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REVIEW: The Healing Power of the Outdoors in ‘HIGHLINE’

April 6, 2020 By Jeff Hester 1 Comment

Highline feature length documentary

The Highline Trail is a 100-mile trail through the little-traveled Uinta Mountains in northeast Utah. The Uintas are one of the few east-west ranges in North America. The are home to 13,528′ Kings Peak, the high point of Utah. HIGHLINE is a feature-length documentary that follows the journey of five friends on a 10-day thru-hike […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Highline, movie, Outmersive, Uinta Mountains, Utah

What Makes People Go for the Fastest Known Time?

September 23, 2019 By Jeff Hester Leave a Comment

UNSUPPORTED - Going for the FKT on the JMT

I’ve thru-hiked the John Muir Trail twice. The first time, back in 1980, I took 25 days to cover the 211-plus miles. The second time in 2010 I hiked it with my girlfriend (now my wife) over 22 days. If I could’ve taken more time off from work, I would have taken longer, but three […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: documentary, Jason Fitzpatrick, John Muir Trail, video

REVIEW: Epic Hikes of the World

August 17, 2018 By Jeff Hester 1 Comment

Book Review: Epic Hikes of the World

What hiking adventures are on your “life list?” What the heck is a life list? Many people have a bucket list, filled with things they’d like to do before they “kick the bucket.” I prefer a list that helps me plan a full and satisfying life. I call it my life list. With each year […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book, Lonely Planet, review

REVIEW: The High Sierra Trail

August 16, 2018 By Jeff Hester Leave a Comment

The High Sierra Trail - A Documentary

The High Sierra Trail is the thru-hike for people who can only spare a week of vacation. Unlike the longer John Muir Trail (JMT), which follows the Sierra Nevada north-to-south from Yosemite to Mount Whitney (or vice versa), The High Sierra Trail (HST) traverses the range from west-to-east. And unlike the JMT, the HST only […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: documentary, High Sierra Trail, Outmersive, review

Cairn Obsidian Spring Collection Unboxing

April 11, 2018 By Jeff Hester 2 Comments

What's in the Spring 2018 Cairn Obsidian box?

We first looked at Cairn three years ago when they launched their monthly subscription box. Last year, they created the Obsidian Premium Collection – a quarterly subscription box with over $300 worth of gear. One of the unique features of the premium edition is that it really is tailored to the subscriber. Boxes can include clothing […]

Filed Under: Gear & Tips, Reviews Tagged With: #cairnrocks, cairn, gear review, unboxing

Book Review: Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California

November 3, 2017 By Jeff Hester 1 Comment

Book Review - Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California

My longest thru-hike (so far) is the 211-mile John Muir Trail, which I’ve hiked twice. The Pacific Crest Trail  beckons me, but at 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, it would take a five-month commitment to thru-hike, and that’s if I were lucky enough to avoid calamity along the way. Fortunately for those of us […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book review, Pacific Crest Trail, PCT, Southern California

Book Review: Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest

August 1, 2017 By Jeff Hester 2 Comments

SoCalHiker Book Review: Base Camp Las Vegas

I have a lot of hiking and backpacking guides on my bookshelf, but Deborah Wall’s Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest is a guidebook that threw me a curveball. I received a copy from the publisher while I was traveling and didn’t get a chance to take a good look at it […]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book review, Las Vegas, review, Southwest

Review: Cairn

January 9, 2015 By Jeff Hester 1 Comment

Monthly boxes of curated goodies seem to be everywhere, these days. Cairn has created one perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. What is Cairn? They describe it as “your monthly box of outdoor discovery.” It’s a monthly subscription service. Each month, you receive a box of curated products. It might include a hammock or headlamp, hiking socks, snacks, skin […]

Filed Under: Gear & Tips, Reviews Tagged With: cairn, getcairn, review

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About Jeff Hester

I created SoCal Hiker while preparing to thru-hike the John Muir Trail. My goal? Create guides for the best hiking trails throughout Southern California--and occasionally beyond. I personally hike each trail to create these guides, sharing practical advice on gear and outdoor skills. Read more...

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