I’ve been staying active and sane during shelter-in-place these last few weeks by doigoing on multiple long walks with my dog, Esther, each day. I’ve also been doing TRX workouts inside or going for bicycle rides.

What I learned during my all day CAMP USA presented Light and Fast Alpinism clinic at the 2018 Michigan Ice Festival.  The course was taught by seasoned athletes Nate Smith and Ben Erdmann. Normally CAMP USA presents this technical field clinic as a two day course but for the Michigan Ice Festival it was a one day compressed class.  Besides watching ice climbers the day before this class was truly my introduction into ice climbing. And thankfully it was described as a course for everyone from beginner mountaineers to experienced alpinists. As a backpacker that has drank more than his fair share of lightweight backpacking koolaid I was all for starting off my ice climbing career from the point of view of being as light and fast as possible. I liked how they equatited being fast to safety and being light to having more energy. After everyone had all our gear we went around the room and got to know one another a bit. Then we jumped right into dissecting the contents of Nate's backpack to better understand what you should and shouldn't be carrying in your pack to the summit. I was totally aligned with Nate and Ben as they then went on to explain how everything should fit inside your pack. To have a helmets and crampons or what have you hanging out of your pack is more than messy they can swing around and hit people or trees and cause hang ups as you are trying to move quickly. ““On Belay!”, “Belay On!” After the bag review we loaded into a transport van and headed out to Pictured Rocks National Park. The roads are seasonal up there so we then had to transfer to a six person Kawasaki Mule with snow tracks that also pulled a six person sled behind it. After a breezy forty five minute ride we made it to the trailhead for the Potato Patch. A cliff face that featured both a frozen waterfall fall column with a flowing waterfall at its core and a ice cliff face. This allowed us to experience a couple different types of ice and allowed for a protected ice cave to teach in. Ben tossed down two ropes and we got to work. "On Belay!", "Belay On!" rang out as our class of nine made quick work of the ice. Nate and Ben were there giving encouragement and lessons along the way as teachable moments presented themselves.   After a few climbs we got together and discussed different types of gear that can help you move quickly and safely up and down the mountain. Everything from the different types of carabiners and quickdraws to use and when to the merits of hydrophobic rope and different rope types and thicknesses depending on the climb you are doing. It was some eye opening stuff for an inexperienced climber, for sure. But, it seemed equally helpful for the more experienced ice climbers in the group including one gentlemen that has summited Everest. Just like with lightweight backpacking your entire kit has to work together. Carry complimentary gear and gear that is specific for the job at hand but also make sure you have gear that can serve multiple functions and then look for places to make substantial cuts in what you have.  “Light is Right Next we were on to learning about ice screws and the proper anchoring techniques using the ice screws. We also learned V thread anchors which just goes to show how strong ice is. If you want to see what I am talking about check out this video that demonstrates V thread anchors.  After practicing placing ice screws while hanging off an ice axe I really had a new respect for ice climbers.  Later, Nate really hit home why the Light and Fast method makes such as difference. Imagine you are doing a a nine pitch climb and after you climb each pitch you fumble around for ten minutes with anchoring and ropes and who is climbing next and what have you. That's an hour and a half of standing on ledges being unproductive. Now, imagine that you also waste ten minutes after each rapple as you move back down the mountain. That's another ninety minutes. In total you spent three hours of your climb/repel standing around. Okay, now imagine if you can cut that ledge time as you move up and down to just five minutes. You just saved an hour and a half. This can be the difference between success and failure or at least the difference between repelling down in the dark if nothing else.  Then we packed it all up and headed back out to the four track and headed back to basecamp. The advantage I am sure with the two day course is way more hands on time putting into practice the things you have learn and also we didn't so much get to the Fitness aspects of the normal two day CAMP USA Light and Fast Alpinism course. And I would be interested in learning more about preparation and planning so that I could better understand route logistics and wayfinding. I think I see another Light and Fast Alpinism class in my future. I got so much out of it I dont know why I wouldnt.  loading the Kawasaki four track and heading home

