August 2015 Table of Contents
The best backcountry lakes, a no-gym workout, heat-busting skills, and more from the August 2015 print issue of BACKPACKER magazine
Features
National Parks Centennial
Our yearlong celebration counting down the best of the NPS continues.
Splashdown!
Whether you’re there for the fishing, the swimming, or the rock skipping, you’ll find the perfect backcountry lake among these beauties.
by Graham Averill
The Upgrade: Camp Kitchen
Create a five-star establishment.
by Maren Horjus
The World Is My Workout
Hate the gym? You’ll love this new trail-powered program, which supercharges hiking into a full-body sweat fest.
by Ted Alvarez
Keep Your Cool
Embrace summer’s sizzle with these heat-busting tips.
by Mark Jenkins
The Play List
The Experience: Go Off-Trail
Redefine wilderness on a trip outside the lines.
Life List: The Other Rockies
Wander through verdant woods and glacial cirques on this new path in British Columbia.
Insider’s Guide: North Cascades, WA
Tackle this park’s tough miles and be rewarded with lonely alpine lakes and peaks.
Done In a Day: Tunnel Treks
Explore the backcountry from the inside out on these four close-to-home dayhikes.
Weekends
Adventure in Utah’s Tushars, explore the Boundary Waters by foot, and enjoy solitude in West Virginia.
Skills
SUP a Backcountry River
Enjoy the view from above the surface.
Cheat Sheet: Fly Fishing
It’s summertime and the trout are hungry.
Pass/Fail: Extreme Ultralight
How much weight can our determined hiker cut?
Trail Chef: Global Favorites
Bring a world of flavors to camp.
Photo School: King of the World
Nail your alpine hero shot.
Survival
Out Alive: Grizzly Attack
A hiker in Montana faces the fight of her life.
Saved By: A Glass Bottle
Start fire, make or sharpen a blade, and more.
Den Mother: Milkin’ It
Can I survive on breast milk?
Gear
Low-Cut Hikers
6 field-proven picks
Kayak Gear
Paddle to paradise.
Field Notes
Tester picks and tips