A former park ranger's favorite gifts for the outdoorsy, adventurous folks in your life
One bright summer morning four years ago, two park rangers set off hiking up a dormant Alaskan volcano.
But like a light switch, the weather changed.
Vicious winds brought frigid, sideways rain. It didn't relent. Usually dry ditches transformed into swiftly flowing creeks, and the rivers grew higher.
The rangers found rocky shelter to wait out the storm, but one foolish ranger — ill-equipped with cotton socks that day — experienced both an immeasurably miserable and nearly-harmful journey back to safety: Wet cotton socks don't insulate.
The lesson: In the outdoors, simple gear matters — a lot. Read more...
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