Why choose between a lighter, smaller pack or a warmer sleeping bag? Keith Erps explains why backpacking with a quilt might be your new go-to sleep system.
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Pooping in the woods. There’s nothing quite like it. It can be anywhere from sublime to downright uncomfortable. I’ve camped with people who look forward to striking out in search of their ideal deed-doing spot. And I’ve camped with those…
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Imagine waking up backpacking in a tropical paradise surrounded by fresh coconut, the waves of the ocean crashing in the distance, and a climate warm enough that you get to leave the puffy jacket behind. I had never considered tropical…
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After guiding backpacking trips across the West for over six summers, I’ve learned something: people love campfires. The smoldering embers, the dancing smoke, the popping and crackling and whistling… Campfires evoke a certain nostalgia and add coziness to any experience….
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When I was a kid, my mom took my siblings me and to an observatory with a telescope that was bigger than my bedroom. I stepped into the observation pod, placed my eyes against the telescope, and admired all the…
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Millions of visitors flock to national parks every year, some hoping to bring along their canine companions. But each national park’s pet guidelines vary, which can make it difficult for visitors to bring their dogs with them. Dogs can potentially…
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Sleeping under the stars doesn’t have to be a grand adventure, and sometimes just getting away is what you need to recharge. Here are tips for taking a quick microadventure on a weeknight, and still making it into the office the next day.
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As outdoor natives, we spurn anything that keeps us from getting outside. Work. Injuries. Weather. Deadlines. The flu. Societal norms. However, not all of these are doomed to be obstructions to your adventures. A finger injury while climbing can lead…
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If you’re thinking of taking a backpacking trip with your own dog, we jotted down a few of our tips to help teach how to get started backpacking with your dog.
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My best friend Heidi and I laid all the gear on the living room floor while August, Heidi’s two-year-old son, danced through the piles asking if he could eat the Snickers bar that was going into our food bag. When…
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Sarah “Hermes” Wolfson, 25, had been struggling with chronic depression for half of her life by the time she decided to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2020. She’d heard about thru-hiking years before, and she always felt an…
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I barely slept my first night of backpacking in the desert. Howling winds unrelentingly assaulted my tent poles, bending them close to their breaking point. I knelt for hours with my back against the tent wall, arms pressing upward to…
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