Survival is so hot right now. That means there are lots and lots of charlatans hawking crappy gear that won’t get the job done in an emergency.

. We put it to the test.Ěý

What Is It? 

“Everything you need, nothing you don’t,” reads the official blurb. With the Seventy2, Uncharted has packaged into a high-quality, waterproof roll-top backpack—a single, easy-to-carry kit that handles everything you need (shelter, water, fire, and food) in an emergency.ĚýThe name references the time, in hours, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency says all citizens should be equipped to care for their own needs following a natural disaster.Ěý

“Packing an emergency preparedness kit helps ensure the safety and comfort of you and your family members at a time when basic public services may be disrupted,” states FEMA Regional Administrator Phil May. The agency has prepared .ĚýThe Seventy2 ticks most of those boxes, making it a general survival kit that should get the job done whether you live in an urban or rural area.  

Design

The Seventy2 includes basic gear like a first-aid kit, tube tent, knife, multi-tool, and water filter. You’ll likely be familiar with most of this stuff already.

What really sets the Seventy2 apart is the bag the tools are packaged in—and the way they're organized. Made from 60-denier tarpaulin, the 30-liter roll-top pack is completely waterproof and should remain so through plenty of abrasion and manhandling. That doesn’t just mean it’ll keep all the gear inside dry: it also turns it into something of a multi-tool. Need to haul a bunch of water? Empty the pack and dunk it in a lake. Need to get in that lake? The pack doubles as a flotation device.Ěý

What happens to all the stuff inside when you need to use the pack for another purpose? The interior organizer has its own shoulder straps, so you can carry it separately. That organizer separates all the items into pockets by use, then color codes them for easy finding later. The first-aid kit goes into a red pocket, the water filter goes into a blue one…. You get the idea.Ěý

Using It

The organizer insert really does make this thing a breeze to use. Survival kits are stored away in a closet or trunk for years, then grabbed in a rush and used in the dark, when you’re freaking out. Using a conventional backpack—and trying to remember which pocket your water filter is buried in—will add to your stress. With the Seventy2, you just whip the insert out, spread it open, and everything you need is right there in front of you.Ěý

That insert also includes two semi-rigid plastic sheets that work as a pack frame and can be combined with the included duct tape to double as splints. That helps make the pack comfortable to wear and secure even if you’re running or climbing.Ěý

As for the included items, they’re a reasonable compromise between genuine utility and cost. Yeah, you can get a nicer knife, a better shovel, and a more comprehensive first aid kit, but you’d spend a lot more money doing do, and everything included is totally adequate.Ěý

Who’s It For?

Think of the Seventy2 as the ultimate survival solution and you’ll be disappointed. Think of it as a reasonably comprehensive, nicely packaged selection of stuff that so easy to use you won’t need to think about it until you need it, and you’ll be happy you bought one.Ěý

While the quality and usefulness of the gear included in the Seventy2 is decent (especially given the price), experienced outdoors types will likely already have nicer equipment. If an emergency hit, for instance, I’d grab my ultra-fancy  rather than go with the Seventy2's mediocre tube tent.  

Likes

• The pack body is high quality and simple.Ěý
• The included gear isn’t just highly organized, it’s also easy to use.Ěý
• A great one-stop solution for most people looking for a solid survival kit.Ěý

Dislikes

• Tools like the knife, multi-tool, and folding shovel feel cheap. I’d replace them with an , a , and a .Ěý
• No survival kit will ever be one size fits all. While the Seventy2 is a good start, you’ll want to add stuff like terrain-specific clothing and essential paperwork.Ěý
• Sawyer water filters work fine at first, but . Fine for 72 hours, but don’t make the Squeeze your regular filter.Ěý

Should You Buy One? 

This is where, as usual, we tell you that developing knowledge and experience will be more effective at keeping you alive than just buying survival gear.ĚýFor fire-starting, for example, the Seventy2 includes both waterproof matches and a ferro rod. But do you know how hard it can be to build a fire in the wind and rain? While instructions for doing so are included, it’s only through starting hundreds of fires in real conditions that you’ll be able to rely on this skill.Ěý

The Seventy2 is a basic kit that will work pretty well in an emergency. Buy it, forget it’s in your closet until you need it, and it will arm you with just enough stuff to uncomfortably get through three days without help. But man, you’re going to be happy when that FEMA aid truck finally shows up.Ěý

If you’re already the prepared type and build survival kits out of gear you already own, then Uncharted will sell you . It’s a better home for your bug-out gear than almost anything else out there.Ěý

The post This $350 Backpack Will Keep You Alive appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

There are mountains in Greenland for which virtually no climbing information or data exists. This black hole led my friend Andrew and I to believe there may be previously unclimbed alpine rock routes there. So we packed up a couple sea kayaks and flew there to find them.

Here’s how you can do the same thing.

While many of Greenland’s mountains have been extensively explored over the past few decades, most of that exploration has been centered around Cape Farewell and the Tasermiut Fjord in the nation’s south (an area known for its big granite walls) and the Watkins Range in the north (where 12,000-foot peaks tower above a sea of ice). The country’s central eastern mountains are essentially untouched.

There, a vast network of fjords cuts through rugged coastal peaks. No trails or roads run through the area; getting around needs to be done on the water. We sought unique climbing objectives on our own, so we figured we’d take a unique approach to exploring the area: in sea kayaks. The area’s indigenous people, the Tunumiit, have been using sea kayaks for thousands of years. The sheltered coastal waters are easily navigable in small craft, and silent travel doesn’t disturb the area’s abundant wildlife. Paddling would allow us the freedom to explore the area unassisted and easily pull out of the water when we wanted to climb.

and I decided to fly into and paddle south into the Ammassalik Fjord loaded down with enough climbing and camping gear for two or more weeks. We’d just paddle until we found climbable rock.

About 50 miles in, surrounded by 5,000-foot peaks, we found a series of steep granite cliffs with a glacial approach. It was exactly what we’d been hoping for. We beached our kayaks, set up base camp, and spent an entire week exploring the area. We were the only people there and possibly the first people to climb some of these routes. At least, we saw no one else during the trip, so who’s to say someone hadn’t been there before us?

Getting There

Eastern Greenland is incredibly remote, with no straightforward way to get there. The region’s only airport is in a tiny village called Kulusuk and features a gravel runway constructed by the U.S. military during World War II.

You fly into Kulusuk via Iceland. Round-trip flights from Reykjavik—the city’s local airport, not Keflavik International—run about $900 per person. That price includes 44 pounds of luggage; each additional pound costs $5. This will be your trip’s largest expense.

The next biggest cost will be getting to Iceland. Fortunately, that’s gotten cheaper over the past year, thanks to the launch of . Round-trip fares from Los Angeles during peak summer months can now be found for less than $500. Since New York is closer, it’s a little cheaper to fly from there. Those fares don’t include luggage, the cost of which can add up quickly.

Kulusuk (population 240) isn’t much more than that runway and a small shop. You’ll want to use Tasiilaq as the jumping-off point for any adventures. There, you’ll find places to stay and purchase food, fuel, and other supplies. Air Greenland operates a that takes just 15 minutes and runs about $300.

All total, we each spent about $2,000 to get ourselves and our gear to Tasilaaq and back home.

Red Tape

Want to climb in a popular area during peak season in the United States? You’ll need to plan way ahead to get an overnight permit or even enter a lottery. Want to climb in Nepal? You won’t get a permit without hiring a local guide. Want to climb a mountain in eastern Greenland, in the region around Tasiilaq? Just go climb it.

