We watch a video: if we like it and think you will, too, we write a short review. If we watch it and don’t like it, well, if it’s really egregious we might write about it to let you know what you’re not missing. Otherwise, we move on to the next. The good news: there’s enough decent stuff out there to keep us in business.

While this page is mostly about videos, it’s also about podcasts, books and magazines. Some of the entries are practical in nature — gear reviews, how-tos — others are about the experience of being outdoors, virtual escapes you can take when you don’t have time to take your own.

We’ve cataloged these entries by the following subjects:

• Hike/trip recommendations
• Adventure
• People
• General media
• Gear
• Nature
• Skills
• Health & Safety
• Lifestyle

We will continually add to this list.

Hike/Trip recommendations

The Benton MacKaye Trail on YouTube

Of late, we’ve been thinking of the 287.6-mile Benton MacKaye Trail, which, like the Appalachian Trail finds its southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Ga., then runs north into the Smokies. Once we started thinking about the BMT, we realized how little we knew about the trail. So we turned to our preferred YouTube explorers for some enlightenment. Here are three videos that make a nice introduction:

• Leonides: 7-day, 7-part series. The daily videos are in the 15- to 30-minute range and take a chronological approach, which is especially good if you may only be able to hike portions of the trail. Helpful, too, because his series is recent, shot in late 2020. Find it here.
• JBenHikes: I can do that trail in six episodes, JBenHikes appears to proclaim. These episodes tend to be a little shorter, with more emphasis on scenery than chatting. The beginning of his last episode in the series shows that thru-hike aren’t all sunny escapades: he reports in the wee hours from his tent, which is being buffeted by intense winds atop Mt. Sterling in the Smokies. Especially good video quality. Also shot late last year. Find it here.
• Evan’s Backpacking Videos: 14 episodes. Evan’s series starts with planning and training videos before getting on the trail. Each episode also has a theme (“Making Outdoor YouTube Videos with an iPhone 6,” “The Doctor Knows Best About Blister Care”), which adds an additional bit of info to each episode. Lots of great information about the trail and the experience of thru-hiking it peppered throughout. One downside: it was filmed in 2016, making it nearly four years old. Find it here. 04.27.23

Evan on the Foothills Trail

As Evan of Evan’s Backpacking Videos notes at the beginning of his 46-minute 8-second video of his thru-hike on the 77-mile Foothills Trail, the trail appears to be misnamed: the term “foothills,” he argues, suggests ease. This is not, he states up front, an easy trail. He also suggests it might not be a trail to attempt in bad weather. Begin the adventure with Evan here.

Waterfall hikes

In hot weather we look for hikes that are: 1) at higher elevation; 2) involve water; 3) both.

So today, we pass along 5 YouTube videos highlighting some of the best waterfall hikes around:

1. Tennessee Waterfalls | Best in the United States?, XPLR.Nash
2. Waterfalls of the Smokies, Johnny on the Trail
3. Top 5 Waterfall Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, William 180
4. Asheville, North Carolina: 9 Easy Waterfalls to Hike, Adrienne Jones
5. Best Waterfalls of North Carolina, Bill & Eric Photography

Barkley Marathons: ‘Where Dreams go to Die’

As outdoor adventures go, the Barkley Marathons certainly is among the quirkiest. For starters, it’s impetus was James Earl Ray’s 1977 escape from Tennessee’s Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Morgan County, Tennessee. The vexing terrain made Ray’s escape a short one, but inspired Yosemite Sam look-alike Gary Cantrell (a k a Lazarus Lake) to create a 100-mile race with … fluent rules, a mysterious registration process (more than 1,000 typically apply for the 60 slots), a 60-hour time limit, a total elevation gain of 60,000 feet and a start time that’s anytime between midnight and noon (Cantrell blows a conch shell when he decides it’s time to start). Sound challenging? Since the race began in 1986, only 15 people have finished the Barkley. (No one finished this year’s race.)

Ginger Runner Ethan Newberry captures the race’s quirky and sometimes cruel nature in “Where Dreams go to Die,” a 1 hour and 16-minute documentary on the two-race odyssey of one contestant, Gary Robbins, in his quest to tame the Barkley. Even if you aren’t an ultrarunner, you’ll appreciate the pushing-the-envelope edge of this captivating film. Check it out here.

JupiterHikes:  ‘Which Trail Should I Hike?’

It’s the first of the year, you’re contemplating your hiking goals for 2023. Is this the year you do a long trail? And if not a “long” trail (a l a Appalachian, Pacific Crest) then perhaps a sorta long hike (Benton Mackaye, John Muir)? So many questions. Questions you’ll find answered by YouTuber JupiterHikes in his 17-minute 40-second video, “Which Trail Should I Hike?” JupiterHikes has a lot of miles on the trail, and this video reflects that experience. He discusses options, he discusses different approaches. Well worth a watch — even if a long hike isn’t in your immediate future. Check it out here.

Adventure

Dirtbag Diaries: ‘Grand Traverse’

Around this time we start thinking about the year ahead, about what we hope to achieve. Thus, we start looking for motivation, for inspiration. The challenge is to find such that isn’t too on-the-nose, too first-day-of-the-rest-of-your-life. That’s probably why the tale of the Grand Traverse on the latest Outside podcast strikes such a cord. It’s not not about “goals” per se. Rather, it’s about doing something challenging that, at year’s end, you can look back at and say, “Dang! I did that! I guess I had a pretty good year.” The “that” in this case is the Grand Traverse, a 40 mile cross-country ski race in Colorado, from Crested Butte to Aspen. It started in 1997 and attracts hundreds of participants, include Pat O’Neill, who has done all 25. The podcast is mostly about O’Neill, but it provides good insight into the kind of challenging achievement you could hang a year on. Best of all, it’s not just an impressive physical accomplishment, it sounds like a lot of fun. Give a listen here.

Sintax77:  ‘Stone Shelter Camping in a Snow Storm’

Sometimes you crave a winter backpack trip — a true winter trip, with snow and all — but it just isn’t in the cards. So you turn to the next best thing: a YouTube. In his latest video, Sintax77 takes us on a hike in New York’s 47,527-acre Harriman State Park. It’s a hike that starts under blue skies with puffs of white cloud, a dusting of snow on the ground and later spends a night in a stone shelter as a winter storm blows through leaving drifts of up to two feet. It ends with a thick blanket of snow on the ground under gorgeous blue sky. Winter backpacking at its best. Check it out here.

TOGR’s ‘A Quiet Place’ adventures

Looking for that quiet tranquility you seek on the trail, but are crunched for time and can’t experience it in person? Check out ‘A Quiet Place Adventures” from The Outdoor Gear Review. They’re much like the adventures TOGR’s Luke takes on his main channel, but minus the commentary. It’s amazing the difference no talking makes. These chatter-free videos have a zen-like quality; the sounds of nature are left in, the sounds of man are not. They typically run less than 20 minutes, perfect for a quick escape when you need one. Check ‘em out here. 

‘Emotional Rescue’ on Mount Washington

Rescue stores are always fascinating. While they frequently contain many of the same elements — an ill-prepared hiker, ignoring the weather, attempting an adventure over one’s head — they are uniquely different. “Emotional Rescue,” which occurred roughly 13 years ago and was written about in the Summer/Fall 2018 issue of Appalachia Journal, may sound familiar in some respects, but includes two elements of particular note. One is that the rescuer, Pam Bales, pictured, was just another hiker who happened to be on the mountain at the right time and in the right place. The second element? You’ll have to read it yourself to find out. Check out the story here.

