Yosemite Essentials

I'm heading back to Yosemite next week after a short road trip to the Grand Canyon. This time I'm totally prepared..mostly..I think.. Here are my top ten things for the trip:

1. J Brand Maria High-Rise Skinny Jeans - for the last few years I've lived in AG jeans and I love them still. But last week I was at Anthropologie and I found a pair of these on sale for $69 so I figured I'd give them a try. They are awesome!! I am petite but curvy. These are super soft denim with a nice amount of give and the waist is high enough so there is no annoying muffin-top bulge going on but no so high that I feel like I'm being suffocated. They are great for hiking about or just about anything else.

2. I got this Rxmance sweatshirt in a hood from Madewell a few weeks ago. I dig it a lot. The cotton is so soft and it looks cute on. I'm finicky with tees and only have five or six in my closet generally opting for a cute top or sweater instead. I can't remember the last time I wore a sweatshirt. Years at least. But it's going to be nippy in Yosemite and I don't want to be weighted down with layers of clothes so I opted for something warm and cozy that could be pulled on over a tee and worn under a vest.

3. I love Poler's stuff. I've bought a number of things from them this winter when I went to Chicago for a weekend in January. There stuff is great and they have great sales. I've yet to purchase anything regular price (I would if I had to but I love that I haven't had to yet). I got this great reversible vest 50% off last month. Most of there stuff is menswear so I get an XS. It is still a little big but light and warm. I liked the fact that it is reversible and bright orange. I figured if I get lost somewhere at some point at least I'll be visible ;)

4. After my last trip to Yosemite slipping and sliding on the little bit of ice and snow covering some trails I thought a good pair of hiking boots were in order. (I've been putting them to use hiking around LA and Ojai as well). I did a bit of research and the reviews on these Ahnu Montara were great. I got them about a month ago and have hiked in them a number of times. They are pretty comfy though it has taken some time getting used to the high top around my ankles. Still, better that then landing on my bum on a sheet of ice.

5. I like to play with cameras. I've been eyeing this Fuji Instax for awhile. The price went down on it recently so I decided to use a bit of my tax refund towards it and take it on my upcoming trips. I have a great old Polaroid 600 that I take along too. I LOVE it. The film though is crazy expensive so I use it sparingly. The Fuji takes great pictures and the film is much more reasonable.

6. I needed a good canteen for water while hiking. I picked up this great ocean blue one by Klean Kanteen at REI last week. It's a good size, fits into a pocket on my backpack, and isn't too heavy.

7. This trip I plan on taking my Canon 5D. I want to try some time-lapse photography, particularly at sunset. I needed something to sit on and hang out for the hour or so I would be shooting and this camp chair from REI is perfect. It packs up into a bag that is maybe 3 x 8 inches and weighs hardly anything. It can get packed into my backpack or stored in the truck of the car where it takes up no space at all. In fact, I want to pick up a second one this week to take with me to the Grand Canyon for my Grandma.

8. My last trip we drove around and explored everything we could via car (except Glacier Point). This trip I want to make some specific choices of what I want to see and focus on that so I get the most out of my short trip. I like The Rough Guide to Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon because it isn't overwhelming like I tend to find most guidebooks to be. The design and layout is clean and simple. It has some maps and images but the majority of the content focuses on areas to explore, trails to hike, safety info, and history snippets.

9. I like to read. A lot. I have a Kindle. I read books on my iPhone with my Kindle. I still love real books though. Especially when I travel. I picked up Orphan Train last week while buying a gift for someone at Barnes & Noble. I could have gotten it cheaper at Target or via Amazon but c'est la vie. I haven't started reading it yet but it looked like a nice light read that I could throw in my bag or read curled up in bed back at the lodge each night.

10. I got the backpack shown awhile ago. I love it. It was the perfect carry-on bag when I went to Chicago. It holds a ton, has great compartments, and surprisingly does not weigh a ton.

*None of the products listed above are paid endorsements. They are all things I dig. I don't inherently support the companies or their policies or advocate on their behalf (though I am pretty keen on Poler and REI). All images are the products of the companies and are taken from their websites (links provide in text).