Hiking News

Meanderthals Hiking Turns 10

Posted by on Mar 28, 2021 @ 6:21 pm in Hiking News, News | 0 comments

Meanderthals Hiking Turns 10

This week this website turns 10 years old. A lot has happened during that time, with the world, with hiking, and with Meanderthals. I’m still here because of you… the more than 1,350,000 of you who have visited and supported me over the years.

There are more than 300 trail reports from 15 states included in the content, with an additional 70 of the newly featured Photo Essays. Over the years I have conducted Interviews with hiking aficionados and authors, reviewed hiking gear, books, and films, and kept you abreast of the latest News about hiking and the outdoors, and conservation and the environment.

We all are 10 years older now. I don’t have quite the stamina as I did back then, so the big hikes are a thing of the past, but I have come to love and appreciate Nature a little more fully because of it. I have made many great friends along the way, and shared my stories with you.

Now begins the second decade for Meanderthals Hiking. With your continued encouragement I will try to bring you more stories about the places that I love and cherish, and tell you about how to get there yourself. Thank you so much for guiding me along the way.

 

5 first aid items and skills all hikers need

Posted by on Mar 27, 2021 @ 2:37 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

5 first aid items and skills all hikers need

Accidents happen. No matter how well prepared you are for a hike, you could become sick or injured due to many circumstances. And in the wilderness, even the smallest hurt — such as a blister — can really put a damper on your experience.

While it takes special training and experience to treat many medical issues, anyone can learn a few first aid skills to take care of minor, common issues that occur during hikes. Here are five items to pack in your personal first aid kit for hiking, along with the skills required to use them.

  • Blister treatment
  • Bandages and abrasions
  • Carefully labeled pills
  • Emergency nourishment
  • Splint for a twisted ankle

Get more details about each here…

 

Catawba Falls Trail to Temporarily Close March 29 – April 2, 2021

Posted by on Mar 26, 2021 @ 8:00 pm in Conservation, Hiking News | 0 comments

Catawba Falls Trail to Temporarily Close March 29 – April 2, 2021

The Catawba Falls trail in the Grandfather District of Pisgah National Forest near Old Fort, NC will be temporarily closed next week, from March 29 through April 2, 2021. The trail closure is necessary to ensure public safety while engineering work is being performed along sections of the trail.

Contractors will be performing geotechnical investigations, drilling holes within the trail and areas of recent landslides using heavy equipment. These geotechnical investigations are used to determine the stability of the underlying rock in order to design retaining structures to stabilize the trail. Heavy equipment will be blocking the trail to the point where it will be impassible.

This work is one of the initial steps as the Grandfather Ranger District works to improve public access from lower Catawba Falls to Upper Catawba Falls. Engineers are working to design structures that will allow the public to safely travel along the steep slopes to the upper falls. This work is supported by funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, the NC State Recreation Trails Program, and McDowell County. It is part of the larger Old Fort Trails Project that will bring a wide range of trail improvements and additions this area of Pisgah National Forest.

For more information about the closure, contact the Grandfather Ranger District at 828-652-2144.

 

Hawaii could soon charge hikers for the cost of their own rescue

Posted by on Feb 27, 2021 @ 7:25 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hawaii could soon charge hikers for the cost of their own rescue

State lawmakers in Hawaii are considering legislation that would make some hikers pay for their own rescue when they get lost or endangered because of their own recklessness.

Senate Bill 700 would allow local governments to recoup the cost of search and rescue operations, which can run upward of $10,000. A second bill, SB 363, also working its way through the state Senate, would go further and impose fines for illegally hiking on closed trails and private property.

The legislation, which mimics similar rules in multiple other states including California, would penalize hikers who disregard warning signs, trespass or take other risks in their quest for off-the-beaten-path adventure.

Hawaii, which greets more than 10 million tourists yearly and where tourism makes up nearly one quarter of the economy, would be sending a strong message to visitors. At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant drop in tourism-related revenue, the cash-strapped Hawaiian government hopes the bills will reimburse taxpayers for costly rescues and discourage irresponsible behavior that puts both tourists, and their would-be rescuers, at risk.

If either bill passes, hikers who ignore “no trespassing” signs at the head of famous, but off-limits, trails like Red Sand Beach, which sits on private land along Maui’s breathtaking Hana Highway, may soon be risking more than their lives.

