The Pacaya-Samiria Amazon Lodge (photo from GreenTracks.com)
If you’ve exhausted all the local camping options and are flush with green this summer, why not head down to the Amazon rainforest for a few days in the jungle? Green Tracks offers a 7 day, 6 night camping trip in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve that is sure to be the trip of a lifetime for any outdoor enthusiast.
The first part of the trip is spent in a lodge at the edge of the rainforest and gives guests a chance to hike around the surrounding forest. By day 3 the real camping begins and you’ll spend time on the water in canoes while sleeping in tents at night. The final night is spent back at the lodge before it’s time to head to the airport and the “real” world
A trip like this sounds great for anyone interested in photography, nature, or just getting away to an incredible environment and isn’t afraid to rough it a little bit. As such the price is actually pretty reasonable (just over $100 per person per day for a family of 4 inclusive of meals and lodging) and your adventure can start any day of the week you like.
Camping and hiking are all about adventure and exploring new places. What part of the world will you explore this year?
Note: Tripleblaze.com has not evaluated this travel offering and as such cannot provide any type of recommendation - do your research before you book!
In an effort to step up conservation efforts (and perhaps boost state tourism along the way), the California State Parks Foundation is releasing 40 free podcasts each featuring a different state park hike. The website already has two podcasts posted including one by legendary rocker Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame. Each podcast is narrated by a different California resident and includes ambient sounds recorded inside the parks themselves. The website also features video and articles to celebrate state parks and the foundation’s 40th anniversary.
The nice thing about the content being produced by the California State Parks Foundation is that you can get a feel for some of the state’s natural beauty no matter where you live! I know I’ve been talking about technology and the outdoors a lot lately and this is just another example of how the two are converging - in a good way if you ask me. Podcasts can help raise awareness of our natural resources while allowing a wider audience to view (or hear!) them without over-running the parks with vehicles and campfires.
We have our own list of the best hikes in California here on Tripleblaze.com and while the list isn’t perfect yet, it keeps getting better as more folks review and rate their favorite trails. Check the list to see if your faves are there!
Ahh, two of my favorite subjects: hiking and computers (well, the internet). Yep, underprivileged teenage students in the Seattle area got the chance to earn themselves a free computer by taking part in an overnight backpacking trip to Mt. Ranier thanks to the generosity of a computer entrepreneur back in the late 1990s (though for some reason the Seattle News Tribune decided to republish the article this week). The 100 computers were donated by the US Department of Energy and part of the deal was that the students agreed to help their classmates with computer support once they get their machines.
I’m always excited to see technology being used to get people outdoors, even if that means bribing folks a little bit. Some may see computers and the internet as an end unto themselves but websites like this one seek to motivate people to log off and explore the great outdoors. Just think: in the old days we had to rely on word of mouth to find new hiking trails or secluded campgrounds but today the internet is bristling with information about the best places to experience nature.
Technology and nature can indeed coexist and one day computers may just help us save our environment in more ways than one…
Over at the Watching the World Wake Up blog “Watcher” writes about a recent hiking and camping trip in the Sonoran desert. The blog post itself is pretty interesting and touches on everything from cacti identification in the field to photosynthesis but what I find most interesting is the fact that this group was the first to summit Sheep Mountain in 365 days (though it’s not clear how they verified this).
These days it’s tough to find a place on the planet where no one else has been for months - apparently even the summit of Everest sees many more visitors each year than Sheep Mountain. Of course that could be due to the fact that Sheep Mountain is littered with exploded and unexploded ordinance from Luke AFB fighters but I suppose that’s a small price to pay for solitude.
With the rise of the internet it’s becoming even harder to keep secluded spots secret any more. Websites like Geocaching.com lead GPS hiking enthusiasts off trail to find secret spots and swimmingholes.info spills the beans on places to take a dip in the summer. One of our favorite swimming holes in Durham, NC is a beautiful and secluded former quarry and the guy who first gave us directions warned that we shouldn’t post anything about it online for fear the place would become overrun. We hear the same thing from time to time on our mountain bike website as well - that somehow certain trails should remain “secret stashes” accessible only to those in the know.
