The bikes, backpacks, tents, and other outdoor gear on our wishlists are about to get more expensive鈥攁 result of America’s burgeoning trade war.

That’s the consensus of outdoor industry experts who spoke to 国产吃瓜黑料. As trade debates evolve and escalate on a daily basis, instability is the only constant right now in the outdoor industry, and sources told 国产吃瓜黑料 that we are entering perhaps the most volatile and unpredictable period for businesses in recent memory.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the only conversation that鈥檚 going on right now in the industry,鈥� said Eoin Comerford, the former CEO of Moosejaw who now works with many emerging outdoor brands through his company Outsize Consulting. 鈥淣obody is thinking about anything but tariffs right now.鈥�

On April 9 the U.S. government imposed a series of tariffs on trade partners: imports from all foreign countries are currently subject to a ten percent baseline tariff. President Donald Trump also announced reciprocal tariffs on goods imported from 57 of the U.S.鈥檚 largest trade partners. Those include 49 percent tariffs on imports from Cambodia, 46 percent on Vietnam, and 32 percent on Taiwan, all of which are countries that produce goods or materials that American outdoor brands import.

Then, a few hours later, the President delayed the reciprocal tariffs until July 9, but increased tariffs on Chinese goods, which now stand at 245 percent.

Tariffs are taxes levied on goods imported from another country, paid to the home country鈥檚 government by the importer. The Trump Administration has said that the tariffs will level imbalances with the countries who exact charges on American imports as well as supposedly bring back domestic manufacturing. But some representatives from outdoor brands told 国产吃瓜黑料 that this change will be impossible without added infrastructure, due to the outdoor industry’s reliance on imported goods and materials.

Cassie Abel, the founder of women鈥檚 technical apparel brand Wild Rye, tried to manufacture products in the U.S. and doing so almost killed her business. Delivery delays, poor communication, production flaws, and labor costs made it impossible to produce in the U.S.

So she moved production to a factory in China that has a Vietnamese satellite. After growing the direct-to-consumer side of the brand by 75 percent over last year, announcing a rebrand, and collaborating with Smith, the tariffs are overshadowing any wins. She and her team are figuring out how to reduce expenses because cash is about to become scarce.

Brand leaders have been forced to become overnight experts in trade policy, an incredibly nuanced and complicated topic, says Jacylyn Levy, senior director of advocacy and government affairs at Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). In a recent report, OIA found that 84 percent of member businesses surveyed said they will be impacted by new tariffs, resulting in millions of dollars in financial losses and affecting hundreds of outdoor products.

For the past two weeks, outdoor industry professionals have been working around the clock negotiating with manufacturing and retail partners to share some of the tax burden. Manufacturers from Asia who spoke to聽国产吃瓜黑料 at the Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, Oregon said they also have little to no margins to absorb costs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a question of how do you spread the pain of that incremental tax,鈥� said Travis Campbell, the owner and CEO of Eagle Creek.

In a , Campbell said Eagle Creek has an outstanding purchase order of $1.8 million on imported goods from Indonesia, which would normally accrue $260,000 in duties. With the reciprocal tariffs though, the company would have to pay a total of $840,000 in duties. 鈥淥ur business simply cannot afford this cost,鈥� Campbell wrote.

Ultimately, as hard as businesses may try to avoid it, a portion of that cost will get passed onto their customers. Every source who spoke to聽国产吃瓜黑料 said that prices on outdoor products are inevitably going to rise and, in some cases, rise drastically.

鈥淓ven though we may see some brands and retailers shutter their doors, the big loser here is the consumer,鈥� said Matt Powell, a longtime outdoor industry data analyst and founder of Spurwink River Consulting.

Prices are already on the rise. On April 16, bike brand Specialized that it will add a 10 percent surcharge for the new Turbo Levo 4 e-bike starting on May 1. On April 17, saying it was also raising prices.

Missy Park, the founder of women’s activewear brand Title Nine, broke down the math in a recent using a $100 pair of elasticated pants as an example. Before tariffs, the business made $2 in net profit on each pair. After the latest round of tariffs, the business now owes $20 to the government on each pair sold.

“You get the same pair of pants,” Park says in the video. “Right now, we really don’t know if the prices are going to go up. But one thing you can count on is that we’re scrambling to make the math work for you, and for us, and for our whole community of suppliers.”

Abel is in the same boat. She’s still uncertain when and by how much Wild Rye’s prices will increase. 鈥淭here is no world in which we can afford to stay in business and not raise prices,鈥� she said.

While some brands may increase prices immediately to soften some of the financial blow, others are waiting until final figures on tariffs stabilize. Comerford says one cost-saving option is to cut products that already have low margins. Another is to delay shipments from their overseas factories.

