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Gaia GPS

Tim and Kelsey Huber stand in front of their Toyota 4Runner near a blue alpine lake.
AdventuresGaia GPSGaia GPS Offroad PodcastOffroading

Overlanding the Pan-American Trail with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

by Mary Cochenour August 5, 2021
written by Mary Cochenour

How to listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts |Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | iHeart Radio | Castbox

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs 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 Episode 2 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast sponsored by Trails Offroad for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about driving across borders and vehicle-based travel. The Hubers divulge their secrets on how to confidently explore unfamiliar and remote terrain in foreign countries. Learn what’s in their vehicle recovery kit and what methods they rely on to keep people on track when you have too many cooks in the kitchen on a rescue mission. Plus, these offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their trusty rig “Goose” and the dream vehicle that they are building and traveling in now.

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise on their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Last Episode: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

If you missed it, you’ll want to go back and listen to our debut episode with Casey Kaiser of Coyote works. Casey recounts the terrifying night when all of the sudden his Jeep Wrangler burned to the ground.

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“I just noticed out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a little steam coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey’s quick thinking and rational behavior helped him survive this disaster. Casey also reveals the lessons he learned from the catastrophe, including the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Find out how Casey was able to use Gaia GPS to safely get him home that night and what prompted him to turn right around and buy — you guessed it — another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram. And don’t forget to pick up your sweet discount on a Trails Offroad membership and then pair that with this amazing offer for a discounted Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

Next Episode: Rimrocker Trail with John Lumia from Trails Offroad

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Don’t miss our next episode with John Lumia of Trails Offroad. John recently mapped the classic Rimrocker Trail — a 160-mile patchwork of 4×4 roads that connects Montrose, Colorado and Moab, Utah. John explains why this trail is an overlander’s dream.

“It has really some of the best scenery that the southwestern Colorado high desert has to offer,” John says on the podcast. “And it’s also pretty accessible. I think we rated it a three, which means any stock vehicle with a transfer case can complete the entirety of this trip. So if you’re trying to get into overlanding, which I classify as basically multi-day car camping, this one is a really good option for that.”

Tune in next time to hear John describe this five-star route, including the best time of the year to visit and what kind of flora and fauna you might see along the way. John also explains how he got his fiancee — a loyal Toyota 4Runner owner — to drive his Jeep Wrangler on the Rimrocker trail. And find out his favorite place to stop and eat in Moab.

Download the gps track and trail report for the Rimrocker trail at Trails Offroad. Trails Offroad is a friendly vehicle-based, adventure travel community. The website offers trail reports and ratings on more than 2,600 offroad trails, which are easily synched to your Gaia GPS account with a press of a button. Right now, Gaia GPS

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

Wade WBA Portrait.JPG

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

August 5, 2021
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Gaia GPSNew Features

Find the Best Trails for Your Activity with Gaia Topo Color Coded Trails

by Abby Levene July 29, 2021
written by Abby Levene

Discover the preeminent trails around the world to hike, bike, off-road, and horseback ride with new color-coded trails in Gaia Topo. Trails on our worldwide map are now clearly marked to show you which activities are allowed at your next destination.

Hikers can find peaceful trails unencumbered by mountain bikes and four-wheelers. And conversely, mountain bikers and offroaders can easily see where they’re permitted. Read on to learn how to use this fresh update to find the perfect trail for you.

Get Worldwide Trail Information from Gaia Topo

Whether you’re hiking, biking, or overlanding, Gaia Topo gives you detailed information for trails around the world. Now color-coding make it easy to quickly identify if your activity is permitted on a specific trail. Pull up the Gaia Topo legend to see what each color represents, or just tap on the trail to learn more.

  • Gray = foot travel is the only known permitted activity
  • Green = Horses allowed
  • Red = Bicycles allowed
  • Purple = Motorized vehicles allowed

When you select a trail, a pop-up displays more information, including the trail name, all of the allowed uses, and the trail specifications and characteristics.

Gaia Topo: Tiny and Fast to Download

Richer detail and styling improvements keep making Gaia Topo better and better. Best of all, these updates don’t compromise Gaia Topo’s bedrock feature — downloading efficiency. You can expect the same industry-leading download speeds and tiny sizes that you’re used to seeing from Gaia Topo’s revolutionary design.

Downloading maps prevails as a key feature for all recreationists, regardless of activity. Download the map for your entire state and navigate offline, even when you’re far away from service. Whether you’re overloading across multiple states, sightseeing in a vast national park, or backpacking across hundreds of miles of wilderness, you can still download one huge section of the Gaia Topo map to cover your entire journey.

How to Get Color Coded Trails on Gaia Topo

Gaia Topo is available to everyone for free online and in the app. Go to gaiagps.com on the web or open up the Gaia GPS map to see the updated color-coded trails. If you’ve already downloaded the maps for this area or you don’t see the color-coded trails, remove and re-add the Gaia Topo map source (iOS/Android). And be sure to get a Premium membership to download Gaia Topo and take it anywhere in the world — with or without cell service.

July 29, 2021
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AndroidGaia GPSNew FeaturesOffroading

Gaia GPS on Android Auto: Put the Best Backcountry Maps on Your Dashboard

by Mary Cochenour July 28, 2021
written by Mary Cochenour

Android Auto is here! Gaia GPS now connects with Android Auto, bringing all of your favorite trail maps directly to your vehicle’s navigation screen. Pull up the MVUMs, satellite imagery, National Geographic Trails Illustrated, and more, all
on the dash. View waypoints and follow turn-by-turn directions with any saved route on backcountry dirt roads and front-country pavement — worldwide. No cell service needed.

