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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?

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The Ha Giang Loop Ultimate Travel Guide!

The Ha Giang Loop is a motorcycle road trip that winds you through the most

Mt. Emerson Knife Edge

Mt. Emerson Climb Beta

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

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Where to stay in Joshua Tree National Park

There are numerous options for where to stay in or near Joshua Tree National Park!

Backpacking in Grand Teton National Park

The 10 BEST Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park hiking is WORLD CLASS! There is not a single hike that

Rim to River Hike, Grand Canyon National Park

Rim to River in One Day, Hiking to the Base of Grand Canyon

Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to River in one day is truly an epic adventure!!

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

Kayaking down Black Canyon

Kayaking Black Canyon, An Epic Trip Launching at Hoover Dam!

Kayaking Black Canyon is hands down one of the coolest trips we have ever done.

Torres del Paine Trek, Grey Glacier with Rainbow

ONE MONTH in Patagonia! Full Travel Guide/Itinerary

ONE MONTH IN PATAGONIA! ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT?! I am so stoked (and a

Visiting Bend in Winter, Tumalo Falls

Visiting Bend in Winter, Ultimate Travel Guide

Visiting Bend in Winter is probably one of our favorite cold weather getaways to indulge

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

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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 wish I knew these sooner 👇🏼 Part of the f

I wish I knew these sooner 👇🏼

Part of the fun of backpacking is the whole trial and error process and just figuring it out as you go… but looking back, there are a few things Iwish someone had told us when we were just starting out!

So here are 5 beginner backpacking tips I wish we knew from day one:

1. Don’t get hung up about the weight of your pack

The ultralight rabbit hole can get real toxic, real fast. If you’re just starting out, just go with what you got and have fun with it!

And bring those little luxuries (pillow, aeropress, hammock, kindle, whiskey, chair, etc.) that will make your time out there more enjoyable!

2. Take care of your feet

I lived life on the edge for FAR too long because “I never get blisters” … “it won’t ever happen to me” … and then of course I got blisters and it was the worst pain of my life.

PREVENTION IS KEY!
-spend the extra money for nice moisture wicking socks
-stop and treat hot spots AS SOON as you start to feel them
-keep your feet clean & DRY
-have a foot care kit in your first aid (moleskin & tape)

3. Backpacking Space Heater

I actually do this trick on at least half of the backpacking trips we take throughout the year! Before going to bed, boil water and put it in your water bottle and then stuff that into your sleeping bag! This trick has gotten me through some FREEZING nights in the backcountry.

4. Test your gear

Always test any new gear!! Don’t venture out into the backcountry with a tent you’ve never set up… or a water filter you’ve never tried… or a pad you’ve never blown up. You don’t want to find out something doesn’t work while you’re setting up camp.

5. Post trip kit

We always keep a clean change of clothes, a sweet treat and a full water bottle in the car for when we get back! There is no better feeling than swapping out the dirty clothes you’ve been wearing for 3 days straight for a nice clean pair for the drive home 🙌🏽

If only 21 year old me could see me now 😭 I tr

If only 21 year old me could see me now 😭

I truly feel like I’ve lived 1000 different lives up to now. I spent the majority of my 20s conforming to those around me. Fitting in and “being liked” were the only things that mattered and I desperately craved any type of approval.

I don’t think I truly started to understand what happiness was until I graduated college and got out of an environment that just wasn’t serving me.

But I think the beauty of growing up and growing older - you get to make a million mistakes and still come out on the other side (maybe with some scars 🙃) an immensely better version of yourself.

I might not recognize the girl in some of these pictures, but I’m thankful for her. For her resilience, for her determination, and for her ability to reinvent herself. Without her I wouldn’t be who I am today.

I hope I’m making another similar post in 20 years… looking back at 31 year old me and seeing all of the growth and change that we’ve conquered again!!

TY @kayli.kiing for the post inspo!!

🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

Final report 👇🏼 Dare I say we actually had

Final report 👇🏼

Dare I say we actually had fun?!??

I have horrible social anxiety and the thought of trying to meet and get to know strangers while fighting for my life on a trail run has never been my idea of fun.

