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Winter Hikes Around Cincinnati

January 5, 2017 by admin

Winter Hiking for Families

Winter HIking Cincinnati — Brrr..Adventure Awaits

How do I go hiking in winter with kids?

Surviving the outdoors and winter hiking is a skill as well as a valuable lesson for your kids to learn. By hiking in winter, your children gain a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their abilities.

BUT to make the winter hike fun and successful — you — yes, YOU the parent need to make sure the bases are covered.

Fluids for Hiking

IMHO being dehydrated makes me feel colder. And, a Thermos filled with hot chocolate (stashed in the back of the car) is a pleasant surprise when we get back.

Food for Hiking

Hiking in cold weather on an empty stomach is no fun for little ones. They don’t have a lot of energy reserves and will be using energy to walk through snow as well as losing energy to the environment. Make sure they are fueled up, and you have some extra resources to share during the hike.

Emergency Preparedness for Hiking

Bring along your phone. Pack emergency blankets in your gear bag. They barely take up and space and might just save your life.

Hiking Compasses, and Rite in the Rain

Snow covered trails and snow-covered deer trails kind of look the same. Know where you are going and pack a compass. If you get turned around, and you can’t follow your tracks back out, you’ll have a compass to point the way IF you have taken note of where you parked and where the trail started.

I take bearings when I am hiking in winter and make a physical note in a notebook (love Rite in the Rain). That way, if things go back, I have a record of my path and can return to where I started, or I can tell someone where to find me.

Check out this article on How to Dress for Winter Hikes

Winter Hiking Tips and Tricks

January 5, 2017 by admin

How to Dress for Winter Hiking

Winter hiking around the Cincinnati area doesn’t have to be chilly if you dress right.

Go winter hiking! Cincinnati doesn’t usually get a lot of snow that lasts a long time. So when it does snow take advantage of the new winter landscape. Of course, you’ll want to be warm and toasty. Below you’ll find easy steps to make sure your winter hikes are enjoyable instead of miserable.

Dress for the weather you have

Think air. Air is a great insulator for outfitting yourself for the perfect winter hike.

Cotton kills is a refrain you’ll hear from hikers and backpackers. That is because when cotton gets wet is SUCKS the heat away from your body. Not a good idea.

Follow these suggestions to stay warm and toasty on your next winter hike:

Winter Hiking Boots

Not fancy-schmancy boots but a good pair of waterproof boots with insulation. This is where Thinsulate grams comes into play. The higher the count the warmer the boot. Boots with 400-600 are along the lines of normal boots that you could also work in and not sweat; 800 grams is if you are going to be hiking in 30-40 degree weather; 1200 grams, if you plan on visiting Siberia.

Socks are just as important as boots. I see people put on too many layers of socks this doesn’t leave any room for air. Your feet will get cold. Wear a good pair of socks like SmartWools to keep those toes warm.

Under Your Coat

Layers. Layers are important with clothing. If you start to get hot, take a layer off or better still hike a little slower and enjoy the winter landscape.

Wear water wicking clothing or wool. I like a t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, and then a pullover sweatshirt with a hood. Dress in lots of layers but not packed tightly together — remember air is an excellent insulator. I like my summer shirt (a Columbia fishing shirt) because of the venting and that it is water wicking and…OKAY..You got me — it has tons of pockets!

Your Winter Coat, Hat, Scarf, and Gloves

Get a decent coat. One that can handle the winter weather. Look for coats that have hoods, drawstrings around the waist, banded sleeves inside of the sleeves, pockets, and, of course, insulation!

Wear a hat. Not a ballcap and real hat. You lose a lot of heat from your head. A hat helps stop that from happening. I like to pair a hat with a jacket hood for extra warmth. And, I wear a pullover with a hood so I have on a hat, pullover hood, and the hood to my coat — oh so warm and lovely.

Speaking of warmth, add a scarf. A scarf wrapped around your neck and fluffed up before you put your coat on will help prevent icy winds from going right down your jacket and getting your cold.

