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Backcountry Fever
← REI Loyalty Benefit on Your Membership Anniversary
Next 14er: Pike’s Peak →

Get Your SPOT Tested

Posted on March 8, 2019August 22, 2024 by Backcountry Fever

We are becoming so reliant on electronic devices these days that I hope we maintain some basic level of skills, survival or otherwise, if [or when] these gadgets fail. The SPOT Messenger is one of those devices I’ve taken with me on all my hiking, snowmobiling and off-roading adventures since 2011! My wife gave it to me for her peace of mind as I spend so much time in the backcountry.

The idea is that I would be able to quickly activate help if I ever found myself in that kind of predicament. I use preset messages all the time to check-in with cryptic “I’m OK” status updates while on my adventures, but have yet to press that emergency SOS button!

Following a recent story about an injured snowmobiler up in the Mt. Baker Wilderness, he did need to press that SOS button and… IT DIDN’T WORK! What are the odds? That situation really makes me think about how much trust I put in any electronic device that would be used in critical circumstances – including a GPS.

The good news is that SPOT has hundreds of thousands of subscribers and fully committed to providing a reliable service we all can depend on. However, if you still want a SPOT device tested for your own peace of mind, you can make that request by using this GEOS* form in either Word or PDF format.

*GEOS provides emergency rescue coordination and SPOT SOS/911 monitoring through the dedicated International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC). Click to learn more about “the power behind the button”.

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Didn`t get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow`s all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

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Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18071868488494094
Didn't get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow's all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

16 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18363244447130614
Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

Bagged Bierstadt today! Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser

28 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17901033000080878
Bagged Bierstadt today!  Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser

Is there any other way to conclude an epic adventure but with a nice thick juicy burger?? ...I think not!

#epicadventure #endofanexpedition #juicyburger #smashburger #estiloburgers #mendoza #mendozaargentina

16 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18067066903895161
Is there any other way to conclude an epic adventure but with a nice thick juicy burger?? ...I think not!

#epicadventure #endofanexpedition #juicyburger #smashburger #estiloburgers #mendoza #mendozaargentina

Our Summit Team :: Aconcagua 2025

#aconcaguasummit #aconcagua #summitteam

30 5
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18058321457068211
Our Summit Team :: Aconcagua 2025

#aconcaguasummit #aconcagua #summitteam

It was a grueling day, but I made it!! It took 10h 32m to go only 2 miles from Camp 3, but we gained 3,400 feet in that distance. It`s by far the hardest thing I`ve ever done, physically and mentally.

#aconcaguasummit #aconcagua

46 18
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18126584092419015
It was a grueling day, but I made it!! It took 10h 32m to go only 2 miles from Camp 3, but we gained 3,400 feet in that distance.  It's by far the hardest thing I've ever done, physically and mentally.

#aconcaguasummit #aconcagua

Gotta love a good day of rest. It`s breezy at Camp 2, but the sun is bright and warms up our tents like a little greenhouse. The forecast remains stable for a summit attempt on Tuesday morning. So that means we will move to Camp 3 tomorrow, which should be another tough one. It`s only 1 mile away, but gains about 1,500` to 19,500 and our loads aren`t too much lighter. We ate some and will be wearing more, so hopefully that helps. Other than that, with no wi-fi above 18,000`, will give the next update on Wednesday.

#aconcagua #aconcaguaexpedition #climbaconcagua #camp2 #restday #wifiat18000ft #inka #inkaalltheway #inkaexpediciones #mountainsarecalling #mountainlife #highpoint #tallestpeak #tallestpeakinsouthamerica #chompians

35 4
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18139062649378825
Gotta love a good day of rest. It's breezy at Camp 2, but the sun is bright and warms up our tents like a little greenhouse.  The forecast remains stable for a summit attempt on Tuesday morning.  So that means we will move to Camp 3 tomorrow, which should be another tough one.  It's only 1 mile away, but gains about 1,500' to 19,500 and our loads aren't too much lighter.  We ate some and will be wearing more, so hopefully that helps. Other than that, with no wi-fi above 18,000', will give the next update on Wednesday.

#aconcagua #aconcaguaexpedition #climbaconcagua #camp2 #restday #wifiat18000ft #inka #inkaalltheway #inkaexpediciones #mountainsarecalling #mountainlife #highpoint #tallestpeak #tallestpeakinsouthamerica #chompians

I don`t know what I think about today... let`s see how I feel tomorrow. We decided to do a full carry to Camp 2 today, which means all gear up in 1 shot. We need to move up the mountain quicker because the better weather day is Tuesday (a day earlier than our original plan). So with violet winds in our face, we trudged up 2 more miles and another 1,600 feet to Camp 2 at 18,100. It was exhausting and now very much looking forward to another rest day (although I`m sure it will be spent mostly in the tent and out of the wind).

34 6
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18024763490380295
I don't know what I think about today... let's see how I feel tomorrow. We decided to do a full carry to Camp 2 today, which means all gear up in 1 shot. We need to move up the mountain quicker because the better weather day is Tuesday (a day earlier than our original plan). So with violet winds in our face, we trudged up 2 more miles and another 1,600 feet to Camp 2 at 18,100. It was exhausting and now very much looking forward to another rest day (although I'm sure it will be spent mostly in the tent and out of the wind).

We moved to Camp 1 at 16,400 feet today, bringing the rest of the gear and food needed for the next 5 days. It was a repeat of the 2nd toughest day we did on Wednesday, so I guess it was another tough day but it is only onward and upward from here... no turning back at this point.

We did take a different way up the moraine this time, which was way cool! Lots of people were also on the move as we all try to catch the next weather window before this Aconcagua climbing season comes to an end.

It may also look like a long conga line, but it really isn`t. No one is in any rush since the process of ascending is a very slow one.

28 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18048266798187069
We moved to Camp 1 at 16,400 feet today, bringing the rest of the gear and food needed for the next 5 days. It was a repeat of the 2nd toughest day we did on Wednesday, so I guess it was another tough day but it is only onward and upward from here... no turning back at this point.

We did take a different way up the moraine this time, which was way cool!  Lots of people were also on the move as we all try to catch the next weather window before this Aconcagua climbing season comes to an end. 

It may also look like a long conga line, but it really isn't. No one is in any rush since the process of ascending is a very slow one.
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