Philip J. Smith's Blog: February 2018

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

A Southern Presidential Loop Trip Plan: Backpacking the 4000 Footers Guidebook

Southern Presidential Loop

A 2-3 day, 22 mile scenic loop that travels up the Dry River Valley, climbing the Oakes Gulf headwall, to a set of alpine lakes at the foot of Mt Washington. From here, hikers climb 4 four thousand footers in sequence: Mt Monroe, Mt Eisenhower, Mt Pierce, and Mt Jackson, before descending the Webster Cliff Trail back to Crawford Notch. This route has close to 10 miles of above-treeline hiking and unparalleled views of Mt Washington, the Dry River Wilderness, and Crawford Notch.

Rating/Difficulty

*****/4 out of 5

Distance/Elevation Gain

22 miles w/6000′ of cumulative elevation gain

White Mountain 4000 Footers

Monroe
Eisenhower
Pierce
Jackson

Recommended Duration

2-3 days

Season

mid-June thru October

Permits Required

None.

Regulations

Backcountry Camping Regulations for the White Mountain National Forest, specifically no camping above treeline where trees are less than 8′ in height (except on two feet of snow.)

A substantial portion this route passed through the Dry River Wilderness Area. Please observe all wilderness area restrictions.

Trailhead Directions

Webster Cliff Trailhead Directions (44.10148, -71.23164) – Parking is available for a few cars across Rt 302 from the trail head. NH state law requires that all tires be off the pavement. This is a busy trailhead that has a lot of traffic passing by, so parked cars are generally safe.

Trail Sequence

The route follows the following trails in sequence. Refer to AMC White Mountain Trail Map 1 – Presidentail Range (2017 ed), which is the best waterproof map available for this region, although I'd recommend buying the complete AMC White Mountain Waterproof Map Set (2017 ed) rather than one map at a time. More detailed trail descriptions can be found in the AMC White Mountain Guide (2017 ed), which is considered the hiking bible for the region. Take photos of the pages using your phone for easy reference, instead of carrying the entire book with you on hikes.

Webster Cliff Trail – 0.3 miles
Saco River Trail – 1.7 miles
Dry River Trail – 9.1 miles
Crawford Path – 0.1 miles
Monroe Summit Loop – 0.7
Crawford Path – 1.5 miles
Mt Eisenhower Loop – 0.8 miles
Crawford Path – 1.2 miles
Webster Cliff Trail – 6.8 miles

Scenic Highlights

The following list provides cumulate distances on the route to each view or landmark.

3.2 miles – Dry River Suspension Bridge
7.8 miles – Dry River Shelter #3
11.0 miles – Lakes of the Clouds (two alpine ponds)
11.1 miles – AMC Lakes of the Cloud Hut
11.2 miles – Mount Monroe Summit
13.1 miles – Mt Eisenhower Summit Cairn
14.7 miles – Mt Pierce Summit
17.1 miles – Mt Jackson Summit
18.4 miles – Mt Webster Summit

Camping/Shelter Options

USFS Wilderness Campsite (Free) – at the bottom of the Mt Eisenhower Trail on the west side of the Dry River. Requires fording the Dry River to reach (and get back to the other side of the river the next day), which can be difficult in high water. Look for an ankle-high wooden marker with a tent carved in it. Not marked on maps because it's not a permanent campsite.
USFS Wilderness Campsite (Free) – just north of the Isolation Trail West/Dry River Trail junction. Look for a spur trail with an ankle-high wooden on the west side of the trail. Not marked on maps because it's not a permanent campsite.
USFS Dry River Shelter #3 (Free) – Lean-to, limited space for tents
AMC Lakes of the Clouds Hut ($$$) – Advance reservations recommended
AMC Mizpah Spring Hut ($$$) – Advance reservations recommended
AMC Nauman Tent Platforms ($) – Caretaker in Summer.
AMC Highland Center ($$$) – Advance reservation recommended.

Water

Natural water sources are plentiful in the White Mountains although you may need to descend to them from ridgelines along side trails if you run short. The longest stretch of dry trail on this route runs from the Nauman Tentsite and Mizpah Spring Hut to the base of the Webster Cliff Trail in Crawford Notch. However, when the AMC Huts are in season, anyone can stop in and resupply their water for free from the small sink located near the hut kitchen. In any case, carry a detailed topographic map with you and don't rely on the overview map provided with this trip description to find water sources.

I also recommend purchasing the Presidential Range Map in Guthooks Guide's White Mountains and New England Trails Smartphone App (IOS, Android) which is a GPS guide to all of the trails, trailhead, shelters, campsites, views, and water sources in the White Mountains National Forest. I use it all the time and it is much more complete and current than using the maps bundled with the Gaia Smartphone App.

Weather Cautions

This route is sensitive to seasonal and weather conditions which can make it hazardous. There is a river ford at the Dry River Shelter that can be hazardous in high water. Wait a few days for water levels to drop after a significant rainfall (more than 1-2″) before hiking the Dry River Trail. The second half of the route from Lakes of the Clouds to Crawford Notch has close to 10 miles above-treeline travel and is hazardous to hike if thunderstorms or high winds are forecast. The top of the Dry River Trail in Oakes Gulf is usually clear of winter snow by mid-June, but patches of snow may linger into July.

On the Trail

Cross Rt 302 and begin the trip on the Webster Cliff Trail. Pass the first Saco River Trail junction at 0.2 miles on your left (running north) and continue to the second one at 0.3 miles on your right (running south). Follow the Saco River Trail and proceed for 1.7 miles through forest, parallel to the Saco River. This is section of the river is near its headwaters at the top of Crawford Notch, so the stream is quite small here. On your left you'll soon see the tail of a large land slide that fell from Webster Cliff, which towers above, though hidden by the tree canopy.

Turn left at the junction with the Dry River Trail, heading in an easterly direction. You'll be on this trail for the next 9.1 miles until you reach the AMC's Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The Dry River Trail is in the Presidential-Dry River Wilderness, and the trail can be challenging to follow in places because it's purposefully not as well maintained or signed as other trails.

Wilderness Area Sign

The trail also suffered major damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011 which resulted in numerous landslides and stream bank erosion, that are still in evidence today. While the trail has been rerouted over and past the landslides (that wiped it out), the newer segments of trail aren't as well marked by traffic as the older sections that were untouched by the storm. Don't let this deter you from backpacking this route, especially since this is one of the most remote (lost world) spots in the White Mountains, despite its proximity to Mt Washington and Crawford Notch.

In 1.2 miles, you'll come to the Dry River Suspension Bridge and cross over it to the other side of the river. This is a good spot to linger and take in the sublime magnificence of the Dry River, its huge boulders, eddies, pools, and rapids. You'll catch glimpses of the river as you hike upstream, from the river's edge and high above it, looking down its steep side slopes. Fly fishermen will recognize all the signs of a fun river to fish. Just make sure you have a New Hampshire fishing license and adhere to daily limits, since the native trout are on the small side and subject to enormous environmental pressure in this small watershed.

