The trail near Fruita, CO.

While it’s still way too early to backpack in the Colorado high country, right now is the perfect time to hit the lower elevation trails in canyon country. The western part of the state near Grand Junction and Fruita is dry and quite pleasant this time of year and offers up some incredible desert scenery.

Joe Wiggins posted his take on backpacking Colorado canyon country on Examiner.com and it’s a good read if you’re serious about finding a good spot to hike and camp. Wiggins points out this time of year offers up great weather plus water sources are more readily available now than in the summer. Even if you plan on getting in high country trips later this year an early season trip to western Colorado can help you shake down your gear and get acclimated for climbs about 12,000 feet. Ain’t Colorado great?

Map credit: TravelChinaGuide.com

According to a recent article in Backpacker Magazine, the popularity of hiking and backpacking is growing in China and that could be good news for the environment. The author reasons that increasing prosperity gives citizens more time to pursue recreational activities which should in turn increase appreciation for nature and the environment. Of course the article starts off with a story about one backpacker who simply tosses his garbage by the trailside as he hikes but it’s still early in the Chinese environmental movement…

The article also makes an interesting point that the environmental movement in the US really got started in the 1960s as hiking became more popular here. But what about the impact of millions of new hikers exploring previously untouched wilderness in China? Isn’t a robust national park system and supportive non-profit network critical to preserving what’s left? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Either way, in the end I think increased outdoor recreation is a good thing for the environment because it means people place a value on natural beauty. And once a society values something it will want to take care of it. Although much damage has already been done to the environment around the world, the good news is that mother nature is pretty good at healing herself, given time. The sooner folks start respecting nature, the sooner she’ll be able to give back.

The other day I came across this blog about hiking food and it made me realize we often talk about camping food but rarely discuss food geared specifically toward hiking. To me there’s even a difference between hiking food and backpacking food since backpacking implies an overnight stay whereas hiking is usually a daytime activity. So, what are some good hiking foods that don’t require any cooking or trailside prep?

The first key to choosing good hiking food is to look for things that will keep in a day pack. If it’s cold out, lunchmeat and cheese will do just fine but if you’re hiking Death Valley in June you may want to skip things that melt and/or spoil. Also consider how you’ll be packing your food. I love sandwiches just as much as the next person but flattened sandwiches are a bummer so if my pack is tight I’ll skip the bread.

Dried foods (like beef jerky, banana chips, etc.) work great for hiking snacks and meals because they’re lightweight and won’t spoil no matter the conditions outside. Serious hikers have their own dehydrating machines to create amazing treats like “cinnamon pears” and venison jerky but you can usually find pre-dehydrated snacks at the local supermarket.

Hiking burns carbs and I usually like to bring crackers and sugary drinks to replenish the carbs I burn on the way out. Just don’t overdo the sports drinks on your trip - always bring along plenty of water since good old H2O hydrates better than anything else. Candy bars make a nice day-hike desert - though keeping them from melting on hot days can be a challenge (consider freezing beforehand).

Hiking food doesn’t have to be fancy, it just needs to nourish you until you can get back to your car or basecamp where you can eat a real meal!

If you’re planning a business trip or a visit with relatives out of state and are looking for a short day hike to kill some time, local newspaper articles can often be a great resource for finding the perfect spot. Most local papers publish an online edition these days so local day hikes are often just a Google search away.

Case in point: AZCentral.com posted an article by John Stanley of the Arizona Republic profiling 3 great hikes near Payson, AZ which is about halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The hikes range in length from 1.5 miles to 8 miles which means you can pick the one that best fits your schedule. I’d personally choose the Tunnel Trail which is the shortest of the hikes but takes hikers to the entrance of an abandoned and incomplete railroad tunnel started in the 1800s.

In the old days finding local hikes meant knowing local hikers but today great hikes are just a click away!

Camping yurt in Colorado. From Wikipedia.

Want to camp old-school like an ancient nomadic Asian herdsman? Consider staying in a yurt for your next camping trip. The Everett, WA HeraldNet posted an article that explains what yurt camping is about and offers details on a new “yurt village” in River Meadows County Park. Some of the yurts in the park are big - 20 feet across (or 300+ square feet) - and are permanently installed at the campground.

Yurts seem to be gaining popularity within the US and abroad, particularly out west where permanent, rugged camping structures allow campers to get outdoors all year long. Yurts are strong enough to withstand serious snow and wind loads, are insulated to keep campers warm in winter, and are a low impact alternative to sites where campers constantly erect and tear down their own tents.

It’s hard to imagine nomads setting up and taking down their yurts more than once or twice a year because the structures are generally quite substantial. Modern camping tents are probably more akin to the Native American tipi (or tepee) consisting of poles and a canvas shell that is lightweight and can be moved each night if necessary.

