Trail running allows you to cover a lot of ground in a little time. This means you can reach new heights and sights and still be back in time for lunch. If you already hike, it’s not hard to make the transition to running. Here’s how to get started.
How-To
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Battery drain stinks, and often hits the hardest at the most inconvenient times. Countless factors can threaten the life of your phone battery, like cold or blazing hot temperatures, or even how many apps you’ve recently used. Whether you’re out for a 3-night backpacking trip, casual day hike, or a few hours on the slopes, there’s no escaping the inevitable drain. Whatever your adventure looks like, these tricks will help you save the juice in your phone and keep Gaia GPS up and running longer.
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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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Have you ever grabbed your backpack and rushed out the door only to find out at the trailhead that you forgot to download digital maps to your phone? Learn more here about how you can download your entire state’s topo map in a matter of minutes. Never forget a map again with the easy to read, tiny to download, Gaia Topo.
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Riding a sled allows you to cover a lot of terrain in a short amount of time. But this liberating, rewarding, and high-speed access comes with a price — it’s easy to get lost. That’s where navigation tools come into play. Learn how to use Gaia GPS to explore new terrain and to stay safer riding.
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Exploring great backcountry terrain often goes hand in hand with the threat of avalanches, but with careful route planning and rational terrain management, dangerous slides can largely be avoided. Before you head into the backcountry, brush up on how to use the best maps to identify avalanche terrain and plan the safest routes.
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Winter hiking can be magical — or miserable. That difference can largely come down to one simple decision. Bring the wrong layers and you may end up too cold or too sweaty, both of which can lead to exposure-related conditions like frostbite and hypothermia. Read on to learn the art of layering.
Dreaming up summer hiking and backpacking adventures? You can start getting ready for them right now, right from home. This week on Out and Back, personal trainer and founder of Backcountry Fitness Billy Gawron shares how you can get strong, fit, and mentally prepared to hit the backcountry. Minimal space, equipment, and time required.
Cell phones offer many useful features, even when you find yourself far away from cell towers. In the backcountry, they’ve become a go-to navigation tool, an alarm clock for alpine starts, and the place to conveniently store guide books and maps. Check out these ways you can use your cell phone in the backcountry even when cell service is sparse to none.
Winter hiking offers the ability to test out new skills, push your physical limits, and experience the beauty of a snowy landscape. But the same things that make winter hiking wonderful, can also make it more dangerous. Read our winter hiking safety guide to learn about winter hazards and how to pack for a snow-bound excursion.