Questions tagged [hiking]
Hiking is any outdoor walking activity - along trails or across unmarked wild country.
619
questions
16
votes
3answers
8k views
Will a coyote attack my dog on a leash while I'm on a hiking trail?
Is a coyote or pack of coyotes likely to attack my small dog if she is with me on a trail on a leash? I heard of someone's dog being eaten while the woman was walking her pet on a leash. She was ...
0
votes
2answers
200 views
Google Map Hiking Trail
What do the red and blue solid curves in this Google Map indicate?
This is around Dachstein, Austria.
Link:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dachstein+Krippenstein+-+Dachstein+Tourismus+AG/Lodge+am+...
0
votes
1answer
69 views
Hallstatt trek: Obertraun to Lodge am Krippenstein
I want to trek from Obertraun to Lodge am Krippenstein, as indicated in this google map:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dachstein+Krippenstein+-+Dachstein+Tourismus+AG/Lodge+am+Krippenstein,+Winkl+...
4
votes
1answer
194 views
What aquatic animal laid these eggs?
On April 12, 2019, my sister-in-law was hiking on a mountain close to our home in Central Massachusetts, USA.
There was a pond at the end of an established trail. Near the water's edge were jelly-...
asked Apr 16 '19 at 22:58
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
15.4k6 gold badges41 silver badges121 bronze badges
2
votes
1answer
84 views
Hiking in the Sapa mountains Vietnam
Is altitude a problem in this area - Sapa is at 1500m so any thing over that is going to be heading into intermediate altitude territory. We are trekking with a 13 year old and hope to do 14 Km to a ...
5
votes
2answers
264 views
Garmin Fenix 3 - Temperature spikes result in abnormal elevation changes
Oscillating temperature readings result in inaccurate altitude data. I currently have no solution or explanation. Can anybody help?
In this case the route is completely flat. As soon as the ...
2
votes
0answers
77 views
Is it advisable to use a tourniquet on a dog for a snake bite? [duplicate]
I'm a bit curious about this since the day I read an infographic tip from a veterinarian.
The reason stated by her is that it helps to not enlarge the site of the snake bite. Is this correct?
...
3
votes
1answer
239 views
EU vs US hiking gear choices [closed]
For some time, I have been following both European and American long distance hikers and a few things stood out to me, gear wise, and I was curious if someone could shed some light on it. For example, ...
2
votes
3answers
210 views
What type of pants would be durable and suitable for outdoors in all kind of climates?
I am about to start a long backpacking trip through South America, and I would like to take as little weight as possible. I have the rest of my stuff more or less sorted out, but I am a bit at a loss ...
6
votes
3answers
254 views
How to choose shoes for long-distance urban walking for durability first then comfort?
I'm an international hitchhiker and I've never been sure what kind of shoes to buy.
I do the vast majority of walking on roads, carrying 15kg or so. Sometimes I'll be off-road in the same shoes. I've ...
15
votes
2answers
754 views
Strategy to ascend steep scree slope
On a hike a while back, I was going up the less favored side of a large hill. Due to recent geological activity, the hill side had sort of cracked/split creating a 5-10 foot wide pathway along the ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
Timberland classic 6 inch boots for mountain hiking/trekking
The original Timberland classic 6-inch boots were made 40 years ago for the cold, wet and mountainous terrain of New England. They were innovative footwear for their time, but now have become mostly a ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
Using hiking boots for amateur rock-climbing
What are the practical aspects of using good quality hiking boots (e.g. ones shown below) for climbing?
Arguably, an outdoor enthusiast might be involved in various sorts of activities from hiking ...
6
votes
3answers
449 views
How do you deal with blackberry bushes on the west coast when bushwhacking?
I'm on holiday near Sechelt right now, and have been hiking the trails and powerline right of ways. On several occasions I've come to the end of one trail, and can see the start again on the other ...
2
votes
1answer
320 views
Vancouver Sunrise Hike Advice?
Does anyone have a recommendation for a mountain hike to catch the sunrise and is within driving distance of Vancouver, BC, (< 2 hours)? What are winter conditions like?