Brands that over-ordered product during the pandemic in anticipation of high demand and finally sold through the surplus inventory aren鈥檛 necessarily excited to fill their shelves again. But if they don鈥檛 expedite inventory from abroad, they may be left empty handed.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e managing a business here, the amount of uncertainty is just soul-crushing,鈥� Comerford said. 鈥淚t has paralyzed the industry.鈥�

As of right now, Gloria Hwang, founder and CEO of helmet maker Thousand, told factory partners to hold off making two entirely new products: a helmet and a bike lock. She says they鈥檝e rarely raised prices in their decade in business but have few options at the current tariff rate, which, for Thousand, ranges between 30 percent and 60 percent.

When Hwang spoke to us on April 7, a shipping container of Thousand products was on the water, set to arrive at a U.S. port. Had the U.S. not delayed the reciprocal tariffs two days later, she would have had to pay an extra six figures in duties that she had not forecasted, she said.

Those costs have the potential to ruin her business.

鈥淯nfortunately, it鈥檚 gonna thin the herd,鈥� said Mike Lewis, CEO of Texas-based Bison Coolers, which manufactures domestically in Tennessee and Colorado and overseas in China. 鈥淎ny business that was in distress before you got to this point, they鈥檙e gonna go out of business because they鈥檙e like, we can鈥檛 compete.鈥�

Already, the outdoor industry was experiencing hardship聽and recovering from the boom-and-bust repercussions from the pandemic. The turbulence has resulted in layoffs and staff downsizing, revenue shortfalls, product inventory imbalances, and snarled supply chains.

Tariffs are the cherry on top of the teetering sundae.

If there was ever an upside of the continued instability, it鈥檚 that business leaders have learned to be nimble, said Steve Bick, CEO and owner of Boundary Supply. The travel pack brand sources fabrics and other supplies in the U.S. but sends products to Cambodia for assembly. 鈥淢y gamble is that this will be resolved relatively shortly,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a temporary blip.鈥�

Even if he鈥檚 right, perhaps the worst impacts of the trade war are the uncertainty for long-term planning and the stunting of innovation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard to make any business decisions when policy continues to change month after month,鈥� Hwang said.

Lewis added: 鈥淥ne bad decision or one calculated risk could really come back to haunt you.鈥�

Whether the economy stabilizes soon or not, the damage to consumer confidence has already been done, Campbell says. They鈥檙e either grabbing up items before prices go up and inventory wanes or they鈥檙e not buying anything at all out of fear of recession.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna be ugly for a while,鈥� Abel said.

Amelia Arvesen is a journalist living in Portland, Oregon. In January, 2025 she wrote a feature story聽about the women’s outdoor apparel brand Youer and its founder, Mallory Ottariano.聽

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While hiking a snowy mesa in Flagstaff, Arizona, I noticed my dog was limping. Every few steps, she鈥檇 tuck up her back paw and hop on three legs. We stopped, and I knelt to inspect. There, piercing her paw pad, was a long cactus spine. Gently, I held her paw and pulled it straight out. I hadn鈥檛 noticed the hazard when she wandered off trail because the ground was freshly dusted with snow.

Since then, I鈥檝e been more cautious about the . Hiding among the lush wildflowers and greenery that coax us outside every season are plants, weeds, and organic materials that can be harmful or toxic to our furry companions. I spoke to Dr. Gary Richter, a veterinarian at in Oakland, California, for his expert advice on identifying hazardous vegetation, staying alert to potential dangers, and hiking safely with our dogs.

Firstly, he says, hazardous plants in one hiking area are going to differ from the next. It鈥檚 best to know what grows in your area that could cause harm to your dog before you head out.

鈥淵ou can just look it up online,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檒l tell you what鈥檚 in the area and show you pictures so you know exactly what to look for.鈥� The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals鈥� and are good points of reference.

In the Bay Area where Richter lives, , , and are a few common plants that are dangerous for dogs. Meanwhile, in the desert, numerous cacti varieties grow abundantly alongside trails, as I discovered.

In other cases, a plant might not be inherently toxic to a dog, but its blooms or droppings could be. The walnuts from black walnut trees are a prime example: Their husks and nuts can grow an invisible potent mold that causes tremors and seizures in canines if ingested. Additionally, mushrooms, while not plants, also have organic compounds that can lead to serious trouble.

In some cases, your dog won鈥檛 react to a plant, but can transfer an allergen to you, like in聽 the case of Even after a bath, a dog can carry the plants鈥� oils on their fur, which then transfers to your exposed skin once you pet them, and suddenly you have an itchy rash.

Richter says that knowing your dog鈥檚 temperament will help you assess what kind of monitoring they need on the trail. Some dogs will eat anything in front of them, while others are more discerning. If your dog is a notorious muncher, Richter recommends a basket muzzle, which allows them to drink water and pant but keeps them from ingesting anything that might be dangerous.

鈥淣ow you can let your dog have fun and be a dog and you don鈥檛 have to worry about those sorts of issues,鈥� Richter says.