My Garmin inReach Explorer+ is like a swiss army knife of a digital tool. It's my Global Positioning System, weather forecaster, satellite communicator, and emergency beacon.  “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. — Eleanor Roosevelt While on our Olympic National Park trip I used the Explorer+ to check our position with the maps I downloaded before we left. I loved being able to check the way points I set up before the hike that identified known water sources, campsites, and other features. I always loved the quote "do one thing every day that scares you"  which is misattributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. She actually said "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."  and what I love about a device like the Explorer+ is that you can strive to face fear. You should of course have knowledge and not just rely on an electronic device but it certainly helps.  The Explorer+ is more than just a GPS. Because it has satellite connection you can communicate globally by sending SMS and/or email messages. I fired off daily status and positioning messages to family and friends. Since phone service was so spotty this gave a peace of mind to those back home. Lastly, I checked the weather forecast every few days to have a heads up to temperature fluctuations and precipitation that could be coming our way. Being out on the Olympic Peninsula the weather can change fast and we wanted to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature threw at us. All in all, this tool allowed us to safely further and faster into the wilds.

On a beauty day in Hong Kong I traveled with two coworkers out to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha at Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery. I travel to China for work a few times a year and I always find after running all around Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shenzhen for seven days a weekend in Hong Kong is a great way to finally get over your jet lag, have a great western meal, and either go big and stay out partying or commune with nature and take advantage of the many parks and wild areas that the islands of Hong Kong have to offer. We were staying in Soho area of Central Hong Kong Island at one of my favorite boutique hotels on the island, Madera Hollywood , and found that getting to Lantau Island was very manageable. We rode the outside escalators that cut up and down through Central HK down to the central train station and purchased Octopus cards for $150 HKD (which is generally about $19-$20USD). This was more than enough money on it for us to take the subway system for the weekend. Because I am familiar with Hong Kong I felt really comfortable taking the subways but if you are new to the Island you could also pay about $300-$400 HKD and have a guide for the day. I'd check out Trip Advisor or some similar website to look for guides. We rode the Orange line from Central station towards Tung Chung station. It is super easy and difficult to get lost. At Central station the train only goes one way and you get off at the last stop which is Tung Chung station. I would suggest purchasing your tickets for the Ngong Ping cable car before getting to Tung Chung. I found that when I tried to book on Trip Advisor I needed to book one day prior to the trip. So I headed on to the Ngong Ping website and purchased tickets for the Crystal Cabin for later that day. When I booked I did have to estimate arrival time and just choose ninety minutes since its about a forty-five to sixty minute subway ride and then a short five to ten minute walk, depending on how lost you are, from the Tung Chung station to the cable car. Once we redeemed our tickets we waited about twenty minutes in line or so. The Crystal Cabin is a little more expensive but you get this rad clear bottom cable car to ride in. In the fully enclosed cable cars you can sit on the bench seats or stand to get better shots while on the roughly fifteen minute cable car ride. The car is spacious, seats eight, has lots of venting so it stays cool with the breeze coming off the ocean, and most importantly it looks and feels safe.  We only headed over to the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) but if you also purchase the Fun Pass or the 360 Lantau Culture and Heritage Pass and tour around the island, seeing dolphins, theater, and even a classic fishing village. I hope to get out to that next time. The Buddha is an amazing copper sculpture that was completed in the eighties. the sculpture sits on a two story building that is at the top of a hill with about hundred or so stairs. Take your time and enjoy the view on the way up.  When we were done we took the Cable Car back and paid extra for the expressed ticket which helped us to jump the line of people waiting about sixty minutes to get back. If you are feeling up for it you can also hike from Tung Chung all the way to and from the Buddha. Looks like a great day hike. In the video you can see the walking paths below us.

