As they say, time heals all wounds, so by last week – almost exactly a year since my first trek up the mountain – I had forgotten about the bruises Telescope Peak had left on my body and mind.  Oh, how it all came back! It took me just under 12 hours, taking multiple breaks, but I was able to bag the summit again. I felt a lot stronger on this hike than I did last year, but altitude was still an issue, despite the fact I stayed a day at the Mahogany Flat campground (8,133 feet).

Here’s some photos and a video:

This is the first view of Telescope Peak (far right), about 1.5 miles into the hike.

An unexpected point of view of the trail, about 4 miles in to the trek. Over my head is facing east with the Panamint Valley and, barely visible, the snow-capped Sierras which includes Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States.

The infamous switchbacks up to the peak. Guarding the trail are bristlecone pine trees, the oldest type of trees in the world. Just an hour or so north of here, in the White Mountains, stands Methuzalah, a 4,700-year old bristelcone tree - the oldest known living non-clonal organism on the planet.

Here I am in a small patch of snow. SNOW! I could see it for most of the trek (the green triangle marks the start of the hike) and had to do a little off-trail hiking to get to it. The red triangle marks the lowest spot in the western hemisphere (-282 feet below sea level). Last Tuesday, the temperature there reached 125 degrees, making it all the more amazing that there was snow here (albeit 10,000 feet higher).

The snow was not edible and had a pink tinge to it. I don't know why, but I'm sure the radiation of the sun had something to do with it.

The summit box, holding a few summit books, an emergency canister of stove fuel, and other assorted items. The white area is the salt flat of Panamint Valley. Beyond is the Argus Range, Slate Range, then the Sierras. Mt. Whitney is one of the snow-capped mountains on the far left of this photo.

From the top, looking south, along the Panamint Range.

At the top, looking south. I'm sitting in a small alcove of rocks that I've nicknamed "The King's Throne." I took this photo using a GoPro Hero on a monopod.

Here’s a video from the top:

For a full write-up on the trail, check out my other site, 100hikes.com.

America The Beautiful Annual Pass 2009

A year has passed and I’ve received a new annual pass and car placard to replace the old one. As I made the switch in my wallet and car, I was curious on how much money I actually saved last year by purchasing the annual passes. Below is a breakdown of all the places I visited and the amount I would have spent if I didn’t have the passes.

If you think you can benefit by getting the pass, check out the details at the USGS store. If you’re 62 or older or receive disability benefits, you may be eligible for the Senior or Access pass. For just $10 dollars, these pass holders are granted access to recreation areas for the rest of their lives!

Rob & Jan with Ranger Jay Snow in Death Valley National Park.

Hi, Rob. Thanks for agreeing to an interview. I’m sure my readers will enjoy hearing about your adventure. Can you tell us when/how this project began?

The idea germinated around Christmas time at our apartment in Denver. Our son planned to relocate to Columbus OH early in 2010 and we decided to relocate to Florida. But we could not believe after 2 years in Denver how many parks we had not visited – all the spots around Moab, Grand Tetons, Glacier, Yellowstone.

Who had the idea to search for sponsorship?

The core idea for the Tour was Jan’s – she said we should get an RV and visit them to see if we liked RVing. The more we talked about it, the more it turned into a big project: National Park Tour 2010.  I got busy and wrote a pretty good marketing plan, as it so happens there was an RV show in Denver in early January. We visited several RV manufacturer’s there, and got a lot of encouragement. But we were warned that RV companies are not marketers, they are manufacturers. We had an introduction at Mercedes Benz (MBUSA), and knew they made the Sprinter Van used by several RV companies to outfit as a Class B.

We got lucky. MBUSA was in the process of bringing the Sprinter brand back into their lineup under the Mercedes badge, taking the brand back from Dodge Ram. We happened to hit them with our idea at just the right time. Preparation meets need. Sponsorship. MBUSA worked with Airstream (good branding combination) to outfit an Airstream Interstate for us.

What is the goal of this journey?

First and foremost is to let people know that the Sprinter Interstate is a great means to getting out there and seeing America, especially the National Parks. Our personal goal is to visit every National Park you can drive to in an RV, including Alaska. Plus we hope to launch a new career for Rob as a travel writer and photographer. A side benefit is that we are discovering the RV lifestyle and whether it suits us or not.

