Sara Burda

A popular topic of conversation during springtime in Alaska revolves around how the bears are waking up, it’s the casual “bring your bear spray, it’s that time of year again,” in conversation among friends when discussing which hikes are on the docket for the future. Then there are the posts on Facebook of the prints in the dirt, and on the beaches, and we also start to see the scat on the trails. It’s the annual reminder that earth and her creatures are starting to wake up after the long...

That’s not clickbait. That’s an actual quote from the Avalanche Safety event TrailMates just hosted and honestly? It felt true. This wasn’t your typical "sit quietly and nod" kind of presentation. It was one of those events where you leave feeling more confident, a little more humbled, and way more aware of what’s actually happening under your feet when you’re out hiking in the winter. Every single person in the room learned something . And that includes experienced hikers and hike leaders...

A Fresh Snowy Adventure on Mount Baldy On a crisp, clear morning in early November, a small group of TrailMates set out to conquer Mount Baldy in Eagle River. With the first substantial snowfall of the season covering the trails and the sun shining down on us, it was a day that reminded us why we love hiking—and why we love sharing these experiences with our Alaska hiking community. The hike itself offered just the right amount of challenge: a moderate trail of approximately 3 miles miles...