Hiker Blog

Filed under: Hiking, Food, Gear, Camping

It looks like a flute, I know, but it's actually a compact camping/hiking grill called the Grilliput. When not in use, it's small enough to fit in your back pocket. Assemble it above a campfire, and you can easily cook a meal for four or more. The only downside I can find is you'd want to make sure the grate is completely clean before packing up, otherwise you might have some greasy leftovers seeping into your bag.

The Grilliput, $29 from REI. [via]

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Every parent knows that there is a buzz in the air before a child heads off to camp! While a child may be wondering what they will do at camp and who they will meet, parents are left to wonder what they will ... via Press & Sun-Bulletin

Filed under: Activism, Hiking

Here's a cool group project -- a mini-army of dedicated volunteers have come together to create a definitive map of the Continental Divide Trail that runs from Canada to Mexico through the Rocky Mountains, Great Basin Divide and New Mexico desert. There are, of course, maps in existence already, but a number of discrepancies exist and none of them have been declared authoritative.

So, back in February, Backpacker Magazine editor-in-chief Jonathan Dorn called on hikers to help the Continental Divide Trail Alliance and federal agencies tackle a massive undertaking--to give this King of Trails an official map. Over 3,000 willing folks applied to help, and 300 volunteers where chosen.

There's a blog where you can follow along with their progress. At this point, almost 300 miles of the 3,100 mile trail have been reviewed. There are 52 teams assigned to different lengths of the trail, some have been at it since April, and the work will continue through September. They'll be snapping photos, producing video and plotting points of interest for the entire length of the trail.

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Filed under: Activism, Hiking

Here's a cool group project -- a mini-army of dedicated volunteers have come together to create a definitive map of the Continental Divide Trail that runs from Canada to Mexico through the Rocky Mountains, Great Basin Divide and New Mexico desert. There are, of course, maps in existence already, but a number of discrepancies exist and none of them have been declared authoritative.

So, back in February, Backpacker Magazine editor-in-chief Jonathan Dorn called on hikers to help the Continental Divide Trail Alliance and federal agencies tackle a massive undertaking--to give this King of Trails an official map. Over 3,000 willing folks applied to help, and 300 volunteers where chosen.

There's a blog where you can follow along with their progress. At this point, almost 300 miles of the 3,100 mile trail have been reviewed. There are 52 teams assigned to different lengths of the trail, some have been at it since April, and the work will continue through September. They'll be snapping photos, producing video and plotting points of interest for the entire length of the trail.

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"What questions do you have about what we've discussed to this point?"

Editor's note: This is the second part of a three-part series In the first part of this series, we looked at preparing properly, packing light and taking good care of one's feet out on the western Carolina ... via Charleston Business Journal

"We thought they went off camping with a rucksack. But in fact their behaviour is comparable to that of older people."

The spirit of adventure has deserted young British travellers, who are lazier and less adventurous than their French and German counterparts, according to a new study. via Times Online

"In some places, there are these 'social trails' people build by wandering off the route, and if you follow one of those you might get stuck."

This could have recounted a tale of hiking the Gunnison Point Trail from the south rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and fishing the stonefly hatch on the Gunnison River. via The Daily Sentinel

Filed under: Activism, Biking, Climbing, Hiking, History, Learning, Podcasts, Stories, North America

One of my favorite Web sites about the National Parks, National Parks Traveler, has received both a face and content lift, and I highly recommend you give it a spin. It is lovely and they have a much more sensible web address now.

NPT is run by the ever-diligent, park-loving Kurt Repanshek who has done a stellar job over the years bringing to light issues and developments within our nation's national parks. Seems he has teams up with the folks that do Park Remark to create a fantastic new site dedicated to the parks.

I wax rhapsodic about the parks frequently here because I deeply believe they are the crown jewels of our national heritage. We should all thank Teddy Roosevelt for having the foresight all those years ago to set off Yellowstone as a place that would be protected from development and where all Americans (and others) would be welcome3 to enjoy. The parks are in peril...well, there is a large backlog of much-needed repairs, and it is our duty to pay attention to what is happening to them. Now, that said, I am a realist. My first job out of school (my first REAL Job...after being a photographer in Tahoe) was with the Department of the Interior, the government agency that contains the National Park Service. At that time, there was a serious backlog of repairs, a shortage of qualified rangers and various threats to the sanctity of the parks (i.e. snowmobile issues, planes over the Grand Canyon, etc.). So many of these issues are not new. Not that we shouldn't continue to pay attention, especially during these "difficult" years.

Anyway, I've given the new National Park Traveler a once-over and it is loaded with new features and lots of useful, interesting info. So I urge you, as we move swiftly into summer during which time your plans might include a trip here and there to the parks, to check it out.

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Filed under: Activism, Biking, Climbing, Hiking, History, Learning, Podcasts, Stories, North America

One of my favorite Web sites about the National Parks, National Parks Traveler, has received both a face and content lift, and I highly recommend you give it a spin. It is lovely and they have a much more sensible web address now.

NPT is run by the ever-diligent, park-loving Kurt Repanshek who has done a stellar job over the years bringing to light issues and developments within our nation's national parks. Seems he has teams up with the folks that do Park Remark to create a fantastic new site dedicated to the parks.

I wax rhapsodic about the parks frequently here because I deeply believe they are the crown jewels of our national heritage. We should all thank Teddy Roosevelt for having the foresight all those years ago to set off Yellowstone as a place that would be protected from development and where all Americans (and others) would be welcome3 to enjoy. The parks are in peril...well, there is a large backlog of much-needed repairs, and it is our duty to pay attention to what is happening to them. Now, that said, I am a realist. My first job out of school (my first REAL Job...after being a photographer in Tahoe) was with the Department of the Interior, the government agency that contains the National Park Service. At that time, there was a serious backlog of repairs, a shortage of qualified rangers and various threats to the sanctity of the parks (i.e. snowmobile issues, planes over the Grand Canyon, etc.). So many of these issues are not new. Not that we shouldn't continue to pay attention, especially during these "difficult" years.

Anyway, I've given the new National Park Traveler a once-over and it is loaded with new features and lots of useful, interesting info. So I urge you, as we move swiftly into summer during which time your plans might include a trip here and there to the parks, to check it out.

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With their classic designs, rugged construction, and long-haul confort; these all-leather midweights will take you most places you want to go. via Backpacker