I guess I fall somewhere in between wanting to keep less-traveled outdoor spots that way and sharing them with others. Besides, some spots like Sheep Mountain are so remote and rugged that they’ll always stay relatively untraveled, even with the most enthusiastic online endorsement. So feel free to share - just be prepared to go further and deeper outdoors to find solitude next time…
During tough economic times everyone is looking for new ways to generate extra income, and that includes local governments. At the Nanaimo Daily News (British Columbia) one writer suggests developing world-class hiking trails would attract tourists who could in turn pump up the local economy (and tax receipts as well).
There seems to be a growing sense that recreational travel can be a savior and even a lifeblood for struggling local economies. In the past year we’ve read countless articles about municipalities developing mountain bike trails and hosting marathons, all in the name of developing a local tourism economy where none previously existed. This is the first time we’ve heard of trails for hiking being specifically pitched to revive an economy but we’re sure it won’t be the last.
Most hikers do generally travel to scenic locations to hike but in my experience most prefer to stick to National Parks and government-owned recreation and wilderness areas. Runners travel to big city marathons to see new places and run with the crowds while mountain bikers will ride just about anywhere with trails, though many prefer lift-serviced terrain The point is, these types of trips generally require overnight accommodations, meals in restaurants, and ground transportation while many overnight hiking trips involve sleeping in tents, cooking under the stars, and keeping car trips to a minimum. So how much impact do hikers really have on a local economy?
It’s an interesting question and I’m anxious to see how things work out in communities that choose to develop hiking trails to attract tourists. Perhaps these planners should at least hedge their bets and keep the new trails open to mountain bikers and trail runners too
If you’re a serious hiker or backpacker and you use a GPS, you know it can be frustrating to manage your trail and map data using the free software included with your GPS. We’ve tested half a dozen GPS and mapping software packages and our favorite is still TopoFusion. In fact, TopoFusion is really three products in one: mapping software, photo management & publishing software, and activity logging/training software. The crazy thing: it does all three better than virtually any other product we’ve seen.
Mapping
Of course TopoFusion is first and foremost an outdoor mapping program and it includes all the features you’d expect like support for GPX files, USGS topo maps, and elevation profile charts of your GPS tracks. But TopoFusion goes way beyond what you’d expect, starting with the inclusion of black and white or color aerial photos, satellite imagery, GIS data from TIGER, and even maps and imagery covering Mexico and Canada. My personal favorite is the “Combo” map setting that blends USGS topo maps with aerial photos - an amazing feature I haven’t seen anywhere else.
TopoFusion also features tools for visualizing trails and routes in 3D to give you a totally new perspective on familiar trails. The best part is you can view any map in 3D - topographic, aerial photo, satellite, even Combo! Simple and intuitive tools allow you to rotate, zoom, and flip 3D maps and the latest version is super responsive even on my slow 3-year old eMachines desktop.
Hiking and backpacking are all about motion along a trail and TopoFusion includes powerful tools for dynamically visualizing GPS tracks. Plug in a GPS track from your latest adventure and TopoFusion adds arrows to the map showing the direction of travel - a helpful and seemingly obvious feature that’s missing from other mapping programs I’ve used. Even cooler than that: you can play back tracks as they were hiked. TopoFusion calls this ‘multi-track playback’ and you can use the feature to show the progression of multiple hikers along the same trail or even play back hikes of the same trail on different days to see how your pace compares (see video below). I can seriously sit and stare at replays of my own hikes in TopoFusion for hours…
Trail Photo Management
Topofusion includes a feature called ‘PhotoFusion’ that dynamically places photos onto your maps. Now I’ve been hesitant to try this myself for a while - geo-tagging photos just seems too geeky and time consuming. Topofusion actually makes the process dead simple: open a GPS track, click on PhotoFusion and point to a directory with photos taken on your hike. TopoFusion then matches the timestamps on your photos with track point timestamps and places the photos where they belong on your route. Even if your GPS and camera times don’t match up, Topofusion attempts to help you resolve differences using time offsets - incredible! Photo thumbnails appear on the map as waypoints and can be moved around plus you can zoom in on pics with a click of the mouse.
