Snow stakes are designed to anchor a tent in compacted snow. They aren’t absolutely necessary to pitch a winter tent—you can also create anchors by using buried objects in the snow, or “deadmen”—but they are…
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A Summer of Science: AMC’s 2026 Research Interns
This summer, AMC’s Research team doubled in size, welcoming interns from across the region, including Washington D.C., Virginia, and Massachusetts. From catching clouds to sampling dragonfly larvae, the young scientists put their skills to work...
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I’m always on a quest to pack maximum backcountry calories for minimum weight, especially during the winter season when calorie burn runs particularly high. I must admit that one of my favorite go-to sources for…
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Discover the pros and cons of these two common pack designs. Over the past two decades, backpack design has increasingly shifted away from external frames to internal frames. Indeed, it can be difficult these days…
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Brightness is typically indicated in lumens, a measure of the total output of a light source. A classic Mini Maglite flashlight peaks at around 15 lumens. A typical LED headlamp puts out roughly 50 to…
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Brrrr….the coldest season is upon us, and that means breaking out the warmer gear. When it comes to a nuclear furnace of warmth, few things compete with a super toasty jacket or parka on top…
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Are you trying to get your kids outdoors and active in the winter? Here are a dozen fun ideas to keep them moving and connect them with the natural world, recommended by AMC experts. All…
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Deer ticks are pernicious, nasty little critters. Common throughout the Northeast, these parasitic bloodsuckers are the primary vector for Lyme disease, an unpleasant and potentially serious illness that is well worth avoiding. Your goal is…
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The better a sleeping bag fits, the warmer it will be. A properly fitting sleeping bag will wrap around you as snugly as possible, but not fit so tightly that it’s uncomfortable for you to…
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Identifying bird songs can be both beguiling and bewildering. Hundreds of species breed in the Northeast, so how can a listener possibly differentiate between their many songs? It takes practice and a good ear, but…
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