so interested in trail running. But numbers can show us more than empirical information.

In the United States in 2009, 4.8 million people hit the trails to run. One of first stats I saw was the age statistic of trail runners in the country. Most sports, especially those that take place in the outdoors, decrease in population as the participants get older. However, trail running is trending in the opposite direction. Nearly 50% of the running population is in the 25-50 year old age group, compared to only 20% in 18-24 and 7.5% in the 13-17 age groups.

I thought this was interesting. Trail running is technically categorized in the “extreme sport” sport genre, so why does the interest increase with age (unlike other “extreme sports” like skateboarding or rock climbing). The accessibility of the sport and the escape that it offers must be responsible for this number. As our cities and populations grow, I’m not surprised to see that sports like trail running become more popular as responsibilities increase in our everyday life.

It is true that some people don’t live near a trail, mountains or even a park. But, the statistics also showed that that didn’t really matter to people who wanted to run. Throughout the central United States (including the Midwest and Texas) trail runners make up nearly 20% of the entire trail running population. People who want to run are going to run, 60% of trail runners traveled 15 to 30 minutes to do so.

It’s often difficult to make conclusions from black and white data gathered from reports such as this one, but it is interesting nonetheless. Trail running is growing in popularity, but not in many of the ways that other sports have been in the past. Is it a reflection of the times we live in or a fad? This report is very interesting to see, and there is much more than what I have mention in this post. You may be surprised at some of the statistics. For example: did you know 50% of trail runners also regularly go bowling? It is some food for thought. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to ask myself why I go run miles on end, several times a week. But I know I’m not the only one. Why do you run?

We’d love to hear comments and input on your running habits and why you like to hit the road. Feel free to comment anytime on the blog and let us know what you think!

In the meantime, check out some highlights from the Salomon trail running team’s season: Salomon Trail Running Season

Coming up in about three weeks, we’re taking a group of kayakers to the hill country to paddle the Llano River. The timing of the trip couldn’t be better. Wildflowers in the area should be in full bloom and the river could be running anywhere from 100 to 500 CFS (cubic feet/second). Translation: it should be a great weekend.

We are leaving from Mountain Hideaway on Friday the 4^th, and driving to Ft. Mason State Park, where we have four campsites reserved. People joining us are more than welcome to camp. However, if “camping” really means “hotel room” to you, then there are plenty of those in the area as well. As for Saturday, we will wake up early and take the shuttle to the entry point, where we will spend the day on the river (about 4 to 6hrs).

It wouldn’t be a Mountain Hideaway trip if we didn’t offer fly fishing, so there will be the option to fish the river as well. Let us know if you would like to fish, and we can split the group into paddlers and fly fishers.

As far as logistics go, there is not too much to worry about and we invite anyone to sign up for the trip. We already have several people going with us, but there are still spots to be filled. Steve Sexton and I will be coordinating with the fine people at Llano River Region Adventures to make sure each person has shuttles for the river and more importantly, a kayak to paddle once you get there. The Llano River is very beautiful, but not too intimidating. We invite any skill-level of paddler to come along with us.

The cost of the trip will cover the shuttle and the kayak rental for Saturday. Individuals will be responsible for food, transportation and shelter (if you’re not camping). This should be a really great, inexpensive trip for anyone who likes to spend the day on the river.  The sign-up sheet is at the shop, so come on in or call us to get on the list. Happy Paddling!

Over the Easter weekend, intrepid voyager Jacob Copple and I decided to try our hand at canyoneering in Guadalupe National Park. For those not in the know, canyoneering according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “the sport of exploring canyons (as by climbing, rappelling, or swimming).” Over the two days spent in the park, we would experience this definition to its fullest.

After getting some impromptu directions from some friends over at the Outdoor Pursuits Center, we decided to attempt a canyon that has been notorious for giving backcountry groups trouble in the past. But in spite of the horror stories, we thought we might have a leg up on the other groups since gear had been left in the canyon to make our traveling easier. After driving about one hour outside of Carlsbad and setting up camp for the night against an old oil rig, Jacob and I set out into the canyon on Easter Sunday.

The view at the beginning of the descent was beautiful, and it would only get better. Some of the most surprisingly large limestone walls I have ever seen in the area were beginning to pop up all around us. We located the previous groups’ rappel ropes and began to descend deeper and deeper into the canyon. In total, our mileage for the two days was only ten miles. The difficulty came from the utterly uncooperative terrain that we dealt with for the duration of our trip. Giant boulders littered the riverbed divided by gnarled plants that tore at the skin of the unlucky individual who decided to wear shorts (me). It was hard to let that bother me though, considering the surprisingly beautiful scenery acting as a pleasant distraction.

We made it to our first camp about 6 miles into the canyon and settled in for the night. The forecast had turned out to be completely incorrect, which luckily for us meant clear, starry skies. From the next morning, we plotted our course on the map to take an eastern canyon back to our start point. Something we learned on the way out: ascending out of a canyon is more difficult than descending into a canyon. The boulders, cacti, bushes and water pools were still ever-present, except this time we had to go up and over them. After weaving through our numerous obstacles, including an interesting Tyrolean traverse (horizontal rope traverse over a gap), we made it up and out of the canyon.

