DAN NELSON is the author of numerous guidebooks, and creator of three best-selling national series: Snowshoe Routes series, Best Hikes with Dogs series and new Day Hiking series. He served as the executive editor of Signpost for Northwest Trails, published by Washington Trails Association, between 1992 and 2003. He currently serves as the Public Information Officer for the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency, and heads The Gear Institute, a network of outdoor gear testers in America dedicated to providing professional, objective, and helpful advice. He writes "Getting in Gear" as a columnist for The Seattle Times, and is a frequent contributor to Backpacker.