Jessica Floyd

Jessica has always been a mountain woman at heart, but didn’t truly find her place until she worked a summer camp job in Washington State during her college years. She has been in love with and exploring the wild places of the Pacific Northwest ever since, and currently lives in Bellingham, Washington with her husband Ben, 2 kids – Micah (4) and Lydia (2), and adventure dog Yeti (5). Her family is at their happiest outside – enjoying the local pump tracks, hiking trails, lakes, ski hills, and forest service campgrounds. She is a firm believer in the value of the outdoors to teach, heal, nurture, and foster creativity in kids and adults alike and has survived the transition to being a stay-at-home mom by spending as much time as possible outdoors. In her rare moments of free time you can find her running, writing, reading, taking photos, and watching re-runs of Parks and Rec on Netflix.

A Day in the (Pandemic) Life

Well, here we are. It’s been 40-ish days since we all entered the “new normal” of the COVID-19 era. Our homes are now also our schools and workplaces and playgrounds and churches and gyms. Our hands are chapped, our parks are closed, and our kids are stir crazy. We are all in survival mode right … Read more

Deuter Pico

It’s a beautiful thing when your toddler starts getting excited about carrying some of their own “gear” around. When that time comes, you want to have a pack that meets their needs and keeps the momentum going. The Deuter Pico is just what the doctor ordered for tiny adventurers. Lightweight, brightly colored, and comfortable, it … Read more

Deuter Schmusebar

As soon as our son was old enough to start hiking around on his own two feet, he wanted to carry his own backpack. We wanted something small and light enough to fit his slender frame, but big enough to be able to last a few years. After researching our options, the Deuter Schmusebar was … Read more

REI Tarn 12

We’ve put the REI Tarn 12 to the test this Spring – hiking, biking, and puddle stomping around the neighborhood. This is a little pack with a lot of incredible features! The Tarn 12 is well-designed, solidly constructed, and incredibly comfortable for kiddos even when packed to the brim. With tons of storage pockets, sternum … Read more

Best Baby Hiking Backpacks for 2020

If you want to do any kind of significant hiking (or snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing, etc.) with babies and toddlers, a high-quality, comfortable, durable framed child carrier is a critical piece of gear for your family.  Our team has rounded up what we personally think are the best baby hiking backpacks to get your family … Read more

She Colors Nature: Diversify the Outdoors

How Chelsea Murphy is harnessing the power of social media to help diversify the outdoors. If you randomly stumbled upon Chelsea Murphy’s Instagram account, @she_colorsnature, you would probably assume that she grew up in the outdoors.  It’s clear that getting outside is a priority for her, both on her own and with her family. It … Read more