GEAR REVIEW - REI Compression Sack - 16 Liters

GEAR REVIEW - REI 16 Liter Lightweight Compression Sack

This REI 16L Lightweight compression sack compacts your sleeping bag, insulated jacket or other gear to take up a minimum amount of space in your pack.

REI Lightweight Compression Stuff Sack - 16 Liters

Big Disappointment :)

Overall Rating: ∑	Price Paid: $22.50
Positives: Lightweight	Retailer purchased from: REI
Negatives:  Difficult to Use, Not Durable
Weight: 3.2 ounces	Bottom Line:  Don’t Recommend

1out of 5

Los Angeles Outdoor Events Nov 19-21

Los Angeles Outdoors Events and Happenings:

A quick preview of some events and happenings this weekend that LAoutdoorsers might want to be aware of:

• Saturday November 20th, 2010 
  
• Heal the Bay November Beach Cleanup    at Playa Del Rey Join Heal the Bay for its monthly beach cleanup. Meet like minded singles while cleaning up a beach. No preregistration necessary but they ask that if you bring a group of 10 or more that you preregister. See the website.
  
• 10:00a.m. - 12:00 p.m.m Free, TOES Beach 6200 Pacific Avenue, Playa del Rey, CA 90293 (map)

 

• Free Archery Class at Cheviot Hills Archery Range in Rancho Park This is a reoccurring event held every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and on the second Sunday of the Month. After taking part in this free class, students shoot for a short period. Then they can shoot for free with free equipment during open shoot times.
  
• 11:00a.m. - 1:30p.m. Free, Rancho Park Archery Range , 2459 Motor Ave. Los Angeles, CA, CA 90064 (map) 

• 5th Annual Great Los Angeles Walk from Downtown to Santa Monica
  This should be on every Angeleno’s bucket list as it’s one of the best ways to enjoy our city. This year’s Walk returns to Wilshire Boulevard, starting off at Pershing Square downtown and ending in Santa Monica — that’s 15.6 miles. The afterparty will be at Border Grill in Santa Monica. Email greatlawalk [at] mail.com to participate.
• 10am-6pm. Free. Start point: Pershing Square in Downtown (map).

• Inaugural Harvest Beer Fest at the Echoplex in Silver Lake
  This boozy charity event will benefit 826LA and feature over 50 West Coast and national beers, unlimited sample pours, food trucks and live music by local bands like Vaud & the Villains and Last Round Down.
• 12-7pm. $30. Echoplex and the Echo, 1154 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).

• LA Derby Dolls 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off in Downtown
  It’s supposed to rain this weekend and what better way to keep warm than lots and lots of chili? For just $10 you get all the chili you can eat OR if you’re more the competitive type, you can enter your famous chili recipe for judgment for $20. All proceeds go to benefit the LA Derby Dolls travel team. To compete email bongjovi420 [at] gmail.com.
• 3-6pm. $10-$20. La Cita, 336 S. Hill Street, Downtown (map).

GEAR REVIEW - Camelbak® Hyrdolink™ Filter Adapter Review

GEAR REVIEW - Camelbak® Hyrdolink™  Filter Adapter 

 The Camelbak® Hydrolink™ Filter Adapter is a great idea in principle but we have some issues with it. 

Essentially the adapter is a kit of three pieces. One attaches to the end of your reservoir line. A second inserts in the output hose of your favorite trail water filtration system, and a third connects valve on the reservoir line to the mouthpiece.  

One great feature of the kit is that the quick release valve on the end of the reservoir (item A below) has a valve allowing you to stop the flow of water. This is extremely useful for topping off a partially filed reservoir. The reason is that it solves the one drawback of the Katadyn quickconnect™  fittings which is that the quickconnect™  fittings lack a valve and can thereby get you wet if you accidentally drop the reservoir tube after you have filed it or if you are toping off an already partially filled reservoir.

As previously indicated in the Hiker Pro review, the Katadyn quickconnect™ fittings can get your backpack rather wet if you aren't very careful when filing an already partially filed reservoir or if you drop the reservoir line after filling it. The Camelbak® Hydrolink™ Filter Adapter definitely solves the problem with the Katadyn quickconnect™ fittings but it has a serious problem of its own.