In July I set out with three friends on a multi-day camping and backpacking trip. The weather was in the 70-80s during the day and 50-60s at night. Luckily, it didn't rain but in a temperate climate rainforest you never know. Because of the variation in possible weather I carried a variety of layers that allowed me to layer up or down based on weather. Not shown in this photo is a T Shirt, socks, underwear, shorts and shoes that I mostly wore while hiking. If it was a little chilly I changed into Mammut hiking pants. At night after hiking all day I changed boxers and Tshirt so I didn't have a chill at night. The North Face (TNF) Beyond The Wall Hoodie was a nice light long sleeve hoodie to throw on when there was a chill in the air. TNF Thermalball Vest is my go to layer when I want to warm up a little. If I need to trap in a little more heat I toss on my Marmot Precip Jacket. In the mornings while breaking down camp I love the Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Convertible Running Gloves. The gloves are light enough that you can do all the normal tasks and if you need that extra little warmth you can convert them into ninja style mittens.  The gear we split up and you can see in the photo and the list below my portion of what I carried. In group gear I had the tent poles, large group first aid kit, stove, fuel, and cooking pot with silicone lid. On this trip we carried two stoves with fuel and two group cooking pots. I also carried a lantern, shovel and toilet supplies, and a compass and GPS with satellite communication capabilities.  Starting from top left and going across left to right this is the gear that was carried in my REI Flash 62 Backpack. The North Face Flash Dry Shirt. Mammut Hiking Pants. Marmot Precip Anorak Rain Jacket. TNF Beyond The Wall Hoodie. Black Diamond Distance Z Trekking Poles. Extra Hiking Socks. Red Klymit Pillow X. The CamelBak Crux 3L Reservoir. Patagonia Capilene Daily Boxer Briefs. Mountain Seris Weekender Medical Kit. Red Outdoor Research Dry Bag: Eye Mask. Farkle. Petzl Zipka Headlamp. iPhone Wide Angle Lens. Blue Outdoor Research Dry Bag: Snow Peak Hybrid Summit Solo Titanium Cookset Lid. SOL Firelite Sparker. Optimus Crux. Bug Net. Counter Assault Bear Spray. Therm-a-Rest Corus HD Quilt Sleeping Bag. Sea To Summit Thermite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner. REI Half Dome 4 Plus Tent Poles. TNF Thermalball Vest. Patagonia Knit Hat. Ray Ban Folding Wayfarer Sunglasses With Neck Strap. Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Convertible Running Gloves. Orange Garmin Explorer+ 2. Green Golite Poncho Tarp Shelter. REI Flash Insulated Air Sleeping Pad. Green Dry Bag. Snow Peak Titanium Single 450 Cup. Red Collapsible Bowl. Sea To Summit Alpha Light Spoon. Snow Peak Hybrid Summit Solo Titanium Cookset Pot With Homemade Cozy. Nation Geographic Topographic Map. Primus Easy Light Lantern. MSR ISO PRO Fuel Canister. Mammut Trucker Hat. Yellow Sea To Summit Toilet Dry Bag With Sea To Summit Shovel. TP. Hand Sanitizer. Plastic Ziplock Bags. Dog Poop Bags.

Adventure lover? Risk taker? or Wilderness seeker? You can be whoever you wanna be but always find a way to keep safe in nature . Every path you take, every river you cross or every mountain you climb are part of something bigger and tougher as it may seem at first sight. As an adventurous team, we have gone through all sort of experiences in nature together. We've laughed, we've cried, we've shouted out loud but, mostly, we have spent a good amount of time discussing if we should have faced North, South, East or West. When everybody knows about orientation in nature, a good talk can easily become a debate session. After some routes, we discovered the Garmin inReach Explorer+, a GPS that became our Swiss knife of a digital tool. It’s our Global Positioning System, weather forecaster, satellite communicator, and emergency beacon. - Dennis Fiore, Wild Dirt co-founder Garmin inReach Explorer+ While on our Olympic National Park trip we used the Explorer+ to check our position with the maps we downloaded before we left. We loved being able to check the way points we set up before the hike that identified known water sources, campsites, and other features. - Dennis Fiore, Wild Dirt co-founder We always loved the quote “do one thing every day that scares you” which is misattributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. She actually said “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” and what we love about a device like the Explorer+ is that you can strive to face fear. You should of course have knowledge and not just rely on an electronic device but it certainly helps. The Explorer+ is more than just a GPS. Because it has satellite connection you can communicate globablly by sending SMS and/or email messages. We fired off daily status and positioning messages to family and friends. Since phone service was so spotty this gave a peace of mind to those back home. Lastly, we checked the weather forecast every few days to have a heads up to temperature fluctuations and precipitation that could be coming our way. Being out on the Olympic Peninsula the weather can change fast and we wanted to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature threw at us. All in all, this tool allowed us to safely further and faster into the wilds. - Dennis Fiore, Wild Dirt co-founder Here are some of our products that can be pretty useful for your next adventure:

