The John Day River, which zigzags north and west through Oregon's arid middle, is undammed for its entire length. This makes the river a sort of symbolic character to the state - the John Day is free, wild and unpredictable. California's suffering from drought this year was well known around North America, but the effect of the same drought on Oregon went largely unnoticed. In Portland, the drought meant sunny days and a warm winter, but beyond that, it was difficult to disce

Backpacker.com is a resource for gear, trips, and resources about backpacking trips. We especially like their skills section, for everything you didn't even know that you needed to know. -Victoria From up close, Cloud Peak is one of the Cowboy State’s most impressive mountains. In the photos I’ve seen, it’s surrounded by sheer rock walls that rise more than 1,000 feet above tarns and remnant glaciers. Those huge cliffs are why a climbing friend and I came to the Bighorns duri

We've been talking a whole lot about the West Coast, so we thought we'd swing over to the East for today's feature. This trail is rumored to be one of the best in North Carolina, and we think Meanderthals is a great resource for learning about hikes all across the country. -Victoria Hiking among the giants of the East. That’s what you’re doing when you take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mt. Mitchell State Park for this trek on the Mountains to Sea Trail in the Black Mountains. Wi

The Switchback Kids are Cole and Elizabeth - two twenty-somethings who have pledged to visit all 59 National Parks in one year. Read all about their adventures across the US here! -Victoria Backcountry permit applications for the Grand Canyon open up on the first of the month 3 months before. You have to print out the application, fill it out with all possible itineraries, fax it to the backcountry office and wait to get your permit or denial letter in the mail. Getting the p

besthike.com is a website dedicated to recording the best hikes, trails, and tramps in the world. They're an excellent resource for hikers planning trips or going to unfamiliar locations, giving all the details you need for a successful hike. We especially love their top 10 lists, they're a great starting point for exciting hikes all over the world! -Victoria AT A GLANCE 75 km (47 mi), 5-7 days traditional route 3-5 day routes possible via Nitinat southwestern edge of Vancouv

Wild and White Blazing is a website run by Carla Robertson to train and equip women to hike the Appalachian Trail. The website is a community of women learning from each other and pushing each other. Read here about Carla's experience reaching Mt. Katahdin, the northernmost point of the Appalachian Trail! #appalachiantrail #trailreport #hike #women

Based in Southern California, Modern Hiker provides trail write-ups and detailed information for hundreds of locations. We love how they give you enough information to make visiting a new place foolproof. Click here for their website. Located approximately 30 miles north of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a staple for any outdoor enthusiast, both to bay area locals and visitors alike. Despite its relatively close proximity to a major city and its location with

We love day hikes, and week-long hikes, and short spontaneous trips. But nothing's quite as enamouring as a months long expedition. This is the story of a group of English women's first experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a six month endeavor! Makes you rethink your ventures, doesn't it? Photos are by Israh Goodall. Read more from Frontier Bushcraft here. -Victoria The Through-Hiker Ritual Before, during and after my hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, my partner and I me

This week's Trail Report comes from Dennis Kurtz and his crazy explorations through Mount Rainer. You can find Dennis @yonderwashington and at dennisKphotography.com. The Trail Report: This was our trip through Mount Rainier National Forest. Our destination was Mystic Lake which lies within Moraine Park on the North side of the mountain. Along the way we were able to stop at some incredible sights including Carbon Glacier and a suspension bridge that connects the east and wes