An informative article by Renee "She-ra" Patrick (co-ordinator of the Oregon Desert Trail) about the differences between hiking routes and trails. This is the first instalment of a two part series that She-ra did for "The Summit Register", MSR - Mountain Safety Research's excellent blog.
Monsoon season is just around the corner in the southwestern United States. That means plenty of thunderstorms. However, when it comes to hiking in lightning-prone areas, most problems can be avoided by planning ahead, staying alert to changing weather conditions, and knowing what to do if you are caught in a storm.
~ Hiking Colorado, Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Pacific Crest Trail Association, ColoradoHiking.org, ALDHA-West (American Long Distance Hiking Association West) ~
Word of the day: "Maeinschein" - the green-gold sunlight that falls through the young leaves of trees & woods in spring/May.
(literally "May-light", "May-shine"; German, poetic).
"For the first time, National Geographic has compiled a digital archive of its entire editorial cartography collection — every map ever published in the magazine since the first issue in October 1888."
For a lifelong maphead and Nat Geo fan this is pretty amazing news!
The TGO Challenge begins today. Established in 1980, it's an annual backpacking event that requires participants to hike coast-to-coast across Scotland on a route that they themselves have designed. Here's the skinny from the folks at TGO Magazine.
The Hiking Life shared Chill Nature's post.
A knee-wobbling, bum-puckering 4600 ft (1402 m) high glass walkway around Tianmen mountain. From the look of this photo, I'm thinking the folks in charge aren't big on staggered entries.
Step-by-step instructions on how to clean your tent (1:51).
~ REI ~
The Hiking Life shared a post.
A well pitched tent, a lonely moor, a meandering creek, and a crimson sunset. The Hiking Life.
Last night of a recent 3 day trip up and over the Munros in the Cairngorms Scotland
An informative step-by-step guide to repairing shoes while on trail.
A 50 km (31 mi) hike along Northern Ireland's incredible Causeway Coast.
~ Tourism Ireland, Get Ireland Walking, The Giant's Causeway, Bushmills Irish Whiskey UK ~
The Hiking Life shared Backpacker Magazine's post.
"The more I hiked, the more I saw that, mile after mile, night after night, nothing bad happened. The vigilance that kept me up at night stirring with every sound quickly seemed unnecessary. My concerns about hiking solo were similar to those of a teenager learning to drive a car: Those first miles are exciting and scary, and then it becomes normal and routine."
An overview of preventative techniques and on-trail treatment tips.
~ Pacific Crest Trail Association, Appalachian Trail Conservancy ~
"We hiked in cotton clothing, slept terribly, and didn’t know shit about anything. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken, and the crappiest outdoor gear I’ve ever used."
~ Semi-Rad
"I realized there is nothing particularly outdoorsy about neglecting basic hygiene. A simple sponge off with an actual sponge or a bandana with even just water in particular areas helps prevent helps prevent chafing, rashes, infections, and blisters. "
