One of the best ways to get involved in hiking and learning about this wonderful activity is to go to your local parks, state parks, national parks or any recreational area you can find that is close to home.  Many communities offer walking and biking paths and you can probably find something a short drive away if necessary.  To start out you just need a good pair of walking shoes.  Bring some water too, especially if it’s a hot day.  A hat and some sunscreen can’t hurt either.  Walking is the best way to start your hiking adventure.  Dogs are always welcome companions.  Before you know it, you will have logged some serious miles and become addicted to the outdoors and crave more and more.  Soon you will be one of those sports enthusiasts at the outdoor store trying out backpacks and hydration systems and looking for the perfect hiking boots!  Seriously.  And it is fun when you get to that level – the gear is just awesome. 

After you’ve explored the local parks and feel ready to move on to a more challenging hike you can search the internet for local trails that are designated as hiking areas.  Most  trail systems are marked with mileage points and level of difficulty and many areas have an office that offers maps and restroom facilities – especially state and national park systems.  But you can find hidden treasures right in your own township or county.  You can even contact your local Boy Scout Troop or Council and they will be able to tell you about some wonderful trails you never knew existed right in your own backyard.  Many areas also have local hiking clubs for enthusiasts who enjoy group hiking. 

We also discovered this fact when we began geocaching last year for the first time.  We thought we knew where all the parks were in our town until we started to search for hidden treasure (“Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.”   This definition was taken directly from the main website that we are registered with: http://www.geocaching.com  )  As we tried to locate our destinations we found ourselves hiking into hidden and secluded places like Nature Preserves  and Wildlife Preserves and  scenic areas we did not even know existed. 

http://www.geocaching.com   is a great place to find local hikes into wildlife areas but this is another sport in itself and you will require a GPS (Global Positioning System) device in order to participate in the treasure hunts.  You simply type in your zip code at the website and hiking destinations will be shown to you starting with those closest to your home.  You can create an account and then log in all your explorations.  It is a great activity, the kids and dog love it, and a great way to start hiking !  Just remember the insect/tick repellant.  Sometimes you will be hiking right into heavy brush and thickets. 

Listed here are a few major websites that will help you find local trails or trails anywhere you want to go.  There are many, many more on the web – just search.  Maybe you’ve progressed to 10 or 20 mile hikes and want to explore another state or mountain range or canyon.  You can find places to hike all over the world if you are so inclined.  As you progress in your hiking hobby you will learn all about the variety of hiking areas just waiting to be explored.  You will be a wilderness trekker with miles under your boots. Before you know it you might be looking at the Appalachian Trail and drooling.  (Hiking on the AT is another story unto itself – I will try to cover that as we go along on this blog.)

http://www.trails.com/trails.aspx Camping, Hiking & Bike Trails, Topo Maps & More – Trails.com is Your Guide to the Outdoors!   Planning a day hike, mountain bike ride or backpacking trip? Trails.com has all the information you need to enjoy the outdoors! Trails.com offers more than 45,000 trail maps and descriptions and topo maps of the entire United States! Save, download, print and email as many of our guides and maps as you’d like!

http://www.localhikes.com/ :The Localhikes web site provides information on local hiking opportunities near both large and small metropolitan areas in the United States. You can find the perfect trail by selecting your metro area below to browse the available hikes, or by using the search feature to find the trails closest to your home or office. The hikes on this site were contributed by volunteer LocalHikes reporters from around the country.  (Taken from the website)

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/trailfinder/index.html  Hiking Trails: Home. Hiking Trails Browse by Region … Day-Hiking Trips · Mountain Biking Trips · Rock Climbing Trips · Sea Kayaking Trips

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/ncta/chapters.htm Although the North Country Trail Association is a national nonprofit organization, we function locally through Chapters of volunteers and trail enthusiasts. You’ll find links and basic information on all of our Chapters here. Many Chapters also have their own web pages – click on a circle on the map, or browse the state listing, to pick a Chapter near you.

 So, good luck with your new backpacking and hiking venture.  It will add joy to your life.  My next post will be about the 10 essentials you need for every hike or backpacking trip.  Happy Trails ! 

