Supplies: Watercolors in the Field

Since sharing about how I get my fill of nature and art I've gotten a few inquiries to talk more about supplies, of which I'm happy to do! I will say, what I take with me is dependent upon where I'm going, how I'm getting there and how long I will be there. There are a lot of variables that could change things up and I think whatever you decide to take or keep home is your call. The more you practice bringing your kit with you, the better idea you will have of what you need and don't need. For the most part for me, it's about keeping it simple and light weight.

Left: W&N Cotman Water Colour Paint Field Plus. Right: W&N Cotman Water Colour Paint Pocket Plus (without half pans, though out of the box it comes with paint).

Out of the Box Kits

I have several field kits that I've collected that are good to go right out of the box. In fact, the first and only set of watercolors I've ever been given/used in an educational setting was the first field kit I'm going to share. My high school watercolors teacher bought them for all of us, I still have it today and love it. These are great options if you want to purchase one and go. Both of these kits come with interchangeable half pans of which you can swap in and out as your palette changes which I find super helpful, though at this point, unless I'm traveling to a different kind of landscape than what I usually paint in, my larger kit never really changes anymore. 

Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paint Pocket Plus. Set of 12 Half Pans.

This kit is great if you are just looking for a few paints, and a few spots to mix color. No frills here, though it does have more space for paint than the Paint Field Plus I describe below. You'll need to round up a water basin or two and bring water separately. It does come with a mini round brush that's actually quite nice and very versatile! This is the kit I mentioned from high school. It was great to have in class, I will say I do not usually take this out when I'm hiking but if I'm traveling and will be working indoors, or at a table with access to water I consider bringing it as it takes up less space in my bag.

Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paint Field Plus. Set of 12 Half Pans.

This is my go to kit. So much wrapped up into one nice little box. A set of 12 interchangeable half pans and a mini brush but this kit also comes with two water basins and a little water bottle as well. Additionally it has a little tray that slides out for more palette space. I love this thing. Basically the same size as the Paint Pocket Plus, just a little thicker. Having this with me when I'm out is always a no brainer and I'm sure you can see that as it makes frequent appearances in my photos on Instagram.

Paper

The paper you take with you is honestly totally up to you! More and more I'm opting to paint on individual pieces of paper vs. painting in my sketch book. I'm becoming a fan of hot press watercolor paper over cold press. Hot press watercolor paper is typically nice and smooth whereas cold press often has a rough-ish sort of texture to it. I normally work on smaller pieces of paper in the field and find that the ridges in the cold press paper can take a way for little details I may want to paint in where that doesn't really happen with hot press paper. Again your call! I would suggest investing in good paper. You can absolutely see a different, your paint reacts different'y and you will always get better results with better quality supplies. That's just my opinion and I know everyone's budget is different BUT if you're going to splurge on something in your tool kit I think paper may be a close second to a few excellent brushes. I often buy large sheets of paper and cut it down so it fits into my notebook. You can find all types of watercolor paper at any art supply store in large sheets.

Moleskine Watercolor Album Sketchbook 5"x 8"

Moleskine sketch books have been my go to sketchbooks for years, I really like the quality in which they are manufactured, however I will say the paper has never been to die for and more and more it's not justifying the expense of the notebook itself. I'm sure there are other better quality watercolor notebooks out there, I just need to find them! As for the Moleskine; I find them really great for their hard cover, the elastic band to keep them closed and the little paper pocket they always have in the back of the books. This is where I will keep my small pieces of loose paper that I bring with me. Usually if it can't fit in there, it's not coming with! I know I would bend the corners if I tired to bring something larger. If someone has any suggestions for hard cover watercolor sketch books with high quality paper, please share! I would absolutely consider something new!

Brushes, Paint and Other Supplies

Paint: I don't strictly use one brand of paint, though I will say Winsor and Newton is a favorite of mine, they have several options of affordability for you with varying levels of quality, so you have options! But I will pick up random tubes of paint here and there if I see a color that intrigues me. I try not to add too much to my palette as I'm a firm believer in knowing how to mix your paint and get the colors you want with a basic/universal palette. Certain magentas and turquoises you just can't mix though!