In July I set out with three friends on a multi-day camping and backpacking trip. The weather was in the 70-80s during the day and 50-60s at night. Luckily, it didn’t rain but in a temperate climate rainforest you never know. Because of the variation in possible weather I carried a variety of layers that allowed me to layer up or down based on weather. Not shown in this photo is a T Shirt, socks, underwear, shorts and shoes that I mostly wore while hiking. If it was a little chilly I changed into Mammut hiking pants. At night after hiking all day I changed boxers and Tshirt so I didn’t have a chill at night. The North Face (TNF) Beyond The Wall Hoodie was a nice light long sleeve hoodie to throw on when there was a chill in the air. TNF Thermalball Vest is my go to layer when I want to warm up a little. If I need to trap in a little more heat I toss on my Marmot Precip Jacket. In the mornings while breaking down camp I love the Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Convertible Running Gloves. The gloves are light enough that you can do all the normal tasks and if you need that extra little warmth you can convert them into ninja style mittens. The gear we split up and you can see in the photo and the list below my portion of what I carried. In group gear I had the tent poles, large group first aid kit, stove, fuel, and cooking pot with silicone lid. On this trip we carried two stoves with fuel and two group cooking pots. I also carried a lantern, shovel and toilet supplies, and a compass and GPS with satellite communication capabilities. Starting from top left and going across left to right this is the gear that was carried in my REI Flash 62 Backpack. The North Face Flash Dry Shirt. Mammut Hiking Pants. Marmot Precip Anorak Rain Jacket. TNF Beyond The Wall Hoodie. Black Diamond Distance Z Trekking Poles. Extra Hiking Socks. Red Klymit Pillow X. The CamelBak Crux 3L Reservoir. Patagonia Capilene Daily Boxer Briefs. Mountain Seris Weekender Medical Kit. Red Outdoor Research Dry Bag: Eye Mask. Farkle. Petzl Zipka Headlamp. iPhone Wide Angle Lens. Blue Outdoor Research Dry Bag: Snow Peak Hybrid Summit Solo Titanium Cookset Lid. SOL Firelite Sparker. Optimus Crux. Bug Net. Counter Assault Bear Spray. Therm-a-Rest Corus HD Quilt Sleeping Bag. Sea To Summit Thermite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner. REI Half Dome 4 Plus Tent Poles. TNF Thermalball Vest. Patagonia Knit Hat. Ray Ban Folding Wayfarer Sunglasses With Neck Strap. Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Convertible Running Gloves. Orange Garmin Explorer+ 2. Green Golite Poncho Tarp Shelter. REI Flash Insulated Air Sleeping Pad. Green Dry Bag. Snow Peak Titanium Single 450 Cup. Red Collapsible Bowl. Sea To Summit Alpha Light Spoon. Snow Peak Hybrid Summit Solo Titanium Cookset Pot With Homemade Cozy. Nation Geographic Topographic Map. Primus Easy Light Lantern. MSR ISO PRO Fuel Canister. Mammut Trucker Hat. Yellow Sea To Summit Toilet Dry Bag With Sea To Summit Shovel. TP. Hand Sanitizer. Plastic Ziplock Bags. Dog Poop Bags. #gear

Watching The North Face’s Ruth Beatty who talks about vulnerability in creativity at the historic Salt Lake City Ladies Literary Club as part of the #SheMovesMountains campaign.