Outside: ‘A Wild Odyssey with the World’s Greatest Chef’

We all suffer, at some point, from degree of … ennui, of a personal version what President Carter once infamously referred to as a “crisis of confidence, a malaise. When this happened to New York Times food writer Jeff Gordinier, he felt perplexingly adrift, perplexingly, because in a lot of ways he was on top of the world, at least professionally. But personally, he was a mess. Then, a unique opportunity presented itself that led him on a mostly unlikely adventure. This adventure, expertly portrayed by Outside’s Michael Roberts, underscores the power of adventure, in that it transported him from the land of the listless to the land of the vibrantly alive. A great listen, that you can find here.

Outside: A true van tale

Paul Harvey, for you youngsters, was a radio commentator from years ago who shared tales that told “the rest of the story.” Some were stories you thought you knew. Others were stories that weren’t what they appeared to be on the surface. This week’s Outside podcast on Emily Pennington is a bit of a Paul Harvey. Pennington set out in 2020 to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks. She was expecting a somewhat light-hearted romp as she shucked her job, hopped in a van and hit the road. That’s not exactly what happened (the fact she did this in locked-down 2020 should give you a clue). But neither is her story one of one disaster after another. Rather, it’s a pretty straight-forward look at what it’s really like to live in a van and vagabond for a year. Give a listen here.

Bryan Delay: Smokies in Winter

You like the idea of a winter overnight escape to the Smokies. You also like the idea of staying warm and dry. So why not tag along with our buddy Bryan Delay (of “Backpacking with Bryan Delay”) and his son Nathan on a trip in December. They start at Davenport Gap and hike south on the Appalachian Trail to Cosby. It’s a trip full of blue skies, a couple inches of snow on the ground, and lots and lots of the Great Smoky Mountains. A wonderful 16 minute and 4 second escape (be sure to check out the sweet shelters). Find it here.

YA adventure books for camping

A few years ago I disappeared for a night into the Birkhead Mountain Wilderness to simply escape. I didn’t hike in far — about 3 miles — and camp was pitched by 4. What did I do with my afternoon and evening? I read. I finished a book I’ve been reading exclusively on backpack trips for about six months, “Banner in the Sky,” by James Ramsey Ulman. Based in Switzerland in 1865 (the book, which won the Newberry Award, was published in 1955), it’s about 16-year-old Rudy Metz, who is determined to conquer the mountain that claimed his dad. It’s a wonderful tale, perfect for backpacking in part because it’s about adventure, in part because it doesn’t weigh much. In fact, some of my favorite backpacking books fall into Banner’s Young Adult adventure category, books by the likes of Canadian author Farley Mowat (“Lost in the Barrens”) and contemporary American author Roland Smith (“Jaguar,” “Sasquatch,” the Peak series). Though geared toward young adults, these authors don’t pander: the stories are good, crisp adventures designed to engage readers regardless of age. And I find they’re perfect for transitioning from your own adventure to someone else’s. 04.20.23

People

Conrad Anker on ‘Wild Ideas’

As the show notes for the latest episode of “Wild Ideas Worth Living” succinctly state, “Conrad Anker is a legendary mountaineer and one of the most prolific explorers alive today.” On a camping trip when he was 15 he decided that exploring the outdoors was what he wanted to do with his life, and for the past 45 years he’s done just that. His climbing resume (including three Everest summits) is unparalleled. More than that, he’s simply a decent, well-rounded guy. If you’re not familiar with Anker, the latest 30-minute episode of “Wild Ideas Worth Living” is not only a great introduction, it has a bit to offer to folks who have closely followed his career (hint: it has to do with his pre-expedition preparation).. Give a listen to “The Wisdom of Expeditions with Conrad Anker” here.

Media in general

Carving a nitch on YouTube

It must be tough being a YouTuber in the adventure realm: so many people doing essentially the same thing. How to distinguish yourself? Steve Wallis has made a good name for himself with his series of stealth camping episodes: stealth camping in an airport parking lot, under a bridge, in a wrecked trail. Others, such as WildBeare, use stunning video and a keen eye to make even the mundane marvelous. Then there’s Base Camp Chris. We’ve long liked Chris’s quick overnights near his Nevada home. Nice, tight escapes. 

But about nine months ago Chris apparently felt the need to better distinguish himself from the masses. So he started telling stories around the campfire, the kind of stories we tell around the campfire to keep anyone within earshot of getting a good night’s sleep. Some involve Big Foot-type characters, some involve people who went into the woods — and never came back. Most are reportedly based in fact, with some including recored 911 calls, some news clippings, some interviews. His latest? On the Missouri Monster (“Momo” to the locals), which you can listen to, if you dare, here.

‘The Ginger Runner’

Technically, the “The Ginger Runner” YouTube channel is about trail running. But isn’t trail running really just fast hiking? Among the things we love about “The Ginger Runner”:

1. Shoe reviews. If you’re into lightweight hiking shoes, you will find no better source of information than “The Ginger Runner” reviews of trail running shoes. Recent reviews include The North Face Flight Vective, TNF’s Vective Endurance, the Saucony Peregrine 11, the Hoka One One Mach 4.
2. Great trails. A recent favorite, the 93-mile Wonderland Trail circumnavigating Washington’s Mount Rainier. So what if the episode is about recent attempts to set new FKTs (fastest known times; 18 hours, 49 minutes, 11 seconds for the Wonderland!), but you get to see the entire trail, some of it at night!
3. Life on the trail (albeit in the fast lane).
4. Great visuals. The camera work is exceptional, as is the storytelling.

Check out The Ginger Runner YouTube videos here. Also available in podcast form here.

Elsa Rhae: ‘First Time Backpacker’

Lots of people make videos, few were born to do so. Elsa Rhae is one of the latter. We stumbled upon her “First Time Backpacker” video by accident when the video we were watching ended and hers began before we could switch channels. Good thing. Elsa is no stranger to outdoor living: she and her partner travel the country, living in a 13-foot Scamp trailer. “First Time Backpacker” is her first time backpacking: 42 miles in 4 days on the AT through the Smokies. She gets a great tip from her shuttle driver on how to start a long hike to avoid injury (hike the first 15 minutes at an almost unbearably slow pace, the next 15 slight less slowly, then take a 5 minute break). She shows how she made a gel that she used for nutrition on the trail, she’s judicious with her video. She has great hiking tips, and shares her thoughts on the gear that worked for her. Really, one of the best outdoor videos we’ve seen. Check it out here.

Media Playlists

The alert popped up on YouTube: a new video was available from The Outdoor Gear Review. It was short, less than 10 minutes, and a gear review in a topic I’m particularly interested in on the trail: sitting. Specifically, sitting comfortably at the end of a long day. This review was of Big Agnes’s Skyline UL Stool, and overall, the reviewer liked it. Comfortable, if a little pricey ($99). But it was deemed light enough for backpacking (1 pound, 4 ounces), and that led me to wonder what other gear TOGR’s Luke had tested that you could take backpacking. A lot it turned out: 163 items, to be exact. And I found that information quickly because Luke does a good job of categorizing his videos; under “Ultralight” (where the stool was parked) I found reviews on everything from “Flashlights, Lanterns, Etc.” (78), to “Military Surplus” (249), to “Backpacks / Packs – Civilian & Military” (177). If you want a good gauge of how seriously a vlogger takes their craft, look no further than their playlist. Provided they have one.

