The Best Adventure and Outdoor Blogs for Women

After so much great feedback we've expanded the original list of best adventure and outdoor blogs for women. My new list includes blogs, websites, and companies that tailor, feature or inspire outdoor women athletes. Enjoy!

Tales of a Mountain Mama

An amazing mountain family that is really living the dream for so many- living it up with their little ones in tow!

Just a Colorado Girl

Just a Colorado Girl is a great blog that features long distance cyclying, endurance sports events, running, skiing and adventuring. Fun and inspiring!

Gear Gals

Gear Gals is a blog dedicated to reviewing and featuring outdoor gear reviews for women. Not only are their reviews helpful and insightful- but they also have a pretty spiffy dress up section too.

Crag Mama

A rock climbing enthusiast sharing her love for nature, climbing, the outdoors, and family.

Outdoor Industry Women's Coalition (OIWC)

The Outdoor Industry Women's Coalition is a group that brings outdoor industry women together through online networking, networking events, and kick ass professional development. Really a must join group for any female currently working in or interested in the outdoor industry.

Monica Prelle 

I love Monica’s blog because it is all about fun, outdoor sports, and outdoor lovin’ lifestyle. She’s not constantly pitching you products- she’s much more into posting amazing photographs, writing sharp little features, and inspiring you to shut off and get outside. Great blog!

Women's Adventure Magazine

Seriously one of my favorite sites to stop by. They have killer reader adventures posted on their blog, you can read past issue or current issues ONLINE. For reels. Amazing photograpy, writing, and inspiration for women adventurers.

Outdoor Women’s Alliance 

A great organization that is all about inspiring women to get outdoors in any non-motorized way whether it is skiing, biking, or climbing…. Their twitter feed regularly features 

Jill Outside

The amazing female adventurer Jill. Words can't describe..

Rock Climber Girl

Rock Climber Girl is a truly inspiring blog. She details her climbing adventures, provides tips and tricks on gear and climbing.

Specialized Bikes- Women

Specialized Bikes has truly expanded their women's bike selection. They're one of the few companies that really analyzes women's geometry and builds better bikes for female riders. More than that- they've got an inspiring website and have really spread out across multiple social media. Check them out on twitter or facebook. Specialized has been kicking butt in the women's specific arena- but here is my challenge for them. Remember the Specialized Trail Crew from last year? Well I think we really think we need to see a Women's Bike Crew...What do you say Specialized?

Girl Bike Love 

A passionate group of cyclists inspiring women to be involved in racing, commuting, and riding bikes. Great bike blog that I definitely recommend

Mudd Bunnies

A women's biking club out of Vancouver, BC featuring forums, tips, and teams for downhill, freeride, or cross country mountain bikers. Oh, I so wish I lived nearby!

Outdoor Divas

Outdoor Divas are based out of Colorado and feature clothing, gear, killer events and classes for multiple sports.

Velo Mom

Connecting women, bikes, and their children. Truly informative posts on biking, pregnancy and biking, and kids.

Expand Outdoors

Totally original and authentic- a life coach with a specialty in the outdoors.

Adventure Inspired

Philly based outdoor blogger Katie Levvy regularly features an array of sports, events, and reviews on her blog.

Chicks with Picks

Chicks with Picks is a site for women rock climbers and ice climbers. Their site features a blog, newsletters, and merchandise for female climbers. They also have amazing clinics all around the country for women climbers.

Hiking Lady

The Hiking Lady blog mainly features reviews and tips for women who hike or backpack. Honestly- she has some great tips on lacing your boots to prevent blisters as well as video features. A must check out blog!

Girl Mtn Biker

Girl Mtn Biker is a brand new site for women mountain bikers. Currently they feature a blog, reviews for women, and a great event section. I expect that we will be seeing more and more as this site begins to unfurl.

Terry

Terry has been making bikes and cycling gear for women before it was cool. Now they're still kicking butt and taking names in all things female and bike related.

Girls Outdoors

Girls Outdoors is a great forum for women outdoor athletes. Whether you bike, paddle, ski, or run- Girls Outdoors has tips, reviews, events, and inspiration for everyone.

Bike Shop Girl

A site dedicated to helping women handle more of the mechanics in biking, reviews on gear, and bike industry info.

Title Nine

Title Nine sells all my favorite brands and puts together an absolutely amazing catalog that is always inspiring me to get out more! I love their gear, their amazing positive can-do models, and amazing photography. First rate outdoor women’s company for sure.

Women's Wilderness Institute

Courses, news, tips, and inspiration for both the seasoned outdoors women to young girls.

See any great sites or blogs that I missed? Please comment below and we may include them in future posts!

Hiking the 4,000 Footers: Eisenhower and Pierce 10.5.2012

Via Crawford Path

Numbers 33 and 34 on the List!