Finish crossing the bridge and turn left at the end, hiking up the Dry River Trail towards Mt Washington. After 1.2 miles, you'll pass a sign to the Mt Clinton Trail on your left (and stay on the Dry River Trail). Hiking the Mt Clinton Trail requires a ford across the Dry River followed by a climb to the Mizpah Hut, below Mt Pierce, formerly named Mt Clinton. The Mt Clinton Trail was for many years one of the hardest trails to follow in the White Mountains due to lack of maintenance. It has recently been taken over by a new trail adopter, who I'm told has made it easier to follow.

Continue along the Dry River Trail. In 2.0 miles, you'll come to a trail junction with the Isolation Trail, which provides access to Mt Isolation on a less travelled route. Pass through the junction and continue on the Dry River Trail, continuing straight past the Mt Eisenhower Trail on your left, 0.3 miles farther along. The Mt Eisenhower Trail also requires a ford, before climbing to the Crawford Path below Mt Eisenhower.

In 0.2 miles, you'll ford the Dry River to the north side, near the Dry River Shelter #3, shown below. If you don't have previous experience fording rivers, this crossing can be a little intimidating. But it's not a wide crossing or a high volume crossing (except after significant rainfall) because it's so high up the river valley, where there's less water flowing into the watershed. You can't rock hop it though. Unbuckle your back pack belt so you can jettison your pack if you fall (and it fills up with water dragging you under) and walk across. I'd recommend keeping your boots or shoes on to protect your feet and ensure solid footing as you cross.

In 0.7 miles, you'll arrive at the Dry River Shelter #3, which is a good place to call it a day and rest before the climb up the Oakes Gulf headwall at the top of the Dry River Valley. There's limited space for tents here, but the shelter is still in decent shape, and there are lots of trees around to hang a hammock. Dry River Shelter #1 and #2 were removed years ago and #3 will be next when it's in need of major repairs. Though controversial, the USFS is removing lean-tos in Wilderness Areas to comply with the Wilderness Act, which prohibits most man-made structures in these areas.

The Dry River Trail climbs through an area prone to blowdowns

When you leave Dry River Shelter, the trail enters a heavily wooded area called Oakes Gulf which is subject to blowdowns and lingering snow that can make the trail hard to follow, particularly in spring before the trail crews have visited. Snowmelt also often flows down portions of the trail which can be muddy too, early in the season. The trail climbs the headwall until it reaches height-of-land on the Southwest shoulder of Mt Washington. After leaving the Dry River Shelter, this is a not-so-insignificant 2400′ ascent, so take your time.

Oakes Gulf is a sibling to the other great ravines that surround Mt Washington, including Tuckerman Ravine, Huntington Ravine, The Great Gulf, and the Ammonoosuc Ravine. They all have their own headwall trails too.

Top of the Dry River Trail with view of Mt Washington in the distance

When you crest the headwall, you pass a large cairn. Just beyond it are two alpine tarns called the Lakes of the Clouds, and beyond them, the AMC Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Even if you're not a guest, I'd encourage you to pop into the hut for a visit. There's water available here, snacks, bathrooms, and lots of information scattered around. This hut houses up to 96 guests per night and serves them two meals per day, so it's pretty cushy.

There are also weather instruments in the hut and an updated forecast posted which are worth checking before you proceed on the second half of this journey. If the wind is blowing over 40 miles per hour at the hut, you're going to have a long day hiking down the Southern Presidential Range back to Crawford Notch. If there are thunderstorms in the area, I'd recommend descending off the ridge completely because it's completely exposed without any cover and there's a very real risk of being struck by lightning directly or indirectly by ground current transmitted through the rocks. I don't mean to scare you off this route, but it is important to plan this hike around a few good weather days, both in the Dry River Valley and up above treeline. The views are also much better.

If you do need to boogie off the ridge, it's best to head down the west side rather than the east because it has better road access and requires a shorter hike out if you decide to bail. The best west-side escape routes are the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, the Edmands Path, and the Mizpah Cutoff/Crawford Path. There's also parking at the end of all of these trails if you decide to spot a car there.

Mt Monroe looms above the Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Leaving the hut, you'll follow the Crawford Path 0.1 miles to the Monroe Loop trail, which climbs Mt Monroe and a sub-peak behind it, before rejoining the Crawford Path. Monroe an easy 350′ climb from the hut, despite the fact that it's the fourth highest 4000 footer, at 5384′. That's the beauty of a ridgeline walk and the secret to hiking multiple 4000 footers on one hike. Once you climb a ridgeline, you can pick off one peak after another, on the same hike, with relatively little incremental effort. Many of the 4000 footers are on common ridgelines and its a thrill to bag several on the same walk. If you're a purist, there are other White Mountain peakbagging lists that only credit you one peak per hike, so you can only count one at a time. Those are fun too!

The Monroe Loop Trail rejoins the Crawford Path in 0.7 miles at a well-marked junction. Follow the Crawford Path (heading southwest) for 2.2 miles to the Eisenhower Loop Trail, which climbs another 350′ to the large rock cairn that marks the Eisenhower summit. Mt Eisenhower is named after the former US President Dwight Eisenhower, presumably because they share the same bald dome.

Continue past the Eisenhower cairn and rejoin the Crawford Path and follow it 1.7 miles to the summit of Mt Pierce, a rocky summit which juts above treeline. The views are almost continuous along this stretch, so take time to stop and day-dream.

From the just below the summit of Mt Pierce, take the Webster Cliff Trail 0.9 miles to the Mizpah Hut, where you can also pop in for water, a bathroom break, or refreshments. Baked goods and left overs are usually available for purchase in the huts during the day and can provide a welcome break. Hint: buy the fresh-baked bread that's often available. While a big slice of bread costs money, the butter is often free, so lather it on for some extra calories.

The AMC's Nauman Tentsite is situated next to the Mizpah Spring Hut and is the only designated campsite along the Southern Presidential Ridge where you can camp overnight. The tentsite is overseen by a caretaker in season and a small fee is charged.

Refreshments are often available for day hikers in the huts

Continue southwest down the Webster-Cliff Trail to Mt Jackson which is another knobby peak that just pokes above treeline. Continue southwest along the Webster-Cliff Trail for 1.3 mile to Mt Webster. DO NOT take the Jackson Branch or Webster Branch Trails from Mt Jackson, but remain in Webster-Cliff Trail. Mt Webster is at the top of the Webster Cliff, along the east side of Crawford Notch. To your immediate west, you can see the slide scarred east face of Mt Willey on the other side of a great abyss, as well as the valley below.

Webster Cliff is on the east side of Crawford Notch

Follow the Webster-Cliff Trail, turning left (south) onto it after Mt Webster, and hike along the top of the cliff, before descending back to the valley floor. This section has several rocky scrambles, so take your time descending and don't hesitate to scooch down on your butt if circumstances warrant it. After 3.4 miles, you'll return to the valley floor and the start of your journey.

