Northern Wilderness Journey

08/23/2026

New video up on our YouTube channel about how to safely leave the trail while hiking.

Sometimes on a hike you have to leave the trail — to go to the bath...

08/06/2026

New video up on the YouTube channel. Check it out to avoid these 3 common mistakes people make when building fires.

Cold and wet in the woods, a fire you can't start can turn an uncom...

07/24/2026

New video on our YouTube channel

The number one reason a fire fails isn't your technique — it's your...

07/09/2026

New Video on our YouTube channel!

You won't always find the perfect trees to hang a tarp. Here's how ...

06/15/2026

Relying solely upon your phone to navigate is a single point of failure. Carry your navigation system: map, compass, phone & gps

Rescuers in Vermont are reminding hikers of the importance of carrying a paper map after rescuing a hiker on Mount Mansfield after the hiker had phone problems: https://tinyurl.com/4c4nvpe5

04/29/2026

Two hikers needed to be rescued in NH because they they underestimated the conditions above treeline and they got disoriented in the snow because they were only relying on their phone.

Navigation requires multiple tools. It is important to be able to read a map and compass along side your phone or gps.

It is also important to understand the trail conditions before you go out and make the smart decision to turn around if the conditions are worse than your expectations.

Glad these hikers were able to call for help and a big thanks to the great folks with NH Fish and Game for always being on call and going out to bring people home.

Two Unprepared Hikers on Mount Liberty

Lincoln, NH: On April 27th, at 8:20 PM,New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified that a pair of distressed hikers needed assistance on the Franconia Ridge Trail between Mount Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain in Lincoln. The hikers were identified as Jessica Fournier-Chartrand, 38, and Annie Petrin, 43, of Quebec, Canada. The pair had summited Mount Liberty and had started to hike across Franconia Ridge when fading light and existing knee-deep snow made them disoriented. The pair felt lost and placed a phone call for help. The pair was utilizing the All Trails App to navigate and advised that this led to a lot of their confusion. A Conservation Officer was able to convince them to turn around and head back towards the Liberty Spring Trail instead of continuing north along the ridge towards Little Haystack Mountain.

After speaking with Fournier-Chartrand, a pair of Conservation Officers began a response up the Liberty Springs trail with equipment. The rescuers reached the pair at 11:15 PM and provided gear to them. Rescuers assisted the two hikers down 2.2 miles of steep icy trail. Everyone exited the trail at 2:22 AM on April 28th, without any injuries.

New Hampshire Fish and Game would like to remind everyone that winter conditions still exist in the White Mountains. For safe hiking tips and a list of essential gear, visit hikesafe.com. Outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase a Hike Safe card at wildnh.com/safe. The card helps support Fish and Game search and rescue activities.

03/09/2026

I was honored to sit down with Justin of The 207 Collective Podcast over the weekend. This is a great platform he has built to showcase local businesses. Check out the interview if you have time and give his page a follow to learn more.

The 207 Collective Podcast · Episode

12/16/2025

Selecting the right layers is very important when recreating in cold weather.

The job of our clothing system is to keep our body in a state of equilibrium, meaning that we the amount of heat we are losing and the amount of heat we are retaining are roughly equal.

It is important to carry layers to handle both when we are moving and when we stop.

To learn more about preparing for a hike, check out our online class the Prepared Hiker System (link in bio)

12/10/2025

What is hypothermia? Hypothermia is defined as the lowering of the core body temperature to a point where muscle and brain function are impaired.

It is important to notice and deal with hypothermia because the colder we get, the harder it will be to do things like start a fire or even use our fingers to work the zippers on our clothing.

Make sure you stay vigilant and act quickly if you start getting hypothermic.

Stay prepared!

11/26/2025

It is important to keep track of where you are when you are hiking.

Here are two quick checks you can do with your compass to keep a fix on your position.

For accurate navigation it is important to compensate for magnetic declination.

To learn how to navigate confidently with map and compass, check out our online class The Prepared Hiker System (link in bio)