Hiking

Hiking. Ever tried it? With the proper techniques, equipment and guidance you can enjoy all the many positives that are inherent in hiking.

Hiking - The Great Adventure Begins
With the proper techniques, equipment and guidance you can enjoy all the positives inherent in hiking: fresh air, beautiful scenery, healthy exercise, soul-refreshing solitude and joyous companionship.

Hiking - Getting Started
Hiking sounds like, to use a very old phrase, a cakewalk - something easy. You lace up some boots, slip on some shorts and a shirt and you're on your way. What could be easier?

Hiking - Buying Boots
One of the best investments a hiker can ever make is in the selection of good boots. Good boots give you the support, comfort and traction you need to conquer any hike.

Hiking - Selecting Socks
You wouldn't naturally think so, but selecting socks is even harder than buying boots. If you find ones that are sturdy and fit well, you'll probably be pleased.

Hiking - Backpacks 101
There are as many backpacks on the market today as there are trails to use them on. But let's just review some of the basics, in order to clear a path through the blizzard.

Hiking - Backpack Buying Tips
There are so many choices available for backpacks today that before looking at the details it can be helpful to get a general view.

Hiking - Basic Training for Beginning Hikers
Once you've achieved some basic fitness as preparations for a good hike, there are a few other things that will help you get completely ready.

Hiking - Exercises for Beginning Hikers
One of the first things someone new to hiking should do is get in shape. That's especially true if you've been sitting on the couch for the last few months or more.

Hiking - Hiking Techniques for the Beginner
Hiking is not exactly like walking in the park. Gravel and soft dirt, hills, creeks and other natural features make maintaining a good rhythm over a long distance a real challenge.

Hiking - More Hiking Techniques for the Beginner
Hiking over ordinary terrain requires being able to keep up a steady pace for several hours with short rest breaks. Your technique has to be tailored to the actual conditions.

Hiking - Basic Safety Tips for Hikers
Hiking isn't typically dangerous. Much more often it's a great pleasure, even an adventure. But you're outside, and you can get injured. It pays to heed some common sense safety tips.

Hiking - Introduction to Using a Compass
A compass is rapidly giving way to GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation. But, compasses are still often cheaper and it's a good idea for hikers to be familiar with how to use one.

Hiking - Introduction to Using Maps
Even experienced hikers will rely on maps or GPS units to navigate along trails and through wilderness areas. It's the beginners who think they can just wing it.

Hiking - Navigation Using GPS Devices
GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. Though there are lots of components, the essential parts are a series of satellites and the units people carry. GPS units come in an array of prices.

Hiking - Navigation by the Stars and Sun
There are times while hiking when it's a good idea to be able to fall back on traditional navigation techniques. Fortunately, that knowledge is super easy to obtain and use.

Hiking - Getting Lost and Getting Out of It
Getting lost is among the top potential problems for beginning hikers. To avoid getting lost in the first place, exercise some simple guidelines. If you get lost anyway, stay calm.

Hiking - Dealing with Blisters
Blisters are caused by friction between your skin and your sock, and hence from the wall of your hiking boot. But that problem can be minimized with a good pair of socks.

Hiking - Basic First Aid
Three of the more valuable skills hikers can learn are CPR (Cardio-pulminary Resuscitation), executing the Heimlich maneuver and dealing with fractures.

Hiking - Basic First Aid Kits
Millions of hikers travel along wilderness paths every year without injury. But, accidents do happen. A little knowledge can help quell the panic and reduce the seriousness of most of them.

Hiking - Etiquette on the Trail
People sometimes forget why they came to a wilderness area to hike: peace and quiet, and great scenery. To enjoy themselves, and allow others to, hikers generally adopt a few common sense guidelines