Safety Disclaimer

This trip plan can not alert you to every hazard, anticipate your experience, or limitations. Therefore, the descriptions of roads, trails, routes, shelters, tent sites, and natural features in this trip plan are not representations that a particular place or excursion will be safe for you or members of your party. When you follow any of the routes described on SectionHiker.com, you assume responsibility for your own safety. Under normal conditions, such excursions require the usual attention to traffic, road and trail conditions, weather, terrain, the capabilities of your party, and other factors. Always check for current conditions, obey posted signs, and Backcountry Camping and Wilderness Area Regulations. Hike Safe and follow the Hiker responsibility code.

Disclosure: SectionHiker.com receives affiliate compensation from retailers that sell the products we recommend or link to if you make a purchase through them. When reviewing products, we test each thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. Our reputation for honesty is important to us, which is why we only review products that we've tested hands-on. Our mission is to help people, which is why we encourage readers to comment, ask questions, and share their experiences on our posts. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Climbing Mts Pierce and Jackson in February

Eliot summits Mt Jackson

"These aren't 20 mile per hour winds," I told Eliot, as we started climbing the Crawford Path up to the Southern Presidential Range, just south of Mt Washington in New Hampshire. Our destination was Mount Pierce and Mt Jackson, two 4000 footers, both with above-treeline summits. I could tell that the winds were stronger because they were pushing me off-balance as I walked, an indication that we were probably experiencing winds closer to 40 or 50 miles per hour.

A minor, but messy storm system was forecast to pass overhead during our hike, dumping 3-7 inches of snow on us during the day, with a chance of sleet as well. But our route to Pierce and Jackson was fairly well protected by tree cover, so we decided to attempt Pierce first and then loop around to Jackson if we felt that the conditions were safe.I wasn't that worried by the wind or the oncoming snow because I knew we were well equipped and temperatures were hovering near 30 degrees, greatly reducing the risk of windchill and frostbite for short periods of exposure.

Nearby Hikes:

We all carried face masks and goggles, heavy mittens, and traction in the form of microspikes and crampons. We decided to leave our snowshoes behind however, because we knew these trails were well packed out, since they're two of the more popular winter peaks to climb from Crawford Notch. There's a local newsgroup called NewEnglandTrailConditions that lists trail condition reports submitted by hikers and is quite useful for winter trip planning.

We started up the Crawford Path, which is the oldest continuously maintained trail in the United States. It climbs gradually to Pierce, climbing about 2300′ in 3.1 miles. The trail was well packed out and we just wore microspikes for traction. The wind howled high overhead in the trees and it started to snow much more heavily as we approached the peak. We'd been climbing in mid-layers to reduce sweating, but the snow was making our clothes wet, so we layered up again with hard shells to stay warm and dry.

When we arrived near the summit of Pierce, we suited up for full exposure in the trees with balaclavas, face masks, and goggles. Eliot and I were with another strong hiker named Caleb, who rounded out our party.

There's a short stretch of above treeline exposure from the protection of scrub to the summit cairn, but the snow was blowing horizontal and covering every bit of exposed skin was the safest and most comfortable option. We all scrambled to the summit which was coated with a thin and slippery layer of ice. The wind was still blowing hard and I could feel it pushing me as I neared the summit cairn. This wasn't a day to stop and take photos, so we hiked past it without stopping and back down into the protection of the krumholz to consider our next move.

We'd passed a trail sign marking the Webster Cliff Trail junction just past the Pierce summit, but it'd been covered in ice and was hard to read. I checked our position on my iPhone GPS (in Gaia) to make sure we'd gotten on the right trail and Eliot checked his compass to make sure we were headed down it in a southerly direction. We all agreed to proceed to our next checkpoint, the Mizpah Spring Hut, where there is another trail junction and trail that could be used as an escape route if we decided not to proceed.

The Webster Cliff Trail is bordered by spruce trees and was well packed out except for shallow snow drifts. This section of trail coincides with the white blazed Appalachian Trail and the blazes helped considerably with route-finding in the deep snow. I always get a little thrill when I see AT blazes in winter because they're usually ankle height instead of their normal head height, due to snow depth. We were literally hiking along the tree tops.

Alpine bog just north of Mt Jackson on the Webster Cliff Trail

We'd almost reached the Mizpah Hut when we encountered a huge tangle of blow-downs that blocked the trail. There must have been 40-50 trees down and I was a little surprised that trail crews hadn't been up to clear them out yet. The scene of destruction is in a Wilderness Area, which might explain it, since chain saws and other mechanized tools are prohibited. If they need to clear the areas with axes alone, it's going to take a lot of people to clear the downed trees.

I was hesitant to lead our tiny group through the downed trees because I was afraid of falling into hidden voids under the snow surface. So we bushwhacked around them and then found an opening that led to the hut, which we ducked behind to get out of the wind. After refueling with food and water, we had another discussion about our next steps. Eliot and Caleb wanted to continue the next 1.6 miles to Jackson, but agreed to turn around if we hit deep snow drifts and started to posthole.

I was cautious about proceeding due to an experience I'd had many years ago on the southern-most section of the Webster-Cliff Trail south of the Jackson summit, beyond the section we were about the hike down. We'd encountered very deep snow drifts on that hike and had a very hard time making headway, despite having a big group of highly experienced and snowshoe-equipped hikers. Eliot, Caleb, and I had no intention of hiking that section of trail, but I was still concerned that might encounter similar conditions on the section north of Mt Jackson.

Eliot switched off with me and took the lead. We passed many postholes, where someone had sunk into soft snow despite the fact that they'd been wearing snow shoes, but they were easy to skirt on the frozen surface. The summit of Jackson is similar to Pierce, and is really just a rocky outcrop sticking above treeline. I scrambled up in microspikes, while Caleb and Eliot put on their crampons for the final ascent up more ice-covered rock. We quickly descended to cover again and headed down the Jackson Branch of the Webster Cliff Trail back to Crawford Notch, the wind still howling overhead.

Total Distance: 8 miles with 3000 ft or elevation gain.

Pierce Jackson Loop - Click for Downloadable Map — Pierce Jackson Loop – Click for Downloadable Map

Recommended Guidebooks and Maps:

Written 2018.

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1021 Burnaby Street in Downtown Vancouver

1021 Burnaby Street by Francl Architecture is a new 5-storey concrete building located in the West End at 1021 Burnaby. This project will offer 21 one- and two- bedroom condominiums. The site is near the gateway to Davie Village. Your daily needs are easily met by the neighbourhood’s stores and professional services. With gyms, the False Creek-Stanley Park Seawall, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, and English Bay, leisure options are close at hand.

