This weekend, if you are located in the Western Hemisphere, you will have the opportunity to see something amazing – a total eclipse of the moon. If more amazing than that, this eclipse will be during the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the September equinox, and it will be during a Supermoon, which means that the moon will be at its closest point to Earth (perigee) for all of 2015 (some 221,753 miles away). If a total lunar eclipse that occurs on a Supermoon that is also the Harvest Moon isn’t enough for you, this total lunar eclipse is also known as a “blood moon”!
Gear Review: Ecosox Hiking Socks
One of the most important things, if not the most important thing a person can do when hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, trail running, or climbing is to ensure that their feet are healthy. While this may sound like a ridiculous statement, it is actually the key to both short term and long term success on the trail. Everything in all of these sports starts from the feet. A person’s feet are the only body parts that actually directly deal with the trail, and are the only parts that must adjust to differing conditions on and off the trails. Sure, these sports require conditioning and core strength to be effective, and sure, other parts of the body – such as the back can be affected by other pieces of equipment, but really, for most outdoor activities, where the rubber hits the road is where the road hits the feet.
Foster Point
Rio Celeste
Costa Rica is a land of innumerable wonders, from the popular (Monteverde Cloud Forest) to the remote (Tortuguero National Park). With so many amazing natural features to choose from, it is nearly impossible to pick the “top” or “best” feature of the country. Having placed that disclaimer first, let me say that if I was forced to pick the most amazing feature of Costa Rica, I would pick the Rio Celeste. The Rio Celeste is an awe-inspiring river that is located in the remote northern reaches of Costa Rica in Tenorio National Park.
Gear Review: Tribe Provisions Adventure Hammock
When I started backpacking, the one of the main – and critical issues was what gear would be left behind. At that time, backpacks were heavy, external frame affairs, and it was common to see even experienced backpackers with sleeping pads, metal canteens, and heavy and bulky sleeping bags lashed or strapped to various places on the backpack. This was before the rise of synthetic materials, and the ultralight movement that has come to dominate not only backpacking, but the outdoor industry as a whole. When I look back on the gear that I and many other people used to carry, I realize that it truly was the dark ages in terms of how the sport has evolved.
Oak Grove Loop Trail
Although Mission Trails Regional Park is home to the highest mountain in San Diego (Cowles Mountain), the most leg burning ascent in San Diego (Kway Paay Peak), the oldest European structure (Old Mission Dam), and some great climbing, it also has trails for all skill levels that provide much solitude amid the hustle and bustle of San Diego. A perfect example is the Oak Grove Loop Trail.
Cerro Chato
Costa Rica is a country with lush jungles, pristine rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, and stunning coastlines. It is also a land with tall, cloud capped mountains. One of the most well-known mountainous regions of Costa Rica is the Arenal region. The primary peak in this region is the Arenal Volcano (Elevation 5,358 feet) which, until 2010, was also Costa Rica’s most active volcano. While the volcano is currently dormant, and climbers are not allowed on the volcano, there is a fantastic climb directly next to it, which is the Cerro Chato hike.