The night before the trip, I sat on the couch, pondering the maniacal schedule, the physical effort, the alpine starts and mental strain. I was left wondering whether this next “expedition” was worth it. My head hurt from trying to figure out the logistics and I considered getting out the whiteboard for a flow chart. “This is stupid,” I thought. “Why are we trying to do all this?” It’s...

“A case of Swine Flu has been confirmed late last night in a sixth grader at Madrona School. School officials have closed the school until Wednesday,” the NPR anchor said in clipped words that suggested he was trying his best to stay calm and not sound panicked or too excited. I went back to sleep. Whether or not the current alarm over the Swine Flu is warranted, it still seems a touch surreal. It’s...

By Danny Maynor When I was three, my family moved to Montana to start a business and ended up with next to nothing. There were times where all we could afford for groceries was milk, eggs, flour and sugar. My mom made donuts and my brother and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I still love donuts. We lived in a sixteen-foot-long travel trailer parked inside a shop building, rode hand-me-down bikes,...

Last summer, my trail-running buddy and neighbor, Nate, confided that he hated winter more and more every year. The dry Arizona heat was starting to sound more appealing by the month. Nate is my training partner. His kids are my kids’ friends. I had to spring into action or risk losing Nate to the Southwest. We would do a winter ski trip. The kids could stay at home this time. I could teach him to look...

SAVING THE WORLD. Notice I capitalized it to make it seem big. It actually might seem a bit less daunting to a child, than a been-around-the-block adult. Pull it together Dad. Mom, super heroes do it all the time. There are the simple ways – turning off the water while brushing your teeth. A slightly more creative way – next time your kids visit with their grandparents get them to give your parents a recycling...

Want your kids to graduate Summa Cum Shred? Sometimes it means letting go. By Andy Guinigundo They say that people who are experts at any particular activity are not necessarily the best teachers. I try very hard not to listen to “they” because often “they” are wrong. While I don’t consider myself an expert skier, I am an experienced ski patroller at a little ski area in southeastern Indiana. I know...

How much is too much? On March 26, the skiing world lost visionary Shane McConkey in a base jumping accident. Even if you aren’t a skier, you’ve probably seen a clip of the sub-sport of ski basing. After news of his death broke, a Facebook Group formed thousands strong. Message boards exploded with thoughts for his wife and young daughter. Warren Miller even proved that octogenarians know how to...

There’s a simple way to make the backyard a little wilder even if you call the city home. by Becca Cahall We’ve all seen children’s eyes widen at the sight of a butterfly weaving across a backyard breeze or deer grazing at the fence line. Kids dig animals. Helicopters are also pretty cool. In the animal kingdom, the rapidly beating, invisible wings of a darting hummingbird are as close as it gets to whirling...

By Danny Maynor Jurassic Five blasts out of my alarm at 6:00 in the morning. I’m out of bed before the second note, rushing to turn the alarm off before it wakes up Laura and Levi sleeping next to me. If Levi wakes up, it’s going to take a lot longer to get things together. First things first — start the coffee.  Then, a quick yoga session in a feeble attempt to loosen shoulders tightened up...

Today, in conjunction with the Dirtbag Diaries, The Outdoor Parent begins in earnest. Our goal: provide stoke. Stoke to get you out of bed before dawn for a long run through the woods or a solid surf session at a favorite break. Stoke to rally the kids out for a weekend of camping beneath dark, starry skies or just around the corner to edges of your local park. We celebrate skinned knees, hand me down jeans...