Building photo maps on your computer is cool but what good is a slick photo map if you can’t share it with your friends? TopoFusion understands this and allows you to export your photos and maps to post on the web and even writes the complex HTML for you at the click of a button. Here’s my interactive photo map from a mountain bike ride at Heritage Park last month. Amazing!
Endurance Training / Activity Tracker
If you’re preparing for a big backpacking or multi-day hiking trip, TopoFusion has some great features to keep track of your training data. ‘Log Book’ is a feature that saves your hiking, running, or riding data to a calendar summarizing your workouts: clicking on a date reveals distance, time, total climb, and speed data PLUS it includes difficulty and effort scores that allow you to compare workouts of varying length, elevation, and intensity. Log Book also computes summary statistics based on a date range so you can see, for instance, how many miles you hiked last week.
TopoFusion activity tracking tools also work great with data from other sports like running. I imported runs from my Forerunner and using the Run Analysis tool was able to compute a GOVSS Score, Lactate Adjustment Power, Average Power, and calories expended. TopoFusion also allows you to switch units from miles per hour to more runner-friendly minutes per mile.
The current version of TopoFusion includes support for direct connection to the most popular Garmin GPS units including the GPSMap series, Edge series, and of course the Forerunner series. With this support, TopoFusion also includes the ability to view heart rate, cadence, and power data, depending on your GPS unit’s capabilities. With support for multiple file formats including GPX, TCX, KML, and even ESRI ShapeFiles you can be sure that no matter what brand or model GPS you own you can use TopoFusion to view, edit, and catalog your data.
Power User Tools and Functions
Beyond the features most users will find helpful, TopoFusion also includes a few power-user functions that map geeks will find especially cool. The ‘Make Network’ tool transforms messy GPS trail data full of backtracks and dead ends into clean, easy to follow trail segments. TopoFusion also includes a tool to fix elevation profile data from GPS units with unreliable or even non-existent elevation tracking - a feature that honestly borders on voodoo magic. You can even use TopoFusion to move or delete waypoints and trackpoints to clean up errant GPS data points before sharing with friends.
Bottom Line
TopoFusion is the best GPS mapping software we’ve used - hands down - and perhaps this is why:
TopoFusion is written by Alan and Scott Morris. Brothers, outdoor enthusiasts, mountain bikers and former wilderness rangers. Both hold Master’s degrees in Computer Science. (Scott Morris) logs his adventures at topofusion.com/diary.
There are two versions of TopoFusion available for sale and immediate download at TopoFusion.com - the Basic and Pro version - but take it from us: the Pro version is well worth the additional investment. Many of the features mentioned in this review are only available in the Pro version and at less than $70 it’s still much cheaper than software from Garmin, DeLorme, and National Georgraphic - with way more features!
Even if you don’t own a GPS yet, TopoFusion is a great tool for viewing topographic and trail maps created by others and posted online. Get it today and start planning your next trail adventure!
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Smoky Mountains National Park and there are dozens of events scheduled to celebrate. Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular National Park in the US with nearly 8-10 million visitors each year and is easily accessible to most east coasters. The list below showcases just some of the events taking place in 2009 - check out greatsmokies75th.org for more details!
Seventy Five Miles of Hikes in Knoxville
Music of the Mountains
Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Gatlinburg
National Junior Ranger Day
Cosby in the Park
DLIA Citizen Science Event
International Day for Biodiversity A Celebration in Gatlinburg
Fern Foray
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary: Cades Cove in Cades Cove
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary: Park Headquarters in GRSM Park Headquarters
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary: Oconaluftee in Oconaluftee
Biodiversity Days in the Smokies
Women’s Work Festival in Oconaluftee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary: Park ‘Rededication’
Fern Foray
Mountain Life Festival in Cherokee
DLIA Citizen Science Appreciation Potluck in Cosby Campground
Festival of Christmas Past
Holiday Homecoming in Cherokee
I’m one of those people who rarely get lost. I have a fairly innate sense of direction and whether I’m hiking, biking, driving, or running, I usually have a GPS with me plotting my course. Perhaps it’s my confidence in my ability to navigate that got me into trouble during a hike two summers ago along the Appalachian Trail at Siler Bald (Nantahala National Forest, NC) in the summer of 2007.
