The Real Fountain of Youth

Round 2: After bad weather abruptly ended our trip up Mt. Olympus last year, I could hardly wait to see what I'd been missing! The 20+ mile hike in prevents one that wants to stop and eat the berries from a quick weekend return. So Ben and I set aside 4 full days, exactly one year after our initial attempt.
This particular trip for me was much more than simply another climb. Hiking from below 1,000' along a damp rain forest valley floor, then eventually higher to glacial moraine and beyond to the summit at 8,000', gives one an intimate account of the way an ecosystem supports itself and ultimately human life around it.

The Pacific NW has seen above average sun and temperatures this year and because of this, the Blue Glacier has lost all of it's annual snow leaving just the ancient, hard ice. After hearing and seeing all the happy wildlife in the forest, a step onto the glacier is literally stepping onto the source of life! Streams of pure, mineral-rich melt water meandered in all directions on the surface of the glacier. In one spot we discovered a stream gushing into a large glacier moulin that likely reached the lowest depths of the glacier!



A taste from this water, and we had many, is what I would imagine "drinking from the fountain of youth" would taste like! I find it a bit irritating that so many people view this as "unfiltered" when in fact thousands of years of environmental evolution is the shining example of what pureness and wholeness really is!

Eating fresh mountain berries, breathing pure mountain air, and drinking straight from a glacier - I do believe that I have tasted from the Fountain of Youth!

Exploring the Urban Jungle

Previously, when I thought of NYC, I thought of 'big city East Coast'. Then there are some who think of one of the largest cities in the Western World, and of course some think of "Yankees up North".
But I now understand that NYC is not about East, West, North, or South. NYC is about anything and everything, anytime and all the time!

Gear That I Use: Organization

This is the first installment of a mini-series in which I will detail some of the gear I am using out there. As with most activities, it takes years to fine-tune your system and with modern manufacturing, gear options abound.
The root word of packing is 'pack' so I'll start with that:

BD Sphynx 42L Backpack - Sleek, lightweight, and it has a hydration bladder sleeve. What keeps me buying this same model when one wears out, is the homogenous fit that it provides for my back.

OR Pack Liner - If it's going to be wet, this super light liner seals everything out. Plus, you can slip it, full with all your gear, from your soggy pack in one smooth pull after reaching camp. I put my tent (or bivy sack) in the bottom of my pack and pack everything else in the liner above it.

OR Zip Sack - The smallest size holds all of my toiletry and First-Aid items as well as my compass/GPS and most other personal accessories. What makes it special is that it unzips across the top so you can see all of your items with ease.

Granite Gear Stuff Sacks - These are color coordinated, mostly waterproof, and extremely light. I put my extra clothing in one and day snacks in another. If you don't stuff them to the absolute max, you can arrange them easily inside your pack so that every bit of space is used efficiently. Just try to keep the heaviest items closest to your back.

Plastic Baggies - Ahhh, the benefits of Petroleum. These really make the final difference in a well organized pack. Unfortunately I have found that on extended trips, they become more and more difficult to seal. I am looking for a re-usable replacement...