Keeping your dog on leash and on the trail will also limit their run-ins with nasty plants and dangerous snacks, he adds.

It鈥檚 likely that you know your dog鈥檚 limits better than they do. Richter says, 鈥淭hey act like they鈥檙e fine when they鈥檙e running around excited and then suddenly when they stop, then they hurt.鈥�

If your dog eats something toxic on the trail, they may exhibit vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased thirst, loss of appetite, lethargy, confusion, heavy breathing, and pale gums.

Should your dog rub up against something toxic, look out for biting, licking, and guarding the area, such as their paws, bellies, undersides, and tails. Violent sneezing or head banging could indicate a foreign material in their nose. Head shaking and scratching could mean something got into their ears. Squinting might signal foreign matter in their eyes.

If you suspect your dog may have ingested or had contact with a harmful plant, contact your vet.

鈥淎 lot of that is hopefully fairly intuitive and obvious,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t should be. If your dog is doing stuff they don鈥檛 normally do, then pay attention because there鈥檚 probably a reason.鈥�

Aside from your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is a resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435.

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Whenever I encounter mud puddles on a trail, I flash back to one of the best-loved books of my 1990s childhood, . After contending with tall grass and a river, the characters in the book find themselves facing their latest obstacle, 鈥渢hick, oozy mud.鈥� 鈥淲e can鈥檛 go over it, we can鈥檛 go under it,鈥� they muse. The solution they land on: go through it. (Spoiler: They find the bear in a cave and run away鈥攏ot at all hiker protocol.)

As it turns out, that鈥檚 good advice on soggy trails: Walking around it causes erosion, compacts soil, tramples vegetation, and unnecessarily widens the path.

Because mud is a possibility on any given trail, even on the clearest and driest of days, it鈥檚 best to embrace it and know ahead of time what to do when you find yourself in front of a seemingly impassable mud swamp. We asked folks at the (AMC) and the (GMC), which both oversee trails that can get quite muddy, to share their best advice for getting through mud season and dealing with mud in general.

1. Assess conditions before you go

As with any hike, check the weather and trail conditions ahead of time so you know what you鈥檙e getting yourself into. Peruse hiking apps and blogs for recent reviews from hikers who might mention mud. Local hiking organizations also do their best to post trail reports. Some recreation areas, like in Vermont, will even close trails during muddy conditions to reduce hazards and protect the trails.

Spring is the season you鈥檙e most likely to encounter mud, says Emily Davenport, a guided outdoors program manager at AMC. When possible, she hikes on dry days, avoids trekking through lowland and wetland areas, and opts for south-facing and rocky trails that tend to be drier during the wetter months. She鈥檒l also skip trails with too many stream crossings, which swell with melting snow in the springtime. 鈥淓ven smaller streams in the summertime might be more consequential in the spring,鈥� she says.

2. Stay on sturdy surfaces when available

To help hikers navigate the muck, proactive trail maintenance crews strategically place rocks, logs, and planks of wood鈥攚hich are called 鈥渂og bridges鈥� in the White Mountains, Davenport says. These landing pads can make it easier as well as cleaner to cross the muddy sections.

You鈥檒l find these mud diversions especially in the northeast, where many of the historic trails were built straight up the mountain without switchbacks. That means snowmelt runs straight down them, creating muddy messes.

3. Build in extra time to go slow

Carefully picking your way through mud crossings can slow you down. Davenport suggests factoring in that the hike might take a little bit longer when it鈥檚 slick than when it鈥檚 dry. 鈥淭ake your time and go a little bit more slowly,鈥� she says. There鈥檚 nothing worse than feeling the pressure to rush and falling on your bum into a mud puddle.

4. Pack and wear the right gear

Footwear is the first piece of gear to consider for a muddy hike. Some hikers designate a pair as their mud shoes. Others prefer light hikers that aren鈥檛 waterproof but can drain water when submerged. Both Davenport and Emily Mosher at the GMC said they prefer waterproof boots for the protection and stability. Pair them with gaiters to keep out even more debris, and pack an extra pair of socks just in case you end up accidentally submerging your feet.

鈥淎s long as my feet are dry and warm, I鈥檓 okay,鈥� Davenport says.

Traction devices and trekking poles can also be useful, Mosher adds. Mud often signals ice and snow higher up, so ice cleats or other traction can come in handy. And trekking poles can add stability and act as a measuring stick to see how deep the water and mud goes. 鈥淚鈥檝e used them to find rocks in the trail so I don鈥檛 sink down into a muddy section of trail,鈥� Mosher says.

5. Have a cleanup plan

Whether you hose off your boots right away or let the mud dry first is up to you. But coming up with a clean-up system will help you manage your muddy gear. If there鈥檚 not a spigot available, Mosher recommends shaking off as much mud as you can at the trailhead, then after it has dried.

For the drive home, keep muddy things contained in a tub or bag in the back of your car. 鈥淪omething I always recommend is having an extra pair of shoes and socks to leave in your car so you don鈥檛 have to drive home in muddy boots,鈥� Mosher says.