‘Trailside’

Before there was Darwin, before Dixie, before the legions of YouTube adventure videographers, there was “Trailside: Make Your Own Adventure.” Trailside was a half-hour adventure show that ran on PBS beginning in 1993. Its original host was John Viehman, who was editor of Backpacker magazine at the time. Viehman would take viewers on a variety of adventures around the globe. The emphasis was on making the adventures accessible, which Viehman managed to pull off weekly. A total of 154 episodes were produced with a variety of other hosts after Viehman left to start a similar show, “Anyplace Wild.” The show was pioneering in its “you-are-there” approach, regardless of whether they were kayaking Class IV water, caving or ice climbing.

Oddly, despite only dating back to the 1990s, episodes are hard to find. Recently, we stumbled onto several episodes on the Trailside YouTube Channel. Check ‘em out here.

‘Escape’

World War II had ended, America was easing into a time of prosperity, of settling down, of committing, gladly, to a 9-to-5 work-a-day routine. And yet, something was missing during this time of milk and honey. While no one pined for the horrors of war, there was an element of adventure that was now missing from most Americans’ lives. So in 1947 CBS launched a radio series called “Escape,” which each week told swashbuckling tales of adventure, from diving for gold in Paraguay, to the story of the second man to scale Mount Everest, to the plight of boat wreck survivors caught tantalizingly within sight of shore, but unable to make landfall. The show’s opening captured the restless sense of the times for many: “Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all?” And then, “Escape! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half-hour of high adventure!”

Most of the weekly stories were adaptations of works by noted authors, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Rudyard Kipling and H.G. Wells. And the shows starred some of the top radio actors of the day, including William Conrad, John Dehner and Barney Phillips. The tales could be a little over-the-top by today’s standards, but in the context of the emerging Cold War, they can be extremely entertaining. Think half-hour radio versions of Indiana Jones. And they were certainly well-received at the time: 228 episodes were produced before the series ended in 1954.

Need a little escape from the four walls of your today? Learn more about the series here, download all 228 episodes here.

 ‘The First 40 Miles’

Before you get excited and ask, “The First 40 Miles is back?” it’s not. But thankfully it lives on, and that’s great news if you’re new to backpacking and eager to pick up a few tips. After 214 episodes — more than four years’ worth — Heather and Josh Legler discontinued their popular podcast aimed at beginning backpackers more than two years ago. It lives on in the ether, though, and you can catch every episode here.

A virtual visit

You can’t hike your favorite mountain trail in person, but you can virtually. Odds are there’s at least one YouTube video of your favorite trail. Call up YouTube, search for your favorite trail and enjoy a variety of perspectives in various seasons. A good way to visit without being there. 

TA Outdoors

Every once in a while we stumble upon a new outdoor channel and think we’ve made a grand discovery. Then we see that said channel has 2.4 million subscribers. OK, so maybe we weren’t the first. Such is the case with Mike Pullen’s TA Outdoors, a channel that’s about “Bushcraft, Survival, Building, Wild Camping, Wilderness Camping Trips, Solo Bushcraft Trips, Woodworking, Ancient Historical Building” and more. Even if you aren’t into this degree of roughing it, TA Outdoors is educational and, more important, fun to watch. He’s got everything from “10 Bushcraft Axe Skills in 10 minutes,” to lengthier videos on building a Viking House or a thatch roof house. And with 545 videos, you can binge to your heart’s content. Check out the channel here. 

Gear

Shug: ‘How Hammocks Changed My Life’

There’s a lot of hyperbole on YouTube, especially with outdoor videos where there’s competition aplenty to see who can out-outdoors whom. Not with Shug, aka Shugemery, aka Sean Emery. Shug grew up in Charlotte, resides now in Minnesota and has been a performer all his life (including a stint with Ringling Brothers). He’s also an avid explorer, so when Shug says hammocks changed his life, you can bet it’s a statement worthy of pursuing. Shug tried his first hammock in 2006 and has been committed ever since. Spend a moment with this video and find out why. It’s an especially good watch if you’ve contemplated giving hammocks a try yourself. Check it out here.

Microfiber towel

This time of year especially, you get wet on the trail. Let’s say you’re hiking a trail with multiple stream crossings and you don’t want to get your shoes wet, so you take them off and cross. Feels good, but you emerge with wet feet. Or you’re slogging up a steep hill, gaining 1,000 vertical feet in less than a mile: early on you develop a case of slog sweat that will blind you if it gets in your eyes. Thank heavens for the pack towel, that quick-drying swath of microfiber that dries those feet, wipes dry that brow and then dries uber fast dangling from your pack awaiting the next round. (They’re also great for helping you cool down: dip it in a nearby stream, wrap it around your neck, instant relief.) Cascade Designs makes an especially handy face towel (10” x 14”) that’s compact and efficient. Check it out here.

Black Diamond Talus gaiter

Constantly getting rocks and duff in your hiking shoe? Annoying on a short hike, blister causing on a longer venture. Nip those irritants in the bud with a pair of gaiters that slip over your shoe laces and neck of your shoe/boot, making it darn near impossible for stuff to get in. We like the Black Diamond Talus because it’s simple and does the job. Maybe it’s not waterproof, maybe it’s not the most stylish gaiter on the market. But it’s relatively inexpensive ($40 for a pair) and you can get them on and off quickly, a big plus in our book. Check ‘em out here. 

VELCRO straps

It drives you nuts, loose gear jiggling around inside and outside your pack. A charging cord that explodes like a snake-in-a-can when freed from its ziplock, water sandals clanging around on the back of your pack, your quick-access water bottle dangling from your shoulder strap. Well, explode/clang/dangle no more, not when VELCRO straps can help contain the chaos. This pack of 12 straps includes 4 each of 8”, 12” and 18” lengths, perfect for your containment needs. Check ‘em out here.

TOGR: The pop-up tent

One of the things I like most about The Outdoor Gear Review is that the channel isn’t entirely about gear; it’s also about the experience, and how the gear can enhance the experience. And that experience isn’t always the same experience: sometimes it’s backpacking, sometimes it’s car camping, sometimes it’s overlanding. And sometimes it’s simply about getting out for the day and finding a nice spot to hunker down and kick back. That’s the case with the oddly misnamed “Camping in a Weird MASSIVE Korean Pop-up tent.” Oddly misnamed because the tent in question, the Idoogen Instant Camping Tent, is not, as host Luke acknowledges, “MASSIVE.” But that’s beside the point.

The point: While it may be massive, it is indeed a pop-up tent — simply take it out of the storage sack, toss it down and pops up on its own to become a tent. With a little effort on your part, you can erect the massive — this time the description applies — awning. Find a nice spot in the woods (not far from the car; it weighs 10.34 pounds), set it up in minutes, get out your camp chair and relax. Hang out under the awning and read, crawl into the tent and take a nap. When it’s time to leave, the tent packs up in a jiffy. You can stay the night, Luke says, but it’s claim to being waterproof is suspect; he promises to test that claim in an upcoming episode.

Still, for about $90, it’s a good deal if you just take it out for a day trip.

Check out the review here. 

Roll those ticks away

Water? Check. Map? Check. Lint roller? Ch—

Lint Roller?

