Hiking Boots Certainly Have Improved

by Sue Freeman
In 1996 I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, walking for 6 months from Georgia to Maine. On my feet were the highly recommended footwear of the time – the all-leather, above ankle Montrail OneSport hiking boots. Weighing in at 4 pounds, they were like lead weights on your feet. Yes, they were durable. And, [...]

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Appalachian Trail History Hike – Sept 12

A 4-mile Appalachian Trail History Hike along the rerouted section of the trail on Bear Mountain will begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 12 at the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site. Hikers will meet at the visitor’s center at 690 Route 9W, Town of Highlands. The rain date is Sept. 13.
The hike is of intermediate difficulty, [...]

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Sun SWAT

I love the name – as a person with a marketing background, this sings to me. The name is a stroke of genius. I also like the product concept. Sun SWAT is a combination sunscreen and bug deterrent. Back in 1996 as I prepared to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, I had a similar thought. It [...]

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We Love Our Packas

Each year in the fall, we head to a gathering of long-distance hikers sponsored by ALDHA (Appalachian Long Distance Hiker’s Association) to visit with like-minded souls, attend workshops on backpacking, watch slide shows about long-distance trails around the globe and to shop for the latest in lightweight gear. Long-distance hikers are an innovative lot. [...]

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Winter Hikes, Skyline Views of New York Ciry

By DAVE CALDWELL, NY Times, link to original article
HONEST, dead leaves do not have to be so depressing. Stripped and skeletal trees leave more of their surroundings exposed, leading to potentially panoramic views. And, sometimes, those colder-weather tableaus include brilliant vistas of city skylines that were cloaked by the greenery of summer. “You normally go [...]

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Where Will the North Country National Scenic Trail go Through the Adirondacks?

By ALAN WECHSLER, Albany Times Union,  link to original article
The North Country National Scenic Trail is not the most direct way to get from North Dakota to Crown Point, N.Y. This 4,600-mile trail meanders up and down North Dakota and Minnesota, winds around the shores of two Great Lakes, and then heads down to southern [...]

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Old Hiking Boots – Reused

In 1996, Rich and I spent 6 months walking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Unfortunately, this was just before the lightweight hiking craze gained force. We hiked with heavy packs and wore full leather hiking boots. We each had 2 sets of boots and wore one set the first thousand or so miles [...]

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New York State is Well Connected for Hikers

Did you know that by hiking the Finger Lakes Trail you can connect to many other trails that head far outside New York State?
- The western end extends all the way to North Dakota on the North Country National Scenic Trail.
- From the FLT branch called the Conservation Trail you can connect to the Bruce [...]

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Appalachian Animals

Here’s a hiker who embodies the “outdoor spirit.” After a series of photos he states:
“Spent the last couple days hiking in Harriman State Park, on side-trails crisscrossing the Appalachian Trail. We took the train from Penn Station to Tuxedo NY and made over Bear Mountain, across the Hudson to Manitou. We swam in a lake, [...]

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Top Ten Hiking and Trekking Vacation Spots Worldwide

I guess I better get going. I’ve only hiked 3 (AT, Kili, Camino) of these “top ten.” How many have you hiked??
iExplore announced their list of Top Ten Hiking and Trekking Vacation Spots Worldwide as determined by their Adventure Travel Consultants.
1. Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
The 186.5 mile, three week Annapurna circuit gets you up close to [...]

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