Mountain West / High-Elevation Backpacking Gear List
The high-elevation mountain routes have epic views, rugged passes, and unpredictable weather. Here are our gear recommendations for mountainous backpacking trips.
It’s Not Your Imagination. There’s a Shortage of Outdoor Gear
As outdoor recreation soared in the pandemic summer of 2020, increased demand for gear coupled with Covid-related supply problems caused shortages of everything from bicycles to tents. And it doesn’t appear to be getting better this year as Americans continue to head for the outdoors in record numbers and supply problems persist.
After 20 Years in the Dirt, Big Agnes Co-Founders Talk About Sustainability
Recycled gear and sustainability weren’t a priority in the outdoor industry when Bill Gamber and Len Zanni started Big Agnes in 2001. Although Bill lived off the grid—and still does—in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where Big Agnes is headquartered, he wasn’t thinking about sustainability as a business model. “We started the Read more…
I’ve Finally Found Stability. Will Long-Distance Backpacking Upend That?
Now that thru-hiking and backpacking travel is back on the table, one hiker grapples with her newfound stability against the desire to finish the PCT.
Why are New England Hikers List-O-Holics? Exploring the List Mentality of Northeast Hiking Culture
Why are people in New England so obsessed with hiking lists? Population density? New England personality? A combination? New Hampshire hiker (and list-a-holic) Rebecca Sperry breaks it down.
6 Epic High-Elevation Trails to Hike This Summer
These six epic, mountainous trails all have average elevations above 8,000 feet, and most need to be hiked between mid-July and early September.
HOKA ONE ONE Anacapa Mid GTX Review
The HOKA ONE ONE Anacapa mid- and low-cut trail shoes build on the company’s thickly cushioned, lightweight hikers for on and off trail. The mid-cut, which I tested, are a smart choice for someone who likes the above-ankle grip of a boot but wants the lightweight flexibility of a trail runner.
Biden Reviewing Trump Move to Allow Logging in Tongass National Forest
The Biden administration is moving toward restoring environmental protections for Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, one of the world’s largest temperate rain forests. Former President Donald Trump opened about 9 million acres of the nearly 17-million acre forest to logging and construction. It’s not clear how much of the 9 million Read more…
Hand-Planted Forests Reclaiming Strip Mines in Appalachia
The environmental legacy of coal mining in Appalachia is not pretty. Strip mining sheared mountaintops, polluted waterways, and left scars on the land. An estimated 1.5 million acres of land in seven states—Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee—covered by the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) remain barren. Read more…
Save or Splurge? Maggie’s Top Swaps for Budget-Friendly Backpacking Apparel
Should you splurge or save on backpacking apparel? For many items, you can opt away from name brands for the same performance. These are our top swaps for saving money with your backpacking clothes this season.