Questions tagged [hiking]
Hiking is any outdoor walking activity - along trails or across unmarked wild country.
592
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Guidebook for Hiking activities around Geneva
Any recommendations for good hiking books describing trails, camp sites (back- and front-country), etc. along with their topology, difficulty levels for Switzerland, especially around Geneva? ...
20
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6answers
11k views
How to empty bowels before a hike?
They say prevention is better than cure, so for beginner hikes, especially dayhikes, how can one try to ensure that their bowels are empty and they won't suddenly need to poo? Are there proven ways? ...
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3answers
338 views
Long distance hikes with small children
In recent years, my wife and I completed a few long distances hikes together, for instance:
Kungsleden from Nikkaluokta to Abisko, 105 km (Sweden)
Landmannalaugar to Skogar via Laugavegur and ...
8
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6answers
354 views
Clothing for cold weather hiking
I will go for two day hiking on a mountain (intermediate level). The weather will be chilling (3 °C to 5 °C, no snowing,but it may rain). I would like to know what kind of clothing would be better?
...
6
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2answers
168 views
Accessibility of hiking trails in Nepal during December
I'm planning on Annapurna base camp or Manaslu circuit trek in December (mostly the end of December). I know December is the winter season in Nepal and is expected to be quite cold at that time. Has ...
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8answers
317 views
How stiff of a sole should I look for in hiking boots?
There is a spectrum of sole stiffness in boots, from full shank on mountaineering boots to the easily bendable ones on really cheap boots. The way to test is to push in on the shoe lengthwise and see ...
45
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12answers
10k views
Given limited space and weight what should I carry to get a fire going with damp wood?
Assuming firewood can be found, but it's likely to be damp, how can I best be prepared for getting a fire going? This is for a light hiking situation, so I'm not going to carry a sack full of kindling,...
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1answer
257 views
Can orange safety vest be used when hiking during hunting season?
I'm going to be doing some winter hiking in parks where there are going to be a lot of hunters. Probably only during bow hunting season for deer in NJ. I'll be getting some blaze hats but for the vest ...
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4answers
3k views
Handling feminine hygiene on multiple-month treks?
How can I handle multiple months of menstrual cycles on a long trek like the Appalachian Trail? I am asking about how to handle the mess. Here are my personal considerations:
Using hormonal birth ...
18
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6answers
5k views
Hiking with a mule or two?
For an older guy (say 65+) who likes to hike alone - are a mule or two a help or a hindrance? Maybe a mule for the pack, and a second mule to ride when I get really old?
Historically people preferred ...
6
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1answer
192 views
Hiking with goats?
I asked around (including on this site: Hiking with a mule or two?) about hiking with a mule or a horse.
Some people on other sites actually suggested hiking with pack goats. (for weights on the ...
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1answer
94 views
Looking for a 20 to 40mi out and back or loop trail in Maryland
My daughter and I were going to hike the AT through Maryland. She goes to school there and really wanted to do a muli-day hike. We recently gave up on the idea b/c the logistics of the end to end ...
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15answers
7k views
Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?
My knees aren’t in the best shape, one in particular. I had a rather devastating 13 hour up-and-down hike on day two of a three day hike, and the last day my knees were hurting every step. What are ...
23
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5answers
565 views
What are some good games to play with children on hikes?
Sometimes children find long hikes boring and tiring, but if you can turn it around to play some games along the way they can find things a lot more interesting.
What are some good games to play in ...
16
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1answer
12k views
What does “out and back” mean in terms of understanding the length of a trail?
If I am going on a 10 mile hike and the book says the hike is 10 miles out and back, how many miles will it be total?
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3answers
170 views
Backpacking in southern NY or PA
All-
I'm looking for a good 25-30 mile backpacking trail in southern NY or PA. I've looked into Allegany State Park and National Forest, but couldn't find a loop that would keep us out of campgrounds....
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1answer
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Overnight hiking in Italian Alps in late autumn?
I am planning to spend about a week in Italian/Swiss border Alps in late October. The base plan is to hire a 4WD and drive along the border slowly, stopping a lot for less-than-a-day hikes (staying ...
