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!

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?

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!

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!

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?

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.

This fellow hiking Camelback at dusk may have been in trouble.

In an article about increased mountain rescue calls at Phoenix-area hiking trails, hiking experts speculated the increase in rescues was due to an overall increase in foot traffic. Increased foot traffic, the thinking goes, is due to the fact that hiking is an inexpensive and accessible family activity (that is, until hikers get in over their heads). Unfortunately emergency responders are facing budget cuts at the same time calls for help are increasing.

All of this got me thinking that despite pitching camping as a budget-friendly family outing, we forgot to talk about hiking in the same light! Yep, hiking is even more inexpensive than camping - in fact it’s usually free - and it’s a great alternative to schlepping the kids to the amusement park or the mall. Hiking can be educational and it’s a fun way to get exercise. Springtime is one of the best times of year to get out and enjoy the great outdoors and fortunately most of us live within a short driving distance of parks and trails.

Hiking is also a great budget-friendly activity because it doesn’t require any special equipment other than a sturdy pair of shoes (I prefer running shoes myself). Taking the family on a hiking trip is pretty low commitment as well - you can make the trip as short or as long as you like. I often like to bring a picnic lunch along in a backpack when I go hiking - any excuse to spend more time outdoors

Research the best places to hike near you right here on Tripleblaze.com. You’ll be surprised how much fun you can have for free!

Backcountry.com included a humorous comparison between the outdoor utility of an iPhone and a stick in their latest newsletter and it’s worth a read if you’re looking for a Friday morning chuckle. The pics are a little cheesy but it’s nice to see someone poking fun at the Jesus phone for once. Oddly enough the article sounded pretty similar in tone to our own article comparing the iPhone to the Garmin Edge 705 GPS.

But seriously though, it’s crazy how many applications are available for the iPhone these days and you might be surprised to know there are a few that might actually be helpful for camping and hiking. Here’s a sampling:

Knot Time ($0.99): Both a learning tool and field guide for tying knots. Tying knots is a time honored camping tradition and this app adds a high tech twist (no pun intended). Rated 3 stars.

Scat and Animal Tracks ($0.99 each): Two different apps for helping you identify scat and animal tracks in the great outdoors. Who needs field guides anymore when your phone knows more than Bear Grylls?

TopoPoint USA ($9.99): TopoPoint gives you access to USGS topographic maps on your iPhone to help you on your next hike. Although we’re not big fans of USGS topos in general (most were hand drawn in the 1960s) this could be a helpful tool - just remember to download the necessary map tiles before you get out of cell range!

Mosquito Device ($0.99): According to the developer, “Mosquito Device uses high pitch sound waves to keep away mosquitos. Almost silent, you won’t notice it working.” I’m pretty sure that last bit is right: you won’t notice it working (and it only received 2 and a half stars to prove it). Believe it or not there are at least two other iPhone apps that promise to do do the same.

GPS Compass ($4.99): This little app does way more than make your iPhone into a compass (though it does do that) - it also lets you use your iPhone as a full blown GPS. There are a number of apps out there that do the same thing but the great thing is you don’t even need a cell signal to get your current location coordinates, altitude, and distance hiked.

Yep, the iPhone could come in pretty handy on your next camping or hiking trip. Now if there were only a good way to re-charge your phone outdoors…

In keeping with our themes on extreme and urban hiking, here’s something you may not have heard of before (officially anyway): Urban Exploration. No, this isn’t what you do when you vacation in NYC and it’s not a sport you’ll see REI sponsoring anytime soon. However, urban exploration is a fun way to explore the environment and it uses some of the tools you rely on when camping and hiking the great outdoors.

Growing up I was always into suburban exploration: finding old rusty cars in the woods, diving into culverts and big stormwater pipes, exploring construction sites, etc. Although *technically* tresspassing, urban exploration is generally a victimless crime and the fact that it is illegal in many cases actually adds to the excitement. (note: it is also potentially dangerous and did I mention illegal? if you get injured or arrested, don’t blame me!)

In college a friend and I explored the steam tunnels underneath Duke University (is there a statute of limitations on this?). We always geared up with all our best outdoor stuff: headlamps, hiking boots, canvas pants and sweatshirts - the whole nine. Our favorite route started beneath a ventilation grate outside the Social Sciences building, went through a machine shop and a lighted corridor through the hospital, and eventually put us out underneath a dining facility across the quad more than a quarter mile away. We probably inhaled an unhealthy amount of asbestos and rat feces (is there a healthy amount?) as we low crawled through some tight spots but it didn’t matter - we felt like Magellan finding a new route around the world!

As an adult I’m still curious but these days I do much of my urban exploration vicariously through the writers at Infiltration.org (the site is down today - I hope it’s not permanent). The writers at Infiltration have explored abandoned missle silos in New Mexico, crumbling factories in Canada, and catacombs in France, just to name a few spots. Cool stuff.

