Outdoor Social

Being an avid mountain biker, you wouldn’t think living in North Dakota would be an ideal place to call your home. In most places of the state there are some of the flattest places in the world, but there is one place that is unlike anywhere else. That place is the badlands of western North Dakota, home to the Maah Daah Hey Trail. Having lived on the eastern side of the state for 10 years I felt it was finally time to give a go at the Maah Daah Hey Trail. The phrase Maah Daah Hey catches most people in curiosity in what in the world does that mean? The phrase comes from the language of the local Mandan Indians with a meaning of: An area that will be around for a long time. This meaning can best be understood when you stop to take a break midway through a 25 mile day on the bike, and realize the vastness of the North Dakota badlands. When I decided to finally tackle a part of the 144 mile trail I recruited my buddy Nick who is always up for an adventure and an avid mountain biker alike. Then came the biggest question, how do we logistically ride pieces of the trial and what gear do we need to bring? We decided to bring two pickups to shuttle ourselves from campsites to trailheads in order to bike the trail back to our camp. The game plan was to camp three nights in three different campsites with around 25 miles of epic mountain biking in between each site. We of course were hooked up with my favorite Stanley gear for a trip such as this. My favorite piece of gear for a camping trip is the Adventure Base Camp Cook Set 4X. This thing has everything you need to cook and devour any meal you throw at it. We also were covered with Adventure Stacking Vacuum Pints and Classic Vacuum Water bottles to keep our coffee warm and our water cold! We arrived late Thursday afternoon. After seeing a large bull snake slither through our planned site we moved to the other end of the campground and immediately poured a couple beers and set up camp. (Picture 1) That evening we grilled a couple burgers and enjoyed a local brew out of our Stanley Classic Vacuum Growler around the fire. The next morning, we woke up to have breakfast, fuel up on coffee and pack our bags for day one. We anxiously drove around to the trailhead sipping hot coffee and unloaded our bikes for what would be an unforeseen exhausting day. We started out ripping through the trail in a lower river basin full of sage brush, then we started to climb. After a grueling 1,300 ft. climb we were pretty gassed for a couple of flat landers, so we stopped to have a snack and enjoy the views. The rest of the afternoon we spent climbing prairie meadows, dropping down clay faces into creek beds, and tittering along narrow switchbacks. At about mile 15 we realized we had gone out a little too hard and we were really feeling exhausted. We knew we still had 10 miles back to camp and the realization we were literally in the middle of nowhere with only one way back to camp started to sink in. Those last 10 miles of mountain biking were some of the most challenging because of our physical and mental state. We pushed and encouraged each other and finally made it back to our home away from home. We were a mess. We were thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. We spent the rest of the day recovering from our two wheeled 25 mile, 3,400 ft. elevation gain day. Unfortunately, that night it began to rain and continued on through the afternoon the next day. We spent most of that day drinking coffee and driving around viewing the vastness of the badlands. We moved camp that afternoon to relax and recover from the day before. Our last day on the Maah Daah Hey Trail was a quick morning bike of around eight miles. We were pretty tired still but also the trails were pretty slippery and wet in spots so we had to call it quits early. Overall, the trip was a great experience and learning opportunity for our next time out. We will definitely be returning to cover more parts of the trail that we missed with a plan to cover the entire trail over the next couple summers. About Nolan Berg: I was born and raised in northwest Minnesota. From as early as I can remember I have always loved and lived the life of an outdoorsman. Hiking and camping are a big part of my life, as well as trail running and of course, mountain biking. I love the destinations mountain biking can take you, as well as the speed and amount of area you can explore on a bike. Keep up with my adventures by following me on Instagram. ABOUT NOLAN BERG I was born and raised in northwest Minnesota. From as early as I can remember I have always loved and lived the life of an outdoorsman. Hiking and camping are a big part of my life, as well as trail running and of course, mountain biking. I love the destinations mountain biking can take you, as well as the speed and amount of area you can explore on a bike.

