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Home
About
Adventures
- International Adventures
- U.S. Adventures
  - Alabama
  - Arizona
  - California
  - Montana
  - National Parks
  - Nevada
  - Oregon
  - Utah
  - Wyoming
VanLife
Contact

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FEELING ADVENTUROUS?

Kayaking down Black Canyon

U.S. Adventures

Sunrise on Top of Mt. Shasta

International Adventures

Operation Adventure was born with one single concept in mind – live life to the fullest and never look back! Adventure is always a priority in this household.. or should i say, vanhold? We are constantly looking for new and exciting places to explore and our hope with this space is to inspire you to explore them as well! We have created these guides with as much detail possible, but would kindly as that you follow the principles of LEAVE NO TRACE when exploring. If we all work together to respect the outdoors, we will get to share them with many generations to come!

Let's Explore!

United States

Alabama
Arizona
California
Montana
National Parks
Nevada
Oregon
Utah
Wyoming

International

Banff, Canada
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Patagonia
Southeast Asia

Need Some Inspiration?

Cruising Halong Bay at Sunset

How to Choose Which Halong Bay Cruise is Right for You

Embarking on a Halong Bay Cruise is one of those bucket-list activities that you HAVE

The Fitz Roy, Patagonia

Three Weeks in Patagonia Travel Itinerary

Three weeks in Patagonia is a DREAM! You’ve finally taken the plunge and blocked off

Half Dome Trail,Yosemite National Park

How to Climb Half Dome with the Cables Down

To climb half dome with the cables down is a once in a life bucket-list

Sunrise in Devil's Garden Primitive Loop in Arches National Park

Arches National Park Ultimate Travel Guide!

Arches National Park is a mesmerizing wonderland of red rock arches, soaring fins, and breathtaking

Torres del Paine Trek, Britanica Lookout

How to Hike the W in Torres del Paine Self-Guided

Torres del Paine National Park is the heart and soul of Chilean Patagonia. It is

Mt. Emerson Knife Edge

Mt. Emerson Climb Beta

Mt. Emerson (13,210′) is a beautiful mountain located just outside the town of Bishop, CA.

Sedona Sunset

Ultimate Sedona Travel Guide

Sedona is a magical little outdoorsy town located 2 hours north of Phoenix, AZ. Arizona

cirque of the towers backpacking loop

Backpacking Cirque of the Towers in the Wind River Range

The Wind River Range is a unique piece of the Rocky Mountains that encompasses an

Mt. Kilimanjaro Summit

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Everything You Need to Know!

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of my most prominent memories to date. There is something

Isabel and Sentry from Operation Adventure

Operation Adventure

Adventure | VanLife

Find Your Adventure

Adventure Resources

2025 Backpacking Gear Guide and Checklist

Outdoor Gift Ideas for your outdoorsy friend

Outdoor Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Adventurer

the best eSIM for iphone

The Best eSIM for International Travel 2025

Winter Camping in the Snow

10 Winter Camping Tips to Keep You Warm for the Season

Glacier National Park Travel Guide, Van Camping

How to Find Fresh Water Sources While on the Road

DEAL OF THE DAY!

Operation.Adventure

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I never thought waxing your own boards would be su

I never thought waxing your own boards would be such a controversial topic 🙃

but as someone who refuses to pay money for a crappy machine wax job we have been doing it ourselves without any issues for years now!!

This is our “beginning of season” full wax/tune job so it is a little more involved than just a maintenance wax, but it’s still super easy to do so I figured I would share in case anyone else wanted to try it at home!!

If you JUST want to do a maintenance wax, skip steps 2&3 and you’re good to go!

Supplies
-base cleaner
-clean cloth
-P Tex
-lighter
-wax
-waxing iron
-plastic scraper
-nylon brush
-gummy stone
-edge tuner

Steps(buff and clean board BETWEEN EACH STEP):

1. Prep
-remove bindings
-clean board

2. Fill
-P Tex to fill holes (let dry completely)
-scrape smooth

3. Edges
-gummy stone to remove rust
-edge tuner to sharpen edges

4. Wax
-drip wax onto base
-iron it smooth
-dry for 1 hour

5. Scrape
-use plastic scraper to scrape off excess wax

6. Buff & clean
-use your nylon brush to buff
-finish with a horsehair brush (optional)

That’s it!!! Lmk if you have any questions!!!

#snowboard #snowboarders #snowboarding

This has saved us so many times!! 👇🏼 We use to ke

This has saved us so many times!! 👇🏼

We use to keep tons of half filled backpacking propane cans sitting around the house because 1. I REFUSE to waste fuel, even if there’s a teeny bit left, I’m keeping it! And 2. When it comes to actually packing for backpacking, I only bring full cans to reduce the bulk of carrying multiple half filled ones.

Soooo at some point we had about a million half filled cans laying around and had no clue what to do with them 😂 but years ago we discovered this little device called @flipfuel and it CHANGED THE GAME!