As a U.S. citizen, you don’t need a visa to visit the country as long as your trip lasts fewer than 90 days. It might be difficult to get here, but the hassles end once you’re off the plane.

Where to Stay

There isn’t a ton of lodging in eastern Greenland, but what exists is well suited to the traveling adventurer. In Tasiilaq, stay at either (around $75 per night for a private room with an en-suite bath) or (about $120). If you’re in a larger group, rent a house from Arctic Dream.

Tasiilaq is home to a handful of restaurants, including the buffet at Hotel Angmagssalik, plus a grocery store and supermarket. You can also buy fresh fish from locals—it’s delicious and inexpensive.

operates its own hostel; a bed in the dorm room runs $45 per night. The company also rents outdoor equipment and is a great resource for information.

Getting Around

You get around eastern Greenland on the water. There are motorboat tours and rentals, but they’re relatively expensive and don’t offer you the freedom of a kayak.

Kayak rentals are available from local outfitter . A single kayak runs about $300 for a week; a tandem is a little over $400. If you plan to spend a week or less in the area, renting makes the most financial sense. Because we were there for longer, it actually worked out cheaper for us to bring our own boats.

The Boat

How does one carry a kayak halfway around the world into a remote fishing village? With a kayak that folds up into a box and can be carried like a backpack, of course. The shape was inspired by traditional Arctic models, like those used by native Greenlanders. The 16-foot boat weighs 35 pounds and is rugged enough not just for ocean paddling, but also for surviving the cargo holds and baggage conveyers of commercial flights.

Total weight capacity for the Coast is 400 pounds, including the paddler. We were well within that limit even loaded with more than 100 pounds of gear each.

Compared with the tiny deck hatches and small storage areas of a molded kayak, the folding Oru models are ideal for loading and hauling large amounts of stuff. A central seam runs the length of the fore and aft decks: you just pile your drybags onto the flat hull and assemble the boat around them.

The streamlined hull makes the Oru kayaks nimble and quick in calm water, but they can be challenging to paddle in rough seas or through strong currents due to their lack of a rudder. We experienced everything from glass-like water conditions to overhead swells during this 100-mile paddle and were glad we put in the effort to bring our own boats with us.

Worried about durability? A rare attempted to take a bite out of Andrew’s boat one day. After fighting it off with a paddle, he pulled ashore to check for damage to the hull but found it unscathed.

Paddling just a few miles south of the Arctic Circle, passing glaciers and icebergs, you’ll want a drysuit to protect you from the frigid water. A suit that can protect you from both daily and extreme conditions is vital here, where help could be days away, if it exists at all. Go with an expedition drysuit like those from and , which are tough enough to take the abuse of an extended trip and feature all sorts of convenient features, like pockets and pee zippers.

Camping

Temperatures in the area are moderate during the summer. We experienced daytime highs of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime lows around freezing. But there are no trees, and winds roar off the island’s glacial interior. To make sleeping in high winds comfortable, we brought the four-season Hilleberg Namatj 3GT, which provided ample interior space and a large vestibule for cooking out of the wind. You’ll want a proper double-wall tent, both to manage moisture and give you some respite from the bugs.

You can’t fly with canister fuel, and you won’t find any in Kulusuk or Tasiilaq. We brought the , which can run on virtually any fuel source. We found that benzene (basically furniture polish) was the easiest fuel to obtain.

Freshwater sources from glacial melt are abundant, but flat places to camp anywhere near them are rare. Give yourself plenty of time to search for the right campsite.

Polar Bear Defense

While it’s unlikely that you will encounter a polar bear, they do call the area home. It’s imperative that you prepare to deal with them. We were able to rent a somewhat rusty but still functioning 12-gauge shotgun from a local. You can’t fly with bear spray, and .

Finding and Exploring Mountains

You won’t find a guidebook for eastern Greenland. You won’t find a list of peaks or their routes. In fact, you’ll have trouble finding a map anywhere but locally.

Because it’s impossible to know what kind of conditions you’ll be climbing in ahead of time, you’ll need to pack versatile mountaineering gear. And because you need to travel and paddle with it, you’ll also want to minimize weight.

Despite the warming climate, glaciers are absolutely everywhere here. Prepare to travel across glaciers, scale granite walls, and scramble up peaks. The amount of traditional alpine climbing is limited, but the mountaineering potential is limitless.

There was little snow thanks to the mild summertime temperatures. A lightweight, single-layer mountaineering boot was adequate. You can also get away with a lightweight, packable crampon like the .

Our biggest concern was ropes. Out here, you can’t take safety—or the capabilities of your gear—too seriously. A set of ultradurable () gave us the ability to make longer rappels, reduced drag on wandering routes, and provided an excellent balance between lightness and strength. The sheaths are designed to resist abrasion and sharp edges.

Seek out new mountains on Google Earth, then go climb them. Who knows—you might even be the first person to do so.

The post Looking to Explore One of the Last Wild Places? Visit Greenland appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Why do people put up with Boulder, Colorado’s inflated prices and snooty reputation? Access. You won’t find another town in the United States with so much at its doorstep. That access is why I packed up my old Pathfinder and moved to the area from Los Angeles. Where getting to the mountains used to involve sitting in traffic for nearly half a day, every time, now I can see climbing routes from my bedroom window.

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One of the first friends I made here is Zach Lovell, a mountain guide for the American Alpine Institute’s . These are the routes he’s shown me.

First Flatiron: Baker’s Way/Direct East Face

Difficulty: 5.6R
Length: Ten pitches
Time: Three hours

Chances are you’ve heard of the famous range that towers more than 1,000 feet above the city. And for good reason: its massive granite slabs (identified as the First, Second, and Third) offer dozens of classic, high-quality routes, ranging from easy (Second Flatiron, , 5.0) to moderate (Third Flatiron, , 5.10b). The best things about the Flatirons are that they’re just a five-minute drive from downtown and the approach hikes are short (the longest takes only 45 minutes). That also means parking at Chautauqua Park can fill up. Ride a bicycle if you can or look for street parking nearby.

Lovell and I climbed , stringing together two variations of classic routes on the First. This brought us all the way up that slab’s 1,000-foot face.

Many climbers solo these and other easy routes in the Flatirons, but they’re also great for practicing alpine techniques on easy terrain. Short-roping, terrain and body belaying, building anchors, and placing gear can all be worked on here with relative ease and safety.

Whatever you do, don’t show up in the rain without a rope.

El Dorado Canyon: Icarus and The Great Zot 

Difficulty: 5.6R; 5.8+
ł˘±đ˛Ô˛µłŮłó:Ěýąóľ±±ą±đĚý±čľ±łŮł¦łó±đ˛ő
°Őľ±łľ±đ:Ěý±á˛ą±ô´Ú-»ĺ˛ąy

“,” as it’s often, is just a 20-minute drive south of Boulder. The canyon features 700-foot-tall sandstone walls and the area offers several excellent beginner climbs, as well as routes for the more experienced.

Lovell and I initially tried tackling , a classic moderate route that’s only a 15-minute walk from the road. But it was so crowded we started instead on and linked it to Zot about three pitches in. The climbing was an interesting mix of crack and face, finishing on a scenic ridge.

Hallett Peak: The Great Dihedral

¶Ůľ±´Ú´Úł¦ľ±łÜ±ôłŮ˛â:Ěý5.7+
Length: Seven pitches
Time: One day

Rocky Mountain National Park, where Hallett Peak is located, is the third most-visited national park in the United States. That’s in part because it’s so easy to get to—just a one-hour drive from Boulder. If the season's right, visitors are treated to views of courting elk, granite peaks, and turquoise lakes. Trail Ridge Road reaches 12,800 feet, making it the highest paved road in any national park.