Technorati Tags: at, Backpacking, geocaching, hiking boots, Hiking trails, hydration system, treasure hunt, wilderness trekker

American Hiking Society’s 19th annual trails celebration, Saturday, June 4th

http://www.pitchengine.com/pitch/145927/

Technorati Tags: Mike Rowe, National Trails Day

This is a quick review of the CamelBak M.U.L.E. 100 OZ. Hydration Pack often referred to as the camel back mule. If you are interested in buying this item online you can get it at Amazon at this link http://tinyurl.com/camel-bak-mule The positives Well built almost bullet proof in fact from a construction stand point. I have had mine for well over a year, used it hard from hiking to working in the back yard and on the homestead and not a tear, rip or even a loose thread. Huge water capacity, in fact the thing is pretty heavy full so you should only top it off when you are going to need it but 3 liters is a lot of water and if you are hiking with a spouse you can share that much on many day hikes. Cool iPod slot that makes listening to your pod or any MP3 player for that matter really nice. The wires route over your shoulder, the only down side is you have to take it off to turn up the volume, change what you are listening to, etc. Very comfortable to carry, the ventilation on the back is really nice at keeping your back sweat from getting bad or soaking the pack. On hot days this is really a big deal. Great ergonomics, the mouth valve is great, it is easy to add ice to the bladder and the pockets are well divided up with the ability to segregate gear well. Little touches like the key chain clip to make finding keys fast and easy are really nice too. The negatives This isnt really a good wilderness pack while the compartments are really nice the cargo space is quite limited. Not a great pack for the big man, even though it fits me comfortably the straps that are supposed to go around your waist area are a joke. Sure I need to loose a few more pounds (20 this year already though) but even when I am at my ideal weight this thing will never go around my torso. It doesnt really matter though because I cant imagine why this feature is even needed or desired. Other than that it is a great pack and again the quality of construction is simply exceptional.

Duration : 0:3:53

Technorati Tags: back, Backpacking, camel, camelback, camelbak, Camping, Hiking, hydration, mule, pack, survival, survivalism, survivalist

If a safe resting place emerges on a hike, try resting with legs elevated to help circulation. Elevate the legs to rest on a trail with an experienced trail guide in this free hiking video. Expert: Joanna Joseph Bio: Joanna Joseph has lived in Canyon Country since 1974. She has been leading hikes in the southwest for the last five years, mostly with Elder Hostel, which includes individuals 55 and over. Filmmaker: Mike Phillips

Duration : 0:1:37

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, canyon, Hiking, how, outdoors, recreation, trail, trails, Village, Wilderness Trekkers

Picking hiking trails is easy with these tips. Get advice on backpacking, hiking, and the great outdoors in this video.

Duration : 0:2:24

Let your level of fitnes dictate the level of difficulty for the hiking trails you choose. 

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, fitness level, Hiking, outdoors, trails, Wilderness Trekkers

Going camping to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park with a friend of mine. Looking to do some hiking. Any trails anyone can recommend in the park or in the area? We are looking for 1-4 hr hikes. Thanks.

Attached is the website that has a map of the area. There are some hiking trails on the map. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00266_summer.pdf

Technorati Tags: Hiking trails, Split Rock State Park, state park, Wilderness Trekkers

My friend and I are hiking the Appalachian Trail this summer after graduation. We’re both athletic and are willing to work HARD to get in shape for this. He is a skier, and I am a runner and the more punishing the work out the better, but it has to be relevant, so bring it please.

Get comfortable hiking 20-30 miles with weight on your back in the actual boots you will be using. As importantly, do A LOT of research into the details – what to take along, what locations are available to replenish your food, etc, etc. Read, read, read. Have fun.

Technorati Tags: Appalachian Trail, at, Hiking, hiking the AT

(Ruff Wear BackPack from ALTREC.COM)

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I like a medium size dog that preferably doesn’t shed too much. What breed should I look at for a hiking companion that will accept carrying a pack and not get too tired or aggitated?

Okay, now if by ‘medium’ you mean less than 20-22 inches at the shoulder and under 60 lbs but over 16 inches and over 20 lbs, that is a tough call. By the way, do people actually READ the question or just automatically type in their favorite breed? You say “medium”, they say large (Lab, German Shepard, Old English Sheepdog) or very large (Husky, Boxer) or giant (St. Bernard.) You say “doesn’t shed much – they say Old English who strew the house with balls of fluff and require a lot of grooming to keep their coat nice, Huskies from whose discarded coat you can spin a sweater……..

