The Green Hiker

Hiking and star-gazing at Mont Mégantic in Quebec …

• At a light pollution symposium, the International Dark Sky Association awarded Dark Sky Reserve status to a 5,500 square kilometer area around the Mont Mégantic Observatory. The Montreal Gazette has  Peter Leney’s detailed account of a “region …. palpably remote amid rolling Appalachian mountains spilling over from Maine”; a region that “combines hiking trails with astronomy facilities” rewarding all with ….

Or just staying dry near Mount Si in Washington State.

• Karen Sykes tries to stay dry on her first wet hike of the Fall season. Rain gear insights along the Boulder Garden Loop and Little Si Trails near Seattle.

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These folks just have to hike. Snow on the mountain trails? Who cares. Let’s go to the library!

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Hiking And Backpacking As Conditioning

Most people view conditioning for sports as something that should take place in a gym, in a field, on a track, or in a pool, but there are other, more adventurous options. Cross training has become a common practice for most athletes, but most of them think of it as a mix of other conventional sports such as running, biking, and swimming.

There are more useful and more exciting ways to cross train for any activity, and many options are in the outdoor adventure field.

As a soccer coach, I have used hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, trail running, mountain biking, climbing, cross country skiing, and downhill skiing as training methods that my athletes enjoy, look forward to, and always come out on the other side in much better shape.

I want to focus on Grand Canyon hiking, because of its unmatched upper leg building and overall conditioning.

Grand Canyon Hikes

There are many ways to use a Grand Canyon hike for team or individual sport training. I’ve taken my entire soccer team into the Canyon on rim-to-rim adventures that strengthened the boys’ teamwork as much as their bodies.

The rim-to-rim, which entails 4000 feet of downhill hiking and 4000 feet of uphill hiking, can be done in a single day for the super-fit or as a multi-day hike, which works better for team-building. The rim-to-rim-to-rim, which includes 8000 feet of downhill hiking and 8000 feet of uphill hiking can also be done in a single day or as a multi-day hike, but should only be tried in one day if you’re willing to trail run much of the way.

Either way, hiking between the rims is a feat both physically and emotionally. The trail is steep and sustained and is absolutely perfect for upper leg strengthening. For the rim-to-rim, most people take the South Kaibab Trail down and the North Kaibab Trail back up, and then back the same way for the rim-to-rim-to-rim.

Another alternative though is to take the Bright Angel Trail as a alternative route back to the South Rim.

Another option especially for preseason trainings is a rafting trip into the canyon and then a hike out. The conditioning isn’t as good with the rafting, but the hike out more than makes up for it. The rafting is one-of-a-kind when it comes to bonding athletes around something outside of their sport.

Less Strenuous Options

The New Hance Trail is a great option for a tougher hike, and a mule-assisted trip down to Phantom Ranch is a great way to make it more moderate. Whichever option you choose, just remember it’s critical to stretch and hydrate frequently.

And in the Grand Canyon September is the best month because it’s not too hot, and the Fall sports season is just beginning.

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Hiking News Headlines

• Before you hike one of Colorado’s Fourteeners, they’re are a few things you should know. Depending on the time of year and your skill level, tackling one of the 55 mountains at or above 14,000 feet above sea level ….

• Screening footage from his uncompleted documentary, The Vanishing Hemlock: A Race Against Time, David Huff sounds an alarm to save southern Hemlock forests from the woolly adelgid ….

• This years’ National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 27th, 2008. The annual program of the National Enviromental Education Foundation is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands ….

• For hiking all of Pennsylvania’s 18 State Forest Hiking Trails, totaling 798 miles, William S. Geiger of Lehigh County, and John Potter of Lycoming County, PA are the 2008 recipients of the State Forest Trails Award ….

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Hiking News Headlines

• You have until October 20th, 2008 to comment on the U.S. Forest Service’s proposal to restore public hiking access through Silver Pick Basin to the Rock of Ages Saddle near Telluride, Colorado. Comments may be submitted to Norwood Ranger District, Attention: Kathy Peckham, 1150 Forest St., Norwood, CO 81423 ….

• Sunday, September 21 2008, Middle Valley Farms in Mendham Township, New Jersey will host the first Family Farm Festival. It’s a green-themed benefit designed to raise funds for the Schiff Nature Preserve in Mendham and for other local charities. Open to the public year-round, the preserve boasts eight miles of trails for hiking and biking, horseback riding, and a nature center housing rehabilitated animals ….

• The Washington Trails Association recently debuted a Web site upgrade to make your hiking research easier. The WTA also has a new comprehensive Hiking Guide. Additional info is available at The Survive And Thrive Boomer Guide ….

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Thinking about hiking as a healthy hobby? Start here …

Hiking is not for everyone but those that enjoy it are generally relatively fit as this recreation can be very strenuous depending on your route and how long you are out for.

Certainly, some hikes are that easy. And they should be. Not every hike has to be a three-day outing in the peaks of Colorado. Not every journey involves navigating through forests, across rivers and over mountain passes. Sometimes you just want some fresh air and a little exercise.

But once you expand your horizons, what do you do?

Are You In Shape? Well ….

First, get in shape. Take those shorter, more level hikes near your home or someplace a short drive away. Especially if you’ve been sedentary, work up to more rigorous hikes slowly. The single major reason for anyone to not stick with any kind of exercise plan is pain. They try too hard too soon and overdo it. That leads to injury and pain, and they give up.

Take a few short jogs to build up your cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart/circulation and lung) systems. You’ll need plenty of oxygen capacity and a stout heart to complement muscular stamina.

Get some basic gear. Get the right boots by researching online. Make sure they fit with some thick, sturdy socks that wick away moisture.

Buddy-Up

Try to hike with at least one other person unless you are familiar with the area and the terrain isn’t very challenging. GPS and other navigational tools can help, but if you injure yourself or become very ill that may not do you much good.

Stay on clearly marked or visible trails until you know the area or have more experience. Getting lost is one of the most common ways that amateur hikers turn a pleasant two-hour hike into a two-day search-and-rescue effort.

Maps can be helpful if you know how to read them, but these days a GPS is probably more useful for most people. But you need to spend a little time learning how to use it, but try not to rely on these too heavily and always take a map and compass as a back up.

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