William M. Rochfort, Jr.

Clothes may not make you a better hiker, but they can make—or break—your next hike. These three-season pieces will upgrade any layering system.

Create the perfect sleep system for cooler autumn nights by putting the right insulated mat under your sleeping bag.

At these dark-sky destinations, the stars are out of this world.

Sleep a little sounder with the top three pads of the year.

Sleep well in the backcountry with these down and synthetic models.

Whether you’re after mellow snowshoe flats or steep powder runs, you’ll get both—as well as a four-burner stove and a full-size bed—in Gothic, Colorado.

The secret to a good night in the wilderness? The right bag for the job.

Snow opens up new options for hauling gear, but that doesn’t always mean you should use them.

A backcountry neophyte discovers the importance of buying the right bedding.

Snooze like royalty on these backcountry beds.

Bed down better in the backcountry by picking one of these comfy bags.

Basecamp the right way: at this 1971 cabin on the edge of a bowl overlooking Alaska’s Talkeetnas.

Poke your head out the front door of this hut for a view of the Payette River Valley set in front of the Sawtooths.

The evergreen-framed vantage over Lake Superior’s steely bay from this small shelter would put most any tentdoor view to shame.

It’s not cheating; it’s strategy.

“Hut” seems like a misnomer in this case.

The top-of-the-world views that once made this lookout ideal for wildland fire spotters make it just as great for hikers.

You need only drive two-plus hours from Denver to find the sort of scenery and wildlife worthy of a real-estate brochure—but without open-house crowds.

Only two types of people stay at huts located less than a quarter-mile from the trailhead: those with kids and those who don’t want to skimp on luxuries.

From the AMC’s highest hut, you’re just 1.5 miles from the top of 6,288-foot Mt. Washington.

You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a Thomas Kinkade painting when you visit this rustic, stone-chimney cabin.

Of Yosemite’s more than 5 million visitors in 2016, only 1,500—.03 percent—visited Ostrander.

When the climb up to Roan High Knob lands the weary at the foot of a four-walled 1933 log cabin, it might as well be a five-star hotel.

A great day on the trail starts the night before. Set yourself up for success with the right techniques and a sleeping system that works for you.