As a guide with the American Alpine Institute on Mt. Baker, I often end up working with clients who try to bring all the appropriate gear but end up bringing just a tad more than necessary. In this post, I will talk about the gear I bring with me on a 3-Day Baker Skills and Climb trip and how I...

　　Nina and Jeremys Big Idea Summer, 2020 　　Beranger, Savoie, France 　　The choice of vehicle wasn’t simple. It had to be more than a camper van—reliable off-road and in remote parts of the world, and tough enough to transport a climbing wall (yes, you read that right), all of our rock-climbing gear, photography equipment, and oh yeah, also be a small...

　　Words and Photos by Laura Lancaster 　　 　　“I knew you were coming.” 　　I had been dreading this stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail that ran between Manzanita and Tillamook since we started weekend thru-hiking (or section-hiking) it in chunks back in 2017. Heading south from Tillamook, the OCT follows Highway 101—the main artery for the Oregon Coast—for over 10 miles...

　　Photos courtesy of Graham Zimmerman 　　Eighteen years after his first attempt to reach the summit of Link Sar, prolific climber Steve Swenson finally stood atop the notoriously technical peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram. He was joined by alpinists Mark Richey, 61; expedition leader Graham Zimmerman, 33; and Chris Wright, 36. In an endeavor that was uncertain right to the last moment,...

　　When I started planning my 2015 Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike, I knew I wanted ultralight backpacking gear. I wasn’t aiming for sub-10 pounds or any particular ‘goal weight’, but I wanted to make intentional gear choices that kept my base weight low without going completely barebones. (Base weight is the total weight of your pack, fully loaded, not including anything...

　　One of the best parts of mountain running is when you get to walk. I’m not calling mountain running a gentle stroll, but generally, you’re not full-on, maxed-out sprinting hour after hour up an enormous rock pile. The running part is great, but the main draw is that rock pile and the ones around it. Just being, and moving, in...

　　Words and photos By Dustin Silvey, Ph.D 　　The sun beat down on our adventure team. The other kayak had pulled off a kilometer ahead in the shade of a rock to wait. As we caught up, movement in the water signaled action—on the other side of the rock, a pod of dolphins was hunting our bait ball. 　　We paddled over...

　　Packrafting opened up a world of adventure for me. Being from the desert, the idea of hauling a raft deep into the wilderness was fairly novel. But when photographer Jacob Moon and his wife Natasha invited me to go packrafting on the South Fork of the Flathead, one of the world’s premier rivers, I couldn’t say no. 　　 　　Photo by...

　　Spring and autumn should not be ignored for cycle travel. Theres a real joy and satisfaction that you can find with “out-of-season” travel that youll never get if you think of summer as your only option for cycling and adventure. However, the moods of the weather and route choice need thought, so I compiled a few ideas and tips to...

　　 　　After climbing the six great north faces of the Alps, I was on the lookout for my next big project. The Seven Summits is the collective name for the seven largest mountains, one on each continent—I decided this would be a good goal. More remote and higher altitude but less technical than the six north faces, the Seven would...

　　MSR athlete Eric Larsen took our Remote series tent to the heart of Chamonixs backcountry, and was eager to share his professional insight. 　　 　　I have literally spent years of my life in a tent on one adventure or another. Ive spent so much time in tents that they feel like home to me. On an expedition, a tent is...

　　Story and Images by Joe Yelverton Story and Images by Joe Yelverton 　　The Sprinter van is packed, travel mug’s full of coffee, playlist is ready. Only 10 hours to go till I arrive in the Yukon Territory. 　　Despite being a full-time Alaskan I always look forward to my time in the Yukon— “North of 60” as many Yukoners call it—referring...