As a h
uge fan of the Mavic Pro drone, although I never got to use it as much as I would have liked, I decided to pull the trigger on the Mavic Pro 2 as it offers a much better camera and larger sensor which should result in even better photos. Now that I am living in Florida, this should come in even more handy. On first glance, this drone has a more sturdy build and much sturdier gimbal for the camera — that was the biggest thing that made me nervous with the Mavic Pro. Hope to fly it this weekend!
Puerto Los Cabos — Whales and Beaches
Was able to use my drone in Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico — near Cabo San Lucas and I was so lucky to catch a baby humpback whale playing in the Pacific Ocean while its mom stayed close by. The whales were nearly a mile out from shore, and I spotted them when just shooting some general beach footage. I could not believe I saw the whales and then found them with my drone. My battery was almost dead, but I was able to get some great video and stills with my Mavic Pro. The laws in Mexico are pretty simple and clear regarding drone usage, but make sure you check out the latest laws before using it there.
Full Moon at the Golden Gate Bridge
I was on a trip to Sonoma, CA and had enough time to head to the Marin Headlands to capture a few shots of the Golden Gate Bridge just after sunset as the moon was rising over the city. I had to park quite far away because of the huge number of photographers there. If you haven’t been to this park, I highly recommend it at sunrise, sunset or anytime during the day. There is no better view of the city in my opinion.
Sunrise at Font’s Point in Anza-Borrego State Park
This is an absolutely stunning place to watch the sunrise in Anza-Borrego State Park in California. The park has a wide variety of slot canyons, mountains and other interesting areas to explore via hiking or 4X4. More information can be found here.
Paddling the Wakulla River
As I continue my exploration of the Tallahassee area of Florida, I continue to be drawn to paddling the Wakulla River. It’s a rather short trip (6-7 miles round trip, but it is relatively easy and offers an abundant amount of wildlife. I have seen a wide range of heron, hawks, osprey and more. But the real attraction is the huge number of manatees that can be seen in warmer months. I have been to the river four times and have seen at least three manatees on each visit.
Getting there: From Tallahassee, travel south on SR 363 to the Intersection of U.S. 98. Turn right (west) onto US 98 and continue to the bridge. Before crossing the bridge, turn left (south) to a small boat ramp on the south side of the road. There is a canoe rental outfitter [TNT Hide-a-Way] located next to the boat ramp.
Timing your visit: The weekends can be pretty crowded with novice and experienced paddlers alike — I recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid the crowds and get a close parking spot.
Hitting the water: As soon as you get in your canoe or kayak, head right (north) for the 3-3.5 mile journey. You’ll know you reached the end when you see the fence that separates the river from the Wakulla Springs State Park. At that point, turn around and head back to where you started. You may encounter a noticeable current as you head up river, but it shouldn’t be much of a challenge. Please note that motor boat traffic is allowed on this river, but most boaters follow the law
The manatees: The water is very clear and if you stay on the lookout for manatees, you are likely to see them in pods all along the river. Make sure to keep a safe distance so you don’t bother them or hit them with your boat.
Other notes: There is a $5 parking fee at the boat ramp and spaces are limited. A small portable bathroom is available for use.
Gear Review: REI Trekker 1.75 Pad
If you’ve ever slept on the ground, you know the need for a good sleeping pad. The issues are cost, size, weight and comfort. There are plenty of sleeping pads on the market — with varying costs, brands and thickness.
I did a fair amount of research on sleep pads so I could find one that was cost-effective, but offered plenty of comfort and was the right size for solo backcountry expeditions.
I finally settled on REI’s Trekker 1.75 self-inflating pad. While it’s certainly not the thickest pad available, it offered the right balance of what I was looking for at a reasonable cost of $64.50. The regular size is 72 in. by 20 in. I am 6 feet tall and the length was adequate. The pad’s width is fine for me, but larger campers may find it a bit limiting.
It doesn’t take longer than a few minutes to self inflate and an extra breath of air will give it the support you need. Packing the pad is very simple and can be done pretty quickly. It’s packed dimensions are 4.75 in. by 21.25 in. and it weighs about 40 ounces.
REI includes a protective bag and velcro straps so you can really tighten it down before you put it on your pack.
I’ve spent a few nights on this pad in the desert and I have no complaints. For its size, price and weight, it’s certainly a good deal and helps you get a good night of rest.
