adventure-inspired

How to Ski Killington for $2 Per Run and Have Fun Doing It

2012-02-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

A beautiful day on the mountain. (D. Herscovitch) Resort skiing is expensive. As of today, if you want to ski at a Vail/Beaver Creek, Steamboat or Jackson Hole for a single weekend day over the next six weeks, expect to pay $99-105 for your lift ticket. On the east coast, skiing Mad River Glen, Whiteface or Killington will cost you $67-88. You might be able to score discounted tickets through

Video Trip Report: Ice Climbing in the Adirondacks

2012-02-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what an ice climbing trip to the Adirondacks looks like? Here's your chance to find out! All of us did our best to capture photos and videos of the trip, and thanks to George, there's a finished product with highlights from our trip up to the High Peaks in early February this year. We climbed at Chapel Pond and Lock Ness over the course of two days and got some great climbing in

Guest Post: Looking to Ride an ATV for the First Time? Keep These Tips in Mind.

2012-02-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Image Source: 1st-atv-tires via ATVcourse.com The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or other off-highway vehicles (OHVs) isn’t a topic we’ve covered on Adventure-Inspired yet, but it’s an incredibly popular pastime among visitors to public lands. According to the Environment News Service, the number of OHV users climbed sevenfold in the last 30 years and OHV users account for about five

Review and Giveaway: Pet Owners, Protect the Inside of Your Vehicle with Help from Empire Covers

2012-02-16T21:00:00.000-05:00

Scout (left) and Strider relaxing in a fully protected back seat after a fun day out on the trail. (J. Banister) Scroll down for your chance to win one! Given the chance, most of us with furry friends will rave about how wonderful it is to have them to share our lives with. I have two cats, and after four years with them, I can't imagine life without them. When it comes to traveling with pets,

Interview: Climbing Guide and First Ascentionist Sarah Hueniken on Training, the Importance of Women's Programs, and if Climbing Guides Get Scared

2012-02-14T23:06:00.001-05:00

(photo courtesy of Sarah Hueniken) AI: “Have you ever had a real “oh shit” experience?” S: “Oh yeah, probably more than I even recognize.” Sarah’s been in the outdoor industry nearly her whole life, beginning with an Outward Bound course she took when she was 15. She worked as a mountain instructor for NOLS, created a climbing program at St. Lawrence University and now lives, plays and

Ice in the Adirondacks: Six Tips on How to Make the Most of a Climbing Trip

2012-02-08T09:00:00.002-05:00

Yours truly climbing GPS next to Ice Slot (WI4) at Chapel Pond. (D. Herscovitch) For those of us who don't go on climbing trips often, or who aren't lucky enough to live close to major climbing areas, it's important to make the most of every minute you're out. After a fun and successful ice climbing weekend in the Adirondacks, it was obvious that there were things we all did or attitudes we

Guest Post: Three Ways to Help Connect the Children in Your Life with the Outdoors

2012-01-31T17:46:00.001-05:00

A little girl playing in a puddle in Zion National Park. “Not too many years ago, a child's experience was limited by how far he or she could ride a bicycle... Today ... the real boundaries of a child's life are set more by the number of available cable channels and videotapes, by the simulated reality of videogames, by the number of megabytes of memory in the home computer.” (Richard Luov)

Book Review: Lou Ureneck's 'The Cabin,' Building the Perfect Backwoods Sanctuary

2012-01-27T20:44:00.004-05:00

As long as I can remember, I've held the idea of building a little shed deep in the woods in the back of my mind. It's one of those wouldn't-it-be-nice ideas, something I don't know I'll ever do, but love to think about. It's a romantic idea, a beautiful idea, and a chance to live out my own version of Walden. Lou Ureneck took his dream to build a cabin in the woods and made it a reality. The

Guest Post: A Guide's Perspective on the Good, the Bad@ss and the Ugly from the 2012 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market

2012-01-24T21:01:00.004-05:00

Guest post author JB. (E Sagalyn) In today's post, SWS Mountain Guides Senior Guide James Brown (JB) reports back from his weekend at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City. In addition to a book signing for his co-authored Climbing Mount Shasta, due out soon, JB had time to look around and scout out some great gear. For five days every winter, the entire outdoor gear world

Interview with Sean Conway: Why He's Cycling The Earth By Himself, Unsupported, and Hopefully in World Record Time

2012-01-21T17:21:00.012-05:00

Sean Conway's world record attempt begins on February 18, 2012. (S. Conway) Sean Conway's website headline reads "18,000 miles. Two Wheels. 150 Days...plus a world record and £100,000 for charity." Basically, Sean wants to cycle around the world faster than anyone else has while supporting a cause near and dear to his heart. To complete this superhuman display of endurance, his legs will each

Guest Post: Get Up, Get Out and Enjoy Winter’s Most Overlooked Activity

2012-01-17T12:00:00.025-05:00

When was the last time you went sledding? (D. Beach) There are so many games we use to play as children, so many activities we used to love, that many of us lose touch with in our adult lives. Today, guest poster Daniel Beach of Share This Adventure reminds us there's space for all sorts of outdoor adventures in our lives, and we could all benefit from laughing a bit more. I can't believe you

"Wait, They Don't Salt the Roads Here?" Unique Things I Miss About Winter Living in Alaska

2012-01-13T12:00:00.003-05:00

On the way back from Seward, stopping to take in the view along the Turnagin Arm in February. Sadly, it seems winter has thus far abandoned us here in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rather than continuing to pine for the fluffy white stuff, it seemed a good opportunity to reflect time in a place that redefined winter as I knew it. I spent two summers working in Denali National Park after college