The park is also home to countless rock, snow, and ice climbs, which, when combined with the easy access, make it a true playground for the alpinist. The 1,000-foot granite wall of Hallet Peak towers over the popular Bear Lake Trailhead parking lot, a mere 2.5 hours from my front door in Lyons, a small town 20 minutes north of Boulder.

Lovell and I climbed , a route undoubtedly named for its money pitch. That pitch extends for an entire rope length, about halfway up the climb, which follows a long corner system on the peak’s north face. The climbing varied from scrambly to jammy, with good exposure and great views. The route also features a bail-out point with a walk-off descent just before that famous pitch, which can be useful if you encounter one of the area’s common flash thunderstorms.

Get an early start on the climb, then swing by for a late lunch in Lyons on your way out of town.

Want to go deeper? course can show you these climbs and more while helping develop your skills. There are also several guidebooks for area climbs: , , and are great titles to start collecting information.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to the Epic Climbing in Boulder appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

For years, serious mountaineers, ice climbers, and glacier travelers had only one place to turn for sunglasses: Julbo. That’s changed with the reintroduction of Vuarnet’s classic Glacier and the launch of high-end Italian brand Revo’s new Traverse range. Feeling the competitive pressure, Julbo has updated its popular Explorer. I tested all these models back-to-back as I climbed in Greenland and later sailed to Antarctica.

Vuarnet Glacier (From $540) 

You’ll recognize these French-made items from Everest (Jake Gyllenhaal wore them while lounging shirtless in base camp), Skyfall (Daniel Craig donned a pair for alpine scenes), and the review I put together last year in the High Sierra.Ěý

These are some of the coolest-looking sunglasses I’ve ever seen. I feel like a rock star every time I put them on, and, believe it or not, the quality of materials actually feels like it exceeds the expensive $540 price. But here’s the thing: the Glaciers just aren’t that good on the mountain.Ěý

While Vuarnet’s scratch-proof, uncoated glass lenses are unequivocally as nice as you can buy—combining maximum protection from the sun’s harmful rays, unparalleled durability, extreme clarity, and delightful color hues—they’re also heavy.ĚýEspecially when you pair them with the leather side shields required to block glare. At two ounces, they’re twice the weight of the Julbos.Ěý

That weight is enough to create discomfort over time, with the glasses literally weighing on the wearer’s nose and ears. More troubling for performance glasses intended for climbing: the weight can cause them to slip off when you look down. The included retention cord needs to be tightly knotted behind your head to ensure the glasses will stay where you want them. That’s a deal breaker on the mountain for me.Ěý

Revo Traverse ($269)

This Italian brand is unfamiliar to most Americans, but it’s trying to change that by hiring Jimmy Chin to work as ambassador and art director.Ěý

While Revo has been making high-end performance glasses in Italy since 1985, the Traverse is its first foray into the glacier glasses market. On first glance, you might not even realize they were created with alpinism in mind. The lenses, which come in bright red or blue, are a classic aviator shape wrapped in a matte plastic frame. Stylish perforated-leather shields wrap the sides. But unlike the Vuarnets, these Revos perform as great as they look. Rubberized temples and nose pads hold them in place while climbing. The large lenses and leather shields provide as much protection from the sun as the Julbos.Ěý

I’ve worn the $269 Traverse while climbing in eastern Greenland and for climbing the Eiger and the Matterhorn. They kept the sun and glare out of my eyes, they’re comfortable, and they don’t fall off.Ěý

Julbo Explorer 2 ($130)

Julbo invented glacier glasses by creating special wraparound lenses for mineral hunters climbing Mont Blanc in the 19th century. A hundred years later, the company popularized the design with the introduction of the . You’ve seen these iconic leather-wrapped round lenses on mountaineers (and rock stars) around the world.Ěý

Climbers still wear that time-tested, much-imitated model. But in 2006, Julbo addressed the increasing need for a modern, high-performance option for alpinists working in demanding environments with the release of the original Explorer.Ěý

With its large alien lenses, wraparound frame, and removable plastic side shields, the Explorer was an instant hit. Climb any mountain today, and chances are at least a few people in the party will be wearing a pair. But they’re ugly and fog under high exertion, so Julbo addressed those concerns with the Explorer 2.Ěý

The new model features updated aesthetics with larger, more swept-back lenses and liberal venting, but these shades are still a dedicated performance option. They work better than either the Vuarnet or Revo, but you won’t want to wear them away from the mountain—the other two still beat these in the looks department.Ěý

The Explorer 2 can be purchased with a variety of lens options: The standard Spectron 4 provides protection in extremely bright conditions.ĚýThe Zebra lenses are antifogging and photochromatic, adapting to changing light conditions.ĚýThe Camel lenses, which I prefer, are polarized to reduce glare and are fog-resistant and photochromatic.Ěý

The first thing you notice while wearing them is the snug, secure, comfortable fit. This is achieved with arms that angle inward at the temples. Rubberized grips extend the entire length of the arms to prevent the frame from sliding off and are also on the nose.Ěý

Coverage is superb. The large lenses allow complete peripheral vision, while the large side shields prevent almost all glare from leaking into your eyes. There’s also venting on both the nose and near the temples. Based on my wear tests running around the Antarctic ice, this works well. The Explorer 2 lenses don’t fog during high-output activity.Ěý

The Verdict

Which pair should you buy? If you just want to look like a mountaineer, splurge on the Vuarnet Glacier. They’re heavy on the face and the wallet, but their ground-glass lenses are as good as they get, and they look great. If you’re looking for the ultimate in performance, the Julbo Explorer 2 is both the highest-performance style here and, at $130, the cheapest. But if you want to look good while you’re actually climbing, the Revo Traverse glasses work nearly as well for not too much more money.ĚýThey’re what I’ve been wearing.

The post We Traveled from Greenland to Antarctica to Find the Best Glacier Glasses appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Three years ago, I went on my first-ever backpacking trip. About a year later, I decided it would be a great idea to quit my job and go on epic adventures around the world. Most recently, I paddled a folding kayak 50 miles into a remote fjord in eastern Greenland, base camped for a week, and made the first ascent of an alpine rock route. Right now, I’m sailing to Antarctica.

You can do this stuff, too. I’m not a super athlete. I’ve never been that good at sports. For most of my adult life, I didn’t even spend that much time outdoors. I never went backpacking growing up. I didn’t climb my first pitch of rock until I was 26. (I’m 28 now.) I didn’t learn to ski until earlier this year. I’m by no means an expert at any of those things, but I can do them now. This is to say that it’s never too late to learn something new.

This is what I’ve learned along the way.

Pick a Destination

The place facilitates the adventure. Go wherever your heart desires. Explore places that inspire you. It doesn’t have to be far. Some of my most memorable adventures were the result of jumping in a car and driving just a few hours. (Admittedly, that’s a perk of living on the West Coast.)

That being said, if you really want an adventure (definition: an experience that pushes you out of your comfort zone), then you’ll probably have to leave the highway behind. Try getting out there. Like way, way out there. You don’t necessarily have to leave the country or go very far, but adventure has an entirely different feel if you go where people aren’t.

