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The Hiker’s Guide to Finding a Good View of the Stars
If you’re not just hiking, but camping, then at some point, you’re going to find yourself looking up at a dark night sky. That is, if you can even get out of the wilderness for a little bit to find a good view of the stars. If you’re an astronomy nut and want to bring your telescope out to a location far away from the city so you can finally get a great, unobstructed view of all the stars up there, you’re not alone. But you’ll need a few tips to help you avoid some of those trees that might be hiding a few constellations.
Remember that preparation is the key. If you’re hiking in the woods and decide to come back to your camp area where there isn’t a great view of the night sky, you probably didn’t do a whole lot of preparing. Instead, take a few hiking trips where you enjoy hiking, and do this during the daytime. Try to find a view that exposes a lot of the sky: take a look around the horizon and imagine that it’s night time. If you notice a lot of trees blocking the views around the sky, just make a note of that location and see if you can find something better.
If you live in the city, finding a weekend campsite that gives you a clear view of the stars can be a real treat, so don’t give up very easily if you don’t find a site like that right away. Sometimes, even a partially-obstructed view of the night sky is amazing compared to what you might get in the light-filled city.Next, remember that it’s not a good idea to go exploring at night. If you want a good view of the stars at night, it should be where your camp site is, or at least somewhere where you can easily navigate to and from. Do all of your exploring in the day time, and don’t venture too far off the beaten path.
If you live in the city during the week and can’t do any exploring, then check out web sites that show you the positions of the stars given your time of the year and location. This will help you to identify the stars you do see when you’re looking at a more clear sky; you’ll also find this even helps you navigate – though you shouldn’t need the stars to navigate while hiking!
Photo Credits: VinceHuang
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Take up Hiking in Three Steps
With the summer months rolling around, people all over the United States are always looking for new ways to get into the great outdoors and soak in some vitamin D. It’s easy to say you want to get more active this summer, but how many of us actually follow through on those promises? If you want to take up a sport this summer, why not take up hiking? Hiking will be easy to start and if you follow the three steps detailed in this article, you can kick-start a new habit in no time.
Step #1: Scouting.
If you’re going to be hiking this summer, the first thing you’ll need is a place to do it! Of course, this means that you’ll have to do a little investigating in your area. Take an hour or two and write down all of the potential spots you can find in your area – a simple Google search can yield some great hiking trails. Then take a Saturday some time in the next few weeks and check out these different areas – which trails seem to be your speed? Which trails seem like they’re for kids, and which ones are more your style? It wouldn’t hurt to take a little preview hike on some of these jaunts so that you know what to expect.
Step #2: Buying equipment.
You don’t necessarily need a whole lot of equipment if you’re going to become a hiker, but making sure that you’re stocked and ready to go can really help you to start the habit. Some people find it difficult to take up a new exercise or habit unless they’ve bought all of the necessary equipment. For example, new cyclists might not feel right until they have the right bike and the right helmet. Buying equipment will send a signal that says you’re ready for this new habit.
What kind of equipment can you expect to purchase in order to take up hiking? You’ll want to make sure to have a good pair of shoes as well as a backpack or bag to store food and water. Make sure that you have a good Nalgene water bottle. Some people enjoy ditching the technology when they get outdoors, but you can feel free to bring watches, cell phones, and even GPS watches with you.
Step #3: Get in shape – even before the season starts.
If you live in a cold-weather area, there’s a good chance that your local climate is just now starting to warm up and become more suitable for outdoor exercise again. Get in hiking shape by exercising your legs at least four or five times a week – a stepclimber inside a gym can be great for hiking practice. Don’t avoid hills – in fact, you’ll want to get used to them.
Photo Credits; elliottcable
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Five Tips for Safe Desert Hiking
Desert hiking? Yeah, you heard me. When most people think about hiking, they think about thickly-forrested hills with trails cutting gently up the slopes, or canyoneering through northern Arizona with some spectacular views. But some people don’t have access to a whole lot of country side except…desert. And if you’re a desert hiker, that’s just fine by you.
Of course, desert hiking does come with a few risks. If you want to hike safely in the questionable terrain, here are a few tips that should help you on your way.
1. Plan a hike in advance. Don’t just know where you’re leaving on your hike, know where you’re going, what you’re bringing, who’s coming with you, and how to get to your destination. Without a plan, you’ll be far more susceptible to the potential dangers that come with desert hiking. Is every desert hike very dangerous? No, but being prepared will minimize your chances of something bad happening.
2. Remember water and electrolytes. If you’re going on an extended desert hike, you have to remember that water is crucial. Even if you think you can handle a certain amount of exercise, remember that hot air and the sun can also contribute to dehydration – and you often don’t know it until it’s too late.3. Protect your skin as much as you can. Remember to use light white fabrics that wick away sweat and protect your skin from the sun. White reflects more sunlight back to the sun, while black absorbs it. Dress in a lot of white and bring plenty of sunscreen so that the exposed parts of your skin still have some protection. You don’t only want to avoid sunburn, but you want to avoid your skin baking up and losing a lot of hydration.
4. Don’t go alone. It can be tempting to throw caution to the wind and go of adventuring by yourself, but if you bring a hiking partner, you’ll have a lot better chances of finding where you need to go, and making sure that you’ll stay safe.
5. Tell someone else about your plans. If you’re going to be gone a good while – or even going to be gone at all – make sure that someone relatively close to you knows where you headed and when you headed out.
Photo Credits: heatkernel
