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Book Recommendations

May 27, 2009 / frankclimbs

I don’t know about you but I have always enjoyed a great book about the outdoors. I thought I would post a few of my favorite books in my collection. And then get some feedback from the rest of you about some of your favorite books. I hope to keep this a living blog post in that I will add books to it as I read them as well as keep all of your comments posted so others can get a few ideas of books to pick up from you.

Postcards from the Trailer Park (The Secret Lives of Climbers) by Cameron M. Burns. This book is a collection of short stories about different climbers. This book is a must read for any climber who loves to hear about others adventures. It was always an entertaining read.

A Test of Will: One Man’s Extraordinary Story of Survival by Warren MacDonald. I came across this book about 4 years ago, and couldn’t out it down. It was one of those books that kept the suspense high. It really shows what the human mind can do, when faced with troubling odds.

Hey Ranger!: True Tales of Humor and Misadventure from America’s National Parks by Jim Burnett. Do you envy rangers and what they do for a living. I think about seeing them out hiking around, camping and just spending time in the great outdoors. This is all part of their jobs, but there is much more to it. This book sheds some light on some of the good times of being a ranger and some of the bad times. Jim does a great job at describing and telling the story of the Ranger.

This will be something that I will continue to add books to. I would love to hear from you in the comments and learn of other books that I should pick up and read.

Saving The World One Bag At A Time!

May 19, 2009 / frankclimbs

My mom has always been a great mentor to me on saving the planet. She has never lectured on global warming or the effects and outcomes of not recycling, but she has always lived the motto of reduce, reuse and recycle, even if she wouldn’t call it that. I can remember going to the grocery store with my mom when I was little, she always had cloth grocery bags to use. I never remember seeing the other moms using cloth bags. She started using reusable cloth grocery bags in 1979, when it was not so cool to use them. Not until last year have reusable bags really gone mainstream. Most national or local grocery stores have their own bags for you to buy and use at the store. I have heard some of the statistics on plastic bags and it is pretty depressing, but we can all start helping out now.

If you don’t have any bags yourself go out and buy some. Support your local farmers market and buy them there. If they don’t sell them buy them from your favorite grocery store. Keep them in your trunk or by the back door. It will help you remember them when you go out shopping. If you forget your bags when you go out shopping or if you are just going in for one item, don’t take a bag. This is another great way to reduce your consumption of bags. If it is one item do you really need a bag?

Two websites that I have found to help spread the message as well as help with the problem are 1 Bag at a Time and ReusableBags.com. These are two other great resources for getting reusable bags. I don’t really believe that all the worlds problems will be solved by using reusable bags, but I do believe that it will make a big difference if more and more people will start using them.

If you know of other great resources to find out more reusable bags or other great places to purchase them from, please leave a comment.

The Jakpak

May 12, 2009 / frankclimbs

The other day I came across an article talking about the Jakpak, an all-in-0ne waterproof jacket, sleeping bag and tent. It sounded intriguing, a jacket that turns into a sleeping bag and a tent. I did a little more research and was able to get a few pictures from the company as well as some specs on the Jakpak. Created by Active Engineering the Jakpak seems like a great alternative to an all-in-one personal shelter for any outdoor enthusiast, as well as using it for emergency preparedness.

Terry Jensen, inventor and co-owner of Active Engineering said this about the Jakpak, “it was born out of a desire to provide shelter for those who need it most. Our goal with JakPak is to perfect the alternative personal shelter for anyone who needs a reliable solution to exposure from the elements.” Jensen continued, “As our company grows, our hope is to be able to provide JakPaks to those who need them most, particularly the homeless.”

It is nice to hear a company talk about helping others and not just helping themselves. I think this is a great idea for anyone that hikes or goes into the backcountry. This can provide shelter and comfort when one might not have been planning on staying the night. The Jakpak will not be available to consumers until late summer. I can hardly wait to be able to try one of these on and experience it for myself. I will give an update when I am able to, so check back to hear more about the Jakpak.

For more information on the Jakpak you can check out their website at http://jakpak.com/

jakpak-ls-lying-yellow

Leaving Your Mark is Overrated!

April 22, 2009 / frankclimbs

The other day as my family and I were out shopping my 2 year old came across some trash and picked it up. I took this opportunity to teach him the importance of putting trash in the garbage can. He loved doing it and was looking for more as we were shopping. If only we all could get so excited about picking up after others and ourselves. I think it is important that we start teaching our kids at a young age the Leave No Trace Principles. I have always tried to make it a point to pick up trash at climbing areas or hikes that I have been on. We finally started to carry a couple extra trash bags in the car so we had some place to put the trash we had gathered. Living the Leave No Trace Principles is not really that hard of a thing to do. There are 7 principles to follow:

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

I know that it is easier to take the shortcut, instead of staying on the cement sidewalks. But, by staying on the sidewalk we will not help create a new path or should I say dirt path through the lawn or flower bed. Taking the long way is one easy way to start following some of these principles.

Leave No Trace is an national and international program designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts with their decisions about how to reduce their impacts when they hike, camp, picnic, snowshoe, run, bike, hunt, paddle, ride horses, fish, ski or climb.

The Ten Essentials

April 13, 2009 / admin

Whether going out for a day hike or going for a multi-day excursion in the backcountry, there are a few items that should always be packed. These items have been summarized into what is known as the ten essentials. The ten essentials date back to the 1930’s and were created by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based outdoor organization. The list has evolved from just 10 items, into 10 categories or systems.

The Ten Essential Systems

Navigation
Sun Protection
Insulation (extra clothing)
Illumination
First-aid Supplies
Fire
Repair kit and tools
Nutrition (extra Food)
Hydration (extra water)
Emergency shelter

To find out more about the ten essentials go to The Ten Essentials

Also you can find this information published in the book “Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills”.

The weather is getting warmer…

April 6, 2009 / admin

Spring here in Utah can bring all kinds of surprises. One day it will be 70 degrees and two days later it is snowing. When the sun starts to come out all I can think of is getting up to the mountains to go climbing or hiking. I have to remember that even though there is no snow down low, there is always lots of snow up in the mountains.

The last couple of weeks I have been building, updating and gathering data and information for Open Air Life and the wiki guides. The time I have spent on gathering this information has been a really enjoyable time for me. I love to spend time in the mountains even if it is not climbing. It is also a great time for me to expose my son to them and show him the bueaty that can be found there. I can’t imagine not living so close to the mountains.