Winter backcountry skiing: a stay with Cascade Huts

As soon as I was made aware of Cascade Huts, a system of backcountry cabins in the Mt. Hood wilderness near Government Camp, Oregon, I knew we had to review it! Set miles away from civilization, each of Cascade Huts' three rustic cabins are situated along backcountry ski and bike trails accessible in winter from any of three area sno parks. Overnight guests snowshoe or cross-country ski in, stay a … [Read more...]

Exploring Bridal Cave Missouri with kids

Missouri is well known for its caves, and the Lake of the Ozarks, an hour south of the state capital, boasts several that are open to the public. Of these, the most well-known is Bridal Cave, which lies beneath Thunder Mountain near Camdenton, Missouri. Bridal Cave got its name from a legendary Native American couple who got married in one of its front “rooms.” It has hosted over three thousand … [Read more...]

Tubing on Kauai: Kauai Backcountry Adventures

One of the most unique excursions families can take on Kauai is a tubing adventure through a sugar cane plantation. This adventure is very hard to describe until you’ve tried it: essentially, families are guided through the flumes and tunnels of unused irrigation channels on a  now-defunct plantation for a fun, beautiful, and pretty thrilling ride through Kauai’s jungle-like east … [Read more...]

Searching for Bigfoot on Collings Mountain

On a dreary but warm day in January, we skipped the ski slopes to brave a wintery hike skirting Applegate Lake near Ruch, Oregon. Our destination? A bona fide Bigfoot trap. Located along the Collings Mountain trail in the Rogue River National Forest, the trap is located on a low rise one-half mile into the hike, off a short spur trail (next to a long-destroyed caretakers's cabin). The only one of … [Read more...]