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1021 Burnaby Street in Downtown Vancouver

1021 Burnaby Street by Francl Architecture is a new 5-storey concrete building located in the West End at 1021 Burnaby. This project will offer 21 one- and two- bedroom condominiums. The site is near the gateway to Davie Village. Your daily needs are easily met by the neighbourhood's stores and professional services. With gyms, the False Creek-Stanley Park Seawall, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, and English Bay, leisure options are close at hand.

The post 1021 Burnaby Street in Downtown Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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How To Finally Take Action: The 30 Day Challenge

How To Finally Take Action: The 30 Day Challenge The hardest thing a freelancer can do is take action.

I'm talking real action. Not doing research, not reading your emails or checking Facebook.

With rare exceptions, none of that adds up to anything.

In fact, it's a great way to procrastinate while convincing yourself that you are taking action.

Nope, I mean behind in your chair and doing things that result in you making money. Creating stuff (content, websites, podcasts, whatever), getting referrals, sending pitches, all that good stuff.

That's the stuff people don't like to do because it's hard.

It's a lot more fun to watch YouTube and read 50 blog posts hoping something might trickle through via osmosis.

So in this post, believe me, I understand the irony of yelling at you for reading too many blog posts and then telling you to keep reading this blog post, you're going to learn how to finally start taking action.

Enter: the 30 day challenge.

But first, let's dive into something called compounding.

The Compound Effect

There's a book by Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success Magazine, called The Compound Effect.

In it, Hardy tries to move you away from the conventional wisdom that you need to make sudden big changes to improve your life. Instead, he advocates for taking tiny steps every day that compound on each other over time.

He explains the theory well here in this q and a with American Express Open Forum:

Q: What's the "Compound Effect"?

A: It is based on the principle that you can reap huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices. In other words, your present reality is the outcome of the little, seemingly innocuous decisions that have added up to your current bank balance, waistline, business success or relationship status. Success or failure is earned through the consistent habit forming practice of making smart choices over time, culminating into what Einstein called the 8th wonder of the world: compound results, or The Compound Effect.

Do you get the concept?

Basically, the goal is to take small actions daily on things that will actually push you forward and help you achieve success. It's all about playing the long game, something that is all too often forgotten today.

When I read Hardy's book, this was a passage that stuck out to me:

I want you to know in your bones that your only path to success is through a continuum of mundane, unsexy, unectiting, and sometimes difficult daily disclines compounding over time.

Oh man, how terrible, and how oh so true.

In my own experience of years of freelancing, this is true. The decidedly unsexy stuff in the trenches is where the magic actually does happen.

I struggled with this for years. Who wants to do mundane unexciting stuff where there's always some fun new distraction popping up right around the corner!

People who don't want to freelance very long is probably the answer. Beyond the obvious (lack of money) there is the emotional toll here too.

Let's face it, freelancing is hard. There are a lot of ups and downs. The downs can feel low and can sometimes take over, especially when you're overwhelmed or not hitting those big picture goals you've set for yourself.

When that happens, it can be a hit to your confidence. It's super easy to get discouraged, think it's never going to work, and give up.

Now, before you do that. Hold up a second. This is where compounding can make a huge difference.

Making Choices or Doing Nothing

A key component of compounding is actively making the choice to make smart decisions.

On a day to day basis for virtually everything you do there are three choices. Here's an example:

I decided I'd like to see my writing in a magazine, so every day, I send one pitch.
I decided I'd like to see my writing in a magazine so I read a million how to send a pitch to magazine articles and call it a day, I swear I'll send a pitch tomorrow (probably).
I'm watching Netflix and eating Cheetos because no one can tell me what to do!

It seems like this doesn't really matter over the course of one day, right? That's kind of the point, the actions you want to get into the habit of taking are so small they might not seem like they matter for the first day or week or even months.

You're playing the long game, remember. You want to focus on continuously improving a tiny bit every single day.

Here's a chart to show you how the choices on day one can have an impact on the outcomes down the road:

compounding effect 30 day challenge — Image.

Let's use my examples from above.

My daily pitching a month or a year or two years from now leads to me being in 15 magazines. I've got a bunch of cool new bylines. My writing has improved. And I've gotten 3 new high paying clients from all the exposure. Huzzah!

Me doing the same thing I'd done before, ~~reading~~ procrastinating and sporadically sending out pitches has left me with 1 article in a magazine, no new clients, and a pile of frustration. I'm basically in the same place I started.

Watching Netflix and eating Cheetos will only take you so far. I ran out of money, I'm back in an office job and now I've gained 10 pounds from those @&#*% Cheetos!

Not good.

As you can see from our little thought experiment, the tiny choices I made on day 1 seemed like nothing. But on day 300 the outcomes were dramatically different. In one I was living the dream (yay) and in the other, I was back in the office looking up gym memberships that I'd probably buy and never use (boo).

Choices and action. What it all adds up to is consistency, getting a little bit better every single day.

Why Being Consistent Matters

One of the things I tell people inside Location Rebel Academy over and over again is to be consistent. This is hard because as you saw in the chart, being consistent takes time and effort.

Being consistent ruins that notion that everyone is an overnight success who just tossed up a blog or took their first picture on Instagram and then they were internet famous.

It's also hard because too many people spend their time looking at what's down the road, the big picture, and not what's in front of them. They get disappointed after a month because they don't have 500 subscribers and 5 new clients.

What I tell them is they are looking at step 100 when they are on step 2. And, beyond some luck, the only way you're going to hit step 100 is by being consistent with your daily and weekly actions, starting right now.

Easier said than done, right?

But, here's the thing, you've got to do it. You want to see success, it's not going to come overnight, and you're not going to stumble on a bag of magic beans. You've got to put in a little bit of sweat equity over and over (and over) again.

Don't take my word for it.

There are people all over the internet who have shared their stories of going from zero to [insert cool thing here] because they took action consistently every day or every week for long periods of time.

Tom Kuegler shares how he went from 0 to 14,000 (now over 18k) followers on Medium. How? He wrote 500 posts, 5 day, for over a year.

Anthony Moore had a similar story. In this post, he talks about how the first 4.5 years of his 5 year blogging journey had mostly downs, he had 79 subscribers and barely any traffic on his site.

What changed? He got consistent:

4 months ago, I finally decided to become consistent. I started publishing every single day, building trust with my readers and honing my craft. It's no coincidence that in the last 4 months, I've gotten more traffic to my articles than the previous 4.5 years combined. I've gained nearly 1,000 more subscribers. My articles are read by thousands of people every day.

I've made more money from my blog this week than I've made in the past 4 years combined.

Andrew Chen is a Silicon Valley VC for one of the biggest names in the business. He's been blogging for 10 years and not long ago shared his biggest lessons. One of them was all about consistency:

Focus on writing freq over anything else. Schedule it. Don't worry about building an immediate audience. Focus on the intrinsic.

