Outdoor Retailer 2013 Wrap-Up: People and Parties!

You guys! I got to meet Jim Whittaker!
You guys! I got to meet Jim Whittaker!

What is it like to attend an Outdoor Retailer show? A couple of weeks ago I saw someone on Twitter describe it as the SXSW for outdoorsy types. I’ve never been to SXSW, but several people told me that’s an apt description. After business is done on the show floor the parties ramp up, and there is never a lack of something to do if you want to have fun!

The gear just seems to be an excuse to get a bunch of awesome people together twice a year. While the new gear is exciting and interesting, it seems that the real pulse of the show is around the human relationships. It’s great to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. This industry is just filled with great people.

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Reflecting on 2012

I usually wrap up the year with Top Gear of the Year posts. But instead I find myself reflecting back on 2012 – goals completed, the adventures I had, and the people I had them with. Here they are, my top 10 moments, good and bad, of 2012.

10: Climbing desert peaks on New Year’s Day

On our way up Boulder Peak
On our way up Boulder Peak

We spent New Year’s weekend in the desert with friends and climbed two desert summits on New Year’s Day. I thought it was a good omen for a 2012 full of many summits.

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Gear Giveaway: Columbia Omnifreeze Zero

#JustAddSweat
#JustAddSweat

Part of my awesome Columbia Sportswear experience was getting to see the launch of the Omnifreeze Zero 2013 line. Thanks to Columbia, I am able to share a bit of that exclusivity with friends of Calipidder.com by providing an opportunity to purchase an OmniFreeze Zero item at an early access price. Columbia has been touring the hottest parts of our country giving out these coupons, but for those of you not on their path, I have a chance here for you to get in on the goods.

I have three offer codes to give out. Each code is worth the opportunity to purchase up to three OmniFreeze Zero tops at this early access price, so you’ll be cooler than all of your friends until next spring (pun totally intended). Registration ends August 31 at 5:00 pm PST, after which I’ll use random.org to choose the three winners. You get one entry per action you perform (up to two entries per person):
  • Leave a comment on this blog post about the hottest, most miserable hike/run/climb/backpack you’ve ever been on. 
  • Follow @calipiddercom on Twitter and tweet something that includes “@calipiddercom” and the hashtags #justaddsweat and #omnifreezezero. Make up the rest – I’m counting on some creativity here, folks. (I need the @calipiddercom to track the entry – don’t forget it!) 

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Gear review: Columbia Sportswear Powerdrain

When it comes to hiking in wet conditions there are two approaches you can take to managing your feet: go with something waterproof and hope your feet stay dry, or embrace the moisture and splash through the water without worry. I tend to hike in lightweight shoes and generally prefer the ‘just get them wet’ approach since they will dry quickly. But my water encounters are usually small stream crossings, so I’ve never looked for a shoe intended for sustained hiking in water.

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Havasuper Time at Havasu Falls: Part 2

Day two of our Havasu adventure was set aside for exploring the area. We started off by spending the morning downstream at Mooney Falls, a side canyon, and a natural water park off the beaten track. After lunch back at the campsite we headed upstream to Hidden Falls, New Indian/New 50-Foot Falls, and New Navajo/Rock Falls. That night we wrapped up the experience with an #omniten group photograph in front of Havasu Falls.
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Havasuper Time at Havasu Falls: Part 1

Checking off the bucket list

The optional extension to the Columbia Sportswear event last month was a three day trip to Havasu Falls, home of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, towering red cliffs, and deep turquoise waters. It is a destination that has been on my backpacking bucket list for several years so I absolutely jumped at this opportunity, especially with someone else taking care of all of the planning and bureaucracy.  Because I didn’t have to deal with the permitting and payment myself I’m not going to go into the details of how to visit, you can find that out for yourself.

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West Fork Trail, Oak Creek Canyon

Prior to the Columbia event we were asked to choose an activity for Saturday. Our options were yoga, mountain biking, or hiking of various difficulty levels. I had a moment of craziness where I thought of signing up for yoga or mountain biking (things I very much do not do), but then decided that I’d go with my gut and spend the time in Sedona doing what I love most: ‘Intense’ hiking. I had no idea what Intense meant, and I had visions of a 20 mile death march in the hot June Arizona sun. And I kind of liked it.

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