Last summer, my friends and I tackled the —a nearly 200-mile cross-country hike through California’s Sierra Nevada. Though it’s nearly parallel to the John Muir Trail, the route follows the trail for only a handful of miles and rarely dips below the tree line. We didn’t see people for days at a time. It also has some technical sections in the form of more than 30 passes—most of them Class 2 to 3 scrambles—and requires some orienteering skills. All of those factors created an experience that was equally accessible but more adventurous than the John Muir Trail, without requiring a great deal more technical skill than that popular thru-hike.

The same could be said about my recent trip to eastern Greenland. While the area is definitely remote and takes some effort to reach, once you’re there, it’s not too difficult to venture out on your own and get the experience of being totally alone in one of the world’s most incredible environments. What makes that place particularly unique? Peaks jut 6,000 feet straight up from the water. Glaciers spill directly into the sea. Everywhere you look, whales are breaching, taking in new air to breathe. There are no roads outside the villages, so to move around the fjords, you must take a boat or helicopter transfer or do like I did and paddle. The experience is larger than life. As a result, it makes you feel incredibly small.

The world is full of places that can have that same effect, and most are accessible by mere mortals (for instance, trekking in Nepal). Sometimes, they just take effort to reach, but they will always be worth the effort.

Choose an Activity

In many ways, the place dictates the activity. In eastern Greenland, for example, no roads connect different areas throughout the fjords, and the land is often too rugged to travel through efficiently, so the only feasible human-powered mode of transportation during summer is kayaking. Indigenous Greenlanders have been using the vessels to get around for thousands of years. Kayaks remain one of the best modes of transportation there today.

Any mountain range in the world will provide nearly endless opportunities for adventure, whether it’s climbing snowy slopes or steep ice and rock, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, or even paragliding. Mountains almost always mean rivers, too. When glaciers and snow melt, they create rivers that run through the valleys, providing opportunities for kayaking or rafting. Canyons can be often found in the mountains. These can provide an entirely different adventure—one where you’re climbing down rather than up.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř doesn’t always have to be human-powered. Baja, for example, is an off-road paradise because the scenery is beautiful, the terrain is diverse, and there are almost no regulations for motorized vehicles. You can drive there from California, eat cheap and delicious fish tacos every day, and camp right on the beach.

Do Your Research

Let’s say you’ve decided to reach past the low-hanging fruit and want to really get out there. You want to go deep. There’s a good chance that planning your trip will be anything but straightforward as a result. You’ll have to get creative. If you want to go to where people aren’t, you have to put in the work beforehand.

Season

You’ve decided on a location. You’ve chosen your level of thrill. Now figure out the best time to go. Is it during the peak season, when conditions are ideal? Or a bit earlier or later, when flights are cheaper and people are fewer but the weather’s more variable?

Exact Destination

Once that’s locked down, it’s a good idea to figure out exactly where you want to go. Google Earth is an incredible tool that can help you home in on specific areas for exploration using satellite imagery. From there, you can use it to discover potential snow couloirs for skiing, rock routes for climbing, lakes for fishing, rivers for paddling, or anything else you might want to do. When you zoom into an area, photos that have been geotagged with that location will also pop up, allowing for a more detailed look.

Next, get some real maps. Search for printed versions if you can. If none can be found, make your own. You can also , but it’s a good idea to have paper versions as a backup, because electronics inevitably fail.

Red Tape

Traveling to ? Better apply now. Will you have to send in your passport to get one? Do you have a passport? Does it have enough free pages for stamps? Is it about to expire? Do you need specific vaccinations to get in? Or to get out? Does the park or other area you’re visiting require permits or special permissions? Start looking into it. All of these things take time. You don’t want to be scrambling trying to sort out these issues at the last minute, because any one of them could be a deal breaker.

Getting There and Getting Back

Transportation can cause some of the biggest logistical challenges, so deal with them up front. Will you be staying domestic or going international? Will you fly, or would driving be better? Once you’re there, how will you get around? Can you take group transportation? If so, is it public or private? Will you need to rent a vehicle? Would buying be better? If the journey there will be extend over multiple days, will you need to sleep in places along the way? If you have a long layover at an airport, keeping a sleeping pad in your carry-on will make for a much better night. Otherwise, will you stay at hotels? Hostels? Can you camp? Will an Airbnb be the best bet?

Travel guides like offer some information on these particulars, but finding the best ways to travel to and from certain places often requires firsthand information. is a treasure trove of real experiences.

If you’re flying, consider stopovers. The last time I went trekking and climbing in Nepal, it was cheapest to buy round trip flights from L.A. to Bangkok and separate round-trip flights from Bangkok to Kathmandu. That also allowed for a fun stopover. Getting to eastern Greenland required a flight to Iceland first, which allowed for more stopover fun.

Sort Your Gear

The most difficult part of trip planning is often in relation to gear. How much will you carry? What can you scrap? What will you wear? For me, the easiest way to keep track is in Google Docs, because it’s easy to share with friends.

To get started, create a spreadsheet, and then begin a list organized by category: Big Three (shelter, sleeping, and kitchen), clothing, camping, activity-specific items, electronics, and miscellaneous. I like to break down items further by brand, model, weight, and quantity, and make a section for notes. I highlight in red the items I need to purchase or order. Yellow or orange denotes items that I bought but haven’t yet received. Once an item is in hand, it goes green.

After everything has arrived, it helps to lay it all out and take inventory, one piece at a time. Once that’s done, pack it all up.

Solve Problems Ahead of Time

Problems will inevitably arise, so take time to consider what those may be and develop solutions in advance. By evaluating those inevitabilities and addressing them preemptively, you will save valuable time, stress, and energy.

This can be as simple as creating a kit to make field repairs on your gear (patches for sleeping pads, cleaning kits for the stove, duct tape to fix everything else) or packing backups in case a critical item totally fails.

Case in point: My buddy and I brought two stoves to eastern Greenland. Our JetBoil, which is powered with canister fuel, was our first choice because all we needed to do was boil water, and it does that quickly and efficiently. However, shops in the small villages didn’t stock canister fuel. Instead, we had to resort to burning benzene, which is actually a type of furniture polish. Fortunately, we also packed an , so we were able to swap out the jets and make the benzene work.

Be Flexible

To reach Greenland, my buddy Andrew had to fly from Vegas to Los Angeles, and then from L.A. to Reykjavik, before catching a flight to Kulusuk. Somehow, American Airlines checked only one of his bags through to LAX. Andrew had to leave for Iceland (and then on to Greenland) without it. That bag contained several key pieces of mission-critical gear, including Andrew’s mountaineering boots, our climbing ropes, his sleeping bag, and all of his technical clothing. Needless to say, without all of that, we were pretty much screwed.

That left us with two options: try our damnedest to reconnect with that bag, or reinvent our trip on the fly. Andrew spent more than 24 hours on Skype with the airline. Thanks to an astute Alaskan Airlines employee—whose company wasn’t even responsible for losing Andrew’s bag—we were reunited with it five days later and were able to begin our trip.

While waiting, Andrew and I continued to do firsthand research on the area—speaking with locals, checking out maps and books, gathering supplies—and we did some climbing nearby to occupy our time. It was frustrating that we couldn’t just get out and go, but being frustrated didn’t help our cause. Taking action did. Had the bag not shown up after the fifth day, we’d have had to leave anyway because our time on the island was limited. In that case, we would have created an alternate plan, probably focusing on paddling, hiking and scrambling to make the most of what we had.

Your time and money for an adventure is always going to be limited. Only you can decided how to best utilize your resources to make the most of a trip. As such, it’s important to remain flexible and learn how to pivot.

