Backpacker 1 March 2011 Issue

Trek to Washington hot springs; spy gray whales breach off the California coast.

Explore ancient ruins in Utah's Grand Gulch; summit an Arizona peak.

Discover east Texas's longleaf pine forest; see the Boundary Waters on foot.

Ascend Rocky Top in Tennessee; spot herons and pelicans in a Florida bayou.

Paddle to Maryland's Assateague Island; pack an ice axe for the Presidentials.

Stop! Drop that pack. Don't make one of these 52 outdoor blunders. Here's how to do it right the first time.

Want your sweetheart to love backpacking? Hint: Don't rush it.

Dig into a backcountry fish feast with these easy-prep, sure-to-wow dishes.

Test your winter IQ-and emerge from a deep freeze with all of your digits.

Learn how to choose and use the right model before an avalanche scare.

Upgrade your backcountry kitchen with light, durable, no-mess cooksets.

Drink up with eight ways to filter and purify water. Plus: a body-hugging puffy, an affordable tour-season tent, and a versatile lightweight pack.

Cut weight the smart way: Lose the load you're carrying around the middle. Here's how to get in the best shape of your life with the ultimate fat-burning program: backpacking.

Does God love camping? A new church movement foot-soldiered by wilderness-loving young people could transform the way conservative Christians perceive and protect the environment. We hit the trail with the new green evangelicals.