Amanda Schmidt

Amanda, her husband, Josh, and their children, Colby and Lua, live in Oberlin, OH where Amanda is a Geosciences professor at Oberlin College. Amanda's parents live in New Hampshire and so they spend a lot of time there as well. They take advantage of homeschooling to maximize outdoors time for everyone. Amanda grew up in Hong Kong and spent summers in New Hampshire, where she found her love for nature. Pursuing a PhD in geosciences to study why Earth looks the way it does and how people change those processes was a natural outgrowth of her love for being outside. Their outdoor sports sort of follow seasons: the winter they love to ski, in the fall they race cyclocross, in the spring they ride bikes on day trips, and in the summer they rock climb, bike tour, take overnight canoe trips, and backpack.

How to Teach Kids to Downhill Ski

Family on skis in a line. All are wearing dinosaur tales.

Kids can learn to downhill ski at a very young age with a little bit of patience, some key gear, and a few tried-and-true pieces of advice. Check out our tips, tricks, and gear recommendations for teaching kids to ski below. Get Them Excited for Skiing! A few weeks ago, my bleary-eyed and pajama-clad 4-year-old … Read more

Gear for a Family Thru-Hike

Dad and two children wearing backpacking packs looking into the distance from a trail overlook.

If you are going to take kids on a thru-hike (or really any long-distance backpacking trip), you need to think a bit more carefully about gear than if you were just taking them in a mile or so to basecamp at a lake for your backpacking trip. If you get nothing else from this post, … Read more

Gifts for a Skiing Family 2024

Child in red jacket and blue pants on skis with mountains in the background.

Its never to early to start thinking about those gifts for everyone on your list. I’m here to help you find gifts for your favorite skiers. Gifts don’t have to be expensive to be wonderful. These gifts for a skiing family include everything from new clothing to skis to fun and useful accessories. We’ve included … Read more

New England Backcountry Huts with Kids

Two men, a woman, and a girl relaxing at picnic tables next to big windows.

If your family is new to camping and outdoor adventures, or if some people just don’t like to be without basic levels of comfort, hut trips can be a great introduction to more extended backcountry trips. You can also avoid carrying quite so much gear or investing in so much gear as you dip your … Read more

Keeping Dry in the Backcountry with Kids

Two children wearing ponchos while walking in the woods.

It is totally miserable to have wet feet, but we can’t always stay inside on rainy days. For one thing, you might never go outside during some seasons, depending on where you live. For another, you could be on an extended trip and get hit with bad weather. Sometimes we have to go with it. … Read more

Best Hiking Shoes for Kids 2024

best hiking shoes for kids

Spending the money on pint-sized hiking shoes for kids can feel like a waste, especially when your child is going to grow out of them so quickly. Can your child just get away with wearing their basic kids running shoes or sandals on a hike? Well, yes, but mostly no. If your hikes are mainly … Read more