Making Trail Signs: Behind the Scenes at the AMC

Ways to Connect with Betty Mountain Girl

We recently completed a redesign of the blog to allow for easy of use, simpler navigation, and more fun! Drop on in sometime and check us out! While you are at it here are some more ways to connect (also in sidebar):

Or drop me a line: bettymountaingirl (at) gmail (dot) com. Hope to here from you soon!!

Vintage Campers

I may love me some rugged hikes, backpacking trips, and frankly, well, "real" camping, but I really really really love me some vintage campers. Ever since stumbling onto Sunset magazine's recent article about a Scotty vintage trailer I spend my time drooling.

photo credit

photo credit

photo credit - Sunset magazine

Ten Reasons Why Backpackers Will Survive a Zombie Apocalypse

1. You already have a stash of dehydrated, non-perishable, or freeze dried foods.
2. You know how to start a fire using at least three different methods
3. You can easily carry a heavy pack over difficult and strenuous terrain (did anyone catch that Doomsday Planners show where the girl couldn’t carry her pack six miles? Ha!)
4. You are well skilled in purifying water using a variety of methods.
5. You have a portable shelter (although it will only be helpful after the zombies have died of starvation)
6. You have a small first aid kit
7. You can survive a night in the elements
8. You probably already know a great- middle- of no-where camping spot to “bug out” to
9. You practice your “bug out” plan all summer long
10. After you survived that nasty giardia fluke last backpacking trip zombie viruses got nothing on you ;) ;)

Water Filtration

Ever leave camp to pump water in a bottle or two and then suddenly get swamped with four more bottles? Camping with friends definitely means pitching in as a team. Simple things like pumping water soon becomes a 30 minute juggle.

After one camping trip with friends I started strapping all the bottles to a large beaner. This way- you don't suddenly lose a bottle downstream while your hands are busy filling the next bottle.

How to Stay Organized When Camping

I have to admit that I am the least organized person I know. I seriously need to declutter my house, my car, and my office, but one area I have to keep organized is my backpack. When I come in from a long day out on the trail- my feet are singing with pain, my legs are happy to hit the sitting position--- I really don't want to mess around with my food situation. A hungry mountain girl is definitely not a happy mountain girl. Here are some tips that seem to help me when camping:

• Ziplock meals into small ziplock bags- include everything needed for that meal in that one zippy. powdered milk, bouillon, etc.
• Ziplock all breakfasts into the "breakfast" ziplock bag (a bigger ziplocked bag) and all lunches into the "lunch" bag, etc., etc. One person can be responsible for the breakfast bag, one for the lunches, and so and so forth.
• Keep all the camping bowls, cups, utensils, etc in one area or compartment of your backpack. This way there is no fumbling around trying to find that darned spoon.
• Always, always, always put things back into the same spot they came from. This will help reduce cognitive demands when backpacking brain sets in :)
• Don't underestimate the power of powdered drinks. A little powdered hot chocolate or Gatorade can make a rough day 5,000 times better. I keep an entire ziplock bag for drinks.

How to Hang a Bear Bag

I first learned to hang a bear bag at Boy Scout camp, where every single tiny bit of food needed to be hung in order to avoid a raccoon problem at night. While we were still in bear country area, they weren't have as much of a problem as the raccoons and skunks were.

I literally had two raccoons pick up my half packed backpack and drag it off into the woods howling. Luckily back then I could run faster than a raccoon- now days I think I need to I hang things right.

Here is the skinny on keeping your camp bear or raccoon proof:

• Cook away from camp (200 ft)
• Don't cook your smelliest meal out in the woods (i.e., fish, etc.)
• Pour out things like pasta water into a sump hole (more to come on this later)
• Put all your food- even wrapped granola bars into your bear bag

How to Hang the Bear Bag

Supplies:

• Food and cooking utensils/dishes etc (I hang my dishes too)
• 75 foot parachute cord or rope
• Food sack (I really like my bright yellow Sea to Summit bag- It helps me find the bag again)

How to:

• Find a tree at least 200 ft from camp
• Find a branch on a tree that is at least 15-20 feet off the ground with no other branches below it
• Tie a rock or other weighted item to one end
• Toss the item over the branch
• Retie your food bag to the end
• Raise the food bag
• Tie off the rope as high as you can to the tree

I'm using a permanent bear hang here, but the principle is the same.



I swear I just randomly invented this knot. I just started twisting and tieing things and voila! It's probably like a half hitch or something...

Getting Comfortable in the Tent

This is how Misty gets comfortable in the tent by herself:



Now, if I could only find the right spot...



Almost...



Almost...



Not quite right...