Whether you are overlanding across an entire state or navigating to a remote trailhead to escape the crowds, Gaia GPS delivers seamless, hands-free navigation on unmarked dirt roads, scenic byways, and unmaintained trails. Access hundreds of specialized maps in Gaia GPS’s map catalog and find hidden routes in places where other in-car navigation maps, like Apple or Google, are blank. And with a Premium Membership, you can download your maps so you can pull them up anywhere you go on Android Auto.

With connectivity to both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Gaia GPS is the only backcountry navigation app in the world that lets you navigate with hundreds of outdoor adventure maps on the dash. Tuck your phone away in your center console, pull up your maps in Android Auto, and navigate dirt roads and 4WD trails without distraction.

Display Your Favorite Gaia GPS Map in Android Auto

There’s a map for every activity in Gaia GPS and now you can display them all on your auto’s dashboard touchscreen with Android Auto. Get access to our entire map catalog with a Premium Membership and choose from hundreds of map sources to navigate backcountry offroad routes.

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When in a National Forest, try out the USFS 2016 map. Bring up National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps for sightseeing trips in America’s National Parks. Catch a bird’s-eye view of the terrain ahead with high-resolution satellite imagery. Customize your base maps with weather overlays like our precipitation, wildfire, and smoke maps to get detailed information about the places you plan to visit.

Switching map sources on the fly is a snap. Android Auto mirrors the map source on your’s phone’s screen. Any map source you select from your phone will appear on your vehicle’s dashboard navigation screen.

Once you start driving, Gaia GPS’s location arrow will follow your progress. Whether on unmaintained forest roads or cruising along a scenic highway, you’ll always be able to see your exact location on the map. Find land features, trailheads, campsite, restrooms, and places you’ve marked with waypoints conveniently from the dashboard screen in your car.

Navigate with Turn-by-Turn Directions on Dirt Roads

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Get turn-by-turn directions on all your saved routes. Android Auto will access all your saved drivable routes in the area, no matter how far off the grid you plan to go. Select any route and get notifications for upcoming trail junctions and turns in the road. See your speed, distance and time traveled as you move across the map. Notifications will also let you know any time you’ve veered off the planned route

Turn-by-turn navigation on saved routes works even when you’re out of range of cell service. Never get lost on a maze of unmarked, unmaintained backroads again.

Zoom, Navigate, and Record Your Tracks From the Dash

From the touch screen controls in your vehicle, you can zoom in and out on the map, preview and select saved routes in the area around you, and change your navigation mode between “north up” and “course up” on the map. Use the settings button to choose to view or hide routes, tracks, or waypoints on the map and switch the map in dark mode for navigating at night.

Press the +/- buttons to choose from three different zoom levels on the map. Zoom in to to see the finer details of the terrain around you and back out on the map to get a bigger picture of how you fit in the landscape.

Select between two navigation modes: “course up” or “north up.” “Course up” mode keeps the location arrow static and pointed to the top of the screen while the map rotates and moves underneath the location arrow as you drive across the landscape. “North up” mode keeps the map steady on the screen while the location arrow rotates to reflect your change in direction.

Android Auto Limitations

Navigation apps are limited to a set of development guidelines provided by Google due to the danger of distracted driving. In line with Google’s rules for third-party app integration, you will not be able to create routes or switch map sources on your vehicle touchscreen.

You can still get to all of Gaia GPS’s comprehensive backcountry navigation features while connected to Android Auto. Simply use your phone to change map layers and create and save routes while you are in the field. Android Auto will display any map source, drivable routes, and waypoints that you have saved on your phone.

How to Get Android Auto

Getting your Gaia GPS account connected to Android Auto is easy. First, make sure you download or have the most up-to-date version of Gaia GPS for Android by visiting the Google Play Store. Plug in your Android device to an Android Auto compatible vehicle and the Gaia GPS app will appear as an option on your dashboard navigation screen when you turn the car on. Select the app and start driving. Note that if you have Android 9 or below, you must get the Android Auto app on your phone. Android Auto is built into Android 10 and later. For more information on setting up Android Auto on your device or vehicle visit android.com/auto.

Everyone can connect Gaia GPS to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay with the free version of Gaia GPS. The free version of the app allows you to navigate with a limited amount of maps in areas with cell service. Unlock the entire Gaia GPS map catalog and be able to download maps for offline use with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

July 28, 2021
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Gaia GPSNew Maps

Avoid Wildfire Smoke with Free Smoke Forecast and Air Quality Maps

by Abby Levene July 22, 2021
written by Abby Levene

Burning eyes, runny nose, and hazy skies indicate that wildfire season has engulfed the U.S. Steer clear of smokey, polluted air on your next adventure with three brand new Smoke Forecast maps. Smoke Forecast (today), Smoke Forecast (24h), and Smoke Forecast (48h) give you a sense of smoke levels all over the continental US for today, tomorrow, and an entire weekend.

Whether you’re backpacking near a wildfire-ravaged area or overlanding thousands of miles away, get a quick and accurate sense of how much smoke blows over so you can circumvent the bad air and enjoy clear views.

Smoke Forecast Today, 24h, and 48h

The new Smoke Forecast layers show an estimate of the concentration of wildfire smoke present near the ground. These predictions take into account smoke billowing from nearby wildfires, as well as smoke blown across the atmosphere from fires burning far away. The Smoke Forecast data comes from a NOAA weather model called High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR). HRRR measures particulates on a 3km grid spanning the continental US.

RELATED: FIND CLEAR AIR WITH OUR SUITE OF FREE AIR QUALITY MAPS

Color-coded shading on the map gives you a quick sense of wildfire smoke in or coming to your area. Like a tape measure, the higher the number the denser (and more harmful) the particulate concentration. Lower smoke concentrations appear gray on the map, progressing to yellow, orange, and finally red for the highest concentrations.