Brushes: Slowly and surly I've begun to learn how important good brushes are and how important it is that you take good care of them. That being said my brush collection is all over the place and honestly I beat the hell out of them! Depending on what medium and how I'm packing everything I will use oil and acrylic brushes for my watercolors and vice versa. I have a hand full of Princeton Synthetic Sabel Watercolor Brushes in my field kit that always stay there. They are really versatile and get the job done in any situation I am in. I also don't need to carry a whole bunch either, I find a few varying sizes of round brushes with nice sharp points and maybe a 1/4" flat brush with longer bristles covers my needs.

Half Pans: I probably have two full sets of half pans with all my watercolors in them. I have a larger metal palette that I use at home with a set in them and then I have a small case where I keep them loose. Those are the pans I will switch in and out of my field kits if I find it necessary. I included a photo above of that setup.

Other stuff: A few last bits I always make sure to have with me are:

- A small roll of tape, I'm a fan of washi style tape because it's small and is very much like masking tape.

- A bit of sponge that I've cut off a larger piece, I use this instead of paper towels.

- A pice of a lager eraser I've used Magic Rub erasers my whole life.

- Mechanical pencil with 2 or 4h lead

- Brush holder/box; I first started with a long skinny plastic case that I picked up at a local art store to carry my brushes and quickly found that it was not for me. My brushes slide around in there, despite the pieces of foam that are to keep them in place and there's been several instances where I open the box to find my brushes mashed up against one end of the box. I'm sure this is because I'm often storing it vertically in my backpack while I traipse around. I've ended up with damaged brushes too many times and have since retired this option. I'm mentioning it here though because it is a great little tool case, I would put so much more than my brushes in it and it was handy for other things, so maybe it's a great option for you! Since,  I've moved on to a canvas roll up style brush holder that's been great for me. Super light weight and keeps everyone nicely organized. There's even space for my roll of tape and sponge!

No matter where I'm going I always carry a combination of the supplies I've listed above. Mix and match what you take with you and the more you take your kit out the more you'll see what you absolutely need and what you can probably leave at home. I'm not yet the artist that carries a huge kit with her out into the field and paints a masterpiece but that's because I'm usually painting while on a hike or exploring, I do not go out to a specific place just to paint... but I'm hoping that mentality will soon change!

*Just a note* I tired to make a comprehensive shopping list via Amazon and this is the one time their customer service has failed me and my list is in limbo. I will provide a link when and if I figure out how to make it active! Xoxo

The best of both worlds: Taking advantage of free time with art in nature

Working a full time desk job, though it has some perks, definitely puts a damper on the free time I have to do the things I really want to do. Make art, exercise, spend time outside, travel, spend time with friends and family, the list goes on and on. Most nights after I finally get home I find I only have about 3 hours of time to do the things I’ve spent most of my day at the office thinking about. This is if I 1. don’t have any other plans and 2. don’t make dinner. What a bummer. I always want dinner! I know so many people live this daily life and I’m sure many have even less free time than this. I don’t have a family or even a pet to take care of! Though I do live with my boyfriend and it’s important to me that we spend quality time together as well. It’s crazy to me how much of our lives are spent taking care of obligations and not doing what we simply want to do or what makes us happy at our core. Maybe that topic is worth a totally different kind of post later on.

My point is, when I’m free from work or other obligations with some time to myself I like o try to make the most of it. I think it’s safe to say I’m a multitasker at heart and so if I can combine a couple things I’m passionate about into one little package, I’m all over it.

In the past year or so I’ve found great joy in taking a small field kit with me along on walks and hikes so I can paint while I’m out. When I know I’ve set aside the time to stop along the way and dedicate an hour or so to sitting and observing one specific section of the trail it puts me in a totally different state of mind. I find myself paying better attention to my surroundings. Looking more closely at the light and colors, listening to the sounds and taking in the smells. It’s really almost meditative. 

My first attempt at plein air painting..and also a random phone number.

A horse farm at the top of a hill in one of my favorite local natural spots, just outside of Northeast Philly!