Sony here’s how it works 😎

1. Create a temperature difference by putting one in the freezer and one in the sun (or by the heater) for about 10 min
2. Thread canisters onto the flipfuel
Cold canister is always the receiving or “in” (bottom can)
Warm canister is always the sending or “out” (top can)
3. Open the valve to transfer the fuel

IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!!

👷🏼‍♀️safety things 👇🏼

-Only for isobutane/propane mix canisters (not 100% propane tanks)
-Only transfer the same type of isobutane fuel between compatible canisters. Do not attempt to mix fuel types!!
-Use in a well-ventilated area (I just go outside)
-NEVER OVERFILL THE CANISTERS… Use a digital scale to weigh canisters to their “Gross Weight” (full weight) to prevent overfilling!!! It can be very dangerous!

I’ll throw a link to it in our stories today and will save it to the highlight “links and codes” so you can refer to it later :)

#campinggear #backpackinggear #outdoorgear

#ad Did you see that gas price difference 🤯🤯🤯 The

#ad Did you see that gas price difference 🤯🤯🤯

There is no doubt you have to make sacrifices in order to move somewhere like Tahoe, but living here was our DREAM and we were willing to make it work at all cost! And while our mortgage is expensive and we work multiple gigs and odd jobs, the trade-off has been so worth it!!

So here are a few little things we do in order to cut costs and save $$ (everything counts!) 👇🏼

-gas & groceries

At least once a month we make a 1 hr trip to go to our closest warehouse store and gas station to stock up for the month!! This has been a godsend when it comes to being able to afford healthy food/meals and has cut our costs significantly!

-cut down fixed bills

At least twice a year we go through all of our subscriptions and cut out anything we don’t need or use anymore. you’d be surprised at the amount of background subscriptions that you totally forgot existed!

We also swapped our phone plans to @metrobytmobile , where they offer one line of unlimited 5G for $25 a month when you bring your phone. @metrobytmobile has no contracts, no credit checks, no hidden fees, and runs on the same network as T mobile AKA the best network in America!!

-chop firewood

We have cut our own firewood for the past two years and not only is it free (and a good workout) but it also cuts our gas bill down A TON!!

-DIY everything and/or marry a handyman

This one feels self explanatory 😂 learning basic handyman skills will save you tons no matter where you live!

-live somewhere you never want to leave

Home = Vacation 🫶🏼

What other little hacks/tips do you do to save money?!

our favorite Christmas tradition 🥹🫶🏼 This is our

our favorite Christmas tradition 🥹🫶🏼

This is our third year cutting down our own Christmas and when I tell you I look forward to this ALL YEAR … 🎄🎄🎄

I genuinely had no idea this was even a thing until we moved to Tahoe but turns out there are SO many places where you can legally cut your own tree (and it’s good for the forest!!)

So here’s everything you need to know 👇🏼

p.s. its more fun if you go w friends @the_adventureaddicts

🎄 you need a permit!!
you can get one from your local National Forest for just $10. Just go to recreation.gov and type in “Christmas Tree Permit”. Choose the location closest to you!

🪚 BYOT (bring your own tools)
We usually bring a measuring tape, hand saw, gloves, and ties (to tie it to the roof of our car)

📋 RULES
(Check your specific permit for your local rules)
-Pick a tree that’s smaller than the max height on your permit
-Cut as close to the ground as possible
-Cut the entire tree, don’t “top” it (illegal)
-Do not cut isolated trees growing in the open

🫶🏼 Its good for the Forest :)
-Thins dense areas, which reduces wildfire fuel
-Gives young trees more space to grow
-You’re supporting the National Forest system
-Reduces demand for plastic/fake trees

& as always, please Leave No Trace!!

#chrismastree #christmasseason #christmastraditions

what are those moves though 💃🏻😂 As an unfortunate

what are those moves though 💃🏻😂

As an unfortunate member of the “I’m freezing all the time” club, winters can get depressing real fast. I am a BABY when it comes to the cold and therefore have tested and learned all the best gear/tips/tricks for enduring cold weather and now I’m going to share them with you!!!

So today’s “a cold girls guide to” is about hiking pants!!!

My sizing for reference-
Height: 5’6” (all torso, short legs)
Weight: 125lbs
Typical pant size: small or 2

- @rei activator pants
My size: petit XS

I will probably still be talking about these pants on my death bed, that’s how much I love them. These are made with the softest & stretchiest material and are probably the comfiest pants I own. I would suggest sizing down in these :)

- @stio pinedale pants
My size: 2, short
discount code: “OPADVENTURE”

The first hiking pants I ever loved!! These are my favorite “all season” pants. I wear these hiking, climbing, backpacking, in rain in snow in wind. You name it, these have endured it 😂 They come in 3 different inseam lengths (love), and I would say these fit true to size

- @athleta ranier 2.0 leggings
My size: XS

I am VERY picky about leggings and I’ve never found a pair insulated leggings that I actually liked until these!!! The Athleta ranier leggings have a soft fleece interior with a classic smooth exterior making them look and feel like a normal legging except they’re WAY WARMER. I would suggest sizing down in these for a more compressed fit

- @columbia1938 vast canyon omni heat soft shell pants
my size: 2 regular

These are the warmest of the four!!! These Columbia pants have a reflective lining that helps with heat retention. They are very thick without feeling bulky and also have both a water and wind resistant coating so great for messy conditions. I would say these are true to size!!!