I’m about to embark on a 6-day road trip from Los Angeles to Central Oregon and back again. Finding which roads to take, where to stop along the way, and what spots I’ll have to skip due to time constraints has been both exciting and frustrating. How did your route come together?

We feel your pain, Kolby. We knew up front that we had to focus exclusively on the National Parks or we never would have made the project a reality. There is just too much to see and do – there will always be regrets about not being able to stop and see everything. For example, we really, really, really wanted to visit Page, AZ to shoot the Antelope canyons. So you have to make choices, and we made ours early on as the genesis of the project.

The route planning was a challenge – but we figured we had to plan it to avoid early-to-mid summer in Alaska (we are not fans of bugs!!) and needed to be in the the northern parks in the fall. Since we lived in Denver when we planned this, it made sense as our starting point. Our apartment lease was up at the end of April, so we figured Colorado and Utah parks would be warming up by then (not necessarily so – we started in snow and got snowed on as far south as Bryce Canyon). Then the logistics of being finished by winter determined the rest of the route.

Do you feel that 217 days is enough to see everything you’ve planned to see?

We’ve found that there is never enough time to do all that you want to do, or could do. Again, it’s choices that have to be made. Is 217 days enough to do what we hoped to do? Yes. Would we like to have more time? Yes, too. It would be great to spend a month in Alaska. And two weeks in Yellowstone. But that is not what the trip is about. We set out to discover the parks, the people who work there, fellow RVers and those serendipitous meeting of people along the way. That’s what is happening, so no complaints here. As Jan reminds us regularly, while it is disappointing to leave one place, it is equally exciting to get to the next place. Every park is unique, they all have their mysteries and surprises. And the people we meet are of an endless variety, so many great stories out there. Lots of people are living very unique lives, and it is great to connect with them and hear them tell of their journey.

Have you had to make any major modifications to your original plan since you started this journey?

No major modifications in terms of timing or route so far. And barring any emergency, we don’t expect any at this point. Things just seem to be working out. For example, our daughter announced a new grandchild arrival – but it’s not due until second week in December. And we are officially done on December 2nd.

Jan near Capitol Reef National Park

According to your website today, you’ve traveled 6,624 miles in 49 days of travel, visiting 15 National Parks along the way – not even a quarter of your total journey. Have you begun to realize on how big of an adventure this is?

Actually, it is still sinking in. It does not feel like we’ve traveled that far – and we know we’ll exceed our original mileage estimate of 20,000 miles by about 10,000 miles. As we look back on the photo albums and Facebook postings we’ve created, it is beginning to hit us that this is a BIG adventure. We don’t have much time to reflect on that because we are always busy – scoping out the parks, managing the daily routines, creating content, responding to growing amounts of email – plus all the hiking, regular shopping for supplies. Oddly enough, we don’t feel rushed. And we’ve lost weight – a good thing! We’re getting pretty fit on this journey.

Do you see your trip as life-changing?

You bet it is. We’ve essentially gotten rid of pretty much everything we own that is not with us in the Sprinter Interstate. We’ve talked for over 15 years about living a simpler, less cluttered life – the idea that less is more, and we’ve done some of that. But not as totally as we have now. And it has been a discovery that what we thought is true is indeed true. Jan can make an oasis home wherever we are, with whatever we have. And the reduced stress and much better peace of mind is all that we read it would be.

There are a lot of people we’ve met that have given up big corporate jobs and bennies and are enjoying this kind of a lifestyle. They’ve all encouraged us to do the same. Others have been hammered by the recession, and it caused them to make major life changes that they are finding more rewarding than what they had before. The common refrain seems to be “we should have done this a long time ago.” We agree!

I imagine you must feel that you were shot out of a cannon when you began this adventure.

Good turn of phrase – it sure fits us. We did feel that way, because so many things came together at the last minute. And because we picked up the Sprinter Interstate at the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH, we had to drive it back to Denver to load it up with our stuff before we officially hit the road. Fortunately, Forever Resorts put us up in their Holiday Inn Resort in Estes Park for the first 3 days at Rocky Mountain National Park. That really helped us calm down and relax in our roomy suite, so there was not the pressure to immediately go “full time” in the RV.

Last year, I completed a goal of hiking 100 times in 240 days. With each hike, I would photograph myself with a numbered card representing the hike number. Do you have any similar rituals on your journey?