The color-coded scale in the map roughly translates to the Air Quality Index, the EPA’s index for reporting air quality. Note that gray on the Smoke Forecast scale equates to green on AQI. You can use this color-coded system as a loose guide for when it’s safe to recreate outside, or when you should modify your plans.

source: Smart Air.

To see the exact estimated particulate amount, simply tap that location on the map. The sidebar on the web and the tap drawer on your phone will give you the smoke concentration (in μg/m³) and time that forecast was recorded (in UTC). Smoke Forecast (today) is updated hourly. Smoke Forecast (24h) and (48h) are updated every six hours.

This is a model-derived forecast layer, not an exact reading. These layers carry the same level of forecast uncertainty as other weather predictions, such as our Precipitation and Snow Forecast maps. In addition, very recent or small wildfires may not be included in the smoke prediction. This means that these maps may underestimate the amount of surface smoke present.

How to Use Smoke Forecast Maps

  1. Pull up the relevant Smoke Forecast map for your trip. If you’re heading out today, look at the Smoke Forecast (Current) map. If your trip will extend into tomorrow or span an entire weekend, pull up the Smoke Forecast (24h) or (48h), respectively.
  2. Pair the Smoke Forecast layer on top of your favorite base map, such as Gaia Topo or Satellite Imagery with Labels to see exactly how the air quality looks along each part of your route.
  3. Look at the color-coded shading over your route.
    • Clear or light gray — good to go
    • Yellow — moderate. Proceed with caution.
    • Orange — Unhealthy for sensitive individuals.
    • Red — Unhealthy to hazardous. Modify your plans or stay home.
  4. Next, use the Smoke Forecast layers in conjunction with our Wildfire (Satellite) and Wildfire (Current) maps to get a comprehensive understanding of how where fires are burning and how to bypass them.
  5. Finally, add the Air Quality (Current) and Air Quality (Tomorrow) maps to get an even richer sense of how wildfire smoke compounds with ozone and other air pollutants to influence the overall air quality in your area. Learn more about the wildfire and air quality maps here.

Why Checking for Wildfire Smoke Matters

Wildfire risk extends beyond simply encountering the fire itself. Smoke can travel thousands of miles away, exposing you to major toxins including:

  • ground-level ozone
  • particle pollution (also known as particulate matter, including PM 2.5 and PM 10)
  • carbon monoxide
  • sulfur dioxide
  • nitrogen dioxide

The Smoke Forecast layers measure PM 2.5 particulates. PM 2.5 refers to particulate matter with a size of two and a half microns or less. The width of the largest of these particles comes in at less than 30 times smaller than a human hair. The smallest particles are so microscopic that several thousand could sit together into the period at the end of this sentence.

These super fine particles can penetrate deep into your lungs, making your eyes burn and your nose run. Potent wildfire smoke aggravates chronic heart and lung diseases, and exposure to this particular pollution is even linked to premature death, the EPA reports.

If you’re heading on a hike, bikepacking trip, overlanding adventure (you name it) from June to December, check these map layers to help inform your route choice so you can keep your lungs happy and healthy. Even east coasters may be surprised by how much wildfire smoke blows in from the west and settles overhead.

How to Access Smoke Forecast Maps

All three Smoke Forecast Maps are available for free on gaiagps.com and in the app. To add the Smoke Forecast layers to your active maps in the iOS or Android app or on the web, simply select the map layers button, tap “Add map layers” and select “Feature/Weather Overlays.” Choose from Smoke Forecast (Today), Smoke Forecast (24h), and Smoke Forecast (48h).

Since refreshing for updated smoke data requires a wifi connection, these maps are not available for offline downloads. However, you can keep a recent visual on your phone: viewing the forecast over an area in a map will cache that data, leaving it available to view in the app for 24 hours.

Use of this map layer for any purpose is at your own risk. Trailbehind Inc (maker of Gaia GPS) is not responsible for any actions you take based on the information contained in any map.

While the Smoke Forecast maps are available for free, get a premium membership to download your favorite maps and take them offline with you in areas without cell service. A Premium Membership also gives you access to Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog. Download hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated, high-resolution satellite maps, weather overlays, and government-issued topo maps like USFS topo, all the USGS quad maps, and MVUMs.

July 22, 2021
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A Yellow Jeep is Engulfed in Flames in Oregon's Desert
AdventuresGaia GPSGaia GPS Offroad PodcastOffroading

Gaia GPS Launches New Offroad Podcast with Tale of a Burning Jeep

by Mary Cochenour July 22, 2021
written by Mary Cochenour

How to listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts |Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | iHeart Radio | Castbox

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast kicks off today, bringing you conversations with experienced offroaders and overlanders from around the world. Listen in as host, fighter jet pilot, and experienced overlander Wade May dives deep under the hood with experts in the field. International travelers and backyard explorers alike transport you to their most harrowing encounters, biggest lessons, and most epic adventures on the trail.

The debut episode launches with a story from Casey Kaiser, an experienced overlander with a penchant for finding abandoned homesteads in the desert. Casey takes us on a complete misadventure. Thirty miles off the grid, Casey’s fully upgraded Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JKU suddenly caught fire. The flames quickly engulfed Casey’s entire Jeep, leaving him stranded in the middle of the night in Oregon’s high desert. Casey made it home safely to tell us what he learned from this unforeseen catastrophe.

Following Casey’s story, we’ve got an impressive lineup of guests on deck. Up next, international overlanders Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise reveal their go-to recovery kit. Get a complete trails report of Moab’s Rimrocker route from John Lumia of Trails Offroad. The folks at Mountain State Overland walk us through how to upgrade your rig with purpose. Plus, get an inside look at the Bad Ass Ladies Overland, a crew of women who banded together to find friendship and face challenges on the trail.

