Steep climbs, profuse sweat, plodding pace — let’s go hiking!
Hiking is a lot like life. If you don't push through the hard parts, you don't get anywhere at all.
hiking
My knee itched, and then there was all this blood
Cautionary Tales: On the virtues of checking out minor annoyances — an itch here, an uncomfortable hot spot there — sooner rather than later.
Studs, spikes, snowshoes, skis: Which tools to use for tackling winter’s slippery slopes
Cautionary Tales: Here's a breakdown of different winter trail conditions, and what I'll use to make backcountry travel less of a headache.
Sharing your stories of misadventure in the outdoors
Cautionary Tales: You've read about my tales of woe in the backcountry. Here are some of the most memorable stories readers have shared with me.
As Alaska trail temperatures plummet, remember: You can’t drink ice through a straw
Cautionary Tales: When a thick layer of ice comes between me and my drinking water, I must learn to adapt.
How to load a backpack so you don’t lose stuff along the trail
Cautionary Tales: Anything I want to keep during a trip needs to be secured safely within my backpack. Everything else is fair game for Mother Nature.
A little fear goes a long way on solo backcountry adventures
Cautionary Tales: I've often been asked why I enjoy venturing into the outdoors by myself. Truth be told, it's not for everyone.
Traversing the Brooks Range, step by revealing step
A 60-day trek across the 1,000 miles that serve as Alaska's spine is recorded in marginalia on map sheets taped together as I wormed my way into the wilderness.
Traversing the Brooks Range, step by revealing step
A 60-day trek across the 1,000 miles that serve as Alaska's spine is recorded in marginalia on map sheets taped together as I wormed my way into the wilderness.
My Fairbanks-hating friends have it all wrong
Cautionary Tales: Hiking the Granite Tors Trail on a late-summer day, I wanted to shake my fist at every friend who told me Fairbanks wasn't worth visiting.
Carrying a 10-month-old baby on 33-mile Alaska backpacking trek
How an Anchorage mom took her 10-month-old up Southeast Alaska's Chilkoot Trail.
Sisters so different get similar thrills at the top of Lazy Mountain
Until our recent hike and climb in Mat-Su, I'd never have believed my sister would get such a thrill from summiting — and I'm thrilled that she did.
As bears feast in Eagle River, Albert Loop Trail closes
The late summer closure dates back to the 1990s, when three hikers were mauled by brown bears in separate incidents over a four-year period on the trail.
New Mat-Su park offers lots of scenery along Knik Arm
Settlers Bay Coastal Park is a 295-acre tract being purchased by Great Land Trust for $1.4 million — if the final $40,000 can be raised.
Summit beatdowns: When the best decision you can make is the most disappointing
Cautionary Tales: Whether the mountain you're climbing is 4,000 or 14,000 feet, knowing when to turn back is crucial. But on Mount Rainier, it was a tough call.
Don’t leave your spork at home, and other tips for hungry backpackers
Cautionary Tales: Much of the time I spend on the trail is consumed by food: when to eat, how to eat, and the beer and pizza waiting for me back in town.
Everybody does it: What to know before you ‘go’ in the backcountry
Cautionary Tales: Here's a refresher on how to handle human waste, whether you're in the woods, on a glacier or out of toilet paper.
When showing visitors the sights of Alaska, it’s OK to be wowed yourself
Incredibly, it’s only when people from outside arrive that I realize how much Alaska’s glory has already dulled.
Chance meeting makes summiting North Suicide Peak all the sweeter
Cautionary Tales: It's not uncommon for me to run into people I know on Chugach State Park trails — but this was one serendipitous encounter.
How to document your Alaska adventure
Four people who've spent a lot of time in the Alaska outdoors with notebooks and camera gear can help inspire you on your next adventure.