Hiking with Venomous Snakes

August 7

Have you ever gone hiking with an edgy friend who is always on the lookout for snakes on the sides of the trail? When discussing your previous weekend backpacking trip…

Why Ginger is an Important Spice for Wilderness Travel

July 21

Ginger is a pungent rhizome (underground part of the stem) of the tropical herbaceous plant Zingiber officinale botanically related to turmeric. Like turmeric, ginger contains many active beneficial constituents. While ginger is…

Harmless or Deadly? How to Identify Common Spiders

April 22

Find a giant furry spider nestled in your backpacking gear? It is Spring and spiders are coming out of hiding to eat and breed. Before you dig out your backpacking gear…

Eliminate Leg Cramps while Hiking

March 6

Backpacking involves a long and steady aerobic workout with fitness benefits that rival other more intense, higher impact activities. Although backpacking is a non-competitive recreational activity with a low chance…

Quinoa as a Backpacking Food

January 16

Quinoa is a fascinating plant food that is worthy of its own blog post. It has remarkable nutritional properties, not only from its protein content (15%) but also its energy…

Go Hiking with your Dog!

December 17

If you hike with your dog in the U.S., you know how frustrating it can be to find a dog-friendly destination. Many of the national parks do not allow dogs…

When is the Best Time to go Hiking?

October 26

Most people think hiking season commences in the spring and concludes after the summer, however, fall and winter are some of the best seasons to visit the trails - especially…

Moon Navigation

October 16

Remember this helpful tip if you are ever lost during the dark when the moon is visible in the sky: mentally draw a line that connects the endpoints of the…

Tips for Purchasing Backpacking Meals made with Real Food

September 21

Peak performance on the trail requires food that nourishes and strengthens you. Some tips on how to find it.

Not Marketed as “Backpacking” Food: Everyday Grocery Items for the Trail

September 13

Suppose you are going on a last-minute overnight backpacking trip and have no backpacking food in storage. In that case, you'd be surprised to know how many choices you have…