Articles

He was wrapping up a backcountry patrol weekend, coming down the last leg of the trail when a bear cub came racing around the corner. He scrambled for the bear spray before momma joined her offspring – and then...

I love it when I get a new piece of outdoor gear and it serves a variety of purposes. Like my favorite pair of leather telemark boots with inside booties that work as cabin slippers. Like my down jacket...

“A Certified Badass! Finally…”I read this Tweet last night and laughed out loud.It came from one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met: Warren Macdonald.I was writing a children’s magazine article about artificial limbs a few years ago and...

I’m a “must-have” morning coffee person. Tea doesn’t cut it, nor does hot chocolate or anything herbal – it’s gotta be strong black java. Pretty particular, huh? Just try and mess with my morning ritual and see what happens.So...

Coaches routinely employ rousing speeches and inspirational stories to motivate their teams to play better. The same holds true with my friend Andrea Bertini, a coach for a university women’s basketball team and the co-author of this blog. Through...

“What is a fleece?”  The question caught me off-guard for a moment.  We’d been discussing what clothes to pack for an afternoon scramble up to a mountain pass.  My daughter’s friend wasn’t familiar with the term we used to...

From faded midget rattlesnakes to tarantulas to desert tortoises – hiking in the southwest can be rather wild!Tarantulas on the trail! (Photo: B.Kopp)Snakes in SlotsWith names like “Peek-a-boo” and “Spooky”, it’s no wonder the slot canyons of Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are...

With the price of fuel skyrocketing, it’s nice to know that we can always depend on our feet to keep adventure travel alive! Slap a pack on your back and you’re ready to explore the unknown.  And the good...

Snacking along the trail is the only way to keep your energy levels topped up. Skip the snacks and there’s a good chance you’re going to crash. Low energy levels can lead to mistakes – a foot placed wrong, a...

Out with the oats – there are other easy staples on the horizon that can help make your mornings out on the trail a little less predictable.A new look at breaking the fast. (Photo: M.Kopp)Try a little riceThat’s right,...