Cite…

 

The 48 Mountains That Held My Grief

Posted by on Feb 21, 2021 @ 11:30 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

The 48 Mountains That Held My Grief

By Carrie Thompson for the NY Times

On the first day of 2020, my anxiety roared as I approached the summit of Mount Pierce in northern New Hampshire. At about 4,300 feet elevation, the wind was picking up, the visibility dropping to near zero. I was about to turn around in defeat when I heard faint voices ahead of me: two women, zipping up their coats as I approached.

“Are you heading for the summit?” I asked. “Could I tag along?”

We left the shelter of the tree line, leaning forward slightly as gusts of wind whirled blinding snow around us across the open mountaintop. When we reached the peak, they waited patiently as I held out a battered green hat, took a picture of it and threw a tiny bit of ashes into the snow. It wasn’t until we descended back to the safety of the trees that they asked about the hat.

“It was my son’s. I lost him to suicide in July.”

There was a long silence. Then the older woman told me she lost her sister too. I remember thinking my son had brought us together. We connected over our shared stories, and they understood — something so rare for me those days.

My son, Ben, 23 when he died, was always most at home when he was outside. As I struggle with his unimaginable loss, I’ve found peace in the rush of rivers and streams, the open majesty of the New Hampshire mountaintops where he spent his childhood.

The year after his death, I hiked 48 of the state’s tallest mountains in his memory. Hiking has been a way to hide from the trauma of loss, the judgment and stigma of suicide and the reaction to my family’s openness about it. Every step, trail and summit — whether socked in or wide open — has been a way to heal.

Read full story…

 

Snow Canyon State Park developing new trail to educate visitors about the desert tortoise

Posted by on Feb 18, 2021 @ 7:29 am in Conservation, Hiking News | 0 comments

Snow Canyon State Park developing new trail to educate visitors about the desert tortoise

Supported by community fundraising efforts, Utah’s Snow Canyon State Park is in the process of developing a trail designed to inform visitors about the Mojave desert tortoise. The Tortoise Education Trail is scheduled to be the first new trail built within the park in more than a decade.

The trail will showcase perhaps the most compelling and hotly debated creature found in Snow Canyon. Park naturalist Jenny Dawn Stucki said that park managers have spent years brainstorming a way to answer visitor questions about the desert tortoise while highlighting the importance of recreating responsibly within its habitat.

“It’s all tied together,” she said. “Knowing they’re here and understanding more about them helps to enhance appreciation of our landscape across the board.”

The project is currently in the planning and design process; Stucki said that many components still need to come together before breaking ground. When complete, the trail will feature several informational panels providing visitors with insight on the desert tortoise and its habitat, diet, family life, adaptations, survival and conservation, as well as ways to be mindful and appreciative of its presence in the park.

Cameron Rognan, administrator of the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan, highlighted the importance of visitor education in the preservation of vulnerable species like the desert tortoise as the recreational demand on southwest Utah’s public lands continues to rise. By providing both designated trails and learning opportunities, Rognan said that Snow Canyon and other parks can enhance the visitor experience while protecting native wildlife and habitat.

Read full story…

 

Appalachian Trail thru-hikers again won’t be recognized this year over coronavirus concerns

Posted by on Feb 16, 2021 @ 7:44 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Appalachian Trail thru-hikers again won’t be recognized this year over coronavirus concerns

  If you’re thinking about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail this year, you might want to think again.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) is discouraging people from attempting to hike the entire 2,190-mile trail — called thru-hiking — and has said it will not recognize attempted thru-hikes until the coronavirus pandemic is “under control.”

The group — which manages the multi-state trail — also said it will not distribute hangtags, the plastic tags given to aspiring thru-hikers to promote sustainable hiking practices and celebrate their attempt.

“Due to the pandemic and the risk that interstate travel could spread COVID-19 (including the emerging variants that could be even more contagious), the ATC has been advising hikers to postpone their hikes until the CDC has deemed the pandemic ‘under control’ or a COVID-19 vaccine or effective treatment is widely available and distributed,” the ATC said on its website.

“We do not feel it is appropriate to provide what could be perceived as a reward for long-distance hiking, which we are actively discouraging until one of the above conditions is met,” the group added.

The group said it hasn’t distributed hangtags since March 2020 because of the pandemic.

Those who want to be considered thru-hikers have to complete the entire 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail in one trip within 12 months — though it typically takes between five and seven months.

Cite…

 

Hike from Austin to the Alamo: new 100-mile trail project underway

Posted by on Feb 14, 2021 @ 7:06 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hike from Austin to the Alamo: new 100-mile trail project underway

Central Texans may soon have a new outdoor activity available: hiking from Austin to San Antonio.

