ajtestbed I was with a group kayaking and camping on the coast of south-central Alaska–seven adults, five kids from four years old to twelve. One of the adults was a muscular late-20s man named Everett, a friend who came along to get out of the city for an adventure. A street cop from Aurora, Colorado, Everett … Read more
Last Saturday afternoon, I was about to nod off in the passenger seat of my friend Mitsu’s car while we drove across Portland. I was exhausted, the kind of tired that comes from a week of consecutive nights of not enough sleep and too much to do. But Mitsu wanted to ski Mt. Adams with … Read more
Sometimes I like to fantasize that I have some sort of backcountry suaveness and culinary instinct, and that I will someday take a special lady somewhere beautiful and make a nice dinner for her and it will be really romantic. But the reality is that this is pretty much the best (only?) trick in my … Read more
Anyone who has ever set foot in a state or national park has probably heard the mantra of leave no trace. Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Pack it in, pack it out. Although the concept is simple, we can all admittedly do a little better in its practice. Anyone looking for a little clean … Read more
Women often wonder whether it is safe for them to hike solo. For me, the answer clearly is yes: I’ve hiked 8,000 miles by myself, pioneered routes in Utah and the Columbia River Gorge, and set an Appalachian Trail speed record. But others argue that in the eyes of a good chunk of women – … Read more
Yes, roaches will survive the apocalypse. But so will Toyota trucks, especially rigs like Papa Smurf, born circa 1994, and owned by photographer Devon Barker and his wife Kaydee. We caught up with them to learn more. Year, Make, Model? 1994 Toyota Pickup Does the vehicle have a name? We call him Papa Smurf. Not … Read more
Pesto makes almost any dish better. You can even turn a drab bowl of oatmeal into a tasty savory breakfast dish with a spoonful of pesto (try it sometime). Fresh pesto, made with bright green basil leaves is the stuff that food dreams are made of; the pungent herb is full of flavor, and with a few … Read more
Truth be told, I have never been that big of a fan of pancakes. Maybe that’s because I didn’t grow up in a pancake-making family, and the only time I had them was on summer backpacking trips. They were always made from an industrial mix (which as great for feeding large groups, less great for good … Read more
I know very few people who don’t rely on peanut butter as a staple ingredient in the outdoors, be it a spoonful in a bowl of morning oatmeal, a bunch slathered on bread for lunch sandwiches, a sauce for dinner, or just a spoonful when you need an instant energy boost. Unless you’re allergic to peanuts, I … Read more
Red lentils are a versatile ingredient when it comes to savory camp meals. Depending on how much water you use, you can make them soupy or mushy, and they cook up fairly quickly, making them optimal when you’ve been on the trail all day and have a severe craving to eat a big meal without … Read more