I recently broke my finger during a bad fall while climbing in Index, Washington. My feet slipped while leading a finger crack. Against better judgment I reached for the gear, my finger went through the carabiner and the force of the fall broke my middle finger. I know it doesn't sound like a huge deal, it's just a finger. But as a rock climbing guide, my fingers are my livelihood. I had also promised one of my high school friends, Kalyn, that I would take her alpine climbing. Work was out of the question, but I had an idea of how to make the climb still happen. I called my friend Sara. Earlier in the year, Sara told me one of her goals was to lead every pitch of the Beckey Route, an ultra-classic, 4 pitch, 5.6 route in the Washington Pass. It’s not known for being a challenging climb, which made it perfect for us. I was going into it with a broken finger and it was Kalyn's fourth day ever climbing. Sara agreed to the adventure. Ladies trip! When the alarm went off at 6 a.m., Kalyn and Sara barely stirred. It was a restless night of sleep at Cutthroat Peak Trailhead, basecamp for climbing in Washington Pass. All of us decided to carpool in my van. Which meant that all three of us shared my full-size bed. I got up first and went for the aero press. I knew that if I wanted to get these ladies up and ready to climb, coffee was a necessary first step. I gave them my Stanley thermos and continued to brew coffee for myself. They finally got moving. We filled our bags with the necessities; climbing gear, cookies, and champagne. We set two goals for ourselves - have fun and be safe. We finally hit the trail around 9:30 a.m. The first hour of walking follows a well-marked trail before it splits off to the left, forcing us to scramble up steep and incredibly loose rock. We had to move carefully as one poor movement could have sent rocks crashing onto each other. Kalyn had never been in this kind of terrain. Every other step she sent rocks crashing down the gully. We had her go last so she wouldn't kill us with each misstep. After about two hours we finally made it to the base of our climb. From there the first three pitches were smooth sailing. Sara led every pitch. Kalyn went second to remove the gear. And I came up last - moving slowly as I figured out how to climb without using the broken finger on my right hand. Then we arrived to the base of the infamous 5.6 slab move. I walked up to the giant boulder and decided to try free-soloing (climbing without a rope). It was difficult without using my right hand, but easy enough. I didn't know if Kalyn should try it. She had less than a handful of climbing days under her belt. If you fall when you are free-soloing there can be serious consequences. But she insisted. Sara spotted her from behind to protect her head in case she fell while I coached her through the movement from above. She pulled herself onto the lip of the boulder. She was a little terrified, but stoked. Sara came up last, as she climbed I asked her to look up and smile so I could take a photo. She responded quickly, "I hate slab climbing, just tell me where the next hold is." Together we scrambled the last hundred feet to the summit, took a few poorly timed photos, drank champagne, ate cookies, and laughed. It was a perfect day of climbing. All of us approached it from entirely different places, with different hopes. And we all stood on the summit together to experience the joy that the mountains can bring. From three years of experience to three days, the mountains move us in the same way." ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.

It’s one thing to throw everything you need into a backpack, pile into your car and head for the closest national park for a little outdoor communion. It’s a whole other thing to do it with a gaggle of your best buds in tow. Going on an epic outdoor adventure with friends can be a blast - if you plan things right. Otherwise, you may find yourself with not enough food, water, sunscreen, bug spray or the other camping and trekking essentials. With limited supplies, things have a tendency to go sideways real quick and even besties can start to turn on each other as the mood sours. To avoid going full Lord of the Flies on your next friendcation, here are a few tips to ensure everything goes smoothly. Avoid The Dreaded ‘Neverending Group