Worried about ticks? Then there’s one piece of gear you should start keeping in your pack: a lint roller. Yup, that wand with sticky tape on the end that you use to pluck everything from crumbs to cat hair from your clothes. Turns out a lint brush is pret

ty good at snatching ticks from clothing as well. Reach the end of the trail, pull the brush out of your pack and give yourself a good once over (especially your pant legs and socks) and look for little legs atwitch from a small orb. Caution: doesn’t work quite as well on bare skin, especially hairy bare skin.

Quilts vs. sleeping bags

Are you a backpacker who’s used a sleeping bag since your first overnight, but have wondered about all the fuss over quilts? Today, we offer the takes of four of our favorite backpacking vloggers on the topic of quilts vs. sleeping bags. Spoiler alert: they all favor quilts. Click and learn:

• Homemade Wanderlust
• Darwin on the Trail
• The Outdoor Gear Review
• Shug

5 Ultralight (and in some cases cheap) gear lists

We love getting other hikers’ takes on gear, especially hikers who spend a lot of time on the trail. Today, we share five YouTubers who share their thoughts on lightweight — and in some cases, not-so-expensive — gear. We culled these five from a random collection of gear videos. Some didn’t make the cut because they weren’t as informative as they could have been (omitting details on cost and weight, for instance), some because we questioned their take on gear we were familiar with. The ones that follow we found to be quite insightful and helpful.

• “Low Budget (but high-quality!) Ultralight Gear,” GearTest Outdoors. 21 minutes, 46 seconds
• “GEAR I should have gotten as a BEGINNER backpacker,” Jeremiah Stringer Hikes, 21:02
• “My 2021 Thru-Hike Gear List – Benton MacKaye Trail,” Darwin onthetrail, 10:48
• “8.7 Pound Ultralight Backpacking Kit – Colorado Trail FKT,” Juice Hikes, 22:28
• “Ultralight Backpacking Gear List (9 lbs / 4kg),” Outdoor Adventures, 25:38

Media Ginger Runner on trail shoes

The Ginger Runner is all about trail running. And while what we hikers do may not be running (“anti-running,” perhaps), we do have one key thing in common with trail runners: we both need good shoes. You may have noticed that an increasing number of fellow hikers are in trail running shoes. For good reason: they’re lightweight, they generally have good grip, they’re built to minimize rubbing (and thus, blisters) and they’re generally pretty comfortable. Ah, but what to look for in a trail running shoe?

This is where The Ginger Runner excels. Host Ethan Newberry, in his 10- to 11-minute reviews gives you the information you need to know if a given shoe is a good fit (sorry). He gives lots of specs, and for those of us who scratch our head over specs, he explains how those specs translate into a positive trail experience. Best of all, through an arrangement with www.runningwarehouse.com, he’s able to review a wide array of shoes — and there are a whole lot out there. He’s also got several reviews of shoes that seem ideally suited for hiking — shoes with a bit more cushion that, I’ve personally found, take the foot pain out of a long day on the trail.

Dixie on hiking socks

Dixie of Homemade Wanderlust fame is a straight-shooter. Thus, we’ve chosen her take as the one to consider when embarking on a quest for good hiking socks. Her 16 minutes and 31 seconds on the topic is well worth the time. Check it out here.

Food: ‘The Hungry Hiker’

Dinnertime on the trail can present a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, you’re really hungry. On the other, you’re really tired and not keen on preparing a complex meal. There is the option of a dehydrated meal — provided you don’t mind spending around $10 per meal. Certainly there must be a good alternative? There is, and The Hungry Hiker shares it in her 11 minute and 46 second video, in which she puts together, quickly, 10 dinner options with common, inexpensive ingredients found at most grocery stores. Some are possibly things you’ve tried: instant mashed potatoes, or dehydrated rice or pasta. But it’s what she adds to them that will have you busy planning your next backpack trip just so you can have a trail dinner. THH also does breakfast, and any number of other meals. Find her oeuvre here, her dinner video here.

Darwin on ‘… Way Too Many Clothes’

Darwin onthetrail’s latest video, “You’re Backpacking with WAY Too Many Clothes” is geared toward backpackers but applies to day hikers as well. Basically, it’s his recipe for proper layering, a good lesson anytime but especially in fall and going into winter when layering is especially important (see Tip, above). His overriding message: you don’t need a lot of clothes, you just need the right clothes. And by “right” that mostly means clothes made of Merino wool. Yeah, it’s a little more expensive, but in the long run, if you need fewer clothes, it’s not that much more expensive. His advice comes based on 10 years and more than 14,000 miles of distance hiking. Check it out here. 

BattlBox: 3 items

If you could only have three things with you in the woods, what would they be? That’s the question put to three top wilderness survival experts in “The Only 3 EDC Items You Should Carry ALL THE TIME,” from BattlBox, a YouTube channel that focuses on surviving on your wits — and a few key pieces of equipment — in the woods. BattlBox host CURRIN1776 @FueltheFires JJ Morris and @ONThree host Jason Salyer share their top three items. Some of the items may surprise you; the reasoning behind them will not. Check it out here.

Nature

Outside/In: ‘Who Owns the Sky?’

There are things you think about on the trail — What makes the trees bloom? Am I on the right trail? Where’d I stash my snacks? — and things you don’t, such as, Who owns the sky? Who owns the sky? You likely don’t even know where to begin on this one. Certainly not with the medieval Roman notion of, “Whoever owns the the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and down to Hell.” That’s where this podcast begins, and gets even more interesting from there. Give a listen here.

‘The Daily Respite’

Imagine waking every morning to find a daily slice of nature waiting in your inbox. Now imagine “The Daily Respite,” from Clara Parks. Parks is the author of books fiber (“Vanishing Fleece,” “Book of Yarn”). When the pandemic hit, she launched “The Daily Respite,” where she began searching for a “daily touchpoint.” “Failing to find just the right balance of soul, brevity, and humor, I decided to do it myself,” which would be “The Daily Respite,” quick, nature-based insights, mostly from her Maine farmhouse, that she’ll email you for free. (You can Respite more for a fee.) Check it out and sign up here.

‘How We Survive’

Every once in a while a podcast will take the week off and run an episode of a podcast that it likes and is aligned with its mission. Such was the case this week when the Outside podcast aired the first segment of a season-long segment on climate change by the “How We Survive” podcast. I hadn’t heard of “How We Survive,” but my attention was immediately grabbed when Outside host Peter Frick-Wright introduced it as being by the folks who produce “Marketplace,” “which may be the best show on radio. Having gotten my professional start in life as a business reporter, I’ve listened to Marketplace since the beginning, and whole-heartedly agree that it’s the best show on radio, giving an understandable spin to often complex economic issues of the day. 

I didn’t realize that the Marketplace people have other podcasts, including “How We Survive,” now in its sixth season. I was eager to listen to episode 1, and was not disappointed. The podcast covers climate change with a truly Marketplacian approach: clearly and understandably. This particular episode is about climate change and the military, both the military’s impact on climate change and climate change’s impact on the military. No spoilers here; give it a listen — it’s well worth it. Check it out here.

