Archive for March, 2011


Understanding a Topo map (before you head out!)

HIKING BACKPACKING CAMPING CANOEING, whatever your choice for an outdoor recreational activity, a topographic map is a must-have in an outdoor adventurer’s toolkit. Topographic maps accurately represent, to scale, the earth’s features on a two dimensional surface. Every feature shown on topographic maps is where it actually is on the earth’s surface. A map represents [...]

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The Proper Way to Pack for a Five Day Trip

Anytime you go backpacking, packing properly is extremely important. However, the longer you plan to be away from civilization, the more important it becomes. On a one day trip, forgetting an item or two is often not a big deal-unless it’s something like a sleeping bag on a cold night or a tarp or tent [...]

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Staying Safe in Animal Country

Do you remember that scene in Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, when Snow White is lost in the forest and all the cute, cuddly forest animals come out to help her and comfort her? Do you ever wish your hiking trips could be like that? Well, too bad. Nature is not like a [...]

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Leave No Trace

Imagine this…you’ve hiked several miles into a remote wilderness area, and you have finally reached the end of trail. You know that over the next ridge there is a gorgeous waterfall. However, when you finally reach your destination, you are horrified to discover that the area is littered with beer cans, plastic bags, uneaten food, [...]

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Introducing Your Friends to Backpacking

Backpacking is an incredible hobby. You get to see some amazing things that you would never see if you stayed near the car, and it’s not at all unusual to want to share the experience with a close friend or a significant other. However, what seems easy to a seasoned backpacker can seem impossible to [...]

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How to Sleep on Cloud Nine All the Time

After a long, hard day of hiking, nothing beats sliding into a warm, comfortable sleeping bag, right? Well, unless you get cold, or there is nothing in between that large rock on the ground and the small of your back, or your sleeping bag doesn’t fit right…These conditions can make for a long night, as [...]

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How avoid food poisioning on your backpacking trip

I must admit, I fear food poisoning more than any other threat when I am outdoors.  I can control cold, heat or even an animal encounter but food is something I must put in my body and being miles or days away from a hospital or even a convenient store pharmacy does not sound very [...]

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First Aid on the Trail

One of the best things about hiking and backpacking is getting away from the noise, pressure and stress of the civilized world…as long as everything goes smoothly, that is. Accidents can happen no matter where you are, and if you get hurt on the trail you may start to wish that civilization were a little [...]

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Exercise values of a Hike

When you are out on the trail, have you ever wondered the effects hiking has on your body? Do you feel as if maybe you should be at the gym to boost your fitness level? Well, think again. Hiking may just be the best all around activity for fitness. First let us take a look [...]

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Backpacking Food: Beyond Noodles

The two most important characteristics of backpacking food are lightness and ease of preparation. After all, you have to carry everything you eat, and no one has patience to spend a lot of time on food preparation after a hard day of hiking. Sadly, this leads many backpackers to believe that their cooking choices are [...]

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