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3answers
2k views
How to carry a traditional bow while hiking?
We're planning a 4 day hike in a few months. I would like to take my bow with me to do a little roving.
How can I attach my bow to my backpack (back)?
We are talking about an unstrung one-piece ...
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6answers
2k views
Boots or trail runners with reference to blisters?
I know that I can significantly improve my hiking efficiency by reducing the weight of my footwear. However, I have historically had trouble with blisters while hiking. I also often do long distance ...
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5answers
3k views
How to take care of an acrophobic person while hiking?
There is some trouble. One of my close friends has acrophobia (fear of heights). But he wants to go for a trek for what it offers than just the mesmerizing view from the top. How can I take care of ...
16
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3answers
3k views
What are some good foods for recovering from calorie debt?
Calorie debt is when you are using more calories than you are eating and making up the difference from stored reserves of body fat.
Sometimes people will do this to save on the amount of weight ...
10
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5answers
777 views
Restoring water repellency in leather hiking boots
I have a pair of leather boots that are a couple of years old. They were fairly expensive and I'm not a big fan of discarding and replacing things so I'm hoping they can still be of use to me. The ...
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1answer
230 views
What is the estimated cost for through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail?
We have a question about the cost of through-hiking the AT and another about the cost of through hiking the CDT but not one about the PCT which is the other big trail in the United States.
What is ...
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3answers
1k views
What are the pros and cons of using a red colored light source for hiking at night?
I have heard the argument that red light is better because it helps preserve your night vision, however it is less bright than white light.
Are there other pros and cons that I am missing or ...
12
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6answers
2k views
What should I do if I break a shoelace in the wilderness?
If I'm hiking in the wilderness and my shoelace breaks, what's the best way to go about fixing it assuming I have no spare?
12
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4answers
3k views
Hiking in the Pyrenees late July/early August, what track should I do?
I'm looking for a 5-7 days hike. Or something around that, more or less, I'm flexible.
The idea would be to stay away from hordes of tourists. We don't mind people, but we don't like queuing up on a ...
16
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6answers
9k views
Effective way to carry a sleeping mattress with rucksack?
I am going for four day hike in Western Ghats. The terrain is
rocky humid and It is one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of
biological diversity in the world.
I am trying to pack my rucksack as ...
22
votes
4answers
9k views
Are bears attracted by Lotions and Perfumes?
Bears are mostly attracted by smell of food. That is why we are supposed to keep the food items in airtight and sealed packs or preferably finish up all the food (cooking and consuming) far away from ...
3
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1answer
80 views
Post-hike Care and Pain Relief for Blisters and Hot Spots
There are many, many articles and web sites that will tell you what to do if you develop a hot spot or blister while on the trail, and need to perform some field treatment to allow you to get back in ...
12
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4answers
33k views
Preventing “heat rash” around ankles and shins?
I'm currently hitchhiking in South East Asia where it's of course always hot. I'm getting a rash around my ankles that I've had in the past but never looked into.
(The same rash, but on a different ...
109
votes
16answers
50k views
What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip?
Last summer I spent 15 days hiking with my boyfriend, in Sarek National Park, where there are no places to restock with more food.
The food issue was a major part of the pre-planning, as weight was ...
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3answers
161 views
Knee injuries prevention using knee protectors
Knee is basically one of the main joints that provides you the ability to walk. There are several ways to prevent or ease the knee pain (see Knee pain when descending a mountain), but I would like to ...
6
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1answer
218 views
How do I tell if a glacier is safe for crossing?
Sure you have to look out for crevasses which is nicely explained here: How to detect a crevasse on a glacier.
But what else does one have to consider when trying to cross a glacier?
Some glaciers ...
2
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2answers
153 views
What are effective trekking-groceries in terms of energy/mass ratio while maintaining a healthy balance of carbs, fats, proteins and vitamins?
Sure it is nice to carry around huge packs of fresh vegetables and some beef in order to prepare a proper dish. However, it takes up space and moreover lots of mass in your backpack.