Another vignette from the park near NE Philly I often visit after work.

Painting in Tortola, I had to bring a few extra paints with me on this trip because I wanted to get the turquoise water right.

Getting out there for National Trails Day, 2017. This is a relatively quiet spot in Wissahickon park.

Aside from all of that, I also think it’s really important to paint from life. Something that I’m not often able to do, or very comfortable doing frankly. Painting from life is a whole other beast in the world of art. Light changes, perspective changes with just a small tilt of your head, or adjustment of your seat, clouds shift, people come and go if you’re painting a street scene. It’s rough and easy to become confused and overwhelmed. For me anyway.

I really have no formal plein air training, and by “really” I mean I have absolutely zero plein air training. That’s going to change though, as I’m taking a landscape painting class this summer that I am so so excited for! I’m sure I will report back on that after things get rolling. For those who may not be familiar, “plein air” painting simply means to create a work of art outside, it’s a french term that means “open air.” 

My favorite places to paint along the trail usually involve a rock and a body of water.  Loved finding this flower from a tulip poplar last spring. I'd like to paint and record all the different types of plants I come across.

I find the more I practice setting time aside to paint on trail and through my travels, the more comfortable I become and the quicker my piece will come together. Already, I’ve found that I’m able to get my first wash or two down pretty swiftly without much hesitation, making my decision making for painting in the details a little easier. It’s nice to feel things begin to click and that’s just a testament to practice making perfect… though perfection is not a real thing in my mind.

As a person who always wants to do it all and use every second of my day to be productive this little combination of two things I love has really had a positive affect on my evenings and free time. I’m able to get outside, be a active and create and practice my art! I’m not yet creating masterpieces out there but maybe that will come with time. The important thing for now is being in nature and painting as much as I can.

Stickers are here!

The internet is a wonderful thing. Just last week I was asking my Instagram followers if they’d be interested in purchasing stickers from my shop if I offered them. The overwhelming response was “yes” and already I have five designs in my possession to share!

Adding new product to my shop has been on the top of my to do list for a while now, so I’m over the moon that I’m able to get it rolling with these five stickers from a collection of some of my original watercolor crystals and two from my ongoing “Crystal Visions” series. 

I’m already super excited to add more, if you have any ideas or requests for new designs be sure to let me know, I’m always down for suggestions.

Find them in my shop here and be sure to check out my post on Instagram featuring them. I’m hosting a contest where you and a friend could each win the whole set!

Travel Log: Havasupai

JULY, 22-25 2017

My first ever experience in the desert was also my first ever experience backpacking. It was a trip that required a lot of planning and a lot of “walking into the unknown,” as my boyfriend and I chose to backpack into Havasupai, unguided and unassisted by the pack animals and helicopter options. It was an eye opening, amazing adventure that has inspired me both artistically and as a lover of travel and the outdoors.

Early February 2017, after spending two days desperately calling the reservation numbers literally hundreds of times only to hear busy signals or get disconnected, I was able to secure two permits for Havasupai via the then brand new online reservation system. I swear it was all luck that we were able to get permits on the days we were hoping for at the beginning of a week and a half long trip through Arizona and Utah. We then had 5 months to gather the “stuff” we needed and read all the blogs on what we could expect on the hike in, while we were there, and the hike out. This also included lots of reading about weather, flash flooding and monsoon season.

Like I mentioned, I’ve read many of articles about the hike and how long it is. The general consensus of which I agree with is; from the trail head at Hualapai Hilltop to the sign that said  the town of Supai is just ahead is 8 miles. According to some articles I read that’s where they stopped keeping track of milage and I think that’s really deceiving. From there it’s easily another 4 miles until you’ve actually walked through town, beyond Little Navajo Falls and beyond Havasu Falls to reach the entrance to the campground. Then, depending on where you want to camp you can count on almost another mile of hiking through camp to choose your spot. I didn’t really know this when we went and when we reached town we kept thinking we would “be there” around every turn. We were wrong as we still had about a third of our trip to go. No big deal though, we know for next time!

Hualapai Hilltop, looking down on the trail.

