Outdoor Life

Up until the beginning of 2018, my gear bag consisted of clothing and base layers made from mostly cotton or synthetic materials. I had a good friend I began hiking with in late 2017 that swore by wool socks. Even...

  The Swiss army knife of fabrics Why a 28 in by 80 in cut of fabric made of woven wool and silk is the most important item to bring with you anywhere. I recently took a November camping trip...

At a young age, I wasn’t really into sports. In fact, I couldn’t do much physical activity because of asthma and other health issues. Any moderate exercise would have me gasp for air, like a heavy smoker. Gym class was...

Fishing takes many different forms. I am an avid fisherman in the Midwest and love to chase the fish native to most of the upper Midwest and Canada. However, when I travel, I always try to get on the water...

Because I grew up in the snow belt of upstate NY, there’s something weird about not having a white Christmas. There’s something even more weird about riding up a chairlift, snowboard strapped on, with grass, dirt, and rocks beneath. With...

With over 850 miles of trails and unpaved roads, including 70 on the Appalachian Trail, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great place to put your hiking boots on and explore! Here are 3 must-do hikes to check...

Check, re-check, then check it again. That's how I plan and pack. Whether it's for travel or hiking. I try to go as lite as I can but carry what is necessary. This trip was no different. I was antsy...

Peakbagging - “An activity in which hikers, climbers and mountaineers attempt to reach a collection of summits, published in the form of a list.” I got into peakbagging almost 3 years ago. At first I would just hike up mountains...

If you have ever traveled to Minnesota you get to see some diverse country, from Oak Ridges to farm country we truthfully have it all. Often, however, the far North part of Minnesota gets overlooked. Creating magnificent beauty that many...

With 20 miles of coastline hiking ahead of us, we set out around 8 am. It was day two of our hike and it was about an hour later than we had planned on leaving. We had a fire this...

Made the trip south from Washington to Oregon late this spring to ride some mountain bikes in Oakridge. This tiny town is slowly but surely becoming a destination on the map. Old school singletrack coupled with Cascade alpine makes for...

4 years ago, on a beautiful summer day, I hiked up my first mountain in Alaska. It wasn’t easy, but very rewarding and so I decided to do it again. Before I knew it, I was purchasing an old ice...

Minnesota is full of past times, from snowmobiling to the opener of deer season in the fall. There is one particularly close to my heart and that is the start of spring walleye. The season begins in the early part...

This past spring, I had the opportunity to spend a month in the Caribbean. The first three weeks were spent in Borgne, Haiti, a rural commune on the northern coast of the island. We worked with a group of women...

When you think about going on an adventure, you may not think about how important training off the trails is. Or you may think “all I have to do is hike" to have a successful adventure. Sure, this may be...

My name is Rob and I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in March of 2018! I am excited to share my journey with you wherever you are in the world. I will be sharing a series of blogs...

The chilly night air consumed me as I prepped for opening morning, for the first time in 15 years there would be snow on the ground for Opening day of Minnesota Deer season. It is always an exciting time of year.

It might sound silly to someone who spends most of their time on well-beaten paths, but for some of us, coming across the right adventure partner can be as difficult as finding the right life partner. There are a lot of things to take into account in order to create the right chemistry and make sure that everybody comes home safe and sound. (Keep in mind that the factors mentioned below only stem from personal experiences and opinions, and are in no way intended to undermine or invalidate other criteria or experiences.)

The Great Himalayan Trail... I heard that it hadn't been done solo before (later to find I was the 5th), so I derailed my plans to go scuba diving for a Himalayan adventure. The trail traverses the country of Nepal...

As my first real backpacking experience the 4700 mile journey from Steamboat Springs, CO to Prudhoe Bay, AK was a trial by fire. Starting in the middle of May on 8 feet of snow, I began the trip that would...

The holiday season is a time when, as a society, we all get caught up materialistic behaviors and other unhealthy habits. Less time is typically spent outdoors in an effort to prepare for the holidays. This Thanksgiving, I vowed that...