If there's one thing, beyond taking consistent action, that unites these guys is they are focused on what's ahead of them right now and the small affirmative positive choices they can make to keep moving forward.

Start Your Own 30 Day Challenge

Alright, remember way back at the top of this post I was telling you how the 30 day challenge is the perfect way to learn how to take action and be consistent?

Glad you stuck with me because here's where we get to how to do it.

I like the concept of the 30 day challenge because it's like a little bit of a game. I'm competitive by nature, and whenever I'm able to gamify anything I always do better.

We run these every few months inside LRA forums and they are always pretty popular.

So here's how to start.

1. Pick something small but impactful

We're going for bang for our buck here, remember. The ultimate goal is that these tiny 30 day challenges form into long term habits so don't go nuts.

This can be really incredibly simple.

Want to build a writing habit so you can finish that book you've been dreaming about? Then write 200 words a day, every single day, start creating a daily writing practice in your mind.

I love these sorts of challenges. I've done the daily writing. I did one where I wrote 3 times a week on LinkedIn (which did land me a client and helped build a portfolio). That's one I'll be getting back into.

You can send one pitch a day. Learn one line of code a day. Do one pushup a day. Floss one tooth a day.

You're probably thinking, wow all this stuff is so small, that would be easy to bang out.

2. Tell People

Don't ignore this part. Tell one person you are doing this 30 day challenge. It helps to add accountability.

If you don't have anyone to tell, announce it on social media.

I had a goal to run a 5k. I told myself about this goal about 28 times and never once did anything about it. One day, in a burst of ~~insanity~~ inspiration, I signed up for a local 5k and told myself I was running that afternoon when I got home from work.

The first thing I did when I got home was tweet that I was doing it. Then it was out in the ether:

5k 30 day challenge

No one commented or liked or cared but that helped click for me. I finished that 5k (I walked it with my sister), and then a few years later ran one and did the same thing, announcing it online.

3. Schedule a time

You can do stuff whenever it floats into your head or scheduling a time.

I prefer to schedule a time because it helps me take this thing seriously and it forces me to get this on my to-do list. Just the simple act of taking the steps to take action (if that makes any sense) helped get it in my head that these were things that I had to do, not think about doing.

It also helps to schedule this time when it works best for you. Don't make things harder than they need to be. If you're a morning person, bang out those 200 words right after you wake up. If you hit your stride at 2pm, do it then.

Remove the barriers that are going to stop you from moving forward.

4. Do it

Yea, this one should be obvious at this point but I figure it can't hurt to make it really clear.

You've got your challenge set, you told people, you scheduled a time. There's only one thing left to do: the work.

5. Rinse and repeat

After 30 days take a minute and pat yourself on the back. You did it!

Most people won't last the 30 days, they give up. But, you know about consistency and compounding, right? That means you're ready to do it again.

Here's where the unsexy part comes in. Yup, you did one rep, it's time for more. Add a new small task to the mix (if you want) but keep doing that main goal. I promise it will add up.

What's Your Challenge?

So are you ready to tackle your own 30 day challenge?

Love it! Respond below with what you're going to be doing over the next 30 days, then check back in and let us know how it went.

The post How To Finally Take Action: The 30 Day Challenge appeared first on Location Rebel.

from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2oB3E5U

How To Finally Take Action: The 30 Day Challenge

IndieView with Christopher Lee, author of Nemeton: The Trial of Calas

But if I have one golden nugget that is more valuable than that, it is this. STOP telling yourself and the world you are an aspiring writer/author. Start saying you are right this second! Change that mindset right now and watch what happens to your craft.

Christopher Lee – 27 February 2018

The Back Flap

For millennia the Nemeta have kept the fragile truce in the antediluvian world. A peace built on an ancestral curse upon mankind’s primal link to magic. After six thousand years, Man has tired of enduring subjugation. Kings and peasants clamor. Thrones tremble at whispers of war between the primeval foes of Man and the Fae.

Amidst her studies of mythical artifacts, a young Seræphym uncovers designs to reverse the hex. A scheme that implicates her own people as heretics. Faced with the apocalyptic consequences of magical war, Samsara must choose between her freedom or that of her people.

Even if it means eternal service to the order that threatens to exterminate her kind.

About the book

What is the book about?

Nemeton takes place before the Great Flood myth in an antediluvian setting before the world of magic was lost to humanity. It follows the story of a rebellious, yet brilliant young Seraephym named Samsara who amidst her studies stumbles upon an ancient secret that threatens the balance of power on Earth. Sam swiftly realizes that her discover has entangled her in a blood feud between mankind and Fae. At the cost of her own freedom Sam must make a choice between who she will aid, the Nemeton who has sacrificed her to eternal service, or mankind who once enslaved her people.

When did you start writing the book?

I began work on the concept of Nemeton in 2011, but life often got in the way. While the idea was germinating in my head I jotted down mountains of notes about how I saw the world of the Hallowed Veil Series and where I saw it going, but I did not begin writing it in earnest until 2015. A few more 6 month breaks later I finally put fingers to keys and smashed the final product out in 2017.

How long did it take you to write it?

Well from concept around six years, in reality this draft, which I believe was somewhere around draft seven or eight took me about three months to write, edit, and publish.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’ve always been enchanted by the question Where did Magic Go? Our human mythos is chock full of monsters, beasties, and wizards. It doesn’t matter what part of the globe you go to, there is a unifying statement that says this was all once here and that we played a major role in it. I set out wanting to answer that question, mostly for myself as a sort of catharsis because I was so ridden with remorse for what we did to be expelled. It was from this idea that I started researching the fall of man and began to incorporate all the various mythologies into my tale.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Oh I struggled mightily from start to finish. Primarily on the classic bane of a writer, finishing the damn book. I always put it off, thinking oh well I will finish it someday. It wasn’t until it became clear in my head that it MUST be written now and no other time that I began to take it as seriously as I do now.

What came easily?

Once I finished battling with doubt, fear, and procrastination it poured out of me. I suddenly didn’t have enough time to write, I was punch-drunk in love with the story and had to finish. If I am being honest, it felt as though I was simply a channel for some stream of consciousness that invaded my mind.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

I think that as writers we always borrow from the personalities closest to us. In many ways Samsara is inspired by a mythic version of my wife, and really all women. As for the others, I drew heavily on mythology, many of the characters are personas you find in stories from around the globe. Nothing came out of thin air, it all has a place in the long and storied past of humanity, which was what I wanted to tell, a sort of alternative history of our people.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

This is something that I really need to improve on and I am uber sure that it shows in my writing, but I am just such a slacker when it comes to reading fiction. I do it from time to time because I force myself to. It is not because of a lack of interest, but primarily because I am always reading non-fiction, history, and mythology, where I draw a lot of my inspiration. But when it comes fiction, I am heavily influenced by Neil Gaiman, Frank Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson.

Do you have a target reader?