Lmk if you have any questions!!!

#hikingpants #coldweathergear #winterpants

& he made blueprints!!!! 👇🏼 ***discount incoming

& he made blueprints!!!! 👇🏼

***discount incoming 👀***

Sentry literally built this car camping platform for me so I could go camping w my friends when he was working 🥹 he built it for < $200 & it only took him 2 days to do it!! He is SO talented and it has been so fun to share his work on here and have him get the credit he deserves!!

Any time we post about this, you guys always ask for the blueprints, so he literally spent hours making step by step instructions (48 pages worth) with diagrams, dimensions, pictures, descriptions, & a tools/materials list so you guys could build this for your car!!!

He also included a dedicated “help” email for any questions you might have on the build with direct access to him :)

There aren’t enough words in the world to describe how talented and how much of a hard worker he is and it’s so fun to share that with you guys (when he allows it)!!!

We wanted to offer a holiday discount in case you are interested in getting them!! you can use “CARCAMP30” for 30% off the blueprints and can access them from the Iink in our bl0!!!!

& if you don’t need or want the blueprints, feel free to hype Sentry up in the comments (he’s going to ☠️ me for this) lol OH WELL

#carcamping #carcamp #carcampingadventures

It’s TIMEEEE!!!!! 🎄🎅🏼❄️🎉 I swear A frame cabins w

It’s TIMEEEE!!!!! 🎄🎅🏼❄️🎉

I swear A frame cabins were literally created for holiday time!! One of the first things I said when we bought our house was “i can’t wait to put a Christmas tree in here” (it was July 😂)

Last Christmas was the first one in our new home and we weren’t focused on buying decor (other than a tree) since we just put a large down payment on our home, but THIS YEAR I’ve been SO ready and SO excited to make it look like Christmas threw up in here!!

If you’ve been following the Christmas decor saga on our stories you know I had a HARD TIME trying to find affordable things to make my vision come to life… but a week ago I actually went thrifting for decor and hit the jackpot with goodies!!!

It just feels so cozy and festive in here now and I never want to leave!!!!

Happy Dec 1!!!!!

#christmas #aframecabin #aframe

these are the days we’ll tell our kids about 🥹 Th

these are the days we’ll tell our kids about 🥹

That time we spent a week in the desert for Thanksgiving with all of our buddies (both new and old)

That time we climbed a tiny desert rock tower that may or may not be still standing when we tell the story

That time we mountain biked on petrified sand dunes and almost got in over our head

That time we rappelled through a canyon in Arches National Park and then climbed a random rock feature one of our buddies was inspired to send

That time spent hours at the crag climbing and laughing and just enjoying friendly company

That time we all decided to cook thanksgiving out of our rigs and it actually worked better than we could we’ve imagined

That time we played a murder mystery game and COULD NOT figure out the answer 😂

And that time we spent countless hours around the fire (bc it got dark at 4pm) learning from each other, laughing together, playing a silly word guessing game, and just BEING together.

These are the stories we’ll tell our kids one day… but they’re also the memories they’ll join us on too 💕

Thankful for you all @the_adventureaddicts @sky_high52 @hannahwanish @ilikebigbuttress @kayli.kiing @petekaminski @creightonbaird

#thanksgiving #camping #moab

the Thanksgiving of my dreams 👇🏼 We’ve never real

the Thanksgiving of my dreams 👇🏼

We’ve never really been traditional holiday people and since we live on the opposite side of the country from our family it’s typically just the two of us doing something outside and having a small little dinner celebration at home.

But over the past couple of years we’ve built this super rad group of friends who are always down for anything and the second I hinted it would be fun to get a big group out to the desert for a week of outdoor shenanigans, literally EVERYONE was in!!!

We had old friends and new friends, family members, dogs and cats and everything in between. We all just made what we could with -very limited- kitchens and came together for what turned out to be SUCH an epic Thanksgiving meal!!

This year we have so much to be thankful for and these people are a HUGE part of that 💕

@the_adventureaddicts @hannahwanish @ilikebigbuttress @sky_high52 @kayli.kiing @petekaminski @creightonbaird

#thanksgivingdinner #thanksgiving #campingfood

if you’re not questioning why the hell you’re doin

if you’re not questioning why the hell you’re doing it, it’s not type 2 😅🤪🤷🏼‍♀️

#type2fun #adventure #mountainclimb

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