The town of Bryson City is located at the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is a very popular destination for tourists and natives alike because the town is completely encircled by mountains and many of the National Park trails are easily accessible from town. There is one area near Bryson City called Deep Creek and it is one of my favorite places. There are multiple hiking trails, three waterfalls, natural swimming holes, and the main attraction – whitewater tubing on Deep Creek.

During my summer vacation I decided to hike the Deep Creek Loop – a fairly easy, mostly level, 4-mile long loop that starts out on Deep Creek Trail, parallel to Deep Creek. The loop takes you over Deep Creek and onto the Loop Trail, over another bridge and onto Indian Creek Trail, then back to your starting point. The bridges over the two creeks provide excellent views over the water. There are also two waterfalls on the trail – Indian Creek Falls and Tom Branch Falls.

Deep Creek Trail

The hiking here was different than most of the secluded hiking trails I’m used to. There was no shortage of people enjoying this beautiful place – families with children, couples, and groups of teenagers everywhere. Many people were taking a hike or biking on one of the multi-use trails. And there were just as many people in the water taking a trip down Deep Creek as there were on the trail!

The tubers seemed to be having lots of fun but the idea of getting propelled down a rapidly rushing body of cold water sent shivers down my spine. I started going up the trail but began having second thoughts about deciding not to try tubing. Everyone was carrying a tube and it made me feel like I was missing something. I was only about 5 minutes up the trail and could already hear people in the water laughing and screaming with excitement. I was still terrified about tubing but it was something I just had to try. I started asking people where they got their tubes and how much it would cost and then turned around and walked straight back to the car.

So an hour later I was driving 10 mph, holding onto a rental tube thrown on top of my car. I got back to the parking area, grabbed my tube and started hiking once again up Deep Creek Trail. It was a flat uphill climb with a canopy of trees above, a steep hill to the right and Deep Creek running alongside on the left. Wherever there was a break in the trees I could see the creek and the people on their tubes floating downstream quickly. I heard several screams on the hike up the trail and then came to a point where I could see what all the commotion was about. There was a spot on the creek that had what looked like a 3-foot drop where you could easily go down at the wrong angle and flip over into the water.

At this point I had butterflies in my stomach and considered going back and admitting defeat. But my curiosity and sense of adventure made me keep going up the trail. After about 20 minutes of walking uphill I came to the final drop-in point. It was either now or never. I took off my flip flops and tied them to the inner tube handle with a ripped plastic bag. I didn’t bring any water shoes so this was the only way to keep my flip flops with me while I traveled downstream. I got in the creek and even though it was summertime, the water was freezing. I stood there for a minute and watched young children all around me hopping on their tubes and taking off. I decided that if they could do it, then I could too.

Deep Creek above the tubing drop in point

I wriggled up on my tube, grabbed onto the handles, relinquished all control of what was about to happen, and let the creek take me. I had been tubing before but only in Florida and this was a completely different experience. The cold water was splashing up on me from every angle. I was traveling at what felt like 90 mph, and every upcoming rock looked like it could be the death of me. Before long I could see the horrifying 3-foot drop that had been taunting me for the past 15 minutes. I held my breath and hoped for the best. It felt like being on a roller coaster ride, but I survived unscathed. I floated on down the creek and just when I thought I was safe I noticed a very long branch jutting out over the creek hanging only about 18” above the water. I had to grab on to the branch and bend backwards to make it under.

Tom Branch Falls

After that I was ok for a few seconds, until I went over a big rock and got catapulted out of the tube. It was very hard trying to stand up in the rushing water, while reaching for my runaway tube. I kept getting knocked down and my legs got scratched on the rocks under the water. Finally, I reached my tube, hopped back on and drifted along on the now calmer water.