That is a great idea, Kolby. We met a father & son team touring Route 66 in a little Scion XB and a tent and they had a photo ritual with some silly doll thing. But it worked! Our ritual is to connect with at least one Park Ranger on day one, and figure out a less-traveled hike or location in the park to visit. Two hikes are also a ritual – one short and sweet, one long and hard, if they are available. Jan, though, has the coolest ritual – she is getting her National Park passport stamped at each park – including those with 2 locations for 2 stamps; and she sends our 2 year old grandson a postcard from each park. Without fail, as our daughter Brooke is tracking our route on a large map, creating a memory piece for our grandson.

Every year, thousands of “empty nesters” have embarked on long RV journeys, but I haven’t heard of many using social networking services such as Twitter and Facebook to share their experiences. What inspired you to use these services?

My career background is 30+ years in marketing, so we knew the value of the social media. Plus our daughter and son were big proponents of leveraging the web to attract followers. We created our own blog, Facebook and Linkedin sites before we got sponsored. Once we began the Tour, though, all the web-based communications was turned over to Cargo, the marketing agency for Mercedes Benz Sprinter. We create the content – Facebook posts, Facebook notes, Picasa albums, YouTube videos – and Cargo manages the distribution and promotion. Plus we also Tweet regularly. We’re extremely fortunate to have this backing; there was no way we could be doing all that we do plus handle that (despite thinking we could in the beginning.)

When I travel, I tend to bring my laptop so I can send out updates from the road and stay connected to my friends and family. Sometimes though, I’m not sure if staying connected is the best for my well-being. There are times where I’m glad that there’s no cell service or Wi-Fi.

We agree. There is a peace and a solitude that is muy importante that comes from total disconnecting. We’ve experienced that a couple of times, in Big Bend for example. Although we are responsible for providing daily content to Cargo, being totally disconnected was a good experience once we accepted the hard reality of no connectivity.

I know you have shared a lot with others on your website, Twitter and Facebook, but do you keep a written journal of more personal thoughts and experiences from this adventure?

We are trying. Jan has started a personal journal. And I have a ton of thoughts and impressions that if I don’t start writing them down will be lost forever.

Rob & Jan on Lake Saguaro, Arizona.

Planning can only go so far for a major trip. I imagine you have had many unexpected surprises, both for the good and bad.

We had expected to spend more time at the RV in the parks, cooking meals outside and interacting with other RVers. But we’re finding our days in the parks are long, and we get back well after fellow RVers are done for the day. That’s not good or bad, just different than we expected a “normal day” would be. We don’t have any normal days!! Another surprise has been the encouragement of fellow RVers – they all think what we are doing is wonderful (we agree.) A big surprise has been the long-forgotten acquaintances that have come out of the woodwork and now following us. One of them dates back from our wedding in 1975. Finally, the driving experience of the Sprinter Interstate is way better than expected. Whether a short 4 hours or a long 10 hours, we don’t experience road or driving fatigue. A very comfortable and car-like drive. We love it.

Your photos are incredible!

Well, thanks for the compliment – glad you are enjoying them. One of my expectations on this journey was to become a better photographer, and I can see how that is happening as we go along. Olympus partnered with us, as they are partners with the National Park Foundation and were intrigued with our project. They have been great to us – very generous. Like Mercedes and Airstream, they realized we had a pretty good story to tell.

What camera/lenses do you carry?

I already had an Olympus E-620 DSLR, but knew I wanted some high-quality glass. When they asked us what equipment we wanted, I made this list of lenses and was starting to expand on that. Then it hit me: who would know more about what we need for an adventure like this than Olympus? So we asked them what we should have. They responded with 2 great – absolutely great lenses – the Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm F2.8 – 4.0 SWD and Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD. Then they added an E-PL1 as a back-up for my E-620 with a converter to allow me to use the full size lenses on it should I need to. In addition, they sent us a teleconverter EC-14 that doubles the lens lengths when attached – in effect, making my 200mm a 400mm. Included in the package they sent also a superb pair of binoculars which Jan uses extensively, and a digital voice recorder to assist us with notes in the field. Amazing folks at Olympus – we are proud to be associated with them.

The glass immediately improved photo quality and I found myself working harder at composing photos that would make Olympus proud to be associated with us. And I’m still working on that!

