I love it when a picture gets a writer off the hook for writing content. Sometimes a photo is worth a thousand words. Thanks for reader Mark Walters for cluing us in. The photo has been one of the most popular at Surfline.

The days are getting longer and the temperatures a bit warmer. With summer around the corner, daybreak is alive with bird songs. As the summer progresses the forest and bird feeders come alive with songbirds. Your kids will notice, and this natural phenomena provides a perfect opportunity to make the natural world into a classroom without walls. What about spring makes the birds start singing? All animals have...

Helmets save lives – I’ve collected all the data I’ll ever need. Four years ago I was climbing the CMC route on Mt. Moran with my friend, Jerry, and his two sons. In hindsight, we should have been more cautious. When we traversed onto the route, there were two groups above us. Almost like an omen, a loose rock whizzed past us and we made sure to stay out from under the group just above us....

“Bottom line – wear a helmet,” says Jed Williamson. As editor of Accidents in North American Mountaineering, a round up serious climbing accidents intended to help climbers learn from others mistakes, Williamson should know. According to the long-time editor, the third leading cause of accidents is falling rocks or objects The data is irrefutable, but I don’t want to be told when or where...

Slacklining looks hard. It’s even harder than it looks. But setting up a low-to-the ground line for your kids and your inner child isn’t. For those of you who struggle to tie your own shoelaces, there are several pre-packaged options that are a breeze to rig and come with directions. The best beginner option might be this package from Slackline Brothers. If “Do It Yourself” is your mantra,...

One ray of sunshine in the low-pressure trough of spring is the return of the slackline. Similar to a tightrope, a slackline is simply a length of nylon webbing, usually 1″ wide, strung tightly between two trees or other solid objects. It differs from a tight rope in that it is not rigid. It bounces and quivers like an extremely narrow trampoline. Originally created by Yosemite climbers, the first time...

Spring is fickle. That Saturday forecast calling for clear skies and a summer breeze can turn to 40 degree showers by Sunday. Dark clouds can wilt motivation. Remember though, your kids don’t necessarily share your aversion to rainy days. This is something we grow into as adults with aching knees and surgically reconstructed shoulders. A number of companies sell relatively cheap rain gear for children...

I may be a bit strange — I like winter. I’m constantly inspired by freshly fallen snow, skiing, camping without bugs. Summer is great with its hot days, cool nights, and school vacations. Fall is my favorite for the golden leaves, crisply perfect temperatures, and weeks of blue sky. But I endure spring, with its mud, wind, allergies, and 40-degree temperature swings. The year’s first day-and-half...

Continuing with this week’s theme, we surveyed our team of mothers and fathers to harvest tips for getting out in the first year. As Danny mentioned in his featured post, it is both a wonderful and angst ridden period. Keep your sanity by instantly figuring out how to maintain your passions. It may mean redefining what the natural world means to you, but maybe not. It’s going to take a little...

“Put a chain on the house and just drag it behind the car,” says journalist Maggie Jacobus who with her three boys runs the web site Super Natural Adventures. Jacobus is joking, but during the first year of your child’s life, getting out can be a bit overwhelming. The extra gear alone is mind-boggling. Whether you’re trying to rally the crew for a day hike or trying to get some adult...