-
Hyperlite Pod Uses
Hey everyone, I would love to hear about how you use your Hyperlite Pods! I just ordered a Small Pod and I was surprised when it can hold my Ultamid, my Half Insert for the Ultamid, and my stakes! I am so happy with the Small Pod and am excited to use it on the trail! I would love to hear more about how you use yours!
-
Beautiful Things Don't Ask For Attention
It doesn’t matter how beautiful the scenery is around me. The reality is that I am scared, in over my head, and want to quit. Looking up I see that the sun is slowly fading behind increasing, ominous-looking clouds. I am absolutely drenched in sweat, my teal sun hoodie soaking with the effects of my effort. My blue…
-
THE RIDE TO SLIDE ODYSSEY
Words and Photos by Brett Davis @bdavis IG - @brettdavis Thirteen years ago, the idea formed for a self-supported bike-to-ski adventure from my doorstep in Durango, CO, into my backyard of the rugged San Juan Mountains. Initially, I sought to pedal 240 paved miles along the famed San Juan Skyway dropping grand ski lines…
-
BOOBS, BURDENS, AND BACKPACKS
Words and Photos by Briana “Rocky Mountain High” DeSanctis “The soonest we can schedule you for surgery is going to be the end of October,” the receptionist flatly stated. I almost dropped the phone. My eyes began to sting as I felt tears welling up and a knot forming in my stomach. This was possibly the only chance I’d…
-
DEAR LADAKH, WITH LOVE
Words by Eleanor Moseman, Photos by Eleanor Moseman (@eleanor.moseman) and Erich Weidenkeller (@erich_w_) Jagged peaks and beckoning glaciers created a torn horizon between the sky and where I stood. I found myself in Ladakh, a region of India that borders Tibet, Kashmir, and Pakistan, which only opened its doors to…
-
THE ACROPOLIS ADVENTURE WITH SHAUN MITTWOLLEN AND THE ELEVATE 22
Words and Photos by Shaun Mittwollen @shaunmittwollen Summer quickly transitions into winter down here in Tasmania. The change is always in late March or early April. One week it's sunny and hot, then the first significant low pressure rolls through, and we can say goodbye to high-pressure regimes and hello to the roaring…
-
BACKCOUNTRY PACKRAFTING IN THE BAHAMAS IN SEARCH OF BONEFISH
Words from Sadie Ford @sader-tooth, Photos by Jeremiah Watt @miahwatt Four friends set out to explore one of the more remote islands in the Bahamas in search of absolute hogs of bonefish, tropical giggles and wild times. My neck, my back, my raft I like to pack. Jeremiah (@miahwatt), our fearless leader and troop…
-
THE SITUATION IS THE BOSS, MAN: WITH DEET THERE IS NO CHAFE HAVEN
Words and Photos by @Abby_Evans @abbigator53 It was the worst heat I had ever experienced in my life. July 29, just crossing over from the New York to the Connecticut section of the Appalachian Trail, around mile 1,300. It was around midday, and I hadn't drunk nearly the amount of water I should have been in 98 degrees…
-
The Joys of an Unplanned Hike
So much of our lives are now carefully planned, fully optimized, and streamlined for maximum efficiency. And to me, that's a problem. We’re given advice to schedule every minute of every day, to create a detailed plan of our leisure time, or to map out exactly where we’ll be going on our next outdoor adventure to the…
-
THE SITUATION IS THE BOSS, MAN – KATTERAT STATION: ON TIME
Words and Photos by Huw Oliver @topofests Our famed series about potentially disastrous adventures with glorious saves is back with a new tale from Abby Evans! Based on a quote from The GRATEFUL DEAD documentary "Long Strange Trip" and perhaps their most infamous roadie, Steve Parish, it refers to one of his sayings during…
-
BETTER WITH FRIENDS: PETER BUGG'S HORSESHOE MESA TRIP REPORT
Words and Photos by Peter Bugg @bugglife IG @plbugg My sister says that if you do something more than once, you’re allowed to say you “always” do it. For example, after three consecutive years of springtime adventures, I can say, “I always go to Grand Canyon in April with my friends Andrew & Angela.” The past two years…
-
THREE DAYS IN THE SISTERS WITH SADIE FORD
Words, Photos, and Video by Sadie Ford My partner and I recently nailed a rare, near-perfect weather window, enabling us to bag a couple of coveted big lines in the PNW - the Diller and the Thayer. Five miles away from our usual trailhead start point, we took a long day to get into place and set up our camp. Light peaked…
-
Same Hike, Different Life: 10 Years Apart
