Since today is the day most of America is sitting down to a feast of a roast turkey with all the fixin’s, I feel that it is appropriate to share our tried and true recipe for making Thanksgiving Dinner on the trail. This recipe can be made anywhere since these ingredients won’t spoil.  If you have been on one of our tours, you can attest to how delicious this tastes at the end of  the day. Enjoy! Thanksgiving Dinner- Backpacker Style (serves 4) Ingredients: One 12 ounce can of tu... Read Full Story

Effective February 1, 2010, Grand Canyon National Park will be changing the permit process as to eliminate the advantage locals have in obtaining permits to hike and stay multiple days in the backcountry (read the press release from the NPS).  The current process allows those who show up at the Grand Canyon Backcountry Office the first day permits go on sale priority in getting the permits they want over those who fax their permit requests.   The new process will have all requests faxed or dr... Read Full Story

Backpacking requires you to carry 20+ lbs on your back, depending on the number of days you are on the trail, and an essential part of having an enjoyable trip is making sure you are physically ready.  Afterall, you wouldn’t run a marathon without training, right?   Well, the same rings true of backpacking trips and one of the most important areas to strengthen before your trip is your core (abs and back).   And the nice thing about Pilates is when you are working your core, you are als... Read Full Story

Not long ago I was talking with a backcountry ranger at the Grand Canyon when he asked me a question about how do I determine what water sources are flowing in the canyon before a backpacking trip. For me the answer was easy because of the amount of time I’ve spent backpacking below the rim but if you are a novice to hiking or backpacking the Grand Canyon, the answer is not obvious if you only rely on maps. Hermit Creek, a year round Grand Canyon water source When I lived in the Northea... Read Full Story

In our age of Internet, texting, Face book, My space, home video games, and just technology in general, we are losing touch with society and it is detrimental to our health.  According to Dr. Richard Schwartz, author of The Lonely Americanwith his wife, Dr. Jacquelyn Olds, socially isolated individuals were twice as likely to die as socially connected neighbors and there is a direct effect of social isolation on longevity.  Schwartz cited a two-year study revealing that simply feeling lonely ... Read Full Story

In February, I posted a blog entitled What the Wii?!?, that I thought was pretty darn good if I don’t say so myself.  However, the reason for this followup is there is current research on the effectiveness of Wii Fit versus conventional workouts - i.e. group fitness classes, exercise videos, running, etc.  The American Council on Exercise has released a study conducted by a team of researchers led by John Porcari, Ph.D, Alexa Carroll, M.S. and Carl Foster, Ph.D.  The team recruited 16 v... Read Full Story

Just a real quick post…Just Roughin’ It made it into Vogue.com!  Vogue.com did a short write up about the Superstition Mountains and how we - Just Roughin’ It - can take you there.  Even Vogue knows how important it is to “rough it” on occassion.  Click here to read the article. Read Full Story

Weaver’s Needle, the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, and Peralta Canyon are all part of the beautiful Superstition Wilderness Area. We are lucky to have such gems in our own backyard, and are featuring some of the interesting photos hikers have taken while visiting the Superstition Mountains. These photographs are the work of talented photographers who share their images for others to enjoy under Creative Commons licensing. If you wish to use these photographs, please visit the photograp... Read Full Story

I get asked about this often so it is time to get an answer out to everyone.  Yes, backcountry tour guides work for tips and they are greatly appreciated.  How much they get tipped has been a mystery since there is little information on the internet related to tipping a backcountry guide. Many of the tipping guidelines are for the guides on van tours which isn’t a good comparison to backcountry guide. A backcountry guide does more than just lead the group down the trail. He or she takes... Read Full Story

image credit: jcwestbrook Years ago, you could check multiple hiker’s guides or camper’s packing checklists and find a navigational compass listed as an essential item to bring on any outdoor adventure. Do a similar search today, and a compass may be listed less than half the time. That begs the question, is it really necessary to bring, and know how to use, a compass? Here are a few things to keep in mind. You might be able to skip packing a compass if: You’re traveling with a tour guide,... Read Full Story