BUT everything we were worried about basically melted away the second we walked up to the group!! Everyone was SO welcoming and inclusive and we were all there for the same thing… community!!!

& while the pace felt a little fast for what I was ready for- we were encouraged to go our own speed and then everyone waited for the group at the top so we could run back together 🥹

Never in my WILDEST dream did I ever think I would join any type of run club, but here we are proving my own self wrong!!!

Shout out to @kayli.kiing for randomly meeting the run club leader, and to @the_adventureaddicts for convincing me to go and to @hannahwanish for being convinced to go along with me 😂😂

CANT WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK 🏃🏼‍♀️

Polar plunge time 🥶 One of our most frequently

Polar plunge time 🥶

One of our most frequently asked questions about Antarctica is ALWAYS “how cold was the polar plunge” … and I think my face says it all LOL

That was by far the coldest water I have EVER been exposed to in my entire life!! Because of the high salt content in the water, the freezing point is actually several degrees lower than normal and the water itself stays at around 28 F!

and then add in the fact that the outside temperature is 30 F- aka COLD ALL AROUND!

Before you jump they put a leash around your waist ~just in case~ they need to reel you back in after the shock 😂😂

But yall I swear that euphoric feeling after you get out is better than any alcohol, any dr ug, or any addiction out there ⚡️

I truly don’t think I’ll ever be able to describe just how magical Antarctica is 🥹 it’s truly one of those places you just really have to experience for yourself.

We booked our trip with @whoatravel (use “Op.Adventure” for a discount on any of their trips!!!)

#antarctica #antarcticaexpedition #polarplunge

IN MY DEFENSE I was getting over a respiratory vir

IN MY DEFENSE I was getting over a respiratory virus 😂

tbh this is WAY more weight we would typically bring for one night in the backcountry. But this was one of those “just for fun” trips where the hiking is easy, and the whole point is to enjoy nature soooo we brought some luxuries that don’t always make the cut 🫡

I have never quite understood the idea of ultralight backpacking (other than for thru hikers or specific objectives!!) because if the double sleeping pad makes sleeping in the tent more enjoyable or the flask of whiskey makes dinner a little more *special* then why the heck not bring it?!?

When we started backpacking, NONE of our gear was “ultralight”! Everything was either second hand or on a mega sale and it was never top notch gear lol but it worked!!

I think a lot of people focus on weight A TON when it comes to backpacking - but ultimately if you’re out there having fun then it really doesn’t matter!!

#backpacking #camping

Shakedown time 👇🏼 (ad) I swear EVERY YEAR w

Shakedown time 👇🏼 (ad)

I swear EVERY YEAR when we’re getting ready for our first backpacking trip of the season, it feels like I have forgotten everything I ever knew about backpacking 😂

On top of that, this year we upgraded our packs to the new @ospreypacks 65L Aura and Atmos AG bags so we decided we need to do a little shakedown trip to re-acclimate to our gear- both old and new!!

The whole point of a “shakedown” hike is to go on a quick and easy trip to test out any new gear, work out any kinks in your systems, and make sure everything is good to go when it’s time for those harder and longer trips.

So we went on a little one nighter than was 15 min from our house and here is what we thought of our new packs 💭

Osprey Pack Review 👇🏼

-SUPER COMFY: we both kept saying how well the packs carried and distributed the weight. The hip belts didn’t rub our hips and all the adjustment straps made it so we could customize it perfectly to our frames

-organization: there are TONS of pockets on this one!!! I cannot tell you how much it satisfies my brain to have so many compartments. I used to have a 48L and would have to hang tons of things off of the outside of the pack bc it wouldn’t fit, but with the 65L we had a compartment for EVERYTHING- which was so nice 🙌🏼

-ventilation: the anti-gravity mesh suspension on the back IS SO CLUTCH for keeping your back cool. It actually feels like there’s a little air pocket back there and keeps our backs from getting super sweaty.

-big hip belts: I looooove a good hip belt pocket. It’s the one place where I keep my most important items that I need WHILE I’m actively hiking. My biggest complaint about hip pockets is usually how small they are- but the ones on these packs are really roomy and ACTUALLY FIT AN IPHONE!! iykyk!! Game changer!

