2026 was a little bit disappointing as I lost most of the spring and a good chunk of the summer to an Achilles injury; along with some excessive smoke and some really hot days. Below are some of my favorite images/videos out of 700+ pictures taken from my outings. I was out and about in the Great Burn region (Thompson to Lolo Passes) and the Pinter Wilderness for approximately 41 days between March & October; covering just over 165 trail miles; visiting 27 lakes/peaks. I only managed 3 short backpacking trips this summer, but they were quite memorable.
This year I ended up buying 2 new pieces of equipment. This is not in any way an ad for the products, but just information on how they performed for me.
Mountainsmith MTN Shelter NEO 1-Person Tent: It comes in well under 3 lbs. with 2 doors and vestibules. This is a single wall tent. I decided to take a try at one of these types of tents. Unfortunately, I bought it in the fall and never got a chance to use it on a trip. Will have to wait until next summer to see how it works out and how it compares to the double wall tents that I have.
Gregory Focal 58 Backpack: I really liked the Focal 48 pack that I bought last year so I decided to try the 58 liter version. It looks and fits just like the 48 liter and weighs in at 2.65 pounds. I used it on the 3 backpacking trips I did during the summer and it worked really well. Like the 48 liter I opted to use the CTUG water carriers that attach to the shoulder straps to save space in the pack. It is good for a solid 5 day trip, something that at this point in my life I probably won't exceed.
This winter I will continue to update my trailguide website and ski a lot at Lookout Pass. My priorities for 2027 will probably be quite ambitious in comparison to the 2026 results.