6. Don鈥檛 let the dry weather fool you

Just because the ground is dry at the trailhead doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 dry the whole way, especially in areas that experience snow melt. It might start out dusty, but quickly turn into mud and then snow. 鈥淚鈥檝e been on some hikes mid-May where down in the valley it鈥檚 beautiful and then higher up we鈥檙e postholing in waist-deep snow,鈥� Davenport says.

Mud season is a good reminder to not get too comfortable with the weather and to stay prepared for any conditions. And as always, 鈥淚f a trail gets to be too muddy or out of your experience range, it鈥檚 okay to turn around,鈥� Mosher adds.

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Sure, backpacking is tiring. But if you鈥檙e feeling extra sore, sluggish, and crummy during or after a hike鈥斺�渂onking,鈥� you might say鈥攜ou might not be getting enough protein in your diet.

Fatigue is one of the telltale signs of protein deficiency, says Madi Niemi, a fitness coach in Portland, Oregon with a degree in integrative health. This essential macronutrient helps you build and repair muscle, supports your immune system, and boosts energy, which is especially important for active people. When you don鈥檛 get enough, your body can start breaking down muscle for energy, leading to weaker muscles, increased risk of sickness, and slower recovery.

鈥淲ithout protein, your body can鈥檛 perform at its best,鈥� Niemi says.

On the trail, it can be difficult to get enough protein because you鈥檙e limited to lightweight, non-perishable ingredients鈥攍ike granola bars鈥攖hat only contain so much of the nutrient. Quick, on-the-go meals tend to be heavy in carbohydrates and fats but lacking protein, Niemi says.

Protein intake, like calorie intake, is relative and depends on your body weight and energy output. As a rule of thumb, nutritionists recommend eating 0.8 to 1 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight on a normal day. While backpacking, Aaron Owens Mayhew, the dietitian behind , suggests upping your intake to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for a relatively easy hike and 1.8 grams per kilogram for a harder hike.

Be careful not to overdo it though. 鈥淗ikers think they need way more protein than they really do,鈥� Owens Mayhew says. 鈥淛ust meeting your personal needs is enough.鈥�

Owens Mayhew adds that an average body can only fully utilize about 25 grams of protein at a time. Consume more than that, and it just ends up being extra calories. Accordingly, she tries to consume roughly 25 grams of protein for every meal, then 10 to 15 grams of protein per snack.

鈥淛ust check it against your body weight and add whatever you鈥檙e missing,鈥� she says.

Another common misconception is that you must eat meat to hit your protein goal, but you can easily consume protein through plant-based foods including legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds, certain grains, and soy-based products like edamame and tofu. You can also get it through dairy and eggs. In a pinch, mix milk powders or egg white powders into your meals for a flavorless boost.

As an ultralight backpacker, Owens Mayhew prefers what she calls 鈥渃ombination foods鈥� that are calorie dense and have protein as well as fat, fiber, and carbohydrates. Her favorite combination foods include nut butters, quinoa, chia seeds, textured vegetable protein (or TVP), chickpeas, and soy milk powder.

A combination food recipe she鈥檚 known for is the 鈥攑erfect if you don鈥檛 get hungry at altitude, aren鈥檛 a breakfast person, or need to eat lunch on the go鈥攆or a blast of 600 calories and 39 grams of protein, plus electrolytes, fiber, fat, carbohydrates.

As you focus on your protein intake, don鈥檛 forget about the other nutrients. Carbohydrates are equally important because they are your body鈥檚 source of energy, while protein is most useful for muscle repair. Pairing proteins with carbohydrates will satiate you for longer.

鈥淎 balanced diet is the best thing you can do for your body, ensuring you are getting the proper nutrients from each macronutrient,鈥� Niemi says. 鈥淧rotein is super important, but it鈥檚 all about balance.鈥�

Backpacking will leave you relatively sore. But eating better will prevent the painful bonk.

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Learning how to tie your shoelaces all those years ago sure has come in handy, and there are even more knots that can make your life easier in the backcountry. We reached out to Richard Hopkins, author of several knot-tying books and a demonstrator for the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT), to learn five for various applications.

鈥淲ith luck, so rare in the outdoors, or ingenuity, most obstacles to a successful hike or backpacking trip can be overcome using one or more of this selection,鈥� Hopkins said.

Before heading out, Hopkins recommends checking that the ends of all your cords are not fraying. If your rope is in fact splitting, or if you plan to cut it, he says that , a thin cord such as twine that you wrap around the end of the rope, can keep the end tidy and together.

Best for almost anything: Bowline

If there鈥檚 one knot to learn, it鈥檚 the bowline, which is universally considered the most versatile knot. The fixed loop at the end of the rope is useful for hanging a bear bag, attaching tent guylines to stakes, anchoring a hammock to a tree, hauling gear or logs behind you, or cinching down a lid. You can also use it to rescue someone who has fallen into a river or down a slope the same way a lifeguard would use a ring buoy.

