Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

It can be tricky to find the perfect place to set up tent, especially in the back country.  On my rookie adventure trip a few years ago we had a problem while backpacking in Glacier National Park. Black Flies. They were beastly. Worse than you'd ever think imaginable. So horrible in fact, that we had to painfully cut our trail 3 days shorter. I was almost turned off of backpacking for good... almost. Now they were...

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ZenHabits.net offers 36 tips to keep travel light, easy, worry-free, and fit everything into a single bag. * Pack as light as possible. * Travel with a light backpack.* Pack just a few clothes with only a couple complimentary, solid colors * Pack only what you can carry on to the flight.* Put everything you want to bring in a pile and slowly strip away things that aren’t necessary.* Leave the laptop behind a electronics*...

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The relative safety levels of different ways of climbing depend upon if and how you use ropes. Learn why a cliffhanger dangling from a well-secured toprope has little to worry about, while a free soloist is gambling his or her life. TopropingWhat is toproping? Toproping means climbing while attached to one end of a rope that is anchored at the top of the wall or cliff. The climber’s partner controls the other end of the...

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I just got an email from a friend of a friend who is spending three months in Argentina. He and his wife were able to get a substantial discount on two berths on an Antarctica-bound ship. You can use their technique to get a discount too. The trick is that you have to actually go to the Argentinian city of Ushuaia, the southernmost in the world, which is where those ships depart from, and then...

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Whether it's the weather, responsibilities, or finances, it's just not always possible to get uncooped. Here's five tips to enjoy the same benefits of travel while kicking it locally.1. Start a new hobby.Travelling helps us escape the hum drum of normal life. Starting a new hobby — something that you’re passionate about — has a similar effect.2. Explore new cultures in your hometown. Many of us live in multi-cultural cities or towns. We don’t even...

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Nothing stops a backpacking or camping trip faster than coming down with the flu. The following simple tips from Dumb Little Man will help you stay healthy this season: Raw garlicDrink plenty of fluidsStop Smoking.Eat mad fruits and vegetables. Proper room ventilation. To reduce your chances of infection develop the habit of keeping a distance (about six feet), if possible, between yourself and others during flu epidemic.Wash your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or...

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In web terms, a "sticky" site is one that is effective at drawing repeat readers. So if you're an outdoors blogger hoping to reach the huddled masses, stickiness -not cleanliness- is the virtue next to godliness.(Besides - when it comes to the outdoors, if you're not getting dirty, you're probably not having fun.)Here are ten tips to stickify your outdoors blog and make readers come back for more, again and again and again.1. Teach them...

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Via Mountain World Blog:Follow the rule of thirdsLeapfrog (don't shoot your buddy's behind)Less is morePanoramaBring your camera!Under-expose (esp. in snow)Use fill-flashShoot into the sunIn or out (use your zoom)Experiment!

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The classic outdoors-inside room, as I picture it, is the basement rec room circa 1973, paneled in wood or fake wood with framed hunting-season photos and a prize fish mounted on a plaque decorating the walls. For those of us who would rather not live in fake-wood-paneled basement rec rooms circa 1973, but still want to honor our love of the outdoors in our living spaces, here are some ideas.What's your outdoors fantasy? That is,...

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Via WebMD, this article has some natural ways to help prevent yourself from catching a cold or the flu. I wish I had looked up this list a few weeks ago. Then maybe I wouldn't be sitting here with watery eyes, a red runny nose, and a cough that I can tell is going to get worse. Argh.And I start a new job next week. Double argh.Here are a few quick tips:Drink lots of waterTake your vitaminsGet...

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With the right frame of mind, and some adequate preparation, winter will soon become your favorite season for backpacking and hiking. Here's eight steps for making sure you have the best, and safest, time.Step One. Make your goal simply to be there in the intensity of winter beauty and wildness.   Step Two. Allow everything to slow down Step Three. Plan more time in a sleeping bag. Step Four. Look at adaptation and unpredictability as...

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My two most popular posts, by far? "How to have good sex in the woods" and "how to have good sex on the beach." You perverts.Just kidding. In the spirit of promoting the combination of two very enjoyable activities, here are a few bonus tips for great sex in the great outdoors.Things to bring:Blanket, bottle of wine, compact Lexan wine glasses Viva la sexy picnic!Bug tent So you're dying to get it on next to this beautiful, isolated forest stream,...

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Check out these twelve tips from Photojojo for capturing all the lovely leaf-crunching fall phenomenon on your autumn camping, backpacking, biking or hiking trips. This weekend, at least where I live, is usually the finest for fall-color capturing.(1) Photograph around sunrise and sunset for the best light and color.(2) Photograph outdoors when your shadow is longer than you are.(3) Don’t overlook overcast days.(4) Use a tripod.(5) Polarize your lens!  (6) Underexpose your shots slightly.(7) Experiment...

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1. Locate your spot. Find a space that is significantly far away from any trails or campsites, and at least 50 yards away from a river, stream, or lake. Soft soil, sand, or snow is ideal.  2. Dig a hole. Use a trowel to dig a whole at least six inches into the ground, and more if there will be solid waste. Keep the dirt or snow close to fill in the hole once you've...

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An industrious young man named Colin shows how to make muddy water potable by boiling it in a plastic bottle. Image from drjean.com Via

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In strictly literal terms, it's pretty damn simple. Find a boulder on a beach. Climb on it. Presto, you know "How to boulder on the beach." In looser terms, though, there are a few things you should know to make it a good experience.1. Bring your climbing shoes.If you're accustomed to climbing barefoot, you don't own a pair of climbing shoes, or you just came across some beach boulders without having planned for it, then...

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Check out an episode of the (mediocre-ly produced but helpful) Travelbudz for some excellent camping tips that guarantee you'll be prepared before you meet Mother Nature face first.   1. Plan early.2. Make a list.3. Test your equipment.4. Invest in an inflatable sleeping pad.5. Eat well. 

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