I have long carried the Leatherman ‘Micra’ (still do). This is the very best tool for cutting toenails on the trail. Also handy for a million and one other things: cutting up fish, splinters, opening bottles (you can use the bottle opener backwards as a can opener, repairing your glasses, etc. http://www.theultralighthiker.com/leatherman-micra-multitool/ The ‘Squirt’ with […]
From the Thomson River Bridge/s (‘Thomson Station’) you can walk a lovely 8 km circuit up along the West bank of the river then down along the East bank. If I were walking the entire UYT I would come down to Thomson Station as soon as it joined the Mormon Town Track and walk up
Thermarest has a new range of easy to inflate mats. These guys go up (and down) so easily it will be hard to resist the temptation to replace our ‘old’ mats. Fortunately for us they have not (yet) extended the new valve’s availability to our favourite mat the Neoair Xlite Women’s! (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-hiking-mat-425g/) The
& Hearty Garden Vegetable CupaSoups Soups: I have long lamented the dreadful quality (and undeserved price) of pretty much all backpacking meals. That’s why I have largely concentrated on recommending good supermarket meals which fill the bill: well-priced, tasty and nutritious, good calories per gram ratios, quick, energy efficient and easy to prepare &
Hiking Meals: Continental Hearty Italian Minestrone Read More »
This is a beautiful glamping trip. You can walk from the Mushroom Rocks Carpark (just North of Erica – or from the Mt St Gwinear Carpark) to the Baw Baw Village in approx 5 ½ hours (our retiree speeds with overnight packs) each way. There is accommodation there year round, but at least three nights
Upper Yarra Track Glamping: Baw Baw Overnight Hike: Read More »
So far (I think) it has not crept out at night to do mayhem on the innocent – but it’s sure looking impressive. I am now an amalgam of machine parts: you might like to tell anyone you know whose fingers are crippled with arthritis: there is a better way. Don’t wait too long. The
Mobile Phone Battery Life: Here’s some good advice. Another important point: choose a phone which has a removable battery such as my Galaxy S4 Mini or Della’s Galaxy K – with a 10x optical zoom! We always carry a couple of spare batteries on longer hikes – and a solar charger http://www.theultralighthiker.com/charging/ – I went
Of course there must be some (lower) limit to how light things can go. It seems insulated clothing & sleeping bags are about to experience one of those quantum falls. Introducing Aerogel & Graphene: http://futurism.com/jackets-withstand-liquid-nitrogen-made-using-solid-material-thats-99-8-air/ You can already buy Aerogel blanket insulation eg here: http://www.buyaerogel.com/product-category/blankets/ Could be the ‘must do’ for DIYprojects? It will probably
What a lovely section of track! The high country has so much beauty, so many surprises. Phillack Saddle is a wonderful spot to camp on lawns tended by nature’s gardeners amid the alpine heath. There is beautiful clear water just off the saddle and a lovely stream (below) at Freemans Flat. It will be about
Upper Yarra Track Section Eight: Phillack Saddle to Block 10 Road: Read More »
Put yourself in that picture! There is something grand and aspiring about dreaming of the wild places – and these are some of the wildest places on earth. This is an indispensable companion to bushwalking/tramping in New Zealand. Even if it remains forever a ‘coffee table’ book, do buy it anyway. If you have a
Moir’s Guide South: ‘The Great Southern Lakes and Fiords’: Read More »
