Wild Diversity

By Sofia Baum Photo credit: Myles Tan Cooking in the outdoors is a fun, satisfying, and ever-evolving experience that can be nurturing for our communities, both literally and spiritually. With just a little patience, care, and some planning, we can all be well-fed and thriving in the wilderness. Before jumping in, a quick reminder that whenever you're cooking — indoors or outdoors — you should always practice food safety. Plan out your meals to inform how and what to pack. Depending on the amount of days and the activity, you may have to bring your food in coolers, sealed containers, or food bags; if you're backpacking, you should hang food in a tree away from your sleep system and gear to avoid damage from animals. You should also be following the seven principles of Leave No Trace , especially those involving consumption and waste. Meals that are well-planned lead to safer and more satisfying experiences overall. When preparing food outdoors, the most important decisi...

By Viv Cai Photo credit: gc2b CONTENT WARNING: This article mentions body parts, gender dysphoria, and the covering/hiding of body parts. Summer can be a time of heightened gender dysphoria for many transgender and nonbinary (enby) folks. As the layers come off, there is less to play with to help us create the body image or gender presentation we feel most comfortable in. This can be especially true in situations involving water activities where our bodies might be more exposed than we want them to be. What can we do to feel comfortable so that we can enjoy summer adventures while being affirmed in our gender identity? I would first like to say that all bodies are beautiful and that we can all find confidence within ourselves. However, “passing” can an integral part of our safety while being trans, and our emotional health is important. It's validating to be seen as your gender identity and to feel confident in your body. Of course, not everyone who identifies as trans o...

By Sofia Baum Photo credit: Sofia Baum The Leave No Trace Seven Principles share a guiding framework to a fulfilling and intentional experience in the outdoors. The purpose of Leave No Trace is to reconnect with the natural world and avoid damaging the land, waterways, and wildlife. 1. Prepare and Plan Ahead What does this look like? ✓ Identifying goals for your experience ✓ Lining up experiences and activities with your or your groups level of knowledge, skill, and experience ✓ Considering weather, terrain, regulations, and anticipated food consumption. What's the impact? ✓ Ensure safety for yourself and your group ✓ Minimize impact on natural world ✓ Increase level of comfort and enjoyment of the experience ✓ Encourages self-growth Photo credit: B en Duchac 2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces What does this look like? ✓ Staying on trail specifically on rock, sand and gravel; ice and snow; and sparse vegetation ✓ Avoiding living soil as it miti...

By Viv Cai Photo credit: Yuri Arcurs (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Just because we may not show early signs of sun damage doesn't mean that protection against the sun is any less important for dark-skinned folks than it is for people with light or white skin. Outdoorsy BIPOC people especially need to be mindful of the dangers of sun exposure and make a habit of adding sunscreen and protective clothing to our adventure check lists. Many folks of color, especially darker-skinned folks, don’t think that sun protection applies to them. But melanin alone will not protect you against the sun! While we might not display the initial signs of sun damage as early as light-skinned folks — such as wrinkles, age spots, or hyperpigmentation — our skin is still being damaged by the Ultra Violet (UV) rays. UV damage looks different on people with different skin tones. Folks with higher melanin can still get sunburned, but might not show the redness that is typical in lighter skin tone...

By Sofia Baum Water safety is extremely important to know in order to keep our communities safe, healthy, and informed. This blog post covers topics specific to whitewater/ rivers. These six tips will help build up your water safety skills: Always wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or Life Jacket when in and around water: Have someone with your PFD. This means that they ensure all of the zippers are zipped, buckles are bucked, and straps are tightened to fit your body. Do the same for them.  Check if your PFD is snug by having your partner lift your shoulder straps upward. If your PFD is snug it will not lift above your ears. If it does lift above your ears continue adjusting. We need our PFDs to be snug in order for them to be effective, otherwise they can float above our heads and/ or we can slip out of them.  Do not consume alcohol or other drugs while in or around water. If you end up in the water you will need to be sober and alter in order to self-r...

By Viv Cai Connecting with the land and protecting our natural resources can mean different things for different people. Also, there are many ways to connect and protect the land, there is no one size fits all! If you are someone who has not had the opportunity to be in nature or feel like you do not have sufficient knowledge to protect nature, don’t fret! We had the opportunity to speak with some folks on what it means to connect with and protect the land. Maybe their messages will speak to you and make nature a less daunting place for you to connect with and start appreciating in simple ways that you did not know of. What does it mean to connect with the land? Connecting with the land can sometimes be a very personal and spiritual feeling. For me, originally from Shanghai and now residing in Seattle, connecting with the land means acknowledging the living beings around me, taking in the surroundings, and making space for others. For Marquina, originally from the Tin...

by Sofia Baum Campfires are incredibly useful as they provide the means to cook, stay warm, and create the perfect setting for many joyous occassions. With this enjoyment comes responsibility. Campfire safety is extremely important in preserving our natural areas as nine out of 10 wildfires are human caused. In 2017, the Eagle Creek Fire set aflame 50,000 acres of the Columbia Gorge and stranded 140 hikers. This wildfire was caused by negligence and could have been prevented. If you are planning on enjoying the outdoors with a campfire soon, and need to know more about campfire safety, here are the top 7 steps you need to know: Check Rules and Conditions:   Contact your parks visitor's center or look online for any campfire restrictions, burn bans, or weather-related rules. Check conditions of your destination area. If it's dry and windy, the likelihood of wildfires increase.  Check the Area: Make sure flammable objects, tents, shrubs, and trees are at least 15...

Have you always wanted to try snowboarding but is afraid of the cold? Or maybe you do not live anywhere near the mountains but live by the water inside. Well, have you heard of sandboarding? It is much like how it sounds… boarding, on the sand! It is a much cheaper alternative to snowboarding with much less gear and just as much fun! Sandboarding, much like snowboarding, is done by strapping a board to your feet, then starting at a place of higher altitude to gain momentum downhill, allowing you to ride, glide, flip and do any tricks you are brave enough to try. It is also a year-round sport as the sand never melts and goes away! So, you are probably asking where can I try this?! Here in Oregon, Florence beach (not Florence, Italy), is a popular place to go! But anywhere with sand dunes is a good place for you to try out this activity. However, at Florence, there is a place called the Sand Master Park where you can rent sandboards, get lessons, and ride on sculpt...