Backpacking Skills
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What’s the Worst Weather You’ve Ever Hiked In?
Most of us have had to hike in bad weather at one time or another, on day hikes or backpacking…
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I Don’t Let the Weather Determine When I Hike
I saw someone write “I don’t let the weather determine when I hike” on a hiking message board recently, and it’s got to…
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How to Avoid Bugs and the Heat of Summer without DEET
How can you prevent bug bites without using DEET or other insect repellents, stay cool during day hikes or backpacking trips,…
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How to Read a Topographic Map
Whenever you go hiking it’s important to bring a map with you. Ideally, this will be a topographic map, which…
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A Close Call with Heat Exhaustion
I didn’t put two and two together when I was experiencing the symptoms of heat exhaustion during a high exertion…
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Backcountry Hygiene Tips: Or How to Eat without Touching Your Food
I don’t carry any hand sanitizer on day hikes and backpacking trips. I used to, but it’s pretty pointless when you…
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What Backpacking Gear Should You Bring for Cold, Wet Weather?
Scenario Analysis On my latest Appalachian Trail section hike from Southern New Jersey to Southern Connecticut, I hiked 173 miles…
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Pacing and Estimating Distance by Blake Miller
Many outdoors men and women measure distance in the backcountry by using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. GPS receivers…
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Hiking Route Planning and Local Knowledge
You should never underestimate the importance of local knowledge when planning a backpacking route or day hike. Trail conditions tend…
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The Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Grid System by Blake Miller
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) is a grid system that describes a person’s location in the backcountry. It is wonderfully simple…
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The Best Pee Bottle is not a Bottle
Sometimes you can’t leave your tent to take a pee. There might be a rain or snowstorm outside, it might…
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How Often Should You Update Your Maps?
I was giving a talk about hiking the White Mountain 4000 footers last year and one of the attendees asked…
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GPS Device or Smartphone App Navigation?
I’ve been testing two GPS navigation devices this summer: a higher-end GPS unit and a smartphone app that has very…
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Leave No Trace Camping
One of my facebook readers left a comment yesterday, questioning why anyone would bury the ash generated by a wood…
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