FREE Camping: Taos Ski Valley

With every trip that we take into the wild, we strive to not pay for camping. Nature should be free. There are a few exceptions, such as the folks over at Hotel Luna Mystica: those guys and girls know how to have a good time in the middle of the desert(pictured above), you should check them out. We spent a night with them on our last trip to Taos, NM. More on that later.

If you find yourself traveling to the Taos area during the summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day) we have a camping area that is free and awesome! There are actually a couple of spots that we found on Free Campsites. This is a free resource that shows user generated reports on FREE campsite locations around the country. We use this site nearly every time we camp in a new location. There is FREE camping EVERYWHERE! This post is about the free campsite that we chose which is right at the base of the ski runs and is a few steps from the Wheeler Peak trail.

GPS Coordinates: 36.573815, -105.437082

TO GET THERE-

From Taos, head North on US-64W. Turn right onto NM-150N. 150 will wind into the mountains and lead you directly to the ski resort area. Once you reach the main parking lot, stay left on Twining Rd. The main parking lot is the location of our back-up campsite that we didn’t need to use. Take a hard left onto Zapp’s/Porcupine/Kachina RD and travel toward the Bavarian. Once you reach the Phoenix Grill, hang a left on Bluejay Ridge Rd and drive until you can’t drive any farther. The campsite is on your left.

There are no facilities at this location, but the woods (and lots of woods) are right there. Everything uphill from this spot is National Forest and all Leave No Trace precautions should be used. There is a nearby creek for water and bathing. It was in full run-off mode when we visited around Memorial Day and provided great noise at night. I am a big fan of using a SteriPen to treat all of our drinking water when camping, but this water was CLEAN. I think we could have gotten away without using the UV light this time around.

There were two gear casualties on this trip and one happened at this campsite: the demise of my old friend and trusty hammock. The poor, bright blue, Walmart special couldn’t support the weight of both of the Okienomads and ripped in two pieces during an afternoon cuddle sesh. So long old friend, thanks for the hangs. He has been replaced by a brand new ENOS Doublenest that I will be reviewing in a later post and in case you were wondering, it was a very worthwhile upgrade.

The second gear fatality of this trip was my beloved Cannondale mountain bike. It was my first venture into mountain biking and it served me well for a few years. The rear derailuer took a dive on a beautiful mountain bike trail outside of Taos.

The beauty of this campsite (besides the obvious) is it’s proximity to the trailhead for Wheeler Peak. This campsite is at approximately 12,000′ of elevation, so spend a day at camp then make a push for nearby Wheeler Peak (13,161′). The trail is well marked and even with a large amount of snow still on the trail, we found our way up to the top. Regardless of conditions, I suggest that you start at day break or earlier and get to the top before the crowds and before snow melt/thunderstorms in the afternoon.

After hiking this trail during the late season, we made a mental note that the next time we are here will be in the early spring and we will hike for some backcountry ski/board lines, the terrain is beautiful!

Just before tree-line is Williams Lake. The lake was obviously still frozen when we arrived, but still made a beautiful campsite for several backpackers on a nearby ridge. If you are brave and warm natured, the peace and tranquility of this campsite might be worth the hike, but be prepared for high winds, temperatures below freezing, and critters that are very curious. Please use a bear bag and hang it properly away from your camp.

The hike up from the lake got very steep and involved quite a bit of snow. I suggest bringing trekking poles as balance is hard to come by on the snow and ice. The poles may also come in handy on the way down in the slush. I wore trail running shoes and Rachael hiked in hiking boots. Neither of us were disappointed in our choice.

We made it to the top and simply took in the sunlight and the view. It seemed like we might have been the first or second group on the summit and we passed  A LOT of hikers on our way down that had slept in. The peak allows some amazing views of the nearby San De Cristo range and farther Rocky Mountains in the distance.

The hike down took around an hour and a half. With the snow pack still fairly deep, we were able to slide on our butts most of the way down. There would be GoPro footage, but the slide required a very specific set of skills to stay upright while sliding.

This campground was excellent. We really enjoyed the distance from the trailhead, the privacy, and the natural beauty. This site ranks in my top 5 best campsites that I have ever been to. The only down-side that I could see would be if someone were staying in the ski house near the site. Constant traffic might be annoying, but we did not see a soul while we were there on a holiday weekend. I highly recommend this campsite to anyone in the Taos, NM area and look forward to the next time we make it back. And best of all, IT WAS FREE!

