June 2009 Table of Contents

The Ultimate Weekend Planner
Want to triple your trail time and still earn Employee of the Week? Our step-by-step guide to getting out more (and getting out faster!) tackles everything from job delegation to gear-closet organization. By Andrew Tilin

Hike It, Save It
Forget donations, petitions, and pickaxes. The best way to save endangered wilderness is to go backpacking. Here are 10 slices of pristine backcountry where you can vote for protection with your feet. PLUS: A special guide to the 2 million new acres of wilderness recently designated by Congress. By Charlie Wood

National Parks Project: Part 2
Yosemite
Solitude in America’s third-busiest national park? You bet–on our 31-mile route, which follows a long-forgotten trail. Join contributor Kelly Bastone on a four-day trip that delivers grandstand views of Half Dome and El Cap without the grandstand crowds. PLUS: key skills, turn-by-turn directions, more quiet hikes, and a 3D Google flyover.

Sleep Better Now!
What’s one thing sure to make every camping trip better? A good night’s sleep, of course. Our restless guinea pig snooze-tested the latest science and gear to bring you a simple plan that’s guaranteed to improve your backcountry zzz’s. PLUS: Cozy bags, pads, and accessories for every season and hiker. By Grant Davis

Canister Stoves
They’re tiny, featherweight, and affordable, and without them there’d be no rum-infused hot cocoa. Our field-test crew ranked the season’s newest and most innovative ultralight stoves by boil time, burn time, and fuel efficiency. By Casey Lyons

There’s a Bomb in My Backpack
The U.S.-Canada border is long, wild, and unprotected–a 5,525-mile entry point for would-be terrorists. Just how easy would it be to smuggle a pound of anthrax across? An anonymous hiker-patriot travels north to find out–and returns with this exclusive report from a frontier wilderness mere hours from downtown Seattle.

The Next Climb
Join several of America’s top mountaineers– Ed Viesturs, Dave Hahn, and three generations of Whittakers–for a look at their new line of outdoor gear and upcoming Everest assault.

DESTINATIONS

TOP 3 DUNE HIKES
Trek between 500-foot-high drifts and listen to “singing” sands on these trips.

NATURAL WONDERS
Step close–but not too close–to Glacier’s grizzlies, the world’s hottest fumarole, and America’s only wild Venus flytraps.

RIP & GO WEEKEND ADVENTURES
Grab your gear. Rip out one of these jam-packed one-page guides. Drive and enjoy. This month: overnighters in Utah, Arkansas, and on the Appalachian Trail.

THE PEAK: HARNEY
Explore South Dakota’s 7,242-foot high point in a weekend or a day.

SKILLS

THE MANUAL CAMPING WITH DOGS
Make Fido’s next trip doggie heaven with our tips on finding pooch-friendly trails, loading a dog pack, and treating injuries.

Dirtbag/Gourmet PIZZA!
Savor a spicy backcountry slice with these recipes for two delicious DIY pies.
Quick Pepperoni Pizza
Parmesan-Polenta Pizza

MEDICINE MAN: HIKING WITH A BABY
Experts say go ahead, take junior on alpine hikes. Here’s how to keep him safe.

GEAR SCHOOL: WATER FILTERS
These packable pumps zap micro-nasties and make mucky water potable. Here’s how to use, clean, and fix them.

GEAR

FIELD NOTES
Cloudveil BPM Jacket
Osprey MapWrap
Evernew EL9 Solar Light Clip
Vado Pocket Video Camera
Big Agnes Gore Pass 2

REVIEW: BACKCOUNTRY KITCHENS
Our top cooks dish on the best pots, plates, and gadgets for gourmet camp meals.