Like every other author, everyone man! In reality I think my work touches a large audience, though my analytics say that my primary fans are women from age 24-30, which I am totally ok with, cause I am super on board the strong female protagonist train. I want girls to have heroes that whip the pants off of male characters, and at the same time show the weaker/softer side of male heroes and villains and the things that men struggle with.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Honestly I am a pantster that pretends to be plotster. I start out with a general structure only to tear it to bits as I flow. I do write something every day whether it is a blog, an article, a poem, a short, but when it comes to my novels, I write them differently. It comes and goes in waves, or it has in the past. With the sequel to Nemeton I plan to approach it the same way as I did Nemeton, with some minor changes. In fact by the time this interview comes out I will probably be neck deep in edits of the second or third draft.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I do outline, but as I said above, I usually trash the first one in favor of another for each draft to compensate for the bursts of inspiration that come forward.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I try to edit as I go. I use Prowriting Aid the most in conjunction with Grammarly. Once I finish a chapter or scene, I run the reports and tighten it up before it gets read. Then I get my feedback and adjust, then more feedback, then adjust, and so on until polishing.

Did you hire a professional editor?

This is something I plan to do with the sequel. I could not afford a professional edit with Nemeton because of financial circumstances but I did hire an editor to help me route out the big problems areas, particularly in structure, character moments that needed an extra oomph, etc. Next time around I will certainly hire a line editor if not only to take the pressure off of myself. Still, I think everyone should try editing their own work, simply for the learning experience.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Oh absolutely! I have a few channels I tune into on Pandora, particularly sweeping cinematic scores. One of my favorites is Thomas Bergersen, and pretty much any epic movie score. I also really dig listening to Wardruna.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

You know I thought about it at first. I wanted the traditional experience, but shied away because of creative control. Yeah, its arrogant of me, but I wanted to be the master and commander, for better or worse. I am a big DIY guy, so I wanted the experience of getting this thing done all by my onesie. I did try to crowd fund the novel via Inkshares.com however, the campaign failed, and I am honestly glad that it did. Not because I didn’t want to publish with them, they have a great platform and many friends succeeded there where I failed. I was happy I failed, because of how much I learned, it was incredibly edifying. Plus I just so wasn’t ready, neither was my story, yikes it was in bad shape.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

After my failed crowd funding campaign I said, screw it. I’ll do this thing my way and I did. I did put the story away for about six months before returning to writing. I got into ghostwriting to keep my skills fresh and when the time was right, I jumped back into it knowing that I would simply publish through Amazon as a last resort. Once I knew that was the pathway all I had to do was sit down and get it done! I am super glad that I did, again because of how much I learned.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I designed Nemeton’s cover myself. I have always been photo shop proficient, largely because of my schooling in Filmmaking and Digital media. So again, rather than paying someone else to do it, I knuckled down and made something that screamed me. So far the cover has gotten nothing but killer reviews. I am constantly being told, what a great cover! Again, glad I did it because it’s fun!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

You know I failed miserably at the release of Nemeton, but that’s ok. I learned a lot. Marketing comes naturally to me as a veteran sales person, so I started behind the ball, but things are picking up. My social circles online are exploding at the moment and show no signs of slowing down. I am confident as usual that my author brand will expand as well, and with that sales will come. However, next time around, for Nemeton’s sequel and subsequent books I will be well-armed for a big-time release, so look out! I know it sounds uber arrogant, but hell man why not be sure? If you aren’t sure then get out of this business immediately cause you absolutely have to be positive you will succeed.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I love to say Just Write! BUT! That isn’t enough when you are Indie, particularly when you are a self-published author. You have to be on all guns at once, at the same time as steering, and navigating. Writing is key, if you don’t write you have no book, you have an idea. Finish the damn book and then you can start to build a following, which takes even more work and time than the book did! But if I have one golden nugget that is more valuable than that, it is this. STOP telling yourself and the world you are an aspiring writer/author. Start saying you are right this second! Change that mindset right now and watch what happens to your craft. Once you are an author in your own mind, it’s no longer a possibility, it is a certainty, and all you can do is get better from there.

About You

Where did you grow up?

All over. I was born in Phoenix, raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas till I was twelve, and then Denver, Colorado ever since.

Where do you live now?

Denver, Colorado for now, soon to be hitting the road, a change of pace and lifestyle is on the way!

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am a fire starter, rebel, and general pain in the ass. I am here to make waves and write books, and if along the way I help a bunch of folks that is what I consider a successful life. I like to disrupt things and shake things up and most importantly to learn.

What are you working on now?

Several projects as usual but my primary focus is on churning out a sequel to Nemeton. Secondary focus is on building my author platform with another book I am calling, So you Wrote a Book: What the Hell do you do Next? Which I am starting out as a blog and hope to release on Kindle in the next few months. After that I am hoping to release at least four books this year on varied topics. Basically I am addicted to work because I have to be!

End of Interview:

For more from Christopher visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and like his page on Facebook.

Get your copy of Nemeton: The Trial of Calas from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2t1easn

IndieView with Christopher Lee, author of Nemeton: The Trial of Calas

Christopher Lee – 27 February 2018

The Back Flap

For millennia the Nemeta have kept the fragile truce in the antediluvian world. A peace built on an ancestral curse upon mankind's primal link to magic. After six thousand years, Man has tired of enduring subjugation. Kings and peasants clamor. Thrones tremble at whispers of war between the primeval foes of Man and the Fae.

Even if it means eternal service to the order that threatens to exterminate her kind.

About the book

What is the book about?

When did you start writing the book?

How long did it take you to write it?

Well from concept around six years, in reality this draft, which I believe was somewhere around draft seven or eight took me about three months to write, edit, and publish.

Where did you get the idea from?

I've always been enchanted by the question Where did Magic Go? Our human mythos is chock full of monsters, beasties, and wizards. It doesn't matter what part of the globe you go to, there is a unifying statement that says this was all once here and that we played a major role in it. I set out wanting to answer that question, mostly for myself as a sort of catharsis because I was so ridden with remorse for what we did to be expelled. It was from this idea that I started researching the fall of man and began to incorporate all the various mythologies into my tale.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Oh I struggled mightily from start to finish. Primarily on the classic bane of a writer, finishing the damn book. I always put it off, thinking oh well I will finish it someday. It wasn't until it became clear in my head that it MUST be written now and no other time that I began to take it as seriously as I do now.

What came easily?

Once I finished battling with doubt, fear, and procrastination it poured out of me. I suddenly didn't have enough time to write, I was punch-drunk in love with the story and had to finish. If I am being honest, it felt as though I was simply a channel for some stream of consciousness that invaded my mind.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Do you have a target reader?

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I do outline, but as I said above, I usually trash the first one in favor of another for each draft to compensate for the bursts of inspiration that come forward.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?

Did you hire a professional editor?

