As a family, we’ve tried out a ton of different sleeping bags over the years. And for the vast amount of families, you cannot go wrong. Well…too wrong. Most sleeping bags on the market will keep your kids warm in moderate to warm temperatures. But there are significant differences that can affect a good night’s…

After an inspiring all-women’s backpacking trip in Colorado last year, I was motivated to plan my first trip out here in Utah. After much debating on location, I settled on The Notch Trail, High Uintas because it was super scenic and pretty tame in terms of trail difficulty. We had a few “first -timers” and…

With the Fourth of July staring us in the face, I figured I would share some of our favorite camping items for family fun! These range in price and size but have each added tremendous value to our camping trips. 1. BugLit This little LED “buggy” looking light is my newest favorite piece of gear…for…

I have several backpacking pet peeves. Bad (or not enough) food, bad sleep. They can take what would be the most amazing experience and make it unenjoyable. The first time I saw an ENO hammock was about ten years ago on a group camping trip. One of the guys pulls out this hammock that is stuffed…

Gosh, when looking for a tent, where do you start?! Honestly, when we first had kids I wished we had started here. I never really considered Kelty as my brand of choice when tent shopping but I have been more than pleasantly surprised! We sort of figured we only use it backpacking when the kids…

Every once and awhile I have some romantic, glorious idea…albeit ambitious. And last winter, when the snow swirled deep, I was dreaming of sunshine and wild flowers and high mountain lakes. I got it in my head to try taking my kid’s backpacking…not a long distance, but far enough to feel like we were getting…

I really don’t have any idea how to approach this post. Every person requires a different amount of food. Quantity also depends greatly on age of kids and gender! So what I am going to do is add in a bunch of qualifiers. First, we went with another family of four and there was much…

This last week we embarked on our first backpacking trip as a family, and our first trip into Willow Heights Lake in the Wasatch. Really it could not have been more perfect and our trip report is coming soon. But for now I wanted to share a glimpse into our time on the trails through…

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…

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….

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…

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…

Welcome back to day two of our multi-tasking must-have giveaway week! If you haven’t already joined us on Facebook, please do. We are discussing other must-have outdoor items all week! What is a Hydroflask? Hydroflask makes a line of double wall, vacuum insulated, stainless steel water bottles and food storage containers. We’ve had a chance…

Happy Monday everyone!! It is going to be an awesome week because we are giving away some awesome outdoor gear EVERYDAY this week. This gear has been tried and tested for the last few months and we are excited to share it with you! Join us on Facebook for more conversation on must-have camping and…

It is 6 a.m. My coffee is keeping me company this morning. And you too! I am not a morning person. But my in-laws just hit the road back to Oregon and I find myself up and unable to go back to bed. And really there is no better time for this mom to write…

I am back! And refreshed by the beautiful Colorado Collegiate wilderness. I will share all about my trip soon… for now I will tease by sharing my favorite moment I captured from the trip: But until I can collect my thoughts on everything I learned in Colorado, I want to share about a community of…

Something about me: I hate sunscreen. I hate bug spray. Hate. But of course I hate sunburns and skin cancer and bug bites too. And all of the above is a natural evil when one is accustomed to being outdoors SO much. And not just a nuisance, as recent history has shown, bug bites can…

Today we welcome a guest post, with tons of great tips for fighting the rain while camping! Now I know what you are thinking, if you are in Utah or Colorado, you’d bend down and kiss the ground if only it WOULD rain. But, if you are headed out this 4th of July, check out…

This post is like my recyle bin. Useful little tidbits – that have no where else to go. It might feel a little all-over-the-place. And well…it is! No matter how prepared I think I am, I always forget something. We just hope it is a “cheap” something we can grab at the local store. Often,…