another day hike: two of my favorite spydercos.

[JV3]

looks like it's starting to warm up now that the sun is up.




i have my full ninja gear on :D




vodka to help keep my blood from freezing :p nah, it's just water. i'm trying to move away from a camelbak to save more pack weight (not that it's useful anyway at this temp).




looks like i found the perfect bottle - fits perfectly on my side pocket without sloshing around or getting in my way.




some damascus-looking puddle of water/ice.

[JV3]

i like trekking poles - i feel like i have 4 legs...way more stable on sketchy water crossings.




the sun starting to peek out...so peaceful.




then bam! you get hit by a widow maker.




i decided to check on a couple of my well-hidden overnight spots to see if anyone else stumbled onto them...my untouched stash of wood suggests no.




nice to see one of my water sources is flowing strong again!











something caught my eye so i crossed over the frozen stream to check something out (never cross an unfamiliar stream in the winter!).




nope, not chaga...my search continues.

[JV3]

one of my favorite winter-only tinder, beech leaves.




they're like potato chips - full of oils that catches and burns well.






really weird mild winter here so far. i should've brought my spikes...i'll take deep snow over this icy mess anyday.








trying to cover your tracks? pee against a tree so you don't leave yellow snow behind :D

[JV3]

most of this tree's branches are pointing towards east.




...which reminded me of this awesome book (thanks pitdog for suggesting it!).




hurricane sandy left a lot of downed branches behind but surprisingly a lot less than i was expecting (very few actual trees that snapped).










headed over to my overnight spot #2 to check on it.




that tree bridge is actually alive and well (come spring time it's full of side branches shooting up, full of leaves and very healthy)...good spot to put a snare trap too if you need to.




more snow fuzzies.




ginormous burl on the base of this treee (should've put my knife on it for scale).

[JV3]

reminds me of a mole :)




gotta love the will to survive!




my other spot looks to be un-used as well.




the pile of branches i left last year are still untouched.




on my way to my yet another overnight spot...birch trees are all over here and it's my favorite tinder. the inside rots very quickly but the bark keeps for a very long time.




i rarely come across a cedar tree so when i do i make sure to grab some of that bark for tinder too.

[JV3]

time for lunch!




i couldn't decide which pic i liked better so decided to post these as well...the bushcraft is my most used fixed blade of all time.








the folding saw is the one doing all the heavy lifting though...the bushcraft just swoops in for the glamour shots :p




what i keep on me at all times...i decided to give my orange military (my most used folder of all time) a break this time and brought my orange pm2 with me. it has quickly become my favorite folder (the black one anyway since that's the one i've been using a lot lately) - almost all the awesome slicing ability of the military in a more pocket (and non-knife people) friendly size.




anyway, by now my hands are numb and my stomach growling (should've just taken the lazy way and brought a stove with me!), i shove the birch bark, feather sticks and twigs inside the emberlit.




i rubbed the cedar bark between my hands to create a bird's nest.




...then shove it in the bottom and tilt the emberlit back to better catch the firesteel's sparks.

[JV3]

my fire kit.




reminded me why i prefer a wood fire over a stove - that camp fire atmosphere.






my spoon-carving skill is coming along nicely! :D




sorry to disappoint but my trademark spam will have to wait for next time.








the emberlit in hand-warmer mode.




woods ninja!




...anyway, that was my first hike of this year.

[KardinalSyn]

Man, I wish I was up out there with you :D nature is indeed awesome.

Normally I would rant a to how there was no knife pictured in the first few posts but reading what you wrote and the way you wrote it made an enjoyable tale. Good job.

[c.joe]

This is great! Very cool pictures! Thank you for sharing.

[Invective]

I'm guessing you batonned through this right :D

[BAL]

Awesome story using pictures. Very nice photo work as well, you got
some great shots, especially the close up ice shots. Thanks for sharing.

[jackknifeh]

Very enfoyable read and great pictures. I see several that would make great desktop wallpaper. Don't need to decide now cuz I'm going to save them all. :D I think the orange PM2 picture would make a good Spyderco calendar chance. Send it in next year. :)

Jack

[Zenith]

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

On a side note when heading out I always struggle in choosing what knives to take with me. Tend to take to much. Your setup looks interesting.

[.357 mag]

Looks like a great JV!

[FrankH]

Great pictures. My first recollections are of the Jersey woods as we lived near Magnolia when I was little (1950-1952). Beautiful state.

[1623]

That was an enjoyable way to start my day, thank you for sharing.

[bh49]

Nice story, great pictures. Thank you for sharing.

[jackthedog]

Great pictures. What kind of camera where you using?

[Donut]

Nice pictures. Is that a microbevel on the Bushcraft?

[Pockets]

Those are some really beautiful pictures!

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

On a side note when heading out I always struggle in choosing what knives to take with me. Tend to take to much. Your setup looks interesting.

I do this too. We're probably not alone!