Starting a fire in your fireplace or a backyard fire pit is a skill that many people feel confident in, but how about starting a fire in the backcountry, without a Duraflame fire starter and a foot-long fire stick lighter? When I first began backpacking, I hadn’t started a fire in years. I had aContinue reading “To build a fire”
Tag Archives: Hiking
Out of the classroom and into the woods
“Does anyone want to play ‘Mafia’?” Not something you typically hear on a backpacking trip, but this time, I was chaperoning a group of 13-15 year olds, so nothing I heard really surprised me. When I signed up to lead a couple of wilderness trips for a local summer camp, I felt like I wasContinue reading “Out of the classroom and into the woods”
Gear testing in a low risk environment
A night in the rain provides an opportunity to discover just how well your gear works.
A love song to my tarp(s)
Tarps are a game-changer when rain is in the forecast for your outdoors weekend.
Wild Childhood
Growing up on the lakes, and in the woods.
Hiking: A History Lesson
My roots as a history nerd run deep, probably from the time my mom began reading me the Little House series, when I was a child. Because my parents’ idea of a vacation often involved sailing or cross-country skiing, we saw a lot of Michigan, and often our destinations had historical significance, such as theContinue reading “Hiking: A History Lesson”
Winter Hiking Trip at Wilderness State Park
Winter day-hikes using a Wilderness State Park bunkhouse as home base.
Michigan DNR Rustic Cabins: An alternative to cold weather camping
Rustic cabins at various state parks can be a great way to enjoy the great outdoors during the cold weather months without the expense of winter gear, or the challenge of staying warm in camp when daylight ends at 5:00 p.m. and temperatures plummet. While I do winter camp on occasion, I love staying inContinue reading “Michigan DNR Rustic Cabins: An alternative to cold weather camping”
Getting to the trailhead: The quickest way is not always the shortest way
When trying to get to the trailhead is one of the most challenging parts of the backpacking trip…
Hiker Heaven in Ohio
I’ve been hearing about, and seeing gorgeous pictures from Hocking Hills, Ohio on Facebook and Instagram for the last few years, and over this year’s spring break, finally got to see what all the fuss was about. I talked my husband into a hiking vacation, and reserved an Airbnb in Athens, Ohio for a fewContinue reading “Hiker Heaven in Ohio”
Exploring Michigan and other cool places 