Let’s face it: No matter how much you love backpacking or camping, sleeping on the hard ground is, well, hard. Really hard. It was way easier when I was younger and a full-time outdoor junkie. These days, I’m a 30-something, post-baby, weekend-warrior. Between a husband who snores and a 1-year-old who thinks it’s time to party at 2am, I barely sleep through the night in my own bed, much less in my tent. Add in my curvy hips, digging into…
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…
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…