Overall we were super stoked on how the packs felt and will 1000% be grabbing these for longer trips and/or heavyweight weekends!!!

#ospreypacks #ospreypartner

GOOD camp coffee (ad) 👇🏼 One of my FAVORITE

GOOD camp coffee (ad) 👇🏼

One of my FAVORITE parts about camping is waking up with the sun and having my morning coffee outside :)

Idk if you’ve ever had a taste of those instant coffee packs before (and if you haven’t- be thankful) but it just DOES NOT HIT THE SAME and kind of ruins the whole vibe of waking up outside.

We have been using our @aeropress on camping trips for years (probably 7 years now?!) and could NOT love it more! It makes the smoothest and richest - without being bitter - cup of coffee I’ve ever had and my mornings are not the same without it.

Its also super compact, durable, and SO EASY TO CLEAN (my love language) - you literally just rinse it and its good to go!!

I think the only mild inconvenience has been that it only makes one cup at a time, so when Sentry and I are camping together we have to brew ours seperately - FOREVER fighting over who gets the first cup lol

BUT!!! Aeropress just came out with an all new XL version that makes double the amount of coffee in the same amount of time and our lives are forever changed (dramatic but kind of true!!)

Now we can both enjoy our coffee together annnnddd camping trips just got better :)

If you’re ready to try Aeropress out for yourself you can use our code “OPADVENTURE” for a discount!! 🙌🏽🎉

A true game changer 👇🏼 I don’t know who w

A true game changer 👇🏼

I don’t know who was the innovative hero that came up with the stuff sack sleeping pad pump, but it is truly one of the most helpful upgrades to outdoor gear that I have seen in a while!

For the longest time, I owned a sleeping pad that you had to blow up with your mouth and every single time I tried to blow it up I would get lightheaded and have to take breaks - it was a whoooole ordeal 🤣

Once we finally upgraded our sleeping pad, sentry noticed a valve on the stuff sack the matched the one on the pad and it felt like we had won the lottery (dramatic, but true). Not only does it help save your breath, but it is also WAYYYYY better for the pad itself- keeping moisture out of the pad and mold from growing inside it.

I feel like a lot of sleeping pad companies don’t promote the fact that the bag it comes in also doubles as a hand pump so I wanted to share it with you guys in case you didn’t know!!!

Part 3 coming soon 🙂

Who’s ready to car camp?! Last week we had th

Who’s ready to car camp?!

Last week we had the honor of being some of the first people to see @subaru_usa all-new 2026 adventure vehicles revealed in real time!! We have owned and loved our Subaru for years now and it is always so fun to see what new features and design’s Subaru comes up with each year and you guys… the 2026’s DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

And while I could go on and on about all of the new bells and whistles- the MAIN thing we want to know is if it’s actually comfortable to sleep in 🤔

So we packed up our car camping gear and flew it across the country (& got some funny looks on the plane) just so we could test it out while we were there.

& here’s the verdict 👇🏼

-SO COMFY: Sentry is 6’2” and fits in it horizontally WITHOUT having to move the front seats forward

-SO SPACIOUS: the new Outback Wilderness has a more “boxy” shape to it. It has an EXTRA 2 in. of interior height, 1 in. width, and 1/2 in. length from the previous model and that makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE when car camping

-WIDENED CUP HOLDERS: the cup holders will actually fit a 32 oz. Nalgene and/or a 1L hydroflask now 🥹

I was seriously blown away with how much space we had when we put our gear in the trunk!!

This is the most changes to any Subaru interior in the past 10 years and I feel like they absolutely NAILED the design for tough, rugged, and car camping adventures! #sponsored

every time I share a tiny lil snippet of my anxiet

every time I share a tiny lil snippet of my anxiety in our stories- I get an outpouring of love from friends and strangers that experience some of the same things.

Sharing has been healing for me so I wanted to give this weeks anxiety a spot on the permanent feed 🙏🏼

social media is a highlight reel so here’s your dose of imperfection for this week!!

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