To all who are wondering…Yes, the rocks are really red in Red Rock Canyon, NV. My kids were thrilled. Chris once said, “Don’t ever ask me to go to Vegas, cause I won’t.” The flashy lights, questionable everything, and quantity of cement and people – all of it stressed him out. And to be honest,…

Here is the truth: My chalk bag is cooler than your chalk bag! OK, that isn’t exactly correct. My kids chalk bags are cooler than your kids chalk bags. 🙂 But not for long. I want to introduce you to Practical Climbing today. Why? Because I am always looking for a chalk bag that isn’t like…

One year ago: we lived in a different house, a different state.  Now it seems like a different world.  So many years come to an end, and I am amazed [disgruntled] at how little has changed in my life.  This year I am amazed [loving] all the change.   We talk alot about our adventures…

We went up to Alta Ski Resort this morning. And this time our 5 year old asked politely, “Can you please not forget my boots this time?” Check. Boots in the car. In fact, the only thing I forgot was my sunglasses. But that seemed minor in comparison to last time. The best part of…

Here is a little secret…as parents, we have made probably half of the mistakes in the book, and the other half we’ll probably encounter in the next 18 years. I am not trying to berate us, but here is something I learned quickly about kids: there is a lot of grey, and not a lot…

Christmas comes every year and grandparents start asking what to give the kids, and I start wondering what to do after I’ve given them all my ideas.  This year I made a list of useful things – not to expensive – that the kids would love but also satisfy some need in their outdoor gear….

How often do you spend all week coming up with an outdoor adventure plan, spend Friday night packing for it, and spend Saturday morning urging your not-so-excited kid out the door? They are reluctant. They want to watch Saturday morning cartoons. If your family was a ship- they aren’t on board. I know this kid…cause…

We moved to Utah nearly a year ago- waltzed into Momentum, cause we didn’t know where else to climb, and said, “Where do you sign us up?” Climbing for us is an outlet, a must have family bonding item. So naturally when we moved it was near the top of the list- right after the…

We told our daughter that if she made it to the top of the wall, we’d get her climbing shoes. And so, we very quickly found ourselves trying on shoes. “Are they comfortable?” “Oh Mom, these ones are really great, they look so cute on me,” she responds. She is such a girl… To say…

Location: 15 Minutes up Big Cottonwood Canyon, across the road from Storm Mountain Picnic Area.  Park on the side of the road.  Follow trail up the steep washout just east of the glacier gully. Cost: free What to expect: 5-10 minute approach, steep at first, then levels out.  The base of most the climbs are…

We’ve gotten a lot of questions regarding kids climbing harnesses. There are two harnesses I would suggest- though I am certain there are many others that are great. Please leave your comments if you’ve found other great ones. These are the ones we have experience with: 1. Petzl Simba Full Body Harness  We love this…

that made a summer I will never forget… Antelope Island, UT Anibel (age 4 in photo) climbing at Red Rocks, Salt Lake, UT Peek-a-boo fun! Refreshing Esme at Lower Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, UT Abishai, age 3, sweating it up in the hot sun! Canyon Rim Train, Zion National Park, UT Skipping to the…

Here are some tips to help to get your younger, and possibly a bit sheepish, kids climbing and having fun doing it: 1. Fix a rope to their back for lowering. Have the kid drag up an extra rope tied to their back.  This is helpful for those kids who have a little trouble with…

Location: Approximately 3 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Look for Storm Mountain Picnic area, pass it and continue on till the road goes over the river.  There will be a chain link fence on the left and immediately after, a black shale parking lot.  Park there.  Head south towards the fence, go around and follow…

Location: Southern Idaho.  For more specific direction visit the link at the end of the page. Cost:  Day use is free!  A camping fee for one vehicle and one site is $12.72.  There is a $8.48 charge for an additional car with a max of 2 cars and 8 people per site. What to expect:  A…

Location: Wasatch Range, 2.85 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Park either on the side of road or in the Storm Mountain Picnic area. Cost: $7 day use only, if you park in the Picnic area. What to expect: Fishing at the river, clean sites with fire pit, flushing bathrooms, and a playground for the kids….

My husband and I love climbing.  And after our second kid was born we got back into it- but climbed only indoors at the gym.  We had written off climbing outdoors for quite some time.  But since moving to Utah- where endless numbers of route are 20 minutes from our front stoop- we wanted to…

Why describe when an image can speak a thousand words! There are few places our Johnny Jump Up hasn’t gone. An excellent entertainer, kid container, keep them out of dirty and happy with a snack item.