Do you have any plans on publishing a book on your journey?

Yes, we do. Our current plan is for a large-sized coffee table book, heavy on photos and written excerpts of our experiences “on the trail.” We also think there might be room for an RV-focused book about our experiences and what we’ve learned from this odyssey. The other item we are planning is a uniquely over-sized limited edition calendar, for 2011 and 2012.

Finally, can you give any advice for those looking to plan their own odyssey?

Have a purpose and stay focused. And quit thinking about it – get up off your duff and do it. As in now. Without delay.

—-

To follow Rob & Jan’s journey, check out sprintertour.com!

A view from the top of Angels Landing

I first attempted Angels Landing in September of 2009. I hiked within 100 yards of the highest point and sat down, concentrating on anything but the view of the canyon floor, where buses looked like tiny white Tic-Tacs and people looked like fleas. I told my hiking partners that I was quite happy not going any farther. Fate had been tempted too much that day as it was.

When I safely got off the trail and my acrophobia subsided, I began to regret my decision not to make it to the top. So when friends and I returned to Zion National Park earlier this year, I made it a mission to get up there – all the way to the top. Climbing Angels Landing for the second time is a lot less stressful. Here’s a few videos I made of the successful climb to the top. (Click through to see the videos in HD.)

I’ve updated the section of my site to include all the hikes I’ve done this year, tracking the progress of my goal to hike 500 miles this year.  Included on the list are hikes I’m not counting towards the 500 miles because they didn’t meet my definition of a hike.

Here's a snippet of the hikes I have done so far this year. Click on the image to be taken to the full list.

The sunlight reacts with Buckskin Gulch like nowhere else on the planet. I bounces around, bringing out amazing colors in the sandstone.

1. Get a permit
A permit is required for any length of time in the slot canyon, which is found in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Although a great extent of the canyon can be done as a day hike, you’ll have more time to enjoy yourself if you do it as a backpacking trip. Day hiking permits can be purchased at the Wire Pass and White House Trailheads using the self-pay boxes (no limits), but overnight journeys through the area require one of the highly sought after permits issued per day (the Bureau of Land Management limits permits to just 20 per day). The safest and most popular time to hike Buckskin is during the dry season (April-June) when flash flooding is historically low. It isn’t surprising to see weekends during this time “selling out” up to six months in advance! So how can you get an overnight permit? Check out Arizona’s BLM site to reserve your permit.

Here's what the calendar looked like on May 10th, 2010. A few days earlier, I snatched up the last two permits available in the month of May!

2. Talk to the rangers at Paria/Kanab.
The BLM rangers at both Paria and Kanab are your friends. They know more about the canyon than most humans. Seek their knowledge prior to setting out on the hike! They can tell you about current conditions of the trail and warn you of any storms that might cause flash flooding. I’m sure they have many search and rescue stories. Don’t become a statistic! Although the canyon has been rated 2B V using the Canyon Rating System, it does involve scrambling, and trekking through pools of mud and quicksand. There is a rock jam that might require a rappel and lowering of your backpack by rope or webbing. The rangers will let you know the latest conditions so stop in to either the Kanab or Paria BLM offices and have a chat with them. You’ll be better for it.

Kanab Field Office – 318 North 100 East, Kanab, UT 84741 – Phone: (435) 644-4600 Fax: (435) 644-4620 utknmail@blm.gov

Here's the rock jam in Wire Pass (Sept 2009). The scramble isn't difficult if you're in fairly good health. Most of the time at the rock jams is spent getting gear down. I brought a carabiner and 30 feet of webbing. Although we didn't need to use it at this rock jam, it came in handy at the much larger and more famous rock jam in Buckskin Gulch, where there's a 10-15 foot drop.

3. Use a shuttle or two cars.
The most popular route through Buckskin Gulch starts at the Wire Pass Trailhead and ends at the White House Trailhead/Campsite, a 21-mile eastward journey. Elevation gain/loss is unnoticeable. Some have started at the White House TH and hiked up the canyon, but this would require you to go up the rock jam, which might require climbing gear to get up the 10-15 feet of rocks. Either way you do it, you’ll need to either leave a car at your destination or hire a shuttle service. I used Steve Dodson’s Paria Outfitters. He’s been living in the area since 1995 and knows the area better than most. Plus, he’s quite a character so don’t expect a boring drive! He’s full of jokes and is knowledgeable on the flora and fauna that you might pass on the 18-mile drive. After you have acquired your permit, give them a call to set up a shuttle pick-up. You’ll meet them at the your destination trailhead and drive you and your gear to the other trailhead to begin your hike. Prices are listed at the bottom of this page of their website.

