The window for snow camping on Mount Dickerman is pretty short as they close the Mountain Loop Highway during the winter. You have to hit it when there is enough snow at the summit to snow camp, but not too much snow on the highway so they close it down.
Read MoreI was in need of a lighter warmer sleeping bag for backpacking and I was looking at a few options in the $300 price range when a friend of mine sent me her Friends and Family discount code to Patagonia. I figured why not buy a $500 sleeping bag for the price of a $300 sleeping bag! It was a bit of a risk since I was unable to test the bag out beforehand and would be unable to return it, but all of my gear from Patagonia has been amazing so I decided to go for it.
Read MoreFor those who don’t know, IBS is short for Irritable bowel syndrome, super glamorous I know. It manifests in different ways, some people are more prone to constipation, others to diarrhea. IBS is something I have struggled with most of my life, and this may be TMI, but I fall into the diarrhea end of that spectrum so that’s what I will discuss here.
Read MoreI think all of us that backpack know the internal struggle that comes with bringing a backpacking chair along. It always leads to the same question, “Do I suffer on the trail carrying the extra weight to the top? Or do I suffer at camp when I have nothing comfortable to sit on?” The Trio aims to solve this by turning your sleeping pad into a chair.
Read MoreThousand Island Lake is in the Ansel Adams Wilderness outside of Mammoth, California. You need permits to camp overnight, and there are multiple trails to hike in on. You need to submit for a permit on the trail you plan to hike to reach the lake. You can find more information about the permitting process here. During peak Summer months you also need to take a shuttle to the trailhead. Since we went at the end of September we were able to park at the trailhead.
Read MoreTrip report from my three day two night trip backpacking the Copper Ridge Loop in North Cascades National Park of Labor Day Weekend.
Read MoreMy boyfriend and I adopted Kuma from Houston a year ago. Some parts of dog ownership I was prepared for, other parts took me completely by surprise. Here are 10 things Kuma has taught me about adopting an adventure dog in the last year.
Read MoreIf you are taking someone on their first backpacking trip and you aren’t sure how they will feel about it, I recommend Garibaldi Lake. The lake is beautiful and the campground has multiple outhouses and bear shelters for storing and cooking your food. No need to bury your poo in the woods or attempt a bear hang. As far as backpacking goes it doesn’t get much more glamorous than this! This place has been on my to-hike list for a while. After years of drooling over this view, I was able to convince Doris and our boyfriends to come along with me!
Read MoreWhen someone tells you they scored camping reservations in Yosemite Valley and invites you along, you drop everything you are doing, buy a plane ticket, and show up. At least that is what I did when Doris got reservations and asked me if I wanted to come along on her Fourth of July trip to Yosemite!
Read MoreA trip report from my recent climb up Mount St Helens in Washington. You can learn what to expect when climbing the mountain in mid-June!
Read MoreIf you are trying to live an eco-friendly car-less lifestyle in Seattle it can feel like you have to give up on outdoor adventures. It definitely makes things more difficult if you don’t have access to a car, but with a little bit of planning you can still get out on the trails!
Read MoreHave you ever hiked 22 miles for a famous cinnamon roll? This Memorial Day weekend I did exactly that!
Nestled on the northern shore of Lake Chelan lies the town Stehekin. Unreachable by car, the only way to reach it is either by a four hour ferry ride or float plane. A fun third option? Take the Lady of the Lake ferry to the Prince Creek stop and backpack 17 miles on the Chelan Lakeshore Trail into town!
Read MoreWhile you may not know about the Alabama Hills by name chances are you have seen it in a TV show or movie, it’s an extremely popular Hollywood filming location. The road your drive down to reach the campsites is even called, “Movie Road” Before white settlers and eventually Hollywood stumbled across this location the Paiute Tribe called this land home and you can even find pictographs in the rock formations. Now Alabama Hills is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which means there is free dispersed camping. There are some rules in place surrounding this so double check the BLM site before planning your trip!
I think a lot of people that follow me assume I am single. I am always out and about on hikes and adventures with close lady friends and you don’t see much of my boyfriend on my Instagram feed. I also wonder if people that know Brian exists see the lack of him on social media and assume we are on the verge of breaking up, that's also not true.
Read MoreWhen my friend Doris asked me if I would want to sign up for the snow camping event with her, I must admit, I was super on the fence. We had car camped in the North Cascades in October and I spent a miserable night freezing in my car in 19-degree temps. My initial thoughts were, why would I willingly sign up to cry in a sleeping bag again…? Doris assured me she would help me figure out a better sleeping system and that it would be fun so we reserved our spots (these events fill up super quickly!) and I anxiously awaited the arrival of this weekend.
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