Remember Why You’re There

So much goes into planning an epic adventure that it’s easy to get distracted—or even discouraged—by budget, logistics, travel, and mishaps. Don’t forget why you’re there in the first place. We adventure to seek discomfort. Those other steps are all part of the process, but once you’re out in the wild, it’s time to focus on being there. Get lost in the spirit of it all.

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Want to give up on being stationary and move onto the road? Living in your car can be as simple as finding a quiet place to park, but with these tips from veteran road warriors, you can be comfortable and safe while visiting places you never thought you’d see.

Living in a Car: Why Do It?

Increasing numbers of people are willingly giving up their apartments for a home on the road—or, at the very least, adapting their lives to be more mobile. Their reasoning often comes down to these core symbiotic benefits: financial freedom, mobility, and simplicity.

Consider this: You can buy a used Dodge Sprinter (the ultimate vehicle for van dwellers) for about $10,000 and outfit it for life on the road for another few thousand. That’s equivalent to less than a year’s rent in Los Angeles; less still for those living in New York or the Bay Area. A long-wheelbase Sprinter is going to give you about 110 square feet of living space—and access to millions of acres of state and national parks, public land (including national forest and wilderness areas), as well as our neighbors, Canada to the north and Mexico (and beyond) to the south.

Not being tied down by rent while living out of a vehicle allows for near-infinite mobility. For Reed Rombough, the 26-year-old who runs Nomad Construction, a contracting business that’s as mobile as it sounds, moving into a 2003 Dodge Sprinter finally gave him the freedom to accomplish many of his travel goals. Last year alone, he spent three months climbing in Patagonia and another three months trekking in Nepal and climbing in Thailand. (He also climbed in 14 different states between those trips.) For Rombough, work and life are closely tied together: wherever he parks his van, he picks up contracting jobs; sometimes it’s the other way around. The former allows him to work wherever he wants to be; the latter allows him to explore places he might not otherwise see.

If 110 square feet doesn’t sound like much space, that’s because it isn’t, and even that’s luxurious compared to most vehicles. Crystal Tan, a climber and photographer who lives out of her Subaru Forester on long trips between work and school, praises the simplicity associated with life on the road. Since there is limited space in her Forester, Tan is forced to travel with less stuff and brings only the things she really needs (which usually includes a trad rack and sleeping bag). This habit has even influenced her everyday life when she’s not traveling.

To best utilize the limited space in her Forester, Tan and her boyfriend removed the rear seats and built a custom bed with drawers in the back, which provides storage space for gear and cooking supplies as well as a place to sleep. The combo eliminated their need for eating out and staying in hotels while traveling, which makes extended trips even more accessible.

For Andy Cochrane, director of marketing at Oru Kayak and inhabitant of the TacoMama—a built-out 2015 Toyota Tacoma—living out of a truck is a rebellion against the status quo. “People perpetuate norms about the right way to live without being conscious of them. Specifically home ownership. Very few people question the American dream to buy a house. It’s a rite of passage. It offers security and comfort; it’s a spot for your growing family; it shows your affluence,” Cochrane says. “Or maybe all it shows is your willingness to follow someone else’s dream. Maybe it only makes you happy because it helps you fit in.” For the 28-year-old, it does the opposite: “[Homeownership] takes away the greatest joy in life—serendipity—and replaces it with monotony.”

Truck life, on the other hand, facilitates simplicity. “When you don’t own many things, you don’t worry about many things,” Cochrane says. “I’m the happiest I’ve been in years, and this is surely part of that function.” That happiness also probably stems from his now-enhanced ability to run, ski, and adventure more freely, as well as greater flexibility to spend more time visiting friends, meeting new people, and taking more ocean swims and fewer actual showers.

Living out of a truck may defy the status quo for Cochrane, but in some ways it provides the same security as a traditional home—albeit with a mobile spin. Lizzy VanPatten, a climber who spent the past summer guiding at Smith Rock, makes the case: “I can live wherever I want within driving distance without having to first worry about finding a new home, moving, and getting a job. For me, it’s as simple as picking a place on a map, fueling up, and driving. It makes trying new things a whole lot less intimidating knowing that I can always leave if it doesn’t work out.” Feeling the tug of that sort of freedom? Here’s how to go about it.

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Storage Tips

Chances are that if you’re reading this, your idea of life on the road will be defined by adventures in the outdoors. Those adventures require gear. And gear takes up space. Lots of space. When you’re living out of—and often sleeping in—your car, every inch matters. Use them wisely.

Get a Cargo Rack

The easiest way to increase your storage space is by adding a roof rack to your rig. We’ve been using Yakima’s recently updated StreamLine System. We love it for its compatibility (the company custom-designed brackets for almost every vehicle dating back 35 years), easy installation (adding the to the naked roof of my 1995 Pathfinder took less than two hours and was doable solo), and for the wide array of carry and cargo accessories—Yakima offers multiple solutions to haul everything from a kayak, canoe, or SUP to skis and boards to every type of bicycle imaginable.

Plan on doing a lot of off-roading? Check out the , which provides plenty of lash points for jerrycans, drybags, bikes, or just about anything else. The offers enough extra space to securely haul bulky camping, climbing, and snow gear for four people.

Plastic Storage Bins

The quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to organize stuff inside your vehicle is with plastic storage bins like the ones you can buy at Target. They aren’t pretty, but they provide a great temporary solution that’s as inexpensive as it is convenient. If you’ll be spending much time living out of your vehicle, though, you might want to read on for further for inspiration.

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Do a Custom Build-Out

Feeling ambitious? This solution is costly and time consuming, but it offers the most personalization for specific vehicles and specific needs. Cochrane, for example, removed his truck’s backseats to install a mini-fridge and propane tank and built a small closet and dog bed. He then added an ARE commercial cap to the Taco’s bed. A six-by-six-foot drawer in the back acts as his kitchen, pantry, and storage, and a four-inch-thick memory foam mattress on top is his bed. Two charge a large battery that provides electricity if he needs to stay up late to work, and LEDs strung around his ceiling provide light at night.

Rombough took advantage of his Sprinter’s voluminous interior (as well as his own construction skills) to build what he describes as “a tiny cabin on wheels.” When he got the van, it was just an empty metal box. (The 158-inch wheelbase version used to be a DHL delivery truck; the yellow paint is still visible in the doorjambs.) He quickly went to work, spending 16 long days and $3,200 to complete the inside.

The walls and ceiling are made from quarter-inch beadboard stained with an espresso varnish and coated in two layers of polyurethane for durability. Three cabinets store his clothes; a three-foot-long bookshelf above the bed is stocked with guidebooks and reading material. The bed itself is just four inches shy of a queen (Rombough cut a memory foam mattress topper to size). Beneath the bed and behind the shelf is enough storage space to accommodate all of his construction equipment, three crash pads for bouldering, and enough climbing and mountaineering gear to send gnarly lines all over the world. He also keeps a full-hydraulic jack down there for on-the-fly repairs.

Don’t know where to start? Home Depot rents tools, and YouTube will show you how to use them. Have a popular vehicle? You can probably even find diagrams or blueprints online to build it out. Or just hire Rombough to do the job.

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Sleep System

If you’re doing a full build-out, you’ll probably put a lot of thought into your bed since that’s where you’ll likely spend the most time inside (besides the driver’s seat). Your sleeping system can also be as simple as folding down or removing the seats and inflating a luxurious sleeping pad. Pair that with a down quilt and you’ll be good to go. Looking for a quick and easy solution that doesn’t take up much space? Check out the and a . Together, they won’t take up more than a few liters of space yet will provide a great amount of comfort and warmth.

