REI kicked off OptOutside and clean up efforts a few years ago and this year we are once again locking arms with folks across the outdoor industry and shuttering our online shopping cart encourage everyone to get outside. There is much to be thankful for the season....
Read More
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
Let's be real here—very few of us are able to take half a year off to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Which is when day hikes come in handy! They're great because you can choose any distance based on the amount of time you have...
Read More
So you're feeling philanthropic and you want to spend some time doing trail work this summer and fall. But you don't want to help just any trail, you want to help the trail. The Pacific Crest Trail. Volunteering on the PCT is a wonderful way...
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 Bay Area Ridge Trail has 375 scenic miles just waiting for you to explore. And it's only natural that you'd want to bring along your favorite hiking friend, your dog. But the Bay Area Ridge Trail is actually broken up into many segments, each...
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
Once summer comes, we get the itch to summit mountains. All the mountains. We make a checklist of 14ers (and 13ers, and basically anything with a summit) at the beginning of the season, then methodically check them off as the weeks progress. Unfortunately, peak-bagging season...
Read More
We are all about finding lesser-known trails in the backcountry. So that's why the Elkhorn Crest Trail in Oregon is high on our to-hike like this summer. With views, granite peaks, cirque lakes, mountain goats, and generally excellent mountain scenery, we're unsure why the Elkhorn...
Read More