The Green Hiker

With the tag “Get Outdoors Wherever You Are”, the National Wildlife Federation’s Get Outside page sports the nifty Nature Find tool that allows you to find outdoor events and/or sites within one to 500 miles of any U.S. location.

Using Google Maps and a database of almost 30 site types including parks, aquariums, trails, and preserves, you can easily find a local destination no matter where you are in the country.

And you can filter your search to show only sites that include activities:  NWF events, camping, water sports, snow sports, cycling, walking, and nature events …. to name a few.

Check out my crude screen capture video to get a better flavor of this “you-have-no-excuse” Nature Find.

Nature Find Video

Now Go Outdoors!

The Big Agnes Salt Creek Recycled Tent earned Backpacker Magazine “Editors’ Choice 2009 Green Award”. This 2-person, three-season tent uses 100% recycled materials (including the reflective guy lines and plastic clips). Without any toxic dyes, this green tent is a somewhat shocking white.

The Salt Creek is not just some eco-friendly experiment or “paean to green”. You’ll want to pack this tent from windy Spring through chilling Fall. The Big Agnes is a 3-season camping workhorse. From the Backpacker Magazine’s review :

“Wind and rain whipped the Salt Creek on trips from high-alpine Colorado to the peaks of northern Wales, and everywhere the green construction proved both durable and weatherproof”.

Specs:

• Packed weight 6 lb 12 oz
• Floor area 36 sq ft
• Head height 38 in
• Single side door with vestibule
• Recycled zippers
• 2 mesh floor pockets
• Hub/pole design makes set up easy
• More specs and features
  

Click here for more info on this great Big Agnes Recycled Tent!

Now Go Outdoors!

Mountains Plus has a great  tent deal:  the Sierra Designs Sirius 3-person tent for $99. The only problem is that they can’t seem to keep this tent in stock.

With a pack weight of just over five pounds, this Sirius tent is ideal for your overnight hikes. It’s easy to set up and maintains its integrity in the windiest conditions. You may have to back order it though. Lots of  folks are taking advantage of this great tent offer.

Now Go Outdoors!

More and more people cut back on vacationing abroad during slow economic times. Many of these people find a great (and inexpensive) alternative closer to home in camping. If you don’t mind reconnecting with nature, then you should consider a camping trip for your next vacation.

Safe Camping

Camping can be great fun, but the basics are often overlooked. Follow these 6 basic camping tips and you’re in for a fun camping trip!

Inform someone of your plans – An accident in the middle of nowhere can turn out really bad if nobody knows where you are, or that you’re missing in the first place. “Jimmy wasn’t at Karate today? He’s probably out sick” – meanwhile Jimmy broke 2 legs in the middle of nowhere with no rescue in sight.

Extra Clothing – If you’ve ever experienced hypothermia you know how horrible it is. You can get it very easily by running around in wet clothes. So bring extra clothes just in case you get caught in a storm. Don’t forget to put your spare clothes in a WATERPROOF bag too.

Don’t take risks when it comes to the Weather – The sky might be clear and temperatures might be comfortable today, but that can change overnight or even within hours. Before going on a camping trip, check the weather forecast. It would suck to have nasty weather ruin your camping trip wouldn’t it?

Fire – If you’re going to build a campfire, be sure to clear at least 20 feet around it. Also note that just because you took the necessary precautions doesn’t mean the camper a few miles away from you did. If you see a big plume of smoke in the distance, you better pack up FAST as wildfires can travel at insane speeds.

Bring Drinking Water – Water, the building blocks of life. You would be surprised how many people tend to oversee the fact that a lot of campgrounds don’t have running water (unless you consider a river running water). It is highly advisable to take at least 2 five-gallon containers with drinking water when spending more than a few days out in the outdoors. A few gallons will do if you’re only going for 1 or 2 days.

Food – Bring your own food as not every campsite has a store, some not even without an hour’s driving range. Nuts, beef jerky, dried fruit, as well as high energy bars are your best choice because they are high in nutrients but light in weight. See the beginners guide to camping for more “what food to bring”-tips.

These are very basic tips. You can find details as well as other tips on safety, packing for camping, recipes, instructional videos, choosing a tent, and much more at my camping trip-site.

And Go Outdoors!

Three quick ideas to start your brainstorming for your family hiking and camping vacation.

Family vacations-thinking outside the Disney box

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Green hiking tips in the heat and moonlight!

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