When I reached the exit point I grabbed the tube, got out of the water, and started the hike back up the trail for a second test at fate. I was scratched up and shivering from the cold water but the sheer adrenaline rush had me begging for more. I couldn’t believe how scared I was to do something that ended up being so much fun. I always look back on this day as being one of the most exhilarating days I’ve spent out on a trail. What could have been just another ordinary hike turned out to be so much more.  I hiked up Deep Creek Trail by foot and got carried back down via whitewater tubing on the creek!

Earlier this month our family took a vacation out to Portland, OR for our first trip to the Pacific Northwest. And while the weather was predictably mixed between rain and sun, we had a blast and managed to see a lot. It’s amazing to think that we just barely scratched the surface over 7 days!

Mt. St. Helens

On Sunday the skies were mostly clear so we hopped across the Oregon border into Washington and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Our goal: to get as close as possible to Mt. St. Helens. Since it was fairly early in the season, many of the higher elevation roads were closed due to snow but we did manage to get some great views of the snow-covered peak along the way.

We stopped off at Ape Cave and hiked in to see the entrance to the cavern (we didn’t have a flashlight with us so we didn’t even make it to the first set of steel steps). From the lower entrance of the cave we hiked above ground toward the upper entrance and stopped to play on the exposed lava flows.

Back at the parking lot the small ranger office was open and we saw that we could rent a gas lantern for just $5 so it was back to the cave! Since we were carrying a two year old we opted for the easier lower cave route and made it almost all the way to the dead end about half a mile in. It was surprisingly cold and wet inside the cave – about 42 degrees. Most of the caves I’ve been in east of the Mississippi are much warmer (closer to 60 degrees year round).

Multnomah Falls

We stopped off at the Multnomah Falls on our way back to Portland from Mt. St. Helens and were shocked to see so many tourists out (we only saw a few folks at Ape Cave and on the road in GP National Forest). The falls were beautiful but honestly we could have skipped this one without missing much.

Cape Meares

On Tuesday we drove to Tillamook for the tour of the famous cheese factory then drove about 15 minutes west to Cape Meares State Park. Despite the overcast skies the ocean and beach we found were amazing and once again we had the place practically to ourselves.

From the beach we drove up to see the lighthouse which was interesting but the views from the rocky cliffs were the real attraction. We also took a short hike to see the Octopus Tree, a conifer that’s very old and that no one knows for sure how it grew the way it did.

Mt. Hood

On Wednesday we drove out to Mount Hood where I went for a short (and wet!) mountain bike ride on the Sandy Ridge trails. Afterward we had a picnic lunch at Wildwood Recreation Site. Wildwood has tons of covered picnic tables and easy walking paths along the Salmon River. There’s even a “streamwatch” – a glass panel beside the stream that lets you see what’s going on below the surface of the water. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see any fish but apparently this is a great spot for watching salmon in season!

From Wildwood we drove up to Timberline Lodge and as we approached the historic property it started snowing! At the parking lot it was a full on snow shower and we were amazed to be surrounded by snow covered slopes. The wind was blowing and we definitely weren’t dressed for the conditions (I was still in wet shorts from biking) so we snapped a few pics and headed back down the mountain.

Tillamook State Forest & Forest Park

On Thursday morning I got out on the bike again and rode in the Browns Camp area in Tillamook State Forest. The weather was great and the trails were mostly peaceful (aside from the sound of dirt bikes and ATVs buzzing around on the ORV trails). After a while the dense forest started to feel like the ones I’m familiar with here in Georgia – just with more moss and ferns.

In the afternoon we took a hike in Portland’s Forest Park which is the largest forested city park in the US. Looking at the map we just barely scratched the surface of this place and around every corner we were slack-jawed at the trees and plants around us.

The area around Portland, OR is full of outdoor recreation opportunities and a full week wasn’t nearly enough time to explore everything. We’ll definitely be back to this part of the country again!

Have you been hiking or camping in Oregon or Washington? Tell us about your favorite spot!

At Outdoor Retailer we got a sneak peek at Columbia Sportswear‘s 2011 line of Bug Shield™ clothing which almost sounds too good to be true. While Columbia may not be the first to integrate insect repellent into clothing, they do claim to be the first to offer a full bug-protection outfit from socks to pants to shirts.

