Our favorite season! September in the West. We are six months into our tour, with only two left to go. Where did the time run off to? This month, we’ve planned a big trip out west to complete a 50-mile loop around The Three Sisters. Roxy is raising money for The Cairn Project, an organization that supports getting young women and girls outside! Below are a few of the items we will be bringing with us on our big trip. Space is always limited in the van, so we’re always looking for the best gear to keep close by.
Mountain House: Chicken Fajita Bowl
Chicken Fajitas in the backcountry? What a time to be alive! The Chicken Fajita Bowl from mountain house has become a staple in our backpacking diet. Made with real pieces of tender, cooked chicken, rice, black beans, bell peppers, corn, onions, and seasonings, we always look forward to this meal on the trail. The best part is that there are no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, only real food to fuel your adventures. Try this on a tortilla for an added bonus. This also makes an excellent gluten-free option, something we are super happy about. Keep an eye out for Mountain House in the next few months, they have some incredible new recipes coming out that are sure to become favorites.
Sea To Summit: Explore Down Double Sleeping Bag
Being in the backcountry doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable. We recently took a three-night backpacking trip to Chicago Basin in Southwest Colorado. At night, it dipped to a balmy 38 degrees in mid-August. The double version of the Explore Down Sleeping Bag from Sea To Summit kept us warm and cozy. And, we got to cuddle all night without fear of sliding off our pad or ending up between them. The double has a built in coupler that keeps you securely on your sleeping pads. We were the perfect temperature all night, highly recommended for snugglers. The sleeping back is packed full of ULTRA-DRY Down with a 750 loft, so you’ll stay warm and dry all night (at least until the 3AM wake up call to start climbing mountains).
Lowe Alpine: Halcyon
The Halcyon is a modern take on a traditional mountain pack. Designed with winter in mind, this pack would make a great companion while winter ski touring, ice climbing, and summer rock climbing. The 35:40 liter is large enough to carry your rack, rope, skis, and ice-tools. The Halcyon also is available in a 45: 50-liter version. We’ve used it as an awesome rope bag and will be waiting until winter to put it to its true test. A rope fits comfortable inside, and the side open is great for grabbing snacks without disturbing inside contents. We love the gear loops on the hip belts for easy access tools. We look forward to strapping on some skis, snowboards, and ice axes with the reinforced strap system and pick retainer panel and getting out for a winter adventure.
There is one way for this tour to be a reality– our sponsors! Sending a thank you shout out to all of our awesome sponsors that make this tour happen: Sea to Summit, Mountain House, Lowe Alpine, Leki, Big Agnes, Stio, Roofnest, and Franklin County, VA. For more info on our sponsors, check out the post, “Live Outside and Play is Back!”