1
vote
3answers
84 views
Are there any outdoorsy hikes accessible from the T in the Boston area, preferably (but not necessarily) actually in Boston or Cambridge
Because of illness in my family, I cannot travel far from home for awhile, and have to be able to return quickly if necessary. However, I will be in Boston at the end of February visiting MIT and ...
6
votes
4answers
318 views
What is an efficient and effective way to test an emergency day-hike kit?
Questions like these two have made me wonder about my own answer in the first linked question. I have to admit, I haven't 'tested' the kits I put together. I have some wilderness survival training (...
31
votes
12answers
5k views
What gear should I carry along for winter emergencies?
This question is prompted by a real accident, in which a young, healthy and experienced hiker I knew was found dead from hypothermia ridiculously close to civilization.
The assumptions behind it: a ...
-3
votes
1answer
133 views
Lush meadows December time
I am looking for a December time vacation destination in USA. A meadow type terrain. Somehow flat vast lush and green area and if possibly has wild flowers and rivers around that'd be ideal. Does ...
9
votes
5answers
438 views
When using a compass, why not follow a degree mark without rotation?
Instead of taking a bearing the "official" way, why not just see what degree mark corresponds to on the direction I want to go (in real life or on a map), and follow that degree mark? That is, why do ...
46
votes
12answers
11k 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,...
13
votes
3answers
310 views
What should I consider when planning my first multiple-day hiking trip on hills?
I just relocated from north Germany into the south of Germany.
Last weekend I went hiking for the first time and visited the top of a hill close to Heidelberg. It was spontaneous and I was fascinated,...
9
votes
6answers
778 views
How should I dress for sweat inducing activities in cold weather?
I never seem to find the perfect way to dress for sweat inducing activities in cold weather. By sweat inducing activities I mean mostly activities in the mountains, especially hiking uphill or ski ...
4
votes
1answer
153 views
What equipment is used to “groom” single track hiking and biking trails?
I've heard of single track hiking/biking trails being "groomed" before to keep them in good condition for users. The use of shovels, rakes, and possibly chainsaws to keep the trails free of debris ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
What are the chances to catch rodent-transmitted illnesses while hiking?
Small warning: This question comes from a germophobe point of view, so please keep this in mind while giving an answer.
I love hiking, but I'm worried of what kind of germs (read virus, bacteria and ...
1
vote
1answer
122 views
What are directional, height, and distance guidelines for marking trails?
Generally, I'm more used to methods described here for the US.
Our task this past weekend was to use dots to remark a trail, but the method of placement was opposite to what I'm used to: the dots ...
5
votes
3answers
610 views
How necessary it is to have an SUV with AWD for trailheads in Collegiate Peaks, Upper Ark River Valley?
My wife and I just moved to Buena Vista, CO and want to know how necessary it is to have an SUV with AWD to get to trailheads. We’d prefer a sedan or hatchback for better fuel efficiency, but don’t ...
3
votes
1answer
240 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 ...
16
votes
3answers
4k 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
978 views
What is a reasonable budget to solo-hike the Continental Divide Trail?
I am considering a thru-hike next summer of the Continental Divide Trail.
What is a reasonable budget for covering the time from starting to finishing the hike?
This question has an answer for the ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
What are some challenges to starting a small business that runs backpacking trips?
I have more than a decade of experience in outdoor recreation, environmental education, and backpacking. I am now thinking about starting a small business offering backpacking guide service to people ...
67
votes
9answers
17k views
Etiquette of playing musical instruments on popular hikes
I enjoy hiking, but I'm not very well-versed with the general expectations other people have about noise, especially serious hikers. I generally do trails that take between 3-6 hours, usually up hills/...
3
votes
0answers
161 views
Which altitude profile and height is optimal for Everesting by hiking?
Everesting is an activity where the goal is altitude gain of 8848 m or more by repeatedly going up and down a selected route.
This is most often attempted by biking; however, hiking/running is ...
