I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and have adjusted back to life without a day off this week. We've been sweltering in Seattle's heatwave (no true AC in our unit), but it's finally abiding. But all that heat means melting snow and the official arrival of summer up here. I cannot wait to hit full throttle on the upcoming backpacking season! Mountain Safety Tips Let's talk mountain tips for those hitting the trails. 1. Get off ridgelines and summits by 1pm This is my biggest...
16 days ago • 3 min read
Summer hiking is in full swing across the country, and I'm sure you've seen some questionable hiking etiquette so far. Over the weekend, I was in the Washington Cascades and encountered a group that was blaring music and yelling nonstop. They weren't even angry yelling—they were just yelling as they talked because their music was so loud. It was NOT ideal for the situation. So, I figured, let's do a brief refresher on hiking etiquette. I'd love it if you could forward this to a friend or...
25 days ago • 2 min read
A year ago, I spent 10 days traveling around Iceland on the famous Ring Road. We saw more glaciers and waterfalls than I'd ever seen before. We experienced untouched lands, soaked in hot springs under the midnight sun, and drove the country's longest F-Road. It's genuinely one of the most magical places I've ever experienced, and I want you to have a similar experience! Get My 10-Day Iceland Guide for just $30 I told many of you I was working on an E-Book/Guide, and while it took way longer...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Happy Friday, ya'll! I'm currently in Bellingham getting ready to summit Washington's third-highest peak and volcano, Mt. Baker, in the North Cascades. It's my first true mountaineering trek, and I'm ecstatic and somewhat nervous about how my body will hold up. I've been hiking a ton lately, but this will be the most strenuous thing I've done since cancer and transplant 16 months ago. I'm going with a guide and team, so I'll have company and should return with lots of photos and memories! How...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
We might have four more days until the official start of summer, but I bet we're all in summer mode now! This means hiking and backpacking season is here. But are you in shape for what you want to accomplish this season? Living in Seattle, we have some hibernation issues that increase our blubber during the winter months, as the gloom and rain keep us from being as active as we would like. That means that we have to build back our strength without getting hurt before our epic summer...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Summer is pretty much here, and that means camping season is upon us! I'm sure for those not in the upper parts of the country, camping season began months ago. But up here in Seattle, we're still figuring out what season we're in. Today has blue skies, but this weekend is rainy, and then the following weekend is in the 80s. Talk about undecided! But more on camping! We're hitting the road in mid-June for a week-long road trip/camping trip throughout the Canadian Rockies. She's never been,...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Huge sales don’t come around often, and if you’re a camper or backpacker, you know how expensive high-quality tents can be. At $400, $500, or even $600 a tent, it’s a sizeable investment and a big decision for most folks. That’s why outdoors people should jump at the deals for the pricier items when sales come around. In this case, grabbing some backpacking tents. If you can save $200 on a tent just by buying it now versus in 10 days, it’s a brilliant financial move! Full transparency: I own...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Today is the start of the 2024 REI Anniversary Sale. It's the biggest of the year, and top brands are up to 30% off (or more if you look at the REI Outlet. Members also get 20% off one full-priced item and one REI outlet item. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I'll be back next week with more gear picks. My Picks For the Sale I wrote a big article that highlights 32 great deals, but I'll share my seven favorites below! 1. Ignik Gas Growler Deluxe - 25% off A big backyard propane tank...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi ya'll! It's been a while—I know. I've been back from Australia for a couple of weeks now, and life has been busy, busy. I turned 32 the day after I returned, and for the next week, my sleep schedule was not at all aligned. It's probably the worst I've slept since I was 1. And then it's been catching up on life, writing new articles, and starting to book summer travel. (I have some AMAZING places I think you'll love seeing and learning about.) But after exploring the Northern Territory, we...
3 months ago • 2 min read