The Great Springs Project is a local nonprofit that’s aiming to build a network of trails connecting the two cities and four springs: Barton, Comal, San Marcos and San Antonio Springs.

“You’ll be able to hike or bike basically from the Alamo to the Capitol,” says Deborah Morin, co-founder and board president of the Great Springs Project.

“80% of Texans (live) within a three hour drive of this area. So instead of thinking about driving eight hours to Big Bend, you could come here and immerse yourself in nature.”

The idea for the project is to protect the Edwards Aquifer by creating a contiguous greenbelt across the area. Morin and her friends have been talking about it for 25 years. It wasn’t until recently that they realized that the rapid growth in the area could soon make the effort impossible, so they decided they had to act fast.

The group is working with a local design firm and the National Parks Service to plot out new trails, figure out ways to connect existing ones, design crossroads with bridges and tunnels, and try to pay for them.

Read full story…

 

Coming Soon: A New Big Bend Hiking Trail

Posted by on Feb 9, 2021 @ 7:16 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Coming Soon: A New Big Bend Hiking Trail

Future park visitors will have another opportunity to get up, get out and enjoy the wide-open spaces of Big Bend when work is completed on a new hiking trail next year. The Lone Mountain Trail will circumnavigate the base of Lone Mountain, an imposing feature just north of park headquarters at Panther Junction.

After a long drive to Big Bend and arrival at Panther Junction Visitor Center to plan their adventure, many visitors seek out hiking in the immediate area, where no trails now exist. The new trail will offer a moderately challenging 3-mile loop through the Chihuahuan Desert, conveniently beginning and ending in Panther Junction. Highlights of the route include spectacular views of the Chisos, Rosillos, and Dead Horse Mountains; a wide variety of desert plants and animals; and the interesting volcanic features of Lone Mountain itself.

“With over 200 miles of trails, Big Bend is a world-renowned hiking location,” says Big Bend National Park Superintendent Bob Krumenaker, “and we’re proud to add this new opportunity for visitors to enjoy their park even more. I’m delighted to make this decision, concluding a planning process which took far too long, and move forward in building this hiking trail.”

Construction of the new trail will occur in 2022 by the Big Bend National Park trail crew and volunteers. Initially, no additional parking area or facilities are planned, but if usage warrants it, the NPS will consider alternative parking or trailhead configurations at a future date.

Read full story…

 

‘A sisterhood’ | Group of women hike through life’s ups and downs together

Posted by on Dec 15, 2020 @ 8:20 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

‘A sisterhood’ | Group of women hike through life’s ups and downs together

For the past few years, Amy Eversole and the ‘Trailblazers’ have been hiking all over the Great Smoky Mountains.

Some of them have earned their 500-mile pins from the park service. Others are following closely behind. All of them have been supporting each other through life’s ups and downs.

“They’re the best women ever,” Amy Eversole said. “They’re like sisters and I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

The group tries to organize hikes together at least twice a month. “We’re all different in so many ways,” Melanie Bissell said. “But, one thing we do have in common is a hiking trail.”

It’s also a chance for them to hang out, talk and enjoy the outdoors. “It’s just such a great bond that we have together, supporting each other through everything,” Stacy Dickerson said. “Whether it’s through sad times through illness through happy times.”

“We just support each other and everything we do,” Amy Eversole said. “Sisterhood is so important at all ages. Get outside and go play in the mountains. You don’t know what you’re missing.”

Cite…

 

New access proposed for Graveyard Fields

Posted by on Dec 14, 2020 @ 6:33 am in Conservation, Hiking News | 0 comments

New access proposed for Graveyard Fields

Major changes may be coming to to Graveyard Fields. A project is now open for public comment.

The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service are partnering on this effort to improve access at the often-crowded trail system on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County.

Under the proposal, the nearby John Rock Overlook would be used as an additional access point for Graveyard Fields with a pedestrian crossing over the Parkway. The crossing would be planned with safety as a priority, connecting the overlook to a short, new trail constructed on Park Service lands that lead to Forest Service lands. The additional access at the overlook aims to better distribute use of the area and thereby improve visitor safety.

The proposed trail project is just one piece of the larger Graveyard Fields project, which is divided into four categories of work: heavy trail maintenance, trail relocation and construction, stream restoration and red spruce restoration.

For more information and to provide comments, visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55665. The comment period is open through Dec. 21. Comments may also be mailed to: Pisgah Ranger District, USDA Forest Service, Attn: Jeff Owenby, 1600 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768. Comments will become part of the project record and may be released under the Freedom of Information Act.