Hopkins said that it鈥檚 the knot he鈥檚 most frequently asked about but also one that trips people up since there are so many different ways to tie it. 鈥淚f one method fails to penetrate the brain, another may succeed,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ever think that you cannot tie it.鈥�

Best for tensioning tent guylines: Tautline Hitch

Tighten and loosen tent or , an adjustable knot that can slide back and forth, to and from the anchor point. Hopkins says this is a quick way to save you from undoing and retying knots when you need to fine-tune tension. Other applications include rigging an adjustable hanger, such as for dangling a pot over a fire or a bucket of water for a makeshift shower. Known to occasionally slip, this is one to keep an eye on and adjust as needed.

Best for joining ropes: Hunter鈥檚 Bend

You could use the bowline or the square knot to join ropes together, but Hopkins says that the hunter鈥檚 bend is stronger and just as quick to tie. (It鈥檚 also the knot that brought a group of knotting enthusiasts together to form the IGKT over 40 years ago.) Requiring only about six inches at the end of each rope, it鈥檚 the most efficient use of rope if you have a limited amount.

Best for attaching ridgelines to trees: Siberian Hitch

Historically used by the Evenk people of Siberia who needed to tie knots while wearing thick mittens, the Siberian Hitch (also known as the Evenk Knot) is handy in cold climates. Without exposing your hands to the cold, tie up each end to a tree to set up a ridgeline for a tent or tarp. Then in the morning when you鈥檙e packing up camp quickly, Hopkins says you can quickly release the knot with one pull of the end.

Best for hanging or hauling gear: Alpine Butterfly

The alpine butterfly is a midline knot that can bear heavy loads. 鈥淚t enables you to fix a loop anywhere along a line without using the ends of the rope,鈥� Hopkins says. With roots in mountain climbing, hikers in the middle of a rope team can use it to stay together along a ridgeline, on a glacier, or in low-visibility conditions. You can also use it as a handle for hauling, to hang things from the middle of a line, or as a foot loop when climbing. In some cases, the Alpine Butterfly can also be used to isolate damaged sections of rope without having to cut or splice it.

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On a brisk weekday in October 2023, three sewing machines hummed while experimental indie pop played quietly inside a warehouse near the airport in Missoula, Montana. Three sewers had their heads down, assembling eggplant-colored jumpsuits, as Mallory Ottariano, the 34-year-old founder of the women鈥檚 outdoor clothing brand , squinted into a dizzying spreadsheet. The Youniverse鈥攚hat Ottariano, a queen of puns, calls the factory she opened just eight months earlier鈥攕melled like the sugary candle that had been burning that morning, and soon it would be fragrant with garlic.

鈥淲hat kind of pizza do you guys like? Or not like?鈥� Ottariano shouted from the lofted office that a handy friend helped her build. Staring at numbers was making her hungry.

鈥淣o olives!鈥� one of the sewers shouted between stitches.

鈥淎ny meat?鈥� Ottariano asked.

鈥淚 like pepperoni,鈥� said another.

You couldn鈥檛 tell from the employees鈥� nonchalance, but Youer was in the middle of its latest supply-chain crisis. Actually, two. First, it couldn鈥檛 find a specific purple thread in all of the U.S. to sew together 300 pairs of leggings, 30 of which had already sold to customers eagerly awaiting their arrival. Any other color would look weird, and dyeing was too expensive. Second, inventory slated to be ready in a month for a Black Friday drop wasn鈥檛 even underway at a contract factory in Los Angeles, California. Unless Ottariano found a fix fast, Youer鈥檚 customers would be disappointed, if not angry.

Since Ottariano started out back in 2012 with a $100 sewing machine from eBay, her brand has amassed a fanatical following among active women. Signature garments like the best-selling ($179) and stretchy ($94) sell out quickly. The vibrant prints are hand-designed and cheekily named by Ottariano, like a floral pattern called OK Bloomer.

Prodded about her stress levels, Ottariano shrugged as if to say, What鈥檚 new?聽After all she鈥檚 been through鈥攊ncluding contemplating bankruptcy following losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to unreliable factories in 2020鈥攏ot many setbacks phase her anymore.

鈥淚鈥檝e proven to myself that we can figure it out,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not really fun, but I think that鈥檚 just the reality of business. If I want to stay in this industry, that鈥檚 going to happen all the damn time.鈥�

It鈥檚 especially the reality for small outdoor businesses like Youer that have chosen to manufacture domestically despite countless challenges such as higher costs, fewer resources, more regulation, and now potential new tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump on U.S. imports from China, Canada, and Mexico.

These obstacles pose such a threat to small businesses that doubt lingers: Is having more control, greater transparency, and better ethics by manufacturing in the U.S. worth it? And do American consumers care enough about those things to keep the few American-made gear brands alive?