Skills

How to waterproof a map

There are worse things than a soggy map, or WMS (Wet Map Syndrome), as Mike with Outdoor Chronicles calls it. But a soggy map is pretty bad, especially if you’re relying on said map to get you somewhere vital in the field — like back to the trailhead. Thus, it’s always good to have a waterproof map, and in this 11-minute video Mike shows you how to make that happen. His three suggestions:

1. Buy a map that’s already waterproof (in our experience they’re more water resistant than proof). Mike notes that if you like to custom-design your own maps with a service such as CalTopo, there are online waterproofing options available, pricey online options ($10 to $15 per map).
2. Stick your paper map in a ziplock bag. A little more helpful.
3. Laminate your own map. This is the suggestion we were hoping for, and the one Mike spends most of his time on. His method is cheap; you probably already have the basic tools — an X-Acto-type knife and a ruler or straight-edge — meaning your only investment is a role of clear contact paper: you can get a 36-foot roll of 12-inch paper for about $6.

Soggy maps no more, thanks to Mike with Outdoor Chronicles. Watch his video here.

‘Homemade Wanderlust’ on hitchhiking

Dixie has hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, and has piled up a bunch of experience along the way, experience she’s happy to share on her Homemade Wanderlust YouTube Channel. A 2019 post — “My Sketchiest Hitchhiking Story” — includes tips for hitchhiking while backpacking. It’s a curious combination: after hearing her describe the peculiar fellow who gave her and a backpacking friend a lift in Arizona, you won’t exactly be motivated to stick out your thumb. But if you are, stick around for her tips (in fact, you can bypass the sketchy guy segment by punching a button that lets you skip ahead). The tips will be helpful to any hiker keen to bum a ride; some good tips in the Comments section as well. Check it out here.

Outside: An update on pooping

It’s funny: though we’ve been ridding our bodies of waste since Day 1, the rules for the disposal thereof in the wild keep changing. This week’s Outside Podcast episode is an informative and engaging update on the current rules for ditching doody in the wild. (It also spends a fair amount of time on the topic of dog poop, a topic we discuss in “Tips,” above.) In addition to updating us on the currently recommended procedures, there’s an entertaining history on the topic, especially pertaining to how the matter has been addressed on Grand Canyon raft trips. One caveat: The piece takes the typical western-centric approach to waste disposal — that is, how it’s best dealt with in an arid, rocky, exposed environment (as opposed to here in the wet, fertile, East). One more reason to listen: the piece is narrated by Paddy O’Connell, our favorite podcaster on topics outdoors. Check out “A Bold New Way to Poop in the Woods” here.

Drenalin Adventures: Bushcraft camping

Here’s something to think about: a winter tent with indoor heating. A lot of heating, via a woodstove. Obviously, this isn’t a nomadic backpacking option. Rather, it’s a basecamp option that includes curling up with a good book next to a wood stove fire — in your tent. Sounds like the best of both worlds, no? There are a lot of variations on this theme in the YouTube Uverse, one we especially like is “Solo Bushcraft Winter Camp: Cooking Over a Fire in Wet, Heavy Snow, Canvas Camp for Shelter,” from Drenalin Adventures. Host Scott talks just enough to explain what he’s doing — which is building his basecamp in a steady snow in the Canadian woods — but not too much to distract from the genius of his set-up and the beauty of the woods. You may never set up a canvas tent basecamp with a wood stove in a snowstorm,  which makes it all the more fun to watch someone who has. Watch the video here.

Big Foot on the Neel Gap Shakedown

Bigfoot launched his YouTube channel in 2016 to vlog his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He’s continued the channel to report on subsequent long hikes — including his 2017 thru-hike of the John Muir Trail and his unsupported FKT (Fastest Known Time) attempt on the Superior Hiking Trail — but also to provide advice to potential thru-hikers. His most recent video is on the shakedown offered by outfitter Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap, 32 miles into the Appalachian Trail (from the south, at Springer Mountain, Ga.). His focus in this video is on the the most unnecessary pieces of gear they find on backpackers. The report is surprising on two fronts: the stuff people think they need and they do need, but forget. One key takeaway: on a typical shakedown, Mountain Crossings helps a hiker shed 6 to 10 pounds from their pack. Watch the 17 minute and 35 second video here.

Too lifeless to hike? Read!

Sometimes when you’re out of energy, you’re out of energy for a reason and not even a hike will help — or is a good idea. I’m thinking of the time I had mono when about all I could do was lift a book. Fortunately, I had the strength to at least do that. When the time comes for a full physical recharge, I turn to the Outside Canon, issued by the magazine in 2004. Herein you’ll find some of the best adventure tales ever told, including books focused on place (Isak Dinesen’s ‘Out of Africa”), on journeys you’d like to take (“The Great Railway Bazaar” and other adventures by Paul Theroux), on journeys you’re glad someone else took and lived to write about (Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s “The Worst Journey in the World,” a first-hand account of Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Antarctica expedition in 1910-1913). A sea of adventures you can’t wait to settle in with, especially when you personally aren’t up for exploring yourself. Find the Outside Canon here.

Health & Safety

‘Patient Zero’ podcast on Lyme Disease

If you spend much time outdoors, and we suspect you do, you’re no doubt interested in ticks and the havoc the little  blood-suckers can cause. Lyme Disease, for instance. Is it true, you may wonder, that you can’t get infected if you get the bugger off you within 24 hours? (Not necessarily.) The name of the podcast, “patient zero” — isn’t that the term given the first person known to contract a given disease? (No. That person is actually referred to as the “index case.”) And the iconic red bullseye — isn’t that a true sign you’ve got Lyme Disease? (Again, no. You can get Lyme without getting the bullseye.) “Patient Zero” comes from New Hampshire Public Radio, which also gives us the wonderful “Outside/In” podcast. In fact, “Patient Zero” is hosted by Taylor Quimby, a senior producer for “Outside/In” (and senior producer of the also quite good serialized crime podcast, “Bear Brook”). “Patient Zero” is a fascinating look at a disease that went misdiagnosed for years, and a disease that’s not fully understood now. Four episodes are out so far; check ‘em out here.

‘The Call of the Void’

You probably recognize the iconic Virginia location on the right: McAfee Knob. And if you’ve hiked there, you’ve likely had your picture taken at knob’s edge. Like this group.

So why’s the guy on the end sitting down?

He’s trying to resist “The Call of the Void,” a k a “high place phenomenon.” According to psychologist Jennifer Hammes writing in “The Journal of Affective Disorders,” HPL is “An urge to jump [that] affirms the urge to live..” Messed up survival wiring, in short. And about a third of us suffer from it.

That urge is the focus of the latest podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio’s Outside/In podcast, and it’s a good one. If you’ve ever had this urge, you’ll find it especially interesting — and a bit of a relief because no, we are not crazy. 

Check out the podcast here.

Out Alive on survival myths

The Out Alive podcast from Backpacker via Outside tells a story of survival every other week. This bi-week, they divert to discuss three common myths of survival. You may well know these as myths, but especially in these times of free-for-all social media, it’s good to be reminded of what’s real and what’s not. In this episode, Jessica Krebs, founder of O.W.L.S Skills, a Colorado-based survival skills program for women, addresses three common myths: sucking the venom from a snakebite, building a survival fire, and drinking your pee. It’s a quick — about 10 minutes — listen and valuable information. Give a listen here.

Another benefit of trails

You know trails are a godsend; it’s not like you need additional proof to convince you of their worth. Here’s some anyway: according to American Trails, “Trails connect suburban and rural communities to wild places, and they can play an important role in landscape resilience, as wildfire becomes more frequent in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where homes are increasingly being built.” So trails can help prevent wildfires? Or at least help mitigate their impact? Apparently.

