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Hiking Trails � Preserve Your Experiences

by: Richard Chapo

Hiking is a great way to escape the rat race, get out in nature and leave the stress of the world behind. Alas, your hiking experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a hiking journal.

Hiking Journals

Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent hiking experience. What sticks out in your mind? Who did you go with and were there any incredible views? Now think about the first time you ever went hiking. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with and the particular hiking routes. The experiences you�ve forgotten are lost to time. If you keep a hiking journal, this won�t be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank�s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your hiking experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good hiking journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact so you don�t have to lug extra weight around. Second, it should have a case to protect it from the elements. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went hiking with,

2. The length and difficulty of the hike,

3. Who you met and contact information for them,

4. The weather conditions,

5. Any unique things that occurred while hiking,

6. The routes you took on the hikes and alternatives you might want to try later.

7. Unique information about the particular hiking trail, and

8. Any inside information provided by locals or other climbers you met.

At the end of the hike, you should be able to get the following from your journal:

1. Contact information for other hikers you met,

2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a guide if you or they hike the location a second time.

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your friends, children and grandchildren.

To get the most out of your hiking journal, you should write in it just before you start, during breaks such as lunch and when you return. It is always interesting to see the different impressions you have before and after a hike as well as your mood changes as the hike progresses. On a miserably rainy day in winter, the journal will make for good reading

Hiking is a great way to commune with nature and spend a weekend. Make sure to preserve the experience with your hiking journal.

Rick Chapo is with Nomad Writing Journals. Hiking journals are the perfect Christmas gifts for him or her.

This article is free for republishing

Rick Chapo is with Nomad Travel Journals - makers of writing journals and BusinessTaxRecovery.com - recoverying overpaid business taxes for small businesses.

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Hiking Trails � Preserve Your Experiences

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Keys to Responsible Recreation in the BackCountry
by: Chuck Fitzgerald

Having a good time is pretty high on everyone�s to do list, especially when surrounded by awesome views and super-awesome friends. We hike, bike, climb, camp, raft, fish, hunt, four-wheel, sleep and eat � among other things � in the backcountry. If not done properly, that�s a lot of wear and tear on our natural resources. Responsible recreation ensures future outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as you have. Without a recreation code of ethics, our backcountry would become a thing of the past. Here are some universally agreed upon keys for having a good time � the right way.

-Take only pictures, leave only footprints. If you carry it in, carry it out. This will eliminate litter.

-Protect water sources from contamination. Use bio-degradable soap, or try hot water soap-less dishwashing, bathing and clothes washing. When using soap (even bio-degradable) and toothpaste, dispose of the wastewater at least 100 feet away from natural water sources, well or faucet water sources.

-Be a good neighbor - control your noise and your pets. Always keep your dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and away from public swimming areas. Barking and not cleaning up after pets leads to many complaints from other outdoor enthusiasts. Do not leave pets unattended.

-Be respectful of the natural environment � keep the trees and shrubs alive and growing. Nails and wires should not be used on trees because they can cause serious damage to trees. Burn damage will permanently scar or kill a tree.

-When hiking or biking, stay on designated trails. This keeps damage to vegetation and erosion in one place.

-Before leaving your campsite, clean your fire pit and your campsite. Make it as clean as you would want it if you were arriving that day. The next user will appreciate it.

Leave-No-Trace, www.lnt.org, offers the following Principles for Outdoor Ethics: Plan Ahead and Prepare, Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, Dispose of Waste Properly, Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors.

Here is the Tread Lightly!, www.treadlightly.org, pledge: Travel and recreate with minimum impact, Respect the environment and the rights of others, Educate yourself � plan and prepare before you go, Allow for future use of the outdoors � leave it better than you found it and Discover the rewards of responsible recreation.

Responsible recreation means having the common sense and the courtesy to enjoy the backcountry without spoiling someone else�s experience. Most outdoor enthusiasts understand this very well and spend a good deal of their time restoring, enhancing and conserving our backcountry. Have a good time when you�re outdoors, share these keys with your friends and use this information to Get It Right The First Time.

Get Outdoors!

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