One Segment: The M Trail
byThe folks at Strava asked me last summer if I’d like to tell a story about a particular segment of trail, for part of…
HIKING
15 Useful Trail Etiquette Tips
byThe summer trail season is here, and you may or may not have questions about how to properly utilize America’s public lands. Questions like…
17 Hill-Climbing Strategies
byThere you are, at the bottom of a hill, on foot, or on your bike, or on skis, ready to start up. But are…
Walking The Knife Edge Of Switzerland’s Hardergrat
by[NOTE: 2020 is the tenth year of my blog at Semi-Rad.com, and since I started it, I’ve been fortunate to get to do…
Should You Do It In Jeans?
byThe bumper stickers about politicians skiing in jeans were first created more than a decade ago, but skiing in jeans has a much longer…
Fellow Hiker, I Am Currently Unable To Accurately Tell You How Much Farther It Is
byDear fellow trail user, In response to your question, “How much farther is it?” which you asked as I was walking towards the trailhead…
The Nine Circles Of Hiker Hell
by—Brendan More stories like this in my new book, Bears Don’t Care About Your Problems, out now.
The Hill That You Love To Hate
by“I hate this hill,” I said to the man pushing his mountain bike up the dirt road. He was trying to tell me that…
Yes, A Friend Can Make Miserable Things Less Miserable
byI trudge forward, the muddy road tugging at my running shoes, splattering my ankles and shins, as I finish the uphill part of my…
If You Don’t Want To Dawn Patrol, You Can Dusk Patrol
byIt’s (hopefully) common knowledge that if you want to climb a Colorado 14er in the summer, you should be on your way down from…
The One Thing You Need To Know
byTo climb rocks: Use your feet. Despite what you may have seen in Cliffhanger, or depictions of climbing in energy drink ads, rock climbing…
Hiking Meetup Groups You Probably Shouldn’t Join
byLOCAL SINGLES HIKING GROUP So, are you single? So are we! And we’re always looking for more attractive, fit, single folks to join our…
Nature As An Airbnb: A Review
byFor a quick getaway last weekend, my friends and I planned a three-night stay in nature. Nature is not listed as an Airbnb rental…
The Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim: A Trail Diary
by4:35 a.m. The wind blows across the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, 20 mph constant. Mitsu and I hurriedly grab hats and gloves,…
Climbing Out Of A Huge Metaphor
byTen years ago last weekend, my old friend Jarrett didn’t have cancer anymore, so I thought it would be a good idea to take…
10 Basic Rules For Adventure
byEarlier this year, my book Surviving the Great Outdoors came out, representing about 12 years’ worth of poking around in the out-of-doors—climbing, backpacking, hiking,…
Fake Merit Badges For Real Outdoor Achievements
byBecause we all deserve a little recognition for doing things well out there. —Brendan More stories like this in my new book, Bears Don’t…
How To Sound Smart On The Trail
byAre you an expert? Well, thankfully, it’s 2017, and everyone can be one. Here are a few tips to help you establish yourself at…
The Best Campsite In The World
byOne Friday this past March, I hiked a few miles down a trail and set up a tent in one of the quietest places…
Dear New Guy At The Climbing Gym:
byDear New Guy At The Climbing Gym, or lady running around the track at the park for the first time, or person trying out…
Announcing A New Book: The Great Outdoors: A User’s Guide
byToday, I get to share something that some wonderful people and I have been working on for almost two years: a big, fat book…
Happiness Is Your Backyard Trail
byI plodded my way up the Hayden Trail, headed up toward my fifth “summit” of the day as the sun coasted downward. I had…
Ace And The Desert Dog
byAbout a year ago, I spent a few days with Ace Kvale and his 10-year-old blue heeler, Genghis Khan, in their home in southern…
10 More Useful John Muir Quotes For Your Instagram Captions
byWe all know the classic John Muir quotes like “The mountains are calling and I must go,” and “The clearest way into the Universe…
Backpacking Is Sexy
byHey girl. Or guy. I want you to know something about that hobby of yours that you partake in two to 200 days a…
The Shrinking Of An Adventure
byI padded down the talus in the moonlight, my headlamp switched off, in front of my girlfriend. I was just happy to be moving…
13 Pieces of Gear Every All-Around Adventurer Should Have
byNormally I use this space to talk about not buying a bunch of shiny new gear, to sarcastically review entire categories of gear, or…