San Juan River, Utah: Cliff Jacobson, Bell Yellowstone solo canoe Tumplines are magical, more so when going uphill as they hold the...

Hamburger and beans form the basis of dozens of outdoors meals. Examples include spaghetti, lasagna, beef and been burritos and chili....

Everyone who canoes the Boundary Waters knows that the maximum group size is nine people and four watercraft. The rule further states...

The subject of canoeing footwear has been largely beat to death by canoeing writers, including me. There’s no agreement as to what works...

What knives are best for camping?

Camping out has changed considerably since the good old days of pine bough beds, bonfires and fresh-cut trail shelters. Camps stoves...

I like to eat well on canoe trips. Pre-packaged, freeze-dried meals, like the ones you buy at camping shops don’t cut it. My food comes...

ABOVE: Gransfors Axes: Top to Bottom: Small Forest Ax, Wildlife Hatchet, Mini Belt Hatchet. BOTTOM: Lennart Petterson making a Mini Belt...

At the outset, I should make it perfectly clear that I’m a “wool” man, and it would take an act of congress or a seriously enlightening...

Cliff Jacobson has been a great mentor to me for years. I first saw Cliff speak at Canoecopia in the early '80s. Cliff is a master storyteller, so even though I was a fairly young, Cliff's presentation really kept my attention. When my dad later picked up a copy of Cliff's book, Canoeing Wild Rivers, 5th Edition , I soaked up the skills and techniques Cliff outlined to improve my camping skills. As years went by, I read all of his books (no small feat!) and attended Cliff's

At the outset I should make it clear that I love my GPS. I bring it on every canoe trip. This said, I ALWAYS carry a compass—two of...

Newcomers to camping are often put off by the all the things they “think they need” to have a good time. Frankly, you can get by with...

If you haven't tried FITS socks, you're missing something special. I've been wearing them (exclusively) since I discovered them three...

Quick! You’re going on a wilderness trip. What tool do you value most? If you said “a good sharp knife”, you’re in agreement with the experts. Most people use a mechanical device of some sort to sharpen their knives. This is fine as long as “moderately sharp” is good enough and you have space to carry the sharpening tool. Actually, it’s easy to sharpen a knife to a razor’s edge. All you need are the right tools and practice. This method works with any non-serrated blade

Sometimes a product comes along that's done “just right”. The new Exped 30/40/50 series Torrent dry packs are one of them. The number...

This is from Caitlin Looney, a wilderness therapist in Colorado. Caitlin was guiding a group of teenagers and turned a “lost experience”...

Cliff (L), Larry Rice (R). Both Phoenix canoes. Yellowstone River. CCS spray covers. Bear Paulson, Phoenix canoe Cliff, Phoenix canoe. ...

My first job after college was as a forester for the Bureau of Land Management in Coos Bay, Oregon. One rainy January morning I was...

North Knife River, Manitoba: the water is very high and shore-line eddies are washed out. It is 45 degrees and raining. A rocky island...

Book Review: “The Devil’s Grin”, by Toni Harting by Cliff Jacobson Paddlers who are familiar with Toni Harting’s earlier books, “Shooting...