“A trail system can be part of a wildfire management strategy and may serve as emergency egress routes before or during a fire,” according to the non-profit trails advocacy group. Further, “After the fire, trails in burnt-over landscapes may help visitors learn about fire recovery, and the impact of wildfire on watershed health.”

Read more about the role of trails and resiliency here.

Lifestyle

Media ‘Outside’ on invitations

If you subscribe to the parallel universe theory, you’ve know doubt wondered about those roads not taken. About the time you declined an invitation to summit Mount Mitchell in January, in the snow. Or the time you passed on a chance at a week on the AT. Or that day you stubbornly sat in the office and stewed as your friends played hooky and spent a glorious fall day in the St. Mary’s Wilderness. Invitations proffered, invitations passed. But what about those invitations that are embraced? That’s the topic of the latest podcast from Outside. In this episode, it’s all about the invitations that were accepted, and how an opportunity seized changed lives. Give a listen here.

 ‘Something Wild’

I always feel better going to bed knowing something I didn’t know when I got up. I’ve been going to bed happier since discovering the Something Wild podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. Once a week, Something Wild delivers a quick — 4 to 5 minutes — bit of information about the natural world that not only makes me sleep better, but gives me something to think about until then. The latest installment, for instance, is about birdsong, and why the avian rhapsodies of fall make us wistful for spring. Check out Something Wild here.

‘Backcountry creativity,’ on BPL podcast

You like the idea of somehow chronicling your adventures, but how? Keeping a journal — written, drawn, or both — is especially appealing, but you’ve got so many questions before getting started. What kind of journal should I use, waterproof or regular? And lined on blank pages? Or a grid? In this week’s Backpacking Light Podcast, hosts Ryan and Andrew share their experiences of writing, drawing and painting on the trail. Just the boost you need to get you creatively into the fall backcountry season. Give a listen here.

The Outdoor Gear Review: ‘A Quiet Place Adventures’

On some level, you’re aware of the sounds of the woods: a twig snapping, that last frog of the season croaking in the distance, a breeze rustling the leaves far above. You likely hear them, but you don’t take the time to appreciate them. That’s the beauty of “A Quiet Place Adventures,” a new channel from The Outdoor Gear Review. The segments run 15 to 20 minutes, and in many ways resemble TOGR’s other productions. The one difference? Host Luke says nary a word. You hear him chopping wood, feeding a campfire, boiling water for coffee. But you never hear him speak. It’s a good opportunity to enjoy a meaningful, but often neglected, element of the outdoor experience. Check it out here.

BPL podcast on mental health

We hear a lot about the mental health benefits of being outdoors: that it reduces stress, can improve your mood, it’s relaxing, detached from electronics it can give your brain a chance to renew. On some level we know this to be the case: spend an afternoon on the trail and who doesn’t feel better? But how really tuned in to how we individually benefit mentally from being outside? In Episode 34 of the Backpacking Light Podcast, hosts Andrew and Ryan discuss how being outside personally affects them.

It’s insightful because it shows that the impact of being outdoors varies from person to person. For instance, Ryan discusses how following the standard advice of being active for 30 minutes a day just doesn’t cut it for him. Rather, fewer, longer stretches of being on the trail have a more significant, long-lasting impact. I can relate; while getting out and stretching the legs for a few minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon is helpful, it’s those longer stretches — a couple hours or more — that really clear out the cobwebs and open the doors for a couple days of clearer creative thinking.

Outside Podcast: ‘A Pro Climber’s Coming Out Story’

This summer, the Outside Podcast is celebrating one of the main things we missed in 2020: connecting with people. Specifically, the podcast is looking at how outdoor experiences enhance (for the most part) our relationships. Think about it: on a group hike, you can go from strangers to intimates in a couple of hours. A weekend backpack trip? Forget about it.

The first episode in the Outside series is about professional climber Jordan Cannon’s publicly coming out. But that’s only part of the story; Cannon’s coming out is heavily intertwined with the relationship forged with a new climbing partner, Mark Hudon. Some of Cannon’s fellow climbers thought it odd that their 24-year-old friend would team with 62-year-old Hudon. How’s that going to help you? they wanted to know. In a variety of ways, it turned out, including having the supportive father figure he didn’t have growing up. A good story; we look forward to hearing more in the series. Give a listen here.

 ‘Sea Hunt’

One night recently when I had the house to myself, I was noodling around on YouTube when I came upon “Sea Hunt,” and not just one episode — all four seasons (155 episodes). Back in the 50s and 60s, there were three networks and thus, three choices for what the family could watch at any given time; my family watched “Sea Hunt,” the story of ex-Navy frogman Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges, The Dude’s dad) who made a living as a freelance scuba diver. Underwater adventure was a new frontier at the time; scuba diving was little more than a decade old when the show began. Every time Mike went under water — whether he was rescuing a Navy pilot trapped in his plane or diffusing a nuclear bomb — it was an adventure. To an adventure-loving kindergartner whose world was confined to his backyard, it was the most anticipated half hour of the week. Even today, the black-and-white episodes free of special effects offer some of the best adventure escapism around. See for yourself, here.

‘Camping with Steve’

To those of you who aren’t into camping because of the sacrifice and discomfort it demands, I point you to “Camping with Steve.” Steve is Steve Wallis of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and his approach to adventure is to embrace it while not necessarily escaping the conveniences of home. In the first video of his that I watched, “Cheap Hammock Storm Camping,” he not only camps in a storm with fresh-out-of-the-pack budget hammock gear, he also cooks a hamburger soup that, by the looks of it, could feed 20 (he’s solo on this trip). In a salute to comfy summer camping (“Air Conditioned Insulated Tent Camping”), he uses a portable air conditioner to cool an ice fishing shelter. He’s into stealth camping, as in “Abandoned Campground Stealth Camping,” and “Urban Stealth Camping Disguised As Businessman.” In short, Steve puts a spin on camping and adventure that you likely haven’t thought of. Steve offers a good way to revisit your view of camping going into the popular fall camping season. See more of his work here

Motivation for fall

In addition to this week’s more tolerable temperatures, for additional motivation to get up for fall I turned to my favorite outdoor YouTubers. Granted, it’s not fall on YouTube. But it has been, and there are plenty of archive videos to get you ready for the season. Since I was looking for a taste of fall in my backyard of North Carolina, I turned to Luke with The Outdoor Gear Review. Luke spends a fair amount of time exploring the Southern Appalachians near his home in northwestern North Carolina. Just the place I love to explore, especially in fall.

Especially in late fall, as it turns out. The video I selected, “Windy Mountain Fall Day Camp” from four years back, appears to have been shot in late November/early December: the trees at 3,000 feet, are stripped clean of leaves, it’s blustery, the sky has that pre-winter indifference. Luke, dressed in fleece, tells us it’s 42 degrees. He stops for coffee, lunch and a chat. The video is just 15 minutes, just long enough to further get you onboard for the season ahead.

‘The Prepared Wanderer’ on 2025

We check in with The Prepared Wanderer from time to time and we were glad we did last week when he dropped “My Channel SUCKS! ! Everything Changes in 2025 — Get Ready.” Basically, it’s a brief (14 minutes 20 seconds) apology by Wendell for his recent videos and a vow to do better. The apology is partially to his 75,000 subscribers, partially to himself for not being true to his mission. It’s a bit harsh; his recent videos haven’t been bad, but he’s mostly done reviews from his desk, at his home base in Ohio. His 2025 goal: to get into the wild more, to take more classes, to be more of a conduit for helpful information on exploring the backcountry. The video is a good example of being frank with who you are, and who you want to be. Check out the video here, learn more and subscribe here.