OUR EXPERIENCE

We left civilization with stomachs full of In and Out burgers and a rental car full of our gear. Oh and nerves, the farther we drove away from life the more nervous I became. I had never been in a situation like this. I’ve been camping countless times, but never did I have to hike 12ish miles through the desert with no water sources, no other people, no shelter just to get to my campsite. Looking back on it now I feel a little silly, but I can’t help it I always have a bit of fear of the unknown and my boyfriend and I both had never experienced this so we really didn’t know what to expect the entire time.

Finding Haualapai Hilltop was relatively easy. We arrived a few hours before sunset. We were lucky to find a spot to park right near the trail head but then stood there scratching our heads for a little while. “Now what?” we asked our selves. We knew most people came, camped at the hilltop and began their hike in the middle of the night to avoid the heat, but where do we camp, or better yet, where were we allowed to camp? There were a few random, uninhabited backpacking tents near the edge of the parking lot but honestly they were really close to the primitive bathrooms, and I wasn’t trying to smell that all night. We opted for the scenic option and chose a spot towards the edge of the cliff. As we began to set up our tent a few other parties arrived, some of which had been to Havasupai and others had not yet. Talking to everyone put me at ease. We watched the sun disappear behind thunderstorms in the distance, and then we all retreated to our tents setting our alarms for around 2:30am. 

After lucking out and only dealing with a moderate windstorm and distant thunderstorms that never made their way to us through the night we packed up our tent, grabbed our packs, double and  triple checked our gear, snarffed (yes that’s right, snarffed) down a few protein bars, put on our head lamps and began our decent. The trail starts (and ends on your way out) with a series of switch backs down the side of the hilltop. As we took our first steps on the trail we could see the head lamps of others below us and their distant voices echoing off the canyon walls. It was surreal. Though we were moving slow and cautiously I decided later on that I actually like to hike in the pitch black. It totally knocked away an anticipation you made in your head as you count your steps to landmarks in the distance. In the dark it’s just one foot in front of the other and the occasional stop and look around for the trail (which in this case meant looking for the discarded Arizona Iced Tea cans and other pieces of garbage along the way, gross, sad and true).

The elevation at the top of the hill is apx. 5,200 ft, the decent down the switch backs is a quick 1,000 ft drop over about .75mi and then a slow decent of another 1,000 ft until the edge of the village 7.5ish miles later. I’d say maybe 3.5mi into our hike we began to see light in the sky and our surroundings came into view. We were in the middle of a deep canyon totally surrounded by high walls of sandstone. It was really incredible. I’d read the hike to the village was relatively boring with little to see but as a life long dweller of the North Eastern part of this country I was totally fascinated. The path is mostly loose stone, like walking on a river bed or almost in gravely sand, which was a bit of a pain and you feel like you have to constantly be correcting yourself with your heavy pack on. Thankfully I had my trek poles and the sights alone were enough to distract me from the not-so-ideal footing situation.

At dawn we began to catch up to parties that had left before us. One after another we would pass them. Occasionally when we would stop, they would catch up to us and then once again we’d pass them. We were (in my novice backpacker opinion anyway) flying with under 20 minute miles. Another bit of info I had in the back of my mind was how long this hike would take. From what I read, many blogs would say upwards of 6-8 hours. Our hike in was a total of 5 hours 7 minutes, which included the time it took to stop in town and check in. Our time out was 14.24 miles in 6 hours exactly (I went back and checked my stats from my sport watch)! I was/am so proud of us. 

After we walked through town, little homes began to thin out and we were once again surrounded by nature. The path began to open up and the sound of the creek increased. I began to get really excited. The water was blue! Blue like the hundreds of pictures I had seen all over social media! We walked passed Little Navajo Falls, I really wanted to explore but I knew that was out of the question. Then we began to walk down a fairly steep hill. The thundering sound of water echoed around us. We were coming upon Havasu Falls. I almost started to jog down the hill out of joy, but my tired shaky knees wouldn't allow for it. We rounded a bit of a corner, I looked back over my right shoulder and there it was! We were there. We had done it. We hauled our butts into the desert to this place only a few are able to see. I felt a huge wave of emotions wash over me, but aside from that I had noticed for the first time just how hot it had gotten now that the sun was above us. With that, we snapped a few photos and continued down the path to camp. Once we reached camp we were spent. We didn’t walk far into the campground before we plopped our gear down in a shady spot and said it was good enough for us. It was a good spot, I had no complaints! We ended being really close to one of the springs which turned out to be incredibly convenient.