While a dog can carry up to 25% of their body weight for a distance, they should generally not exceed 10-15% for any real distance depending upon their build. For example, a greyhound with a tall narrow body would be hard pressed to do 10% of its body weight but a broadbacked, stocky Aussie could easily do the 15% and up to 20%. Now ‘real distance’ is anything in excess of a half mile or so. Do not ask a long body breed like a Basset to do this – it is very tough on the spine and they already have to cope with that elongated spinal column and can’t get their back legs under to balance and drive as is needed in order to a carry the pack.

Haven’t met a dog yet that I couldn’t get to carry a packback in less than an hour. For a dog that will have the energy and endurance, look at the Herding and Sporting Breeds. (The Working Breeds can do it easily but these are the big guys – 26 inches or more at the shoulder and 85/90 lbs and up.) Keep in mind that Sporting Breeds where bred to chase and retrieve. Doggy will have to be very well-trained before hitting the back country without a leash.

The Hounds – well, fleet of foot and gone on a scent – again leashes until 100% reliable in off-lead work. Herding tend to stick closer – they want to know where their charges are at all times. Years ago my Golden and I would backpack in alone for 1-2 weeks at a time – each of us with our packs (and me with most of it!) After wrecking my shoulder with a sports injury, I now rely upon a Kuvasz as a Mobility Service Dog – he wears packs and carries what I can’t (anything above 5 lbs). He is 110-115ish and can easily handle 20 lbs even in deep sand.

I stongly recommend the Wenaha packs. The pack part attachd to a body harness with velcro and can be lifted off to give the dog a rest without having to undo all the straps. Here is one site that has them: http://www.getoutoutfitters.com/browseproducts/Wenaha-Dog-Pack-Explorer-III.HTML Mine came from REI but I’m not sure if they are carrying them or have them in stock (they always sold out fast.) They aren’t cheap but they are tough and last forever.

Now the ‘not shedding much’ complicates matters and eliminates long haired breeds. Labs are pretty good at going along but be prepared for a lot of stubborness and passive resistance if they don’t want to do something. Sporting: Try the Spaniels – Brittany, English and Welsh; Vizsla (taller but not massive); The others suitable (Labs, Goldens) are considered large breeds. Hounds: Top pick is the Rhodesian Ridgeback but they may be larger than you want – up to 26-29 inches at the shoulder and 80 100 lbs. They are actually a herd guarding breed from Africa who were also used for hunting.

My choice for a Service Dog for what I needed came down to a Rhodie or Kuvasz, and the deciding factor is that we live on Lake Michigan further north than Chicago – with the cold and snow, a short coated Rhodie woul d not have been happy out running errands on a winter day. Another posiblity is the Norweigan Elkhound – sturdy dog with medium length thick coat. Terrier Group – don’t even go there. They will be off after everything and have ignoring you down to a fine art.

Non-sporting; Dalmations (if there are no kids under 12 in the household or likely to be any in the next 14 years.) Keeshond – smaller but very sturdy, Again they have the longer coat. STANDARD Poodle – give them a terrier clip and not that pouffy stuff and thye look like a real dog ready to hit the water and work. No shedding. Usually 22-27 inches. They were bred as water retrievers. Herding Group: Australian Shepherds Border Collie

NOTE: I see people are recommmending German Shepherds which aside form being a Large breed, are a breed that is having horrendous problems with the dogs’ rear end – problems beyond hip dysplasia. I would be extremely extremely careful and not only want to know if the dogs in the immediate family tree passed all their health checks but if any collateral realtives (aunts, uncles 1/2 siblings ….) ever had any of the problems endemic in the breed.

Now, in this group all except the Corgis and the Australian Cattle Dog have longer coats. Australian CD (often called blue tick helers or blue heelers by backyard breeders) is long on energy, short on trainability (okay, maybe come and some basic-basics but…) and obedience and can be nippy. Go to the AKC website and read in detail about the breeds http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds You can search by Group, Breed name or all of them at once. Now, when you click on the picture of the dog and go to the page for that breed, on the left is a column. At the bottom of the column, is a link captioned “National Breed Club”. Click on it – that takes you to the link to the National Club for that breed that sets the breed standards. The Clubs’ websites will give you an ENORMOUS amount of information about the breed – the good, the bad, and the why or why not to get that breed.

The clubs websites also have: (1) a breeders list – all of whom have agreed to abide by the breeders code of ethics (which you can read) (2) a link to the breed rescue for their breed Do give serious thought to adopting from an adult from a breed rescue. The clubs’ breed rescues go to a great deal of trouble to determine the dog’s temperment, personality, likes and dislikes (particularly kids and cats and other dogs in the household), HEALTH, and level of training. They make a huge effort to match the right dog to the right home – and if they don’t have one they think will be suitable for your home, they won’t place it. Great way to avoid the puppy training, newpapers, chewing…….