Save the fingers! Wear gloves with Thinsulate. I have a pair of wool gloves with a Thinsulate lining and a pair of fleece gloves with a Thinsulate lining and I bring both. Why? Because — if I get one pair wet (say, for example, I fall and slid down an icy hill and into a creek, which of course, being a seasoned hiker never do), I don’t have to worry about wet gloves. I have a backup pair. 😉

Wear two pairs of gloves. Wear a thin pair inside of your large pair of fleece or wool gloves. This is an extra measure of warmth but you must have enough room for air because air to help keep you warm.

Ready, Set, Go Winter Hiking

Dress well for your winter hike and you’ll have a better time and be able to stay outside longer before heading back to the to-do list.

P.S. When you go winter hiking, tell at least three of your loved ones or friends where you are going (park, parking lot, and trails), when you will be done, and what to do if you can’t be contacted. That way, if you do get in some kind fo trouble, you have someone who will know you are missing.

What is the Best Water Bottle for Hiking

December 5, 2016 by admin

Best Water Bottle for Hiking Isn’t a Bottle

Water bottles are plentiful but which ones are the best for hikers?

Day hikers and short trip hikers can get away with using a collapsible water bottle for their hiking journey. I prefer the Vapur brand of water bottles for hiking for several reasons.

Best Water Bottle for Hikers is Not a Bottle

The best water bottles aren’t bottles at all. The Vapur water bottle is a sleeve that collapses when you drink. The top the “water bottle” was a seal and a lever lock that help to prevents accidental spills. I hike with a husband and two children who somehow do not know how to properly screw a lid onto a bottle. One time a bottle of red Gatorade spilled inside of my pack. Thanks Honey) and soaked my spare pair of socks! I found this out when I went to change socks.

However, the best thing about the Vapur water bottle is that it collapses and that is important if you are like me and can’t stand repetitive noises such as water sloshing inside of a bottle.

Vapur water bottles are made in the U.S.A.

Looking for the perfect gift for your hiker or yourself?

For fellow hikers, I highly recommend the Vapur water bottles.

How Much Water is Enough?

Having enough water totally and entirely depends on where you are going and when you are going. If you are a day hiker (under 4 miles relatively flat), a 1L bottle will likely be plenty unless it is super hot out.

A hiker making mileage or hiking uphill will burn through about 10 quarts of fluid a day. That’s 2.5 gallons! Use this as a guide while keeping in mind the variables of your area such as the strenuousness of the trail, humidity, amount of direct sunlight you will be in, and the temperature. And, ALWAYS pack more water than you think you will need.

That is another reason I like the collapsible water bottles. You can tuck it into an extra pocket. I don’t recommend using the plastic carabiner to attach it to your pack unless you are going to secure the bottom, so it doesn’t swing. And, that is where velcro tape comes in sooooo handy … but that’s another story.

Don’t Get Too Hot

June 3, 2016 by admin

Over Heated while Hiking in the Summer Heat

If you start to get hot, stop or at least slow down. Take a break in a cool shady spot. This includes plopping down in the middle of a creek and taking your shoes off and sticking your feet in the water!
Hydrate and eat something with a little salt in it like some peanuts, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts and some sugar like M&Ms. Eat tiny amounts of your trail mix rather than eating a huge granola bar which will just sit there in your stomach like a grumpy cinder block.
If you start to feel dizzy, exhausted, extremely sleepy, or nauseous — you need immediate help — time to ring up the park rangers or your pals. Signs of heat exhaustion include:
- Profuse sweating
- Feelings of tiredness or fatigue
- Weakness in the body
- Muscle cramps
- Headaches
- Nausea

Be Safe and Hike Happy — no one likes a ticked off hiker. 😉

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Hike Often. Live More.

