Shadow Guard

Hiking with a baby is definitely possible especially if you have the right gear. This is not a sponsored post but I want to share a few products I found especially helpful when hiking with a baby:

1. Good carrier. I have lillebaby complete all seasons. It provides ventilation for hot weather which was one of the main reasons I bought it.

2. Lightweight umbrella. This is a must if you hike exposed areas on a sunny day. I have Liteflexx Trekking Umbrella - it is super lightweight.

3. Merino wool sleepers. I have Woolino - these sleepers are super soft and comfy and they keep Leon warm when it's cold and cool when it's warm outside.

4. Fleece booties. When in the carrier, Leon's feet get cold even when it's pretty warm outside. I have Zutano and they worked great and keep his feet warm.

5. A place to put your baby during rest stop. I bought Peapod and it's awesome. It's super convenient to be able to put a baby in a tent while you can stretch, rest, or take pictures. We bring it on all hikes.

6. Biodegradable wipes (e.g. wysi wipes). They are super lightweight and just need a little bit of water to create a wipe. This is a very convenient option if you want to keep your backpack lightweight.

If you have other products that you found helpful, let me know!

I cannot wait for the hiking season to start. Just a few more months before we can fully enjoy snow free trails, alpine lakes, and beautiful wild flowers... and fingers crossed, we will get an overnight permit to one of my absolutely favorite camping spots.

Are you worried about hiking in areas where hunting is allowed? I never even thought about this until last year when we went on a hike where we encountered more hunters than other fellow hikers. I dont mind responsible hunting but it still makes me worried that we or our dogs can be mistaken for an animal... Ever since that time we wear bright clothes when we hike in the fall... including our dogs who do look like black bears from a distance. Better be safe than sorry!

Visiting one of our favorite places. Dogs loved it as usual!

Normally May and June are our "kayaking" months as many trails are still inaccessible but i am so excited for the real hiking season to begin!

Guards are on duty :)

Enjoying a beach walk with my pups. They loved it!

Blake and Mika will be out of town next week exploring the west coast on their road trip, but they wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Perfect weather and conditions this weekend. Snow wasn't sticky so it was easier for dogs. We did have to traverse some very steep terrain and I was worried dogs may struggle but they both did so well.

First skiing trip of the season! Dogs loved 'all you can eat' snow and had a blast. Btw, Musher's Secret that many had suggested didn't make any difference. I only applied it to one leg of one of my dogs, but it accumulated the same amount of snow. Clearly, I must be doing something wrong...

Trips wouldn't be the same if we didn't have our dogs with us! They go wherever we go and if dogs are not allowed, we opt out for other places :)