Apparently Bug Shield is so new that Columbia hasn’t provided a ton of info about the technology beyond what we found in the 2011 press kit:

This synthetic version of a natural insect protection found in certain types of flowers turns clothing into long-lasting and effective insect protection. Insect Blocker keeps bugs at bay so you can enjoy the Greater Outdoors in peace.

We’ll keep digging to find out more (like how many wash cycles it lasts, how effective it is, etc.). Here’s a video talking about a women’s outdoor shirt that features Bug Shield™.

Columbia is also introducing a set of water shoes that sounds like a great alternative to open-toed sandals and Croc-like water shoes. The idea came from seeing fisherman in Florida who used water-logged, old tennis shoes out on the water (and who probably suffered from chronic cases of trench-foot).

The Drainmaker offers great traction on wet surfaces and features a fully drainable midsole (!) to flush out water. The mesh upper is ventilated, durable, and quick drying – everything you’d want in a water shoe. We’d love to try these whitewater rafting out on the river! Video below.

Earlier this month we traveled to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer trade show and came across a ton of new camping and hiking products to share.

The geomate.jr is a simple, kid-friendly GPS unit that’s designed to make geocaching easy (based on the logo we suspect the geocaching.com folks are heavily involved in this product). The device comes pre-loaded with 250,000 geocaches in all 50 US states so it’s ready to go right out of the box. The simple interface shows an arrow and distance-to-cache plus info about the cache itself (terrain, difficulty, size).

Beyond geocaching this GPS device also allows you to set a waypoint and navigate back to that point, perfect for finding your way back to the car after a geocache adventure. There’s also a latitude and longitude display, though we’re not really sure how useful this is to most kids (or even adults for that matter). Two AAA batteries power the GPS for approximately 18 hours.

Perhaps the most kid-friendly thing about the geomate.jr is its pricetag: $69.95. For an additional $24.95 you can update your device with the latest geocaches PLUS create your own geocaches. Now you don’t have to worry about the kids losing or trashing the family GPS! Check out the video preview below.

Photo of El Capitan I took a few years back using a simple Canon Powershot S45.

This summer Canon will be hosting free photography classes in select National Parks where visitors can even test the latest and greatest photography equipment. Along with the classes, Canon is also holding a photography contest with prizes including photography equipment (natch) and free trips to National Parks.

Photography sessions are held twice daily at the parks with an evening presentation as well. In June Canon will be at Yosemite; Grand Canyon in July; and Yellowstone and Acadia in August. Even if you can’t make it out to one of the free sessions, Canon has some photo tips posted online, along with more information about the program.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Via Singletracks Mountain Bike Blog via Wired Blog.

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!

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!

The Louisiana state Wildlife and Fisheries department will be hosting a workshop called “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” March 20-22 and registration for the 125 slots is currently open. We’ve heard about plenty of outdoor programs geared toward introducing women to things like hiking, camping, and even rock climbing but this program also covers topics such as “bucks and does, shotgun, rifle, archery, (and) fly-fishing.” Additional topics covered by the workshop include canoeing, camping, archery, horseback riding, fishing, boating/trailering, map and compass skills, outdoor photography and camp cooking.

Somehow I suspect this course was designed by men looking to get their wives interested in outdoor activities and not by women trying to help each other out (though I could be completely wrong). My wife was involved in a program she enjoyed called Girls Adventure Out (now know as simply Adventure Out) in the San Francisco bay area that organized clinics on surfing and mountain biking in addition to the regular outdoor stuff like camping and hiking. Learning outdoor skills with a group of women can be less intimidating for some so check your local area for similar programs.