If you do use two vehicles, check with the ranger station on the condition of House Rock Valley Road.  You will need to travel about 8 miles down this unpaved, graded road to get to the Wire Pass Trailhead.

4. Check the forecast for a week leading up to your hike.
Backpacker Magazine (Oct, 2008) calls Buckskin Gulch one of America’s Ten Most Dangerous Hikes. Using a scale between 1 (friendly) and 10 (deadly), they rank both weather and terrain in the canyon each at a 7. The “x-factor” – the unforeseen unique challenges the hike might offer – is ranked at 6. Of all the challenges the canyon offers – including scrambling, mud, and quicksand – flash flooding is the biggest danger. The magazine puts it best: “Should thunderstorm-bloated flood waters come charging down the tunnel, you’re no better than a bug in a firehose.“  Remember, rain falling as far away as Bryce Canyon can end up gushing through Buckskin!

Another aspect of the weather you need to prepare for while packing is air temperature, both hot and cold. Some areas of the canyon have rarely seen sunlight. One area – appropriately nicknamed “The Cesspools” – is dark, wet, and cold, even on a hot summer day. My friends zipped off the bottom of their pants for this section and although it helped keep their pants clean from sticky mud, they got cold. On the other side of the coin, the last few miles up to White House Trailhead were hot and nearly shadeless. During this 21-mile hike, we experienced daytime temperatures as low as 50°F and as high as 90°F!

Here are a few resources for keeping your eye on the weather.

• Weather at the Paria BLM Field Office
• Paria River stream flow data (real time)
• Salt Lake Tribune Weather
• Kanab, Utah weather (wunderground.com)

Slogging through one of the many "pudding pools" in Buckskin Gulch. (May 2010)

Before hiking through The Cesspools, my pants were forest green! (May 2010)

5. Wear water shoes
I’m a huge advocate for boots. They offer ankle support and protection. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) released a report stating that, “Almost 213,000 people were treated each year in emergency departments for outdoor recreational injuries from 2004 to 2005.” And of those injuries, 23.9% were sprains. I wear my boots even on short day hikes because I know that it just takes one missed step and I’m in big trouble.

However, with that said, I think that if you have strong ankles and/or wear ankle braces, water shoes is the best footwear for Buckskin Gulch. At least ten of the 21-miles of hiking are done in or near water. I’d guess that we crossed the ankle-deep Paria River over 40 times, and with water shoes, I enjoyed simply walking up the river rather than trying to navigate along side it.

But every trip down the canyon will be a different experience. It could be that the only water you come across will be in The Cesspools. I’ve seen photos of a completely-dry Paria River bed! If that’s the case and there’s report of little or no water, it wouldn’t hurt to strap a pair of water shoes (or sturdy sandals) to your bag for when you need to navigate The Cesspools. I wore Men’s Merrell Waterpro Tawas with a pair of SealSkinz Water Blocker Waterproof socks on the entire hike.

We went with Merrell WaterPro Tawas Water Shoes. I'm also wearing black SealSkinz neoprene socks and ankle braces (to be safe).

6. Bring plenty of water

Every drop of water you drink in the canyon should be carried in.  You don’t want to drink the water trod upon for two reasons: the stream has passed around any and all dead animals, cow pastures,  and scat (including human) as far north as Bryce Canyon.  Do you really want to drink water that has passed through an area called “The Cesspools”?  Also, it’s worth mentioning now that in the instruction pamphlet distributed by the BLM, it is OK to piss in the river (but they do want you to carry out your poo in specialized baggies.)  Sure, they say that a lot of the water you see in Buckskin has seeped through the Navajo sandstone, but I don’t care how many iodine tablets or what filtration system I use, I’ll pass!

