Let's Make this Year More Adventurous than the Last
The new year is here and hopefully, your year is off to an adventurous start. This year we didn't make a new year's resolution. To be honest, we never stick to our resolutions anyways. In place of a resolution, we've committed to 7 ways we want to fill the new year with epic adventures. Check them out below and we hope a few of them will inspire you to have an adventurous new year!
1. Hike More Often
The reasons to hike more are endless. It's good for both your physical and mental health. You can hike alone or with friends and there are endless trails to explore, so every hike can be a new adventure. If you are feeling really ambitious join a 52 Hike Challenge and commit to hiking every week this year.
More Reading: Going for a Solo Hike? Read Tips for Safely Hiking Alone.
2. Join Your Local Climbing Gym
If you are like us and get bored working out at a traditional gym, the new year is the perfect time to join your local climbing gym. Don't fret if you're new to climbing, the climbing community is one of the coolest and friendliest groups around. Best of all you'll get an amazing full body workout without feeling like you're working out.
More Reading: America's 10 Best Climbing Gyms from Climbing Magazine.
3. Visit Your Favorite Trail on Snowshoes
Snow doesn't mean the end of hiking season, with the proper gear and snowshoes you can explore your favorite trails all winter. Some of our most memorable adventures have involved snowshoes. Check your favorite trails website to find recommended snowshoe trails and be sure to check detailed snow and weather reports before hitting the trail.
Pro-Tip: If you haven't snowshoed before, many ski areas rent snowshoes and maintain snowshoe trails that are perfect for beginners.
4. Read Books That Inspire Adventure
Sometimes the best way to prepare for or discover new adventures is a good book. Whether you want to plan a thru-hike, learn to climb, or just get lost in a tale of survival there are countless books that can inspire adventures this year. Just make sure to put the book down and get outside and experience the things you've read about.
More Reading: Check out these 12 Adventure Books Worth Reading.
5. Submit a Hiking Photograph to an Outdoor Photo Contest
One of the reasons hiking is so awesome is because you get to see and photograph amazing landscapes and wildlife. A great way to create more adventures this year is to set a goal to enter your best hiking photo in a photography contest. You can enter major contests from publications like National Geographic and smaller local contests. The more places you share your hiking photos the better.
More Reading: You don't need a fancy DSLR to take great photos, check out Tips for taking amazing hiking photos with an iPhone.
6. Learn to Make Your Own Gear MYOG
Making your own gear (MYOG) is one of the most satisfying projects you can tackle in the new year. When you learn to make something that can help you survive on the trail, you'll feel ten times more adventurous than when you buy it at REI. All you need is an old sewing machine or a few empty tin cans and you can make everything from your own hammock to an ultralight backpacking stove.
Pro-Tip: An easy way to get started with making your own gear is to buy a DIY Kit like one of these from Ripstop by the Roll.
7. Explore More National Parks
The National Parks are one of our favorite things about America. We still haven't crossed them all off our bucket list, so you can bet we will be visiting some new ones in 2017. Here is a list of free entrance days for National Parks in the USA in 2017. And all of Canada's National Parks have free entry during 2017 to celebrate their 150th Birthday.
More Reading: Recommended National Parks for Winter Visits and for Fall Colors.
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