Nature

June 16, 2023

Hiking App Releases Over 25,000 Trail Maps for Free Download, Making It Safer to Hike

Many hikers have a story about accidentally going off a trail. They thought they were headed in the right direction only to find that they’d strayed far from their intended path. At best this is a minor frustration. At worst, it’s dangerous and requires a rescue mission. Hiking apps are a big help, as they often provide routes and reviews of trails. But what if you don't have any cell reception?

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May 9, 2023

Vibrant Fungi Photos Capture the Beauty of Nature and Nostalgic Memories of Foraging for Mushrooms

Though Barbora Batokova grew up in the city, she's always been a country girl at heart. In fact, she has fond memories of time spent with her family outside the city foraging mushrooms. This love of mushrooms stayed with her as she moved from her native Czech Republic to the United States for university. And as a way to stay connected with her heritage, she revisited the idea of photographing and foraging mushrooms.

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March 10, 2023

Learn About the Importance of Cairns (And Why You Shouldn’t Make Your Own)

If you've ever been on a hiking trail and seen a manmade stack of rocks, then you've encountered a cairn. Since prehistoric times, humans have stacked rocks as waymarkers or memorials. Scotland, in particular, is rife with cairns and, in fact, the word comes from the Gaelic word càrn meaning “heap of stones.” In more modern times, cairns have been used to mark trails and mountains, help give directions, and even provide wind shelters.

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My Modern Met

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