We spent that whole day, and the whole next day exploring the area. I was a little sad we did not get to Beaver Falls but our bodies were tired and sore and needed the rest. Next time. This place is unreal. Seriously. Pictures will never ever do it justice. It also wasn’t as crowded as I expected. There were people their with their obnoxious animal and food shaped pool floats, many of which inevitably were punctured and left behind as garbage (don’t do that), but for the most part everyone was pretty cool. We were all there for the same reason and it honestly felt somewhat communal. Later that first day a family from Switzerland came in with a guide. They went and explored while their guide set up their camp. She came over to us to introduce herself and make sure we didn’t mind having the family there, it was a rather large came for just 5 people so we she wanted to assure us we wouldn’t be suddenly surrounded by a mob. She then gave us two frozen bottles of water. I’ve never been more excited over ice. I was really grateful to have her next to us as she would be able to periodically give us some advice as well as weather updates from her SAT phone.

From left to right: My very first view of Havasu Falls. Creek crossing. At the base of Havasu Falls on our first day (the only day with sun!)

Later that first day we walked through the camp to Mooney Falls, walking up to it is breath taking. I think the words I used again and again were “Holy shit.” I know I said this above but I'm saying it again, there are no words, no photos that can do this waterfall and the surrounding area justice. As if the waterfall wasn’t good enough, the decent down is just incredible. Tunnels, chains, polished hand and foot holds, sketchy ladders. I guess it may not be for the faint of heart but it was everything my little mountain goat soul loves. Our second day we actually packed our stove and made lunch at the picnic table that was right there in the creek and the base of Mooney with a few new friends we had made. Just a casual picnic in Havasu Creek. No biggie. 

First views, and the descent to the base of Mooney Falls.

We swam, hiked, explored and oohed and ahhed the entirety of our short 48ish hours there. I will say this though, our joy and excitement was interrupted however with intermittent bouts of confusion, worry and game planning. We visited Havasupai during monsoon season and most of our conversations with others usually ended up at “What time are you leaving?” “Are you staying tonight or leaving later today?” “Have you heard a weather report?” “Any word of flooding upstream?” We heard many warnings and stories of flash flooding and the almost constant grey skies and threat of rain admittedly had me rattled now and then. It was a weird unfamiliar situation for me. No way of contacting the outside world and because we were down at the bottom of the canyon we could not see any weather approaching, it would just suddenly be on top of us. One day a storm came along as we were out and about, the only indication a storm was approaching was the sudden change in wind and hearing the thunder bounce off the tall rocky walls. It was simultaneously really wild and ominous but spoiler alert, we survived. All-in-all I’d say we made out just fine weather wise. We even beat a storm on our hike out!

The Havasupai Tribe are the “People of the Blue Green Waters,” and that’s no joke. That’s the one thing the pictures do justice. The water (depending on weather) really is that color! When we were there it was a little more milky colored than other times because of the rain. I was just incredibly thankful that it wasn’t brown as that can happen if there’s been an over haul of precipitation upstream. Something that fascinated me almost more than the water and waterfalls was the vegetation. Everywhere along the walls were ferns and moss, it was other worldly, it's one of the reasons I loved our camp site so might. We were right along a spring near the canyon wall and it was just covered in little feathery ferns. It is truly an oasis.

Fastinated by all the colors.

My rope swing skills need work.

A few times we thought about leaving early because of rumors of bad storms coming, but we decided to stay and I’m glad we did. On our last night we ate dinner as rain rolled in, we packed up as much gear as we could and retired to our tents with another 3am wake up call. By the time we woke up our Swiss neighbors were already gone and the rain had stopped. Their gear waiting with heaps of other gear for the mules to carry at the edge of the campground. As we walked by the loads of backpacks and duffle bags waiting to be strapped to the mules I thought about what would happen if I just shoved my big green pack in the middle of the pile and played dumb when they reached the top later that day. We can all dream... or just pack lighter packs next time.