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You鈥檙e on a hike with your dog when his paws start bleeding on sharp rocks. Soon after, he refuses to move. It鈥檚 not possible to carry him out, because he鈥檚 not only injured but stubborn and heavy. You鈥檙e miles from your car and dark is coming. So what do you do?

If a human is in trouble, the easy answer is to call search and rescue either with a cell phone or satellite communicator. But if an animal needs rescuing, the answer isn鈥檛 so simple.

Many SAR organizations will not respond to emergency calls for an injured animal. They are restricted by law to only dispatch missions for humans, says Keelan Cleary, a member of , which serves Oregon鈥檚 northwest corner.

The dispatching agency鈥攊n the western US, usually a sheriff鈥檚 office; in the eastern US, either a fish and wildlife office or a fire department鈥攎ust take into account the risks of a mission as well as a team鈥檚 bandwidth. Since many teams are made up of volunteers, there鈥檚 only so much time and energy they can offer.

It doesn鈥檛 mean that SAR team members aren鈥檛 animal lovers. Cleary, who has two dogs and a cat, brings treats on every mission just in case an animal is involved.

鈥淲hen we do deal with animals, it鈥檚 usually because a human is injured and the pet is with them,鈥� says Cleary.

Oregon is among the rare places, along with , , and Los Angeles, with an animal-specific rescue organization. Hikers can call the (OHSTAR) team if their pet is in trouble. The team is trained in high angle ropes, tree climbing, and austere environment training, which includes map reading, terrain analysis, risk mitigation, and first aid.

This summer, OHSTAR rescued a Newfoundland named Levon after his owner took him camping in the Mount St. Helens area for respite from a Portland heatwave. That night, Levon started showing signs of heat stress, and in the morning, despite a cool evening and lots of water, he was unsteady and started to stumble. The rescue team arrived quickly with a special piece of equipment called a stokes basket to carry Levon, who weighs more than 100 pounds. Other OHSTAR missions have included saving a horse stuck in deep snow and a dog stranded for a week on a steep cliffside.

Cleary recommends that all pet owners, especially those without access to a rescue organization, add a few more items to their list of 10 essentials in case they ever need to spend a night on the mountain鈥攅ither because the hiker is in distress or their animal is.

Along with extra layers, water, and food for you, he recommends bringing water and food for your animal. Duct tape can also be a lifesaver; Cleary says he once made a bootie when his dog鈥檚 paw pads got scraped. He also brings a lightweight fabric sling in the event he ever has to carry a dog off the trail. Here are for caring for your adventure animal:

• Keep your dog hydrated on the trail. Carry a collapsible dish and offer them water often, especially if it鈥檚 hot out.
• Choose pet-friendly trails. Make sure you鈥檙e aware of your pet鈥檚 physical limits鈥攊t鈥檚 best to start slow and ramp up the difficulty as you and your pet gain experience hiking together. It鈥檚 best to leave your pet at home for technical scrambles and high mileage days. Make sure to follow any restrictions for the area you plan to hike.
• Spend time training recall and obedience off the trail so you can be confident in your control over your pet in the backcountry.
• Familiarize yourself with before embarking on longer adventures, just in case something happens, so a call for help is your last resort.

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Spend enough time eating hiking food, and you might start gagging at the very thought of a peanut-butter tortilla roll-up. But whether or not you鈥檝e hit that devastating milestone, rest assured: You don鈥檛 need to restrict yourself to beans and PB on the trail. With a little creativity, you can make a variety of flavorful camp meals with just a few cheap ingredients.

These four hiker-approved hot meals cost $3 or less per person. We鈥檝e broken down the costs per single serving, but at these rates, it鈥檚 easy to double (or even quadruple) the recipes without blowing your budget.

Spicy Mac Mash

This elevated take on the ramen bomb is cheesy, easy, and vegetarian-friendly. Cost: About $1.75 per serving.

滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉:听

• Annie鈥檚 White Cheddar Shells Mac and Cheese ($0.75 per serving)
• 1 box of instant mashed potatoes ($0.75 per serving)
• 1 tsp. olive oil ($0.15 per serving)
• Hot sauce, to taste ($0.10 per serving)

In camp: Boil water and cook pasta. Drain water, but leave a little behind to mix in instant mashed potatoes and the cheese powder for a thick, creamy, filling sauce. Fluff together with a fork. Top with olive oil and hot sauce.

Sausage Wraps

Wolf these down for a dose of protein and melted goodness. The ingredients below come in larger servings, meaning you can feed the whole camp. Cost: About $2 per serving.