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast, sponsored by Trails Offroad, drops every other week. Catch it in between episodes of Gaia GPS’s wildly successful Out and Back podcast, which features stories and interviews from all kinds of adventures around the world, including ultralight backpacking experts, thru-hikers, backcountry skiers, ultrarunners, and rock climbers. Subscribe to Gaia GPS’s Out and Back podcast and Gaia GPS Offroad podcast wherever you listen, so you don’t miss a beat. Give us a follow on our offroad and overland Instagram channel @gaiagpsoffroad.

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Episode 1: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

On a long weekend in 2018, Casey Kaiser set off to explore new territory in Eastern Oregon’s sagebrush desert. Guided with a plan to visit an old homestead site, Casey rambled some six hours off-pavement into the buttes and canyons outside his hometown of Prineville, Oregon. The trip was off to a perfect start — a challenging trail, bluebird skies, and his yellow JKU Jeep Wrangler eating up anything the road threw his way. But then, with a flip of a switch, everything suddenly went wrong.

“I noticed out of the corner of my eye, it looked like a little steam was coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Casey knew he had a serious problem. He was alone, 30 miles off-pavement, and his rig was literally going up in flames. Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey narrowly escaped disaster in the high desert that night. Casey reveals the number one lesson he learned from losing his rig — the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Plus, Casey explains how he used Gaia GPS to safely get home before sunrise the next day and why he couldn’t wait to buy another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler as his next dream rig.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram.

Next Episode: Ride Along with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

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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 on a full-time basis. Their first trip took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After more than two years on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Come back and join us on Episode 2 for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about international overland travel and their dreams for the next big trip overseas. The possibilities seem endless. These offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their rig “Goose” that carried them through their journey in South America. The Hubers also talk about their new-to-them dream vehicle and enlighten us about their top picks for recovery methods and gear. Hint: it does not always include a winch!

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise at their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

Wade WBA Portrait.JPG

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

July 22, 2021
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Gaia GPSNew Maps

Explore the Past with Two New Historical Maps in Gaia GPS

by Mary Cochenour July 15, 2021
written by Mary Cochenour

Unlock the mystery of the past with two new historical topo maps in Gaia GPS. We’ve added the official USGS topographic maps from 1960 and 1980 to round out our collection of historical maps. These maps can help you discover little-known ghost towns and visit deserted homesteads.

Whether you’re curious about the history of development in your neighborhood or wonder where miners had prospects, these maps can help you see what the land looked like in years past. Use these maps to plan your next adventure to historically rich and significant places both in town and out in the backcountry.

USGS Historical Topo 1960 and 1980

iMac displaying Gaia GPS map of Salt Lake City, USGS Historic Topo 1960
Salt Lake City, Historic Topo 1960

The new Historic Topo 1960 map includes USGS topo quadrangle maps published and updated between the 1950s and 1970s. The Historic Topo 1980 map was published and updated between 1970 and 1990. Coupled with Gaia GPS’s Historic 1900 and 1930 topo maps, these maps document historical features as they changed over the last century, from 1895 to 1990.

You can also go deeper into the history of an area by viewing the Native Lands map. Available for free in the Gaia GPS app and web map, the Native Lands map marks traditional Indigenous territories across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and, increasingly, worldwide. Learn more about the past, present, and future of Indigenous territories while planning a trip to a new area or adventuring near your backyard.

How to Use Historical Topo Maps to Find Abandoned Mines, Homesteads, and Ghost Towns

Historical maps in Gaia GPS make it easy to scout out new adventures to ghost towns, abandoned mines, and lonely homesteads. Here’s how:

  1. First, select a destination you would like to explore and examine it on a current up-to-date base map, like our flagship map Gaia Topo. Find a geographical region of historical interest.
  2. Add the Historical Topo map from any era: 1900, 1930, 1960, or 1980.
  3. Turn up the opacity on the historical maps, and turn down the opacity of Gaia Topo, so that you see the information in the hisstorical maps is prominently displayed.
  4. Browse the historical maps in that area, looking for interesting manmade structures and features that you didn’t see on the current basemap, such as fences, tunnels, mines, and ranches.
  5. Drop a waypoint on the map to mark the location of interest.
  6. Next, switch map sources to high-resolution satellite imagery to get a bird’s eye view of the area.
  7. Zoom in on the area around your waypoint. Closely examine the landscape to see if you can spot remaining structures or crumbled foundations at the abandoned site.
  8. Pull up a modern map, like Gaia Topo or USGS Topo , and create a route on existing roads and trails to the waypoint you’ve saved on the map.

How to Access Historical Maps

iMac screen displaying 1960 historic topo map

Access the 1900, 1930, 1960, 1980 historical USGS topo maps with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership. To add the historical map layers to your active maps in the iOS or Android app or on the web, simply select the map layers button, tap “Add map layers” and select “United States.” Choose from Historic Topo 1900, Historic Topo 1930, Historic Topo 1960, and Historic Topo 1980. View the maps in succession to see how historical features in a particular region have changed over time.

July 15, 2021
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Gaia GPSOut and Back PodcastUser Profiles

Jenny Jurek Talks Bikepacking Japan with Two Toddlers

by Abby Levene July 15, 2021
written by Abby Levene

How to listen: iTunes | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

Eight years ago, Jenny and Scott Jurek planned on going to Japan for their honeymoon. But life got in the way, including Jenny’s thriving career as an outdoor gear and apparel designer, Scott’s record-setting Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and the birth of their two children.

