The Onondaga Chapter of the Audubon Society held its Birdathon on the third Saturday in May again this year. I participated for the second year in a row by bushwhacking through the heart of the Pepperbox Wilderness of the Adirondack State Park for another opportunity to increase my disappointing species count from last year. For
Gear Review: Leica Ultravid 8×20 binoculars
Compact binoculars are an ideal choice for the ardent backcountry enthusiast. Their small size and lightweight allow for easy access even when bushwhacking through dense vegetation. Leica Camera AG manufactures a perfect example of a compact binocular in the Ultravid 8×20 BR. Leica Camera AG is an international company in the optics industry with a
Gear Review: Golite Tumalo Pertex 2.5-Layer Storm Pant
After an entire winter of procrastination and a swiftly approaching bushwhacking season I was left with no other choice but to find a replacement for my now ineffectual Golite Reed rain pants. I narrowed it down to two different rain pants: the Marmot Essence and the Golite Tumalo. And the winner was….the Tumalo Pertex® 2.5-Layer
In Search of New Lightweight Bushwhacking Rain Pants
Decisions, decisions…. After getting soaked from the knees down last summer while bushwhacking in the Pepperbox Wilderness of the Adirondacks and again this spring hiking out of Trout Pond in the Catskills, I knew I had to start shopping for a new pair of rain pants. I put this off since last summer because I
FBON 2011: Sleet and Freezing Rain at Trout Pond in the Catskills
On April 21-23, 2011 my friend Dave and I participated in the 26th annual Frostbite Overnight (FBON). The FBON is an early spring camping trip taken the three days prior to Easter in the Catskills State Park. This year we hiked into Trout Pond in the Cherry Ridge/Campbell Mountain Wild Forest. The following article chronicles
FBON 2011: Investigating the Ruins of Mud Pond in the Catskills
On April 21-23, 2011 my friend Dave and I participated in the 26th annual Frostbite Overnight (FBON). The FBON is an early spring camping trip taken the three days prior to Easter in the Catskills State Park. This year we hiked into Trout Pond in the Cherry Ridge/Campbell Mountain Wild Forest. The following article chronicles
FBON 2011: Hiking into Trout Pond in the Catskills
On April 21-23, 2011 my friend Dave and I participated in the 26th annual Frostbite Overnight (FBON). The FBON is an early spring camping trip taken the three days prior to Easter in the Catskills State Park. This year we hiked into Trout Pond in the Cherry Ridge/Campbell Mountain Wild Forest. The following article chronicles
Frostbite Overnight 2011 Teaser
From April 21 through 23, 2011, my friend Dave and I participated in the 26th Annual Frostbite Overnight in the Catskill State Park. This was the fewest number of individuals to attend this annual backpacking event for many years. The last time there were this few participants the two of us hiked along the Escarpment
Is Black the New Black in Backpacking Rain Pants?
Recently, I was in the market for a new pair of rain pants. In fact, new rain pants were an imperative since late last summer when I discovered my old rain pants were no longer doing their duty while bushwhacking on a wet morning in the Pepperbox Wilderness. Unlike previous trips these well-worn and much