October 2013 on the left, October 2023 on the right. My wife says I look much better now. It was probably the only time I ever smiled with immense joy while pumping gas. I was on the side of a country highway, somewhere in Vermont, putting the minimum amount of fuel in the tank to get me where I was headed. Running on…
-
WHEN NATURE OPENS THE BUFFET - AN ALASKA SUBSISTENCE JOURNEY
Words and Photos from Rick, Joe, and Pancho (Joe) This trip really started for all of us almost 20 years ago, when we all worked together counting fish. Bob, our supervisor at the time, found enlightenment in the adventures of his Fish Technician employees (us) at field camp, and we all quickly became friends. When…
-
WINTER ON THIN ICE: DAVID AND LEAH JACKSON NAVIGATE WEIRD WARMTH IN ONTARIO
Words and Photos from David Jackson @davidjackson_ @exploreleahjackson Northern Ontario, that mysterious, remote region of Canada north of Minnesota, has been seriously underfed by winter this season. Typically, the cold would ruin exposed skin, snowshoes of the more traditional, wide bear paw style would be mandatory to…
-
THE SITUATION IS THE BOSS, MAN: HOW ABOUT A HIKE THROUGH A HURRICANE IN THE HUNDRED-MILE WILDERNESS?
Words and Photos from Abby Evans @Abby_Evans Our famed series about potentially disastrous adventures with glorious saves is back with a new tale from Abby Evans! Based on a quote from The GRATEFUL DEAD documentary "Long Strange Trip" and perhaps their most infamous roadie, Steve Parish, it refers to one of his sayings…
-
WHEN POWDER DREAMS COMES TRUE: BACKCOUNTRY SKIING IN JAPAN WITH BRETT DAVIS
Words, Photos, Videos by Brett Davis @bdavis IG @brettdavis For those who have an unquenchable affinity for sliding on snow, a trip to the “Land of the Rising Sun” is a bucket list item. One that every powder skier and rider dreams about and covets. In most winters, Yuki (the Japanese word for snow) falls in abundance in…
-
Wasatch Backcountry Ski Tour
Ever since the completion of our Appalachian Trail thru-hikes in 2021, @danofosho and I had made it a point to keep in touch and to meet up whenever feasible to chase big days in the mountains; much like we had done nearly every day while on the AT. After Dan moved out West for Salt Lake City (the Northeast hiking trails…
-
THE TRAIL PROVIDES. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Words and Photos by Abbigale Evans @Abby_Evans For me, the trail was generous at providing a multitude of experiences—cold rain, jagged rocks, relentless mosquitos, boredom, and loneliness. But just as often, a new hiker friend, sunlight through the trees, fun rock scrambles, a beautiful sunrise. The common phrase, "The…
-
THE REVERSE TRAVERSE–BACKCOUNTRY SKIING WITH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Words and Photos from Mallory Duncan @galacticbrown Skiing has been a lifelong journey for me. At times, it's been at the core of everything I love, while at others, it's been my greatest stressor. From my roots as a California weekend warrior to a ski racer to a runner to a ski coach and now a backcountry skier, the…
-
A STEP BACK TO LOOK FORWARD: AN ODE TO BACKCOUNTRY PROGRESSION
Words and Photos from Peter Bugg @bugglife As we gain backcountry knowledge, it can sometimes be difficult to remember what it was like not having years of experience to draw on when making critical decisions about a trip. In the past six years, I’ve spent more than 70 nights below the rim in Grand Canyon National Park,…
-
The Feeling of Blue
I often feel that the memories that come from different places around the world are etched into my mind with distinct colors. This is to say, some places, like the Olympic coast in Washington, are in my mind in shades of green. Others are remembered in tones of orange or purple. Iceland lives in my mind as shades of blue.…
-
NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS - 5 TIPS TO GET AFTER 2024
The best way to have great stories is by planning great adventures. Here are five tips for you to plan better for 2024. As they say, preparation is the key to success. Get an adventure buddy “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together” One of the best ways to get after planning for a fun year is…
-
Hiking All The Trails in The White Mountain Guidebook
As of October 29, 2023, I became the 96th person to hike every trail in the White Mountain Guidebook (WMG). In August 2019, I started officially working on hiking all the trails in the WMG with only 19% completed, and since then I have reset all my data three times in the hopes of completing all of the trails in under 15…
-
Quitting (and Un-Quitting) The White Mountains Trace
