Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Tag Archives: Hiking

Gear Review: EMS Longtrail 60L Women’s Backpack

Gear Review: EMS Longtrail 60L Women’s Backpack

I recently had the opportunity to review the latest pack from Eastern Mountain Sports – the Women’s Longtrail 60L pack.  In the interest of full disclosure, EMS provided the pack for free, but as always, everything expressed here are my honest and unbiased thoughts – in other words, my opinion can’t be bought with gear 😉  . Anyway, this isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed a pack.  A few months ago I outlined our family’s system for schlepping gear to the crag and listed the pros and cons of the Kelty Kid Carrier that we use for toting Cragbaby to…Read the rest of this entry →

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Gear Review: Kelty FC 3.0 Kid Carrier

Gear Review: Kelty FC 3.0 Kid Carrier

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the day when Cragbaby could hike his 25 pound self into the crag on his own two feet, and my husband would for sure be lying if he said he won’t be waiting to replace that weight with 25 pounds of gear from his own pack on the day that happens!  But for now, we’ve got a pretty good system – hubby hikes in ALL of the climbing related gear – rope, quickdraws, rack, harnesses, shoes, etc (thankfully our “third man” can usually take some of that burden), while I hike…Read the rest of this entry →

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On Choosing a Crag (Part 2)

On Choosing a Crag (Part 2)

“On Choosing a Crag (Part 1)” discussed some tips for choosing a great crag with a perfect approach.  This is the continuation of that post – applying those ideas to real life scenarios.  The following is a compilation of several baby and kid-friendly climbing areas that our family frequents throughout the Southeast. STARTER CRAGS –  From local jaunts to world-class rock, these areas are great first time crags suitable for the whole family, regardless of age. Pilot Mountain, NC – Certainly not a destination crag, but easy access and short approaches make it a great first-time spot. Sandrock, AL –…Read the rest of this entry →

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On Choosing a Crag (Part 1)

On Choosing a Crag (Part 1)

Everyone knows that not all crags are created equal – but the characteristics that make a climbing area perfect depend on what your climbing party is looking for. Who cares about the approach, you might say – don’t you just go where the climbing is good?!? It seems like a no-brainer for most folks…however since Cragbaby came along, we’ve realized that there is more to a great day than just great climbing. Here’s a list of the factors we consider when we are gearing up for a day out on the rocks. Distance – Remember that short little legs tire…Read the rest of this entry →

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The Quest for the Perfect Approach Shoe

The Quest for the Perfect Approach Shoe

Just when I was beginning to lose hope that the perfect approach shoe actually existed, along came the Hedgehog GRX XCR (by The North Face) – a perfect balance between comfort and performance! Let me back up.  Until recently, I’m pretty sure that not a climbing trip went by where I didn’t have some sort of complaint about my shoes.  Not my climbing shoes, mind you – I have no qualms about packing in 4 pairs of shoes for 4 different routes but for beginners running shoes are apropos, & because each of my shoes have a specific purpose –…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN