relax outside!

ABC News in Phoenix Arizona has an excellent report on hiking in extreme temperatures. While few of us will ever have to worry about the sort of temperatures Phoenix sees in the summer, it's important to prepare for what is considered hot for your area. If you're used to hiking in mild weather, any increase can tax your system.

A couple of the tips from the article were new to me, and are key to successfully planning a hike in hot weather: Start hydrating at least 24 hours before you start hiking, and if your body stops sweating while hiking, that's an important sign that dehydration has begun.

Click the link above to read the story on the site, or watch the video. Well worth it!

See full article.

Related Entries:

Fit To Hike - 04 May 2008

Ruffing It: Trail gear for your dog - 20 May 2008

National Trails Day 2008 - 06 June 2008

Best place to hike in the US - 14 June 2008

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(original article)

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post, Best Place To Hike In The US. I have to admit, there were a few I'd never thought of, but they seem really exciting. Some of the places that came up:

• Rocky Mountain National Park
• White Mountains in New Hampshire (ok, that was mine)
• Yosemite
• Big Bend
• Alaska (this one really got me thinking!)

I want to take a closer look at all of these, so over the next week or so, we'll see what kind of adventures these places and hikes offer, not only for hiking, but for other summer sports like rafting, camping, cycling and other outdoors pursuits.

Still welcome any further suggestions!!

See full article.

Related Entries:

Montana’s Glacier National Park - 12 October 2006

Hiking the National Parks - 30 April 2007

The Best of the National Parks - 27 May 2007

National Trails Day 2008 - 06 June 2008

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(original article)

Looks like an amazing opportunity to save some cash on camping & outdoor gear. Here are the specifics of the CampSaver.com 4th Anniversary sale, valid not through July 4th. Better be quick on this one, stuff is flying out the door with this retailer…

The CampSaver.com 4th Anniversary Sale just started, and we’ve already seen orders spike 520%! Over 2000 products are on sale from brands like Mountain Hardwear, MSR, Thermarest, Big Agnes and more. Our homepage lists a few door busters including:

• Golite Den 2 Shelter $70 - MSRP is $200
• Black Diamond HiLight Tent $237.30 - MSRP $339
• Leki Super Makalu Trekking Poles $90 - MSRP $140
• Golite Phantasm GoreTex PacLite Jacket $125.97 - MSRP $180

No coupon code necessary. To get started just click the banner below, or the links above, and shop away.

(original article)

Moosejaw emailed us and said they are offering a coupon that’s valid for 20% off one item. This is going to be an active promotion until June 29th. Pretty substantial savings. And the more you spend, the more you’ll save. Details:

We have a great offer….Until June 29th receive 20% off any one item. Some brands are excluded but most products will qualify. To redeem enter code 200 in the shopping cart.

Click the banner below and shop away, just add 200 as the coupon code and you’ll save 20% on one item.

(original article)

Dogfunk.com has started their 4th of July sale already. Don’t miss out on the great savings available right now. Winter’s a ways off but nowz the time to gear up, that is if you’re into saving money. Here’s the email we got verbatim:

Ladies and Gents,
Another killer sale from Dogfunk.com….The 4th Of July Redneck Special Sale starts today and continues through July 4th. Dig on over 5,000 items at up to 40% off from brands like Volcom, Reef, Roxy, DC and Element…

(original article)

Crap loads of coupons, specials, summer deals and major summer sales are rolling out for all the top outdoor gear retailers online. Here’s yet another from Peter Glenn Ski & Sports:

Get a Free $20 Gift Card with any Spy Or Smith Sunglasses Purchase Of $100 or More! Use Coupon Code: sggc0608 at check out.

Brand Pages: Spy, Smith

Hurry! Offer valid through June 29th only…

(original article)

YO. More from Rock/Creek. There are a lot of outdoor gear brand name products (from The North Face, Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, more…) there offer killer savings right now. Check them out below. Links available so have at it:

Deals from…

• The North Face
• Marmot
• Montrail- Odyssey Shoe
• Mountain Hardwear Winter Closeouts
• Sanuk- Select Styles On Sale Now
• Chaco Sandals
• Yakima Racks & Accessories
• Keen- Select Styles

(original article)

There is a rare purchase-wide coupon that’s active right now for Teva…valid through June 30th.

Get $15 off orders of $10 using coupon code TevaSummer08 at checkout. There is also a free shipping coupon (code TSummerShip) that’s also valid through June 30th. Click the links below and use the respective coupon codes when you check out.

• Shop direct from Teva.com for $15 off $100 or more with code TevaSummer08, valid through 6/30.
  
• Get Free shipping direct from Teva.com on orders of $30 or more with code TSummerShip, valid through 6/30.
  

(original article)

In a continued commitment to offer low impact access to the outdoors, Rock/Creek, in conjunction with Patagonia, announces a $3,100 donation to the Lula Lake Land Trust. The grant money supports a growing network of trails aimed at linking the Land Trust’s protected land with Cloudland Canyon State Park.

Adelaide Bratcher, Development Head for the Lula Lake Land Trust: “The Lula Lake Land Trust is fortunate to work with Patagonia and Rock/Creek because of the dedication shown by these two businesses to this organization. Without the help of Patagonia and Rock/Creek, new trails, accessibility to the public, and events like this upcoming trail run would be impossible. We at Lula Lake, cannot thank Patagonia and Rock/Creek enough.”

To date, Rock/Creek and Patagonia have donated $9,225 to the Lula Lake Land Trust’s efforts.

Grant awards are not the only method by which Rock/Creek supports the Land Trust. Rock/Creek further assists the non-profit organization by working directly on the trail system. Members from The Boonies and Rock/Creek employees take weekly trail building trips to the area. Once completed, the High Point and Cloudland Canyon Connector trails will open up 1000 acres of pristine public land to low impact recreational uses.

Please see Rock/Creek Outfitters’ environmental statement for more details on the company’s commitment to responsible outdoor recreation. http://www.rockcreek.com/customer_service/environmental.asp

For photos from Lula Lake Land Trust, see Rock/Creek’s flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockcreek/sets/72157594240850537/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing.

(original article)

I have a bit of a quandary, and hopefully some out there in the blogosphere can help me out. I'm looking to take a hiking vacation in the fall, likely in mid to late September. I was particularly sold on Utah, specifically Moab, but as I look around a little more, I see some truly amazing hiking and camping spots in Colorado. Then my inner traveler points out that since I live close to the Rocky Mountains, perhaps I should spread my wings a little and try hiking elsewhere…. Virginia perhaps? New England?

If you could hike anywhere in the US or Canada, where would you go, and why. Plus, let's assume money is a bit of an issue, so maybe no spendy hiking trips to Hawaii (though I have hiked there and it was amazing).

Suggestions?

See full article.

Related Entries:

Hiking at China Camp State Park - 08 January 2006

Hiking the National Parks - 30 April 2007

Seventh Grader Finds 2.93 Carat Diamond - 25 June 2007

Fit To Hike - 04 May 2008

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(original article)

After a week of some pretty rough weather around the continent (both too hot and too rainy), thought I'd throw some link love out. Here's some of the best outdoors posts found in the blogosphere the past month or so:

Sierra Trading Post's blog has a great read of important safety tips to consider when hiking outdoors. Even (or maybe especially) in summer, sudden weather changes can leave us in trouble, and no matter what part of the world you're hiking in, it's best to know what types of weather you might encounter. Check out Mt. Rainer Tragedy Reminds Us To Be Prepared (especially helpful is the section on being caught in a lightning storm).

Speaking of lightning, ever tried to start a campfire in the pouring rain? Mungo Says Bah! talks us through the secrets of starting a fire when the world around you is soaking wet in How To Start a Campfire in Wet Weather - and Pictures of Lightning.

From last month, but still a great read, the Camera-Trap Codger writes about what happens when your camera trap is discovered by a large, thoroughly annoyed bear. The photo of just the bear's eye is especially impressive. Camera Trap Codger: Back on the mountain

Finally, SectionHiker lists their current lineup of gear in Gear List: Long Trail Section Two. Focusing on lightweight gear, this list comes in at an astonishingly light 12.2 pounds, not counting food and water. When you see how much gear that actually entails, your jaw will drop.

