First off, my apologies for the lack of news this week - where did the time go? I do have an excuse though, and it’s part of my report on my Memorial Day trip to Western North Carolina. Here it is:

On Friday afternoon we left Atlanta in the rain but were happy to find the skies mostly clear in Andrews, NC where we’d be spending the night. On Saturday morning we went mining at Sheffield Ruby Mine near Franklin, NC where Leah found a “honker” of a ruby - 38 carats! Before you start drooling, let me tell you it doesn’t look like much and I suspect most of those carats are dirt.

On the way back from the mine we drove by the Nantahala River and saw plenty of catch-and-release trout fishermen and even got out and hiked a bit along the river. After grilling out for dinner we hiked around a bit and enjoyed the cool weather.

After returning, sometime around Sunday night / Monday morning I came down with a nasty stomach virus. By Thursday the virus was still around and although I felt better today I went to the doctor just to be sure. According to the doc, there’s a good chance I may have been infected by giardia, a parasite that likes to hang out in the water, particularly in mountainous areas. Let’s just say that next time I stick my hands in a dirty mine flume I’ll wash my hands thoroughly before digging into a footlong sub. Lesson learned

Death Valley National Park photo courtesy NPS/US Department of the Interior

This week an Ohio man was found dead in Death Valley National Park on a day when the high temperature was 112 degrees. Authorities say the man may have been lost and it’s unclear if he had water with him but it’s a cautionary tale about knowing your limits at the beginning of the outdoor season. Whether you’re hiking, camping, mountain biking, canoeing, or all of the above this weekend, just remember to take it easy so you don’t injure yourself - there’s plenty of summer left to enjoy!

One of the biggest dangers many campers and boaters will face this weekend involves alcohol and it’s always important to know your limits.  If you’re heading out on the lake know your limits and always designate a driver. Even if you and your family aren’t drinking be on the lookout for those who are - it just might save your life!

I’ll be doing some hiking this weekend in Western NC and perhaps a little lake relaxin’ as well. Where are you headed for Memorial Day?

The Nevada Division of State Parks is holding two family camping programs at state parks this summer where families will learn basic outdoor skills. Registration is open through June 3 but just 5 families will be selected for each program which will include hiking, fishing, and “great food.” No word on whether there is any cost to the program but since it’s so limited I’m guessing it will be free to participants (though don’t quote me on that). Trips will take place June 27-28 at Washoe Lake State Park and July 18-19 at Fort Churchill State Park. More details here.

This definitely sounds like a great program for introducing families to camping and the great outdoors, though it’s a shame that participation is so limited. Either way, it does seem to be a good way to get people thinking about state parks and gearing up for a camping adventure this summer! Let us know if your family gets selected - we’d love to hear how it goes…

On the map, the Eagle Trail at Peninsula State Park in Door County Wisconsin looks like a short loop of little consequence.  But, this rugged and challenging trail is nothing short of an adventure.  For those of you locked in weekly office politics and paper pushing, the Eagle Trail offers a fantastic opportunity to escape.

The trail itself is only 2 miles long but the adventure starts within minutes as you begin to wind your way along rocky outcroppings, steep cliffs and quiet pine needle trails down to the Eagle Harbor shore.  When I first hiked this trail, I planned to take just 1 hour.  However, because of the rugged terrain, you should plan at least 2 hours to hike and up to 3 hours if you stop to explore the caves, Eagle Terrace, numerous geological formations, 500-year-old cedars and animal hideouts along the path.

Halfway, you will find yourself hiking along a narrow rocky path between the quiet shores of Eagle Harbor, a large bay fed by Lake Michigan, and along sheer cliffs that jut 150 feet skyward.  This is the perfect opportunity to have a snack, explore a few caves, and watch sail boats pass by in the distance.  If you are lucky, you may see an eagle skimming the surface of Eagle Harbor, catching a meal and then taking refuge among the rocky outcroppings of the Eagle Bluff cliffs.  The second half of the trail will provide a great workout as you ascend the rocky terrain to the top of the bluff overlooking Eagle Harbor.  Depending on which end you start from, you can spend some time on the Eagle Terrace, a large terrace cut out of the cliffs by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.  In the end, the Eagle Trail will leave you satisfied, both mentally and physically.