To learn about the U.S. Forest Service Graveyard Fields project connection with Blue Ridge Parkway lands, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectId=98550.

 

Best easy day hikes in Phoenix: 5 fun, scenic trails for beginners or advanced hikers

Posted by on Dec 11, 2020 @ 6:34 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Best easy day hikes in Phoenix: 5 fun, scenic trails for beginners or advanced hikers

It’s the season where in Arizona we all want to be outdoors. The desert, so cruel for so long, welcomes us again with open arms. If the blast-furnace heat of summer kept you off the trails for months, you’ll want to ease into things. To work yourself back into hiking shape, start with some easy trails.

Just don’t let the rating undersell their attractions.

Even trails regarded as easy reward alert hikers in countless ways. Each of these five trails delivers the full desert experience. Watch for wildlife and enjoy plenty of mild winter sunshine. Savor the big scenic views and admire the saguaros as tall as office buildings. That’s all worth getting out and walking around for a while.

For example, everyone should take a walk on the Jane Rau Trail as a tribute to one of the people who spearheaded the effort to establish the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Jane Rau is a longtime local community activist and educator. The trail that bears her name circles through a picturesque wash in the preserve, punctuated by tall saguaros and clumps of boulders. Brown’s Mountain, a slanted hump rising from the desert floor, and the smooth precision of neighboring Cone Mountain add vertical notes to the skyline.

Read full story…

 

Central Virginia is planning a 41-mile trail from Ashland to Petersburg

Posted by on Dec 8, 2020 @ 6:14 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Central Virginia is planning a 41-mile trail from Ashland to Petersburg

When the Virginia Capital Trail was first proposed back in 1999, critics derided the idea of the 51.7-mile multi-use path as overly-ambitious and too expensive. Today, the east-west trail connecting Virginia’s first capital of Jamestown with the modern seat of government, Richmond, faces concerns about overcrowding, and there’s now a sister trail in the pipeline.

Far from being a waste of taxpayer dollars, the Capital Trail has become one of the state’s highest visited amenities. The only other multimodal path to receive more visitors on an annual basis is Virginia Beach’s oceanfront boardwalk. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is leading an effort to replicate the Capital Trail’s success with a north-south alignment, tentatively called the Ashland to Petersburg (ATP) Trail.

The success of the VCT inspired VDOT staffers and local officials across the region to explore a trail that could become the multimodal backbone of Central Virginia. The proposed ATP Trail would extend roughly 41 miles and pass through seven of Central Virginia’s localities: the City of Ashland in the north, Hanover County, Henrico County, the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, and the Cities of Colonial Heights and Petersburg in the south.

Read full story…

 

Hiking in Maine: Explore the Schoodic Peninsula, for the Acadia less traveled

Posted by on Dec 7, 2020 @ 7:07 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hiking in Maine: Explore the Schoodic Peninsula, for the Acadia less traveled

The Schoodic Peninsula is home to a remarkable landscape of dense spruce forests, jack pine woodlands, shrubby heaths, cobble beaches, granite headlands, deep harbors and rugged islands. Bounded by Frenchman Bay to the west, Gouldsboro Bay to the east and the Gulf of Maine along its southern margin, the peninsula is a true natural gem of Maine’s bold Downeast coastline.

Two towns make up the Schoodic Peninsula. Winter Harbor encompasses the southern reaches, which feature the extraordinary Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, the only mainland chunk of the park, while Gouldsboro takes in the lands on both sides of U.S. Route 1, stretching from the center of the peninsula north toward Tunk Lake.

The “quiet side” of Acadia National Park may be considered by most to be the west side of Mount Desert Island, but that label might be better applied to Schoodic. Despite having attracted increased attention when it expanded to 3,450 acres in late 2015 thanks to a large private donation of land and recreational infrastructure, Schoodic still sees just a fraction of the annual visitors that overwhelm the park proper – from Sand Beach to Jordan Pond to Bass Harbor Light – on MDI.

Enjoy the network of meandering trails and bike paths, amble in awe over the wave-splashed pink granite at Schoodic Point, check out the cool log and stone visitor information center and perhaps camp at the park’s Schoodic Woods Campground.

Read full story…

 

Iowa’s Effigy Mounds park offers hikes of ancient history

Posted by on Dec 6, 2020 @ 6:48 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Iowa’s Effigy Mounds park offers hikes of ancient history

  If a love of hiking is the only thing that takes you to northeast Iowa’s Effigy Mounds National Monument — where 14 miles of trails wind through the elegant 2,526-acre monument — you won’t come away disappointed. The immaculately groomed trails, 4 feet wide, of fine gravel or wood chips, hairpin up and along 400-foot-high river bluffs, providing views of the Mississippi River and its many verdant islands as stunningly dramatic as vistas anywhere. Happily, the trails are also configured so you can choose the length of your hike.