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

You know I thought about it at first. I wanted the traditional experience, but shied away because of creative control. Yeah, its arrogant of me, but I wanted to be the master and commander, for better or worse. I am a big DIY guy, so I wanted the experience of getting this thing done all by my onesie. I did try to crowd fund the novel via Inkshares.com however, the campaign failed, and I am honestly glad that it did. Not because I didn't want to publish with them, they have a great platform and many friends succeeded there where I failed. I was happy I failed, because of how much I learned, it was incredibly edifying. Plus I just so wasn't ready, neither was my story, yikes it was in bad shape.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

After my failed crowd funding campaign I said, screw it. I'll do this thing my way and I did. I did put the story away for about six months before returning to writing. I got into ghostwriting to keep my skills fresh and when the time was right, I jumped back into it knowing that I would simply publish through Amazon as a last resort. Once I knew that was the pathway all I had to do was sit down and get it done! I am super glad that I did, again because of how much I learned.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I designed Nemeton's cover myself. I have always been photo shop proficient, largely because of my schooling in Filmmaking and Digital media. So again, rather than paying someone else to do it, I knuckled down and made something that screamed me. So far the cover has gotten nothing but killer reviews. I am constantly being told, what a great cover! Again, glad I did it because it's fun!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

You know I failed miserably at the release of Nemeton, but that's ok. I learned a lot. Marketing comes naturally to me as a veteran sales person, so I started behind the ball, but things are picking up. My social circles online are exploding at the moment and show no signs of slowing down. I am confident as usual that my author brand will expand as well, and with that sales will come. However, next time around, for Nemeton's sequel and subsequent books I will be well-armed for a big-time release, so look out! I know it sounds uber arrogant, but hell man why not be sure? If you aren't sure then get out of this business immediately cause you absolutely have to be positive you will succeed.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I love to say Just Write! BUT! That isn't enough when you are Indie, particularly when you are a self-published author. You have to be on all guns at once, at the same time as steering, and navigating. Writing is key, if you don't write you have no book, you have an idea. Finish the damn book and then you can start to build a following, which takes even more work and time than the book did! But if I have one golden nugget that is more valuable than that, it is this. STOP telling yourself and the world you are an aspiring writer/author. Start saying you are right this second! Change that mindset right now and watch what happens to your craft. Once you are an author in your own mind, it's no longer a possibility, it is a certainty, and all you can do is get better from there.

About You

Where did you grow up?

All over. I was born in Phoenix, raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas till I was twelve, and then Denver, Colorado ever since.

Where do you live now?

Denver, Colorado for now, soon to be hitting the road, a change of pace and lifestyle is on the way!

What would you like readers to know about you?

What are you working on now?

End of Interview:

For more from Christopher visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and like his page on Facebook.

Get your copy of Nemeton: The Trial of Calas from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2t1easn

Monday, February 26, 2018

10 Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2018 (For Men and Women)

10 Best Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags are still the most popular nighttime insulation option with backpackers because they're warmer in cold, damp, or drafty weather, especially below freezing. While mummy bag designs still prevail, there's a lot more variety in the types of sleeping bags that have become available in the five years, including ones designed for side sleepers and women's specific sleeping bags. Is it worth buying a women's specific bag? You betcha, but they're not as widely available as sleeping bags for men.

When choosing a sleeping bag for backpacking, you want one that's warm, lightweight, and highly compressible since you're going to have to haul it in a backpack. Sleeping bags insulated with 800, 850, 900, and 950 goose or duck down are the best in terms of warmth by weight, but you'll pay a premium at the top end. Fit is also important, both width and length, especially if you're a woman, short, or have a smaller build. If a bag is too large, it will feel colder than one that fits closely, since your body needs to work harder to fill the extra space with hot air.

Women also require more insulation than men because they have less body mass to generate body heat. Add another 10 degrees if you're female and decide to buy a "unisex" sleeping bag instead of a women's specific bag. Women also tend to have colder extremities, like feet, hands, and heads, and require more insulation in those areas. They also have narrower shoulders and are predominantly shorter, requiring sleeping bags that are cut differently than their male counterparts.

Here are our top 10 sleeping bag tips, including men's and women's specific bags.

1. Feather Friends Flicker UL 20 – Unisex/Men's

The Feathered Friends Flicker UL 20 is a highly versatile hoodless sleeping bag that's ideal for side sleepers who find a mummy bag too constraining. In cooler weather, the Flicker functions as a full center-zip mummy sleeping bag with a heat-saving down-filled draft collar that drapes around your neck and over your shoulders to seal in heat. It has a drawstring footbox can be cinched tight on cooler nights or opened up to vent the bag if you're too warm. Unzipped, it can be flipped over on warmer nights and used like a quilt or a blanket, since the footbox opens completely.

Insulated with 950+ fill power down, the 20ºF Flicker has continuous baffles that let you move the down fill to where you need it. Weighing 26 oz, it's perfect for cool summer nights in alpine terrain and thru-hikes.

Buy at Feathered Friends

2. Western Mountaineering Versalite 10 – Unisex/Men's

The Western Mountaineering Versalite is a warm and spacious sleeping bag with plenty of interior room. It has continuous baffles so you can move the down where you need it most, on top on cold nights, and to bottom of the bag on warm ones, thereby expanding its temperature range. A full length zipper makes it easy to vent on warmer nights, while an insulated draft collar seals in the heat. A "flattish" mummy-style hood is also easier to use for side sleepers.

The Versalite is available in three lengths: 5′ 6″, 6′ 0″, and 6′ 6″. Insulated with 850+ fill power goose down, it weighs in at just 32 ounces. It's available in three lengths, making it ideal for ultralight backpackers who hike in cool mountain climates.

Buy at Backcountry.com Buy at Amazon

3. Marmot Phase 20 – Unisex/Men's

The Marmot Phase 20 is an lightweight sleeping bag for men that weighs just 23.7 oz. It has curved baffles that help prevent down-shift, with a highly breathable and ultralight 10 denier Pertex Quantum shell. An anatomically shaped footbox provides extra warmth where you need it most, while extra baffles in the hood keep your head warm. It has a full-length, locking 2-way zipper with anti-snag slider that can also be opened to vent the bag in warmer temperatures.

The Phase 20 is insulated with 850+ fill power goose down and is available in two lengths: 6′ and 6′ 6″.

Buy at REI Buy at Backcountry.com

4. Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 – Unisex/Men's

The Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 is a mummy-style sleeping bag that's loaded with technical features. It has a built-in draft collar that wraps around your neck and the front of your chest to seal in the heat. Continuous baffles let you shift the down to where you need it the most, either on top in cold weather, or the bottom in warm, while a full length zipper lets you vent it easily. Dual draft tubes seal a no-snag zipper, keeping you warmer, while the low "flattish" hood is suitable for back and side sleepers

The Ultralite is available in three lengths: 5′ 6″, 6′ 0″, and 6′ 6″. Insulated with 850+ fill power goose down, it weighs in at just 29 ounces.

