How are you currently getting outside with your kids? What activities are you participating in? Hiking, biking, trail running, fishing, art projects involving objects found outside, cooking outside, campfires, camping, bouldering, archery, rockhounding. What motivates you to go outside with your kids? I love being outside and am a better person for it. I think the same applies for the kiddos. We are all just happier, healthier humans during and after we have spent as much time as possible outside.  What are some of the challenges to getting outside with your kids? The biggest challenges are probably time and energy. Amongst busy work, school, and extracurriculars sometimes it's just easier to stay home and stay in. In those moments, we really have to prioritize getting out the door.  What kinds of gear and clothing are your kids using? Is it more general purpose or specifically designed for an activity? I like to use multipurpose gear where at all possible. For all the above mentioned activities, my kids utilize general purpose gear, with the exception of backpacks, sleeping bags, and rain gear. In the winter, we do shop for durable ski clothing that will keep them warm (and therefore, happy, on the slopes).  ... View more

Done. Thanks for the tag @REI_Co-op!! ... View more

Welcome @hannah_sc! These are all likely items you are well aware of, however, just in case I am going to throw them out there. 1. Make sure you have a point of contact who knows when you are leaving, your anticipated travel plans, and when to roughly expect you back. 2. Depending on how remote you will be, I highly recommend an emergency transponder such as a SPOT or Garmin InReach. (Yes, you can absolutely get by without one of these, but it's nice for piece of mind if you think you will be regularly traveling remotely). 3. While society has become heavily dependent upon very capable electronic devices, there is no substitute for a map and compass and knowing how to use them. As others have said, there is so much gear out there to choose from. You will often be choosing between affordability, weight, and quality/durability. The lighter and better the equipment, the more expensive, usually. Enjoy the adventure!! Stoked for you to get out there 🙂 I hope we will see some post trip updates! ... View more

Somehow, I managed to leave off my backyard Utah ski mountain, Beaver Mountain. That said...it sucks, and nobody should come here (cough cough). ... View more

@GregA it's been over 20 years since I've been there. As a high school ski club kid who grew up skiing in Ohio, it was amazing. I don't know what I would think about it all these years later and after skiing in Utah. I'd still say it's worth the trip though 🙂   ... View more

I agree with @duChossois! I personally like to wear a lightweight liner under a mitten. My fingers run cold (and perhaps my circulation isn't what it used to be) so I actually really love winter running in my Outdoor Research Meteor Mitts (yep, these are more like ski/snowboarding mitts) but I will wear them without the bulky fleece under mitt. As a lighter weight option geared more toward running, I have older Saucony running specific mittens that have an ultralight weight over mitt (like a very light shell material) that go over a liner glove. These have also worked for me (surprising warmth for little weight and they really pack down). I can't find them anymore online but the overmitt looks a lot like the  Inov-8 All Terrain Pro Mitt. The combo gloves with the mitt piece that you can pull over your fingers (also known as flip mitt) have never worked for me (just not warm enough). Obviously with the heavier mitts, you will have to pop them off to use your phone. Good luck! I'd love to hear what you end up with and if you like them since my old Sauconys sadly are not going to last forever.  ... View more

While I do track mileage on my shoes via Strava, like others here, I really don't think there's a solid rule of thumb on miles. I have had shoes from the same brand vary widely in the mileage I could get out of them. For me, it has typically been anywhere between 300 and 600+ miles. I find that, if I listen to my feet and my knees, I go off that to determine when to retire shoes. I also like to rotate through a couple different pairs of varying styles. Yep, I am shoe nerd (as much as I can afford to be anyways).  ... View more

Oh this is a fun one! New York: Holiday Valley Ohio: Boston Mills/Brandywine Utah: Brighton, Snow Basin, Snowbird, Alta, Powder Mountain Vermont: Stowe ... View more

@Kato1953 your photos are amazing! Thank you for sharing. I spent some time in the Adirondaks in the spring of 2002 before moving from OH to UT. Mount Marcy and Algonquin were my first peak bagging experiences... fond memories. ... View more

@REI-WendyG , I couldn't agree more with this - " I find we are most successful if we can manage NOT heading home after picking up said kiddos from school / grandma's." It is really easy to stop by the house with a plan to head straight back out, and promptly lose steam at the end of the day.  Unless I already have a place or activity in mind, I definitely include my kiddos in the decision on where to go and what to do. Sometimes, that requires a bit of compromise, but we can usually figure out something everyone is excited to go do. While both of my girls are pretty pleased to be outside doing anyting, one is happier to hike or trail run while the other really enjoys bike rides. We try to balance that, or if both parents are available, work in some one-on-one with each of the kiddos if possible.  Some of our favorite outdoor activities include hiking (including walks around town or in our local national forest), biking, and climbing. Currently, as we try to minimize our potential impact during this time of COVID, we have been spending a lot of time in our yard gardening, IDing plants, bird watching, writing, and reading.   ... View more