Wait what's that awesome smell?



Time to shake



Ahhh...perfect!

Things Learned This Weekend

I learned many things this weekend- all of which I could not have learned within the confines of my house. The list in no particular order:

• Misty cannot look into a camera lens. It's basically physically impossible.
• Even the best tents cannot withstand torrential rain for longer than 10 hours.
• It still gets very, very cold in the mountains in June.
• I really like macaroni and cheese from a box.
• Fire is the most psychologically uplifting thing
• I prefer the outdoors to four walls, the sound of water over traffic, trees over people.

Camping in the Rain

We escaped this weekend for a night of sleeping under the stars. Well, we couldn't exactly see any stars due to the torrential downpours and sporadic thunder and lightening storms, but we managed to escape.

As @LucyDakota replied to me on twitter before we headed out - "some of my best memories are from when I camped in the rain."

Mainly I have been so focused on being spectacular at my nine to five job that I have been getting away from the fun things that make life. So in an effort of staying true to ourselves and making memories worth having- we left for a weekend of the outdoors. We tried out our new Big Agnes tent, explored a new camping area, tried some new camp food out, and made more plans for our upcoming week off.

So new posts to come!

Finally Outdoors

Hey all- how have you been? We've been great here at Betty Mountain Girl. In fact- lately we've been spending so much time outside- train running, biking, and hiking- that we haven't had much time to keep you updated on our adventures.

Luckily we're off for the weekend and our goals include- having way too much fun camping in the rain and updating our camping posts. Things to expect come Monday:

• new camping recipes
• new gear review of our Big Agnes tent- whoot-whoot!
• new pics
• more rants from Misty
  

So see you in a few!

On Camping

Finally it looks like I've cleared enough cobwebs from my gear and day-to-day life for a camping trip. I've got my bags packed for a quick get away this Friday. It won't be the longest trip into the woods- but I'm pumped to finally say good riddance to the weekend "to-do" list that needs doing every stinking weekend.

So, my old trusty EMS Tristar tent is done. We've retired it into a deep closet, because quite frankly I cannot stand to order another tent pole for this thing. Twelve (or ten?) years was a good run.

I recently splurged on a new tent for a camping extravaganza this summer. Ta-dahhhhh. Behold the Big Agnes Copper Spur U2L

We elected to get the two person over the three person mainly due to cost ($100 more for one size up) and weight factors. The two person is a bit snug, especially because it isn't a two person plus dog tent. A little four legged friend pushing their way up to the top all night can make for a VERY snug two person tent.

So expect new posts, new pics, and new reviews. Already I can tell you that I love the weight of this tent (3 lbs. 13 oz). That means I shaved off almost three whole pounds from my previous tent!

What about you? Anybody have any spring camping trips planned?

Camping Recipes- Campfire Pizza and More

Since I've been revisiting some of my past posts lately, I thought I would reshare my camping recipes section. Still haven't tried Campfire Pizza yet? O- to the-M- to the G- try it! There is nothing like gooey Kraft cheese with that smoky campfire flavor.

Remember the time I tried to make a fruitcobbler on my Jetboil? Seriously- that post should be made into a consumer warning. DO NOT COOK FRUIT COBBLER ON YOUR JETBOIL! And for heaven sakes- do not do something foolish like trying to double the recipe!

Here is a recap of my camping recipes:

Chicken and Gravy Recipe



Fruit Cobbler on a Jetboil



Campfire Pizza I



Campfire Pizza II



Orange Campfire Cakes

Unconventional Thanksgiving

photo credit

We're planning on having a very unconventional Thanksgiving in these neck of the woods. Why you ask? Weirdly, we had turkey two weeks ago because of an unexpected visit home from my brother. So we stuffed ourselves before stuffing day.

Since then we've been planning on having an unconventional Thanksgiving. Maybe go camping. Maybe just do a night hike nearby. Either way it will be sans turkey. What about you? Plans? Are you in a turkey-less country? Do tell...

Cold Weather Camping Tip #1

Cold Weather Camping Tip #1- Entertainment becomes essential

Try headlamp tic-tac-toe or writing your name with light...

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Product Review

We did a much longer thru hike of the Wapack Trail this weekend. The weather was ideal- in the high 50’s. I packed an assortment of layers in case we might need something- but didn’t really load the Aura up with a ton of weight. So how did the Aura perform on a longer trip with more gear? Here are my thoughts:

Osprey Aura 50: Balancing the weight

Even though I wasn’t carrying what I would consider a heavy pack for our ten mile hike, I still had a substantial amount of water and food (which as we all know tends to be the heaviest part of our gear). With that in mind I found that it really is all about the weight distribution for the Aura backpack. It doesn’t have the stiffest frame in the world, so how you pack your things really impacts comfort.

