So picture this. You load up the gear, drive down a dirt road through an evergreen forest to a little backcountry lake positively brimming with fish. You throw your boat in the water, grab a cold drink and shove off into the crystal clear waters to enjoy a sunny afternoon of serenity and relaxation. There’s only one problem with this. You don’t own a boat. And why not? Because you don’t have a truck or a trailer, or a roof…
I’m a field biologist, and, if you couldn’t already tell, I’m pretty passionate about the outdoors. So it goes without saying that I’m outside for work, I’m outside for leisure, I pretty much live out there. And I love it. But one thing I do NOT love is the many varieties of blood-sucking insects, particularly ticks. Ticks are probably my least favorite thing of all time. Not only are they gross, sneaky and annoying, but they can also carry with…
Distance: 7.5 km round trip Time: 3-4.5 hours depending on stops Elevation: 345 meters Click here for more important trail information Have you ever seen something so beautiful that wonder and joy bubbled up inside of you and burst out in a shout of amazement? Maybe that sounds cheesy but that’s exactly what happened to me, multiple times, as I trekked along the trail to the Glymur Waterfall in Iceland last Friday. I was so excited to get the opportunity…
Who knows why you get out there. Maybe it’s to have fun, to spend time with friends, to get away from the world, but have you ever thought that the reason might be something deeper? Have you ever wondered if perhaps there might be a connection between the earth and your very being? I’m not trying to sound like a hippie here, or a treehugger, although I may have a little bit of each of those inside of me, I…
El Nido, Palawan. Home to some of the most stunning karst formations I had witnessed in my lifetime. And I had just paid a modest amount of Philippine Pesos for a guide to take me to the top of the tallest peak, Mt. Taraw. I’m not usually one to need a guide but I was in a strange land and the strange cliffs seemed to provide no earthly way to the top. Have you ever seen karst? The sharp limestone…
Spring is coming and though I am utterly psyched about the longer days, warmer weather and the wild-flowers that it promises, there’s one thing that I’m not looking forward to. The bugs. I am lucky enough to live in an area with fewer mosquitoes than many other places in the world, but we do have them, along with horseflies, ticks and other terrible biting insects. I am outside a lot and I’ve always taken a little bit of an issue…
If I’m being completely honest with you I would say that I’ve always believed down to be superior to synthetic fills in most situations. However, inspired by the recent release of Nemo’s new FeatherCore insulation which claims to be just as light and compressible as 650-fill power down I think it’s time to take a deep dive into a synthetic vs down sleeping bags. How are they different? How are they similar? Why might I want one over another? We’ve…
Today the rain pounded relentlessly on my head except for the times when it changed to the soft feathering of snow. Luckily my jacket held it mostly at bay. My “waterproof” boots didn’t fare as well as they were assaulted with the dewy grasses and snowflakes that survived the long journey from sky to ground. But the forest is dazzling in the rain. It fills me with its breath and plants its icy kisses on my nose. Surprises drip from…
Do you remember, when you were a kid, going out into your backyard after a newly fallen snow? Everything was white and soft and quiet. The air shimmered with floating crystals, and it felt like your yard, and the entire world was one and the same. The crisp air carried a spark into your lungs with each breath you took in. Anything was possible. Whether you remember this experience from times gone by or its something you’ve never had and…