As always, follow us on Instagram to get the most up to date images and video from our trips and build progress on our bus. We would love it if you would check out the rest of the blog and the YouTube page as well. All social media is @okienomads. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!

Coming Soon- Campground Review: Hotel Luna Mystica

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Gear Review: Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Backpacking Tent

I got the itch many years ago to try my hand at backpacking. The first and single most important piece of gear to get into the woods is a tent. The tent provides shelter, security and sometimes warmth. When you venture several miles from any civilization, a good tent can change a really crummy trip into a great experience in the woods.

My first backpacking experience is one of my favorite memories, but one of the worst experiences with a tent that I have ever had. A few (3) friends and I decided to undertake a daunting hiking trip spanning some 30+ miles over 4 days through the early spring Ozark Wilderness. Rain was barely in the forecast so we neglected to bring any real rain gear. We lucked out and avoided rain. The ground, however, was soaked from the previous 6 days of rain that hit the area. The awful Ozark Trail 4 man tent did not do what I had assumed it was made to do. This tent can be purchased at any of the thousands of Wal-Mart stores in the country and was created to be used in state parks and backyards when precipitation is not in the forecast.

We got soaked. To be fair there was a small creek running under the bottom of the tent and I am not sure the best of tents would have survived, but the big box store tent let us down. We were wet, cold, and unhappy that we lugged this big thing up and down the trails all spring break.

Upon returning from that trip to the Ozarks (which ended in a snowstorm, ushering our unprepared group off the trail and back home) I began researching backpacking tents that had to fit a few criteria:

  • Price- The tent had to be less than $200. At the time, I was a college student with very little spending money. This dropped my options considerably as some ultralight tents can be had for upwards of $750! CRAZY!
  • Weight- I wanted a tent that I could haul on solo trips and also split with someone on longer hauls into the wild. The Morrison came in under 5lbs which was much more manageable than the 12-15lbs I was carrying with the Wally World tent.
  • Space- I am 6’3″ tall and had a very rough time finding a tent that I could lay in without my feet or head hitting the tent walls. I also wanted to be able to sit up and change or read while the doors are closed.
  • BONUS- If I could manage it, I wanted vestibules on both doors. It is so much more convenient to be able to store your pack and wet/dirty gear outside and still have peace of mind that it is protected by the rain fly.

My constraints were pretty rigorous, but I knew a tent had to exist with these specs. I tried out several tents such as the ALPS Mountaineering LYNX, The North Face Stormbreak, and the Kelty Salida series and none of them met my criteria. I then found the Mountain Smith Morrison 2 and it checked every box!

The Morrison has several features that are big deal breakers for me now that I have used it rigorously for half a decade.

  1. IT IS HUGE! There is so much room inside, it feels like a bigger tent sometimes. I would feel comfortable cramming a third person in on extremely raining trips if need be. I can fully stretch out without turning diagonally and I can sit up to read or change without bumping into anything.
  2. It is one the simplest designs I have ever used. 2 poles, 4 stakes (for the tent, more with fly) and you are in business. It takes 2 people less than 2 minutes to set this tent up and less than 5 minutes solo.
  3. It is well made! This tent is solid. When guyed down we have used this tent in 50-60 MPH winds with no damage to the tent or us inside. The zippers are all high quality and all vents/windows provide adequate ventilation for hot trips. Any tent will get sticky when it is 90◦+ outside. The tent also retains heat really well in cold trips. I have had it down to below freezing several times and there is a noticeable warmth when compared to being outside.

Suggested changes-The tent is great right out of the box, but a few minor tweaks make it a spectacular 3 season backpacking tent.

Stakes

First, quality stakes are a must. Although the stakes that come with the tent are sufficient for backyard/state park camping, I would not try to use them in rocky soil or muddy soil. We use MSR Cyclone stakes and they have been fantastic. The price is right and I have yet to remotely bend one.

Dry Sack

Second, the Morrison comes with a stuff sack that is great for storing the tent. I suggest you always hang or spread out your tent in a cool dry area, but if that isn’t realistic than the provided sack will suffice. On the trail however, the sack will not cut it when it comes to compressing the tent down to as small of a package as possible.

