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Rocky Mountain National Park announced yesterday that they will begin a phased reopening starting on May 27. The press release is here. Most relevant to this readership, backcountry camping will be permitted right away, and will continue through the fall as normal. Even though Rocky is a National Park, the release points out that under…
This year I will plan twenty-nine backpacking trips. They are scheduled June through October, run three to seven days, and are scattered throughout North America in the high desert, eastern woodlands, mountain West, and Alaska. In addition, I will also ready our 240+ clients, who are of mixed ages, genders, fitness, and experience. To pull…
Based on what we currently know about Covid-19 and on the best practices that you plan to follow, you may deem the risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19 acceptably low. And, therefore, you want to start your trip. I would generally concur with you: thoughtful behavior in a backcountry setting — which has constant air…
In 2020 I’m hopeful that my personal and guided backpacking trips will take place. But it won’t be business as usual — on both private and commercial outings, individual behaviors and program protocols must reflect the new risk of Covid-19. The preceding post is an objective assessment of this risk, and it serves as a…
To mitigate a risk, it’s essential to first understand it. For example, if I were planning to hike the John Muir Trail/PCT in the early-season, I’d want to know about hazardous creek crossings. And if I was planning to drink water from natural sources on that trip, I would want to be familiar with the…
The novel coronavirus has upended life as we once knew it. With therapeutic treatments and vaccines, we’ll revert to our old normal eventually, but in the meantime we’ll have to learn to live with it — How can we still work and play without compromising our own safety or that of our family, friends and…
As a female outdoor leader, guide, and mentor, I hear a wide range of worries that women have about being outdoors. Wild animals and injuries are two of the most common. I’m here to tell you that women are no more vulnerable than anyone else outdoors. Real vs. Perceived Risks The first night I camped…
Next month I’m hosting a free virtual clinic in partnership with the Colorado Mountain Club. Originally we’d scheduled an in-person gear and skills clinic in Golden, which I do most years for them, but, well, you know what happened. Key event details: Topic: Seven steps to plan a backpacking trip Online tutorial via Zoom Thursday,…
It’s always been natural for me to be alone, including on the trail. Sadly, society has conditioned us to think that it is unsafe for women to recreate outdoors solo. This attitude is wrong and perpetuates negative stereotypes about women– hiking, running, and camping alone can be both safe and rewarding. So it’s time to…
This morning I received a coronavirus update for Rocky Mountain National Park from the concessions manager. The italics are mine: In accordance with guidance from the White House, CDC, state and local public health authorities, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service are working to gradually resume operations and access to national…