Backpacking

My husband and I often take care of our youngest grandchildren (a
three-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl) and we are really trying to
get them interested in the outdoors and confident about being there. We
often take them for walks.
There are, of course, several important things to remember--to bring
water
and snacks, to not overdue and kill their enthusiasm, etc., but I think
many parents "overthink" it. In other words, taking kids outdoors
doesn't
need to be a highly planned event. It really is more about just getting
out

"Well, she's at it again." And they're right. It's high time for
another long hike. Why? Well, I hike the long trail because I love to;
because there are no traffic jams or signals, no stop signs, parking meters or police.
because no where on earth have I experienced lakes so deep in color they appear purple;
because in their pristine waters, a log can be seen 25 feet below the surface.
because the greens are greener out here, the blues bluer, and images are crisp and sharp.

Once June shows up I start getting excited - out comes the calendar and I start wating for the days to fly by so school is out. Then I know summer is here and so is mid week hiking. No crowds and lots of time spent with my son Ford!

A recent article in the Seattle P-I newspaper covered taking babies and young kids out. It has a lot of good points.

If you like snow in relation to hiking or you have thought about getting into it, you know that snow travel is never anything to trust or assume that it is safe. It brings dangers one needs to have skills in. It is worth learning though. With the skills learned you can go much farther and have a safer trip.

This year Erik Asorson thruhiked the Pacific Crest Trail. I followed his journey and was happy to see when he finished. His trail journals and thoughts are on his personal site.

There is wet and then there is WET.

There isn't much worse in winter than getting your boots soaked through, your socks clammy cold and no feeling in your toes. So what can you do to prevent it?

When fall starts make it a point to sit down and clean your boots up. Get out a brush for boots, work all the dust and dried up mud out of the leather. Use a cleaner designed for the type of boots you have (be it leather or suede). Then use a Nix Wax treatement to restore the waterproof seal.

Something many women notice when backpacking is being cold. There isn't many things more miserable than shivering in your sleeping bag at midnight, with ice cold feet and a back that could chill wine. Even in the middle of summer an ill picked campsite or a sudden storm can leave you exposed to damp, chilly conditions.

So what can you do when your normally warm bed setup is suddenly freezing? Or if a freak snowstorm blows in at 10 pm in August, catching you off guard? And you just cannot get warm?

By Susan Alcorn

Weight: 1lbs, 14 oz

MSRP: $129 USD