Gear Review: Kelty Salida 2 Tent
As I was preparing for my first backcountry camping expedition, I thoroughly researched my options for compact and lightweight tents. There are plenty of available tents and opinions on the web, but after reading Backpacker magazine’s gear issue, I decided to go with Kelty’s Salida 2. The tent was rated as an Editor’s Choice for 2011 and had the specs I was looking for.
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| Backcountry camping in Joshua Tree National Park. |
It’s listed as a two-person tent, but I think it’s much better as a large one-person tent, especially because it only has one entry/exit. This helps save on weight, but would be an issue for two people. It’s rather light, with a minimum weight of 3 lb. 12 oz. and is only 22 in. by 7 in. when packed.
The three-season tent is made of lightweight, but strong material and includes many of the features you would expect in a much more expensive tent. This one lists for $159 — and it’s a steal.
After a few nights in the desert, I can say that I am extremely pleased with my purchase. The tent is well ventilated and stood up to some pretty strong winds. It’s also very easy to set up and break down. As with all tents, I would spend the extra money on the footprint to help protect it.
Check out Backpacker Magazine’s video review here.
Hawk’s Canyon — a hidden gem in Anza-Borrego State Park
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| Hawk’s Canyon campground. |
I just happened to find a wonderful camping spot in Anza-Borrego State Park in Southern California called Hawk’s Canyon. I came across a reference to it when looking for hikes on Trails.com and found a little information about it on the web (incl. directions).
The article is right — this is one of the best remote desert camping spots I’ve seen. Since I was arriving on a Friday evening, I wasn’t sure how crowded it was going to be — and much to my surprise, only a few other campers were in the area. The area offers wonderful and somewhat secluded camping spots, but no facilities and only a few fire rings. It also offers a wonderful amount of wildlife and wildflowers (in the right season, of course).
I set up my tent in between two large boulders and the canyon wall. Little did I know that two great horned owls made their home only about 10 feet away. It made for a loud, but interesting evening. I also saw a number of falcons and hummingbirds. No bighorn sheep, though. Maybe next time.
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| Clear, cool evening in Anza. |
There are a lot of hiking trails accessible from the campsite itself and if you have a good compass or GPS, it’s easy enough to go off trail and hike some of the hills and canyons in the area.
The sites got a little more crowded later in the evening — most of the campers were people wanting to go off-roading on the nearby trails and on the Octillo Wells Recreation Area. There are hundreds of miles of off-road trails in this area — I will be back to explore.
Had a great night. Met some fellow campers from the Bay Area who were surprised I had ever heard of the site. We traded stories around their campfire and enjoyed the very clear night sky. If you have a chance to visit Anza-Borrego — this is the place to stay.
Things to know:
- You will likely want a high clearance 4X4 to drive to the campsite and on nearby trails
- There are no facilities anywhere nearby
- Little or no cell phone coverage
- You can pull your car right up to your camping spots
- Arrive early for the best spots
- Spring/fall are the best seasons to visit and expect to see wildflowers in March.
- Follow the directions very closely — it’s very easy to miss the turn off the highway
Preparing for Solo Camping
I’ve got an upcoming trip to Joshua Tree National Park later this month and have decided to go solo camping in the backcountry. While I have done a lot of hiking, this is my first try at solo camping in the wilderness and I am currently assembling the gear I’ll need. I don’t want to spend a lot of $$$, but I am certainly concerned about quality and weight.
Here’s a list of the gear I’m buying:
Tent: Kelty Salida 2
Backpack: REI Flash 65
Sleeping bag: REI Halo +40
Pad: REI Trekker 1.75 Self-Inflating Pad
Stove: MSR SuperFly Stove
Cookset: Snow Peak Hybrid Trail Cookset
More to come…
Proper planning and extra provisions are necessary
Saw a story this morning about a hiker who was rescued in California after getting lost while hiking the Santa Rosa mountains. For those of us who have done a lot of wilderness hiking, we know this can happen pretty easily — especially on poorly maintained trails.
In this case, the solo hiker had prepared for something just like this and brought enough extra food, water and supplies to allow for an unplanned overnight stay. That being said, it’s hard to imagine how he got himself two miles away from the trail and facing 200 foot cliffs.
As I have always said, it is especially crucial for solo hikers to have a GPS, compass or maps to help them plot their location and route and should really consider the SPOT GPS locator so they can signal for help if they do become lost of injured.
This hiker was lucky he was spotted by search planes, but he could have planned a little better to ensure that he never got into the situation to begin with.
Kip Havel 