My wife and I decided to take a short hike (2 miles or so) up the AT with our dog Jackson to the top of Siler Bald before lunchtime. We had been completely rained out on a backpacking trip the previous day and ended up spending the night in a motel in Franklin so we were anxious to get back on the trail. The hike up was beautiful and along the way we passed families with small children and dogs - the perfect day for a hike. The views from the bald were incredible and after hanging out for a bit we decided to descend to a picnic lunch.
I had a basic GPS with me and a topographic map of the area and noticed there was a trail shelter just off a spur trail on the way down. On the map it appeared there was an old forest road or perhaps a trail that led from the shelter to the car and, not being one to walk the same trail twice, I decided we should go back via the shelter to switch things up a bit. The descent to the shelter was steeper than the trail we walked up but we made it there quickly and poked around a bit before finishing the hike.
If you’ve ever been camping on the AT you know the area around a shelter is usually riddled with dozens of “rat trails” created by folks looking for water, a place to dispose of “waste,” or out of the way spots to pitch a tent. This shelter was no exception and so we had a hard time finding the right trail back to the car. After going down a couple dead-end trails we finally hit upon what we thought was the trail. According to the GPS we were less than half a mile from our car and I figured even if we had to bushwack our way back we would be there in less than 15 minutes.
As we walked down the old trail/road bed the sapplings started becoming thicker and eventually the trail disappeared altogether. Now at this point we had two options: turn around and head back up the mountain to rejoin the AT or continue through the woods using the GPS as a guide. Being the man that I am, I decided on the second option and we walked further into the forest.
You may be imagining a lovely jaunt through the woods at this point but I can tell you it was not lovely at all. The forest undergrowth seemed to be entirely made up of thorn bushes and briars and we had to carefully pick every step along the way. At this point I was worried we were really lost but I didn’t let on to my wife (though the dog probably knew ). I heard a small stream in the distance and I asked my wife and our dog to stay put for a moment while I scouted the other side of the stream but the brush and undergrowth was even thicker on the other side so I came up with a new plan: follow the stream down to the paved road.
Following a stream is classic survival advice because the thinking is that a stream will eventually lead to a river which will eventually lead to civilization. In this case we were thousands of feet above sea level and I’m pretty sure we could follow this stream for weeks without ever getting to a river. Anyway, I still had my sense of direction and I knew Wayah Rd. was to our north, though I didn’t know how far.
We followed the stream for a couple hundred yards or so until the stream turned into a slick, rock-strewn and rhododendron-covered trickle of a waterfall. We slowly picked our way down the rocks and tried to stick to the sides of the waterfall where we could cling to roots and bushes. At this point Jackson was having the hardest time because he’s not good at walking slowly and picking his lines. I tried to slow him down but he just wanted to run down the hill so I let him go, crashing through bushes and scrambling over rocks until he reached a relatively flat spot.
After about an hour my wife and I finally made it to the dog and realized we had made it to the paved road! I snapped the photo at the top of this post to show where we had come from and we quickly hiked up the road about a half mile or so to our car. It had taken us about 2 hours to travel a quarter to half mile and we were both famished when we finally got to our picnic lunch.
For me the lesson here is that even with a map and a GPS you can get lost, especially if you’re stubborn and unwilling to retrace your steps. Having a good sense of direction can sometimes get you into trouble but as long as you stay calm you’ll make it through in the end. The feeling of being lost is not a good one but I’m glad for the experience every once in a while to get the adrenaline flowing!
Have you ever noticed how sometimes hiking downhill can often be more painful than going up? The stress on your knees and quads can really add up on a long downhill hike but fortunately this little invention can help out: a bike in a backpack.
The Mountain Monk is a foldable, full-suspension mountain bike that you can carry on your back while hiking up a mountain. The bike doesn’t actually have pedals (just foot pegs) so you can’t ride it uphill or even on flat sections but it looks like a very fun way to get back down the hill after a summit attempt.
The bike itself weighs about 21 pounds which isn’t bad for a full suspension mountain bike and it even comes standard with disc brakes for slowing down on steep descents. Although the Mountain Monk is just a prototype, the inventor is currently looking for a manufacturing partner so hopefully we’ll see something in the next year or two. Sweet!