Successful Summer Hikes

June 3, 2016 by admin

I have seen many bad decisions made on the trail because of dehydration and over-exertion.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Get up early — so you have enough time to eat and get to your destination before the crack of dawn has even though about showing itself.*
Dress in light water wicking clothing and the hiking shoes that work for you. In hot weather, I hike in a pair of Teva sandals or my Keen mesh hiking shoes (yes, these are also affiliate links. I appreciate your support!) depending on the trail and how many sharp rocks I may encounter.
Eat breakfast, skip the caffeine, have an OJ, and drink lots of water.
Tell your keepers where you are going to be and what trails you are hiking.
When you arrive at your hiking destination — park where you think there will be shade and if there is no shade — don’t forget to put up your sun-shield in your car and cover your steering wheel with a beach towel. It’s going to be hot in there when you get back. ((I usually pack a cooler full of ice with a few extra Nalgene bottles full of crushed ice, that way when I get back I have some nice cold water to drink.))
Make sure your vehicle is locked and any valuables are well hidden (BTW — you should leave the valuables at home). If you do have valuable don’t go hiding them in the trunk while you are in the parking lot. You might as well paint a big target on your car. You never know who could be standing just a few feet into the woodline and watching the parking lot.
Start your hike.
Stay hydrated through out the hike.
Take it easy hiking. Don’t go running through the woods.
Enjoy your hike and that icy cold water when you get back to your car!

Hike early and get done before the big wallop of heat hits in the early afternoon hours. (Big wallop is a technical term, I just made up — you can use it to look super smart in front of all your friends. I give you permission that’s a $59 Value!)

* The crack on dawn occurs roughly one-half hour before the listed sunrise time. If you have great night vision or a really good flashlight and know the trail well, you could push this time a little further into the black and get hiking in the wee hours of the morning. NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) has an accurate sunrise/sunset calculator here.

Be Safe and Hike Happy — no one likes a ticked off hiker. 😉

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Hike Often. Live More.

Safe Hot Weather Hiking

June 3, 2016 by admin

Hiking in Hot Weather

When the weather turns deadly hot, if you’re not prepare you could find yourself in quite a pickle.

Pack for your hike the night before and be ready to go in just s few minutes the next morning.
Bring along lots of water. Whatever bottle or pack system works for you. Camelbak, Nalgene, Vapur, or Platypus. (The links to products are affiliate links. It doesn’t cost you extra to buy via these links but I get a small tiny microscopic percentage of the sale which helps me pay for fun things like hosting fees for this website. So, please do me a favor and purchase through my affiliate links. Thanks!)
Pack at least one plastic water bottle of water. I’m not a fan of these plastic bottles but I have ran into so many people in distress on the trail, I started carrying at least one, to be able to help someone out without giving them my expensive water bottle and…um…my water.
Here is some insight on how much water you need (straight from my book):

How much is enough?

Well, one simple physiological fact should convince you to err on the side of excess when deciding how much water to pack: A hiker working hard in 90-degree heat needs approximately 10 quarts of fluid per day. That’s 2.5 gallons—12 large water bottles or 16 small ones. In other words, pack along one or two bottles even for short hikes.Some hikers and backpackers hit the trail prepared to purify water found along the route. This method, while less dangerous than drinking it untreated, comes with risks. Purifiers with ceramic filters are the safest. Many hikers pack along the slightly distasteful tetraglycine-hydroperiodide tablets to debug water (sold under the names Potable Aqua, Coughlan’s, and others).Probably the most common waterborne “bug” that hikers face is Giardia, which may not hit until one to four weeks after ingestion. It will have you living in the bathroom, passing noxious rotten-egg gas, vomiting, and shivering with chills. Other parasites to worry about include E. coli and Cryptosporidium, both of which are harder to kill than Giardia.For most people, the pleasures of hiking make carrying water a relatively minor price to pay to remain healthy. If you’re tempted to drink “found water,” do so only if you understand the risks involved. Better yet, hydrate prior to your hike, carry (and drink) 6 ounces of water for every mile you plan to hike, and hydrate after the hike.

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