The post Media: What we like (and a thing or two we don’t) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

So many questions hikers face.

Fortunately, there are lots of places where you can find answers.

In our four decades of hiking we’ve come to rely on certain sources for answers. Below, we list the ones we’ve found to be most helpful. Hopefully you’ll find them helpful as well.

GearLab

GearLab, until recently known as Outdoor GearLab, gets its own entry because it’s so darn helpful. Whenever we’re contemplating a new piece of advice, we first see what GearLab has to say. For each category of gear it reviews, GearLab tests dozens of products, then rates them in a variety of categories: Best Value, Best Men’s, Best Women’s, Best Overall — the same categories you use to make your decisions.

Fall hiking gear

Our cool(ish) weather-inspired pining for fall got us thinking about fall hiking gear. Not that we need anything — which is the ideal time to look because you’re not pressured into snap decisions. Rather, you can take a few minutes to make intelligent decisions, shop around a little. And the best place to do a little high-quality window shopping? Gearlab. For instance, its “The Best Hiking Pants for 2024” includes a range of options. Gearlab present 13 pants options, ranging from the $32.50 Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible (“Thin material not suitable for rugged terrain, no water resistance”), to the $200 Arc’teryx Gamma Pant (“These functional, high quality pants best serve those who hike in wet weather”). Or the “Best Base Layers for 2024,” which rates 19 options, some of which are surprisingly affordable. Take a moment to pick out your fall wardrobe here.

Best beanies

Because we know many outdoorsy types like to thoroughly research before buying, we point you toward GearLab’s reviews of the 5 Best Beanies for Men and Women. From a large field — 50 for women alone — they whittled down to less than 10 the number of beanies to field test for both men and women before coming up with their top 5, with rankings based on varying criteria. Note: some are viewed as not particularly good for athletic purposes, such as hiking. Check out the men’s Top 5 here, the women’s here.

Best solar charger

While we’re on the topic of portable chargers, why not check out solar chargers? Because of our tree cover in the Southeast, these tend to be not quite as effective — and thus, popular — as they are in the wide-open West, but they’re becoming more efficient, and if you can master when and how to best use them, they can keep you in power for days. GearLab recently completed its latest review (they’ve been reviewing them for 10 years); for this review they started with more than 100 chargers and winnowed them down to the 8 that underwent extensive field testing. Go here to find out how they ranked, including their top charger and their best buys.

10 Best Sandals of 2024

In today’s feature post we extol the virtues of summer hikes with lots of water. So it only makes sense that in this space we extol the virtues of the best resource we know for selecting gear: GearLab. GearLab reviewed 65 pairs of sandals to come up with their 10 Best Sandals of 2024. Not all the sandals are suitable for long hikes, which GearLab recognizes. Thus, they evaluate the sandals based on a variety of criteria — including Best Secure Adventure Sandal. Their recommendation? You’ll have to go here to find out. 06.05.24

Best Sun Protection Shirts of 2024

Here’s a question that frequently comes up on hikes, especially long hikes, especially in summer: How exposed is the trail? Hikers, I’ve noticed, are becoming increasingly concerned with sun protection, to the point they’ll consider a long-sleeve shirt on a 90-degree day if it offers good sun protection. So how do you know which of the multitudes of sun protection shirts offer both good sun protection and breathability (so it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a long-sleeve shirt on a sunny summer’s day? You seek out GearLab’s “Best Sun Protection Shirts of 2024.” Over the past four years GearLab has tested 25 such shirts and rates 16 of them here.

10 Best Rain jackets

In this world of overnight delivery, you might still have time to order a rain jacket before Debbie departs completely. And not just any rain jacket, but the best, at least according to Outdoor Gear Reviews’ May review of the 10 Best Rain Jackets of 2024. And as they often do, the jackets are based by different criteria: Best Overall, Best Performance, Best Bang for your Buck, best men’s, best women’s. Over the past 14 years, GearLab has tested 205 jackets, and these are currently the 10 best. Check ‘em out here.

Best Base Layers for 2024

The key to happy and comfy winter hiking? No doubt it’s having a base layer you love. One that’s comfortable, that feels good next to your skin, that keeps you warm but gives you some degree of regulatory ability so you don’t get too warm. You also want one that will last and what the heck, one that looks good, because even though it’s a “base” layer, because of the Southeast’s more moderate winter temperatures, you’ll likely be wearing it as your exposed layer more often than not. With dozens of options to choose from, how do you make an informed decision? By starting with Gearlab’s “The Best Base Layers for 2024.” Gearlab whittled its test group down to 19 options and gives its assessment, including its recommendations for Top Pick, Best Buy and more. Check it out here.

Best gloves

Maybe you’re the type who likes to evaluate all the glove options. For you, we recommend checking out the GearLab evaluations of various glove options. If you can’t find it here, odds are they don’t make it — or it’s not worth buying. Begin your search here.

Gear (in general)

Pack Hacker on packing cubes

Intrigued by the notion of packing cubes for backpacking and hiking and want to learn more? Check out “Best Backpacking Cubes for Travel,” from Pack Hacker. They review a variety of options, rating them based on different purposes and needs. You might be surprised how many options there are. Check it out here.

Audubon’s ‘bins’ picks

“Bins” — birder slang for binoculars — are coveted for a variety of features. Weight, for starters. There’s also ease of focusing, clarity, ergonomics, color rendition, and balance, to name a few. Audubon’s “top-scoring binoculars for less than $150” takes all of these into account in their reviews of the five binoculars under $150 they tested (a couple of which list at just above $200, but are included anyway “because they are often on sale for less than $200.” And if you have no problem going well north of $200, you can check out reviews of bins in other price categories in the complete Audubon Guide to Binoculars. Find the budget binocular review here.

Gearjunkie on the Best Winter Traction Devices

And because winter traction devices, like so many things, are a matter of personal preference, may we suggest you check out the Gearjunike’s Best Winter Traction Devices of 2024-2025. Published about two months ago, it’s current and reflects testing over a three-year period. They give the pros and cons for each device, rate them in different categories, rate them under different conditions. If you plan on doing any high country hiking this winter, you best check out the review, here

Motivation

Hiking goals

Looking for a worthy hiking goal in 2024? The Carolina Mountain Club has 7, from the longstanding South Beyond 6000 (40 select southeastern peaks above 6,000 feet), to the Pisgah 400 (hiking all 400 miles of trail in the Pisgah Ranger District), to Lookout Tower Challenge (hike 24 fire towers). Find those goals and more at the CMC website, here. Those goals are North Carolina centric. In Virginia, check out Go Hike Virginia’s “15 Hardest Hikes in Virginia,” which includes some favorites of our GetHiking! Charlottesville crew. Check ‘em out here.

Ethics, getting involved

Leave No Trace

Most of us know the basic seven principles of Leave No Trace: 1. Plan Ahead and Prepare, 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces, 3. Dispose of Waste Properly, 4. Leave What You Find, 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts, 6. Respect Wildlife, 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors. But do you know what these seven principles entail? Be a better outdoorsy type in the year ahead by becoming more well-versed in the specifics of Leave No Trace by spending quality time at the Center for Outdoor Ethics’s Leave No Trace website.

