It’s that damn pricker again. You know, the one that has left the faintest sliver of a thorn lodged somewhere in the threads of your sock. You stop. You remove your shoe and feel around on the outside of the sock.  Nothing. You take the sock off. Wipe free your foot. Put it back on….

Weather, snow pack, and location permitting, we are headed on the first of our family backpacking trips this weekend! And so, my posts have been less frequent because I am spending most my brain energy on packing lists. I figured I’d share my list and a few a guidelines in choosing our gear/clothing for the…

The #1 gear item on our list for this summer’s Backpacking Project 2013 was kid’s backpacks. Now I don’t expect them to carry much…but I NEED them to carry something!  But in my opinion kid’s packs are tricky. Most are designed for school, for obvious reasons. But we needed and wanted something with a little…

This last weekend we were side-lined by a small running injury so we decided to kick around close to home. Which led to a whole host of new adventures up near Rockport Reservoir and the High Uintas. But we also frequented one of our favorite Salt Lake hikes perfect for kids, Bell Canyon Reservoir. Not…

Chris and I were at the movies last night, (the new Star Trek which I loved by the way). Ten minutes in there was some cooky preview for a Google movie, including the ever-present socially awkward young adult that was unable to do even the most simple of social tasks, like shaking hands. Of course,…

Footwear for kids is tricky… Do you go with a stiff sole or soft? How about traction? And if I finally settle on a pair of shoes, will I have to buy new ones in three months because they’ve already grown out of them?! We’ve put most of the major outdoor brands through the paces…

Two weeks ago our family had a mind-boggling line-up of outdoor activities that only one canyon I know of could supply at the same time: Little Cottonwood Canyon. We hit the trail Saturday morning in our snowshoes and hiked a 1/2 a mile up White Pine trail where lots of snow castle building, tractoring, and general mischief…

Good morning everyone! I am sitting her, sipping away at my coffee, and typing away at the keyboard. To be honest I feel sort of frenzied this morning. But I am going to try to SLOW DOWN. I am joining outdoor bloggers from across North America today and sharing our favorite campgrounds. We all know…

Last year, our annual Labor Day family climbing trip headed south an hour or so to the infamous Maple Canyon. Not having ever been there, and not having ever lead a large group into the area, I was a little nervous as to what we would find. Maple Canyon is well-known for its sport climbing….

Mom, why isn’t there a kid’s day?! My son asked me innocently. I cannot blame my kids…I distinctly remember asking my parents this very same thing. And like my parents, and their parents before them, I responded by saying, Everyday is kid’s day! As a mom, I really don’t know what to think about Mother’s…

The sun warmed my skin and the crisp breeze brought a smile to my face. Spring in Telluride. Just talking about it makes me want to go back! My [new] husband and I stumbled into some random store and low-and-behold I found the down vest I’d been looking for, waiting for in fact. Eight years…

Well, after last week’s successful hiking and climbing day, we took a look at another weekend full of 70 degree forecasts and decided to head out camping for the first night of the season. I like to think of these as “trial trips.” We make sure all the gear is in working order (or the…

There are outdoor brands for every body shape, but rarely is there a brand that fits every body. When I got married, my husband was blown away by how difficult it was to shop for pants with me. I think we both dreaded it more than the dentist. And when we found something that worked,…

After weeks of rain ruining our weekend plans, last Sunday dawned bright and brilliant. But after a few moments of consideration, we realized our go-to Wasatch trails were still under a few feet of snow. What to do? Having checked out Mill Creek Canyon this winter for some easy family-friendly snowshoeing, we decided to head…

I sort of want to check out. And scroll through thumbnails on Pinterest all afternoon. I sort of want to check out. And leave the endless re-directing of my kids, re-working of our daily routine, and the re-teaching of basic life skills to someone else. Maybe I can train the dog to do it? I…

Happy Earth Day everyone! In honor of our life-filled-spinning-orbe I figured I’d cover a company that cares as much about the natural products their shoes are made of, as they do how comfortable they are. They strive to use natural products like leather, rubber and Jute in the construction of their shoes. Birki’s, known by us…

The sky is still dark out. Even the moon lies to rest. And for once I am awake and rested at this earlier hour. I am not a morning person, even the prospect of waking early for a powder day or some epic climb leaves me unenthused and coiled tightly around my bed covers. But…

We are on day five of our “Multi-tasking Must-Haves” journey. And day 5 of some awesome giveaways! If you are just checking in, here is what you’ve missed: ENO hammocks, Hydroflask, Teton Sports Summit 1500 pack, and DucksDay Kid’s Outerwear. Today is the last day to enter the ENO Hammock giveaway too. Today, I want…

Hey friends! It has been a great week for giveaways! How could it not be? Today I get to introduce you to Ducksday Kid’s Outdoor Gear and their wind/snow/rain suit. What is a Ducksday rain suit? In short, it is a lightweight, one piece suit that is water and wind proof…and folds up into a…

Enter: My new favorite backpack. Talk about a multi-purpose pack. But I’ll get to that. Summit 1500 Specs: Volume: 1500 cubic inches/ 25 L Pack weight: 2.4 lbs. Waist belt 24″- 60″ Torso length: fixed 17″ Features: Hydration-ready (2 liters) with right and left ports and clips for the drinking tube 2 side mesh pouches with…