The Ozark Society’s Highlands chapter will lead an organized Christmas Day hike at the Lake Wilson trail in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The hike will be an easy one, just 2.5 miles, perfect for the whole family plus it starts at 1:30pm which means plenty of time to open presents beforehand. This seems like a great tradition and it’s the perfect opportunity to test out all the new hiking gadgets you get from Santa

Speaking of Santa, the big guy himself was spotted outside San Luis Obispo doing a little rock climbing last week. We even spotted him out on the mountain bike trail as well, who knew Santa was such an extreme sports nut?

Tribune photo by Joe Johnston (SanLuisObispo.com)

Finally, for those in the Fayetteville, AR area, the Ozark Society will also be hosting a New Year’s Eve campout, another great excuse to get outdoors and use your new camping gear during the holidays!

Sometimes the hardest part about getting out for a winter hike is opening the front door to brave the elements but hikers in Idaho have another worry: downhill skiers. Sawtooth National Forest officials are warning snow-shoers and hikers on Bald Mountain to watch out for downhill skiers enjoying the fresh powder slopes. Officials recommend hikers make it up the mountain before 9am when lifts open or after 4:30pm when the lifts close for the day.

As a downhill skier myself, this brings up an interesting point some may not be aware of: lift tickets aren’t usually required to use a ski area unless you plan on riding the lift. Since most western and many eastern ski areas are located on National Forest land, resort operators can’t legally limit access to the slopes themselves – only to the manmade equipment (i.e. lifts). So, if you’re feeling strong and are looking to save some cash you can walk up the slopes with your skis or snowboard and enjoy a complementary downhill run on the US government. Of course it will probably take 50 times longer to go up than it will to go down and even the most fit hikers won’t be able to get in more than 2-3 runs in a day but hey, at least you’re outdoors!

You already know what a GPS can do for you in the car but what can you do with a GPS on the hiking trail? Plenty, and we’re here to help you get started!

First of all, it’s important to make a distinction between GPS units made for the car and those made for the trail. For hiking you’ll want a small, handheld unit that runs on AA or rechargeable batteries – after all, who wants to lug a car battery around the trail with them Seriously though, while it is possible to get some use out of your car navigation system on the trail, you’ll want to get a GPS made specifically for the outdoors if you plan on using it on a regular basis. Garmin has several outdoor series GPS units including the eTrex, GPSMap, Geko, and now the new Oregon and Colorado series. From Magellan the Triton and eXplorist series are good outdoor choices and DeLorme is even getting in on the game with its Earthmate PN series.

No matter which outdoor GPS you choose for hiking, here are the things you can expect to do (at a minimum) with your GPS on the trail:

• Track distance, time, and speed. It’s always good to know how far you’ve been and how far you have to go on the trail and a GPS can help you out big time. Imagine the trailhead sign says it’s 4 miles to the scenic overlook – you can use your GPS to tell you exactly how far you’ve been. Speed is another good thing to know – if you’ve moving at 3 miles per hour, you’ll get to that overlook 1 hour and 20 minutes after you start the trail!
• Mark cool stuff for your next trip. Every GPS allows you to mark waypoints along the trail that you can label for quick reference the next time you’re out. Mark the position of that gnarly looking pine tree on the side of the trail so you can point it to your friend the next time you’re hiking. Or, mark the location where you parked your car in case you forget
• Map where you’ve been. Basic GPS units may not be able to show you where you’re going but every GPS we’ve used at least shows where you’ve been. At first glance this might not seem helpful but I’m here to tell you this feature has saved me on more than one occasion. Once, while hiking Camelback in Phoenix, Paul and I found ourselves at the top of the hike when the sun went down. Hiking down what we thought was the trail we quickly realized we were heading in the wrong direction. Checking the GPS showed that we were off the original trail we hiked on the way up so we walked left to rejoin the correct route. On a mountain biking trip Leah and I got onto a trail that basically fizzled out and we needed to rejoin the dirt road we pedaled up on. The GPS revealed the road was a few hundred yards above us so we bushwacked our way back on track.
• Check your elevation. When hiking in the mountains, it’s often helpful to know how high you are and most GPS units can give you a good estimate of your elevation. A trail guide, for example, may tell you the peak is 12,280 feet high and your GPS can help you estimate how far you have to climb to reach the top. Some GPS units even plot your elevation as you go so you can view a profile of where you’ve already hiked.