If you’re never heard about Urban Exploration definitely read up on it - it may just scratch an itch you didn’t realize you had. Of course I don’t condone it myself - I’m just an admirer

A “paid hike” on the Daniel Boone Scout trail, part of Grandfather Mountain.

If you’re looking for new or relatively unused hiking trails, here’s an insider tip: go on a restricted hike. Restricted hikes take place in areas that require a permit (paid or free) or a guide to enter and many times they offer some of the most amazing outdoor experiences you’ll encounter as a hiker. The PressDemocrat.com, for example, recently published a good article about undiscovered hikes in Sonoma County, CA that mentions a few “restricted hikes” that sound incredible.

Restricted hikes exist for a number of reasons. In some cases permits or guide requirements may be in place to limit access and ultimately environmental impact. In 8th grade my class took a field trip to a place called “Heggie’s Rock” in rural Columbia County, GA where granite dish gardens support two endangered plant species. Restricted access helps protect the ecosystem and makes hikers aware of the uniqueness of Heggie’s Rock.

In other cases hikes may be restricted for safety reasons. At Tallulah Gorge State Park in north Georgia, hikers are required to get free day use permits to enter the gorge. The hike down is steep and rocky while the hike back out of the gorge can be a real physical challenge. At the bottom of the gorge the river creates slippery surfaces and many have been injured sliding down the rocks and swimming in the shallow pools. Permits allow park personnel to keep track of who goes into the gorge and, more importantly, who comes out. There are limits to the number of permits given out each day and park personnel enforce a “no flip flop/crocs” rule at the time of application.

Finally, hiking permit or guide systems may be in place for revenue reasons. It takes money to support and preserve recreation and wilderness areas and permits help agencies recoup costs. In some places in Europe guides are required when entering wilderness areas and are intended to sustain employment for a specific class of workers. In other cases like at privately owned Grandfather Mountain, permits are a source of revenue. The upshot: fewer hikers on the “paid trails” means more solitude.

At first glance permit or guide requirements may seem unfair or unnatural but in many cases they serve an important purpose. With a little advance planning and a willingness to spend a few dollars you can get special access to some amazing hiking spots - reserve your hike now!

A hiking and biking trail skirts the cliff edge at Palmer Park in Colorado Springs, CO.

On Sunday a group of 5 children accidentally fell 75 feet while hiking the Rachael Carson Trail in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Some of the children remained in the hospital on Tuesday while undergoing treatment for their injuries.

According to officials the cliff where the children fell is located at least 15 feet away from the main trail and it appears the kids slipped on some leaves while getting too close to the edge. Asked whether it would be a good idea to install a fence at the bluff one official said “I don’t think we are going to put a fence up. There is a lot of liability connected with that, and it would spoil the view.”

View from the Broad Mountain Loop near Jim Thorpe, PA.

Hiking can certainly be dangerous at times and we’ve profiled some of the world’s most dangerous hiking trails here on the blog in the past. It’s not unusual for hiking trails to approach cliff edges and steep drops - that is, after all, where the best views are usually found. As a hiker it’s important to make sure your footing is steady as you approach vistas like the ones pictured above. Sometimes I like to use the “3-points of contact” approach, making sure that I have at least 3 parts of my body in contact with the ground as I move across a ledge. Sure, sometimes that means getting down on all fours but you can never be too careful!

We wrote about night hiking back in January and this month Backpacker.com posted an article with some more tips for getting started. While we can’t recommend ditching the headlamp and flashlight entirely, Backpacker tells us how to maximize night vision using the moon and stars plus our own rods ‘n cones.

With days getting longer night hikes are becoming less of a necessity and more of a new way to experience familiar trails. In some areas like Death Valley, backpacking at night and sleeping during the hotest part of the day is a valid strategy - plus you get a chance to see wildlife that isn’t otherwise active.

Hiking at night can be dangerous but it can also be pretty fun and exciting, provided you are prepared and know what you’re getting into. Too bad you won’t be able to work on your tan at the same time

Examiner.com has a good article by Deb Stanley about keeping a list of hikes she’d like to do “someday.” It’s a great idea to keep a list of dream hikes - everybody needs goals - and we make it easy for you right here on Tripleblaze.com. We call it our “hiking wishlist” and with your free account you can start adding some of the nearly 1,000 hiking trails listed on the site already.

Here’s how it works: just search for a trail you’d like to add to your list using the search box at the top of this page. Let’s say you want to hike the North Rim of the Grand Canyon - find the trail listing and click the “Hiking Wishlist” link just above the trail title near the top of the page. That’s it! After adding a trail to your wishlist you can view and mange your list, removing any trails you’ve already hiked or added by mistake. Other members can view your list (here’s mine) and you can get ideas about other hikes to add based on what others have on their lists.

If you can’t find a trail on Tripleblaze.com but you’d like to add it to your wishlist, you can simply add the trail by filling out this form. Once the trail has been added you can put it on your list. Simple.

On Tripleblaze.com you can also keep wishlists of campgrounds you’d like to visit and outdoor equipment you’d like to own. Campground and equipment wishlists work the same way - just click to add!