We use a variety of stuff sacks accumulated over the years, but our newest is by far the favorite. Our Sea to Summit is a compression sack that is also water-resistant for when the rain or rapids get the best of you. You can cinch down the straps and compress the tent and rain fly to a very small (youth football) sized package.

Over the years, we accumulate gear that sticks with us and has an impact on how we experience the wild places that we visit. This tent is one of those pieces of gear. I can’t imagine going to the woods without it and it feels like home when I return to it. It seems crazy that a nylon shelter can feel like home, but I challenge you to give it a chance. You will be amazed at how much fun you can have in the woods with this little tent keeping you dry.

As always, follow us on Instagram to get the most up to date images and video from our trips and build progress on our bus. We would love it you would check out the rest of the blog and the YouTube page as well. All social media is @okienomads. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!

*As you can see, there are embedded links throughout this post to products that we use and recommend. We will not provide affiliate links if we are not happy with the performance of a product. If you decide to purchase something using one of these links, a very small percentage of that sale goes to fund our adventures at no additional cost to you. If you are interested in an item, please use the links. It means a TON to us!

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Jasper, AB: The Town of No Elk

When we arrived to our campground just outside of town, I went for a little run into Jasper along the town’s trail system. The air was cold, but not uncomfortable and the run was fantastic. I ran 3 miles into town and back to our campground.I only had to touch pavement twice, in crosswalks. It is truly fascinating that a town that essentially closes for half of the year has a comprehensive trail system that encircles the entire town. I need to figure out an efficient method of taking pictures and video while running. Maybe I will start taking my phone with me, we will see. Once I got back to the campground, we had dinner and went to check out the river at night, together.

Athabasca River-Jasper, AB
Athabasca River-Jasper, AB

The riverside was beautiful. We walked along the water and took in the sights, hoping for a glimpse at the Northern Lights. I think we were still a little early in the season and early in the evening. The clear skies were still a sight to see. We relaxed into a really nice evening in the RV with some reading and a nice night’s sleep. Needless to say, we weren’t alone.

Wapita Campground- Jasper, AB

We awoke to the sound of a diesel hunting truck warming up for a while and the rest of the morning was peaceful. We had a quick breakfast, enjoyed the heated bathroom and drove into Jasper.

I have to mention something that I have written about in previous posts. Just because you pay $25USD for a campsite in a National Park, doesn’t mean that you won’t be parking in a parking lot with 100 other RV’s. That is the main reason why we try to camp off of the beaten path when we travel in our skoolie. There is more privacy, less noise, and normally a much better view. Be on the lookout for our next blog post in this series from a beautiful campsite just over the border into British Columbia.

We made the short drive into Jasper and needed two utilities really badly, coffee and laundry.

Skoolie Tip #003: Pack light. In the case of our bus, it is a 4-window, basically the smallest modern skoolie you can own. If we packed all of the clothing that we owned in it, we would not have room for gear or food. By having about a week’s worth of clothing and planning outfits that use multiple combinations of a few key clothing articles, we save space and the amount of weight that we have to carry into the laundromat.

We found both coffee and laundry in the Snowdome Laundromat in downtown Jasper. The concept of this business is genius. It is a laundromat that also serves coffee. Or it’s a coffee shop, with laundry machines. Either way, it helped us shave one stop off of our day of errands in Jasper. We spent a couple of hours there on a weekday morning and it was busy There were roughly 20 people drinking coffee and around 10 doing laundry. It seemed to be a happening place. I would give this place 5 stars, but they had timed internet, which as a traveller, is crippling and really challenging. When you have been on the road for a week, 30 minutes of internet isn’t a lot. Regardless, next time I am in Jasper I will go get a cup of coffee here even if I don’t need to wash the pants that I have worn for 4 days straight.

Snowdome Laundromat at 607 Patricia St.

Once done with laundry and a resupply in Jasper, we took off for Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake. The canyon is extremely accessible and has paved ADA walkways to most of the features of the canyon. The canyon runs so deep that you almost can’t see the water from the edge. We had only a limited amount of time at the canyon, but I am convinced that you could spend all day walking the trails to the different cascades.