Buy at Backcountry.com Buy at Amazon

5. Montbell Down Hugger 900 #2 (25 degree) – Unisex/Men's

The Montbell Down Hugger 900 #2 is a 25 degree sleeping bag with a unique design that literally hugs you when you move around at night, eliminating dead air spots so that your body doesn't have to heat them to stay warm. The hugging action is realized by integrating a woven fabric "cut on the bias" and orienting the fabric's threads at 45 degrees to most major seam lines, so the sleeping bag becomes more fluid in nature. The Hugger also features an integrated draft collar, dual draft tubes and locking zipper, which are all features found on premium sleeping bags.

A good choice for side or back sleepers, the Down Hugger 900 #2 is insulated with 900 fill power, water-resistant goose down. It weighs 24 oz and is available in a 6′ length.

Buy at Montbell

6. Feathered Friends Egret UL 20 – Women's

The Feathered Friends Egret UL 20 is top-shelf technical sleeping bag tailored for the female form that features extra fill in the footbox and around the chest. It also provides more room in the elbows including space to draw your knees up in the bag if you like to sleep that way. The contoured hood opens wide in warmer weather and makes it easy for side sleepers to use, while a two-way zipper makes the bag easy to vent. The Egret has a draft collar to help seal in the heat around your shoulders, with a trapezoidal footbox allows your feet to fall in a natural pose without compressing the sides.

Available in two lengths: 5′ 3″ and 5′ 9″, the Egret UL 20 is insulated with 950+ fill power goose down and weighs just 27 oz.

Buy at Feathered Friends

7. Marmot Phase 20 – Women's

The Marmot Phase 20 (Women's) is a female sleeping bag with more insulation in key areas where women experience heat loss. A tapered cut provides a narrower fit at the shoulders and a wider flare at the hips to insure a comfortable fit and maximum thermal efficiency. A shorter 5′ 6″ length helps to avoid cold spots and make certain that your body isn't working unnecessarily to heat uninhabited areas of the bag.

The Phase 20 is insulated with 850+ fill power goose down that's been treated with water-repellant coating. Weighing 29 oz, the Phase 20 is ideal for women who want to slash pack weight without compromising on sleeping comfort.

Buy at Backcountry.com Buy at Campsaver

8. REI Joule 21 – Women's

The REI Joule 21 is designed to fit a woman's body, with increased room at hips, decreased room at shoulders, and extra insulation in critical heat-loss areas such as the feet and hood. It features a double-protection design that combines treated, water-resistant down with waterproof/breathable fabric at the hood, sides and footbox, all areas that are likely to touch a damp tent wall. A contoured hood, insulated face muffler, and full-length draft tube all work to seal in the warmth so it doesn't escape when you move around in the bag at night.

The Joule is insulated with 700 fill power duck down. It weighs 35 ounces and is available in 5′ 6″ and 6′ lengths. A wider size is also available.

Buy at REI

9. NEMO Jam 30 – Women's

The NEMO Jam 30 is a spoon-shaped women's sleeping bag with extra insulation in the feet and torso to keep you warm. Ideal for side sleepers, the Jam has front vents, called Thermo-Gills, that let you vent excess heat in warmer weather. A full-length double-slider zipper with snag guard helps to further regulate warmth. A blanket fold at the base of the hood tucks around you neck and helps seal in the heat in colder temperatures, while the hood is large enough to hold a pillow in place when you don't need to pull it closed in cold weather.

Weighing 35 oz, the Jam 30 is available in two lengths, 5′ 6″ and 6′. It is insulated with 800+ fill power Nikwax water-resistant down.

Buy at REI Buy at Moosejaw

10. Marmot Xenon 15 – Women's

The Marmot Xenon 15 is made specifically for women with increased room at the hips, decreased room at the shoulders, and extra insulation in female heat-loss areas. An anatomically shaped footbox with wraparound construction eliminates seams and has extra insulation to keep your feet toasty. The ergonomic hood has extra baffles to reduce heat loss and keep your head warm and comfortable. A "fold down" second zipper lets you to fold down the front of the bag to vent excess heat and makes it easier to get in and out of the bag.

The Xenon 15 is insulated with 800 fill power, water-resistant goose down. It weighs 38 ounces and comes in a 5′ 6″ length.

Buy at REI Buy at Amazon

Sleeping Bag Evaluation Criteria

Here is a list of the most important factor to consider when purchasing a sleeping bag for backpacking, so it fits your needs and preferences.

TEMPERATURE RATINGS: The introduction of standardized sleeping bag temperature ratings by the outdoor industry substantially improved their reliability. Bags tested with the European Norm (EN) 13537 get two ratings: a Comfort rating and Lower limit rating. The Comfort rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep the average woman (or "cold sleeper") comfortable, and the Lower Limit rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep an average man (or "warm sleeper") comfortable. The difference in the Comfort and Lower Limit ratings is usually about 10 degrees, since women feel colder than men when sleeping. If you're a woman and decide to buy a men's or unisex bag, get one that's 10 degrees warmer than you need so you're comfortable at night

INSULATION and COMPRESSIBILITY: High quality goose and duck down with fill powers of 800, 850, 900, and 950 provide excellent insulation by weight and are widely preferred by backpackers and base campers because they're so lightweight. Some manufacturers only offer down that's been treated with a water-repellent coating, while others prefer to offer it unadulterated. Down is naturally water-resistant so the jury is still out on whether "treated" down makes a difference in the long-term, since it's easy to keep your sleeping bag dry with a little care.

SIZING: The fit of a sleeping bag is usually measured in terms of length and girth. Girth measures the maximum internal circumference of the bag, usually at the shoulders, hips, and feet. Measure yourself at these points and compare them to the girth to see if the bag will fit tightly or loosely. People with bigger shoulders or sides sleepers tend to feel more comfortable in bags with higher shoulder girths, while women typically need a shorter length bag and a smaller shoulder girth because they have narrower shoulders than men. It's important to get a bag that minimizes the amount of unoccupied interior space relative to your measurements, so your body has less air to heat up to stay warm.

WEIGHT: While gear weight is important, be careful not to sacrifice your comfort by selecting a sleeping bag that won't keep you warm or dry in the conditions you need it to. When choosing between bags with different outer shell fabrics, consider their breathability, so they will vent perspiration that can degrade your insulation, and whether they have a DWR coating, which can be important if the foot of your quilt gets wet regularly.

FEATURES: Most sleeping bags are pretty similar when it comes right down to it, but there are some features that set premium sleeping bags better than non premium bags. These include draft collars, continuous baffles, very high fill-power goose down, non-snagging zippers, draft tubes positioned behind zippers to seal out the cold, ventable foot boxes, and full length zippers that help extend the range of a bag in warmer weather.

Check out SectionHiker's Gear Guides

Written 2018.

The post 10 Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2018 (For Men and Women) appeared first on Section Hikers Backpacking Blog.

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