We were very grateful to have the OPC’s advice on this trip and it would not have been possible without the ropes and equipment they had left in the canyon from previous trips. I would not suggest this trip to a novice backcountry navigator, but for those looking to push themselves technically and physically in a beautiful, remote location, you are hard pressed to find a better spot. We are sore and cut up from the canyon (not to mention I almost stepped on a rattlesnake), but I don’t think either of us were expecting to be as awe-inspired as were from this canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains. Full topographical maps of the canyon are available in the Guadalupe Mountain quadrangle; feel free to pick one up from Mountain Hideaway. And as always, for more information on this canyon or anything else on Hideaway Outdoors, feel free to comment on the blog or shoot us an email!

After speaking with a representative from the National Forest Service, I have learned that Last Chance Canyon and Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area will remain closed for the time being. Forest Service administrators will be meeting next week to discuss the re-opening of the canyon located in Lincoln National Forest.

The closures were put in place due to a massive wildfire that swept through the area, destroying more than 50,000 acres of grassland and vegetation. The fire was caused by hikers in Last Chance Canyon burning toilet paper.

For those unfamiliar with Last Chance Canyon and Sitting Bull Falls, it is a well-hidden area located just outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico. For several years the area was a fairly well kept secret for climbers in the West Texas and Eastern New Mexico area. While many people do hike and camp in the canyons, it really shines as a sport climbing area and had been developed as one for many years. However, to some climber’s dismay, the area began to gain notoriety on a national level mainly with a large article in Urban Climber  magazine. Local climbers began to update the canyon’s Mountain Project page as well, where anyone can find information on the routes and directions to the campgrounds.

Last Chance Canyon, to me, is a learning ground and a proving ground. With its short, steep sport routes it is a great place to learn everything there is to know about sport climbing. After climbing in the canyon almost a dozen times, it has become a very comfortable place me to push myself on harder routes. Classic lines like “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Frosted Flakes” are always great reminders of why I come to Last Chance in the first place.

Don’t forget about the harder routes as well. Many of the climbs in this area are rated 5.11 and above. I have met several climbers from Canada and California living in their van, working on some of the harder routes for weeks on end. Overhanging lines like “Swept Away” and “Terror in a Trailer Park” will get even the burliest climber’s heart pumping.

Out of respect for the climbers trying to keep this hidden gem a secret, I won’t post directions to the crags on this blog. But, if you really want to check the canyon out you shouldn’t have any problems. As I mentioned before, the canyon will be closed to the public for the near future. I will keep in contact with the Forest Service and will let Hideaway Outdoors readers know as soon as the closures are lifted. That being said, when the canyon does open please use the utmost respect and care for this beautiful area. It will take a long time for the area to rebound from the fires, and I’m sure the Forest Service would like to keep it that way.

I wouldn’t be the same climber (or a climber at all) if it weren’t for these great areas. I urge all of our readers to dig a little deeper and check out Last Chance and Sitting Bull falls, and you’ll see why it means so much to our local climbers.

The obvious choices for a West Texas outdoorsman are sometimes overlooked by our community, exhibit A: Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Before you stop reading, just know that there are probably things that you haven’t done in this area. The canyon, located about 110 miles North of Lubbock, is second largest in the nation and has more to offer than car-camping. This beautiful location has mountain biking, backpacking and rock climbing (believe it or not).

The activities here are still pretty obvious to most people. It’s just very easy for me to forget about the splendor of the canyon. The way the earth falls away as you drive down into its floor is something that shouldn’t be easy to forget, but the assumptions made about the plains can sometimes eat away at the beauty of this place in my mind. So, I think it’s important to keep Palo Duro close. People have been visiting this area to get lost in its wandering walls for decades, and that is for a reason.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park is an exciting place and here’s why: it’s undeveloped. You won’t walk around with thousands of other tourists, having park rangers yell and tell you not to touch the scenery. Because it is hidden by the monotony of the South Plains, not too many people crowd its two-lane roads. This does have its pros and cons, but it does make for an exciting weekend. The rule for backpacking explains that you must walk 30 minutes before setting up camp. The sheer fact that there is such a subjective law given to backpacking shows that there is freedom to be had in the canyon.

There are no backpacking and climbing guides to Palo Duro, just 29,000 acres to explore and make your own adventure. Just in the five years that I have lived in Lubbock, I have heard rumors of hidden crags and cliffs far back in the canyon just waiting to get their first ascent. Recently a friend and I made a trip to Palo Duro to try our hand at climbing in the canyon. I’ll be honest and say that it wasn’t easy to find and it wasn’t exactly safe, but we enjoyed the adventure of it all (plus the surprisingly good bouldering and the boulder garden).

Every time I visit the park, I get inspired about going to places that don’t have a guidebook. People do not have the ability to Google a weekend backpacking trail, and that’s enough to get me to check it out. The drive isn’t far from Lubbock, and who knows what you’ll find out there.

For those looking for a good tour of some of Palo Duro’s more famous attractions, check out the Lighthouse Trail and the Triassic Trail. As mentioned before, the boulder garden is a great place to boulder and there are some traditional climbing lines listed on its page at Mountain Project. If anyone knows any more hidden facts/trails/crags about the hidden giant in the desert, please comment and let us know.