Michael Lanza

Gear Review: MSR Lightning Explore 22-inch Snowshoes

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MSR Lightning Explore Snowshoes 22-inch.
MSR Lightning Explore Snowshoes 22-inch.

Snowshoes
MSR Lightning Explore 22-inch
$280, 3 lbs. 15 oz. (men’s), 3 lbs. 11 oz. (women’s)
Sizes: men’s and women’s 22-inch and 25-inch, men’s only 30-inch
backcountry.com

Here’s the thing about snowshoes: This isn’t rocket science. In fact, it’s not even bicycle science. The basic concept of the snowshoe has been around for at least 4,000 years. But while today’s models essentially resemble the footwear worn by ancient Eurasian hunters and others who were trying to mimic the oversized feet of snowshoe hares, they employ modern materials and designs, and they differ in purpose and details that affect performance noticeably in the backcountry. And that’s exactly where the Lightning Explore 22-inch snowshoes, um, float above the competition.

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Ask Me: How Do I Outfit a Growing Kid Affordably?

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Hey buddy,

Been a longtime reader of your blog. I am a father of a six-year-old daughter. When I was younger, my parents encouraged us to be active outdoors, and it is something that has stuck with me for my entire life. I am a huge fan of the way you have been able to encourage your kids to join you, and have been making a lot of progress getting my daughter excited about outdoor activities. We do a lot of geocaching, rock climbing, backpacking, and camping. The problem I am running into is the cost needed to properly outfit and gear my daughter.

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Middle of Nowhere: Hiking Idaho’s Middle Fork Salmon Trail

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By Michael Lanza

I pause on a trail 300 feet above one of the West’s wildest rivers, deep in the second-largest wilderness area in the contiguous United States. Below me, Idaho’s Middle Fork Salmon River bends like an elbow between steep mountainsides of ponderosa pines in a canyon nearly 4,000 feet deep. I notice people and rafts on a beach campsite—the first people I’ve seen since I started hiking from Boundary Creek seven miles upstream almost three hours ago, planning to reach Indian Creek, another 20 miles downstream, by this evening.

Suddenly, a nasal shriek startles me. I spin around to see an elk crossing the trail I’d walked minutes ago. And I think: Welcome to the Idaho wilderness.

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Michael Lanza on the summit of Angels Landing, Zion National Park.

The Big Outside Starts Down a New Path Today. Please Join Me

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By Michael Lanza

Starting today, this blog takes a necessary step forward: I’ve launched a paid-subscription system. I’m inviting you, as a regular reader of my blog, to join now, at a nominal cost, and continue having access to the high-quality stories and images you’ve enjoyed at The Big Outside.

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Gear Review: Patagonia Linked Pack 16L Climbing Pack

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Patagonia Linked Pack 16L climbing pack.
Patagonia Linked Pack 16L climbing pack.

Climbing Pack
Patagonia Linked Pack 16L
$79, 16L/976 c.i., 1 lb. 4 oz.
One size
moosejaw.com

On multi-pitch rock climbs, trad or sport, we unfortunately have to carry stuff on our backs—water, a bit of food, some extra layers. If we had the power to shape-shift objects, we’d make a pack large enough to hold our gear while hiking, then shrink it down for climbing. Short of that, though, the best option is a compact, lightweight, tough pack. Using Patagonia’s Linked Pack 16L on a trad route up Slickrock, a 1,200-foot cliff outside McCall, Idaho, including approach and descent hikes, convinced me this just may be the ideal little pack for such missions. Here’s why.

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