Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays. However you plan to enjoy this upcoming weekend, I hope it brings you joy, full bellies, and lots of laughs. We're headed to central Oregon to enjoy some sun (and freezing temps), but the vitamin D will be lovely!

(Scroll to the bottom to see my REI Sale Picks.)

Let's Talk TV: Alone vs Outlast

The premise of Outlast and Alone: Contestants are dropped into a remote part of Alaska or Canada (or elsewhere) and need to survive off the land or tap out.

Where they diverge: Alone contestants are literally alone and have to fend for themselves. They also film their own footage. Outlast is a group setting with a single rule: 'There are no rules.' They do not film themselves.

With crummy weather comes some TV watching. During summer, our TV is rarely on, but now, with complete darkness at 5pm, there's not a lot else to do up here. Two shows we've been watching are Alone and Outlast. Now, Alone is not at all new - but it's new to me. Jaimie introduced it to me when she was sick back in August, and we've been enjoying the pretty landscapes and learning a thing or two about surviving on your own.

I enjoy it for its simplicity, and it's not a soap opera-type show. Just bare bones, seeing people handle adverse situations, being literally alone, and learning a thing or two about themselves in the process. I find the strategy of what to focus on and how to live in the wild fascinating.

We also recently watched the first season of Outlast, and oh boy! While it has the same overall premise of being dropped into the middle of nowhere and having to live off the land, the drama in that show is unhinged! (Note: We just started S2, so this is only about S1).

I don't particularly enjoy Outlast, if I'm being honest. There's far too much bickering, infighting, deception, and, at least in the first season, playing into people's animal instincts that bring out the worst in them. In true Netflix fashion (it is a Netflix-produced show, after all), it's meant to keep people watching and act as a modern-day soap opera.

I will say that the show does provide some good conversation starters about human psychology and ethical and moral dilemmas. But it will make you question how decent humans are just to win money.

If you're choosing between the two, looking for more wholesome content, and focusing on how someone might live off the land without outside drama, Alone wins for me.

If you've seen them both, let me know your thoughts!

Here are two adventure documentaries I've seen recently that I believe you'll love. And send me recommendations for what you've recently watched!

The Devil's Climb, Disney Plus/NatGeo: Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell tackle one of Alaska's epic rock climbs. The visuals in this are absurd. One of my new favorites!

Endurance, Disney Plus/NatGeo: In 1915, the ship Endurance got stuck in Antarctic sea ice, forcing the crew to live in the most miserable conditions for over a year. This documentary combines the expedition's history with trying to find the sunken ship that had previously been unfound. It's a little slow at times, but the story is fascinating and basically unbelievable - except that it's real!

Have you.....

​Purchase your 2025 Scenic Calendar and have it by Christmas! ​

Gear Corner for the REI SALE

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The REI November Pre-Black Friday sale ends today, November 25, so take advantage of those last-minute deals!

These are some that I recommend.

• ​4-season Access 2 Tent MSR: 50% off ​
• ​3 season ultra light Big Agnes Coppr Spur 30% off annnnd the two person here.
• ​Garmin Inreach 2 $100 off​
• ​Garmin Watches 30% off until Nov 25. I love my Fenix​
• ​Jackets are 25%-50% off with Cotopaxi at 25% off, REI branded gear 30/40%, and much more
• North Face Booties 25% off. I LOVE MINE! Women’s and Men’s​
• ​20% off glacier/snow sunglasses. These are RAD!
• MSR Revo Explore Snowshoes 20% off: Men's and Women's​
• ​Black Diamond Trekking Poles: 25% off
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Remember, REI members get 20% off one full-priced item

• This is my down jacket, and it’s so warm. North Face Summit Series down jacket 800 fill: Men’s and women’s ​
• ​Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket: Men's​
• ​Patagonia Nana Puff Hoodie: Women's ​
• ​Shokz OpenRun Pro2 Headphones​​

​Search on your own here! ​

Subscribe to my YouTube!

I've been working away on my latest video from our five days in Alaska. I hope to finish it before heading out for our Thanksgiving weekend festivities. Make sure you're subscribed so you get notified when it goes live. (I need at least 500 subscribers to monetize the page, so clicking the button really helps!)

​Winter Flightseeing at Denali in Alaska ​

​Snowshoeing at Mount Rainier​

​Everything I brought to photograph bears in Alaska ​

​Exploring a less visited area in the North Cascades​

​See all of my videos here. ​