Ryan is a freelance journalist and climber. His favorite climbs are the random, unaesthetic snow- and ice-covered heaps in the middle of nowhere that require a weeklong scree-choked slog to maybe climb. Don’t ask him why. REI member since 2017.
By now, we all know: Our national parks are popular. In 2023, visits to National Park Service-operated lands topped 325 million annual visits. Yosemite National...
A low rumble down the valley rattles me awake—it’s not loud nor physically jarring from where I’m camped on the West Fork of Alaska’s Ruth Glacier, but the dist...
Celebrate warmer temps by throwing an epic picnic. Our favorite outdoor dining and reclining gear is portable, easy to use and high-performing, so you don’t nee...
I grew up looking forward to campfires on family trips. Someone was getting it going well before sundown, and we didn’t go to bed until the fire was on its last...
Nobody ever wants to have to call for help on an adventure. But when you do need a hand—whether it’s because you missed a turn and can’t find your way back or b...
Overlanding is all about self-reliance. Take what you know about car camping, add a bit of off-roading know-how, and boom: overlanding. Why is it worth it? Well...
Editor’s note: Please consult the CDC or your state health department for information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. When spending time outdoors, please recr...
Florida doesn’t have the summit vistas, alpine lakes, red rock canyons or broad glacial valleys that define our nation’s other hiking hot spots. But if you’re n...
From where I sit, I can see the blue-blazed Northville-Placid Trail snaking through the rough-and-tumble High Peaks Wilderness Area in New York’s Adirondack Mou...
For more than 30 years, the process of creating synthetic insulation at PrimaLoft’s Vietnamese manufacturing facility was mostly unchanged. Webs of synthetic in...
A version of this story appeared in the summer 2020 issue of Uncommon Path.
The Sleeping Bag
Many bags you’ll find at REI come with two temperature ratings...
Your days probably look quite a bit different right now. Mine certainly do. I’m showering on my lunch break, writing stories from the backyard, baking bread bet...