The Pacific Northwest Trail is set to receive official National Scenic Trail designation in an upcoming US House bill, the same designation currently enjoyed by better known trails like the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails. Admittedly I had never heard of the trail which runs from Glacier National Park in Montana to the Pacific coast of Washington. The 1,200 mile trail sticks close to the Canadian border and currently only about 30 through hikers make the entire trek each year.
The Seattle Times has a great article about the trail and what a National Scenic Trail designation could mean. Various hiking groups seem to be supportive of the idea since it guarantees there will be no logging or development within 1,000 feet (about 0.2 miles) of the trail throughout its entire length.
Based on the map above it *seems* like it should be possible to link up the Pacific Northwest Trail with the Pacific Crest Trail which runs up and down the west coast. Of course the Continental Divide trail runs north and south through the Rockies so perhaps that could be linked to the other end of the Pacific Northwest Trail? Now we just need a southern route across New Mexico and Arizona and hikers could make one 5,000 mile loop! Just plan it so you’re hiking the northern section in summer and the southern section in winter
The author at White Sands National Monument in March, 2006
We’ve been talking about hiking in extreme environments over the past few weeks and one of my favorite hikes over the years was at White Sands National Monument in south-central New Mexico. Sand dune hiking is like nothing I had ever done before (or since) and in my book that makes it extreme.
First of all, hiking at White Sands is extremely difficult since the ground beneath your feet is constantly shifting. If you’ve ever attempted to jog in the sand at the beach you know this can be a difficult proposition and the fineness of the sand at White Sands makes even walking particularly challenging. Some dune slopes at White Sands can be steep, especially on the leeward sides.
Hiking sand dunes can be disorienting as well as there are few landmarks to orient yourself. In fact, since the winds are constantly shaping the sand, footprints are quickly erased and dune profiles change constantly. Sand storms are always possible as well meaning low (or no) visibility in windy conditions. Most sand dunes are located in areas with little rainfall and therefore there is little surface water to quench your thirst.
White Sands National Monument is an incredible place to experience dune hiking. Also check out Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado where the dunes are so large and the sand so fine that many folks bring their skis and snowboards to ride down the sand!
Backpacker Magazine posted an interesting poll on their website: If indoor hiking were possible, would you be interested? Apparently the answer was a pretty clear NO with about 80% of respondents saying it was a horrible idea. Indoor hiking may sound far fetched but in fact there are indoor analogs for most other outdoor sports including mountain biking, rock climbing, and even kayaking and golf.
Mountain bikers have embraced the idea of indoor riding, naming Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park an International Mountain Bike Association “Epic Ride.” Of course mountain biking requires both skill and stamina but indoor tracks are mostly geared toward building only the skill side of the equation.
Rock climbers have long used indoor climbing walls to hone both skills and strength but I’m sure if you asked them most would agree they prefer climbing natural rocks outdoors. Parents recognize that indoor rock climbing surfaces are much safer than shifting natural rocks so for many young climbers indoors is the only option.
Kayakers also use indoor facilities to practice their water moves but I’m sure most kayak enthusiasts would agree outdoor kayaking is much more interesting. After all, kayaking is all about getting where you’re going and in a pool, that’s no where.
Golfers do hit balls at indoor screens showing virtual courses though you don’t see too many outdoor course owners worried about the competitive threat
All of this leads back to the original question: does indoor hiking make sense? Is it even possible to capture some part of the hiking experience with an indoor facility? What would it look like? Here are three ideas:
Most REI stores have small faux rock ramps in their shoe departments for customers to test new hiking boots. Although I wouldn’t call this indoor hiking, it does replicate a small part of the hiking experience. Although skills are not overly important in hiking, an indoor course could teach the basics or allow buyers to put products through their paces.
Virtual reality. Indoor mountain biking and rock climbing are pretty low tech affairs where participants stare at the walls and ceiling while doing their thing. But what if, instead, indoor hikers were treated to full wrap around, moving outdoor scenes? Hook up a treadmill with a bumpy tread and vary the incline, blow a little air and/or mist and watch the screens to be transported to say, Kilimanjaro or the Amazonian rain forest. This vision would be more like a ride than an outdoor experience so perhaps this is would be better suited to theme parks…
Caving is hiking in 3D but it’s also basically hiking indoors, especially in caverns with commercial tours, snack bars, and artificial lights. Most commercial caves do in fact have doors on their entrances so *technically* spelunkers are hiking in-doors
Now, back to the original question: would I try indoor hiking? I’d probably say no to the idea of virtual reality hiking and hiking skills courses but then again I never say never!
