Backpacking RSS
Introducing the Cody Pack -- A Compact, Versatile Day Pack
I had an idea to build a pack that would mount on my panniers and double as both a large side pouch and a small day pack. Whenever I design a new product, I always keep simplicity in mind. It has been my experience that some of the best made outdoor gear is overbuilt, not over-designed. When I finished the prototype I was satisfied that this pouch/day pack would stand up to anything the backcountry could throw at it. There was only one problem: what should I name it? I have four children -- three sons and a daughter. All...
Saying Goodbye to Hunting Season
The highlight of owning pack animals is to take them into the wilderness, making it possible for a more fulfilling backcountry experience, whether it’s hunting, fishing or just camping out with family. I am constantly planning and thinking about my next trip. When spring comes and the snow begins to melt in the mountains, I can hardly wait to hit the trail. When the packing season nears its end, I am often planning trips back-to-back, never wasting a moment. Without fail, the last one of the season is bittersweet. It was my second hunting trip of the season. I had...
Good Donkey!
A few years ago, I was elk hunting in the backcountry. I had seen a nice bull elk the previous afternoon along the edge of a large meadow about 1½ miles from camp. Rather than hike up and hunt in the black timber where he’d gone, I decided to ride the donkeys a little farther in, high-line them and hunt from there. I left camp around 3:00 in the afternoon, rode about three miles, and tied up the donkeys. I had the rest of the afternoon to hunt so I headed out on foot. I saw a few elk but...