Ingredients

• Your choice of pre-cooked sausage ($1.25 per serving)
• Tortilla or wrap ($0.30 per serving)
• Shredded cheese ($0.30 per serving)
• Pinch of pepper and salt
• Eggs (use powdered or dehydrated eggs, or ) ($0.25 per serving)
• Hot sauce, to taste ($0.10 per serving)

In camp: Heat sausage over a fire or stove. Once warm, place it in a tortilla or wrap and top with shredded cheese to get a melty effect. Add seasoning and scrambled eggs.

Backcountry Nachos

Treat yourself to something crisp and hearty out there with this crave-worthy recipe. Cost: About $2.75 per serving.

Ingredients:

• Tortilla chips ($0.40 per serving)
• Small can of nacho cheese, or shredded cheese ($0.50 per serving)
• Black beans, transferred to zip top-bag ($0.42 per serving)
• Tomato ($0.50 per serving)
• Avocado ($1 per serving)
• Jalapeno ($0.10 per serving)
• Cilantro, wrapped in damp paper towel in a zip-top bag ($1 per bunch)
• Salsa (optional)

In camp: Chop the jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, and tomato. Warm up your beans and cheese or stove. Layer your bowl or plate with a handful of chips鈥攁s many as you can fit. Pile on the toppings. Go back for seconds.

Packed Couscous Bowls

Salty, savory, and scrumptious after a long day, these couscous bowls are both easy to make in camp and worthy of your dining table at home. Cost: About $3 per serving.

滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉:听

• Dried couscous ($0.65 per serving)
• Bagged sun dried tomatoes ($0.40 per serving)
• Olives, transferred to zip-top bag ( $0.23 per serving)
• Broccoli (store in a zip-top bag and eat on day one or two, or buy freeze-dried) ($0.50 per serving)
• Chicken or tuna packets ($0.75 per serving)

In camp: Boil water and cook your couscous over a campfire or stove. While it鈥檚 still steamy, mix in tomatoes, olives, broccoli, and your choice of protein.

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Most hikers know not to carry too many scented products into the backcountry鈥攂ut new research shows it鈥檚 not just bears they could be attracting. According to a , perfumes and soaps鈥攅specially those with natural, plant-derived scents鈥攃an act like mosquito magnets. The same is true of scented deodorants, sunscreens, and other skin-care products.

You might read that and be tempted to give up your backcountry hygiene routine altogether. However, research also shows that mosquitos are attracted to the scent of human sweat and BO. So, what鈥檚 worse: using mosquito-attracting skin-care products, or skipping out on personal hygiene altogether?

To find out, we spoke to G. Mandela Fernandez-Grandon, a UK-based entomologist who studies how smells impact animal and insect behavior. His answer? It鈥檚 complicated.

Research shows that mosquitoes are indeed drawn to human byproducts like lactic acid, which we produce naturally and which appears in our body odor. So, the stinkier we get, the more of these compounds we emit鈥攊ncreasing our chances of getting bit.

鈥淢any bacteria on our skin that attract mosquitos thrive on sweat,鈥� Fernandez-Grandon explains. Sweating profusely and going days without showering can help those bacteria flourish鈥攁nd make you 鈥減articularly attractive鈥� to mosquitos. (Drinking alcohol is another way to magnify your stink and bring the 鈥榮keeters around, he says.)

Maintaining at least some backcountry personal hygiene can reduce your attractiveness to mosquitos, Fernandez-Grandon says, but you do have to be pretty careful about what you use. That鈥檚 because lactic acid鈥攁s well as other mosquito attractants like cetyl alcohol and citric acid鈥攁re commonly found in the very same skin-care products made to keep our bodies clean. Using such products is like ringing the dinner bell for female mosquitoes (males don鈥檛 bite). And that鈥檚 just the fundamental ingredients we鈥檙e talking about here. Artificial scents add a whole other layer.

Many skin-care products are designed to smell like flowers. Fernandez-Grandon says the 鈥渇loral volatiles鈥� within these products may attract mosquitoes鈥攂ut not necessarily to bite you. 鈥淎 lot of work shows that when mosquitos are looking for flowers, when they鈥檙e looking for nectar to feed on, they鈥檙e not interested in blood feeding,鈥� he explains. In other words, they鈥檙e in a smell-the-roses mindset. And when they discover you鈥檙e not a flower, they鈥檙e likely to move on.

This may lead you to believe that lathering yourself lavender-scented lotion you may mask your human aroma. But unless it keeps you from breathing (in which case, throw it away immediately) you鈥檒l still be emitting carbon dioxide, which means mosquitos will still be able to detect you.

鈥淲hen they鈥檙e interested in getting a blood meal, we are very attractive and probably a lot more so than something small you might put on your skin,鈥� says Fernandez-Grandon. In other words, if you want to keep mosquitos at bay, you鈥檙e better off doing what you can to keep clean; it鈥檒l take more than a little soap residue to negate the mosquito-repelling benefits of minimizing your BO.

