Seeking Silence in Wild Spaces? Not Necessarily!

March 4

Sound, a defining feature of our environment, tells the story of the world around us. The familiar hustle and bustle of city life, with its cacophony of vehicles, sirens, leaf…

Packing and Preparing Backpacking Food from the Grocery Store

February 17

Preparing meals is an essential step in planning a backpacking trip. You want to make sure you pack out foods that can withstand the conditions of outdoor travel, require minimal…

Walking in Circles

January 31

It is a common scenario: when we get lost in the wilderness, we wind up walking in circles. Much to our dismay, at some point we'll revisit our tracks and…

How Food Provides Energy

January 24

Food is a mixture of nutrients that produce energy for the body, stimulate growth, and maintain life. The six classes of nutrients: Carbohydrates Protein Fats Vitamins Minerals Water Of these…

Expiration Date of Condiment Packets

January 12

Do you save unused condiment packets from fast-food restaurants? These packets can be handy when traveling or if you run out of something at home. Common single-serve packets include ketchup,…

Rethinking Tradition: Is It Time to Question the Christmas Tree?

December 10

We harvest trees for various practical purposes – lumber, furniture, paper, writing utensils, boats, signs, musical instruments, crates, boxes, cellophane, adhesive, and more. Most trees are harvested for valuable and…

Tips for a Lighter Footprint

November 22

"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard."— Gaylord Nelson There are so many…

Chia Seeds: The Ultimate Backpacking Superfood

November 1

Chia seeds offer extensive value for the lightweight backpacker. Here's why: Tiny and lightweight with a storage life of up to 5 years. Require no cooking. Chia seeds are great…

A List of Highest Calorie Vegetarian Fats

October 24

For long-distance backpackers, the significance of consuming high-calorie vegetarian fats cannot be overstated. When traversing mountainous terrain, you can burn up to 5,000 calories daily. Since fat provides the highest…

Will This Map Get Me Lost?

October 11

It is sensible to carry a foldable paper map as a reliable backup to your GPS device when hiking in an unfamiliar wilderness. Our experience is that not all trail maps…