Spending time outdoors has created a unique bond between Melody Buck Forsyth and Ruby, who was born with Down syndrome. Through their goal to visit all 59 national parks, the family hopes to inspire others. Many people contemplating parenthood may think having a child will significantly scale back their adventuring. For Salt Lake City mom…
Read More
Nikki Frumkin is easy to recognize in the mountains. She’s the lanky blonde with a giant piece of watercolor paper strapped to her backpack. When she reaches the summit, she takes out a handful of brushes and breath-mint tin full of paint, finds a comfortable rock to sit on, and starts painting furiously. In homage…
Read More
Although the Chicago metro area is a bit limited by geography, a short drive to the outskirts of the city to visit a state park or conservation area or a longer drive across the state line to visit the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore provides hikers with options. The scenic midwestern landscape and easy-going terrain is…
Read More
Backpacking for the first time can feel daunting. What tent should you get? How many pairs of socks should you bring? Which water filter is the best for the job? We have quite a bit of backpacking experience, and thought we should tell you what we’ve learned the hard way. We know that gearing up…
Read More
National parks are wildly popular: In 2017, people traveled outside with nearly 331 million visits to national parks, monuments, and historic and cultural sites maintained by the National Park Service. This isn’t a revelation to any hiker who’s spent enough time outdoors to get a sunburn in recent years. Head to the nation’s most popular national…
Read More
It’s hard to live a life outside without encountering rain. That’s why a good rain jacket (or two) is an important part of every outdoorsperson’s closet. To pick the right jacket you’ll want to make sure it is seam sealed with a waterproof and breathable fabric,and a quality hood. But the rest is up to…
Read More
Outdoor Outreach on transforming young lives through the outdoors. If you’re a regular listener to this show, you’ve probably tasted the power of the outdoors. I remember my first time standing on a wave. You may remember your first time carving through powdery snow, your first long hike, or your first time camping under the…
Read More
Despite a traumatic brain injury, Sara Fry is exploring the High Sierra in an effort to map more than 8,000 miles of hiking trails. Sara Fry can still remember a few moments from that day in the summer of 2005. Her water polo team faced a rival high school, which deepened her desire to win.…
Read More
Are you a backpacking expert? PCT photo by Zach Davis [{“title”:”Appalachian Trail”,”points”:”2″},{“title”:”Pacific Crest Trail”,”points”:”1″},{“title”:”Take a Day Hike on Both Trails”,”points”:”1″}] I’ve gone before. [{“title”:”Appalachian Trail”,”points”:”0″},{“title”:”Pacific Crest Trail”,”points”:”0″},{“title”:”Take a Day Hike on Both Trails”,”points”:”2″}] Backpacking? No way. [{“title”:”Appalachian Trail”,”points”:”0″},{“title”:”Pacific Crest Trail”,”points”:”2″},{“title”:”Take a Day Hike on Both Trails”,”points”:”0″}] I spend hundreds of miles on trail each year.…
Read More
Comparing culture, gear, resupply and difficulty. Whether you’re deciding which footpath to tackle for a first thru-hike, you’ve hiked one trail and want to know how it stacks up to the other, or you just have a general curiosity, a fascination with comparing the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is common. Today,…
Read More