The trail is well marked, but it can be treacherous after rainfall.  I recommend bringing plenty of water, a snack, first aid kit, cell phone, sturdy hiking boots and several layers of clothing.  You will build up a sweat on the ascent back to the top of the bluff, but the weather can get chilly among the tall pine trees and along the Eagle Harbor shore.

If you’re thinking about exploring the hiking trails of Texas, take a look at E. Dan Klepper’s new book, 100 Classic Hikes in Texas. Klepper says he hiked 98% of the trails in the book (guess that means there are 2 trails he didn’t hike) and logged more than 500 miles along the way. That’s a low average (5 miles each), especially since some hikes included like Caprock Canyons State Park trailway are more than 50 miles long. The good news is there are plenty of short to moderate hikes perfect for families.

This article on DallasNews.com talks about the book and lists some of Klepper’s favorite hikes in Texas. Klepper even offers some basic hiking tips for those venturing out for the first time this summer. Hike on!

I read an article on CNN.com last week about folks who are choosing to travel to dangerous areas despite government warnings. I’m always up for an adventure myself but I’m not so sure I’d enjoy vacationing in a war zone as one author claims to have done 36 times. (!) Sure, other places with travel warnings like Tijuana, Mexico seem harmless enough but I still wouldn’t plan a trip there just for the adrenaline rush you get from ignoring a travel warning.

In fact whenever you travel you face uncertain circumstances even if no warnings exist. My uncle was on a Central American cruise recently and while taking a stroll along a beach at one of the ports he was robbed at knifepoint. After refusing to hand over a bag containing his passport and some money a scuffle ensued and he was slightly injured. Even cruising isn’t completely safe.

Government travel warnings typically exist to keep travelers out of harm’s way and generally they should be followed. In some cases, though, the warnings seem to go too far. A friend was on a cruise to Mexico a couple weeks ago for his honeymoon when the CDC turned the boat around due to Swine flu fears. Despite the fact flights into Mexico hadn’t been canceled and most of the flu cases seem to be centered far from the Gulf Coast tourist spots, my friend spent his days at sea instead of in port.

Following travel warnings really comes down to common sense and it’s up to the traveler to decide if a trip is worth the risk. What risky spots have you visited?

We’re holding our first contest of 2009 this month to see who can rack up the most points on Tripleblaze in May! It’s really quite simple: add any new campground or hiking trail, review, or photo* to Tripleblaze.com and you’ll earn points (see chart below for specific point values). The member with the most points at the end of May will receive a $50 gift certificate to Cabela’s (thanks to Cabela’s and Outside Hub) and the second place point-grabber will receive a $25 gift card to REI.

Remember, you need to be logged in when you make your submissions (guest posts won’t count) and submissions made earlier this month will count toward the contest. The current frontrunner is teamfreak16 but with 19 days to go it’s still anyone’s game!

* All submissions are subject to approval.

Many long distance and through hikers tell themselves that they’ll blog about their trip in real time so friends and family back home can keep track of their progress - but often fail to deliver. Sure, updates come pretty regularly the first few weeks but then they typically trail off as the hike goes on. Mike McCollum is actually doing a pretty good job so far, though it looks like he’s posting his daily journal once every two weeks or so (not exactly real time). Mike did manage to invest in a Spot Messenger which shows his location on a map using GPS and he’s even posting videos along they way. Still, no one has figured out how to do a trailside version of Justin.tv…

Even in this hyper-connected age there are still places you can’t get wi-fi or even a cell phone signal (like much of the Appalachian trail) so live-blogging your hike is difficult if not nearly impossible. Here are some tips for providing frequent, nearly real-time online updates on your hike:

1. Get a Spot Messenger. This device actually uses satellites to pinpoint your location and beam it to a website where others can track your progress (no cell signal required). The Spot is great in emergencies but it also provides passive real-time location updates without having to touch a keyboard.

2. Keep your journal old school using paper and pen. Keeping a written journal each day will help you write your blog much faster during the times when you do have access to the internet. In the old days folks used to mail journal updates to friends and family so consider having one of your peeps type up and post your notes online for you. Or map out wi-fi hotspots before your hike and blast out the updates when you head into town for resupply. If you must bring your own laptop, get an inexpensive and lightweight netbook.