Yurt camping can be a fun alternative to staying in tents or cabins this summer (or even winter!). Check your local state park website to see where you can experience the yurt.

Dupont State Forest photo posted by Tripleblaze member Yosef Mudslogger

RomanticAsheville.com has selected the top 10 Asheville, NC area hiking trails and the list is a pretty good one (though I don’t know how romantic any of these treks are ).

1. Gorges State Park
2. Mt. Mitchell
3. Craggy Gardens
4. Point Lookout Trail
5. Dupont State Forest
6. Max Patch
7. Cold Mountain
8. Graveyard Fields
9. Black Balsam Knob
10. Urban Trail

I’ve hiked a few of these trails so I thought I’d add my 2 cents. Mount Mitchell is, of course, the highest point east of the Mississippi River and is a must-hike for any serious east-coast hiker.

Dupont State Forest west of Asheville is a unique hiking spot due to the exposed granite surface along many of the trails. Dupont also offers some great waterfall views and well marked trails for hikers and mountain bikers.

Max Patch is accessible via the Appalachian trail and it’s really not a far hike from I-40 as I recall. This area is a rare “bald” which means there are no trees on top to obstruct your views of the surrounding mountains.

If you’re heading up to western North Carolina this summer, take this list along and check out these great hikes!

Some hiking trails, like this one, require hikers to get vertical.

Fredericksburg.com published an article by Bill Freehling about a recent hike to the summit of Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park. Old Rag is a popular hike (I’ve heard of it and I live 400 miles away) but it’s not exactly a walk in the park.

Freehling tells us the most challenging part of the hike is a an area known as the “rock scramble” where upper body strength is a must to pull oneself up the trail. To me if a hike involves more than just a little upper body strength it ceases to be hiking and morphs into mountaineering or rock climbing but that’s another story…

The Old Rag hike is a loop where the way up (the part with the rock scramble) is twice as long as the way down which begs the question: why not just go up and down the less steep way if it’s so tough? The answer, I’m sure, is that it’s the challenge that makes it such a great hike. Isn’t that what hiking is all about?

We’re always looking for new camping experiences to share and the Denver Zoo has a cool one for families: Bunk with the Beasts CampOUTS. For $65 kids can spend the night at the zoo and enjoy campfire stories, a picnic dinner, and of course, tours of the zoo. Guests spend the night under the stars in provided “safari tents” on the zoo grounds. Everything is included from food to tents - all kids need to bring is a sleeping bag!

CamOUTS will take place select Thursday - Sunday nights at the Denver zoo this summer. Check out the website for more details on this unique camping experience.

Well, it’s not really a top 10 list per se but it’s interesting nonetheless: The American Hiking Society and Nature Valley revealed America’s 10 favorite hiking trail grant projects for 2009. Basically the program had 70 nominations which were narrowed down to 20 finalists and online readers voted for the top 10 of those 20. Not nearly as exhaustive as our own best hiking trails list but it will do Each winning project will receive a $5,000 grant bringing the total commitment to $50,000 for trail preservation. Not too shabby.

Here are the top 10 hiking trail project winners: (more individual project details at wheresyoursat.com)

* Forest Park Conservancy (Portland, Ore.): Wildwood Trail Day of Stewardship
* Grand Trunk Trail Blazers (Sturbridge, Mass.): Camp Robinson Crusoe Trail
* Louisville Metro Parks Foundation (Louisville, Ky.): Eastern Gateway Trail
* Lula Lake Land Trust (Lookout Mountain, Ga.): Cloudland Connector Trail
* Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association (Pottsville, Pa.): Bolich Hiking Trail Project
* Nacimiento Medical Foundation (Cuba, N.M.): St. Francis Park Nature Trail
* Palmetto Conservation Foundation (Columbia, S.C.): Peak to Prosperity Passage, Palmetto Trail
* Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition (Asheville, N.C.): Fires Creek Trail System
* Southern Conservation Trust (Peachtree City, Ga.): Line Creek Nature Area Trail Signage
* Volunteers for Outdoor California (Redwood City, Calif.): Fernandez Ranch Trail Project

Two of the ten projects are right here in Georgia (where we’re based) and half the projects are in the southeast (that is, if you count Kentucky as part of the southeast). Congrats to all the winners, we’re stoked to see how the money is used to improve our hiking trails!

Photo from Time Out Dubai.

Quick - what do you think of when you hear about Dubai? Ridiculously large sky scrapers? Luxury shopping and resorts? Oil? Better add camping to the list because according to Time Out Dubai there are some amazing opportunities for desert camping just outside the city.