5
votes
3answers
993 views
Hiking and camping with medium size dog and keeping safe from mountain lions
For some reason I have had multiple encounters with mountain lions.
In my 20's while camping in a somewhat remote campground near the continental divide in CO I woke to a large mountain lion laying ...
7
votes
7answers
3k views
What could I keep in rucksack hip pocket?
My rucksack has a small pocket on the hip belt, but I can’t think of anything useful to keep in it while day hiking. What types of things is such a pocket intended for? If there is no common purpose ...
1
vote
0answers
80 views
Hiking trails that meet specific criteria in Zion National Park (Utah, USA)
I'm looking for hiking trails in Zion National Park in Utah, USA.
Here are the criteria:
5-8 miles
Moderate skill level (prefer not too easy, but not too strenuous)
Prefer no more than 2000 feet of ...
12
votes
3answers
8k views
How is elevation gain and change measured for hiking trails?
If a trail is listed as 1500m of elevation change, what exactly does that mean?
For example, if the trail goes up 500m, then down 200m, then up 100m, then down 300m, then up 400m, is that considered ...
15
votes
3answers
3k views
Is there a difference between a hiking trail and a backpacking trail, including if it's the same piece of land?
I saw an article about the Long Trail, a 272-mile trail through the Green Mountain range in Vermont, USA.
It's famous for being the oldest hiking trail in the United States, having been built between ...
asked Sep 9 '18 at 17:17
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
15.4k6 gold badges41 silver badges121 bronze badges
3
votes
1answer
111 views
3 days hut to hut hike Chamonix area mid september
We are a couple (34,38) looking for a three days hike in Chamonix area.
We are interested in a hut-to-hut hike, thought about Vanoise national park or Mont Blanc area, looking for something of medium ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Is there a standard hiking trail difficulty rating system in the United States?
At a local park I've seen hiking/mountain biking trails marked with a green circle, blue square, or black diamond representing easy, intermediate, and hard trails. I've only ever seen this while ...
9
votes
3answers
628 views
Is it dangerous to go to Mountains when snow is melting?
This year beginning of May 2018 we with my friend visited Valle Grande in Italian Alps. Begging from 1500 meters there was snow, on the high of 1900m there was pretty deep snow and it was actively ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
What constitutes mountain exposure when hiking or scrambling?
In this question, I focus on the fall exposure component. While I understand the perception of danger will vary from person to person, I'm having trouble characterizing mountain exposure. I can see ...
3
votes
1answer
229 views
Are there any credible estimates of how much of the US National Park System does not have cell phone reception? If so, what do they conclude?
We have found that almost any place that is interesting to hike, and especially backpack, does not have cell phone reception, or at best lousy cell phone reception.
To which I say hallelujah! I do ...
18
votes
1answer
18k 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?
4
votes
1answer
350 views
Will the Trailhead Registry burn in a forest fire?
I posted an answer for a recent question about a forest fire that started after your hike began, that said:
Presumably you registered at the trailhead, and you have a friend who knows where you are....
9
votes
1answer
441 views
Hiking/Scrambling Etiquette? (UK Specific)
I'm an American who moved to the UK 2.5 years ago but didn't start doing a lot of outdoor activities until early this year (here, specifically, as the job that moved me over was very demanding at ...
4
votes
2answers
182 views
How do you access the back of a large paper map?
I have several paper Ordnance Survey maps, but I don’t know how to easily access the back of the sheet without ripping or damaging my map while trying to unfold a very large area of paper. Are there ...
5
votes
1answer
576 views
How can I distinguish between rock pile types cairn, duck, and natural?
I've seen cairns while hiking in mountains and they are usually easy to distinguish from natural rock piles. However, I am a bit confused by what makes a duck and what distinguishes it from a cairn ...
9
votes
1answer
587 views
Is it generally safe to hike a pass in a thunderstorm?
Friend and I had this discussion, and came to no conclusion:
Hiking in the mountains. Crossing a range through a pass. Peaks on either side are a good thousand feet higher. Are you at serious risk ...
6
votes
3answers
566 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 ...