3. Apple iPhones are great tools because you can use them to access the internet and email but good luck getting a signal in wild areas. Still, bring your phone (along with a way to charge the battery) and consider using your phone to beam pics, journal entries, and even your location (using the built-in GPS) whenever you can.

4. Bring extra memory cards for your camera. Most digital cameras include features that allow you to capture audio and video which can be great for a trail blog. Just remember that audio and video eat up memory fast and also that you’ll need a fast internet connection to send the files to the web.

With a little planning you can provide frequent updates from the trail on your next backpacking adventure!

Over the past couple weeks we’ve been adding some new features to Tripleblaze.com that we’re pretty excited to share with you:

New Campground & Hiking pages: The campground and hiking pages are still your staring point for finding outdoor destinations in your state and we’ve added previews of the best campgrounds and hiking trails in the US plus links to some of the top rated camping and hiking gear in our review database.

Blog account integration: Some members may have noticed that you needed two different logins to comment on the blog and to review campgrounds or trails but we’ve integrated things so you only need to login once. Last week we crossed the 4,000 member mark - let’s hit 10,000 by the end of the summer!

Upcoming contest: Shhhh… it’s a secret. We’re planning on announcing a contest next week with great prizes but you can get a head start by adding photos, reviews, and new listings for your favorite campgrounds and trails right now. The contest will cover submissions during the month of May with more details to come next week.

Get outside the weekend and enjoy the weather!

It seems like there have been a number of stories about lost or stranded hikers in the past month and I suppose as the weather warms up we’ll be seeing even more. Springtime, in particular, can be more dangerous than other times of the year for a few reasons:

• Weather changes quickly in the spring. I find it funny that almost everyone, no matter where they live, thinks their area has the craziest weather in the country. Yep, in the springtime you may have a hot day followed by a cool one or a sunny day followed by thunderstorms or even snow showers. That’s spring - the weather is changing.
• For many of us who skip camping and hiking trips in the cold winter months our outdoor skills tend to be dulled a little while after living indoors. The same goes for physical stamina as well - spring may not be the best time to attempt that summit you couldn’t quite reach at the end of last summer due to exhaustion. Get a few moderate hikes under your belt before you attempt the tough stuff this year.
• Trails and campgrounds may still be wet even if it hasn’t rained in days. Snow melt and general spring sogginess can happen well into June so be prepared.

That last tip is particularly applicable to the group of friends who found themselves stranded in a flooded Beegam Gorge near Platina, CA. After the guys realized they were stuck they did all the right things and a helicopter found them just one day after they failed to return from their trip.

My favorite part of the story comes at the end when the helicopter pilot offers the group a choice: be airlifted to safety but leave their dog behind OR take a GPS to help them navigate out of the gorge themselves. The dog’s owner decides they’ll take their chances with the GPS (bravo!) but in the end they are able to give the dog a sedative so he too can take the helicopter ride out.

Now that’s a happy ending

Two Appalachian Trail news items of interest this week:

Mike Caetano of Pensacola, FL is hoping to become the oldest person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail and he’s already on his way into the record books. The 86-year-old man started his hike this spring and hopes to complete the journey in November. Caetano is planning a “flip-flop” hike where he’ll skip some southern sections of the trail this summer and will return to them in the fall to complete the hike. This is not Caetano’s first time on the trail as he’s “section-hiked” the entire Appalachian trail in the past. The current record holder, 81-year-old Lee Barry, completed his thru-hike in 2004. We’ll try to keep you posted on Caetano’s progress as we hear more…

A legally blind hiker was rescued after becoming lost on the Appalachian Trail last week where he spent 6 days alone in Amherst County, VA. Ken Knight became separated from his group while hiking on the trail and it took rescuers three days of searching to locate the man (he wasn’t reported missing until three days after he disappeared). After lighting a signal fire that turned into a 2-acre brush fire, Knight was found by rescuers mostly unharmed.

Knight says he’ll consider hiking with a satellite beacon or a cell phone next time but points out that the most important things hikers should bring along are survival skills. Technology can fail he says and survival skills may be the only thing that keep you alive until help arrives. Amen to that.

