Spending Time Above Treeline? This is the Gear You’ll Need to Enjoy the Alpine.
These products will keep you protected and prepared on high-alpine treks.
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One summer past, I was hiking the undulating crest of Montana's Gallatin range, peaks and valleys unspooling on all sides as far as I could see. I hadn't seen another hiker the entire time, and I was also entirely out of water. My partner stopped and peered at a map on his phone. "I sure hope that dark spot is an actual lake," he muttered.
We were in the middle of a 45-mile ridge hike; in hindsight, we should have known that water sources would be scarce. This wasn't hindsight thought, and I was really thirsty. A few miles later we dropped over the side of a hill, and there was a small, somewhat festering pond in a shallow basin. It would be our only water until the next day. From that point on, I was more careful about mapping water sources beforehand and always carried a collapsible bottle for extra water-carrying capacity on high-elevation trails.
Continue reading Maggie Slepian's complete article and her list of best gear here.
May 7, 2022
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LIFE OUTDOORS
MEDIA MENTIONS
Depending on where you travel, you may want to pack bug spray, too. In places like Florida and North Carolina, summers get buggy, and you’ll be happy to have packed a spray on nights when you want to sit on the porch or dine outdoors.
MEDIA MENTIONS
As a veteran of the Iraq War, I found myself struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from which greatly impacted my mental health. In 2016, I came across the film “Wild,” an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir about healing by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
MEDIA MENTIONS
Sawyer Permethrin Premium Insect Repellent is used on clothing, not skin, and it provides long-lasting protection against ticks.