There is one exception:  About a mile south of the confluence with the Paria River is the Wall Spring.  You can safely refill water from here, but using tablets is always a wise choice.
7. Learn how to read a map and compass

Don’t rely on your GPS to tell you where you are in Buckskin Gulch.  I brought mine as a curiosity and, although it did do a good job tracking our progress at the beginning and end, it wasn’t able to get a clear enough view of the sky in the narrower spots of the canyon (here’s what my GPS did record). I recommend printing out topographical maps of the canyon and bringing them with you.  There are online resources that offer free topo maps, but personally, I use TOPO! National Geographic USGS Topographic Maps of Utah. Since there is a chance you might be trekking through pools of water, make sure to also bring a water-proof map holder. You can purchase one from an outdoor gear retailer for $15-20,  or you can make a poor-man’s version: one large Ziploc freezer bag.

I carried my Garmin 60CSx on the hike just to see how well it would do. Not so bad during the beginning and end of the trek, but in the thin slots it didn't work at all.

Here is a section of Buckskin Gulch near Steamboat Rock (lower middle). The red line is the track my GPS device captured on the hike. I hoped to use GPS to locate the Middle Trail Route, but alas, the easily-missed exit from the canyon went undiscovered by us.

More resources:
Books:
You only need this one, the bible of hiking in the Paria River area:

• Hiking and Exploring the Paria River by Michael R. Kelsey (5th Edition – May 2010). If you cannot find it online before your trip, you’ll most likely find a copy in the Willow Canyon Outdoor Company in Kanab.

Websites:

• Buckskin Gulch & Paria Canyon – Canyoneering
• Buckskin Gulch – Buckskin Slot Canyon
• Slot Canyons of the American Southwest – Buckskin Gulch, Utah/Arizona
• How to hike Buckskin Gulch and escape a flash flood
• Utah Wild: Paria Canyon

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment below.

The music is Get A Move On by DJ Mr. Scruff (which, in turn, is built around Bird’s Lament (In Memory of Charlie Parker) by Moondog).

Along with the two-days supplies I brought on my back, I also packed a tripod and my Canon EOS 40D digital SLR camera.  I plan on posting more details about this hike and how to hike it, but first, a few photos:

The sunlight bounced around the canyon bringing out amazing colors in the sandstone.

Group shot, taken after about 6 miles of hiking. (i.e. before The Cesspools!)

Alyse & Remi entering The Cesspools, an area of the canyon that stays dark and wet year round.

Although labeled as "The Cesspools" on most guidebooks, this area was recently nicknamed "The Pudding Pools." It really felt like you were sloshing through pudding!

Almost out of one of 7-8 pools of mud.

We tried to stay out of the mud as much as possible. Luckily for us, some areas that would have been muddy a week ago had dried and hardened.

When I started this hike, my pants were forest green.

One of the openings in the canyon. The temperature change in the canyon was incredible, sometimes dropping ten degrees in just a few steps.

Notice the dry muddy waterline on the wall behind Alyse & Remi, a sign that flash floods do happen. In fact, flash flooding is what makes Buckskin Gulch one of the ten most dangerous hikes in the US, according to Backpack Magazine. Flash floods can bring a wall of water over 100 feet tall through the canyon.

Nearing the Paria River, the eastern end of the slot canyon.

Our campsite near the confluence with the Paria River. The walls of the canyon stood over 300 feet in this area. The two walls of the canyon meet about 150 yards behind my tent, where the dark stone meets the lighter stone.

Today’s hike was to Sturtevant Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in Southern California. Since we hiked during a weekday afternoon (and a locally-celebrated holiday), my friend and I seemed to have the trail all to ourselves. When we arrived at the falls, Michael revealed that he carried in beers packed in ice! Happy Cinco de Mayo indeed.

Here are a few photos:

Michael and I in front of the 50-foot Sturtevant Falls.

Excellent afternoon lighting. The golden hour!

Spring is still going strong in the Angeles National Forest.

Michael in the Santa Anita Canyon.

One of a handful of old spillways in the canyon.

There are about 80 cabins in the Santa Anita Canyon.

Another beautiful sight along the Gabrielino Trail.

Celebrating hiking and Cinco de Mayo with an ice-cold Corona.

Thanks to Michael for hauling in the bruskis!