In August of 2019, Jenny and Scott shipped their bikes across the world. And with their one and three-year-olds in tow, they left their Boulder, Colorado home to embark on a month-long bike-packing tour across the mountains, beaches and farmlands of Hokkaido, Japan. The family covered 600 miles and camped in a new location every night while carrying all of their own gear.

Tune in to episode 35 of the Out and Back podcast to get all the details about bikepacking in a foreign country with two toddlers. Jenny, who is of Japanese descent, describes the joy the family felt connecting with her ancestors’ homeland. The kids didn’t want to leave! She gets into the shame she experienced growing up with a different sounding last name from her classmates, and how she’s come to cherish her ancestry as an adult.

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Jenny describes how she went from working in finance to landing her dream job as a designer for Patagonia. She keeps it real with her and Scott’s challenges of getting pregnant, including two miscarriages; how the AT injected new life into their relationship despite her sometimes harrowing task of driving around the east coast backroads by herself to support Scott on his run; and the struggle of balancing two young children with starting her own business.

Keep on eye out for Jenny’s new business, Always Up. It’s a gear company for active families, and her debut product is a first-of-its-class maternity belt for runners. Get some visuals from the Jurek’s Japan trip by watching a short film Jenny and Scott made about their family trip. Follow Jenny on Instagram for an inside view into Jenny and the family’s busy and beautiful life.

Next episode: Life with Fire

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If you live on the west coast, you’ve already woken up to bright red suns and thick, smokey skies this summer. Fire season has arrived. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing fire-ravaged towns on TV. Yet wildfires are actually not all bad. We’ve just exacerbated their scope, and in fact we are the ones who get in the way.

On the next episode of Out and Back, Wildfire Public Information Officer and former wildland firefighter Amanda Monthei breaks down why wildfires remain vital for ecosystem health, and how humans misunderstand this life force. She gets into the history of wildfire management in the US and how we’ve primed conditions for fires of unprecedented scope. Amanda dives into what we can learn from indigenous fire management practices, and how we can learn to better coexist with fire in the future.

Amanda also shares how she grew so infatuated with fire, leading her to work grueling summers as a wildland firefighter and then in the coveted role of a hotshot crew member. She unearths why she left that vocation, and how she’s turned her attention to educating the public about how to coexist with fire, rather than fight it.

Follow Amanda on Instagram, and check out her brilliant podcast on all things fire, Life with Fire.

Excerpt:
Jenny and Scott Jurek wanted to Japan for their honeymoon…eight years ago. But life got in the way, including Jenny’s career as an outdoor gear and apparel designer, Scott’s record-setting Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and the birth of their two children. With two toddlers in tow, the family shipped their bikes to Hokkaido, Japan. They covered 600 miles over a month while carrying their own gear. By the end, the kids didn’t want to leave! Get the inside scoop on the trip and the Jurek’s wild life.

Last episode: Map Points to a Marriage Proposal

A77ACA25-E5F5-4611-BB02-BB2B23AE590C_1_105_c (1).jpeg

If you’re craving a feel-good story, go back to the last episode of Out and Back. Phoebe Novitsky knew there was something special about Ian Silberman from the first time they met at the dingy basement office of SOS Outreach in Denver, Colorado. The stars never quite aligned for these two expeditionary learning educators. Years later, Phoebe finally mustered the gumption to put her feelings out there. She sent Ian a text. He didn’t respond.

Turns out, Ian was gearing up to lead a 17-day backpacking adventure for his students. It was a rough trip. After Ian evacuated one student with a stomach bug, he noticed that text from Phoebe. The two struck up a text conversation that continued on for the rest of Ian’s trip, their words shrinking the many miles of wilderness separating them. They never looked back.

From taking a wrong turn on Colorado’s Grizzly Peak to bonking on an epic gravel ride, Ian and Phoebe quickly got to know each other through their trials and triumphs outside. And they developed an unbreakable bond in the process. While it may not be about the destination, the landscape played a crucial role in forging Phoebe and Ian’s connection. The couple especially share a love of Buena Vista, Colorado and the surrounding Sawatch Mountains. Ian knew he wanted to incorporate geography into the proposal. He ended up taking it to the next level. Tune in to the episode to hear all about his ingenious plan, particularly how Gaia GPS helped Phoebe and Ian take a trip through time and space to put a ring on their relationship.

Learn how you can make your own memories on the map by using our new feature, emoji waypoints.

July 15, 2021
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Man looking at a map in Gaia GPS on his phone
Gaia GPSHow-ToNewsletter

How Learning Navigation Skills Can Make you More Confident Outdoors

by Corey Buhay July 8, 2021
written by Corey Buhay

Forget learning how to start a fire or tie a bowline knot: The first step to feeling more confident outdoors is learning how to read a map.

When most of your outings are with a group, a designated trip leader, or your significant other, it’s easy to fall into step and let someone else take the lead on navigation. That can be great when you’re just starting out. But after a while, you might start to feel left out of some of the decision-making, or like you wouldn’t know what to do or where to go in case of an emergency. Self-doubt can creep in.

That lack of confidence can keep you from really getting the most out of your experiences outdoors. In time, it can hold you back from planning your own trips, or chiming in when you have an opinion about what direction the trip should take.

Next time you go out, take a deep breath, step forward, and ask to be the one to hold the map. It can be scary, but taking that one step will benefit you for the rest of your life. Trust me.

Learning outdoor navigation skills is the secret to unlocking all the empowering benefits hiking and backpacking have to offer, and to being more confident outdoors

Case Study: What Happens When a Beginner Takes the Lead

When I started backpacking, my biggest goal was to go unnoticed.

My first real trip was a short weekend loop in Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia, with a couple of friends from my college chemistry class. I loved every minute of it—the sunshine, the stars, the wild ponies roaming the hills—but I spent most of the weekend my head down. I was too focused on keeping up with the boys to absorb much knowledge. Sure, I was in good shape, but they had more experience and sleeker gear. I felt out of my element.

