three bug repellent products

Best Bug Spray & Bug Repellent

This three-tiered best bug spray system keeps me (mostly!) bite free in New York’s backcountry every season

Readʉۼ

screenshot of hiking gear products

Hiking & Camping Gear List

There’s so much to read and learn about hiking gear. Here’s a basic list of the things you’ll use most often on your day hikes and campouts.

Readʉۼ

red snowshoes stacked on wooden floor

Snowshoe Basics

The number of snowshoe options is overwhelming. Here’s a quick guide on what to look for, and where to get your first pair.

Readʉۼ

standing desk with hiking gear storage underneath

Storage Bins for Hiking Gear

I sorted my growing jumble of hiking gear as a fun weekend project. With all my regular hike gear in a single box, I don’t have to worry I’m overlooking or forgetting anything. I spend less time preparing — which means more time doing.

Readʉۼ

discarded orange peel sitting on snowy ground

How Long Does Trash Last on the Trail?

Many people don’t know how long it takes natural items to decompose, assuming that whatever biological matter they discard will break down quickly. But many of our most common scraps take an astonishing amount of time to fully disintegrate…

Readʉۼ

blue plastic brush cleaning dirt off bottom of dirty hiking hoot

Leave No Trace at the Trailhead

Step up your LNT game with this simple post-hike trick.

Readʉۼ

google doc screenshot of spreadsheet

Catskill 3500 Trail Conditions Google Spreadsheet

For current trail conditions, this shared Google spreadsheet is a great resource to check before (and after) your next Catskill 3500 hike.

Readʉۼ

tremper in shadow

Catskill 3500 High Peaks | Ultimate Peakbagging Guide

The most efficient way to climb the Catskills High Peaks is to do as many of them in groups as possible. These lists of pairs and triplets combine the Catskills in their most common groupings. Minimize your travel. Maximize your peak-bagging!

Readʉۼ

Red Blaze on the Devil’s Path

Hiking Pace Formula

One of the simplest things you need to know about any hike is: how long will it take? Knowing a planned hike’s duration is crucial to being able to figure out what to bring in terms of safety supplies, water and food.

Readʉۼ