GoPro HD HERO

I learned about the GoPro about a year ago when the first generation was released. The small camera the size of three boxes of matches was made for the adventurous enthusiast who wanted to record themselves doing action sports like surfing, skateboarding or sky diving. The reviews called the camera amazing, yet flawed. Although users of this first-generation camera loved the water/shock-proof housing and the quality the camera offered compared to others of its type, they also complained that the small LED display icons were hard to understand, how it ate batteries like they were nothing, didn’t have an external memory card slot, and was weak recording low-light conditions. Despite the flaws, I loved the notion of an action camera. I reluctantly passed on the purchase, hoping that the next generation of the GoPro would be worthwhile.

Well, my friends, the new generation is out and – oh boy! – is it a rockin’ little camera! I bought the GoPro HD Helmet HERO in early January and have spent every weekend since testing it out. Here is my review.

Design

The GoPro HD is much smaller and lighter than I thought it would be. It measures 1.6” x 2.4” x 1.2” (42mm x 60mm x 30mm) and weighs just 3.3 ounces (94g). It’s basically the size of three boxes of matches stacked on top of each other.  The most noticeable feature on the camera is its glass fixed-focus lens, capturing the surroundings in high-definition . It has two buttons, one on the front (menu) and one on the top (shutter). It has slots for USB 2.0 (data connection and battery charging), HDTV Out (component cable included), and audio/video out. One of the upgrades from the first generation is the slot for an SD memory card (up to 32 GB SDHC).

Positives:

• The camera is small enough – even in its housing  – to slip into a jacket pocket.
• The housing offers both a waterproof and a non-waterproof hinged lid.  Why switch to a non-waterproof lid? So the microphone can pick up you and your surroundings while recording a video.
• Within the housing, the camera is still very lightweight – 5.9 ounces (167g) and allows access to the menu and shutter buttons.
• The lens seems to be scratch resistant, but if it happens to get damaged, it can be replaced for a reasonable price.
• When using the “polycarbonate exoskeletal” housing, the camera becomes “shockproof, bombproof, and waterproof up to 180 feet.” (I assume that it is only waterproof up to 180 feet.  Don’t know how deep it can get with the shockproof and bombproof aspects.)

Negatives:

• I found it frustrating to change options on the camera.  The reaction time of the buttons are slow and painstaking.  To change the video size from one HD video resolution mode to another took about ten steps and a good recollection of the menu terminology as explained in detail in the manual.
• I’m no fan of audible sounds from a camera (other than a shutter on an SLR).  I learned a long time ago that you can save on battery life by turning off all the beeps and whistles on a camera. With the GoPro, there’s an audible and visual options that can be turned off (a positive) : a simple beep and a red flashing light on the front of the camera.  If the audio is turned off, the only way to see if the camera is taking photos/video is to look for the flashing light on the FRONT of the camera.  Not the best placement of the light since quite often I’d find that the first photo of the set was of me looking to see if the camera was taking photos or not.
• Due to its size , there isn’t a LCD screen for viewing photos. You just have to trust that the camera got the shot.

Storage Capacity & Battery Life

With the purchase of the camera, you get a specialized rechargeable Li-Ion battery.  The battery provides about 2.5 hours of recording time  – more than enough for a day hike.  The camera can take both photos and video.  The 5-megabyte photos are captured in different modes: single shot, 3 photo burst, self-timer, or photos every 2,5,10,30 or 60 seconds.  Videos can be captured in five different HD video resolution modes:

• 1080p = 1920×1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
• 960p = 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
• 720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
• 720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
• WVGA = 848×480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate

Positives:

• You can use a memory card with a capacity up to 32GB, but the 16GB has worked well for me.  In fact, I’ve taken 162 videos (ranging anywhere from twenty seconds to 8 minutes long) as well as 194 photos on a dozen outings and have yet to empty the card!
• Have you ever tested the limits of your car by continuing to drive your car as the fuel light flashes?  I tried this for the GoPro’s rechargeable Li-Ion battery but never found myself on the proverbial side of the road, hitching a ride to the nearest gas station.  I did a weekend in the Mojave and never found myself with a dead battery. The battery 4-bar meter never dropped below two bars.
• Extra I also purchased an extra rechargeable Li-Ion battery ($20 from their site).

Negatives:

• The camera does not come with a memory card.  Having a couple extra 16GB SDHC cards ($45 from Amazon.com) will be useful on multi-day backpacking trips.
• My computer didn’t recognize the camera when plugging it in using the provided USB cable, so I used a separate card reader (I recommend this one.)
• Connecting the camera via USB is the only way to charge the battery.  For trips, I recommend a USB Car Charger and a USB Wall Charger (The HD Hero will work best with a 1000 mA wall charger.)

