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Planning Big Outdoor Adventure Trips with Kids

Exploring the great outdoors can be a thrilling experience for families. With the promise of fresh air, beautiful landscapes, and bonding moments, embarking on an outdoor adventure with your children can create memories that last a lifetime. However, planning such a trip, especially with kids in tow, requires special considerations.

I’ve been taking my kids on outdoor adventures since they were weeks old. My first daughter who was born on February 11th, spent the first weeks of her life wrapped inside my coat snowshoeing on windswept Wisconsin lakes and woods. It’s never too early to start. Most people shy away when thinking about taking on big mountain adventures with kids. Not us. We embrace it.

Here’s a guide to ensure that your adventure is both enjoyable and safe.

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Backpacking 101

Backpacking 101

Welcome to your crash course in backpacking – the guide to get you started on your journey into the great outdoors. Whether you’re an urbanite looking for a refreshing escape, a novice dipping your toes into the wilderness, or a seasoned hiker seeking to hone your skills, this post is for you.

I’ve been backpacking with newbies and seasoned backpackers for years, from trips involving a large group to just two-man trail runs. There are certain things you begin to understand and “know” after you’ve been on multiple backpacking trips, things that are hard to learn unless you are “in the thick of it.”

I’m going to try an impart some of those tips and help others who might be moving

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Best Backpacking Tent for 2023

Can you pick out the MSR Elixir 1-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent? It’s the middle one. Sort of like a plain old tent isn’t it? But, I can say without a doubt it’s the best backpacking tent for 2023 that you can get. I showed this picture, with the MRS Tent hidden in the middle to make a point.

We are often drawn to the bright colors, the pretty, like moths to a light we just pick whatever looks good. But, we really shouldn’t do that when picking a backpacking and camping tent.

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Hidden Gem – Exploring the North Shore

Probably one of the greatest hidden treasures is without a doubt, the Lake Superiors North Shore, also simply known as the North Shore. It’s funny, I’ve traveled hither and thither doing adventures all around the States, up and down mountains from Colorado, to Utah, to Wyoming, always looking for those untouched places, far from the busy hustle and bustle of traffic and people.

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Got Cabin Fever? Get your kids out to the River!

When it’s fall and winter, starting to get cold and you have cabin fever … get your kids out of the house, and take them to the river! Teach them lessons they will never forget in nature, they will be better for it! That’s just what an Average Flatlander did the other day.

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What’s In a Bushcraft Firekit.

What is more classic than starting a fire in the bush? Being able to start a fire with just some kindling and a fire striker is one of the most common bushcraft skills to start off with. Our resident expert Average Flatlander takes us through his process of going into the woods and starting a fire with his kit.

 

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Cooking Super in the Bush at Night!

Winter is almost here, there is snow on the ground and the weather is getting cold and cool. When most folks are staying inside, for Average Flatlanders this is the time to go exploring! It’s quiet, people aren’t around, water levels are lower, and we are able to explore places that are hard to get to in the summer and spring.

So that’s what we did. Bushwacked out into the middle of nowhere. Started a bushcraft fire, and cooked some good food, while we laughed and had a good time.

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Lake Superior Fastpacking

Want to do something difficult, something most people will do? I have one for you. Combine a few of the most difficult things you can do as an adventurous outdoors person. Fastpacking (ultralight), camping, the cold dark woods of the North along Lake Superior, and running.

This will test the metal of any person. Wolves howling at night, running in the dark. Doing 20+ miles in a single day.


This is what the Average Flatlander’s decided to do. Arriving late a night, we ran miles into the dark to our first camp spot, which I missed and had to backtrack.

Eventually, we settled into the night with a fire and the sound of wolves howling all around. The next day we ran and fastpacked 22 miles, a brutal and hard overland hike that left us exhausted. Endless forests and trees, a lack of clean water, and 14lb backpacks made for an interesting trip. Enjoy!

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Introduction to Bushcraft Fire Starter Kit

Nothing is more important than your bush craft fire starter kit. It could save your life, come in handy in a pinch, and is probably the single most important piece of any bugout bag or survival gear setup. Without it you are open to the elements, with it, you’re ready to take on the most difficult situations.


In this video, Ed, an Average Flatlander takes time to show you how he DIY’d his bushcraft fire kit from common household items.

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Cold Camping and Bushcrafting on the River.

There aren’t too many things harder in life than pushing yourself to do something uncomfortable. Cold-weather camping and bush-crafting are one of those things. There is not that much room for error, everything is more difficult in the cold and the stakes are much higher.

In this video the Average Flatlander setups up a minimal shelter with a bivy on the banks of a wooded river in 30-degree weather, while it spits snow.

Starting a fire with flint is the next order of business for anyone who is into cold-weather bush crafting. It not only keeps a person warm but is essential for the mental win as well, to help your body and mind deal with the cold.

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