These days hiking and outdoor GPS units are adding more features like color screens, advanced navigation, topo maps, and even integrated digital cameras. Pick up a GPS before your next outdoor adventure to make sure you stay on track! Read our outdoor GPS reviews right here on tripleblaze.com.

Host/Survivalist Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, reality television shows have come to dominate the cable network offerings and these days there are actually some pretty good ones for outdoor buffs like me. Sure Survivor was perhaps the first outdoor reality show but we’ve really come a long way since then (I promise!). Instead of contrived situations meant to produce conflict between participants, today’s most exciting outdoor television shows pit participants against nature.

In the Alaska Experiment (one of my new favorites) small groups are sent to live in the Alaska wilderness for the winter with little food and only basic supplies and shelter. Most of the participants have little outdoor training and have to figure out things like how to get clean water, how to dispose of human waste, and how to hunt for and store food for the extreme winter months. Weight loss, frustration, and fear grip the participants at times while at other times each marvels at the amazing beauty found in the last frontier.

Man vs. Wild is certainly a popular outdoor reality TV show and in big part it’s due to the show’s host, Bear Grylls. Grylls puts himself into extreme wilderness environments each week and shows viewers how to survive and find a way back to civilization. The show’s premise is very similar to Survivorman (which is, in my opinion, even more extreme since the host doesn’t even have a camera crew to bail him out of potentially dangerous situations) but Bear really makes the show entertaining to watch.

Finally there’s the Eco Challenge which is really just television coverage of an extreme adventure race held in scenic environments around the world each year. The Challenge is grueling, the outdoor environment harsh, and the course unforgiving which makes for great television drama. It seems like few teams actually complete the race within the pre-determined cut-off times and I usually find myself just rooting for anyone who can actually finish the race.

I’m sure there are other outdoor television show’s I’ve forgotten to mention and I’d love to hear any recommendations of other shows I might enjoy. Besides, on rainy or cold days sometimes just watching folks enjoy the outdoors is almost enough

If you’ve never heard about the 9-9-9 challenge, it goes something like this: eat 1 hot dog (with bun) and down 1 beer between the first pitch of each inning and the final out at the end of the inning. For mathematicians out there, successful completion of the challenge means participants will eat 9 hot dogs and drink 9 beers in the space of just a few hours.

Matt and his neighbor did the challenge last year and I must say I was intrigued. Matt was the record holder, making halfway though the 6th inning before “folding.” My goal was to make it over half way (through the 5th inning at least).

Nine of us showed for the challenge and Todd graciously donated the dogs and buns left over from his graduation party the weekend before. We each brought our own beverages and Matt decided to allow beverages other than beer (requirement: must be canned) for those of us who can’t hold our liquor. I decided to alternate between beer and canned lemonade and this turned out to be a wise decision.

After the second inning one of the participants, Eric, almost got caught with soda in his can following a double play and a quick end to the inning. After the fourth inning 4 were out and 5 of us remained. I made it through my 5th hot dog and drink and decided to call it quits – I was getting the sweats. Bob rocked steady through the 7th, then called it quits leaving just Kenny and our host, Matt.

Kenny showed no signs of slowing down and calmly downed his Nestea and hot dog within the first few minutes of the 8th inning. Matt struggled but stayed strong. After coming this far he was determined to finish! We decided that the true winner, should there be a tie for most innings completed, would be the man who finished his drink and hot dog the quickest in the 9th inning.

The first pitch of the 9th inning came and Kenny looked as if he were eating his first hot dog. Before we knew it, the contest was over – Kenny won. But Matt needed to finish the challenge and he decided to switch his routine up – dog first, then bun, then beer. Needless to say this only made things tougher but in the end, Matt did it. Unable to throw up, he spent the next 10 minutes with his head in a bucket trying to refund.