GoPro HD HERO in housing on head strap mount

Data Quality

The GoPro HD offers HD resolution in five video modes (see above).  I tested the camera in two of those modes, 1080p (16:9) and 960p (4:3). In camera mode, all photos are 2592×1944 pixels. The built-in microphone captures 48 kHz mono sound with an automatic gain control.

Positives:

• The exposure options allow for center-weighted average or spot-metering. (not tested).  I kept the exposure on auto mode and it did fine at adjusting on the fly.
• With a fixed focus set at f/2.8 aperture, the glass optics capture everything more than 2 feet from the lens in HD quality. No need to focus.
• The ultra-wide (170 degrees) and wide angle (127 degrees) insures that the camera will get the shot as long as you point it in the general direction of the action.
• The audio is excellent when using the “open back” housing lid. I could hear birds chirping and the babbling of the streams I crossed while recording hikes.

Negatives:

• Because of the deep depth of field and almost fish-eye angle, it is hard to capture the sense of distance between objects. (See the Whitney Canyon video below)
• The still-shots come out under-saturated and dull.
• For still-shots, shutter speed is hard to gauge.
• Barrel distortion is evident in every shot, but that comes along with the wide angle of the shot.
• Audio is muffled when using water-proof housing (as expected).  I had to yell into the camera for it to register my voice in the recording of a video.
• Because of the automatic gain control, the microphone is very sensitive when the camera is in the water-proof housing.  Your voice might sound muffled, but clicking the buttons or touching the housing are captured at relatively louder recording levels than when not in the housing.  Rain drops sound like pop rocks.

Video Examples

Here are a few videos I took over the last two months.

Bouldering in Joshua Tree – In this video, I’m using the head strap mount (sold separately for $14 or with the HD Helmet HERO). The ledge I’m on is 40 feet tall, but due to the vast depth of field and barrel distortion, it’s hard to tell. Captured in 960p resolution. 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate.

Sandstone Peak – Hand-held shot. Some hot spots in the clouds (over exposure), but not bad all around. Captured in 960p resolution. 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate. Waterproof hinged lid is muffling the audio.

Exploring A Lava Tube in The Mojave – I’ve attached the camera to my hiking pole using the roll bar mount (sold separately for $29.99) and crawled through the lava tube while wearing a head lamp. The low-light scene was a little too much for the sensor (1/2.5″ HD CMOS), but it did manage to pick up my face and the opening in the background. Captured in 1080p resolution. 1920×1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate. Waterproof housing is muffling the audio.

Whitney Canyon – In this video, I’m again using the head strap mount and the non-waterproof lid on the housing, which allows for better audio recording. Captured in 960p resolution. 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate.

Big Dalton Canyon – A very wet day of hiking and the GoPro held up like a pro. Waterproof housing insured the camera wouldn’t be harmed, but the audio was a casualty of the rain (as you will hear). Even though I was constantly moving the camera from my head to my jacked pocket, the casing did not fog up. (I can’t say the same for my Canon 40D SLR or my Canon PowerShot 990 – both had lens fogging problems). Captured in 960p resolution. 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate. Both hand held and head mounted.

Photo Examples

Here are a few photos I took over the last two months. Photos have been slightly processed in Adobe Lightroom, mainly to adjust contrast (+5/10), exposure (-0.29), and vibrance (+15/25).  Original size of these photos was 2592×1944 pixels.

Attached to my trekking pole with the roll bar mount (sold separately)

Pretty good quality considering the low light levels in the cave.

Didn't do so well with the extreme contrast from this shallow cave.

I tried to capture the moon's corona. Very grainy.

The camera does well in balanced lighting, as seen here in Joshua Tree. Only a little hot spot around the sun.

This was, in fact, a mistake photo. I was looking to see if I had activated the camera to take photos every 2 seconds.

Notice how the drops of water on the waterproof housing caused a few blur spots. Otherwise, pretty good results while shooting in a downpour.

I give the camera 4 out of 5 stars. Despite the fact that the on-camera menu isn’t intuitive, this small camera packs a punch with quality video recordings. The still images aren’t too shabby, either. I recommend the camera to anyone who enjoys outdoor activities. For more information, go to goprocamera.com.