Strong navigation skills are crucial to any successful backcountry outing. A watertight navigation strategy is at the core of backcountry safety—if you know where you are, you can find your way out of a number of unexpected situations. Plus, the very act of route-planning forces you to study the terrain, making you more likely to… Read More »
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.
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. Here are some tips to see the meteor shower at its best.
The morel is perhaps one of the most prized quarries of American mushroom hunters. Its distinctive look, rich meaty flavor, and reputation for elusiveness all make for an intoxicating chase. Consequently, the locations of morel jackpots are often closely guarded secrets.
To find your own secret spots, you’ll need these six map layers.
Warning: We received feedback from search & rescue that people have gotten lost and died while out hunting Fenn’s treasure. Please use caution while venturing into unknown land. For more information on how you can be prepared, please read these guidelines from the US Forest Service. Almost a decade ago, the 80-year-old billionaire Forrest Fenn… Read More »
First off, congratulations: If you’re reading this, you’ve either committed to going on one of the most memorable adventures of your life, or you’re seriously considering it. The people you meet, the landscapes you see, and the experiences you have—whether it’s downing a half gallon of ice cream in Cumberland Valley, or dodging a bear… Read More »
Canada is home to 47 national parks and hundreds of provincial and territorial parks, all crossed and interconnected by world-class trails. Now, you can explore all of them with Gaia GPS. Thanks to a new trails overlay from award-winning Canadian mapmaker Backroad Mapbooks (BRMB), the Gaia GPS map catalogue includes more detailed coverage of Canada… Read More »
The National Geographic Trails Illustrated layer now covers both California’s Desolation Wilderness and Texas’s Big Bend National Park. About Desolation Wilderness Glaciers shaped the land of Desolation Wilderness thousands of years ago, leaving the granite peaks scarred and polished and dotted with alpine lakes. Located just west of Lake Tahoe in Northern California, Desolation Wilderness… Read More »
Winter hiking might just be the fourth season’s best kept secret. Don’t let a chilly forecast keep you indoors. Learn the facts, and use them to master your gear, fueling, and layering systems. Do that, and you can have just as much fun winter hiking as you would in summer. Honest. Capitalize on the fourth… Read More »
After months of waiting, waxing, tuning, and pretending to enjoy trail running, we’re finally on the verge of winter. But as new snow settles into the couloirs and glades, it’s easy to get caught up in the stoke without doing your homework—a potentially fatal mistake when you’re backcountry skiing in avalanche terrain. To get the… Read More »
