I always knew when uncle came into the house. His arrival was followed with the slam of the maple door and the shaking of the window glass. His hollered greetings echoed through the hallways reaching any ears scattered throughout the house. At the arrival of his brother-in-law, my Pepe leapt from his place at the [...]
Spring in Alaska
by Jennifer Baker on April 9, 2013 in Backcountry Teen, Featured Posts, Jen’s Blog, Kid's Blog with Leave a Comment
We have been tricked. The weather seems to have snuggled closer to winter.
My Future Commercial Fishing in Bristol Bay
I have successfully secured my childhood dream job: a summer fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Readers, you are probably cringing at the thought of having to touch the slime covered bodies of fish that have been caught in their immanent death. I can only think of the experience that I will have. Depending on the [...]
Don’t Pack it Away. Send it Away
After the holidays, I always seem to have heaping piles of clothing and things given to me that crowd my bedroom, and make me feel as though I am in a cave. I have always shared a bedroom and have had to share the bedroom space with my younger sister. Now this has never been [...]
You Love the Gear, but Your Wallet Dosen’t?
Living in a family that goes out on adventures nearly every weekend, my gear tends to wear out after a year or two no matter the brand. Thus, I am constantly on the hunt for sport sales for quality clothing. Believe it or not I have found a lot of my wool sweaters and fleece pants at thrift stores. [...]
The Neatest Boots You Will Ever Find: Lobben’s
The coziest boots I have every owned have been ones that I have trudge through most everything in, wear almost every day. Whether dry or soaking wet, socks or no socks they have never failed to keep me warm. I have walked through the park, played in the snow for hours, hiked a glacier, and [...]
Sell My Information to a Third Party? What?
Since this is my senior year, for the last few months I have been filling out scholarships. The other day I was surfing the web for a few more to add to the done pile. I came across a great site that offered a few writing scholarships that I would apply for. But before I could even look at [...]
Backpacking without the Backache
by Jennifer Baker on August 6, 2012 in Adventure AK, Backcountry Teen, Jen’s Blog, Kid's Blog with Leave a Comment
The first time I went backpacking I packed all the wrong gear and way to much of it. I was the unhappiest camper alive. Using what I learned the second time wasn’t as bad, but the third was the best. Looking back I wish that there had been someone there to tell me exactly what I needed [...]
Determination against all odds
by Jennifer Baker on October 4, 2011 in Backcountry Teen, Children Blog Entries, Jen’s Blog, Kid's Blog with Leave a Comment
The warmth of my eyelids as I blinked was the only sensation of cold I felt. My snow gear grew heavy as the water penetrated and filled the fabric. Looking up, the pale translucent light was rising. The bottom of my feet landed flat and hard. One thought dominated all of my efforts, to get [...]
Cold weather military surplus for kids and Halloween
by Mike Baker on September 25, 2011 in Gear Reviews with Leave a Comment
You never know what gems or junk will be found in a military surplus store. For most, it probably all looks like junk. For the adventurer with a keen eye and a tight budget the dirt covered, cluttered shelves of a surplus store offer a wealth of opportunity, especially for out fitting kids. The small [...]
Fire Starting – A survival skill for Alaskan children
Fire starting is a vital camping as well as survival skill. Children can learn the skill and responsibility of setting a fire. Responsibility includes setting fires in safe areas and whenever possible with permission. With the adventures we undertake it is possible for someone to become lost or left in a position of responsibility following [...]