Chat’ With the trip coming up in a few weeks, it can be tempting to just throw everyone on a group chat and start tossing around ideas. Resist this impulse! This is likely to devolve into swapping emojis, gifs, and links to dumb Youtube videos. Even if you do get the whole “who’s bring what” hammered out, chances are it’ll get lost in all the noise and you’ll have to scroll back endlessly to find what you’re looking for. Instead, keep your casual channels of communication clear, travel like a pro and get the Roadtrippers app. This app allows you to map out your trip, add notes, and the best part is that you can share the trip with the entire crew so that everyone stays in the loop. Another option is a Facebook event or group can keep everyone looped in and talking without cluttering up each other’s walls. Alternatively, workplace tools and apps like Slack, Basecamp, and a Google Doc allow you to start different threads and keep everything organized. That way, you can swap sports gifs all day long, and still have a separate space for the conversation about what you need. Identify The Essentials And Plan For The Unexpected Sure, there are a few clutch items that everyone knows they should bring on a camping trip: Food, water, first aid kit, tent, flashlights, sleeping bag, swiss army knife, etc. But don't get cocky kids, because even with these no brainers, there are always a few items that slip under the radar and can quickly turn a fun, breezy trip into Survivor: Friendship Ending Edition. For instance: Biodegradable toilet paper. Because leaves just don’t cut it. Cooking set like the Adventure Full Kitchen Base Camp Cook Set. Because you’re going to get sick of grilled hot dogs on a stick after a while. Coffee and a Classic Stay Hot French Press. Because those early mornings after you’ve slept on rocks all night might need a little pick-me-up. As you plan for your trip, have all your friends brainstorm the unexpected things you might need and add these items to your packing list. If you have camping newbies on your trip, let them borrow the essential supplies. Remember, packing light doesn’t have to mean going full feral. Choose A Destination That Works For Everyone Not everyone is a double black diamond, cozy in 20 degrees below “I can make a makeshift shelter out of only twigs, leaves and my own underoos” camper. Sure, we all wanna put on a tough facade when we’re roughing it, but try and choose your camping destination with the real physical capabilities or mobility limitations of your entire group in mind. If everyone is agreement that you want this to be a borderline harrowing “man vs nature” experience, great. But try and be realistic about how much walking, hiking and roughing it everyone wants to be doing and choose a destination that has something for everyone. Even if it means you don’t get to put your iron will and constitution to the test, it can be fun to just have a chill weekend tossing back beers outdoors with some friends. Establish Roles Even if someone in your group has the most camping experience, it doesn’t need to be a one-man band. Try and split up tasks according to what everyone in the group is good at and choose designated roles. Have someone responsible for all the cooking, the cleanup, setting up camp, starting a bonfire. Heck, even that layabout Greg might take his job seriously if it’s his responsibility to keep the drinks coming by shaking some up in the Adventure Happy Hour Cocktail Shaker Set. Plan (And Maybe Even Make) Meals Ahead Of Time Food prep and cooking in the outdoors can be tough. You may not have reliable access to water, refrigeration or fire and after a while, everyone gets sick of trail mix. That in mind, why not do your meal prep, and even cooking, ahead of time? You can make a big batch of chili, stew, pasta, curry, oatmeal or whatever else will warm your belly, throw it in an Adventure Stay Hot Camp Crock still steaming, and pop it open up to 12 hours later to enjoy delicious a hot meal. Fill an Adventure Cold For Days Outdoor Cooler with ice, cold cuts, beers and whatever else you need to get days worth of refrigerated food and drink. Got any other planning tips you want to share with the Stanley fam? Tag #Stanleyness and tell us how you plan an outdoor adventure with friends! ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.

