In Big Bear this week, we have snow on the ground, slush on the roads, and it has been chilly. Southern California snowboarders and skiers are ecstatic to have the first natural snow at the local resorts with night temperatures low enough to make plenty more. The conditions are great for early season riding.
Tonight, winter and outdoor sports enthusiasts, climbers and skiers are trekking to Big Bear’s Performing Arts Center to support 13 year old Jordan Romero in his quest to be the youngest person to complete the 7 Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Ticket sales for Warren Miller’s newest feature length film “Dynasty” will raise funds for Jordan’s gear and travel. He has 2 peaks left in his challenge: Antarctica’s Mt Vinson Massif and the ultimate feat, Mt Everest in the Himalayas.
After being laid off from the camp in October, I have spent the past month writing about events in Big Bear and planning what to do next. I hadn’t expected to be unemployed at this point in my life, but the change allows David and me free weekends for more explorations and outdoor activities. I am looking forward to writing more often and making the Doing the Outdoors blog more active.
Along with a new look, I have added links for products that we have heard about or have used. From time to time, I will also be including sponsored posts with information about outdoor gear and equipment.
Webtogs, an outdoor gear company in the UK features North Face clothing, footwear, packs and bags The company uses short YouTube videos to describe their products. Below is a Webtogs video about the North Face Hedgehog, a ultra-lightweight running shoe with vibram soles for solid traction on rough surfaces.
A product I am looking forward to using is Action Wipes. I love a good hot shower and miss this luxury when camping. Action Wipes offer a nice alternative to small, chemical-laden commercial cloths. They are thick reusable mini-towels with all-natural ingredients and scented with essential oils. Using Action Wipes, I will be able to live with myself, even after several days outdoors! If you order from this page, Action Wipes offers a 15% discount.
On kayak, canoe or sailing trips, and car camping as well, we have grown to love our “buckets.” Inexpensive plastic pails that can be purchased at any building supply store are converted to air-tight, water resistant, and vermin-free containers with the addition of gamma-seal lids. No more breaking a finger nail prying off a bucket cover. The Gamma-Seal lids are screw-top and make your buckets re-sealable over and over. Nitro-Pak has been the best place we’ve found to purchase the lids so I have included a link to their website.
In the future, we will be reviewing additional outdoor gear and equipment. If you have had an experience (positive or negative) with any of the companies I review, please comment!
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Look forward to your equipment reviews. We’re avid hikers and campers living in Baldwin Lake. Have you tried hiking in the San Gorgonio area?
Hi Radha: Thanks for your comment. Yes, we have hiked extensively in the San Gorgonio area. We lived in Barton Flats for 8 years and explored quite a bit of the area. One of our favorite hikes is the Water Line Trail from Camp Alpine Meadows (still on the map as Osceola) to South Fork Meadows. Two of my posts are about the area—-the Big Birthday and Snowshoeing in the Rain. I’m sure there will be more. Do you snowshoe?