If you decide to get a puppy, please use one of the breeders who are members of the breed club. A well-bred pet puppy may not be a candidate for the show ring (that nose being 1/8th of an inch to long or something else very picky) but they will be very healthy, the parents carefully screened for hereditary health problems, and from a breeder who has devoted a great deal of time to understanding the breed and bloodlines.

A responsible breeder will have a written contract with a health guarantee for hereditary problems; require that if for any reason you ever have to give up the dog that it comes back to them; and always be available for help, assistance and advice about your dog. Such a breeder wil tell you if they don’t think their breed is right for you based upon your needs. They want a perfect forever home for the puppies – not the money. (In 43 years in the dog show world, I have never known a breeder of that caliber who has made a profit on their dogs – it is labor of love.)

A puppy from such a breeder costs no more – and often less in view of the vet bills for an animal from poor quality breeding – than from a backyard breeder who doesn’t do the health checks, knows nothing about the breed or bloodlines, doesn’t give a guarantee, never wants to hear about the puppy again and has breed from mediocre or poor quality dogs. I you want a hiking companion, you will have to very careful about getting a dog from a breeder who screens their breeding stock for hereditary orthopedic defectsthat and other problems that can affect their ability to go out and go with you – hips, elbows, patella, cardiac, eyes….

Now many reputable breeders will have adult dogs that they bred that they are placing. The dog may be a re-home since a good breeder requires the dog be returned to them if the owner can’t keep it. The dog may be one they held back to show and it turned out to just not quite be show caliber as it grew up. Occassionally, in rare instances, they may have a dog who did finish its AKC championship but the breeder needs to place it in a home as a co-own (you get the dog, they get to use it for breeding – with a female maybe 1-3 litters and male as a sire for number of litters. Once the breeding career is done which is earlier than mosst pet people realize, the dog is spayed/neuterd.)

Similarly, the dog could have finished its championship -after much effort, many shows and a lot of money – but the breeder decides not to use them as breeding stock because the dog hated showing so much and lacked the personality and temperment for the ring. If the breeder is placing a dog who is over 12 months, ask to see its health exams – they can preliminary xrays on elbows, hips and patellas at that age, and compelte on eyes cardiac and thyroid.

Good luck and happy hiking!

Technorati Tags: AKC, backpacking dog, dog breeder, doggie backpack, german shephard, hiking companion, hiking dog, pet, pet dog, pets, retriever, ruff wear

I have had a dog for a week and my boyfriend and I would like to go on a hiking trip. I can’t decide whether it would be better to kennel the dog or take her with us on the hiking/camping trip. The pros of taking her hiking would be that she gets to spend some quality fun outdoor time with us, but I’m afraid that since I’ve only had her a week she might not have the loyalty to stay with me. However, she tends to follow me around everywhere in the house, so I am pretty sure she would be fine in that respect.

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On the other hand, leaving her at a nice boarding place is an option, but I don’t want to put her through unnecessary stress from separation. Any thoughts? This is one of the last weekends we can go on this hiking trip before winter, but I want to make sure to do what is best for my dog.
as long as the dog has had its shots and everything i’d take it it’ll have a great time! if you are worried about it running off keep it on a leash when walking, and on the camp site or whatever keep it on one of those 20ft leashes

Technorati Tags: backpacking dog, backpacking with my dog, hiking dog, hiking/camping trip, kennel

Q:  I’m starting to begin training for a hike in May. I’m taking my Black Lab with me. She’s 65lbs, I’ve been trying to find a dog pack to fit her. I’ve read that the backpacks that Petsmart sell are of poor quailty. I need to know where I can find a pack for her that’s afforable.

A:  Foster & Smith probably has some available on their website. Most items they sell are good quality. Also, I wouldn’t automatically be against the ones from PetSmart. Actually go and evaluate them, yourself.

DOG PACKS, BACKPACKS AND GEAR AVAILABLE AT ALTREC:

Granite Gear Ruff Rider Dog Pack

The Granite Gear Ruff Rider Dog Pack pack is anatomically designed to fit the contours of your dog. It gives your pet the capacity to carry a load in comfort without the pack interfering with his stride. Plus, it can be easily adjusted for a perfect fit.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, Camping, dog backpack, hiking dog, hiking with dog