There are a few scents you can add that have been proven to repel mosquitoes. The first is citronella oil, extracted from plants and containing a component called PMD (P-menthane-3,8-diol). Cintronella is found in some soaps and balms. The other product, Fernandez-Grandon says, is , a bath oil which to repel bugs鈥攊ncluding both mosquitoes and biting midges. Then there鈥檚 good ol鈥� fashioned DEET, which is still one of the most effective repellents out there.

The takeaway: Try not to wear powerfully scented lotions or sunscreens if you can help it, but also don鈥檛 worry about giving up your hygiene routine altogether. When it comes to preventing mosquitoes, it doesn鈥檛 matter too much what scents you鈥檝e got on, says Fernandez-Grandon. After all, millions of years of evolution have trained the 鈥榮keeters to find you eventually.

鈥淎 little bit of citric acid鈥r these other floral compounds is probably not going to throw them off the goal,鈥� he says.

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One fall morning on a run, a man jumped out of the bushes toward me on a trail near my home in Flagstaff, Arizona. I鈥檇 seen him in the area a few days prior and had run past him on my way up the hill earlier that morning. I even said hello. But I hadn鈥檛 expected to see him again, let alone hiding in the trees, on my way back down. Had he been waiting for me? I panicked, picking up my pace as he approached me, and passed him before we could interact. There was no way to know his intentions without stopping, but I couldn鈥檛 help thinking, 鈥淲hat if?鈥� It spooked me so much that I didn鈥檛 return to that section of trail until the next spring.

For months,聽I felt flinchy even when I stuck to the roads or joined my husband on his workouts. The joy, strength, and confidence I got from running had drained out of me.

Then we adopted a dog.

At only eight months old in December 2021, Kona鈥檚 whole body rippled with energy. We knew she was our perfect match as soon as she licked our faces within seconds of meeting us at her foster family鈥檚 home. With a little bit of greyhound mixed with cattle dog, German shepherd, and boxer, her body is lean, her legs and neck are long, and her big, floppy ears express all her emotions.

Our new schedule was bookended by walks in the mornings and evenings, when Kona鈥檚 curious nose would lead the way through the neighborhood. She鈥檇 find these massive logs and balance them in her mouth for the entirety of our stroll, causing a scene and making us laugh. But when she鈥檇 zoom around our 500-square-foot apartment, I realized this puppy probably needed more than a few walks. It hadn鈥檛 been my intention to train her as a running companion. It just sort of happened naturally. One winter day in Buffalo Park, we started trotting along the two-mile聽gravel path together.

Watching Kona move that day鈥攚ith her tongue hanging out, ears pointed backwards, tail held high, and body coursing like a dolphin鈥攂rought purpose back to running for me. She聽was built for this movement, and I could tell that she was happiest running. It reminded me that I once was, too.

The trail I had been avoiding was a 0.75-mile stretch from our house to the park, where I felt much safer around more people. I had run past the bushes with my husband, but never on my own, and it was annoying to drive to the park or rely on his schedule to get out.

Now that I had Kona though, I decided it was time to reclaim my runs. I suited up in my running vest stuffed with treats, poop bags, water, and pepper spray. With her tethered around my waist, we jogged along the sidewalk for two blocks until we hit the dirt path shaded by ponderosa pines. The bushes were just ahead. Then we passed them. Then we were at the top of the hill almost to the park. We ran the entire loop and back down the hill past the bushes聽again for a total of four miles鈥攁 run I hadn鈥檛 completed on my own since the incident. Thanks to Kona, I felt empowered.

That spring, I fell back into my running routine, and Kona started to learn the cues for when I was heading out. She鈥檇 follow me around as I dressed in my tights and socks, collected my hat and sunglasses, and looped my arms through my running vest. By the time I was lacing up my shoes, she was right beside me waiting at the door. Her big brown eyes would grow wide and her forehead wrinkled with concern as if to say, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e bringing me, right?鈥� Of course, my girl.

We鈥檝e since moved away from Flagstaff to Portland, Oregon, where I鈥檓 running more often in flowering neighborhoods than on forested trails (though we love Portland鈥檚 Forest Park). I bring her along for a few miles every week. For the first few steps, she鈥檚 forceful, yanking me along behind her as if she鈥檚 a sled dog and I鈥檓 her sled. She can鈥檛 contain her excitement.

Eventually she eases up and falls into sync by my side. We鈥檝e gotten better at navigating around other runners, parents with strollers, parked cars, and cyclists. She looks both ways when we cross the streets, and she hunts for squirrels, crows, and cats while I try distracting her with treats.

Running with Kona makes me feel brave again. I鈥檓 not jumpy, and I don鈥檛 ever feel scared. I know that if something were to happen when we鈥檙e together, she would likely . She鈥檚 not a trained guard dog or anything, but having a companion makes me feel safer. More than anything now, she is my motivation for getting out the door. She keeps running fun鈥攅specially when she muscles a stick that鈥檚 comically bigger than her body. 鈥淲eight training,鈥� I joke to the people amused by her determination as we pass.

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