See full article.

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Link Spamming : What its about and why to avoid - 17 February 2008

Bootstrapping link love GUARANTEED! - 20 April 2008

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(original article)

The guys from Primal Quest 2008 dropped me a line a couple of weeks ago and I felt compelled to see what they were up to.

Turns out they're up to 10 days of mountain biking, climbing, trail running, paddling, orienteering, and so much more that I'm too intimidated to list them all. This takes place over 500 miles, all in the beautiful state of Montana.

Primal Quest is an annual adventure/endurance race now in its 5th year. Teams of 4 will compete to see who can complete the course first, testing their endurance, strategy and basic survival. This year the race is from June 21 to July 2.

The competition can be tracked through Spot, the GPS safety tracking device I reviewed here a couple of weeks ago.

For more info, visit the official Primal Quest site.

See full article.

Related Entries:

The Great Divide Race Has Begun - 20 June 2007

Outdoor News Update: Mountain Biking and Climbing - 11 July 2007

Climbing Kilimanjaro - 22 January 2008

Adventure Racing auf Grönland - 27 April 2008

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(original article)

Between bears attacking and cougars stalking, it never really occurs to most outdoor enthusiasts there could be danger from the herbivores that co-habit the trail. The reality is, between the spring rutting season and the spring calving season, most elk are extremely sensitive to humans and protective of their young.

I'm pretty prepared for what to do if we surprise a bear on the trail, and I know the signs a cougar might be in the area, but until I read this piece in the Rocky Mountain Outlook of Canmore/Banff, Alberta, Residents urged to be on alert for elk with calves, I'd never thought about aggressive elk and what I would do.

The article includes ways to spot aggressive elk gestures (including grinding teeth, raised hair and staring), and what to look for in an elk herd (female elk with newborn calves tend to isolate themselves from the herd, so if you spot a solo female elk on the trail, odds are good there's a newborn nearby), and what to do if they charge you (climb a tree, appear big, maintain eye contact). Please take a look if you're going to be near elk herds this spring.

Technorati Profile

See full article.

Related Entries:

The Best of Oahu’s Hiking Trails - 26 June 2007

Alaska Sherrifs Issue Warnings to ATV Riders - 30 January 2008

Ruffing It: Trail gear for your dog - 20 May 2008

National Trails Day 2008 - 06 June 2008

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(original article)

Circle June 7th on your calendar and get the hiking boots and backpacks ready to rock, National Trails Day is this weekend!

Outdoor enthusiasts hardly need a reason to take off to nearby woods, mountains or canyons, but increased awareness in the American Hiking Society and the millions of miles of trails around the United States is always a good thing.

This year the AHS is bringing exhibits, workshops and dedications to a number of trails throughout the nation. Everyone from equestrian groups, to cyclists, to hiking parties are involved, and some locations will have gear demos sponsored by your favorite suppliers.

For more info, and a list of the sponsored events by state, go to the American Hiking Society's website.

And if anyone gets out to any AHS events, drop by and let us know how it went!

See full article.

Related Entries:

Hiking the National Parks - 30 April 2007

The Best of Oahu’s Hiking Trails - 26 June 2007

Vermont’s Hiking Trails - 21 August 2007

Ruffing It: Trail gear for your dog - 20 May 2008

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(original article)

This pretty sweet camera bag/day pack/torso pack from Kata has been mentioned on a few blogs this week, and there's an excellent review over at Trailspotting (a pretty cool blog I just discovered today - I'll be back for more).

I've wanted to pick up a decent SLR camera for the hiking trail for some time now, and besides the money, the only thing really stopping me is wondering how I'd pack it on the trail. Between the weight and the fact I'm not big on trashing expensive cameras, it just didn't seem practical. Seeing this concept for a bag, with easy access, nice weight distribution, and super protection… well, I might start looking at that nice Canon Rebel after all….

More info at Kata's site:Kata-Bags

See full article.

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Review of the Kata T-212 Torso Pack and the W-92 Waist Pack - 18 July 2005

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Get A Great Deal On A Slightly Old New Camera - 30 April 2008

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(original article)