That weekend, I learned about white-gas stoves, but I let someone else light them. I learned about topo lines, but definitely didn’t volunteer to try reading them. I didn’t want my friends to realize how little I knew. And I didn’t want to fail in front of all the people I looked up to. It took me a full year of backpacking—about a dozen more trips—before I realized that I didn’t know how to light a fire, and I’d never been the one holding the map.

Then one day our group’s usual leader bowed out of a trip. I found myself as the next-most experienced member. Suddenly, everyone was looking to me.

Leading the way across a chilly stream crossing in Shenandoah National Park. Photo courtesy of Lila Fleishman.

I spent a night poring over the maps, figuring out where the water sources and campsites were. And then, when we started hiking, I felt that everything had changed. For once wasn’t terrified of falling behind, because if I did, I’d know exactly where I was.

When bad weather started to roll in, I wasn’t worried. The map showed me where to find intermediate campsites in case we had to stop early. I knew whether the next road crossing would make a good bailout point, and whether I had enough water to skip a fill-up.

This time, I wasn’t hiking with my head down. I didn’t have time to worry about keeping up: I was too busy looking for mile markers and signposts, and the next good view.

The author and friends watch the sunset from an overlook in Shenandoah. Photo courtesy of Lila Fleishman.

Why You Should Be the One Holding the Map

1) Your input matters.

For safety reasons, it’s advisable for all members of the group—regardless of experience level—to know the plan. That way everyone can provide input and voice concerns equally. Putting too much trust in one person’s expertise—a phenomenon known as the “expert halo”—can be just as dangerous as putting a total beginner in charge. Never underestimate your own instincts.

2) Emergencies happen.

If the trip leader gets sick or injured, it might fall to you to find a way out. The best way to get a firm grasp of where you are and where you’re going is to take a turn with the map or GPS. There’s no better way to learn than by doing.

3) The outdoor world needs more kinds of leaders.

Outdoor leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but historically, in mixed-gender groups, the more experienced hiker or backpacker is often male. In mixed-ethnicity groups, that leader is often white.

If you’re a woman or another person from an underrepresented background, we need you. One way to fight the outdoors gender gap or diversity gap, get more diverse people educating diverse people, and make sure those around you are gaining the confidence they need, is to take the lead yourself. Step up and learn how to navigate, and you’ll be able to start planning your own trips and mentor others in the outdoors.

An all-ladies backpacking trip the author helped plan shortly after her successful trip to Shenandoah. Photo courtesy of Panayiota Boutis.

Navigation Tips for Beginner Backpackers

Navigation is the one skill every backpacker should know. It puts you in charge of your itinerary, and improves your peace of mind. Plus, it gives you confidence that you’ll always be able to find what you need—and find your way home.

1) Learn how to read a topo map and use a compass.

Ask someone you know to teach you. You can learn a lot online, but there’s no substitute for hands-on instruction. It can be helpful to ask your friend for a one-on-one lesson on a day hike so you don’t feel rushed or put on the spot.

Another good alternative is to look for a class near you. Gear shops, local outdoors clubs, and guiding services often offer inexpensive navigation classes.

2) Download a GPS navigation app.

Using a map and compass is a must-have skill, and it’s always smart to bring them as backup and know how to use them.

However, modern GPS technology, which you can find in your smartphone, can show you your exact location on a digital map. Even better: GPS navigation apps like Gaia GPS work even when you’re offline and out of service. They’re a great resource to have for everyday navigation. They can also be invaluable for finding your way in emergencies.

3) Plan your next trip.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a day hike or a week-long backpacking trip: You should be the one to plan it. Do some research, find a trail you’re excited about, and sit down to plan your route. Take charge of the whole trip, from your driveway, to the trailhead, and back again. You might mess up, but as long as you take proper safety precautions and an experienced buddy, it’s okay.

It’s okay to miss a turn, or get flustered, or take a really long time to decipher the map. Taking ownership of a trip is invaluable, both for your confidence and your skill development. And you’ll learn way more from trying and failing than from never trying at all.


July 8, 2021
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Gaia GPSHow-To

Best Uses for Your Cell Phone in the Backcountry

by Joe Pasteris July 6, 2021
written by Joe Pasteris

These days, nearly everyone heading into the backcountry carries a smartphone in their pocket. These powerful gadgets can, of course, make calls, send texts, and check email when in range, but they also offer many useful features far away from cell towers.

In the backcountry, cell phones have become a go-to navigation tool, an alarm clock for an alpine start up the peak, and the place to conveniently store guide books and favorite maps. Check out these ways you can use your phone in the backcountry even when cell service is nonexistent.

Know Your Location with Gaia GPS Navigation

Paired with a navigation app like Gaia GPS, your smartphone transforms into a powerful, compact navigation tool for backcountry travel — even when you’re out of range for cell service. You don’t need cell connection to pinpoint your exact location on a map, record your track, or find important map features, like water sources and campsites, for the backcountry area you are visiting.

To access maps offline in Gaia GPS, simply download the map by following these steps:

  • Select the map source and any layer you want to download, Premium members can access and download multiple maps and layers at one time.
  • Navigate to the area that you would like to download.
  • Tap the (+) icon at the top of your screen.
  • Tap the “Download Maps” button from the menu.
  • Tap and drag the dots at the corners of the highlighted rectangle area, and adjust it to cover the area you want to download.
  • Tap “Save”

You’ll be able to access the downloaded maps from the Gaia GPS app even when your phone is completely offline and in airplane mode to save your phone’s battery. When you’re out in the field, you can use the app to pinpoint your location on the map, drop waypoints to mark important spots like campsites and trail junctions, record your track and follow it back to retrace your footprints back to the car.

