Tom Watson, Author at Guide Outdoors

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Tom Watson

Tom Watson is an award-winning writer who honed his outdoor skills while living in Minnesota and Kodiak, Al...

Tom Watson is an award-winning writer who honed his outdoor skills while living in Minnesota and Kodiak, Alaska. He is a frequent contributor to several outdoor magazines, author of four books: "Sixty Hikes within Sixty Miles of Minneapolis," "Best Tent Camping-Minnesota," "How to Think Like a Survivor," and "Kids Gone Paddlin' ." He's also an avid kayaker and canoer, camper, naturalist, writer/ photographer specializing in paddle sports, outdoor adventuring and self-reliance skills. He resides in western Minnesota. He writes a column on camping/outdoor adventure tips.

Winter Eye Protection

For thousands of years, natives of the arctic region combatted glare and snow blindness by fabricating narrow-slit goggles from bark, bone or hides.

Backcountry Camp Shovels

Leave-No-Trace etiquette notwithstanding, a shovel in camp during the summer might have limited uses such as prepping an area for a fire ring, removing coals or in digging a cat-hole latrine. However, it’s during a snowy winter in the back-country where their utility can be much more appreciated and applied to various snow-related tasks.

Winter Backcountry Dangers

Enjoying the backcountry in winter offers both unique recreational experience and cold-weather, life-threatening environments.

Camp Blankets…Got Ya Covered

It used to be that a classic piece of camp gear was an old stadium blanket or a well-worn military-style wool blanket. No frills, no special treatments, just an added layer to wrap around a chilled body or provide a bit of extra warmth in or under a sleeping bag.

Egg Carton Briquet Starter

Dog and women holding a mug sitting around a campfire

There are several ways to ignite charcoal briquets for developing a bed of embers for cooking – whether in the home barbie or over a campfire.

Bug Banquet

Two men camping in woods with chair, cooler, fire, and tent

I’m sure you’ve seen ‘survival’ programs where the expert host turns over a log, finds a solitary grub and goes on to explain how insects are a great resource, especially in emergency backcountry situations.

Steak on a Stick

Steak, peppers, and mushrooms on the grill

Hot dogs with a side of canned beans, the quintessential camp dinner! While I’ll admit I’ve eaten my share of this tradition fare, my preference for what kind of meat is on the end of my roasting stick held over the fire is a good slice of steak!

Considering a Double Kayak?

A big trend in outdoor recreation continues to be kayaking – from fishing platforms to boats for recreational paddling in protected waters.

Back Country Cooking & One-Pot Grills

Once your cooking prowess advances beyond marshmallows and hotdogs on a stick, the use of pots and pans to prepare dinner becomes an essential task on most camping trips.