Desert camping outside Dubai sounds pretty awesome to me: spots where there is no light or noise pollution and no tire tracks (probably because they were erased by the wind the night before). There is plenty to see as well: sand monitor lizards, sand cats, and desert gazelle (if you’re lucky). Driving and hiking are some of the more popular pastimes for desert campers.

However, this warning from the article makes me think desert camping in the UAE may not be for everyone:

You should never journey into the desert without another vehicle – or another two if you’re going into Liwa. You must also be a competent desert driver and equipped with GPS. Be sure to check all fluid levels, tyres and the weather forecast before setting out.

It’s not really clear why you need multiple vehicles - breakdowns? hijackers? Clearly the tip on checking fluid levels and weather conditions is a good one for any type of desert camping or hiking excursion.

Finally, I want to share a camping tip this article reminded me of about staking a tent in the sand. While I was in the Air Force we often set up large canvas tents (called GP Mediums) in the sandy soil in Colorado and Florida and my NCOs taught me this trick: instead of pushing tent stakes straight into the sand, angle the stakes AWAY from the tent at a 45 degree angle. Of course this seems counterintuitive but it turns out the friction (or suction as some claimed) is what keeps your stakes secure from lateral movements caused by wind. A vertical tent stake will quickly be rocked back and forth until the hole is enlarged and releases your tent stake.

Now you’re ready to pitch your tent in the desert outside Dubai!

A popular hiking and mountain biking trail in Oregon was damaged by ATV riders last month and the Forest Service is asking the public to help find the culprits. Four-wheel ATVs were ridden on the singletrack trail near Sisters causing severe damage and leaving muddy ruts about a mile into the woods. ATVs are allowed to ride on roads in National Forest areas but are prohibited from driving off road - the fine for doing so is up to $5,000 and six months in jail.

Often hikers and mountain bikers disagree about trail use but both groups can surely agree that ATVs do not belong on narrow hiking trails. If you see off-road vehicles damaging a hiking trail this summer be sure to report the culprits to the Forest Service - save the trails for everyone!

This thought just occurred to me as I’m sitting in my office waiting for the power to come back on. It’s cliché to talk about how much we depend on electricity these days, much less the internet, but when you’re without power for more than an hour or so it really becomes clear how much electricity is a part of our daily lives.

I guess that’s why people still enjoy tent camping. Did you ever notice how time seems to slow down on a camping trip? By 9pm most campers will swear it feels midnight without the primetime television lineup reminding us what time it really is. Camping days seem longer and I suspect it’s because electricity isn’t speeding things along.

Now that the initial panic and frustration about being without power has passed I’m actually kinda enjoying it. There’s no email, no music, and no phone calls (my cell phone battery just ran out) to worry about is pretty relaxing, even though I know once the power is back I’ll have a lot of catching up to do. It’s the same with a camping trip: often the hardest part is pulling yourself away and getting in the car. Once you’re outdoors thoughts of all those electrical devices will fade away.

It may sound impossible in this day and age to take an electricity-free vacation but if you’re willing to give it a try for a day or two you’ll certainly be rewarded. I just my internet access will come back soon so you’ll actually get a chance to read this article

Update: It’s been more than 24 hours and I’m still without electricity at home. Fortunately my brother lives close by and his power is fine. Back to work!

The view on a hike near Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

If you’re looking for a hiking to-do list this summer, check out this article SFGate.com posted last month on hiking 5 prominent California peaks. The hikes stretch from Mount Lassen in the Cascades to Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the continental US, in southern California. If you’re hoping to make the trek up Mt. Whitney reserve your permit now - spots for the summer fill quickly!

The SFGate list also includes some family favorites like Mount Tallac in the Tahoe area and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. If you’ve haven’t been to Yosemite yet move it to the top of your hiking and camping wishlist - it’s easily one of the most scenic places in America.

California has so many great mountains it’s tough to pick the top 5 peaks to hike. What are some of your favorites the SFGate list left off?

It’s happening in West Virginia too - campground reservations are up 2-3% this year over last year (which was also up 2-3%). State Park officials chalk it up to the economy as more families are choosing less expensive summer vacation alternatives like camping. Of course a 2-3% increase isn’t all that much given the poor state of the economy - instead we suspect population growth and the ease of telephone reservations may also be contributing to the increase. If West Viginia added internet reservations the increase would probably be more like 5%.

Either way, the good news is that the state of West Virginia is responding to the growth in camping interest by adding more capacity including a new 75 site campground near Beckley. The new campground will be in addition to the 26 state campgrounds in the state.

If you haven’t already made your reservations yet, don’t worry - only half of the campsites in each campground may be reserved in advance meaning there are still plenty of good old fashioned “first come, first served” sites available. Planning ahead is overrated anyway

A harmless (?) snake at Buffalo Creek trail in Colorado.