Tires

Tires are the only part of your car that touches the road. And they’re especially important when logging tons of miles, particularly when those miles are on dirt or gravel roads or in extreme weather. Tires that come stock on most vehicles are usually garbage and underperform in virtually all road conditions. Instead of refitting the stock rubber when it wears out, upgrade to something more suited for the road less traveled. Upgrades are often cheaper than the tires your van came with.

A lightweight all-terrain tire is a good option for people doing stuff outdoors. You’ll get better grip on loose surfaces as well as vastly improved puncture resistance. We really dig the on lighter vehicles like Subarus, while the slightly heavier  remains the best all-around option for trucks, vans, and SUVs and is great on snow.

Better yet, let the tires come to you. In some areas, has partnered with mobile tire installers who will accept shipment of your tires, and then come fit them wherever you are: in a driveway, parked on the curb, or in a lot.

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Power

Wherever you go, you’ll likely need power. A DC-to-AC inverter can provide electricity to your larger devices, like laptops and small refrigerators, while driving, but you’ll need to depend on something else when you’re parked. Enter the Goal Zero Yeti.

The smallest Goal Zero solar-powered generator, the , is capable of storing enough juice to recharge your laptop five times. The largest, the , will recharge it 20 or more times. Pair those with a couple solar panels—the Boulder series pairs great with Yeti generators—to fully sustain your AC-power needs without ever taxing your vehicle’s battery or alternator.

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Where Should You Park if You’re Living in a Car?

So you’ve got a home that lets you adventure anywhere. Sleeping anywhere, however, is not advised. These places are usually a safe bet:

Public Land

Public lands—including national parks, national forests, BLM land, and similar—are among our country’s greatest resources. Nearly every state has them. They’re often a gateway to some of the best hiking, climbing, biking, boating, fishing, and hunting around. They’re also a sure bet for a good night’s rest and an occasional shower if your odor requires it.

Walmart Parking Lots

If you’re traveling through a town or city, Walmart parking lots are generally considered a safe place to sleep. Legally, this might be a gray area, but many people do it.

Highway Rest Areas

These make a great place to stop for the night or a nap when you’re on the long haul between destinations. Most rest areas also have restrooms, making them ideal for freshening up.

Truck Stops

Certainly less ideal than a beautiful forest lot, but truck stops can make a good last resort when it’s time to rest for the night.

Make your vehicle as inconspicuous as you can. Always lock your doors when going to sleep for the night, and if something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut and move. Another tip from VanPatten: always sleep in your clothes when parked in a public area.

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Get Ready for the Bumps

Living out of a vehicle will certainly be an adaptation for most. It’s not always going to be easy. Entirely new challenges will present themselves on a regular basis: Where to sleep? Where to poop? Where to eat? Get used to not standing up in your home. It’s going to be harder to have friends over for dinner. Not to mention, being homeless is generally looked down upon.

Your vehicle is going to break down at some point. Maybe it will even get broken into. These are the realities of your newfound freedom. In time, you’ll learn to embrace them—or maybe you won’t. Whatever happens, keep your cool and go with the flow.

While Cochrane is not the first to articulate this idea, he’s a firm believer in it: routine is the enemy of time. The more routines you create for yourself, the less you actually live and the more you turn into a robot. If you want to create a superficial floor and ceiling for your emotions, if you want to limit your creative power, if you want to stomp out your curiosity, then stay in the same house, work the same job, repeat the same commute, eat the same foods, and keep the same insular group of friends. If you want to really live, then let go of as many routines as you can and do something that scares you every day.

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If you’re anything like Cochrane, the biggest reason you’re not doing it already is social pressure and a few logistical questions. But mostly, you think people will think you’re weird. After a few months in your car, though, you’ll think they’re weird.

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Mountaineering is arguably one of the most demanding activities on the planet—both for our bodies and our gear. Above the clouds, snow and ice create intense glare that can penetrate your eyes from every angle. Exertion creates sweat, which turns into fog on your lenses in cold weather. Brightness levels can change in an instant. And through all of that, mountaineers must perform at their highest physical and mental capacity.ĚýThat’s why a good pair of glacier glasses is so important to alpinists: they need perfect vision combined with protection as they perform dangerous physical activities. And was the first company to design the high-performance shades.Ěý

It was raining when we arrived in Chamonix. Tiny breaks in the clouds revealed jagged glimpses of rock, snow, and ice. There was an unmistakable energy pulsing through the place, where living legends from the mountain world—Ueli Steck, Kilian Jornet, and Glen Plake, among others—regularly call home. It’s no surprise that this is where glacier glasses were born.Ěý

Chamonix is also close to the French department, or county, of Jura, where eyewear was first industrialized in the late 19th century. It was that proximity, combined with the expanding technical requirement of the burgeoning sport of mountain climbing, that led, in 1888, to the development of the first dedicated mountain glasses. Back then, people climbing nearby peaks in search of rock crystals asked local eyewear maker Jules Baud to design glasses that could protect their eyes from glare entering from the sides, as well as the front of their eyes, and that wouldn’t fall off their heads while climbing. His answer was the Cristalliers—the company now bears a contraction of his name.Ěý

Today, Julbo is headquartered in a nondescript steel building in Chamonix. Step inside and you’re transported into an industrial designer’s paradise. At its heart, the building houses a five-axis, high-speed milling machine that allows designers to rapidly prototype custom frame molds. These proofs are also used as a quality control comparison for the production glasses produced by Julbo’s factory in Romania.Ěý

New products created by the brand are dictated by the needs of their climbing customer base. When a new challenge is identified, Julbo sets out to solve it with a new product. Once that concept is fleshed out, hand renderings of it are transferred to a CAD program, where they’re turned into 3D renderings. Next, the designers rough out a prototype using materials like wood and epoxy to create the frames. These physical prototypes allow Julbo to finalize key details like fit and shape with their own hands.Ěý

Once the handmade prototypes are refined, 3-D printers are used to create consistent, reproducible items. This process can repeat several times before the renderings are uploaded to the 5-axis mill, and the final molds are made.Ěý

Once those injection-molded prototypes are ready, they’re distributed to Julbo’s athletes—including the likes of Steck and Plake—where they’re put through their paces on classic routes up Mont Blanc, or the ArĂŞte des Cosmiques. Oftentimes, Julbo’s designers will climb in the prototypes themselves in order to get firsthand experience with which to create further refinements.Ěý

How does this process matter to you? Ultimately, it allows us to move quicker, stay safer, and achieve more in the mountains. That’s the culmination of more than 100 years of expertise in alpine optics.Ěý

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When most people think of Los Angeles, a sprawling metropolis littered with palm trees and star-studded sidewalks comes to mind. However, look beyond the glitz and glam and you may discover Catalina, an island teeming with opportunities for adventure—located just 26 miles from southern California’s coast.

Most people who know of the island relate it to Step Brothers’ “F*cking Catalina Wine Mixer,” or a relaxing but uneventful day at Avalon, the island’s main port. Venture beyond that tiny township to discover a land where wild bison still roam, and where thousands of fish swim in the sea.

Thanks to its close proximity to L.A., Catalina makes a great escape from the city; IndefinitelyWild’s editor, Wes, and I have had a lot of adventures out there. These are a few of our favorites.

Go Spearfishing

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How long does it take? 1+ hours – 1+ days

How much does it cost? $150

Spearfishing is like hunting, but underwater; it’s one of our favorite ways to source protein. Instead of waiting for fish to take the bait while using a traditional pole as anglers do, you get to engage fish on their home turf—becoming a true member of their three-dimensional ecosystem. What’s the best way to get started? We created just for you.

