This is our second installment of “Family Friendly Hikes near Salt Lake.” If you missed the first one, check out five of our favorite hikes, especially during shoulder seasons (ie. less crowded): Five Family Friendly Hikes near Salt Lake. For awhile now I’ve been thinking there was a lack in covering so many of the…

I just looked at our weekly forecast. Highs in the upper 90s (F) and lows in the 70s. Ugh. Nothing kills my drive to adventure outdoors like heat. However, if I have a cool body of water (i.e. lake, river, ocean) nearby, then all the sudden camping in the heat is refreshing again. This last…

A good pair of water shoes is one of our “family essential items” in the summertime. Whether wearing them just to the pool or waterpark or using them on the trails and lakeside, we are always looking for water shoes that have good traction, durability, and comfort for our kids. M.A.P. Footwear, a children’s shoe brand…

On the second day of our trip to Capitol Reef National Park, we hit the trail even earlier (9 a.m.) in order to hike before it became to hot. The day prior we had hiked to Hickman Bridge and the Cohab Canyon Trail. The trail to Cassidy Arch actually begins in Grand Wash. It heads…

Last weekend we visited Capitol Reef National Park for the first time. Yes, I know. Five years in Utah and we are only now visiting Capitol Reef… For more information on camping in the area visit: Camping near Capitol Reef National Park. On day number one, we hit the trail around 10 am. During the…

Every once in a while we willingly and knowingly enter into a “bad idea.” Last weekend, we decided last minute to head to Capitol Reef National Park. Without camping reservations. On Memorial Weekend. Just a tad crazy. But we had an amazing weekend, didn’t have too hard a time finding camping, and learned a lot…

If you have been following the blog for a while, then you may have read this week’s post on taking extended family vacations. Last summer we decided to take a full month and relocate to Tahoe Vista, CA. We are a family with three kids ages 5, 7, and 9. We also have a beloved dog,…

Combine everything we love about Lake Tahoe hiking and beaches… and ta da! You have Chimney Beach! Chimney Beach is located approximately 12.7 miles from King’s Beach, along the east side of Lake Tahoe. It is just south of Sand Harbor State Park. The sign for Chimney Beach can be tricky to find if you…

On the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, NV is Sand Harbor State Park. A beautiful peninsula jutting out into the crystal blue waters and lined with soft white sands. A true gem for families and adventurers of all ages! It isn’t every day you get to visit one of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever…

One year ago we decided to take a chance. Life is full of “chance” when you decide to make good on your “I wish” list. Like when I wished one day to run a half marathon. And then thought it would be fun to do my first triathlon. Or when later I wished I could…

If I am going to keep it real, we never intended to stay at Dead Horse Point State Park on this trip. We intended to visit Island in the Sky/Canyonland National Park, and had a variety of campgrounds on BLM land that we were going to check out. For a full account of our mis-adventures visit…

Not all adventures start off pretty. This one began with a whimsical dream. We literally decided to leave town for the weekend, jumped in the Xterra, hooked on the camper and were on the road within an hour. It was awesome. As a mom that struggles with a hyper-scheduled life, I often dream of the…

This year I was selected to be an ambassador for Aventura Clothing again. I am stoked, as I love their products but also the ethics behind their clothing. The best news? They are killing it with their tank tops this season, adding new styles, sporty styles, breeze styles, and all around awesomeness. Simply put I cannot…

We are totally stoked when we get a chance to try out a new (to us)  brand making quality gear for kids. I only recently learned of Showers Pass, a company born in the Pacific Northwest, and rooted strongly in the cycling community. Having a husband from Oregon, I understand the deep “wetness” of the…

We took a different approach this year to our gear guide. Rather than share the latest and greatest from brands across the market – we took a good look at our adventures over the last few years. We then compiled a list of our favorite items, the ones we’d buy again, and often have bought…

I get asked quite frequently if hiking longer distances flies right out the door when you become a parent, along with most your money, good sleep, and sick days. The truth is yes, and no. At first, your new infant is easily packable. The only limits are how far and how much weight you want…

I get it. You saw this glorious photo of your friends and their young kids scampering down the trail, crossing some high alpine meadow, and you are thinking, “Wow, that looks amazing! I wish we did stuff like that.” The truth is you can, anyone can.  Hiking with kids doesn’t require super-mad-outdoor skills or awesome…

All around the snow came down in half-hearted flurries. On the chair ahead my three kids enjoyed the newfound freedom of not having to ride the chairlift with my husband and I. It was at once terrifying and exciting. I shared my own chair with two other folks, all testing gear up at Solitude Mountain…

Gasp. What?! Kid’s complaining about adventures? Never. When we look at other people’s lives, [and most likely when you look at ours] it appears that we are all just frolicking around on an “explorer’s high,” smiles on our faces, all the pieces coming together for perfect journeys, and an endless desire to do it all…

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ve no doubted noticed we’ve been touring around the desert southwest a bit during the last few weeks. Most of this was due to my first ultra race, the Antelope Canyon 55k.  This is one thing I love about racing! It opens up so many opportunities to explore new…