Calipidder

Video Gear Reviews: Yay or Nay?

Calipidder — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:05:33 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I was out on a long solo hike, thinking about interesting things I could do with content here at Calipidder.com. At the same time, I was taking mental notes about two pieces of Columbia gear I was testing out, hoping I wouldn’t forget things when I got home and had [...]

Mount Whitney Training Hikes: Bay Area Edition

Calipidder — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:50:10 +0000

Modern Hiker recently published a great post about training and preparing to climb Mt. Whitney. Hop on over there and give it a read, especially the parts about altitude. Go ahead, I’ll wait. … Casey wrote about some training hikes in Southern California, and that inspired me to think about good training hikes in the [...]

Sunol Regional Wilderness: Maguire Peaks and Flag Hill Loop

Calipidder — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:46:44 +0000

Yesterday was the first day of summer around here. We never had much of a winter, and it seems like mother nature is skipping right over spring and dropping us in the middle of July without much transition time. So I decided to spend the year’s first 90 degree day by getting in a long [...]

Holy cats, you guys! I’m going to Sedona and Havasu Falls courtesy of Columbia and Mountain Hardwear!

Calipidder — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:07:55 +0000

So, this is happening. A few days ago I got home from a trip to visit family and found this goodie in my mailbox. Last month I wrote about the Omniten program but never did I expect something this awesome to fall into my lap (or, er, mailbox). I don’t think I need to explain [...]

Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide Winners!

Calipidder — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:54:29 +0000

Drum roll, please. Let random.org do its thing… And now… Congrats to Ronda, PaulO, and James Palmer. You three are the winners of Andrew Skurka’s Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide! Send me your shipping information via the contact link in the side panel over there (—>) and I’ll have them sent off to you in a [...]

Gear Giveaway! Andrew Skurka’s Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide

Calipidder — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:45:14 +0000

I have three – count em, THREE – copies of Andrew Skurka’s new book, the Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide (details in this document here) to give away to Calipidder.com readers! This book isn’t just a rated list of current gear like you’d find in a magazine, it’s all about how to choose the right gear [...]

My Go-To Local Hike: Almaden Quicksilver 11 Mile Loop

Calipidder — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:37:22 +0000

The closest place to hike near my house is a county park called Almaden Quicksilver. A mere ten minute drive from my front door, it offers enough to keep me interested and going back over and over again. Wildflowers, steep grades, rolling ridge hiking, multiple trailheads and trails, historical sites, wildlife, views, and surprisingly uncrowded [...]

Gear PR Done Right: Columbia’s Omniten Program

Calipidder — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:32:59 +0000

As an outdoor blogger and a Twitter chatterbox, I am on a lot of PR firm mailing lists. I get several emails a week announcing new products and they often ask if I want a sample to review. However, in typical PR fashion these emails go to a huge list of people and the product [...]

Gear Review: Jetflow Raptor Bladder Replacement System

Calipidder — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:24:38 +0000

Next, lets put this thing together: At this point you may think what my husband told me: ”That looks like something out of a meth lab”. Okay, I don’t disagree. Not that I’m familiar with meth labs. Other than what Breaking Bad has taught me, that is. Turn the sucker upside down, stuff it in [...]

Thanksgiving 2011 Part 4: Salsberry Peak and Sidewinder Canyon

Calipidder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:41:03 +0000

I’m not going to give away many specifics about how to get up Salsberry Peak. There is some basic info in Zdon’s Desert Summits, but the fun of this one is finding the way on your own. After a cross-desert trek towards the base of the peak you’ll find many washes and ridges, but if [...]