Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round, and if any of that changes, it’s an emergency. This is the introduction to several abbreviated first-aid lectures I’ve heard. What follows is something...

Knowing what knots to use, and when to use them, is what keeps us where we want to be, instead of broken on the ground. With a strong knowledge of these knots and hitches, one can do pretty much anything...

“Self-rescue is the best rescue” is something I’ve heard at every river safety talk. While overall I agree with the sentiment, my pedantic nature can’t let it go. “If a rescue is necessary, self-rescue...

With satellite imagery of most of the Earth’s surface and some mapping of the ocean floor, very few places on this planet are truly unknown. Now, with the James Webb telescope showing us distant clusters...

“Never let go of the brake strand,” I firmly told a student for the third time in less than a minute. Just before we started the exercise, learning how to rappel, I heavily emphasized the importance...

If you’re a beginning whitewater kayaker, you can find everything you need for a good price. Keep an eye on classified pages in big kayaking towns like Boise, and soon enough you’ll find a full set...

About 22 months ago, I found out I would be camping at Lee’s Ferry, located at the start of the Grand Canyon, on December 21, 2021. Normally, I don’t gamble, but I make an exception for river trips. If...

Most outdoor users don’t intentionally go into the backcountry with the intent to cause harm. Some people may not have had the mentorship and were never taught what best practices are. Others might do...

Outdoor gear is expensive. For this reason alone, damage and failure are a tragedy. Even if it was free, anyone who has shared a tent with a torn-down jacket or sleeping bag knows that being able to fix...

Morning means coffee, for me and for so many others. Long days, late nights, and alpine starts leave some of us slightly surly in the morning. Personally, after about 48 hours without a strong cup of coffee,...

On a cabinet in my kitchen, I have a sticker from the band August Burns Red. On it, the sticker says, “Angry music for happy people.”  I can’t think of a better way to describe the culture surrounding...

If one of your classmates is into adventure sports, you can probably tell from across the lecture hall.  Laptops, water bottles, and cars layered with so many stickers, you can’t really be sure what...

When was the last time one of your trips went absolutely perfectly? When was the last time nobody forgot something important like a raincoat, headlamp or sleeping bag — and somehow, you even remembered...