But what sets Effigy Mounds apart, and is the main reason to go, beyond the sheer beauty of the rugged, thickly wooded landscape, is the fascinating history you pass as you walk. It’s a world of ancient mounds beginning some 3,000 years ago (during the Woodland Period and continuing into the Late Woodland, around A.D. 1250).

Walking the sometimes steep trail that zigzags through what could be a primeval forest, you pass many of the mounds: cone-shaped ones, linear ones that resemble giant green Twinkies and the more intriguing “effigies” of bears and birds, though the animal shapes are a little difficult to decipher from the trail. All lie under lush, carefully mowed grass, with nary a weed in sight.

Aerial photos taken in years past and displayed at the monument’s visitors center, show a procession of fetish-style bears trudging across this craggy landscape. Many of the 10 bears in this earthen parade — “The Marching Bear Group” — are more than 100 feet long.

Read full story…

 

Hikers share tips for staying warm on winter walks

Posted by on Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:34 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hikers share tips for staying warm on winter walks

Frigid temperatures and even a flurry don’t have to send people scurrying indoors as a little preparation can go a long way toward enjoying the great outdoors all year long.

“I used to hibernate all winter because I was so convinced that there was no way I could ever really enjoy winter adventure,” Kristy Matheson said. “I joined the Dayton Hikers in the winter, so one of my first hikes was in a foot of snow. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed it, and winter hiking has now become one of my favorite things to do.”

With COVID case numbers a significant concern, outdoor fitness continues to be among the safest ways to stay active – not to mention fun.

“This time of year, I love to get out and take a hike or a bike ride in the cooler weather,” said Jordan Hart, Five Rivers MetroParks outdoor recreation program specialist. Motivation and preparation are key.

“The hardest part of cold weather hiking is getting off the couch and getting to the trailhead,” said Andy Niekamp of the Dayton Hikers. “It takes motivation to leave a warm house on a cold day. But once you are at the park, you’ll find that cold weather hiking can be quite pleasant and the outdoors can be very beautiful. But it’s important to be prepared.”

Read more tips on how to enjoy winter outdoor adventure safely and happily…

 

A needed detour: NM volunteers reroute portion of Continental Divide Trail

Posted by on Nov 29, 2020 @ 7:03 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

A needed detour: NM volunteers reroute portion of Continental Divide Trail

Outdoor enthusiasts can now hike a brand new section of the Continental Divide Trail in the Gila National Forest.

The New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors partnered with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition earlier in October to reroute part of the trail in the forest’s Black Range west of Truth or Consequences.

The chairperson for New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors, said the 1.5 miles of new trail will take the Continental Divide Trail off of a dirt Forest Service road.

The crew worked for six days, using a technique called “benching” to make a passable trail in the difficult terrain.

“Because the trail is going along a steep slope, it involves cutting a lot of soil and rock out of the side of the slope to create the trail and then refining it with other tools and making it less bumpyhairperson for New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors, said the 1.5 miles of new trail will take the Continental Divide Trail off of a dirt Forest Service road.

A Youth Conservation Corps crew completed about half the trail before the volunteers took over.

Cite…

 

Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail soon to open to the public

Posted by on Nov 21, 2020 @ 6:53 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail soon to open to the public

The long-anticipated opening of the Blue Ridge Tunnel trail will soon be a reality.

The roughly 2.25-mile trail is scheduled to open to pedestrians and bicyclists Saturday November 21. A portion of the trail runs through a railroad tunnel that was constructed between 1850 to 1858, which was led by engineer Claudius Crozet. At a distance of nearly 1 mile, it was the longest tunnel in America at the time of its completion.

The trail project has been in the works since 2001.

“You know, we did have to postpone quite a few times, but now we just can’t wait for people to come and see it. You know folks will visit from all over the United States and even beyond,” Claire Richardson, director of Nelson County Parks and Recreation, said.

The eastern entrance of the trail is in Afton, while the western entrance is in Augusta County, near Waynesboro. There are parking lots at both ends.

It is recommended folks bring a flashlight or headlamp for the tunnel portion of the trail. The trail hours will be from sunrise to sunset.

Richardson does urge anyone visiting the trail to adhere to COVID-19 precautions and stay 6 feet away and wear a mask while visiting the trail.

Cite…