On a beauty day in Hong Kong I traveled with two coworkers out to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha at Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery. I travel to China for work a few times a year and I always find after running all around Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shenzhen for seven days a weekend in Hong Kong is a great way to finally get over your jet lag, have a great western meal, and either go big and stay out partying or commune with nature and take advantage of the many parks and wild areas that the islands of Hong Kong have to offer. We were staying in Soho area of Central Hong Kong Island at one of my favorite boutique hotels on the island, Madera Hollywood , and found that getting to Lantau Island was very manageable. We rode the outside escalators that cut up and down through Central HK down to the central train station and purchased Octopus cards for $150 HKD (which is generally about $19-$20USD). This was more than enough money on it for us to take the subway system for the weekend. Because I am familiar with Hong Kong I felt really comfortable taking the subways but if you are new to the Island you could also pay about $300-$400 HKD and have a guide for the day. I’d check out Trip Advisor or some similar website to look for guides. We rode the Orange line from Central station towards Tung Chung station. It is super easy and difficult to get lost. At Central station the train only goes one way and you get off at the last stop which is Tung Chung station. I would suggest purchasing your tickets for the Ngong Ping cable car before getting to Tung Chung. I found that when I tried to book on Trip Advisor I needed to book one day prior to the trip. So I headed on to the Ngong Ping website and purchased tickets for the Crystal Cabin for later that day. When I booked I did have to estimate arrival time and just choose ninety minutes since its about a forty-five to sixty minute subway ride and then a short five to ten minute walk, depending on how lost you are, from the Tung Chung station to the cable car. Once we redeemed our tickets we waited about twenty minutes in line or so. The Crystal Cabin is a little more expensive but you get this rad clear bottom cable car to ride in. In the fully enclosed cable cars you can sit on the bench seats or stand to get better shots while on the roughly fifteen minute cable car ride. The car is spacious, seats eight, has lots of venting so it stays cool with the breeze coming off the ocean, and most importantly it looks and feels safe. We only headed over to the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) but if you also purchase the Fun Pass or the 360 Lantau Culture and Heritage Pass and tour around the island, seeing dolphins, theater, and even a classic fishing village. I hope to get out to that next time. The Buddha is an amazing copper sculpture that was completed in the eighties. the sculpture sits on a two story building that is at the top of a hill with about hundred or so stairs. Take your time and enjoy the view on the way up. When we were done we took the Cable Car back and paid extra for the expressed ticket which helped us to jump the line of people waiting about sixty minutes to get back. If you are feeling up for it you can also hike from Tung Chung all the way to and from the Buddha. Looks like a great day hike. In the video you can see the walking paths below us. By Alexander Kwapis #buddha #hongkong #travel #video

