There is no way I can know what was in Kate Matrosova’s mind as she set off to climb The Presidential Traverse that would take her to the peaks of Mounts Madison (5,367 feet), Adams (5,794 feet), Jefferson (5,716 feet) and Washington (6,288 feet) on the Sunday of President’s Day weekend.  The New Hampshire peaks aren’t huge by standards […]

So, how does this married woman with a son in high school, a job and zero long-distance backpacking experience change her life around to make her hike a reality?

If you are a geologist or have an interest in geology or just head out with the idea of exploring the geology of an area, you are GeoTrekking.

Four Steps to More Time in a Day Some of those that have responded to our “Don’t Get Outside Enough?” poll on the home page of the eMagazine tell us they simply don’t have enough time in the day to get outdoors as much as they would like. These people have already identified their goal, […]

Heather Legler is a novice backpacker, but her husband Josh began backpacking as a Boy Scout years ago. Heather says: “I haven’t solo hiked the Pacific Crest Trail or sawed off a frost-bitten limb with a credit card. I have never eaten raw squirrel meat or slept under a blanket of pine needles and steaming […]

“Hike Your Own Hike” is the first principle in Francis Tapon’s 2006 book, cleverly titled “Hike Your Own Hike.” Tapon hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, and more, in an effort discover how to take his life to the next level. In a nutshell he decided: “Thru-hikers don’t blindly do what people tell them they should […]

The Bend Bulletin, February 8, tells the story of Ravi Drugan, a double-amputee who won a bronze medal last month at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado. Drugan won his medal in monoskier cross. He lost his legs in an altercation with a train in 2004. Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) has been providing assistance and […]

I was a free range kid. My parents kept an eye on me more than I wanted, but I was still allowed to explore neighborhood parks and bicycle all over without supervision. While I see a lot of kids doing the same thing these days, some parents have become so over-protective that the kids barely get […]

In 1991, when Otze the 5,000 year old iceman was discovered in the melting ice of an Italian glacier he was carrying tinder in the form of tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius). For millennia explorers, hunters and trappers carried tinder with them wherever they went. It insured that they would be able to start a fire […]

Sometimes it’s tough to get outdoors and exercise in the winter. Still it’s a great time of the year to enjoy the outdoors. You’ll find that outdoor activities will keep you very warm and your body will burn more calories just to make that happen. I’ve split wood at -20F wearing a t-shirt and jeans. […]