Gear Review: The Bright, Soft and Cozy Mountain Hardwear Butter Hooded Topper

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

A short sleeve shirt fits under and over the Butter Hooded Topper. (D. Herscovitch) I'm picky when it comes to layering pieces. When I find one I like, it's a challenge not to get it in several different colors. (That has to be against fashion rules of some sort, but in my expert opinion, fashion rules don't apply outdoors.) I bought the Mountain Hardwear Butter Topper Hooded Shirt in brown

Post #200: Why I Write, the Evolution of Adventure-Inspired and Vision for the Future

2012-01-04T09:00:00.008-05:00

After poking around my list of posts over the past two and a half years, I realized that my next post, this post, would be number 200. My initial reaction was one of pure amazement. How could I possibly have that much nonsense to share with the internet? My second reaction was one of terror. Number 200? That's an important post, and it better be good. After kicking around a few ideas in my head,

31 Adventures: Seeing Your World in a New Light and Noticing the Little Things

2012-01-02T16:11:00.005-05:00

"The Gangly Hand." With over 100 people signed up for 31 Adventures email prompts, it's obvious the project is something special. After writing about the project before the first prompt arrived in my inbox, I couldn't wait to see what was in store. One of my 2012 Phrases of Action is to pay attention, and the first two prompts gave me a chance to see simple things in a new light. I found the

2012 Phrases of Action: How I'm to Make the New Year Rock and Redefining SMART Goals

2011-12-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

Even Philadelphia, with all the hustle and bustle, can be beautiful in winter. (2010) Well, here it is, another New Year's Eve eve. Time for resolutions right? Maybe not. Early on in my career, I learned the importance of setting goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound, or some variation.) I used to apply the same principles to New Years resolutions. A

Mastering Taking Photos of Yourself: Four Techniques and Tools for Self-Portraits

2011-12-27T09:00:00.004-05:00

A sunset self portrait at Point Lobos State Reserve. "A good snapshot stops a moment from running away," according to American short story author Eudora Welty. We take photos to capture feelings, flashes of time, and people and images we want to remember. If you want to be in one of those photos, it's usually easy to find someone to take a photo for you. (During the holiday season, I don't

A Project You Definitely Want to Be a Part Of: 31 Days of Adventure

2011-12-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

You'll have 31 days worth of prompts and activities. When we think of the word "adventure," I'd venture to guess most of our first thoughts have something to do with climbing mountains, trips to faraway places, bungee jumping and the like. Those are big adventures. But what about the normal sized adventures? The kind we have on our commutes, in neighborhoods close to home, even in our own

Video Trip Report: Bloopers, Outtakes and Shots From the Pinchot Trail that Didn't Make the Cut

2011-12-21T09:26:00.004-05:00

Whether because the sound wasn't right, the lighting didn't work, or they simply weren't interesting, there were a number of video clips and photos from the Pinchot Trail adventure that didn't make the final cut. Some, however, were just silly, and deserve their rightful place in a bloopers reel. Enjoy, and if you haven't watched the original trip report video, just scroll down to the previous

Video Trip Report: Winter Backpacking on the Pinchot Trail in Pennsylvania

2011-12-19T09:57:00.009-05:00

When I think of cold weather backpacking in the Northeast, I think of trails covered in snow, biting wind and cracking mugs of hot chocolate on breaks during the day. It just sounds wonderful. With that in mind, Patrick of CampTheSummit, Dan and I headed out on a beautiful Pennsylvania adventure in search of a trail we could do in two days in early December. We'd have to forgo visions of the

Gear Review: Columbia Women's Zenith Vista Trench

2011-12-16T09:00:00.004-05:00

All buttoned up and ready to go! (Justin Doran) Up until recently, all of my coats were black. You couldn't find a speck of color in my outerwear wardrobe because, truth be told, I didn't want to stand out. Then, over the past few years, I've discovered red. Red is just a spectacular color. It's vibrant. It's the color of passion and confidence. It's a color I've embraced, and now can't get

Guest Post: Five Organizations that Strengthen and Support the Climbing Community

2011-12-14T22:00:00.002-05:00

JB on Matthes Crest in Tuolomne. (E. Sagalyn) In this guest post, SWS Mountain Guides Senior Guide James Brown (JB) reflects on the four organizations he thinks make a huge positive impact on the climbing community. Of course, I had to put my two cents in, too! There is something unique about being a climber. No matter your skill level or experience, once you have committed to climbing there

The Intersection of Technology and Outdoor Pursuits: How Much is Too Much?

2011-12-11T08:02:00.002-05:00

On a hike in Northeastern PA. This photo was taken with a smartphone. (D. Herscovitch) A good friend passed this article on yesterday and it seemed more than worth writing a bit about. Author Alex Lowther for the New York Times writes thoughtfully about the intersection of technology and historically solitary pursuits like big wall rock climbing. With all of our smartphones, iPads, iPods, etc

Seven Ways to Make a Good Backpacking Trip Great

2011-12-08T23:09:00.001-05:00

Devil's Path in the Catskills definitely requires teamwork! (D. Herscovitch) Backpacking trips can be a fantastic way to see some beautiful terrain and get some quality time outside. After spending last weekend out in the woods on what might've been one of the most successful trips I've been on, I compiled a list of things that can make a good trip great, or a potentially good trip

Gear Review: Columbia Women's Cliff Grabber Glove

2011-12-05T22:00:00.003-05:00

Staying warm on the Pinchot Trail. (D. Herscovitch) Imagine you're on a beautiful backpacking trail in the Northeast early December. You've been walking for hours, the chilly sun-soaked sky is giving way to night, and you've just found the perfect campsite. You drop your pack, pull out your tent, and start preparing for the evening. Your hands become numb as soon as you stop walking, but the