Get Your Bearings with a Compass App

A compass is an essential navigation tool that you use to take a bearing or orient your map so you can identify prominent land features and find your way if you get turned around. iPhones come with a compass app loaded on them, and can be launched from your iPhone’s home screen. Not all Android phones come with a compass, but there are many popular compass apps available for free. You can also pull up the Gaia GPS app to display the bearing for the direction you’re traveling. That said, you should always carry a handheld compass, too, in case your phone battery dies.

A backpacker looking at her phone

Download Guidebooks and Data Sets

Many popular trails and routes have guidebooks or data sets that show mileage and map coordinates for points of interest along the trail. But books are heavy and take up room in your pack. Gone are the days of tearing out the pertinent pages of a guidebook and taking them with you on the trail. Many guidebooks are available electronically and can be downloaded to your phone. If your favorite guidebook isn’t available electronically, you could take photos of the pages that apply to your trip and pull them up on your phone when needed.

Use Your Phone as a Watch for Simple Navigation and Alpine Starts

Many people have ditched the wrist watch in favor of using the clock on their phone to tell time. Knowing the time is important in the backcountry, because it helps you make important decisions such as whether to push on or stop and make camp. Time is also one of the three components of dead reckoning navigation, one of the most basic and useful backcountry travel skills. Dead reckoning involves learning your general position in the filed by using the mathematical formula of distance equals rate of travel multiplied by time. Using your phone clock or a watch on your wrist, you can find out how far you traveled by multiplying the time you were walking by the speed you were walking.

The phone’s clock also has an alarm to wake you from your deep sleep in the woods. Now you might be thinking you won’t need an alarm on your vacation to the backcountry. But an alarm comes in handy for alpine starts, when you need to wake up before the sun rises so that you can get an early start on the trail to tackle big climbs and beat afternoon lightning storms on exposed peaks and alpine passes.

a hiker looking at her phone


Measure Slope Angles with an Inclinometer App

Backcountry skiers and snowboarders use inclinometers to measure the angles of slopes when assessing avalanche risk. If you don’t already have a dedicated inclinometer, or you’d prefer to use your phone for that task, download an inclinometer app. The Avalanche Inclinometer app (iPhone and Android) is simple to use and features a large display, making it easy to read the slope angle in any weather. The app also displays your elevation and includes a compass.

In addition to inclinometers, Gaia GPS premium members can view the Slope Angle-Shading Overlay to see the subtle changes in slope angle on a topo map. This can be a helpful tool for planning your backcountry trips, but is not a substitute for carrying an inclinometer when backcountry skiing or snowboarding in avalanche terrain.


Use Your Phone as an Extra Flashlight

Almost all smartphones come with a flashlight app that’s handy for quick tasks, like looking for something inside your tent or getting out of your tent in the middle of the night to answer the call of nature. The light on your phone is probably not powerful enough to illuminate the trail while hiking, but they are helpful for use around camp and inside your tent at night. Look for third-party apps for fun in-camp features like strobes and different colors.

two hikers taking a picture of each other, one using a cell phone camera

Document Your Trip With Pictures and Video, Save Photos to your Track

With a smartphone in your pocket, you have access to a high-quality, lightweight camera that you can use to capture photographs and videos on all your backcountry trips. For many people, the default camera app that comes on a phone has everything they need: It should allow you to make exposure adjustments to get the lighting right, choose a focal point to ensure your subject is in focus, select high dynamic range (HDR) mode to capture a range of color and brightness, turn the flash on and off, and add gridlines to help you compose the perfect photo. If you want even greater control, look for a third-party camera app that lets you make shutter speed adjustments, change the ISO, and turn on image stabilization.

You can also use your trip to record points of interest in the Gaia GPS app. When tracking your route with the Gaia GPS app, snap a photo and save it to your saved route in exactly the place you took the photo. To do so, you simply tap the + icon in the top Gaia GPS menu in the iOS or Android app and select “Take Picture” when you want to attach an image. Learn more about how to take and add pictures in iOS and Android.

Create a Journal of your Trip

Many people enjoy bringing a small notebook and pencils into the wilderness to collect their thoughts in the quiet space of nature. But paper and pencils can get trashed when jammed into a pocket of your backpack. Try turning your phone into a travel diary with one of the many travel journal apps offered both free and for subscription. These apps bring a more in-depth solution to documenting your trip, including options to use text, photos, location tracking, and voice recordings to store all your memories and thoughts from a venture into the woods. When you come back to civilization, many travel journals sync your electronic journal to all your devices, so you can edit more freely on a bigger screen. Some journals even let you collaborate with other users to create a complete picture of your trip.

Stay Entertained with Games, Music, and Podcasts

For many people, the backcountry provides a space to “unplug” and get away from seemingly ever-present screens. But if you’re on a long journey and find yourself needing a distraction, try downloading crossword puzzles, games, audiobooks, inspiring outdoor podcasts like the Out and Back podcast by Gaia GPS, and playlists from your favorite music apps. Make sure you download files and/or apps to your phone before leaving home because there’s no guarantee you’ll have cell service out in the boonies. Also, nearby campers and resident wildlife would appreciate you bringing headphones to cut down on noise in the wilderness.

the Wind River Range in Wyoming, mountain in background and yellow flowers in foreground.

Identify Birds, Stars, and Plants

How many times have you looked at a pretty flower on the side of the trail or a bird chirping in a tree and wished you knew the name of it? Check out these apps, that will help you identify constellations, birds and plants.


To identify stars, try the free SkyView Lite app (iPhone or Android). It uses your phone’s camera to identify objects in the sky, including planets, constellations, distant galaxies, and satellites.