The Capistrano Dispatch says San Juan Capistrano officials have alerted the public to recent rattlesnake sightings on area hiking trails and the article I read offers some tips for what to do if you encounter a snake on the trail. The best tip of all is also the simplest: if you see a snake on the trail, LEAVE IT ALONE. Seems simple enough…

The article also mentions it’s a good idea to carry a walking stick but doesn’t mention what the stick is for. I recommend NOT using the stick to poke the snake - this usually makes them more upset and more likely to strike.

I’ve encountered snakes many times hiking and mountain biking and I can tell you it’s always a startling experience but usually that’s about it. On a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail my dad and I encountered a rattlesnake sunning right in the middle of the trail. We tossed rocks at the snake to get it to move (bad idea, I know) and obviously this upset the snake because it started rattling viciously. Clearly the snake wasn’t going to move so we took a wide berth off trail and around the snake and were on our way.

On a hike at West Monument Creek Trail in Colorado Springs my wife and I encountered a rattlesnake sunning on the pavement outside the Tesla power plant. It was easy enough for us to walk around the snake except this time we had our dog Jackson with us and he didn’t know what to make of the rattling, slithering thing. I yelled as loud as I could to get him away from the snake (he was off leash) and eventually Jackson got the picture. Good thing too - we were at least a mile or two from the car and I didn’t feel like carrying our 95 pound dog.

Yep, dealing with snakes on a hike is just part of the outdoor experience - leave them alone and they’ll do the same to you.

The Camping Blogger posted a great article on preparing for the unexpected when camping and it’s a good place to start if you’re getting your gear prepped for the summer. It’s a fact that on most camping trips you’ll forget and/or break at least one item but if you’re prepared with some versatile emergency supplies it won’t ruin your trip. In fact, after you MacGuyver a solution to your problem you’ll probably feel pretty smart - and there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned sense of accomplishment. Some of the versatile camping items mentioned on Camping Blogger (and in the comments):

• Duct dape. ‘Nough said.
• Aluminum foil: great substitute for pots and pans
• Zip lock bags: I like to use these to keep clothes organized and dry but there are hundreds of other camping uses.
• Rope/twine: Roy mentions packing parachute cord specifically but at least having some type of rope or string around can get you out of a pickle. A sewing kit with thread can be helpful as well for mending ripped equipment or clothing or even fishing if you forget your tackle!
• Seam grip: I don’t pack this myself but believe me, I’m adding it to my list right now.

In addition to the things mentioned I also like to bring along an extra tarp just in case I find myself in a huge downpour and need to keep things dry. A plastic tarp can also be helpful if you forget a sleeping bag (like one of the Camping Blogger commenters did). I also bring paper towels which can be used for everything from cleaning to fire-starting to writing notes.

Camping is really just improvised living in the great outdoors - as long as you have a few of these versatile items there isn’t any problem you can’t solve!

Photo courtesy Hydros Adventures.

Hydros Adventures is filling empty seats on trips this summer in a pretty novel way: they’re giving them away for free! You can register to win a free trip to Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon at HydrosAdventures.com and the winner(s) will be notified via email at some point in the future (details are pretty sparse despite the website and press release I read). The trip normally costs about $800 per person (minimum) so a free trip is one heck of a deal!

I hadn’t heard of Havasu Falls before but from the pics and videos I saw this morning it looks truly amazing. The Hydros Adventures trip is 3 days and involves hiking 10 miles each way to the falls and back. Fortunately pack mules do most of the heavy lifting and that’s a good thing since the elevation change is about 2200′ over the route.

It seems like free camping and hiking opportunities are popping up everywhere this summer - we’ll keep letting you know about the deals we find!

We’ve been working for several months on the latest innovation in camping tent technology: the titanium dome tent. Of course tent manufacturers have been integrating titanium into tent poles for years but Tripleblaze has created the first tent completely covered in titanium! No more worries about bear attacks while you’re sleeping - the titanium tent has you covered.

Of course to create a titanium tent we needed to make some modifications to the typical dome tent design. Instead of rolling the tent up for storage you’ll need to fold the titanium tent along the included hinge connectors. While titanium is one of the most lightweight metals we could find, our 4-person dome tent is a bit heavier than your typical canvas or nylon tent - about 55 pounds when packed.

The titanium dome tent is *mostly* waterproof (except at the hinges of course) and in a rain storm the pitter patter of rain will lull you to sleep. Lightning safety has not yet been tested so we recommend avoiding this tent if thunderstorms are in the forecast.

Titanium is not a cheap building material and so the Tripleblaze titanium tent is a little pricey - MSRP is set at $3,800 for the 2-man version. Reserve your titanium dome tent today - now accepting pre-orders through April 1, 2009.

Happy April Fool’s Day.