Skills

Guarantee yourself a great adventure– every time–by adopting these proven routines for planning and pulling off the perfect trip.

Everyday activities can put a strain on the complex muscles in your shoulder. Give them the care they need with these postures.

Don't let an asthma attack ruin your hike. Breathe easy with these tips.

Class up your camp with these backpacker's crepes.

Don't fear the freeze: Learn to love the cold and feel the whole winter wilderness open up to you.

Sunny and 70 is nice, but makes for a mighty short hiking season. Hit the trail all year long by learning how to thrive—not just survive—in wet, cold, hot, and windy conditions.

Make a home for the night wherever there's snow with these blueprints to snow caves, trench shelters, and quinzees.

The Best Tips to Prepare You for Your High Elevation Vacation

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about a painting? Nikki Frumkin walked us through watercolor art for backpackers.

Choosing which foods to eat in the wild can either make or break you. If you're starving and don't know what's safe to eat, follow this protocol.

Instant sweet potatoes and mini marshmallows make this a unique twist on pizza.

Cold injury can lead to disability or even gangrene and amputation. But advances in its treatment over the last few decades could be a big help.

Instead of gorging on pasta, backpackers should focus on consistency in nutrition, says Adventure Performance Training’s founder and head coach James Fisher.

Roasted marshmallows aren’t just for s’mores: Use them to top this delicious, easy berry treat.

They were nearly America's national bird. This November, celebrate the humble turkey in its natural habitat.

Take the holidays outdoors with this easy, delicious menu.

Getting outdoors to give thanks doesn’t have to mean dehydrated meals.

There’s a lot of first aid advice out there, and take it from a doctor: Not all of it is good.

Learn the easiest way to hang a bear bag and keep your camping snacks safe from rummaging paws.

Ending too many hikes with sore, wobbly legs? Trekking poles can help you make it that extra mile.

Hikers are all about leg strength, but don’t forget about training your arms and shoulders in order to avoid aches on the trail.

Backpacking rule number one: Pack enough to eat.

Barre, the strength training regimen derived from ballet, could be your key to improved stability and injury prevention on the trail.

What's a surefire way to ruin a hike? A selfish hiking partner.

Why settle for just one pastime? Add a sport that’s simultaneously exciting and relaxing to your backpacking trips by catching your first trout.

Build strength for loaded backpacking hill climbs and descents.

One hiker reflects on the backpacking lessons she learned during a particularly memorable first overnight.

Getting ill on the trail happens, and it can be scary. Here's how to prevent sickness and ride it out when it happens.

Cervical spine injuries are serious, and immobilizing them has become gospel. But in the wilderness, where conditions can change in an instant, is it a waste of rescuers' time?

Ending a long trek takes its toll on your mental and physical health. Here's how to ease back into your home routine.

Go big with these expedition trip planning tips.

And how to tell if a polar bear is aggressive or just passing through the area.

With a little ingenuity, one hiker improvises shelter.

It takes more than a pedicure to truly care for your feet. Here’s how to find more stability in yoga—and in life—by giving your feet some TLC.

We've made the mistakes so you don't have to.

Lingering COVID symptoms—such as fatigue and shortness of breath—can make it hard to hit the trails, even months after getting sick.

Winter camping is super rewarding, but convincing others to join you isn't always easy. It's best to have a few tricks.

Companions can make or break a trip. Here’s how to choose one wisely.

The best way to ruin your first backpacking trip? A pack that’s too heavy. Lighten your load with these tips.

If you play your cards right, you can turn your non-hiker friends into lifelong backpacking partners

The trail is your happy place. Here's how you can keep it that way for others, too.

Going off-trail on steep, rocky terrain? There's a way to do it safely.

Snow travel requires more technique and precautions than regular hiking. Here's how to do it right.

Poked, scratched, or worse: Getting a hurt eye on your hike can be a serious emergency.

If you think TikTok is just for viral dance moves and lip-syncing teens, then you’re missing out on a lot.

Campgrounds may be closing for the season but you can still camp from the comforts of your own home.

No one wants a dental emergency in the backcountry. Learn how to avoid and deal with them.

Backcountry Foodie’s Aaron Owens Mayhew explains what you should eat and when to best suit your individual body and hiking needs.

Thru-hiking is a wonderful experience, but it’s not the only way to see a long trail. And for a lot of people, it might not even be the best.

No, your way is gross.

Ward off the chill of fall backpacking with a cup of steamy, savory soup.

It may be taboo in daily life, but talking about poop is inevitable for any overnight hiker.

When you’re hiking 8,000 miles in a single year, your gear needs to work. This is what Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell, the youngest hikers ever to finish the Triple Crown in a calendar year, brought.

Low impact does not mean low intensity. Try these exercises to stop huffing and puffing on the trail.

Knowing how to identify these five common venomous snakes, found across the United States, can save you stress on the trail. 

Insomnia can stop you from enjoying a trip to the fullest. Fight it with this advice.

Get a hearty dose of fruit and vegetables right on the trail.

Learn to identify, treat, and avoid shin splints for happier hiking.

If first trips have something in common, it’s that they go sideways pretty often. Here are a few important lessons readers and editors have learned along the way.

Taking your first unguided step onto a big mountain is a leap of faith. Backpacker editor (and retired guide) Shannon Davis tells you how to do it right.

You don’t need a rope and harness to explore nature’s labyrinths. Fall is prime time in canyon country—take advantage of the dry weather and take your hiking to a new level.

Bring a little autumn flavor right to the trail with this easy backcountry pie recipe.

Ready to spend your first night out but don’t know where to start? We've got you covered.

Toilet paper is one of those modern conveniences that most people shudder to think of living without. But in the backcountry, you don't need it.

A recent study suggests that chest compressions may be the most important skill for rescuers to deploy after a drowning.

What's better than apple pie? Apple pie baked over a campfire, of course.

There's sleeping outside, and then there's sleeping outside. Learn to camp without a tent or tarp using these easy tips.

Save time, money, and the planet with these 16 simple gear fixes you can do at home.

Those instructions on the brownie box? Feel free to ignore them. This simple technique will get you a gooey, chocolatey dessert in just a few minutes.

A charging grizzly bear is NOT the same thing as a mugger on a street corner, or even a charging pit bull. Get a bear spray deterrent that's up to the job.

Prep your trail legs with this hiking-specific training plan.

You might be ready for the trail, but your shiny new boots probably aren’t. Here’s how to get them prepped for adventure.

Your body may have changed during a year of staying home. And even if your physical fitness has remained constant, your neurological connections may have weakened from a lack of stimuli. It’s time to shake off the sluggishness with this workout designed to get your body moving. Include it in your exercise routine every other week.

These facts about America's parks will blow your mind.

Your legs are only as strong as your hips when it comes to your comfort on the trails and your form on the slopes.

Backpacking is some of the best medicine for stress. Learning self-massage will give you an extra tool to help you leave your worries behind.