In my last post I was grieving the loss of the 100 Highest part of my 15 month hiking project. Today, I am within sight of the end and have a lot to catch everyone up on. To summarize what I’m working on, from June 19, 2022 to September 19, 2023 I intended on hiking the 653+/- trails in the White Mountain Guidebook and the…
-
“IT WILL BE FUN," SHE SAID: A FRIENDLY INTRODUCTION TO PACKRAFTING ON THE COLORADO RIVER
Words and Photos by Eszter Horanyi The sand was never-ending. Each step was an effort, and the grains of sand building up in my shoes were starting to press against my toes and the arches of my feet, grating between my heels and socks, making walking highly uncomfortable. I gave a glance behind me. Meghan had her shoes off…
-
A DESCENT INTO GLADNESS: GRAND CANYONEERING AT HORN CREEK
Words and Photos from Peter Bugg (@bugglife) It wasn’t predicted to rain, so we didn’t plan for rain. But let’s not jump ahead. On Thursday after work, Bobby, Emery, Danica, Mark, and I made the four-hour drive from Phoenix to Grand Canyon, stopping in Flagstaff along the way. After burritos for dinner, Mark realized he…
-
A VACATION OF TREKKING POLES AND A SNORKEL MASK
Words, Photos, and Video by Brett Davis (@bdavis) It was only 30 minutes after I had walked in the door from my final work trip of the year when my partner in life, Diana, interrupted a conversation we were having and confidently stated: "While you were gone, I booked us flights to Colombia for July. Do you want to be…
-
The Art of Slow Hiking
Over the past year I've taken up the philosophy of slow hiking. I've gotten burnt-out from the hustle/optimization/productivity culture that's become so pervasive in society. And, unfortunately, I've seen it start to infiltrate the hiking community as well. I don't have anything against tracking, pacing, optimization,…
-
Transcending On The Trail
There are certain hikes that change me. Not just for the time I’m on the trail. Or for the days and weeks afterwards, when the thrill is still fresh. Those hikes are great, and I love chasing that feeling. But on rare and delicate occasions, there are hikes that change my entire sense of being. There are trails that I find…
-
SUMMER '23 CHECK-IN: WHAT'S YOUR GEAR BEEN UP TO LATELY?
Photo: @spmartin Whatever methods you use to date and measure the season, there's no doubt it sure feels like and looks like summer here in the states! While it's been raining seemingly non-stop here in Maine, the trailhead lots are still full of stickered-up Subarus, and backpackers are making the best of the situation.…
-
Tropical Mountaineering to the Summit of the Ko'olaus
Last summer, my friend and coworker JP Olson and I, met up with Test Pilot, Ryan Moss to hike to the top of the Ko'olau Mountain Range, Kōnāhuanui summit via the Pali Notches. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The only “research” and knowledge I had was Ryan Moss is notorious for sandbagging. I didn’t see any…
-
A MYTH Approach to the AT
A MYTH Approach to the AT There are many articles, blogs, videos, and stories about thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or any lengthy trail. This article is about a hiking MYTH. One definition of the word myth is “a misrepresentation of the truth.” MYTH, for the purpose of this article, also stands…
-
A Wild Alpine Rock Route in the Darran Mountains, Fiordland NZ
In New Zealand's South Island, in Fiordland National Park, there is a mountain range known as the Darrans. Home to arguably the best quality rock NZ has to offer, with glaciated peaks and untouched forests as far as the eye can see. Climbing grades are sandbagged, and approaches to routes can take multiple days, so if…
-
WILL PETERSON OWNS VERMONT'S LONG TRAIL UNSUPPORTED FKT
*This is an exceptionally awesome and exciting story to share. We've known Will for a while, and his determination and head space around these challenges he sets out to complete - win or lose - never fails to impress and inspire. From all of us at Hyperlite Mountain Gear, a hearty congratulations, Will! You've earned it,…
-
Paddling the Wild; A Four Day Expedition Along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway, located in the far northern reaches of Maine, has been a highly sought after destination for paddlers from all over the world for decades. A journey along the Allagash grants an experience that can be hard to find elsewhere; consisting of 92 miles of remote and pristine river and lake…
-
One Year Anniversary of White Mountains Tracing Goal
One year ago I started this project. I