It was about time to upgrade my six year old hooded sweatshirt and I decided to give Dri Duck’s heavyweight Wildfire hoodie a try. The Dri Duck Wildfire beefs up the traditional sportswear piece with 11 oz heavyweight powerfleece to create the optimal cold weather work wear and play wear.
The Wildfire’s inner thermal lining gave me extra warmth while doing yard work outside and also on an early morning hike. I can zip this roomy hoodie all the way up and cinch the hood in place without feeling constricted. Thanks to the gusseted elbows I still feel like I have a full range of motion through my arms - an unexpected feature for such a thick hoodie.
The Wildfire fleece hoodie is roomy and warm, without the bulkiness of wearing an oversized men’s sweatshirt or heavy jacket. The women’s sizing provides a smaller fit in the arms and in overall length. Plus, the Wildfire comes in a happy Sunset pink color or neutral colors that can be layered with almost anything.
The Wildfire hoodie is perfect for staying warm on the trail or hanging out at the campground. For hiking and lounging, I found this hoodie to be both cozy and functional. The front pockets are softly lined and large enough to hold outdoor essentials like your wallet, GPS, or a snack. There is also a hidden pocket inside the hoodie’s liner to carry your cell phone or ipod.
For outdoor work and play I’ve ditched my old sweatshirt and heavy winter jacket for the warmth and freedom of the Dri Duck Wildfire hoodie. Dri Duck has an extensive line of outdoor workwear and lifewear for men and women. From anti-static nano-fleece pullovers to teflon-coated waterproof jackets, you’ll definitely find a piece that matches your outdoor lifestyle.
I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to outdoor GPS units and over the past 7 years I’ve owned nearly a dozen different models. I recently got a chance to use the Earthmate PN-40 from DeLorme and I have to say it’s one of my top 2 choices for camping and hiking.
The PN-40 is a color-screen, palm-sized GPS that uses 2-AA batteries. At first I was hoping for the unit to use a rechargeable battery but it turns out serious trekkers prefer the portability of replaceable batteries (no where to charge up on the trail!). The PN-40 has a rugged, rubberized case and it’s waterproof to IPX 7 standard meaning you can dunk it under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and it will still work. The screen is readable in all but the brightest sunlight though some map images were harder to read than others (more on that later). The buttons on the PN-40 give you quick access to the most commonly used functions like marking waypoints and searching for points of interest but can be difficult to press with gloved hands.
Since the PN-40 was designed for hikers and bikers it comes with an incredible set of topographic maps via the DeLorme Topo USA software. I’ve been a fan of Topo USA for a while now - well before I tried the PN-40 - because it includes some of the clearest, most detailed outdoor maps available. You can transfer detailed topographic maps to the PN-40 to take on the trail, though unfortunately the process can be a bit tiresome using the slow serial-USB connection. The PN-40 comes with plenty of memory to fit detailed map coverage and you can add up to 32GB of additional memory though the SDHC slot.
Once you’ve loaded detailed maps on your PN-40 you can start using it as soon as you walk out your door thanks to its ability to provide driving directions. It won’t talk to you like your Nuvi or Tom Tom but it will help you navigate to an unfamiliar trailhead. Once you’re at the trailhead you can queue up a downloaded GPS track of the trail (Topo USA and the PN-40 support GPX formatted files) and follow it just as you would a road. The PN-40 even chirps like a bird when it’s time to turn - pretty outdoorsy if you ask me.