SERIOUS ISSUE ( no 90°drinking ):

But a serious issue we have with the kit is that the part meant to be in the end of the reservoir (part C above)  doesn't allow for the 90 degree bend that we have come to love from the camelbak hydrolock. It also renders your existing camelbak® hydrolock™  worthless. (At least if you follow Camelbak's instructions).

OUR WORKAROUND:

We have come up with an excellent workaround for this drawback. Unfortunately, it involves purchasing two of the Camelbak® Hydrolink™ Filter Adapters and using two of the Part E's above. You then have to cut the tubing from your reservoir to the existing mouthpiece and use a second Part E.

Essentially the workaround allows one to disconnect the Camelbak bite valve area from the reservoir and filter directly into the reservoir.









The lack of the ability to return to a 90° drinking angle that we are used to is a definite flaw in the kit. But for 6 dollars we feel the closable valve would be worth it by itself. So buying two kits isn't the end of the world to have spill-free direct reservoir filing while maintaining the  90° drinking angle that so many of us have come to love.

TRAIL REVIEW - Sykes Hot Springs

TRAIL REVIEW - SYKES HOT SPRINGS

One of the cemented rock pools at Sykes Hot Springs

Overall Rating:∑ ∑ ∑ ∑	Bathrooms: new pit toilets on route and at Sykes Camp
Difficulty: moderate	Best times of Year: Any
Distance: 20 miles roundtrip	Water: plenty of sources along trail and at camp
Dog : Y off leash	Elevation Gain: 2380'
Solitude: not much	Elevation Loss: 1490'
Map: Wilderness Press

UPDATE LA COUNTY BANS PLASTIC BAGS

 According to the LAtimes blogs the LA County Board of Supervisors voted to ban plastic bags in unincorporated areas of the county.

UPDATE SIERRA CLUB WTC CLASS

The registration is now open for the 2011 Wilderness Travel Course offered by the local Sierra Chapter Club.


We previously described the WTC course here.

LA COUNTY VOTES ON PLASTIC BAG ISSUE

According to LAist the county supervisors are set to vote on whether or not to ban plastic grocery bags. Wehave listened to arguments for and against on the radio. The industry lobbyist and spokespeople claim the reusable bags are dirty and a health hazard.

FREE NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCE November 11

FREE ENTRANCE TO NATIONAL PARKS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2010

For those of you not possessing a magical Interagency Pass allowing you unlimited entrance to the National Park System and unlimited parking where Adventure Passes are required, you may be interested in this one. On Veterans Day, Thursday November 11, 2010, entrance will be free to the National Parks.

Trail Photography Tips - Autumn Edition

TRAIL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS - AUTUMN EDITION 

Backpacker Magazine posted these tips today for great Fall Photography on the trail.

The three tips stressed are:  

1. Notice the Details 
2. Shoot Vertical 
3. Get Closer 

Movie Festival to raise money for State Parks Nov 6-7

MOVIE FESTIVAL IN SUPPORT OF STATE PARKS

Even though its too early to make a call either way on Proposition 21, its not too early to show your support for the parks by purchasing tickets to this movie festival taking place on the Paramount and  20th Century Fox studios on Saturday November 6 and Sunday November 7.

Trail Review - Dirt Mulholland Trail

TRAIL REVIEW - DIRT MULHOLLAND

You can see the single track and fireroad.

Difficulty: easy

Distance:1.5 miles roundtrip

Dog : off leash

Solitude: depends when you go

Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring

Directions: Exit 405 Northbound at Mulholland Blvd., Turn left on Mulholland Blvd heading West. Travel approximately .75 miles past Bel-Air Presbyterian Church until Mullholland slopes downward. There is a dirt area that you need to turn left into. Upon turning left take the fire road until you see a chain link fence surrounding a small building and a yellow trail gate. You can park in front of the chain link fence.