Ok, so it’s not actually camping - KOA prefers to call it “kamping” which is fine by me because I don’t usually associate KOA with the great outdoors. In any event, this weekend only kampers who pay for a site Friday, May 8 will get to kamp for free Saturday, May 9. It’s all part of the Kamp & Care Weekend fundraising event to help kids with cancer at KOA Care Camps (or should it be Kare Kamps?). More details below and at KOA.com where you can make your reservation for this weekend.

Join us for KOA’s special Come Kamp & Care With Us Weekend, May 8 & 9, 2009. Pay for Friday, May 8 and kamp Saturday May 9 at the same kampground for FREE! KOA’s Come Kamp & Care With Us Weekend has become a favorite way for many families to kick off their summer camping season.

For the sixth year, kampgrounds will be collecting donations and holding fundraising events to benefit KOA Care Camps for children with cancer, the official charity of the KOA Owners Association. This network of 35 specialized summer camps gives children with cancer, and their siblings, a chance to experience the joys of camping while continuing their treatments.

Last year, KOA kampers contributed to a record $250,000 in KOA donations for this truly special charity. To find out more about KOA Care Camps, or to make a donation, go to www.koacarecamps.com.
Make your reservations today!

1. View the full list of participating KOA Kampgrounds.
2. Click on the kampground where you’d like to stay, and make your reservations!

Don’t wait! There is a limited supply of kampsites and kabins available for this very special weekend. Remember stay and pay for Friday, May 8 and kamp Saturday, May 9 for free!

Note: We’re re-posting this article in case you missed it - get your writing sample in today! As a blog contributor you’ll get a byline, free gear, and valuable outdoor industry exposure.

Looking for an excuse to get outdoors this summer while testing the latest camping and hiking equipment? We’re looking for two enthusiastic writers to contribute to the TripleBlaze blog on a weekly basis with product reviews, trip reports, and commentary on camping and hiking in the US. Aside from being featured on the #1 Camping & Hiking Blog we’ll also hook you up with brand new outdoor products to test and keep.

We’ll be taking applications through the end of April and all you need to do to apply is submit a written review of a piece of outdoor equipment you own. Read the Tripleblaze blog archives and our mountain biking blog to get an idea of the tone we’re looking for and follow these tips to optimize your submission:

• Product reviews and outdoor trip reports should be between 350-500 words.
• Include great photos of yourself on the trip or the product in use outdoors. We like to include about 1 photo for every 150 words.
• For product reviews, it is helpful to organize your article around the pros and cons while providing an overall recommendation to sum things up.
• Trip reports are usually best written chronologically and should focus on the unique aspects of the trip and/or location.
• Don’t be too serious - people read blogs to get information but also to be entertained.
• Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Writing must be original and photos must be your own.

So what do you have to lose? Submit an article to info@tripleblaze.com along with a brief bio and if we like your style we’ll publish your article on the blog and set you up with more review assignments and free gear. Get outdoors this spring and tell us about it!

As an engineering student I was always taught that failure is much more instructive than success and I think the same is true in the outdoors. When a hiker gets lost that’s really a navigation failure and it’s a great time to reflect on outdoor knowledge and awareness. I wrote about my experience being lost and how it taught me about my own stubborness but also confirmed some things I learned as a Boy Scout like following a stream to safety.

Anyway, this week a teenager in New Hampshire got lost while hiking alone on Mt. Washington. The teen did a lot of things right (he is, after all, an Eagle Scout) but he also made some critical mistakes we can all learn from.

1. Never hike alone. This is probably the biggest lesson this teen learned but I’m still not sure he gets it (after his rescue he said “I would never hike alone again in snow conditions“). I suggest not hiking alone in any conditions because you never know what might happen (weather, injuries, etc.).
2. Head down to safety. After a couple days on the mountain the teenager decided to hike up the mountain to get help but the rescuers were looking for him at lower elevations. Following water downstream is a good strategy as is getting out of cold/windy conditions at higher elevations.
3. Don’t take shortcuts. This is where I got into trouble during my own “lost experience” and it’s a pretty easy trap to fall into. Stay on the trail because it makes it easier for rescuers to find you plus the conditions on the trail are generally better than off trail.

In the end we’re glad the teen made it back safely - hopefully his story can teach us a few lessons about staying safe on the trail.