Looking for a peaceful (and free) escape this holiday weekend? Find free camping in national forests using Gaia GPS.
Adventures
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Feeling overwhelmed by all the gear options for car camping and overlanding? Self-proclaimed “professional car camper” Jason Specht from Mountain State Overland is here to help. Jason joins us on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast this week to sort through the gear you actually need versus the gear you just want. From rooftop tents to camp cookware, Jason gives his best advice for building out the overlanding vehicle of your dreams. Plus, get his super easy, go-to dinner recipe for camp cooking and his mess-free hack for the best s’mores.
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Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs a few years ago and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel. Their first major adventure took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After two years plus on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad. Tune in to the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to learn how these professional driving instructors navigated deep off the grid with their trusty Toyota.
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The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast launches today with a harrowing story about a run-in with disaster. Experienced overlander Casey Kaiser was on a solo trip in Oregon’s remote desert when all of the sudden his yellow Jeep Wrangler burst into flames, leaving him stranded some 30 miles off-pavement. Tune in to the debut episode to hear how Casey survived this nightmare. Plus, get an inside look at the impressive line up of guests slated for upcoming episodes on our new podcast geared toward dirt road travel.
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Knowing how to read a topographic map is the foundation to any backcountry adventure. Through the use of contour lines, topo maps bring a 3-dimensional element to a 2-dimensional paper map. Visualize the rise and fall of the land, and “see” the depths of canyons, the location of boggy meadows, and the height and shape of a mountain. Learn how to read topo maps like a pro.
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If you enjoy both the excitement of biking and the solitude of backcountry camping, bikepacking offers a thrilling way to explore wild places. In this guide, learn nearly everything you need to to get started – including the best bike options, how to pack your gear, and how to plan and navigate routes. Plus, get tips for preparing your body and bike for that first adventure.
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Whether you cherish carving the perfect line, hiking up to breathtaking views, or overlanding through enchanting desert planes, we are united in our love of the world around us. Join us and our friends over at Protect Our Winters in getting outside to protect the places we love to play. It’s easy: record a track of your adventure, and you can win a free Premium membership, among many other cool prizes.
Take your adventures off-road with the best maps for overlanding. This list includes favorites like USFS Roads and Trails and Motor Vehicle Use Maps, plus a few bonus maps you might not know about. Discover new trails, go further off the grid, and be prepared for what’s ahead with these key map sources.
Skiing and snowboarding allow the members of Indigenous Women Outdoors to gain a deeper connection to their homelands. Mapping tools assist in their travels, but their education goes far beyond what can be learned from an app or a piece of paper. Learn about how Indigenous Women Outdoors empowers Indigenous folks to connect with their community, history, and land through adventures outside.
When you think of the Himalayas, images of Everest and K2 probably come to mind. But scaling those formidable peaks only scratches the surface of what the region has to offer. Ski mountaineer Luke Smithwick has made it his goal to ski 500 beautiful and iconic backcountry lines in the world’s highest and most expansive mountain range. Tune in to the Out and Back podcast to learn why Smithwick thinks Himalayan backcountry skiing is worth a trip halfway around the world.