OK, let’s huddle up: Football season is upon us. How’re you going to throw the most bomb-ass football party possible? ...wait, you’ve never thrown a football party? You’ve never thrown a party at all? Bruh, we got here just in time. This isn’t a huddle anymore, this is a straight up intervention. We have to make sure you have equipment, know-how, and spirit of fun and excitement needed to host the most badass, baller football watching party this side of Kalamazoo (a city known for its killer football parties). You read for your crash course in football party planning? Ten hut! Choose A Dynamic Location Sure, you could invite all your friends over to your pad to watch in your living room, but how’s that different than just plopping down on the couch with a bag of chips to watch Netflix? If you really want to throw the dopest football watching party, you have to think outside the box… or just think OUTSIDE, period. Consider it: With an extension cord, a couple of party chairs, and a sturdy cooler full of brewskies, you can bring the TV - and thus the party - outside to your patio or deck! You might need a large umbrella to shelter the TV from the sun’s glare, but who wouldn’t love the chance to actually toss the pigskin around as you watch the game? Clean And Restock Your Bathroom ...It pains us to have to remind of this, but c’mon. Part of the charm of watching the game in the comfort of your own home is that you don’t have to deal with stadium-level bathroom nastiness. Don’t be the dude who people say, “Yeah, I loved his expertly maintained zen garden, but his crapper looked like a porta potty at a country fair.” Snacks! Snacks! Snacks! Don’t be fooled by all those promotional cutouts of your favorite QB at your local market: No one likes basic-b premade onion dip and potato chips. While some fresh grilled burgers and dogs might get mouths watering, we suggest going big and bold with your flavors. For simple dippers, try our Get the Party Started Bacon Guacamole {link when live} and Bomb Beer Cheese {link when live} to liven things up. For something a little more substantial, why not take a page or two out of our unbeatable Stanley HQ BBQ recipes {link when live}? If you don’t feel like manning the grill while the game is in progress, just make everything ahead of time, throw it one of our Stanley Vacuum Crocks, Bowls or Bottles, and you can pop them open hours later still steaming hot. When In Doubt, Bring The Suds Still feeling daunted? Don’t sweat it, you can try and score an invite to a more ambitious bud’s party. If you do, why not bring the brews? Nah, we’re not talking about that watered down swill you get for a buck a can. Grab a Stanley Growler or a couple of Vacuum Pints and fill them with your favorite microbrews. Be a traveling life of the party! Think you know what it takes to throw the best football watching blowout? Let us know! Tag #Stanleyness to tell us how you rock out with your pig skin out. ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.

SEATTLE, WA (March 21, 2016) – Stanley, a brand of PMI, is proud to announce that the brand’s Adventure SS Shot Glass Set has been named one of Backpacker magazine’s 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards. Backpacker magazine Editors’ Choice Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the outdoor industry given annually to products in recognition of their outstanding innovation in design, materials and performance. “The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Award is the ultimate stamp of approval an outdoor brand can receive and the Stanley team is honored to be among this spring’s recipients,” states Kelly Kraus, Vice President of PMI’s STANLEY brand. “As the brand that literally invented vacuum insulation over a century ago, we remain focused on bringing innovation and insightful design to market and Backpacker’s recognition is a great accomplishment.” Introduced in fall 2014, the Adventure SS Shot Glass Set is genius in its simplicity. A hammertone green stainless steel cylindrical carry case with a screw top lid houses four 2-ounce stainless steel shot glasses. With a lid loop for clipping to packs, the Adventure SS Shot Glass Set is a perfect way to easily and quickly upgrade a drink with friends at the end of a great day outdoors. “This shot glass set manages to be both rugged and classy – it upgrades every backcountry happy hour,” explains Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon. The Backpacker team shares why they chose to give Stanley Adventure SS Shot Glass Set the Editors’ Choice Award in a great video now available on Backpacker.com. Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon and team presented the Stanley team with the award at January’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City. The entire list of Editors’ Choice award recipients will appear in Backpacker’s April issue. ABOUT BACKPACKER: Backpacker (www.backpacker.com) brings the outdoors straight to the reader's doorstep, inspiring and enabling them to go more places and enjoy nature more often. The authority on active adventure, Backpacker is the only outdoor media whose editors personally test the hiking trails, camping gear, and survival tips they publish. ABOUT THE STANLEY BRAND: Invented by William Stanley on September 2, 1913 (official patent date), the all steel vacuum bottle revolutionized the way people enjoyed food and beverage. Since then, STANLEY brand products have been delivering superior food and beverage gear for rugged, active lifestyles and remains dedicated to this simple promise: buy STANLEY brand products, get quality gear. Built for Life®. Learn more, visit www.stanley1913.com. ABOUT PMI: Founded in 1983 by Rob Harris and guided by principles of sustainability, community and integrity, PMI manufactures, markets, and designs innovative food and beverage container solutions under three brands. Their two most recognizable brands, Stanley® and Aladdin®, are both over 100 years old and sold globally. Migo® was founded in 1999 and is rapidly growing in the Asia Pacific region. PMI also creates private label products for select global retailers. Headquartered in Seattle, PMI has offices in Bentonville, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Manila, and Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, PMI has ownership in three manufacturing facilities, one in China and two in Brazil. ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.