Based on nutritional information on the hot dog package, each inning packed a whopping 300 calories per dog/bun plus 60 to 160 calories per canned beverage (depending on whether it was light beer, beer, or soda). Kenny put away more than 300 grams of sugar and almost 3600 calories! It took me 2 days just to get my digestive system back on track but I’ll be back next year – ready to challenge the champ!

Paul and I decided to hit the Elena Gallegos mountain bike trail in Albuquerque since it came highly recommended from my buddy Mark Kittelson. After calling 5 or 6 bike shops in town, I found the one place that rented bikes: Northeast Cyclery. In fact, only one location of Northeast Cyclery rented bikes for $25 a day so we drove to the store around noon. Paul talked Chris into letting him ride Chris’s diamondback so I was the only one who needed to rent a bike. Twenty-five bucks seemed a bit steep but it was the only choice plus it was less than I remember paying in Marin to ride China Camp. I was hoping I could try out a sweet full suspension rig since I’m considering buying one this summer but I ended up with a piece of crap, heavy as lead Raleigh hard tail. Seriously this bike was one step above a $100 Wal-mart bike but I was determined to ride by this point.

The trails at Elena Gallegos are great and well worth the $1 per car entry fee ($2 per car on weekends). We headed out on FS Trail 365 and made a loop around the park using various numbered trails. At one point we came to an interesting rock pile obstacle and I demonstrated the correct line on the Raleigh. Paul followed, rode the pile perfectly, then endoed on the flat sand beyond the rock pile. Determined to land the obstacle cleanly, Paul decided (against my advice) to try again. This time the endo occurred on top of the rock pile and according to Paul was more painful than the first.

The weather was cool and windy and there was a fair amount of snow on the trails in the shady spots. I was very uncomfortable on the Raliegh for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the lack of clipless pedals (I asked the shop if they had any, they said no.) Next time I rent a bike I’ll have to remember to bring my own pedals (in addition to my helmet, shoes, gloves, etc.). Needless to say I was not impressed with Northeast Cyclery and would not recommend them to other mountain bikers. Elena Gallegos, on the other hand, gets two thumbs up.

After a relaxing Saturday of chorizo and egg burritos and catching up on email, we struck out around 3:30pm for Durango, CO. After initially missing our exit for US 550, we quickly got back on track and heading high into the desert. There was some snow in patches on the rocks around us and by the time we rolled into Durango around 8pm it was a full on snow shower. We ate and Scoot n’ Blues and were treated to some live music from a local jazz group. After dinner we checked into the Hampton Inn just as the pool and hot tub were closing for the night. Not that it really mattered anyway, we were planning on getting an early start on the slopes in the morning.

It ended up snowing all night and when we got down to our free breakfast around 7am there was almost a foot of new snow on the ground. Fortunately Paul’s Subaru has 4 wheel drive and we were able to quickly get on the road. The first ski rental place we hit in town was PACKED with high schoolers from Texas so we decided to head for Durango Mountain to rent our equipment there. The roads up to the mountain were pretty snowy and there was a good bit of traffic, including several idiots who felt it necessary to pass in the middle (unplowed) lane. Paul kept a steady course and we arrived in one piece.

The rental line at Durango Mountain went quickly, like a well oiled machine. While in line two men offered Paul and I lift tickets for $25 (retail $59) and we decided to bite. I was a bit nervous that the tickets might be counterfit but in the end they were legit. Chris returned the two tickets he had just purchased for us so it was all good. Paul and I ended up renting the “Performance ski” package for $32 and the skis were awesome and just what we needed for the 2+ feet of powder we encountered on the mountain. I’ve never skied that much powder and it definitely took some getting used to. Few of the trails were groomed and by the end of the day almost all the trails were “bumped.” It was a great chance to learn to ski powder and to find out why I need to buy new skis.