Hiker Blog

Yeah, I'm into leather. Boots, that is. For alpine and desert hiking nothing beats the durability, breathability and comfort of tough animal hide covering your feet. via Lou Dawson's Backcountry Skiing Blog

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Asia, China

Bad news from the travel world today.

Clem Lindenmayer, 47, a seasoned Lonely Planet writer, was reported missing three months ago, after he had set out to climb Mount Gongga, in a remote area of south-west China. Last Thursday, villagers had found his dead body on a mountainside 4,600m (some 13,000ft) above sea level, The Independent reports.

Mr Lindenmayer was from Melbourne and spoke Mandarin, German and Spanish. He had helped to update guides to China, Malaysia, Germany and Sweden. Lonely Planet said he had "developed a special affection for the Swiss Alps". He was an experienced hiker, author of Trekking in the Patagonian Andes, published in 2003, and Walking in Switzerland.

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Asia, China

Bad news from the travel world today.

Clem Lindenmayer, 47, a seasoned Lonely Planet writer, was reported missing three months ago, after he had set out to climb Mount Gongga, in a remote area of south-west China. Last Thursday, villagers had found his dead body on a mountainside 4,600m (some 13,000ft) above sea level, The Independent reports.

Mr Lindenmayer was from Melbourne and spoke Mandarin, German and Spanish. He had helped to update guides to China, Malaysia, Germany and Sweden. Lonely Planet said he had "developed a special affection for the Swiss Alps". He was an experienced hiker, author of Trekking in the Patagonian Andes, published in 2003, and Walking in Switzerland.

Above: A long, difficult hike in -- but well worth the effort. Photo by Bret Bosma. via North Coast Journal Weekly Politics

Oh, the great outdoors. . . Summer is a great time to get the family together and enjoy nature. via Hampton Roads Daily Press

The Basics: approx. 9.4 miles roundtrip 2,150 feet elevation gain! Rocky Mountain National Park, Glacier Gorge trailhead From Metro Denver take Highway 36 to Boulder, through town to Lyons, through town to ... via KMGH-TV Denver

"It goes with the territory and you have to learn to cope with that"

Tom Howard woke up about 2 a.m. to his pager beeping one October morning. Three children and a mother were lost in a snowstorm at 12,000 feet near Aspen, he was told on the phone. via Vail Daily

Having a great pair of hiking socks is just as important as a solid pair of hiking boots . via Fitsugar

Whether you are just out for the day or backpacking for the week, these hiking tips are for you. via Buzzle.com

Filed under: Hiking, Learning, North America, United States

As gadling reader Caz noted in a comment on one of my creek wading posts, folks in California and parts of the Southwest are hard pressed to find a creek to wade in this time of year. Tidepooling was suggested as an option. After looking for tidepooling possibilities, I've discovered that tidepooling is for people who live on a coast--any coast, as wading is for people who live near creeks.

I've been tidepooling before, but not often since I've never lived on a coast. I was happy to be reminded of those times. The most memorable was near York, Maine. When my daughter was small we wandered along the places where the ocean had left pools of water when the tide went out. We wandered along the craggy edges of barnacle covered rocks looking for treasures in the seawater left behind. Maine is a terrific place for tidepooling. Here's a link to tidepooling at Acadia National Park. There is useful how tos and what to look for information. The tidepool in the photo posted by choirbell on Flickr is off the coast of Monterey, California along 17 Mile Drive.

Another place I found with tidepooling options is the Rouge River area of Oregon. According to the Web site, there are tidepooling activities for kids at Sunset Beach State Recreation site. There are also detailed descriptions of what you can find if you tidepool here.

If you're in Southern California, check out north of Torrey Pines State Reserve. This is one suggestion from the San Diego Natural History Museum. The museum lists several others.

If you do go tidepooling there are guidelines to follow. Here are the major ones.

1. Like with wading, wear closed-toed shoes.
2. Like with wading, watch your step and avoid slick rocks.
3. Don't turn your back on the ocean--big waves come when you least expect them.
4. Don't wade in the tidepools since you can do damage to the sea creatures there. Walk around the edges to do your observing.
5. If you find sea creatures under rocks and moss, make sure you recover them.
6. If you move anything living, put it back where you found it.
7. If you have a compulsion to pick up a live creature, don't pry it loose. You might do it harm.