The way out was a lot like the way in, though this time we walked through Supai in the dark. Dogs from the village would walk along with us for stretches and disappear off into the darkness. We hiked with a group for a while, a family with a young boy and a few couples, but this time the tables had turned. Everyone left us in the dust, the difference was they only had day packs on. The whole way out we did not see another backpacker, every single person had little light packs on and clearly used the pack animals to carry their gear. A few people I saw didn't even have packs, just bottles of water! Despite being slower than the other hikers our time was still right on track. I was in a groove and it felt great to just go. Until three quarters of the way out the terrain suddenly became steeper, and steeper. My pace slowed, my breathing increased, my shoulders began to burn from the straps of my pack pulling down on them. My mind grew panicky thinking about how tired and sore I was becoming and we still have the last section to go, the switchbacks. This is when I decided I preferred hiking in the dark. I kept thinking I could see them ahead, I kept looking for the signal light at the ranger station at the top of the hill as an indication that “the end was near," but couldn’t find it.

Then a mile or so later, we were upon them, the switchbacks. It was brutal. I would round a few corners, and tell myself “one more before you stop,” sit, rest, pant, drink water, find my boyfriend down trail and make sure he was ok, get back up, round two more corners, repeat. Then it was every corner, then it was every 50 steps, then every 20 steps… I would stop and feel myself becoming choked up between weezy breaths. Overcome with emotion and frustrated at my lack of “toughness” and athleticism. I thought I was in better shape than this. Granted I did have a 65L pack on my back full of water and heavy camera equipment that I insisted on bringing with. But still… People would walk by and say encouraging things to me, and I just remember making breathing noises in response. I couldn’t muster words. Slowly the hilltop became closer and closer until I could hear the murmur of the people gathered around the ranger station waiting for the mules to arrive with their belongings. I recognized almost all of them from the trail or camp. I could see the Swiss family there. Finally, after what seemed like hours I made it to the end of the trail. The small crowd let out a few cheers and someone I had spoken to earlier said “Yeah, go Philly!” I just looked over, smiled and almost jogged over to our car (now even more thankful for the close parking spot we had). Even those last steps from the edge of the trail to the car seemed like the length of two football fields. In reality it was less than 50ft. I Dropped my pack off my back and let a few dramatic tears well up in my eyes wondering if I would ever catch my breath again and wondering if I would ever be so thankful to finish a hike in my whole life. Not before turning around and jogging back down the trail to find my partner. Still unable to catch my breath I found him rounding the second to last switchback. I unclipped his and carried his sleeping bag and we finished together. The ranger could see the lack of skin on my shoulders from my pack and made a comment about it. I laughed it off and felt like a goofy newb. It had started to rain, the wind was stronger at the top and the temperature was now noticeably colder than I remembered. Sweaty, dirty, and shivering I could only think about the peanut butter and slices of bread we had lifted from the hotel continental breakfast four nights prior. It was glorious. 

We drove away while everyone continued to wait in the cold and rain for their gear, it was then I was thankful I opted to carry my pack out. We headed towards the Grand Canyon’s South Rim laughing, delirious and recounting our whole experience. A few hours later we stopped at a little touristy spot along Route 66. When we wandered inside my boyfriend was delighted to find bathrooms and free coffee, I was excited about the two dogs with the older man working the register. I asked to pet the dogs and he asked if we were coming form Supai. “Yep! How could you tell?” I asked sarcastically. We stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the throngs of retirees and families who had just come out of tour busses shopping for postcards and key chains.

Necessities: KT tape to keep my knees working and a ridiculous post hike selfie in front of a Route 66 mural

We topped off our free coffee with Wendy’s just outside the park gates. When we arrived at the lodge in the park it felt like we stepped into Valhalla. Air conditioning AND showers. So sad considering we only spent a few days “roughing it.” I wouldn’t even really consider it roughing it but you know… We bathed and promptly passed out for a grand total of 16 hours. At one point I remember waking up around 5pm asking Nick if we could get up later and watch the sunset, then next time I awoke it was after 6am.

