Devil’s Path tested our hiking limits

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Devil's Path

It’s easy to become overconfident when you’re spending most of your weekends outdoors. But the thing about exploring these wild places is that eventually you’ll encounter a situation that humbles you.

Such was our own experience a few weeks ago on the Devil’s Path—a 22ish mile hike that winds up and down six peaks in the Catskills. The challenge became both mental and physical as we attempted to climb Indian Head, Twin, Sugarloaf, Plateau, Hunter and Westkill mountain in a day. We’ve been on a few long distance backpacking trips and thought this day-hike, while not easy, wouldn’t require more than just some extra sweat and motivation to get through.  Continue reading Devil’s Path tested our hiking limits

Here are our favorite NYC beaches

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nyc beaches

We were in Kentucky last weekend climbing in the Red River Gorge and when the weather turned hot and humid, as it did almost every afternoon we were there, we couldn’t help but think about the beaches back home.

Our own haunt is out in the Rockaways where we can surf or spend a day on the boardwalk. We can’t leave without grabbing a bite to eat at the grill at the Playland Motel (especially after an early morning surf sesh) and there are plenty of places to grab a bite just a few feet from the breaking waves. If the thought of spending part of your weekend on the subway is unappealing, consider grabbing a spot on the NYC Beach Bus because it’s fun and quick (get to the beach in 30 minutes!) and probably departs a few blocks from your apartment. Continue reading Here are our favorite NYC beaches

Stay cool with these summer outdoor activities

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NYC summer outdoor activities

Confession: we’ve been feeling more sorta than outdoorsy lately and we’re blaming it on the heat. When it’s so hot out that we’re sweating before we even get to a trailhead, things like iced cold brews and rosé begin to sound more appealing than climbing projects and day hikes.

But the heat of summer also comes with a lot of benefits especially for us weekend warriors. The days are longer, for instance, which makes fitting in an adventure after work actually possible. Continue reading Stay cool with these summer outdoor activities

Come camp with us!

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camping new york city

We’ve been glued to our computer screens this week searching for flights to our summer vacation destinations but there’s one week that we’ve made sure to block out on our iCals to remind us to stick around NYC for and that’s the week of June 11th when OutdoorFest will be taking over the city.

You might have read our previous write-up about the 10 day festival but we wanted to take a moment to talk about the kick off campout on Saturday, June 11th which is filled to the brim with its own activities. It’s almost like a mini festival within a festival and the perfect way to get a healthy dose of the outdoors if that’s the only chance you have to experience OutdoorFest, or if you’re super excited about all the other outdoor events happening around the city that week.  Continue reading Come camp with us!

Make art out of all those photos you take outdoors

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outdoorsy photos

We take a ton of photos during our outdoor adventures (pics or it didn’t happen). But what do you do with all those snaps after you the Instagram and Facebook likes have waned? One way to continue to revel in the glory of an awesome hike or a tough climb is to frame a photo and hang it somewhere prominently in your apartment. Continue reading Make art out of all those photos you take outdoors

Climb a rock: Here’s where to go climbing near New York City

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climb outdoors near NYC

We were looking for a hobby that took us outside after we moved to the city a few years ago. Luckily, we haphazardly discovered rock climbing. Whether you’ve climbed at a local gym a few times or you’ve yet to slip on a climbing shoe—climbing can be one of the most thrilling ways to experience the outdoors and there’s more than a few options to give it a go near New York City. We recommend climbing with guides if you’re doing anything other than bouldering until you have a good grasp of the technical knowledge needed to safely climb outside. Local shops like Alpine Endeavors and HighXposure Adventures both offer guided trips to the areas where you can rope climb listed below. Continue reading Climb a rock: Here’s where to go climbing near New York City

Get into gear: Here’s where you can go mountain biking near New York City

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Mountain biking near New York

Our interest in mountain biking was piqued at a wedding last fall when we overheard a bunch of dolled-up friends of the bride planning a mountain biking trip for the following day during the reception dinner. We couldn’t make that trip so when we saw that Brooklyn’s very own 718 Cyclery was hosting a ride at Allamuchy State Park (about an hour outside of NYC) and offering to haul a fleet of mountain bikes up and back for beginners to borrow, we couldn’t say no. We had never so much has touched a trail bike before that day but after our trip, we came back to the city and measured the remaining corner of space in our apartment to see if an MTB would fit there. Continue reading Get into gear: Here’s where you can go mountain biking near New York City

Tools to make the most of your outdoorsy road trip

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road trip apps

Our road trip out west this week has been a success thanks to a collection of websites and tools we used to plan our journey from state to state. A trip like this would have been very different without all the digital resources we have at our disposal but while we’ve enjoyed hopping from adventure to adventure with relative ease, we have learned a few things. Check out which blogs and services we deemed essential for our car trip as well as some issues to look out for when you embark on your own. Continue reading Tools to make the most of your outdoorsy road trip

Sharpen your bird brain: where to go birding in NYC

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Birding, if you don’t know but you probably do, is the practice of finding, identifying and watching birds in their natural habitat. The idea of which has never totally appealed to us but whenever we meet someone who’s bird watched before, they are ecstatic about it. Continue reading Sharpen your bird brain: where to go birding in NYC

Hike in Minnewaska State Park for scenic views of waterfalls

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waterfalls in minnewaska

We have this friend named Tim who’s not the most outdoorsy of souls but who finally, after months of us sending him countless well framed Snapchats of our outdoor adventures, asked us to take him on a hike. We wanted to hook him on the idea so it was important we take him somewhere impressive. Our requirements were:

  • Hiking that isn’t too challenging but where there’s an option to jump on more moderate trails
  • Instagramable scenic overlooks
  • Plenty of cell service (Tim loves cell service)
  • Within a few hours from the city (We sprung for a Zipcar but we didn’t want to have to leave for the trip too early in the morning)

Continue reading Hike in Minnewaska State Park for scenic views of waterfalls