197 Tips, Tricks, + How-to
Sometimes it seems as if the seasons just can’t make up their minds. Winter may feel like it is petering out, but spring may still be a little too shy to show up, leaving us stuck in an awkward seasonal limbo. While hitting the slopes is still an option, core shots galore is an intimidating possibility. Is tubing over dirt patches a thing kids still do?
/By Scott Schell, NWAC and originally published on the MSR Summit Register [1]./ Every season around this time—often sooner—we start dreaming about winter.
Gear and Guidance
/Light painting using headlamps with a Mt. St. Helens National  Monument backdrop. Photo by Outdoor Project Contributor Andrew Stohner/ It’s the time of year when my on-the-fence adventure friends either pack away for winter hibernation, or make claims that ‘this is the year’ they’ll snow camp.
At Outdoor Project, we couldn’t be more excited about spending time in the backcountry during the winter and spring months. The solitude of the winter mountain environment is alluring, and who doesn’t love fresh powder and smooth corn?
Every time I hop in the car with my sister, we seem to have the same argument as she reaches for the navigation system. "You can't keep complaining about your bad sense of direction if you only ever use GPS!" I remind her while she rolls her eyes. Sense of direction is not innate./ /It's a skill.
You don't have to be an avid adventurer to understand the importance of weather. Be it a backpacking trip or a birthday party, weather will make or break any outdoor activity. That's why planning for weather is crucial, especially for extended adventures. Sure, the concept is simple: check the weather before you go. But exactly what variables should you check? What resources should you use?
When you're out having lots of fun, you need to fuel yourself with lots of calories. That's where many hikers go wrong when packing. I know I always forget to bring enough fat on the trail, and I always regret it. One can only eat so much trail mix in a day. Lately, I've been bringing along some high-octane cookies to the peaks in Juneau, Alaska, where I live and work.
Polenta, grits, masa, semolina, what do these things all have in common? Well, they’re all corn in a different form. Many food cultures use this as a staple for belly-filling meals, so bring that culture to the trail. Make sure to get the quick cook options and they will be ready in your bowl in 5 to 10 minutes. .. /Planning backcountry meal essentials has never been easier.
Maybe you’ve been wondering what to do with that funny tube that sits in the tomato sauce aisle of your grocery store. That’s tomato paste, and the tube it comes in is actually super helpful for the trail: off-grid tomato freshness with no can opener required.
The amount of stimulation on any of Outdoor Project’s treks is always bursting at the seams. While our first instinct is to capture it all with our handheld of choice, the rapid-fire snaps can all blend together and sometimes fail to capture the nuances and education each site bestows. One way to up the appreciation and memory factor of your hike can be to try your hand at nature journaling.
You know it, you love it, and understandably so: Ramen is cheap, high calorie, low weight, and cooks up fast. But next time try to add a bit of freshness and flavor by adding some fresh snap peas, bok choy, chili paste, or vinegar. Forget your spork? Just whittle up some campy chopsticks from fallen twigs. Ramen will never taste so good. .. /Want to try something different?
Here’s the thing about wilderness survival: There are rules and lists for how to survive in the wild, but there is no single perfect method. Your most immediate needs can change with your environment. Consider the saying: /All models are wrong, but some are useful./ Even though they’re wrong, some rules, lists, and models can be helpful. Not perfect, but useful.