The PN-40 also has the (fairly) unique ability to view satellite and aerial imagery on the GPS itself. You’ll need to download the imagery before you head out and the imagery isn’t free (about $30 a year last I checked) but once you’ve loaded the images it’s like having Google Earth in the palm of your hand! Some satellite images were hard to read in direct sunlight and the images aren’t nearly as clear or detailed as some online services like Google Maps. Satellite images can certainly come in handy but at times I at times felt like it ruined some of the suspense and adventure of hiking. Instead of being surprised to find that the top of the mountain is bald, now I can see it before I’m out of the trees…
Of course the PN-40 also includes all the functions you’ve come to expect from an outdoor GPS - time, distance, speed, etc. but it also includes some helpful functions like a digital compass, barometric altimeter, and fishing and hunting functions. If you’re looking for a good all-around GPS to use in the great outdoors and you’re tired of paying for extras like detailed maps (ahem, Garmin) the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 is a good choice that won’t break the bank. Just don’t forget to bring extra batteries
A woman missing in the Pisgah National Forest since Sunday walked out of the forest safely on her own after about 24 hours in the wild. The UNC-Asheville student had been hiking alone Sunday afternoon and when she didn’t return that evening her roommate alerted authorities who mounted a seach and rescue effort. In so many of these cases we hear about the things hikers do wrong when they get lost in the woods but it turns out Lindsey Pfundstein actually made the right choices:
She left a note with a roommate saying where she went and when she’d return. Lindsey ended up changing her plans a bit but rescuers were still able to find her vehicle quickly and were searching in the general area where she was lost.
Lindsey brought along water and food. Many hikers skip the water and food, especially if they’re only planning on a short trek but in an emergency this can be a lifesaver.
At night Lindsey found shelter and stopped moving around. Nighttime can be disorienting and oftentimes lost hikers will become even more lost trying to navigate at night. Lindsey also found an Adirondack (3-sided) shelter and covered herself with leaves to stay warm. Bear Grylls would have been proud
She didn’t panic - at least that’s the feeling I got from reading the article. When Lindsey walked out of the woods she spoke with a reporter who asked, “Are you searching?” she replied “No, I I think I’m the one they’re looking for.” Such a calm response is pretty amazing considering what she went through. A positive mental attitude is probably the most important thing to bring to the outdoors.
We’re glad this story had such a happy ending. Hopefully others will take this as a lesson on hiking safety and what to do when lost outdoors…
Hiking in the nude along the trails outside Appenzell, Switzerland could land you a $175 fine - thanks to a new law banning the practice. Apparently the hiking trails became popular with German nudists and the straw that broke the camel’s back came when a German nudist organization promoted nature walks in the town for its members. Appenzell is a small village in the Swiss Alps and residents finally decided they had had enough. Authorities can give nude hikers a $175 fine on the spot for violating the new ban but there’s no word on where these hikers are carrying their money or identification.
According to Spiegel magazine “free body culture” (or FKK as they call it) is important to some Germans who see it as a lifestyle as much as a hobby. Many nudists equate nudism with nature and one of the largest nudist organizations actually calls itself the “International Naturist Foundation.” While nudism and nude hiking aren’t quite as common in the US as is in Europe, it is possible to encounter “naturists” out on the trail.
Leah and I once took our bikes to a wildlife preserve in Eastern NC to check out the trails and instead found dozens of “nudists” out in the wild. Apparently it was well know (to everyone but us) that the area was a good place to go “all natural” - needless to say we got out of there fast and didn’t return!
To continue our series on extreme hiking I thought I’d talk a little about spelunking (or caving). A friend recently mentioned that caving was really just hiking in 3D which I thought was a good explanation, though I would add it’s hiking in 3D with no weather or sun! I’m a bit of a mapping enthusiast when I hike but I can’t even imagine how you could start to map a cave unless you had some sort of box-shaped mapping device. Forget about using a GPS either - those will stop working at the mouth of the caves.
The other thing I’ve noticed about spelunking is just how dark it is inside caves. Obviously you need to be prepared whenever you enter a cave (the rule of thumb is to bring 3 light sources) but most of us don’t have a real concept of total darkness until we enter a cave. This also makes caving much more dangerous than a typical above-ground hike and I highly recommend going with an experienced guide and bringing safety equipment like helmets and ropes.
I’ve been in a few caves over the years and perhaps my favorite is Cumberland Caverns in central Tennessee. As a Boy Scout our group went on the “wild tour” where we were forced to crawl on our bellies and squeeze through narrow passages and muddy paths. More recently I made it out to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico where a friend and I went on the standard walking tour of the cave, though we were disappointed to find out advanced reservations are necessary to go on their version of the “wild tour.” Carlsbad Caverns is amazing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that millions of bats live in the cave during daylight hours. If small spaces don’t freak you out, seeing all these bats will!
