Learn how to overcome your backpacking fears this week on the Out and Back podcast. Allison Boyle, the face behind the ultra-popular blog and hiking resource She Dreams of Alpine, lays out the big three fears newbie backpackers feel. She shares her tried and true strategies for overcoming them, as well as why almost everyone wants to back out of their trip right before they start. Plus, learn how she turned her passion for the outdoors into a career.
Gaia GPS
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Learn more about the land you live and recreate on with the Native Land Territories map. Created by the Canadian non-profit Native Land Digital, this map is available for free in the Gaia GPS app and on the web. Dig into the past, present, and future of Indigenous territories across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and increasingly worldwide as you plan a trip or adventure in the backcountry. Plus, learn how to make a land acknowledgment to pay homage to the past and present occupants of the region.
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No more getting caught in the woods without a map. Download the easy-to-read, tiny-to-download Gaia Topo map for your entire state in a matter of minutes. By keeping a map on your phone, you can always create new routes from the trail, navigate deep in the field, and find your way home.
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Get the Best Ultralight Backpacking Tips and a Special Offer from Hyperlite Mountain Gear
by Joe Pasterisby Joe PasterisLighten your pack with these ultralight backpacking tips from Adventure Alan Dixon. Plus, it’s last call for Gaia GPS members for a 15% discount on Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs and shelters. Summer sale ends on August 31.
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It’s not too late to catch one of the most striking meteor showers of the year. Whether you’re looking for a romantic date night, an opportunity to really wow a first-time camper, or a quiet night to yourself, the Perseids are not to be missed. Find the dark skies near you and catch the meteor shower with these tips.
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Create snap-to-trail routes on the fly with offline routing. Our intelligent route planning tool you know and love is now available without cell service or wifi. Just download the route data along with the map, and plan new routes from the road, your tent, or the trail.
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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.
With high desert mesas, alpine forests, and Moab’s copper-colored canyons, the Rimrocker trail makes a perfect weekend getaway for anyone looking to get into car camping and overlanding. Tune in to the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast with John Lumia, co-owner of Trails Offroad, for a complete report on this classic 160-mile route. John recently mapped the Rimrocker and he’s here to give us a rundown with all the trail’s fine details.
As wildfires derail recreation plans across the West, how can we account for longer and fiercer fire seasons? Former wildland firefighter Amanda Monthei lifts the curtain on fire misperceptions this week on the Out and Back podcast. Tune in to learn how we can work with — rather than against — fire, and how to take advantage of burn scars on your next trip.
Find the Best Trails for Your Activity with Gaia Topo Color Coded Trails
by Abby Levene
by Abby Levene
No more guessing whether your activity is permitted on the trail. Discover the best trails for biking, four wheel travel, and horseback riding with the all new color-coded trails in Gaia Topo. Plus, hikers looking for peaceful trails unencumbered by other activities can see which trails only permit foot travel. Learn how to use the color-coded system to find your next trail anywhere in the world.