Maligne Canyon-Jasper, AB
Maligne Canyon-Jasper, AB
Maligne Canyon-Jasper, AB
Maligne Canyon-Jasper, AB

Maligne Canyon was a nice break to stretch our legs and prepare for the winding and snowy road to Maligne Lake. The road passes by Medicine Lake, which is a site to see in it’s own right. Once you get to Maligne Lake the first thing you notice is the iconic Maligne Lake Boathouse that dates back to 1928. Donald “Curly” Phillips built the boat house to attract business to his hunting and fishing trips to the lake. He stocked the lake with trout that he transported in barrels to the shores. Phillips lived in the boat house until his untimely death in an avalanche accident in 1936. The house is now used as storage for rental canoes and paddleboat used by Maligne Lake Tours. As most popular images of this location reveal, the boat house roof is in fact bright red, we visited when it was covered by snow.

Maligne Lake Boathouse- Jasper, AB
Maligne Lake- Jasper, AB

Winding back along the road from Maligne Lake we witnessed a couple of moose spending some quality time together and the crowd quickly gathered on the side of the highway to view the massive and majestic creatures. We left the moose alone and continued back to Jasper. We were rewarded for giving the moose their space with one of the most extravagant views that I have ever seen. It gives me chills writing about it months later. Pyramid Mountain, aptly named in the 1800’s for it’s appearance, dominates the horizon above Jasper and quickly became one of my favorite shots of all-time.

Pyramid Mountain- Jasper, AB

Jasper was an interesting place that we caught at an interesting time. During the summer, I imagine the hiking, biking, and climbing is spectacular. Likewise in the winter I can’t imagine the possibilities of winter activities. Shoulder season seemed like a great time to visit Jasper without the crowds, but also without the elk. We spent 2 days in Jasper and didn’t see a single elk. This was a little disappointing because the town center is known for the excellent elk population. The missing elk simply give us another reason to return to Jasper someday.

Thank you so very much for taking the time out of your day to read about our adventures and view our photos. If you haven’t yet, please take a couple more minutes to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our channel on YouTube. Take a look around our website and if you see anything you like or have any suggestions, please let us know by commenting or e-mailing us at okienomads@gmail.com.

New VLOG Episode: 1 Year Bus-iversary: Skoolie Build Update

We have a new VLOG episode live on our YouTube channel. In this episode of our Vlog, we catch you up on our progress on our Skoolie build. We relocated our inverter and charge controller away from the water under the sink and built cabinets all over the bus!

Please follow along on Instagram

Please subscribe and comment on YouTube

Stay tuned for our next episode and subscribe to our channel so you can watch as we take our bus on the road in April 2018!

Gear Review: Lowepro DroneGuard CS 400 is the Answer to 3DR Solo’s Problem

One of our newest and most unique pieces of camera kit is our drone. We use a 3DR Solo Quadcopter, filming with a GoPro4 Silver. The drone allows us to get shots like these:

Zach Elseman Photography: Illinois River Flood-2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Illinois River Flood-2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Illinois River Flood-2017 &emdash;

The Solo is a very user friendly and easy to operate, however, one of the drawbacks is the case that it comes in from 3DR; the case is cardboard and has a luggage style handle instead of shoulder straps. Enter Lowepro DroneGuard CS 400.

Exterior

The CS400 has a patented “Foam Shell” carbonate casing that makes it strong enough to protect your drone and accessories without adding the bulk and weight of a Pelican case. The back-pad and straps are padded enough to be comfortable for short walks and moderate hikes, but would probably require some additional padding for longer hikes.

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

The exterior of the case is extremely scratch resistant and will more than likely not show most stains such as dirt or similar. I wouldn’t however apply a lot of pressure to the case as it is not as rigid as a hard case.

Interior

The interior of the CS400 has the “Drone-Guard” customization system that allows several different drones to be able to fit in the case with a simple switch of some panels. Take a look at the Lowepro website for more detailed images of some of the different customizations you can come up with to fit your drone.

Below is how my 3DR Solo is setup, with plenty of room for a jacket or additional camera on either side.

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

As you can see, the case fits everything that I need to operate the Solo and even has room for more batteries if I add some later on. Zippered pouches are well placed to allow storage of chargers, cables, and more. The propellor board is Velcro’d to the lid and is removable.

Zach Elseman Photography: Blog Images &emdash;

Durability

I have only just received this case and have not had a chance to run it through a field test as of yet, so I cannot speak to the durability of the case. I will report back after extensive use if the case was anything short of satisfactory.

The only potential failure points that I can see is the semi-rigid construction of the shell. Any large amount of pressure from someone accidentally sitting on it, will more than likely cause damage to the drone and the case. The case is heavily padded and should be able to withstand short drops, throws, and slides.

