Unexpected Turnaround

ByJoanna Flug August 7, 2020 0 Comments
I once heard Yvon Chouinard say in a documentary that “adventure is when everything goes wrong. That's when the adventure starts.” It’s not that everything went wrong per se, but more so unplanned and unexpected, and that was the start of our adventure.  A New Normal - And Not One I Wanted To Get Used To When the pandemic hit, we saw an instant shift as we watched the world shut down...

7 Tips to Add Fun to Your Family Road Trip

ByMatcha July 27, 2020 0 Comments
Ah, the family road trip. A summer tradition and rite of passage for families across the nation. Audiobooks, music playlists, backseat squabbles, and calls of “Are we there yet?” and “I have to go to the bathroom” add to the mayhem (er, magic). Traveling by car offers SO many benefits—like being able to stop along the way to see roadside attractions, having a comfortable space of your...

Guiding You To The Perfect Backpacking Pack

ByJoanna Flug July 22, 2020 0 Comments
When it comes to picking out the perfect backpacking pack, we wan't to make sure you have all the big questions answered. With SO many options out there, it can be hard to know what bag is going to go the distance with you. That's why we've put together a guide to help you determine which of our backpacking collections is the perfect fit for you.We teamed up with Ambassador Where To Willie to...

10 Must-Do Hikes in the Mountain West

ByMatcha July 20, 2020 0 Comments
From Montana’s Livingston Range to the Lechuguilla Desert of southern Arizona, the U.S. region known as the Mountain West is brimming with top-caliber hiking destinations. Narrowing down a list of 10 standouts is no small feat, but we took a stab at it anyway, choosing from the eight states that make up the U.S. Census Bureau’s Mountain West zone. Take note: These aren’t the 10 best hidden...

The AT Thru-Hiker’s Decision: Get Back on Trail or Call it Quits

ByMatcha July 14, 2020 0 Comments
Gretchen Pardon was one month and more than 270 miles into her Appalachian Trail thru-hike when she realized she had to leave the trail. It was March 23, less than two weeks after the World Health Organization had officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, when she walked into the city of Hot Springs, NC expecting to take a break in town, see her husband and then get back on trail. But something...

Behind The Lens: Nicaragua

ByJoanna Flug July 6, 2020 0 Comments
Even though we are home, we can still dream of faraway places, right?Join us on a trip through our past adventures to help us all look forward to and plan for future ones. Fun Fact #1: Because of its unique equatorial location, you can see 86 of the 88 constellations in Nicaragua - the most constellation visibility of any place in the world! Fun Fact #2: There are no street names in Nicaragua!...

Funniest Mishaps Experienced By Adventurers Across the Country

ByMatcha May 18, 2020 0 Comments
Ah, life on the trail and in the mountains. It’s beautiful, it’s challenging, it’s...whoops, not supposed to go that way!? If you love the outdoors, you’ve undoubtedly run into scenarios where your adventure hasn’t gone exactly as planned. You forget to bring an essential piece of gear, wildlife intervenes in unexpected ways, or the weather, trail, adventure partner, or whatever just...

Biking 4,000 Miles Across The US

Byadmin May 14, 2020 0 Comments
A WAKE UP CALL The 5AM alarm goes off, along with 25 others; starting the morning symphony. A sound that was oh so irritating a couple of weeks ago. Now? It’s normal. I reach for a pair of chamois and jersey (whichever one is least smelly). I gather my small collection of belongings, stuff them in a bag and rush to the trailer, no one wants to be the last one to arrive and have the whole...

Around The Fire

Byadmin May 12, 2020 0 Comments
Every good fire needs a starter kit, a spark and fuel to sustain it. We know that getting a fire going isn't always easy but once you have a spark, if you continue to kindle it that spark will become a flame. Our team is committed to workingat keeping this fire bright, shining and warmfor all those around us to enjoy. SUPPORTING LOCAL Now more than ever is so important to shop and support local...

A Summer Spent Chasing Slippery Gold

Byadmin April 20, 2020 0 Comments
I don’t think many people refer to salmon as “slippery gold” but after spending three months on a fishing boat, I quickly learned that the more fish you caught, the larger the paycheck would be. Just about 5 years ago a friend of mine from high school reached out and made me an offer I couldn’t find any reason not to accept. His father had one open spot on his 58ft seining vessel and it...