At the risk of overgeneralizing, it seems as if avid outdoorspeople love every outdoor activity. Sure, we have favorites (mine is trail running), but chances are high that we will attempt and even enjoy other sports (I also like to backpack, swim, climb, cycle). That's why...
Read More
Backpacker Magazine's National Summit Day is August 3rd, and we are pumped! An official reason to go outside and play and climb the highest point nearby? Sign us up! What is National Summit Day exactly, you ask? Backpacker Magazine says, "National Summit Day is a...
Read More
We should have all heard by now that this year's snowpack is still unusually high out West, impacting all kinds of summer plans. And once the snow starts to melt, the water has to go somewhere. Which brings us to dangerous water crossings! Ideally, thru-hikers should...
Read More
The snow is stubborn this year—it's caused race cancellations (Hardrock 100), caused lots of PCT thru-hikers to choose to hike SOBO, and kept many trails closed. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing! More snow means less wildfire threat, less drought threat, and more time for...
Read More
You know those scenes in movies, when the calendar’s pages start peeling off and flying away, first slowly, then faster and faster? That’s how I feel every spring. The weather turns gorgeous, the trails start to clear of snow, people go to the river or...
Read More
Guided hikes. Trail races. Mountain bike races. Organized events in the wilderness are wonderful because they add a level of comfort to a long and difficult day—people will be marking your route, checking on you, feeding you food and liquids, and congratulating you at the...
Read More
Ah, Memorial Day Weekend. The unofficial start of summer. An opportunity to relax and unwind. A chance to eat lots of ice cream. If you're scrambling for some last-minute ideas for the three-day weekend ahead, here are some easy-to-execute suggestions. Keep your laptop and notebook zipped up...
Read More
We are living in the future. The Jetson age. We have driver-less cars and talk to robots inside our homes and carry powerful computers in our pockets. It's great. It's really great. Only sometimes it's nice to go old-school. Do a throwback to an easier, simpler...
Read More
Deeming a restaurant to be "the best barbecue ever" is highly controversial and highly subjective. One palate may prefer a spicy tomato-based sauce, another may like a vinegar sauce, while yet another may be all about the rub and the smoke. And none of...
Read More
I spent a week in Norway over the holidays and became well-versed in the art of hygge. Hygge is actually a Danish term (Norwegians call it kos) but both words mean the same thing—creating a mood of coziness and comfort so that you can feel...
Read More