Since then I’ve looked at the pictures from that place a countless number of times. I’ve even made one of my favorite little watercolor paintings from my on going “Crystal Visions” series. I’m still incredibly inspired by that place and I’m sure over time I will make more art from these images and my memories. 

A FEW WORDS ON GEAR:

I didn’t want to make this post a fact sheet, rather a recounting of my experience. That said, I do want to make a few notes on my decisions for gear based on my experience and research.

Boots vs. Trail runners

This is something I tossed back and forth on for a long time. I’d never hiked this far, in this environment with such a large pack. This made my footwear choice really difficult. I researched what I can only imagine as the whole internet. I even posted a little forum on Trip Advisor starting a discussion on what shoes people would recommend wearing. I was torn, I really didn’t love the idea of lugging around heavy boots through the desert, but I did want to be comfortable and have support when/where I needed it. I never once got a straight answer either. I ended wearing my Salomon Quests, of which I love and are 100% comfortable and took a pair of Chacos for tooling around and wearing in the water. My boyfriend opted for his Brook’s Cascadia’s and had a pair of water sneakers from Salomon. I didn’t hear him complain about his feet at all and despite the wobbly trail he didn’t suffer any ankle pain/injuries. I for one have rubber ankles. I’m constantly rolling them but usually don’t suffer from any pain. In retrospect I think I would have been just fine in my Cascadia’s and maybe even more comfortable. Wearing my boots around, relacing them constantly to change in and out of while down there was kind of a pain and they are super cumbersome. But that’s just me and my experience! I’d say, if you’re in a similar spot to me consider your ankles/legs/feet and how much support you typically need through your footbed and ankle as well as other considerations, like ease of taking them on and off, weight, place to store them, etc. Bottom line, I unfortunately don’t have a black and white answer for you, which was what I was looking for prior to our trip.

Camera Gear and Art Supplies

This was another series of decisions that I bounced around with leading up until moments before we closed the car and started our hike. I chose to take a my Canon 6D, a rented 24-70mm Lens as well as my super wide lens, extra batteries and a waterproof bag. I also had to bring a small tripod to shoot the stars (of which we never saw). I did have a go pro with me on that trip but I left it behind as I had my super wide lens packed. Last minute I also decided to leave behind my paints and sketch book. For those of you who are familiar with the gear I mention above you’re also aware of how heavy it is. And I felt it. Looking back on it now I question if my camera really captured anything really different from what my phone or the go pro could have shot, which I’m sure is making EVERY photographer reading this cringe. It all comes down to what’s more important, having the gear to get the shots you want or a lighter pack. You have to weigh the pros and cons. If/when I go back again I’m sure I will deal with the same struggle but depending on my gear situation I may opt to leave my heavy SLR behind and bring a super light paint kit, go pro, and water housing for my phone instead.

Ultralight, quick drying towel

Bring one. Bottom line. You’ll use it for many things. I’ve said this over and over since our trip, I think my towel was maybe the most useful thing I brought. The most useful thing I found it was good for: I used it as a liner on my sleeping pad in lieu of a sleeping bag which brings me to my next point.

Sleeping bag

If you are in a tent and you go in the summer I’d highly suggest leaving it behind. It was super warm and extremely humid every night. Next time I will bring a bag liner and maybe a small down jacket depending on what the weather looks like. This is for summer time only! If you are bringing a bag in summer months, especially during monsoon season opt for a synthetic filled bag, not down. For mean this would be a really big piece of gear that I could deal with not having a free up a bunch of space and weight off my pack. On top of that, I would roll mine up everyday and put it in it’s dry bag which got old, but I really didn’t want a wet sleeping bag to deal with.

IT'S COMING TOGETHER

Finally, my new site with my own retail space is up and running. Welcome! And if you've been following along for a little while, welcome back and thanks for sticking with me!

I've decided to let my site go live as I add content and items for sale in my shop. Be sure to watch my Instagram for updates as things come together.