Also, a pound of ...
5
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0answers
70 views
Latex-free first aid kit
I plan to go on a hike with someone allergic to latex.
Usually I would pack small plasters and leukotape, but this is not an option in this case.
How can I replace these items with latex-free ...
7
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6answers
609 views
Is hiking alone always faster?
Suppose you need to cover a fairly long distance (e.g. 30 km) in a moderately difficult hiking terrain (no climbing), in 1 day. You can either go alone or with someone, or with a group.
I think (from ...
2
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3answers
223 views
How much time/distance on average does it take take to break in hiking boots?
If you are buying new hiking boots before a trip there is a break in period before the boots get comfortable and you don't want to go on a long backpacking trip with brand new boots. Time will depend ...
6
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2answers
344 views
Is the Battery Life of the Garmin InReach Mini enough for a 2 week trip?
I am going hiking for 2-3 weeks with no possibility of charging the battery again. Assuming I only turn the InReach on only once a day to send a "I'm ok"-message and then turn it off again, would the ...
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2answers
109 views
Tioga Pass (Yosemite) Day Use Opening Timeline
NPS has opened Tioga Pass for through traffic but not for day use recreation. I can't find any historical information about how long after the initial opening it typically opens for day use. Anyone ...
6
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3answers
399 views
What are the simplest 5000 m mountains to hike?
My friends and I are 4 years experienced hikers, and next year we want to go for a 5000 m (16,400 ft) mountain. What are the best options regarding the complexity of the trail and how beautiful the ...
5
votes
2answers
97 views
Hiking trails in Pennsylvania
My friends and I are looking for a solid hiking trail in Pennsylvania.
This will be our second trip, but we are in reasonable shape and had little issue our first time around.
We are from Michigan, ...
11
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3answers
14k views
Week long trek, how far each day? pace?
Background info:
For environment, it is southwestern British Columbia and the weather is fair and there is plenty of water around.
Pace wise, on level terrain, with or without water I have sometimes ...
3
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4answers
359 views
How many miles should one expect to get out of a good pair of hiking boots?
They say that on average 400-500 miles is a good bet for running shoes, but for myself it's only about 300-350 miles before the aches of worn out shoes start to occur. It seems that shoes are one of ...
6
votes
2answers
5k views
How dangerous are wild horses?
In some parts of the western United States there are herds of wild horses. How dangerous could a herd be to a human on foot while hiking or backpacking?
If they are dangerous how should a human ...
7
votes
2answers
429 views
How do people deal with sweating and 'feeling hot' at high altitude climbs (above 5500m)?
How do people deal with sweating and 'feeling hot' at high altitude climbs (above 5500m)??
Just a background on myself:
I've done hikes/climbs up to 3000m where temps hit at the lowest of around -1 ...
6
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1answer
151 views
What overnight backpacking trails are clear of deep snow now (or likely to be in the next two weeks) in northwest Washington?
I am looking for an overnight backpacking trip to do in the next few weeks somewhere in western Washington. But I am worried about deep snow remaining on the trails. Based on last winter's snowpack, ...
15
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1answer
1k views
Boots: Does light damage affect waterproofing?
I am looking at a new pair of suede leather walking boots. Price is low due to one boot being in a shop window and so is faded and doesn't match the other boot.
My question is: would the light damage ...
16
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1answer
1k views
Staying safe from hunters while hiking in France
This question is specific to France, as different countries have different hunting cultures and regulations.
There have been a number of highly publicized accidents in France this year (1, 2, 3). ...
15
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9answers
7k views
What's the best way to store/carry olive oil for hiking?
Bottles of olive oil often have special caps that help prevent drips/etc. when pouring the oil, but an entire bottle of olive oil is far to heavy to carry for a hike. What's the best method for ...
9
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5answers
2k views
Using a Snow jacket for non snow conditions?
I'm looking to buy a new jacket for hiking/traveling during winter in Australia for temps between 8c to 15c and possibly in windy and rainy conditions.
I noticed that snow jackets tend to be cheaper ...