Osprey Aura 50: Compartments

The Aura backpack’s real selling point is the well thought out compartments. The top pouch is super roomy which is great for sticky a rain jacket or your mess kit. The waist belt include two small mesh zipped pouches for things like chapstick and tissues. There are also plentiful tie downs for sticking a sleeping pad or tent poles.

The Aura Backpack Final Thoughts

I would definitely recommend considering the Osprey Aura backpack in the 50 if you need a roomy day hiking pack or small backpacking pack. Overall, the pack fits very nicely and has many well thought out features. The only cautions would be to really pack the backpack carefully when not carrying a full load- or else it just gets awkward and wobbly, but then again most large backpacks will when not fully loaded. Lastly, I wish the price point was a bit lower ($199). Osprey’s packs are generally pricier than your EMS brand or REI brand pack- so sometimes that could really hamper your decision.

More detailed specs here and here.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The backpack was purchased by me.

Osprey Women's Aura 50 Backpack Review: Initial Thoughts

I hemmed and I hawed for weeks before buying the Osprey Aura 50 backpack. I've admired Osprey's backpacks for years for the high quality and thoughtful design features, but just never got around to trying one out. I finally took a jump off the deep end this summer and purchased the Aura 50 for day hiking, weekend backpacking, and light traveling. Here are my thoughts so far:

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Size and Dimensions

So far I've done an easy backpack weekend and several day hikes with the Aura. I've found the actual pack size (what I can stuff in) to be just right for me. For years I've been a bit of a Goldilocks with my backpacks. I've got some that are just too big for weekend trips and some that are just too small for day hikes (I know really?!).

Osprey makes the Aura backpack in several sizes: 65, 50, and 35. I just the Aura in a 50 because I needed that "in between" backpack size. I tend to be a very light packer for weekend backpacks.

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Fit

Most of my outdoor jaunts with the Aura backpack have been on the shorter size (think under 8 miles per trip), so I'm not 100% sure of how the fit would be on a longer trip or with a heavier pack. Since the weather has now turned much colder in New England I plan to try the backpack out on a few colder (thus heavier backpack) trips. More to come! I'll be reviewing more specifics about the fit, compartments, and comfort on both longer day hikes and weekend backpack trips. Subscribe to my blog (see left hand bar) to catch all the details.

Technical Info from Osprey:

• LightWire Allowy Frame
• Breathable mesh
• Side vents
• Medium features roughly 3000 cubic inches of space
• In: 25.5 x 14.5 x 11.75
• Cm: 64.7 x 36.8 x 29.8

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Backpack was purchased by me.

Randolph Mountain Club Shelters

If you've ever climbed in the Whites of New Hampshire during the summer, you might have some idea of how incredibly busy the AMC hut system gets. To say it's crowded would be an understatement, given that you often have to make reservation weeks prior to your trip. Reservations?! For hiking?! That's sort of my mentality...

Gray Knob Cabin, Randolph Mt Club
photo credit- Unstoppable Drew
great shot- eh!

Another alternative to the AMC huts are the four Randolph Mountain Club Shelters. I haven't been to one of the Randolph Mountain Club Shelters yet and I guess that they can be quite crowded as well in the summer months. I've heard that they have a quiet off season though and are quite nice in the late fall months.

Things I Would Like...

As fall creeps in there are just a few things I would like to ease the transition...

photo credit

A new tent- The Mountain Light by LLBean

Our faithful EMS Tristar has finally submitted to the elements. Recently our tent pole splintered in two places. We duck taped it- because duck tape basically works for everything- but there is only so long I can handle this fussy little ghetto tent.

I've picked out the Mountain Light because it has all the features we particularly love about our current tent at a excellent price. Here is our list of tent loves- dual side doors, ample vestibule room, ample room for canine friends, and lots of netting.

A new sleeping bag- EMS' Mountain Light Bag

Okay- I am seriously not going with a "mountain light" theme here. I just realized while typing that these two items from separate companies are both called Mountain Light. Guess that keeps it simple.

Really though I want the Mountain Light bag because it packs down into nothing and is perfect for backpacking and bike touring trips. I know, I know, that is what down does. But seriously, I can't wait until my sleeping bag takes up less than half my pack.

About a million more nights outside

Let's face it- no matter how much I get outside I'll always feel like I need to get out more.

Get Ready

My requirements for outdoor happiness:

• campfire
• tent
• woods
• tired dog
• tired legs
• yummy food
• swimming
• wheels
• friends