The Audubon Bird Guide app (iPhone or Android) helps you identify birds. Enter what you observe, such as color, size, and length of tail, and it will narrow down the choices for your location. The app offers data packets for offline use, which is essential when you don’t have cell service.

To identify plants and animals on your trek, try the free iNaturalist app (iPhone and Android). Using your phone’s camera, it can recognize many species of plants, animals, and insects. The PlantSnap Plant Identification app (iPhone and Android) is another popular option. Its free version helps you identify flowers, trees, mushrooms, cacti, and more.

Save Your Phone Battery

Relying on your phone for many tasks will wear down its battery. But there are many ways to conserve your phone’s battery while in the backcountry. Try running your phone in airplane mode, dimming the screen, and turning off location services for all the apps except maps and navigational aids, like Gaia GPS. Also, consider toting along a back-up battery or solar charger to juice up your phone on a long trip.

Mary Cochenour contributed to this story.

July 6, 2021
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Ian and Phoebe smile while Phoebe holds out her hand with an engagement ring on her finger.
Gaia GPSOut and Back Podcast

Map Points to “Yes” in a Marriage Proposal

by Abby Levene July 1, 2021
written by Abby Levene

How to listen: iTunes | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

Maps are like love letters. They enable boldness, and they break down barriers to the impossible. This episode of the Out and Back podcast is indeed a love letter written on a map. In fact, a map in Gaia GPS played an integral role in putting a ring on a couple’s relationship.

Phoebe Novitsky knew there was something special about Ian Silberman from the first time they met at the dingy basement office of SOS Outreach in Denver, Colorado. The stars never quite aligned for these two expeditionary learning educators. Years later, Phoebe finally mustered the gumption to put her feelings out there. She sent Ian a text. He didn’t respond.

Turns out, Ian was gearing up to lead a 17-day backpacking adventure for this students. It was a rough trip. After Ian evacuated one student with a stomach bug, he noticed that text from Phoebe. The two struck up a text conversation that continued on for the rest of Ian’s trip, their words shrinking the many miles of wilderness separating them. They never looked back.

Phoebe and Ian smile with their arms around each other. They're wearing helmets, sunglasses, and button-down short-sleeved shirts and jorts. Ian has his hand on a bicycle saddle.

From taking a wrong turn on Colorado’s Grizzly Peak to bonking on an epic gravel ride, Ian and Phoebe quickly got to know each other through their trials and triumphs outside. And they developed an unbreakable bond in the process.

“When we are out together, there is always this understanding that the objective never takes priority over the other person,” Phoebe says on Out and Back. “At the end of the day, we are out there to do this thing together. And that is what is important. It’s not really about the destination.”

While it may not be about the destination, the landscape played a crucial role in forging Phoebe and Ian’s connection. The couple especially share a love of Buena Vista, Colorado and the surrounding Sawatch Mountains. Ian knew he wanted to incorporate geography into the proposal. He ended up taking it to the next level. Tune in to the episode to hear all about his ingenious plan.

So grab a box of tissues and sink into this heartwarming story of how maps (and particular Gaia GPS) helped Phoebe and Ian take a trip through time and space to put a ring on their relationship.

Follow along with Phoebe and Ian on Instagram. Learn how you can make your own memories in the map by using our new feature, emoji waypoints.

Next Episode: Bike-packing through Japan with two toddlers

Jenny and Scott Jurek and their two kids smile for the camera on their bikes on a bike path in Japan.

Jenny and Scott Jurek planned on going to Japan for their honey moon…eight years ago. But life got in the way, including Jenny’s thriving career as a designer for Patagonia, their record-setting Appalachian Trial thru-hike, and the birth of their two children.

So in August of 2019, Jenny and Scott shipped their bikes across the world. And with their one- and three-year-olds in tow, they left their Boulder, Colorado home to embark on a month long bike-packing tour across the mountains, beaches and farmlands of Hokkaido, Japan. Carrying all of their own gear, the family covered 600 miles and camped in a new location every night.

Tune in to the next episode of Out and Back to get all the details about bike-packing in a foreign country with two toddlers. Jenny, who is of Japanese descent, describes the joy the family felt connecting with her ancestors’ homeland. The kids didn’t want to leave!

Jenny also keeps it real with her and Scott’s challenges of getting pregnant, including two miscarriages; how the AT injected new life into their relationship despite her sometimes harrowing task of driving around rural America by herself to support Scott on his run; and the struggle of balancing two young children with starting her own business.

While you’re waiting for this episode to drop, enjoy a short film Jenny and Scott made about their family trip. And follow Jenny on Instagram for an inside view into Jenny’s busy and beautiful life.

Last Episode: Emily Ford’s Winter Ice-Age Trail Thru-Hike

Emily and Diggins on the Ice Age Trail.

Despite its name, the Ice Age Trail mostly attracts thru-hikers during summer. Emily Ford forged right ahead and thru-hiked the 1,200 trail during the dead of winter anyway. After 69 days of post-holing down the trail, trudging along paved roads, and eating breakfast curled up in her sleeping bag, she also became the just second person and the first female to complete a winter thru-hike of Wisconsin’s long trail.

Emily did not set out to break any records or set any “firsts.” Her rationale for taking on the trail during the harshest time of year was simple. As a professional gardener at the Glensheen Mansion on the shore of Lake Superior, winter was when Emily had the time.

If you missed it, go back to episode 33 of Out and Back to hear all about Emily’s frigid trip. She wound up borrowing a lead mushing dog, Diggins, to keep her company on the trail. Hear the heartwarming tale of how Diggins ended up becoming a permanent member of Emily’s family.

Follow Emily on Instagram for updates on her adventures outside and gardening career.

July 1, 2021
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