Back with another addition to my Backpacking 101 series! This time we're going to talk about personal hygiene. How clean (or dirty) you want to be in the backcountry is entirely up to you, and possibly how much stench your companions are willing to endure. Some people love to embrace the dirtiness but others like to try to stay as fresh as possible. This post will include some tips you can choose to follow or ignore based on where you fall on the cleanliness spectrum!
Read MoreJust because the temperature drops and snow blankets the landscape doesn’t mean that the backpacking or camping season needs to end. Snow camping offers an entirely unique opportunity to experience the backcountry!
Read MoreAfter Alex’s and my trip to Sahale Glacier we decided to head south for a quick mini-moon backpacking trip in the Sierra. We were hoping that we would have more luck than we did in Washington and that we would get to experience more fall weather. Well, it turns out our trip to Kings Canyon National Park was a repeat of our trip to the North Cascades, but that doesn’t mean it was a bust. Far from it! Once again we were able to experience the height of fall colors and then wake up to a fresh dusting of snow on the peaks.
Read MoreAt the end of September, Alex and I went on an overnight backpacking trip with our friends Alisha and Sean to a place we have been dreaming about for a couple years: Sahale Glacier camp. This backcountry campsite is one of the most sought after destinations in North Cascades National Park so, understandably, the competition for permits on weekends is fierce.
Read MoreAs Alex and I neared Jackson the sky grew dark and angry, sending down torrents of rain that our faulty windshield wipers had trouble mopping away. We were on our way to pick up our backcountry permits for the Teton Crest Trail, permits I had applied for the moment they became available for reservation on January 3, 2018. After nearly eight months of anticipation it became an increasing reality that the weather could foil the hike I had spent more than half a year dreaming about.
Read MoreIn late August Alex and I went on a road trip through Idaho and Wyoming to complete a few of our bucket-list backpacking trips. Our initial plan also included Glacier but the Howe Ridge Fire closed the west side of the park and we had to cancel our backpacking trip there.
Read MoreThe Wonderland Trail is 93 miles long, includes 22,000' of elevation gain and loss, and circumnavigates the tallest point in Washington: Mt. Rainier. It is a world-class hike that has been on my mind for years so finally being able to complete it was such a wonderful feeling, but it wasn't an easy road (or trail) to get there.
Read MoreI looked out at the mountains from our vantage point at the Minaret Vista parking lot and furrowed my brow. The mountains, which should have been clear and crisp from our distance appeared vaguely through a smoky haze. The Lions Wildfire that was sparked by a rogue lightning strike on June 1 was only partially contained and the smell of smoke was overwhelming.
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