IIAWT Preview/Recap - Mt. Kilimanjaro, August 2013

Good news everybody! Tonight, there will be another great IIAWT podcast - except this time, the podcast will have a new twist. That's right: on tonight's episode, IIAWT is packing their ice axes and heading off the continent to discuss one of the behemoths of worldwide mountaineering: Mt. Kilimanjaro. On tonight's episode, we will be talking with a long-time friend of the show, JestheCCC about her recent successful climb of the highest peak in Africa. This show will cover everything an intermediate mountaineer will need to know about planning an expedition to one of the seven summits; and it will also cover what one would need to know about how to successfully train for and how to successfully summit the highest mountain in Africa. If you're interested in learning more about JestheCCC and her climb, either before the show; or after the show, read her blog here, about: 1) Preparing to Climb Kilimanjaro; 2) Part One of Climbing the Mountain; 3) Part Two of Climbing the Mountain; and 4) Wrap Up of Climbing the Mountain. Also, if you're interested in learning more about Jes' partners and sponsors in climbing the mountain, you'll want to check out them here: 1) K2Adventures (at Twitter here); 2) TETON Sports (at Twitter here); and 3) Sly Fox Foods (at Twitter here). Tune in here for what will be a great show, or on iTunes!

 

Perseid Meteor Shower, August 11-12, 2013

Good news everyone! It's time to train our eyes upward and see if we can see the sons of Perseus streaking across the nighttime sky. That's right - I am talking about watching the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, which is occurring this weekend - August 11-12, 2013. According to the experts, the Perseid Meteor Shower is going to be one of the best - if not the best - meteor showers of 2013 as there will be no Moon in the nighttime sky this weekend. The Perseids are always a great meteor shower to watch, as they are one of the larger showers that have been observed from 36 A.D. onward, and the origin of the meteors is the Swift-Tuttle comet. Since there will be no Moon during the Perseids this year, many astronomers have estimated that during the peak time - from 10:00 p.m. on August 11, 2013 to 4:30 a.m. on August 12, 2013, skywatchers can expect to see 80-100 meteors scorch the sky per hour. If that isn't enough to get you outside to take a look, I don't know what is! (More information on observing the Perseids here, here, and here; and if you're interested in photographing the Perseids, click here). 

As always, you can rest assured that I will be outside watching the Perseids, because I love meteor showers. If you're interested in seeing a meteor shower for the first time, let me provide you with three handy tips: 1) Get outside. Cities provide a lot of light pollution, which makes it harder to see everything in the night sky, including the Perseids. 2) Be patient. While this might not be as important for a busy shower like the Perseids, it is applicable. Allow your eyes time to adjust to the dark; sit back; relax, and enjoy watching the universe move in inscrutable and beautiful ways. 3) Have fun! Bring food, drinks, and plenty of blankets and pillows to stay comfortable and warm. 

Interested in science? You might like this NASA app HERE; and about the dust passing through our atmosphere during the shower here.

 

 

 

IIAWT Preview/Recap July 2013

Mt. Wilson, San Juan Mountain Range, Colorado

Mt. Wilson, San Juan Mountain Range, Colorado

Good news everybody! On Saturday, July 27, 2013 IIAWT will be back from our podcasting vacation. Since it's summertime, it's an excellent time to talk about a great mountaineering location, the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. We're also happy to be bringing back our expert on the Rocky Mountains and its various ranges, Bob Doucette, who will definitely have some great insights on this area and how to train for these peaks. In case you're interested in a preview of what we'll be discussing tomorrow, or want to follow along with the show, or if you end up hearing the show after it records live on July 27, 2013, or if you're just interested in reading more of Bob's work, check out these links here:

Trail Reports of the San Juan Mountains: Mt. Sneffels and Matterhorn PeakSome of Bob's Thoughts on Training, Exercise and DietIIAWT's Favorite Trail Report of Bob's: Torrey's Peak via Kelso Ridge;  and Bob's Original Appearance on IIAWTTune in here, and see you in the mountains!

 

Garnet Peak

Garnet Peak

One of my favorite spots in San Diego County is one that most people haven’t heard about. No, it’s not Cowles Mountain. It’s not Iron Mountain. It’s Garnet Peak, a medium sized mountain that’s located on the Eastern edge of San Diego County in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area. Even though the peak is somewhat unknown to the hiking community in San Diego, the Laguna Mountains are well known to everyone in the county as “the place with the snow”. Yes, you read that right – San Diego gets snow! While it is not a lot of snow, San Diego – and the Laguna Mountains definitely get snow during the winter months as the range is above four thousand feet. Don’t believe me? Well, you can check these pictures here. This is one of the amazing things about San Diego County; it has a variety of biomes that range from coast, alpine, and desert; and from the summit of Garnet Peak, you can see all of these on a sunny day.

Moro Rock and Hanging Rock

Moro Rock and Hanging Rock

One of the great things about California is that the state has an enormous amount of “wild” space. Some of these spaces are State Parks; some are National Parks; and some are open spaces that are run by other governmental organizations and non-profit foundations. The variety present in this system of wilderness protection and preservation means that there’s always something new to explore; and there’s always hidden gems to be found. Take for example the Moro Rock Trail (yes, that’s right: Moro Rock, not Morro Rock). This trail is one of my “secret” favorite summertime trails in the Southern Sierra, and one that is fairly accessible. Why is it one of my summertime favorites? For starters, you get to climb Moro Rock (Elevation 6,275), and you get to hike amongst giant sequoias. You also get some spectacular views of the Southern Sierra mountain range. And, if you’re particularly lucky, you might even get to see some black bears. Interested? Read on!