Trail Review - Franklin Canyon Ranch Trail

RANCH TRAIL FRANKLIN CANYON:

Upper Franklin Reservoir October '10

Difficulty: easy

Distance:1.5- 2.0 miles

Dog : must be on leash

Solitude: very little

Directions: Take Sunset Blvd East from 405, turn left at Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. Take left to stay on Beverly Drive. Head straight and Beverly Drive will turn into Franklin Canyon Drive. Enter park at Gates. Drive to junction where Franklin Canyon Drive meets Lake Drive. Park there at the base of the Ranch Trail.

Yes on Proposition 21

Do you live in California? Have you ever been annoyed at how high day use and parking fees are at State Parks & Beaches? Then you need to vote yes on Proposition 21. 

We here at Outdoors Los Angeles have already voted yes for Proposition 21. What you need to know about this proposition is that it would allow all Californians with a registered vehicle to access all California State Parks for free. The proposition would add an $18 fee to everyone's vehicle registration.


$18 is a bargain for unlimited access to every California State Park. Currently many of the State Parks Charge as much as $12 for single day parking. That means if you use two of these State Parks a year you come out ahead by $6.


The folks at Yes for State Parks created a $5,000 contest for videos in support of proposition 21.
Below is our favorite user created Yes om 21 video created by Christopher Grant Ward of Folk4Parks.org. LAist actually picked up the Folk4Parks story.





Make up Your own Mind. Below are some resources to help you make an informed decision.

click here to download the Iniative Text.

click here to view the state voter guide for and against arguments

click here to visit the official YES on 21 website
click here to visit  a  NO on 21 website

Free Mountain Biking Skills Clinic

To all those who would like to take some actual instruction on basic mountain biking techniques there is a free class that you need to know about. CORBA - the concerned offroad bikers association holds monthly free beginning mountain biking clinics the first saturday of every month at Malibu Creek State Park.

NEXT CLASS Saturday November 6, 2010 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

We here at Outdoors Los Angeles took the class over a year ago and learned quite a lot. That was before we had clip in petals. We just might take the class again with pedals to see if we can avoid falling while going down the stairs this time.

The instruction was top notch and they even provided us with air and lube for our bikes.

Imbibing Outdoors - How to Drink on the Trail

friend enjoying a cold one while soaking in a hotspring

A Recent Backpacking trip I organized to Sykes Hot Springs got me interested in how to drink in the backcountry. Although we at Outdoors Los Angeles believe in everything in moderation we have been known to get our drink on while on the trail.

Unlike Car Camping, when you're lugging everything you need for the weekend on your back, weight becomes a serious issue. We at Outdoors Los Angeles are also into leaving no trace so the weight and size of the container which has to be carried out have to be taken into consideration.

There are essentially three main types of alcohol we've taken into the backcountry: (1) Beer (2) Wine and (3) straight Spirits.

Climb Smart 2010

Friends Of Joshua Tree and longtime sponsors Black Diamond, Adventure 16 and other supporting organizations invite everyone to their annual climbfest aptly named Climb Smart 2010 from October 22-24,  2010.

The event invites you to "kick off the climbing season in Joshua Tree right with skills clinics, pro athlete presentations, swag giveaways, costume contests, a new festival format and much more!"

As totally novice climbers we at Outdoors Los Angeles are not sure we would find the event interesting. But we're sure if we were climb enthusiast this event would make us mess our pants from excitement.

CamelBak Cleaning Kit Review

Well here at Outdoors Los Angeles we like reviewing our gear to let others know the pros and cons of various items. There always seem to be lots of options for the same product function. For Reservoir's there are Camelbak, MSR , and Platypus and countless other less visible brands. 

With that in mind here is my review of the Camelbak cleaning Kit

Originally submitted at REI

This kit contains all the cleaning accessories needed to keep a reservoir in optimal condition.