You don’t need a ton of gear to give spearfishing a try; most of it (including wetsuits, mask, snorkels, fins, and weight belts) can be rented from various on the island itself. Make sure to pick up a before you go out (you can order an annual one online for $45 if you’re a resident—or pick up a day pass for $15.) A (these are great because they break down into smaller sections, making them easy to transport) can be purchased on Amazon for $60.

Make sure to go out with a partner, don’t spear the orange fish, and that’s about it! Once you make fresh fish tacos on the beach, you’ll be hooked.

Hike the Trans-Catalina Trail

How long does it take? 3-5 days

How much does it cost? $22/person, per night

Though technically it’s only 37.5 miles long, by the time you finish hiking the Trans Catalina Trail, you’ll have logged closer to 55 miles and nearly 9,000 feet of elevation gain—making it the perfect warm up for longer hikes like the John Muir Trail or .

The weather’s usually great, the trails are well-maintained, and the coastal views are unparalleled—making this classic . Make it all the way to the end and you’ll have a remote black sand beach all to yourself. We’re not saying that you should go skinny dipping, but we’re not saying that you shouldn’t, either.

New to backpacking? Check out on how to get started.

Camp on a Secluded Beach

How long does it take? 1+ nights

How much does it cost? $20/person, per night + transportation

Catalina Island features several remote, boat-in only campsites along its eastern coast. These primitive sites come equipped only with picnic tables (meaning that you have to haul in your own supplies and fresh water) but the benefit of that is near total seclusion on what can effectively be your own private beach. All for the bargain price of $20 a night. Sounds pretty nice, right?

Here’s the catch: to get there, you’ll have to either BYOB (Bring Your Own Boat) or paddle in like we did. If you’re feeling adventurous, kayaks (and SUPs) can be rented from either or . Check the to see which sites are closest to which harbor. Paddling on Catalina’s coastal waters can usually be done at a rate of 2-3 mph, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.

All of these adventures are just a 45-minute away from L.A. Keep your eyes peeled, you might even see some dolphins.

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At 4:10 a.m. on Friday April 22, an Uber driver dropped Emilio and I off at the entrance of Abalone Cove Shoreline Park in Palos Verdes, California—along with our two . At 6:30 a.m., we launched the 16-foot-long corrugated plastic origami vessels into the surf, with our sights set on paddling to Two Harbors on Catalina Island, twenty-something miles away.

Nineteen miles into our journey, Catalina Island filled the horizon. We could resolve the details of buildings, trees, and hiking trails. Then at approximately 5:30 p.m., with just four or five miles left to paddle until landfall, Emilio and I agreed to call in “Mayday, mayday, mayday” on our VHF marine radio. A small craft advisory had come into effect that afternoon, and strong winds had blown us about six miles south of our intended course. We had been battling the gale since 2 p.m. and were barely making any headway. Nightfall was near.ĚýWe would’ve never make it back up to Two Harbors with the current conditions, so we decided to ask for help. Here’s how we did it, and what we learned from the experience.

Preparation

When planning any sort of adventure, it’s imperative to leave a detailed itinerary with someone you can trust. In this case, Emilio and I left one with our girlfriends, who had taken the ferry across that same morning and were waiting for us in Two Harbors. We had also provided them with a link to track our progress which was being transmitted through a DeLorme InReach Explorer that we carried during the trip. In addition to providing GPS tracking intervals and two way satellite communication via SMS (never rely on your phone when venturing out into the wilderness,) the InReach also features a one-push SOS button that can be used in the event of an emergency. However, we instead relied on a VHF marine radio for communication—and used the InReach to provide real time GPS coordinates.

These electronic devices are weatherproof, but cannot be submerged underwater, so keep them inside of a waterproof dry sack when not in use. If you're kayaking, the dry sack can be stored in a fanny pack for quick access. It’s also a good idea to have a whistle—and a couple of signaling devices like a mirror and flare gun to help make other vessels aware of your position.

Additionally, since this was an unsupported crossing attempt, we each carried about two gallons of easily accessible freshwater. Since we would be almost constantly paddling, Emilio and I drank from hydration bladders and sipped regularly to stay hydrated throughout the day. In addition to water, we each carried several thousand calories’ worth of snacks in the form of meal bars, energy gels, and chews. These would provide for quick, easy-to-consume nutrition throughout the day. What we failed to consider was the possibility of seasickness; as such, we did not carry any remedies such as ginger or Dramamine. This would prove to be a discouraging—but not defeating—mistake.

We also wore wetsuits (the did the trick for me) sun hats, Buffs, wrap-around sunglasses, sunscreen, neoprene gloves and booties, and boat shoes for protection from the elements—in addition to our Coast Guard-certified PFDs.

Most importantly, we carried a GPS, and a VHF marine radio. When venturing out onto open water, it’s imperative to carry these. It’s equally important that you know how to use them. These are the basics.

GPS Receiver

A dedicated, handheld GPS receiver can accurately calculate time and location by receiving information from GPS satellites. The receiver will display your location using geographic coordinates in the Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds (DMS) format which will look something like this: 33°29'10.7″N+118°27'22.8″W.

A GPS receiver like the InReach Explorer can also be used to plot a route and track metrics such as speed and distance traveled. Each model varies, so be sure to familiarize yourself with its functions before venturing out. We used ours primarily to recall our location for Search and Rescue.

VHF Marine Radio

VHF stands for “Very High Frequency,” which is the spectrum that Marine Band channels operate on. If your vessel is non-powered, like our lowly kayaks, you’ll want to carry a handheld model. These are less powerful than fixed-mount units, but they’re just as versatile and will definitely get the job done. This is the single most important piece of equipment that you can carry while traveling on open water.

Before using your VHF marine radio, it’s important to understand what it’s for, how you should use it, and how to not be an idiot on its open channels. First, keep in mind that any conversation on any of its bands is public. This means that anyone tuned into the same frequency as you can listen in on a conversation. Marine channels are also not designed for frivolous chatter, which can prevent frequencies from being utilized by people who actually need them. Regulations require radio chatter to be for operational purposes only. Relaying weather information, setting up a rendezvous, or calling for help are all appropriate uses. Even then, keep conversations short and to the point. The most important channel that you should be aware of is Channel 16, which is for international distress, safety, and calling. You should at the very least, know how to call for help using this channel.

What to Do When SHTF

When a situation escalates beyond your comfort zone, the most important measure is to stay calm. If adventuring with a partner or as part of a team, it’s also important to be attuned to your party’s condition. Your comfort zone may not be aligned with theirs; if you’re the team leader, you must respect your team’s needs. There’s a time to push through, there’s a time to let up or seek alternate measures than originally planned. This is dependent upon the team.

Emilio and I were fighting a losing battle due to the high winds at sea. Despite our best efforts, we were being pushed further and further away from our final destination of Two Harbors. As much as both of us desperately wanted to make landfall and complete our journey, we determined that the best course of action for us was to use the VHF marine radio to call for help. Here’s how to do it.

If your situation is dire (ie: life and death, serious injury, sinking vessel, etc.,) key in channel 16 and call “Mayday, mayday, mayday.” If your situation is under control, but has the potential to get worse (ie: taking on water,) key in the channel and call “Pan-pan, pan-pan, pan-pan” (pronounced “pawn-pawn.”) Follow both by your vessel’s name or description (ie. we were “Two Kayakers in Distress”) and repeat the name three times. Then give your waypoints (which can be found using your GPS) and state any geographical references. Follow that with a description of your situation or emergency, including the number of people on-board as well as their condition. Sign off by repeating your vessel’s name once more; then unkey the channel on your radio.

