One of the biggest risks in the wilderness in the summer is one of nature’s coolest phenomenon: Lightning! I was super terrified of lightning when I was little, until I turned 4 and my dad put me on his shoulders one day and made me hang out in the garage to watch it. Now I think it’s the coolest! One of the keys to being safe on a mountain in a thunderstorm is to know how lightning works. If you…
A lot of folks asked me how I got involved in the outdoors. Most folks assume that I grew up with it like Brian did. If you’ve ever met my family, you’d know there is NO WAY I was genetically inclined. I was raised outside Washington, DC. Camping meant taking the RV for the weekend when I was growing up. Despite this, I still loved being outside. I played in the woods and built forts and campsites. I was a…
The sun is out, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming and the mud is drying. Add it all up and summer is here and it’s time to bust out those hiking boots! That means it’s time to get your gear organized, so you can grab-n-go and get out on the trail quicker! I am a follower of the Girl Scouts’ motto, “Always be prepared.” So what are some things you should hike with, so that you are prepared for…
I had an interesting run-in over this holiday weekend. It was a great reminder of everything you SHOULDN’T do. Travel in the wilderness, especially in high-altitude mountains, requires a certain respect for mother nature. You never know when she will turn on you and you should always be prepared for her to do so! In the outdoor world, it’s known as Wilderness Risk Management. Plan for the worst. 99% of the time, you won’t have to deal with it. That…