CamelBak Cleaning Kit

Useful but not essential

By Chris from Los Angeles, CA on 10/15/2010

4out of 5

Pros: Easy to Use
Best Uses: Hydration Packs
Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer
Was this a gift?: No

The camelbak reservoir cleaning kit comes with four items:

• a big brush for inside the reservoir body
• a small brush for inside the tube
• a yellow two piece reservoir drying rack
• 2 camelbak cleaning tablets

Its fairly easy to use once you get the hang of it.
I am sure there are many other cheap ways to dry your camelbak reservoir. If the money isn't a big deal this is a nice kit to have. I wish it came with more cleaning tablets but seriously each of my three reservoirs get fully cleaned with a tablet like once a year at most. But with the brushes and the drying rack its fairly easy to clean it out with water and soap and then let it fully dry before putting it away.

As for the drying rack its in two pieces. The first piece holds the tube and allows you to hang the reservoir upside down. The second piece keeps the large hole open so the inside can dry out.

drying rack in use

The drying rack in use.

The second piece of the drying rack holding it open to air out the inside.

Although we soon hope to be able to create our own Youtube product review videos we are not quite at that stage yet. But I did find the following video on Youtube that I agree with for the most part. 

I wish my cleaning kit had come with the nifty pouch this guy got. Since its not needed that much in the field its really not a big deal. I just store my cleaning kit in a gallon zip loc bag. 

The Adventure Blog: Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Larsen In Camp 4, Summit ...

The Adventure Blog: Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Larsen In Camp 4, Summit ...: "We've got a very brief update this morning on Eric Larsen's progress on Everest. In fact, as of this writing, he hasn't even posted an updat..."

Sierra Club Wilderness Travel Course

Ever wondered where an LA outdoor newb could learn all those outdoor skills related to hiking and backpacking in a classroom and hands on setting?

Well one place is the annual tradition of the Angeles Chapter's Wilderness Travel Course ( called the WTC course for short). The Los Angeles chapter has been teaching this class for over 40 years.

Its being offered again in 2011. Classes will be held in 4 locations: the San Gabriel Valley, West Los Angeles, Orange County, and Long Beach.

I have many acquaintances who have taken this course. They basically stated that although a lot of the material is not new to anyone with any backpacking experience that a few things were extremely useful. They recommended taking the class despite this.

I am currently considering taking the West LA class. But I am trying to decide if its really worth the money. It appears to be $320 early registration for Sierra Club Members.
However, I was a Boy Scout who already took classes in using a compass and navigating in the wilderness, and wilderness survival etc. I also used to have an EMT license so I am kind of doubtful that I will acquire too many new first aid skills. Additionally, I have felt comfortable enough to organize and host several backpacking trips over the summer and this fall with the Los Angeles Backpacker's Club.

The one part of the class that would be new to me would be the snow camping section. I have never actually snowshoed (to be remedied this year with LABC) or camped in the snow. Unfortunately, I was recently disaapointed to read on the WTC website that

This course does not include instruction in the use of ropes, ice axes, crampons or other climbing aids for rock climbing and snow travel, nor is the use of such aids by students permitted during the course.

I was hoping to learn how to use an ice axe and crampons as I thought this was essential in most snow camping experiences. I mean my only real desire to camp in the snow would be to be able to summit various snowy peaks such as Mt. Whitney in the Winter, or Mt. McKinley, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Rainer etc. I am not that enticed by the idea of camping in the snow just for the hech of it.
And I can certainly learn to snowshoe with my backpacking meetup group as they will have several snowshoe trips throughout the winter.

If I were more of a newbie it would be a no-brainer and I would take the class. As a pretty experienced backpacker and hiker I am still on the fence. If I do take the class I will try and document it here on the Outdoor Los Angeles Blog.

Launch of Blog

Hello to anyone who may be reading this!

I am launching the Outdoors Los Angeles blog to highlight all things outdoors in Los Angeles. I am an avid backpacker and hiker and will be detailing various trips taken. I will also be reviewing outdoor equipment, products, and books. Eventually I hope to post videos as well when I get around to getting a decent video camera.

First of all I want to give a shout out to my friends at the Los Angeles Backpacker's Club Meetup Group.

You can also see my most recent trip to Sykes HotSprings on the meetup website.

I will also be reviewing outdoor products from REI, Adventure16, and Amazon.com.