Mediocre Mountaineering

Welcome to Mediocre Mountaineering

These are my Mountaineering, Climbing, Skiing, and Outdoor Pages (with some camera and gadget stuff thrown in for good measure.)

Why the title, “Mediocre Mountaineering?” Because these pages aren’t about the extreme, hardcore, or difficult. The focus of these pages is on moderate climbs by a mediocre climber, backpacker and outdoor person.

Although I really love climbing, I am a mediocre mountaineer at best. The best evidence of this is that I’ve climbed for 30+ years, and I’m still not climbing anything truly difficult. I have a desk job, where I mostly sit all day long. If I’m lucky, I can get out and climb on the week-ends, and maybe take a multi-day trip every so often. I’m not a guide, not an expert, and not a very good climber. I’m just a guy who’s been climbing for a while, who has figured out a few things that work, (and some that don’t work) for the mediocre stuff that I do.

This web site is for mediocre folks like me; people who just like to get out and climb in the mountains every so often, and are looking for a few tips and (possibly) useful advice.

Posts are listed below in chronological order. You can use the Search function or the category listing above or at the bottom of the page to find specific posts.

2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Highlights

The 2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market presents an overwhelming array of products to assess and be dazzled by. After a couple of days wandering the halls of the outdoor retailer show, here are some of my impressions: Backcountry Ski Touring: As the winter oriented show, it’s not surprising that there were tons of backcountry […]

January 24, 2014
Patagonia Ascensionist 25L Pack

15.8 ounces (with add-on shock cord compression straps.) The Patagonia Ascensionist pack line is Patagonia’s new foray into making backpacks. The 25 liter pack is the smallest of the line-up, suited for day trips and traditional alpine climbs from huts. The Ascensionist 25L pack is stripped down to the bare essentials. The suspension is […]

January 19, 2014
Rab Boreas Pull-On

The Rab Boreas Pull-On is a strange soft shell. It’s not very wind resistant. It’s not very water resistant. Currently, outdoor clothing companies all seem to be making their softshell clothing more and more weather resistant, blurring the line between hard and soft shells. The Boreas goes the other direction. It’s a softshell that provides […]

December 31, 2013
Backcountry Skiing in the Sierras (Mammoth to Tioga Pass)

The last week in March, me and 3 friends skied from Mammoth Lakes to Tioga Pass. We started skiing Tuesday morning, and reached the car Saturday, early afternoon. We passed through some truly spectacular country. Here are some details of our trip. We drove to Lee Vining, and left our car at a parking […]

June 26, 2013
Desert Trout

Fly fishing in Utah can be a unique experience. Much of the state is arid desert, with lots of sand, sandstone, and sagebrush. With extremely hot summer temperatures, and barren surroundings, these desert regions wouldn’t seem like a good place to go fishing. However, a combination of cold mountain snow-melt and cold water springs can […]

September 19, 2012
Michael D. Clark (South Creek) Bamboo Fly Rod

Michael D. Clark (South Creek Ltd.) 8 foot, 5 weight, 3 piece, 2 tip, Ruby taper “Uinta” South Creek web site. I love bamboo fly rods. I have a web page devoted to that infatuation HERE. Over the last decade, I’ve collected and fished a number of bamboo fly rods. This rod represents the culmination […]

August 24, 2012
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Echo II Shelter

1 pound, 12.5 ounces (tarp, inner tent, beak, and stuff sack.) 5.5 ounces (12 aluminum stakes and small stuff sack.) Total packed weight of full tent with 12 stakes: 34 ounces (2 pounds, 2 ounces) The Echo II from Hyperlite Mountain Gear is my latest backcountry shelter. It’s a hybrid tarp/tent made mostly from lighweight […]

August 22, 2012
Backcountry Fishing Kit

I love backcountry fly fishing. When I’m fishing the backcountry, I typically have to do a fair amount of hiking to get to the waters I’m going to fish. Weight and space are at a premium. Many roadside fishermen carry a lot of fishing paraphernalia; enough to fill a fishing vest. If you’re fishing close to […]

August 20, 2012
Knives and other cutting tools

A knife has got to be one of the first tools that early man created. When you’re in the wilderness, you often have the need to cut things, and having a knife along can be pretty handy. Because knives are so useful, it’s no surprise that primitive people worked on making knives from flint, […]

August 14, 2012
Overloaded on the Uinta Highline Trail

I just got back from the Uinta Highline Trail. This trail follows the spine of Utah’s Uinta Wilderness Area. It traverses about 70 miles, and requires a bit over 15,000 feet of vertical gain (and corresponding vertical loss.) The route pretty much stays above 10,000 feet altitude, with multiple 12,000+ foot passes. Scenery […]

August 8, 2012

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