Autumn is truly one of the best times of year to hike the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The crowds of tourists and dayhikers has died back, the bugs are finally gone, and temperatures are comfortable- no perfect- for hiking.

The trail up Eisenhower is relatively easy compared to many of our previous hikes. A large portion of the trail is exposed and above treeline- so caution is needed in bad weather.

Eisenhower's summit is raw, large, and exposed with excellent views. Pierce is easy to miss as we just climbed right over it without even noticing until later that a small cairn had marked the top.

Eisenhower to the far left



Crawford Path



Mount Pierce



Foliage Presidential Range









Trail up Eisenhower- steady steep grade, but easy footing



On top of Eisenhower- low view due to cloud cover

I Tent Camping Stocking Stuffers

Love camping? Have a loved one who is a camping fanatic? Here are some of my stocking stuffer picks!

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Vintage Camper of the Week

This glorious little gem is just screaming out to go for a road trip...Maybe an offbeat campsite...Maybe an overnight to a tiny coastal town in Maine...

Small enough for just a couple people and a dog...

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Hiking the 4,000 Footers: Adams and Madison 9.29.2012

Via Airline Trail

Numbers 31 and 32 on the List!

Hiking the Mount Adams and Madison via the Airline Trail is a Bucket List must-have. It's your classic New Hampshire hike up rock-strewn, steep trails with the reward of some of the most amazing views in the Whites.

Be prepared for a few hours of silence as your breathlessness can't compete with conversation.

It will be quiet if you go during the week or maybe off season. When you hit treeline your legs will be trying to tell your mind you are almost there- but guess what?- yeah you guessed it-- you ain't even close.

Get ready for some scrambling. You know those things called mountain climbers at the gym? Well you should've done some because that is exactly what you are doing here. Throwing your legs in front of you- scrambling for a sturdy foothold.

It's awesome. It's a must-do. Prepare yourself.

Builders, Dreamers, and Doers: Smokehouse

The Smokehouse from Smith Journal on Vimeo.

When we aren't climbing or hiking or biking- we are digging and planting and dreaming of things like this...

Planning

I hope the weekend found you all some adventure! We've been hunkered down with the cold that has been making the rounds, but finally starting to feel better!

The holidays are fast approaching and we are already planning our new year. We still have 11 more peaks from our List to finish. We have our heart set on the Winter List, which is essentially all of White Mountain 4,000 Footers in the winter. 

The winter list is much more difficult and contains far fewer "members." All of the peaks are more challenging because they are covered in snow and may or may not have been packed down and you have winter weather to deal with. My favorite winter challenge is that many of the roads that lead to the trails are closed for the winter, which adds sometimes five additional miles to a ten mile hike. 

Our plans this next year will also include a few traverses that we have dreamed about and up over the years. We grow a garden every year and every year learn something new about how to improve it. And I've also added log rolling to my list of must do's. What about you? What new schemes are you dreaming up this year? Do share...

Hiking the Winter 4,000 Footers

The White Mountain 4,000 Footers are a collection of mountains nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that are all over 4,000 feet. Ranging in height from just over 4,000 feet (4,003 feet is the first peak) to over 6,200 feet (Mount Washington).

The White Mountains of New Hampshire is home to some of the best hiking, camping, and backpacking in the country. Thousands flock to the peaks and the rivers throughout the year, but particularly during the summer months. By last count thousands of peakbaggers have tackled the 4,000 Footers during the typical hiking season (spring, summer, fall, etc.), but under one thousand (I read this in a recent newspaper article, but have not found a definitive number online) have completed the list in the winter.

The winter list has fewer hikers for numerous reasons. Throughout the year the Presidential Range of New Hampshire (part of the 4,000 Footer list) is known for some of the worst weather in the world with some of the highest wind speeds ever recorded. Average wind speeds are regularly over thirty miles per hour with hurricane force winds occurring during just about any month of the year. The Observatory records and studies these unique weather patterns.

Challenges of the list include severe weather including high wind speeds, heavy snow fall, mixed precipitation, roads closed for the winter adding mileage to already difficult climbs, shortened daylight, and well frankly more challenging climbing with heavy packs and heavy boots.


Our official start date:

We started our 4,000 Footer list this past summer and accumulated amazing memories and 37 peaks- read about them here. List from AMC here. We started the winter 4,000 Footer list this year on December 22, 2012. Any peaks we have already summited in the winter have been tossed out and we've started completely from scratch.


Our List:

1. Cannon Mountain
2. Tecumseh
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Vintage Camper of the Week

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This little Gingerbread Shasta is honor of the holidays. Have you started your holiday decorating? I have to admit I rarely spend a lot of time or money decorating. We put up a few small trees and handmade wreaths, but we keep it simple.