Summer Adventure Atlas: 50 Hikes / 50 States
When you're planning a weekend outing, you don't want good, you want the best. Well, here's perfect. These hikes tour the deepest backcountry, best views, and quietest wilderness areas in every state.
All Content
Prof. Hike: Beating Summer Heat, Bugs, & Crowds
Your action plan to make high summer hiking and camping enjoyable.
Record-Setting Backpacker Knowledge: Take Our Trivia Quiz
Do you know the fastest animals, longest trails, and biggest patches of wilderness? Take our quiz to find out!
August 2011 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Zia 3 Tent
A three-person tent with 40 square feet of floor space.
Gear Review: REI TiWare Nonstick Cookset
This four-piece set has a nonstick silicone/ceramic coating.
Gear Review: Patagonia Lightweight Sun Hoody
This polyester jersey is loose and meshy while still being a great sun barrier.
Gear Review: Suunto Core Anniversary Edition Watch
This watch features an altimeter, barometer, compass, and logbook, and is dead-on accurate.
Gear Review: JanSport Forsyth 50 Pack
A backpack for organized backpackers.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Vigor Jacket
An extremely lightweight and tough jacket that's only $70.
Gear Review: Patagonia Nine Trails Jacket
This hoodless Patagonia jacket is extremely breathable.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Shadowland Jacket
A windproof jacket with a warm, brushed tricot lining.
Navigation Center: Videos
Learn the basics of using GPS devices and watch amazing Google 3D flyovers in our special navigation focused video center.
Gear Review: GoLite Kenai Jacket
This waterproof, windproof jacket loves crappy weather.
Gear Review: Arc'teryx Celeris Jacket
A great jacket for trail runners at only five ounces.
Gear Review: Keen Alamosa Hiking Boot
These cushy dayhikers are perfect for hiking with light loads.
Gear Review: Merrell Chameleon 3 Ventilator Hiking Boot
This light hiker is practically abrasion resistant thanks to the thick pig suede upper.
Gear Review: Lowa Tempest Lo Hiking Boot
This light hiker can carry up to 50 pounds!
Gear Review: Five Ten Insight Hiking Boot
A Five Ten shoe that excels at scrambling and smearing.
Gear Review: Patagonia Drifter A/C Hiking Boot
Bootlike support and traction with trail-runner shock absorption and weight.
Navigation Center
Learn how to make custom maps, navigate any terrain, and the ins-and-outs of GPS devices and mobile apps in our comprehensive navigation center.
Prof. Hike: Ode to a Plastic Bag
Are plastic bags an immortal evil or a hiker's best friend?
Prof. Hike: The First Five Minutes
When you're lost, your initial decisions will make the difference.
Prof. Hike: Make Your Gear Last Longer
Transform your gear closet with 11 money-saving tips.
Is Giardia More Prevalent Than Ever?
Are giardia issues now greater than they were, say, in the 60s? In the 60's I often drank out of remote streams, with no ill effects.
June 2011
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
June 2011 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
National Parks: Grand Canyon
Discover surprising solitude and endless vistas on an easy-access multiday trip between rim and river.
National Parks: Glacier
Rule #1 when planning a hike through this iconic park: Let your ambition match the scenery.
Summer Camping Secrets: At the Stove
Bake without an oven! Build your own spice kit! A DIY guide to dining while summer camping.
Summer Camping Secrets: In Camp
From picking the right campsite to stargazing like a pro, these summer camping tips will ensure a restful overnight.
Summer Camping Secrets: On The Trail
Once you've left camp, these tips and techniques will make your on-trail miles more enjoyable.
National Parks: Olympic
On a climb from the Hoh River's silty riffles to high-country glacier views, pass through a moss-hung rainforest that might be the lushest place in America.
Summer Camping Secrets: Avoid Crowds, Hit the Trail Faster
With a little pre-planning you can hit the trail and beat the crowds all summer long.
National Parks: Grand Teton
Wade through wildflowers, listen to wolves, and escape the crowded trade routes in this secluded corner of the park.
National Parks: View Finder
Go ahead, look again. And again. These images are worth a third, fourth, and then a tenth gaze.
Is Gore-Tex the Best?
Is Gore-Tex still the #1 all-time best waterproof material you can buy?
The Best Quick-Dry Pant?
What are the best quick-dry pants to use in cooler temperatures?
How to Protect Sleeping Bag from DEET?
I've heard that DEET is bad for sleeping bag fabrics. Since I use it on most camping trips, should I wash my sleeping bag after every trip?
National Parks: Yosemite
Enjoy this legendary park (without the legendary crowds) on a four-day trip through the Clark Range.
National Parks: Yellowstone
A forgotten explorer's route leads to off-trail, high-peak adventure and bona fide solitude.
Campfire Cooking Gadgets
Amp up your frontcountry campground cooking with these five items.
Gear Review: Klymit Inertia X-Frame
Is your sleeping pad from the Stone Age? Try upgrading to this Jetsons-worthy mattress.
Gear Review: Craghoppers Bear Grylls Line
Backpacker went wild and bush beat Craghoppers Bear Grylls line of clothing, survival style.