The Coast Guard monitors channel 16 and will likely ask you to respond with a “long count,” which will enable them to determine your general location based on the transmission. To do a long count, simply count slowly from one to ten; then back down from ten to one.

Once the Coast Guard determines your location, they will reach out to any vessels in the area, seeking assistance on your behalf. Once contact with an available vessel in the vicinity has been established, the Coast Guard will ask for your updated location and relay that to the rescue vessel. In our case, it was a Los Angeles County Fire Department patrol boat stationed at Two Harbors nearby.

While waiting for your rescue, remain calm, attentive, and in control of yourself. The environment will almost certainly be out of your control, but how you react to it is up to you. Panicking or stressing out will not help the situation in any way, so take deep breaths and remain calm. Depending on how remote your position is, rescue could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. In extreme cases, it could even take days, weeks, or months. During this wait period, keep a close ear on your radio. The possibility of a drift is likely, so your rescuers may need periodic updates on your location.

Once the rescuers arrive, the situation’s intensity will likely increase due to new variables in the form of rescue craft and crew—as well as additional noise, wake, and communication. Again, remain calm. Listen carefully to the rescuers instructions and comply to the best of your abilities. It’ll all be over soon.

So How Much Will Search and Rescue Cost You?

This was the first question that we asked once aboard the LAFD patrol boat. The answer, in short, is nothing (unless you’re in a few select states). , in regards to a family’s rescue off the coast of Mexico in 2014, the Coast Guard is “here to provide a public service to U.S. citizens in distress.'' A spokesperson for the California Air National Guard, agreed: “Bottom line, you can't put a price on life.'' These rescues are funded by taxpayer dollars—which is a great reason to not abuse the privilege of SAR.

What Could We Have Done Differently?

While planning our adventure, Emilio and I had expected forecasted winds throughout the afternoon.ĚýAccording to LAFD Baywatch Isthmus captain Steve Kirkland, who rescued us along with ocean lifeguard specialist Dustin Stevens, the Small Craft Advisory didn’t go into effect until after we were already out. At that point, Emilio and I could have been monitoring the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather channel on our VHF marine radio, which would have allowed for us to adjust our course south and paddle with the wind at our backs to Avalon—instead of fighting against the gale for hours on end.

While neither Emilio nor I were stoked having to be rescued—or having to abandon our mission so close to its completion—we are grateful for the experience and expanded perspective on marine search and rescue. With this experience under our belts and Captain Kirkland’s blessing, we’ll undoubtedly be attempting Catalina Channel crossing again—albeit more prepared for the full day at sea.

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He’s been acknowledged by many as the greatest modern-day explorer. After becoming the first man (alongside partner Borge Ousland) to travel to the North Pole without the help of a motor or dogs during winter, Mike Horn took a break by summiting a few 26,000-foot peaks in Pakistan. He swimmed the entire length of the Amazon River, unsupported, and circumnavigated both the equator and arctic circles (again without motors).

Horn’s next adventure will be another global circumnavigation, this time north-to-south, and again un-motorized. Next month, he’ll set sail from Monaco aboard Pangea, his 105-foot aluminum ketch (which he designed himself), pick up supplies and crew in South Africa, then sail to Antarctica, where he plans to kite-ski solo across the entire continent. Rendezvousing with Pangea on the other side, he’ll then sail up to the North Pole via the Bering Strait, where he’ll embark across the ice floes on foot, pulling a sea kayak. Eventually, he’ll make it across to Greenland, where he’ll once again rendezvous with Pangea, then sail back to Monaco, completing the circumnavigation. Horn expects the journey to take a full year, with six of those months spend on foot, crossing the poles.Ěý

What’s the key to a successful polar crossing? Aside from planning, logistics, and a whole lot of effort, it all comes down to food. A lot of food. For his four-month-long Antarctic trek, Horn will be pulling a 450-pound sled, most of which is food. His daily consumption will start at 6,000 calories, increasing to 7,500 across the first week, as the toughness of his task and the conditions he faces increase, and the caloric needs of his body grow to match the challenge. He’ll eventually consume up to 12,000 calories each day.Ěý

That's no easy task. To reach those numbers, Horn uses base foods like muesli and oatmeal as delivery vehicles for high-fat ingredients like honey, malt powder, and olive oil. In addition to mixing olive oil into virtually everything he eats, Horn also freezes it into cubes, which he sucks on between meals, as he moves. He consumes up to a liter of the fatty oil per day. But it’s not all olive oil; Horn also consumes up to 2.2 pounds of homemade chocolate each day. Why homemade? Store-bought chocolate doesn’t have enough calories, so he starts by melting that down, adding cocoa butter, then reforming the new, more nutritionally dense mix into new bars.Ěý

During his polar crossings, Horn is sustaining 60 to 69 percent of his maximum heart rate for months at a time. That range is known in fitness circles as the fat burning zone. But since Horn is trying to get places, not get shredded abs, he needs to replace all the calories he’s burning. The extreme temperatures also add to his body’s need for fats. High-fat foods are the most calorie dense possible, so Horn is conveniently able to serve his body’s needs, and pack the most efficient energy-to-weight foods possible.Ěý

It can’t all be fat though. After all, even polar explorers need to poop. His days start with a breakfast of muesli or oatmeal, mixed with fatty additives. As soon as he’s done with that, he starts snacking on the go, eating nuts and chocolate throughout the day. If he’s got a sweet tooth, he’ll eat brownie batter that has been mixed with olive oil, frozen, and cut into cubes. If he craves something salty, he’ll eat potato chips that have been smashed up, mixed with olive oil, and given the cube treatment too. He also snacks on smoked salmon and lengua (75 percent of beef tongue’s calories are from fat).Ěý

Horn’s evening snack typically consists of more chocolate, now served with rice pudding. He also carries a variety of soups—butter double cream, split pea, and cream of tomato are his favorites— all also mixed with olive oil.Ěý

And then, for dinner, Horn relies on freeze-dried foods, similar to those eaten by backpackers the world over, but here custom-made for him by a company called Trek and Eat. They’re high-calorie, high-fat meals like pasta with salmon, beef Bolognese, and Thai curry. He tells us they’re, “very tasty.”

Horn also uses food for motivation. If he achieves weekly goals for distance covered, he rewards himself with a “bonus bag” that’s loaded with cubes of homemade chocolate. This strategy helps him push through tough sections, keeping himself on schedule.Ěý

If you’ve ever been on an ambitious backpacking trip, then you’ll know that, while eating is a necessity, preparing food can take precious daylight hours away from actually covering distance. Horn’s polar crossings are no different. He spends up to five hours per-day melting snow, cooking, and eating. After about five hours of sleep each night, that leaves him with 14 hours of travel time in the day. Sometimes, even that much isn’t enough.Ěý

While Horn and Ousland were on their historic two-month, pitch-black winter trek to the North Pole, they needed more than 14 hours of travel time each day in order to match their rate of travel to their diminishing food supply. Instead of bailing on their objective, the team instead reset their biological clocks to a 30-hour day, giving them 30 percent more time spent moving, rather than eating or sleeping. Horn attributes their success to this knuckling down. Where most people would have tried to ration their supplies, eating less each day, Horn and Ousland ate more, thereby giving themselves the ability to work harder. Think about that the next time you’re trying to make time on the trail. It may be more food, not less, that makes you faster.Ěý

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