Overall

I am very happy with this case so far. Time will tell if it is worth the $100 price tag or if a Pelican hard case would have been a better bet for a little bit more money. If this case holds up to the abuse of a traveling photographer, I will be satisfied with the purchase. As with anything made by Lowepro, a lot of time and energy was put into designing this case, and it shows.

Bow Valley Parkway and Lake Louise

If you haven’t read the last installment of our blog, you should. See it HERE!

After a short, beautiful drive up the Bow Valley Parkway, you should arrive at Johnston Canyon. Johnston Canyon was a favorite stop for both of us. The trail is easy and well-marked and meanders along some truly beautiful cascades. The falls themselves make for an excellent place to stop and take in the view.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

A more strenuous hike leads up the mountain-side to the “ink pots”. These pools were less than interesting, but the vast expanse of the top of the forest made the hike worth it. If you visit in the fall, be sure and take some warm clothes, it was brisk up top.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

We camped in the Johnston Canyon RV parking lot across the street from the trailhead. It was free and no one hassled us either night that we camped there. To see more about where and how we boondocked in our rented RV, check out our blog post here! www.okienomads.com/rvrental .

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Lake Louise-
This is what we woke up to the next morning…

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Continue travelling down the Bow Valley Parkway as far as you can and it will terminate at Lake Louise Village. Due to bad weather and visiting in October, we had to leave the parkway at Castle Junction and continue North on HWY-1. If the weather and road closures permit, take your time on this road. There are beautiful things to see all along it. Don’t get in such a hurry that you miss it.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Lake Louise is an interesting little village, but there was not much in the actual village that interested us. We got some advice for a “private” hike from a ranger at the information center in Lake Louise that we were glad we got.

The gentleman explained that he liked to be alone, and this is the hike he likes to be alone. We followed his directions to Moraine Lake Rd and parked at the road closed sign to continue on foot. Due to visiting in mid-October, Moraine Lake Rd was closed, but we parked at the highway and continued onto Lake Annette on foot.

We bundled up and stepped out into a fairly substantial snowfall and brought along our YakTrax in case things got sketchy. We hiked the road for a few KM’s and found the trailhead to Lake Annette, as described by our new friend at the visitor center. The trail was moderate and fantastic as it was covered in about 6 inches of fresh powder. We were the only humans that had been on it since the most recent storm.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

We hiked a total of around 11 KM’s up to ice-covered Lake Annette and the unnamed glacier hanging on Mt. Temple. We made much better time back down the trail as we followed our original steps out of the woods. Although this is prime bear country, we saw none. We saw absolutely no wildlife on this hike, which was strange. This however was a great snow hike and an awesome experience to get into the backcountry.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

We then made our way to iconic Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau that rests on the lakeshore. Although the hotel is beautiful and in a prime location for hiking and skiing in the winter, it is not really our style and definitely not in our price range.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

The lake, however, is beautiful. The mountains in Alberta seem to burst out of the lakes and erupt into the clouds. So is the case for Lake Louise. The emerald blue water is like nothing I have ever seen. We walked around the lake and took in the sights, conversed with some very nice tourists, took obligatory shots of the boathouse and made our way back to the RV for lunch.

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

Zach Elseman Photography: Canadian Rockies- October 2017 &emdash;

A lot of the popular trails either had roads closed to the trailheads or were socked in with snow, so we missed some of the more iconic hikes at Lake Louise such as the Plain of Six Glaciers or Moraine Lake. We will save those for another trip.

North of Lake Louise, the Bow Valley Parkway turns into HWY 93, the Icefields Parkway. One could spend a few days travelling the Icefields Parkway by itself, and we will leave that to a later post. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read about our adventures. If you enjoyed the stories or the photos, let us know by leaving a comment or sending us an e-mail at okienomads@gmail.com. You can see all of our images on Instagram and videos of our bus build on YouTube. Subscriptions, shares, and follows are always appreciated, they help keep this dream alive.

What to Pack for a Canadian Adventure-Gear Load-Out for Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks

One of my favorite aspects of any adventure is the preparation. The route planning, researching local attractions and trails, and packing enough gear to survive and enjoy ourselves, but not so much that we can’t comfortably move in and out of airports, campsites, and local establishments. By the time this post goes live, the Okienomads will be married and on their way to Calgary, AB for a road trip through the Canadian Rockies in areas including Jasper, Banff, and Yoho National Parks. But what do you bring for an adventure in the Canadian Rockies when you plan on living out of an RV and hiking some of the most beautiful trails in North America?