Yep, caving really is hiking in 3D and I’d say that qualifies it as an extreme way to hike. Just be safe on your 3D hike - that extra dimension can be tough to get used to!
Several years ago I was fortunate enough to make it to northern Greenland on a “business trip” and while I was there I got to do a couple extreme hikes. The first hike was to the top of a 600-700 foot rock formation called “Dundas” that overlooks a small bay. The hike itself started off pretty easy but we quickly found ourselves ankle deep in shifting shale and sand. We were told there is an unofficial speed record for climbing Dundas that’s somewhere around 10 minutes - our hike took about 25 minutes.
The slope of Dundas is pretty consistent most of the way up (steep!) but the final 50 feet of elevation is nearly vertical and requires the use of fixed ropes to ascend. On top the views of the iceberg-filled bay were incredible and left me wondering what this place would look like in the dead of winter (dark and snow covered for sure!).
My favorite hike in Greenland was a short jaunt on one of the glaciers (or was it part of the snow cap?). We got onto the glacier using a gravel ramp built decades ago by a military expedition and saw a few abandoned sleds still on top of the ice. It was summer at the time and there were small creeks of icy blue water running over the top of the glacier. The ice underfoot crunched and upon closer inspection we realized the ice was actually dotted with small black particles (rock and dust) that caused ice around them to melt (see photo).
Just last week I watched Man vs. Wild and Bear Grylls was in the Yukon where he traversed a glacier like the one I hiked in Greenland. I honestly didn’t consider the danger of hiking on a glacier until I saw that episode and realized there can be deep crevaces lurking underfoot on glaciers - hikers beware! Luckily our group stayed safe but if I go back I will certainly be much more cautious.
Sometimes hiking isn’t about following a trail - it’s more about putting your feet on new ground. Glacier hiking in Greenland was certainly new ground for me - I can’t wait to get back to the Arctic!
The LA Times published a good article about the non-profit group Wilderness Volunteers that organizes inexpensive outdoor vacation adventures for travelers who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Wilderness Volunteers has been organizing work trips to US public lands (National Parks, National Forests, etc.) since 1997 and past projects have included trail maintenance, painting, and building fences.
The cost of the 5-7 day trips is $259 per person which includes food and commissary equipment. Volunteers need to provide their own camping equipment and transportation to and from the trailhead but other than that everything is taken care of! Opportunities are available from Hawaii to Oregon to Utah - check the Wilderness Volunteers website for more details.
This kind of vacation is really right up my alley. I’m not a big fan of beach-type vacations where the main activity is sitting in a chair - I need to be more active than that which is why I love hiking and backpacking I suppose. I also get a real sense of pride from accomplishing something like an epic hike or even finishing a big home improvement project - an outdoor volunteer vacation could kill two birds with one stone! Plus it’s inexpensive… not a bad thing in this economy.
The author posing in front of a not-so-real volcano
Over at the Not So Serious blog James Blewitt writes about his hike to the top of a volcano in Guatemala called Santa Maria. James has some great photos from the trip and tells about the difficulty trekking up the steep slope leading to the crater. Hiking up to the top of a volcano seems like one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that every hiker should aspire to add to their hiking resumé.
The cool thing about hiking to the top of a volcano is that it’s pretty accessible to most folks - unlike climbing Everest or McKinley. The next time you’re in Hawaii you can head to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to get a glimpse of hot lava while hiking across hardened lava floes. You can also make the 11-mile Crater Rim trail which circles Kilauea’s summit caldera and includes views of the active volcano.
Hiking is all about exploring our planet and viewing an active volcano can be a great reason to lace up the hiking boots. Over the next few weeks I’ll be blogging about some other extreme hiking environments - stay tuned!
The point is, these types of trips generally require overnight accommodations, meals in restaurants, and ground transportation while many overnight hiking trips involve sleeping in tents, cooking under the stars, and keeping car trips to a minimum. So how much impact do hikers really have on a local economy?