Tripleblaze makes it easy to organize and plan all your outdoor adventures. Start building your wishlist today - that way when spring arrives you’ll know where to go!

Trail 401 in Crested Butte, CO is open to hikers and bikers

Trail use conflicts between hikers and mountain bikers have been around almost since the birth of mountain biking in the 1970s and although relations seem to be improving there are still those on either side who just can’t seem to get along. As a hiking mountain biker I can see both sides and I’m hopeful that both hikers and mountain bikers can continue to coexist on popular trails.

Some hiking enthusiasts argue that mountain bikes cause excessive erosion but studies have shown this is simply not the case. Mountain bikes do cause some erosion but it’s comparable to the erosion cased by foot traffic and less impactful than equestrian traffic. In fact mountain bikers are giving back to the trails in record numbers to improve and maintain existing multi-use routes. In my area mountain bikers are better organized than hiking groups and contribute the majority of the work to local trail systems enjoyed by everyone.

Admittedly encountering a mountain biker screaming down the trail can be a jarring and annoying experience when you’re hiking and I honestly think twice before hiking a trail where I know mountain bikes are ridden. When I’m on the mountain bike I try to be mindful of this and slow to approach hikers and look them in the eye with a pleasant greeting. We’re all on the trail for the same reason - to enjoy the great outdoors - and when you’ve seen both sides you can be much more empathetic. As a hiker I try to step off the trail if possible when I hear a mountain biker approaching, even though bikes should technically yield to hikers. A little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

Many trails are designated hiking or biking only and while this eliminates potential conflicts it seems to reinforce the idea that hikers and mountain bikers can’t coexist. As I hiker I prefer trails that are closed to bikes just because it makes them seem more exclusive but is that what we really want - to rope off parts of the outdoors to certain user groups? Let’s all just get along.

The Southern Oregon Mail Tribune posted an article online about some of the best hiking guidebooks covering Oregon trails. The author mentions that there is no such thing as a “perfect” hiking guidebook but there are several factors that make some guidebooks more useful than others. Most of us expect to find directions to the trailhead, the length and difficulty of the hike, a description of the route, and a map in any good hiking guidebook and there are few (if any) I’ve used that don’t at least have these features.

One thing the Mail Tribune author looks for in a hiking guide book is photos and frankly this is where most hiking guidebooks fall flat in my experience. In general hiking guides are in black and white and are printed on dull, lightweight paper leading to underwhelming photos that tell you very little about the scenery along the trail. Guidebooks are also inherently limited in the number of photos they can show for any given trail, especially when a book has dozens of trail listings.

These days my guidebook of choice isn’t a guidebook at all - it’s the internet. Full color photos, unlimited space for maps, route info, directions, etc. and even space for reviews of the trail by multiple hikers. It’s great to get the perspective of an experienced hiker (i.e. the guidebook writer) but it’s always helpful to get a second and/or third opinion from regular hikers. Plus internet trail listings are often more up-to-date than books that are revised only every few years. Instant updates on trail closures, reroutes, etc. are possible online.

Some may argue that internet hiking guides are limited because they’re not portable and that’s true to a degree. But with new devices like the iPhone you can take your trail information with you (just download the info before you’re out of cell phone range!). You can even keep it old-school and print out hiking guides you find online and SAVE paper compared to a book that includes dozens of printed trail listings you’ll never use. Plus most websites (like this one) offer free trail info - not many free books out there!

Obviously we’re pretty big believers in putting hiking trail information online and we’re working on adding trail maps in addition to the photos, directions, descriptions, and reviews already on tripleblaze.com. Check out our online catalog of hiking trails and add or review your reviews!

Camelback Mountain is a popular hiking destination in Phoenix.

Over at Fit Sugar a reader wrote in asking about fitness training for hiking. Specifically the reader was completely exhausted after a weekend hike at Camelback Mountain in Phoenix and wanted some tips for becoming a better hiker.

If you’ve hiked Camelback you know it’s a steep climb but not all that long (less than a mile or so as I recall). Fit Sugar offered some good tips about doing shorter hikes to build up strength and endurance and general fitness stuff like working on quads and glutes at the gym. But training for hiking doesn’t have to be a boring fitness routine - there are fun things you can do outdoors to get ready for a big hike.

Hiking is, for the most part, all about aerobic endurance and leg strength (especially if you’re heading to the mountains). I run on the road during the week but an even better choice for getting in shape for hiking is cycling (or mountain biking if you’re into that). Bicycling builds the leg muscles you need for mountain hikes (quads and glutes) plus it’s a low impact, aerobic workout similar to hiking.

If it’s a backpacking trip you’re training for it’s a good idea to include a weighted pack as a part of your fitness routine. Even if you live in a place where hills are few and far between, head to the local high school and trek up and down the football stadium stands with your pack on - you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll sweat after just a few minutes. The point is that the closer your workout to the thing you’re training for, the better your preparation will be.

Hiking isn’t a competitive sport so getting in shape to hit the trail should just be about making your next trek more enjoyable!