Light and Fast Alpinism Written by Alexander L. Kwapis Photos by Dennis Fiore and Alexander L. Kwapis What I learned during my all day CAMP USA presented Light and Fast Alpinism clinic at the 2018 Michigan Ice Festival. The course was taught by seasoned athletes Nate Smith and Ben Erdmann. Normally CAMP USA presents this technical field clinic as a two day course but for the Michigan Ice Festival it was a one day compressed class. Besides watching ice climbers the day before this class was truly my introduction into ice climbing. And thankfully it was described as a course for everyone from beginner mountaineers to experienced alpinists. As a backpacker that has drank more than his fair share of lightweight backpacking koolaid I was all for starting off my ice climbing career from the point of view of being as light and fast as possible. I liked how they equatited being fast to safety and being light to having more energy. Bag Dissection Bring Only What You Need After everyone had all our gear we went around the room and got to know one another a bit. Then we jumped right into dissecting the contents of Nate’s backpack to better understand what you should and shouldn’t be carrying in your pack to the summit. I was totally aligned with Nate and Ben as they then went on to explain how everything should fit inside your pack. To have helmets and crampons or what have you hanging out of your pack is more than messy they can swing around and hit people or trees and cause hang-ups as you are trying to move quickly. ——- First Aid for Light & Fast – Nate Smith is currently credentialed as an Aspirant Alpine & Ski Guide with aspirations of completing his full IFMGA in the future. At the time, he was partnered with Mountain Education & Development Alliance (MED Alliance) “We believe that outdoor recreation can provide some of the most meaningful educational experiences and that these opportunities should be made accessible to anyone who wishes to learn more. “ To read more – https://www.mountained.com/who-we-are During this one day class, Nate discussed rescue practices and first aid as applied to Mountaineering. He had a Three Day First Aid Guide Kit readily available. More on this when we get his direct quotes. ——— ““On Belay!”, “Belay On!”” After the bag review we loaded into a transport van and headed out to Pictured Rocks National Park. The roads are seasonal up there so we then had to transfer to a six person Kawasaki Mule with snow tracks that also pulled a six person sled behind it. After a breezy forty five minute ride we made it to the trailhead for the Potato Patch. A cliff face that featured both a frozen waterfall fall column with a flowing waterfall at its core and a ice cliff face. This allowed us to experience a couple different types of ice and allowed for a protected ice cave to teach in. Ben tossed down two ropes and we got to work. “On Belay!”, “Belay On!” rang out as our class of nine made quick work of the ice. Nate and Ben were there giving encouragement and lessons along the way as teachable moments presented themselves. After a few climbs we got together and discussed different types of gear that can help you move quickly and safely up and down the mountain. Everything from the different types of carabiners and quickdraws to use and when to the merits of hydrophobic rope and different rope types and thicknesses depending on the climb you are doing. It was some eye opening stuff for an inexperienced climber, for sure. But, it seemed equally helpful for the more experienced ice climbers in the group including one gentlemen that has summited Everest. Just like with lightweight backpacking your entire kit has to work together. Carry complimentary gear and gear that is specific for the job at hand but also make sure you have gear that can serve multiple functions and then look for places to make substantial cuts in what you have. “Light is Right” Next we were on to learning about ice screws and the proper anchoring techniques using the ice screws. We also learned V thread anchors which just goes to show how strong ice is. If you want to see what I am talking about check out this video that demonstrates V thread anchors. After practicing placing ice screws while hanging off an ice axe I really had a new respect for ice climbers. Later, Nate really hit home why the Light and Fast method makes such as difference. Imagine you are doing a a nine pitch climb and after you climb each pitch you fumble around for ten minutes with anchoring and ropes and who is climbing next and what have you. That’s an hour and a half of standing on ledges being unproductive. Now, imagine that you also waste ten minutes after each rapple as you move back down the mountain. That’s another ninety minutes. In total you spent three hours of your climb/repel standing around. Okay, now imagine if you can cut that ledge time as you move up and down to just five minutes. You just saved an hour and a half. This can be the difference between success and failure or at least the difference between repelling down in the dark if nothing else. Then we packed it all up and headed back out to the four track and headed back to basecamp. The advantage I am sure with the two day course is way more hands on time putting into practice the things you have learn and also we didn’t so much get to the Fitness aspects of the normal two day CAMP USA Light and Fast Alpinism course. And I would be interested in learning more about preparation and planning so that I could better understand route logistics and wayfinding. I think I see another Light and Fast Alpinism class in my future. I got so much out of it I dont know why I wouldnt. loading the Kawasaki four track and heading home #alpinism #lightandfastalpinism #climbing #iceclimbing #lightweight

I am totally in love with my Patagonia MIIR Camp Cup and when I heard that MIIR was making a special Camp Cup for the relief to the fire and mudslides that affected California in 2017 I jumped at the chance to donate for the cause. All of the proceeds from the California Relief Camp Cup goes to RAKLIFE . #block-yui_3_17_2_1_1519691530085_318478 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid { margin-right: -0px; } #block-yui_3_17_2_1_1519691530085_318478 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid-slide .margin-wrapper { margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; }

Inspired by Adam Kachman ( @adamkachman ) who augmented his MIIR cup I decided to pick up a RESIST sticker to add to my everyday carry camp cup. I picked up my sticker on Amazon for about $7.00. I like the idea of customizing your stuff instead of buying a new object. Finally, I am inspired by the Coffee Outside gatherings that MIIR talks about on their blog. Apparently, there is a group of rad bicyclists in Portland that get together in the little nooks and crannies of nature around town for coffee and comradery. Seems so simple and a great early morning weekend routine I would like to incorporate into my days in the summer when it gets blazing hot our by 9am. #coffee