Clothing

Needless to say, we will need to dress warm. We plan on hiking and exploring nearly every day while in “The Great White North”, so warm, synthetic layers are a must. We have a trail race when we get back stateside, so we will need to get in a couple of runs in Calgary and when we travel further North, so we will need a couple of pairs of shorts and the running shoes.

For the colder nights in the RV, tights, gloves, and the down jacket will be huge if we run out of propane or if temps drop below freezing for too long. We opt for wool socks for obvious reasons to keep warm and stay dry.

I am not going to lie, I could wear my Patagonia hiking pants every day of the year and be happy as can be. I am packing a pair of jeans and a decent shirt in case we go out to eat or out on the town for the evening, historically, the jeans will stay in the bag for most of the trip.

Swimsuit is in the bag for the Air BnB in Calgary and the hot springs along the way.

Photography Gear

We couldn’t possibly travel to one of the most beautiful parts of the world and not take my camera and some gear to capture these amazing sights. I wanted to avoid taking a laptop as we would be leaving the RV unattended during most days in some very remote areas of Alberta and BC. Instead I am bringing the bulk of my CF memory cards for the 5d to avoid uploading until we get back. I think over 100 GB should be enough even with video files. The GoPro will tag along for time-lapse and hazardous condition shots and video with around 100 GB of memory as well. If you can’t tell, I don’t like running out of storage space while in the backcountry.

The Dolica tripod is a new addition to the gear list and I hope it works out better than the cheap tripods that I have used in the past. The tripod weighs 4 pounds and folds down to a 2ft length so it will make carrying on the airplane and on hikes a breeze. Reviews are excellent and the price can’t be beat at $50. With the chance of a Grizzly mauling or it falling into a freezing, glacier fed stream, I didn’t want to chance losing a several hundred dollar tripod. I will post an in depth review when we get back, but initial impressions are good!

The Circular Polarizing Filter is needed to cut down snow and water reflections as well as maintain blue skies and clouds. The Neutral Density Filter will be used for waterfalls and other exposures needing long shutters.

I opted to leave the drone at home for a couple of reasons. First, we are traveling on our honeymoon, I don’t want to spend a romantic trip with my new wife flying a hive of angry bees over scenic Banff. That doesn’t sound like fun to me. Second, because of the size. I love my drone. The 3DR Solo is great for the type of work that I use it for. However, it is huge! It would be a carry-on by itself. If I had something like a DJI Spark or Mavic that folds down small and can still record quality video and stills, I might consider lugging it around.

Other Miscellaneous Gear

Just when I thought we had everything that we needed for an expedition to Canada, my bride surprised me by picking up a pair of YakTrax for both of us. These simple devices improve traction on snow and ice and will be perfect for post-holing snow packed trails and scurrying across glaciers. There are a million reasons that I love this woman, and spontaneous & surprise gear purchases rank in the top 100 reasons for sure.

We are both packing winter sleeping bags as I am not confident in the insulation of a rental RV in the Canadian Rockies in October. I will also pack a bag liner to add a little extra warmth to the sleeping arrangement. Travel pillows will more than likely fly in the carry-on and be used heavily in our Houston layover.

In order to get all of this gear on an airplane and across the continent we need some luggage. My clothing will be packed in an old REI duffel that has been on many adventures. My carry-on is a Patagonia Refugio 28L day pack. This day-pack has been my go-to since my 2nd year of college and carries my camera bag in the bottom, jackets on top, maps, chargers, and a book/journal, and passports in several well-designed pockets and a tripod in one side pocket with a Nalgene in the other side pocket.

Rachael uses a NorthFace Base Camp Duffel as her checked bag and an Osprey 35L backpacking pack as her carry-on. If I know her at all, her checked bag will have plenty of clothing and shoes for any adventure that we might find and her carry-on will have her e-reader, plenty of snacks, and warm layers for her to stay warm in the freezing airport, plane, or public transport.

What gear do you use when you travel? Comment on the blog or reach out to us on Instagram and YouTube as @okienomads. We love hearing from others traveling and trying to make things work in this lifestyle.

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