How To Clean Your Camera's Sensor
Sand and dust in your digital camera can ruin those once-in a lifetime shots. Here's how to eliminate them from SLR or Micro 4/3rds cameras.
How To Clean Your Camera's Exterior
All cameras, whether SLRs or point & shoots, need maintenance. Here's how to clean your baby and get it ready for the next big sunset.
How To Keep Your Camera Alive In The Field
The wilderness is often a wet and gritty place. Fortunately, cameras are tougher than we think, but careless handling can trash them. Here's how to stack the odds in their favor.
How To Keep Cameras Alive In The Field
The wilderness is often a wet and gritty place. Fortunately cameras are tougher than we think, but careless handling can trash them. Here's how to stack the odds in their favor.
May 2011
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Gear Review: The North Face Zealot 85 Backpack
Big adventure awaits with this comfortable, large-capacity waterproof pack
Gear Review: Tilley TWP1 Waterproof Hat
A fully-featured topper, the Tilley TWP1 waterproof hat has enough style to satisfy even the snobbiest hiker.
How To Improvise An Ankle Brace
Sprained or broken ankles are the most common injury for hikers and backpackers. Here's how to deal.
How To Build A Backcountry Knee Splint
Your hiking buddy torqued their knee? This simple splint can prevent further injury and let you both limp home.
Summer Trail Smarts
Get ready for your summer adventure with these these essential on-trail skills.
Learn to Survive a Bear Attack
With 1 million bears roaming North America, chances are pretty good that you'll cross paths with one of them at some point. To make every encounter safe, from grizzly bears to black bears, bone up on bruin identification and etiquette.
How To Pack For A Weeklong Trip
When your normal menu consists of overnight adventures, it's easy to forget key items that can derail your plans. These hints can help.
REI Half Dome 4 Tent
If a two-person Half Dome can win an Editors' Choice Award, can the four-person be twice as nice?
So You Wanna Be a Mountain Guide
Tryout tips from a Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. Veteran
Tough Outdoor Jobs
Every backpacker dreams of a glory job in the outdoors. Here's what it takes to make the grade for 8 of the toughest ones out there.
Are You Tough Enough?
Every backpacker dreams of a glory job in the outdoors. Senior Editor Shannon Davis heads to Mt. Rainier--and a grueling tryout with premier guide operation RMI--to find out what it takes to make the grade.
Gear Review: Fenix HL20 Headlamp
Some headlamps only provide a little light to get you by. Not so with the 105-lumen Fenix HL20–and it runs on a normal AA battery too!
Tough Guy Challenge: Call for Videos
Submit your video! Win a trip to Rainier and the title of America's Toughest Backpacker.
Father's Day Gift Guide
What do dads really want? Hint: not more ties or car wash gift certificates. We polled our male staffers to find out what they hope to get (or give) this June 19th.
How To Slideshow: Fit A Week's Gear In A Weekend Pack
Don't own a massive pack for your big annual adventure? Here's how to make it all fit.
Casting Call: Backcountry Fly-Fishing Gear
Get started backcountry fly-fishing with our testers' value-oriented picks, and you'll have one more excuse to linger in beautiful places.
Gear Review: FlytePacker Raft
Get off the bank and onto the lake with the FlytePacker Raft.
Gear Review: Gerber Flik Fish Multitool
Heavy but handy, the Gerber Flik Fish multitool offers functions specific for fishermen (and women).
Gear Review: Fishpond Tumbleweed Chest Pack
There's no need for an angler's vest with the Fishpond Tumbleweed Chest Pack.
Gear Review: Costa Del Mar Zane Sunglasses
Worth the price, the Costa Del Mar Zane sunglasses have polarized lenses perfect for spotting fish despite the water's glare.
Gear Review: Sage 1650 Fishing Reel
Reel in dinner with the Sage 1650.
Gear Review: Redington Classic Trout 9056 Fly Fishing Rod
The packable Redington Classic Trout 9056 is a great fly rod for beginners.
Gear Review: Mammut Teton GTX Hiking Boots
A Vibram sole adds a bit of burly sturdiness to the Mammut Teton GTX boot.
How to Use Online Weather Resources
Conditions mean everything when planning your weekend adventure. Check out our Rocky Mountain Editor's favorite sites.
How to Fit a Week's Gear into a Weekend Pack
Don't own a massive pack for your big annual adventure? Here's how to make it all fit.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Gnar Hoody
Throw the 800-fill Sierra Designs Gnar Hoody for a cozy extra layer.
Gear Review: Helinox Featherlite Lever Button Trekking Poles
Check out Kristin Hostetter's author page.
Gear Review: REI Passage 2 Tent
There's no need to sacrifice sturdiness with the less-pricey REI Passage 2 three-season tent.
Gear Review: Wenger EvoWood S557 Multitool
Keep the Wenger EvoWood S557 multitool handy to cut, clamp, screw or slice.
Gear Review: MSR E-wing 2011
A lightweight two-person tarp with multiple setup options.
Gear Makeover Contest – Meet the Winners!
These six readers convinced us their gear needed an update! Look for their full makeovers in our January 2012 Readers' Choice issue.