Hiking etiquette

Don’t you wish there was a Miss Manners, of sorts, for questions of hiking etiquette? Well, there is, of sorts.

The American Hiking Society offers a quick rundown of key do’s and don’ts when hiking. For instance, did you know that hikers headed downhill should yield to hikers headed up hill? They should. Or that when you take a break, you should do so off the trail? (Would you just park in the middle of the road to stretch driving cross country? No, you would not.)

Spend a couple of minutes pursuing the AHS’s rules for hiker etiquette. It will make the trail an even more civil place to be.

Volunteering

Feel like getting involved in trail matters, you’re just not sure how? Check out this list of 200 U.S. hiking organizations affiliated with the American Hiking Society. It includes causes you may be familiar with (Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Carolina Thread Trail) and ones you may not (Chinook Trail Association). Lots of regional options, in addition to the ones above. Find an organization and how learn you can get involved starting here.

When nature calls

A question that frequently comes up: Are there restrooms on this hike?

Answer: Sure. Pick a tree.

I will note that this question rarely comes from males. I should note, too, that my answer rarely elicits the hearty chuckle I expect.

For a more helpful answer on the topic, I defer to Backpacker magazine, which has far more experience on the topic. Read Backpacker’s answer here.

Hikes with visitors

We have entered the season of Hikes with Visitors, that time when friends and family arrive for the holidays and you are left wondering what to do with them. Take them for a hike, of course, but are they up for the type of hiking you do? Besides, isn’t the point of hiking to get away from it all? What you need is a hike where you are not the center of attention, where everyone is relying on you for direction — and directions. What you need is a ranger-led hike at a nearby state park. Say, the History Hike on Thanksgiving Day at James River State Park in Gladstone, VA, or the Thanksgiving Day Hike at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines, NC.

Find events at Virginia State Parks here, North Carolina State Parks here.

Finding a hike

‘Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina’

So, how do you know if a trail is good for a dog? You get a copy of Karen Chavez’s “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina.” Chavez, who was the Outdoors Editor at the Asheville Citizen-Times at the time she wrote the book, did a lot of hiking across the state to cull these pup-friendly hikes. She also includes information on trail etiquette for dog owners and their pets, tips on hiking with dogs and their special needs, dealing with wildlife encounters and more. Learn more and score a copy here.

State Park hikes

Looking for a hike with a little something extra this weekend? Check out the hikes offered at your local State Park. For instance, Saturday morning at 9 you can tag along with a ranger at Virginia’s Fairy Stone State Park for a two-hour hike to Little Mountain Falls. Or, in North Carolina, at Gorges State Park take a hike ranger-led hike to Raymond Fisher Pond.  Check out additional options by clicking the links below:

• Virginia State Parks
• North Carolina State Parks

National Forest Service websites

The start of spring is when many of us start to return to our National Forests to explore. In part that’s because a lot of us don’t get out as much in winter. In part, it’s because many of us have a drive a ways to reach a National Forest, and in winter we’re more included to hike closer to home. But a big reason we steer clear is because many of the roads we take to reach our favorite spots — and some of the places themselves — are closed for winter. Now, they’re starting to reopen. When? Well, you can find out speedy quick by going to the appropriate Forest Service website for your state and checking “Alerts & Notices.”

• Georgia
• North Carolina
• Virginia
• Tennessee
• South Carolina
• West Virginia

Where to check ahead

In our quest this week to get you to check ahead before heading out, we rerun this list of contact links for some of the larger land managers in the region:

• Blue Ridge Parkway
• N.C. Department of Transportation
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• North Carolina State Parks
• North Carolina National Forests (Croatan, Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie)
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• Shenandoah National Park
• Virginia National Forests (George Washington and Jefferson)
• Virginia State Parks

American Hiking Society’s Hikes Near You

Looking for a fresh source of recommended hikes? Check out the American Hiking Society’s Hikes Near You database. You start with a map showing trails on a map. Pan back for a big overview, which gives you a general sense of the length of the trails. Then, drill down for specifics. Click on a trail for the quick skinny, then click again for specifics — you’ll be taken to REI’s crowd-sourced Hiking Project. Check it out here.

Sunrise, sunset tables

With the end of Daylight Saving Time, it’s increasingly important to see when the sun sets before heading out for a hike. What’s an easy way to find the local sunset? By going online, of course. Our favorite source: SunriseSunset.com, which not only covers all 50 states, but scores of communities in each state, giving you a pretty accurate account of when sunset occurs. Check it out here. 

Resources on resources

Resource American Trails Resource Library

Curious about how ebikes will impact multi-use trails? Maybe you have questions about how to become a better advocate for trails in your area? Or perhaps you’re interested in keeping up on current legislation involving trails? All questions that could require time-consuming sleuthing on the internet. Or that could be answered quickly with a visit to the American Trails website. American Trails is a nonprofit that “celebrates decades of working on behalf of all trail interests. Our website is one of the world’s most comprehensive online sources for planning, building, designing, funding, managing, enhancing, and supporting trails, greenways, and blueways.” It’s especially alluring if you’re a little geeky, but a solid resource even if you aren’t. Check it out here.

Andrew Skurka’s blog

When it comes to advice based on hands-on, in-the-field experience, it’s hard to beat Andrew Skurka, who has hiked more than 30,000 miles including a bevy of long, long hikes, such as the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the  7,775-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. (If you haven’t heard of some of these, it’s because he makes them up — meaning he pioneers them.) Skurka thought he wanted to be a Wall Street type when he enrolled at Duke in the late 1990s, quickly saw the error of his ways and has become one of the world’s preeminent distance hikers. Today, he continues to hike, but also teaches and shares his experience and offers advice on his blog, which you can find here.

YouTube + Google

Imagine having a friend with a photo album from trips to, seemingly, all the places you’d like to hike in the region. In fact, you do have such a friend — it’s your very own GetHiking! Meetup hiking group. Each week on our hikes, people take pictures and post them on their local site. Some post one or two, some post a whole lot. Not only do they showcase the various trails we hike, but they show how much fun we have on our hikes. Here are the appropriate links to two of our more active groups: Charlottesville and Charlotte. Check ‘em out. 04.04.2024

Safety & First Aid

American Hiking Society on safety and first aid

The best way to avoid needing a rescue? The best two ways, actually?

1. Be prepared before going into the wild.
2. Know what to do should a problem arise,

You’ll find quick information on both topics in the American Hiking Society’s Hiking 101 Resource page under the heading “Safety & First Aid.” Everything from preventing and dealing with blisters, to hydration to basic first aid is covered. Check it out here.

Mayo Clinic

The more you know, right? That applies to pretty much everything, and this weekend that’s especially true when it comes to knowing the effects of heat on your body. Our go-to medical source, the Mayo Clinic, is well-versed on the topic; learn most of what you need to know by starting here. And if you don’t have time to become an expert on the subject, check out this Mayo Minute on heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Nature

Look, up in the night sky!

Again, on a Tuesday Night Hike a while back, we were blessed by clear skies that were cold and crisp. We hit a clearing, flipped off our headlamps, looked up and — What is it we’re looking at? We were looking at all kinds of celestial bodies, yet we weren’t sure what we were looking at. That’s why before heading out on the next night hike I’ll be sure to check out space.com‘s Stargazing page for its day-by-day (night-by-night?) breakdown of what’s in the sky. Had I looked before Tuesday night’s hike, I would have learned, for instance, that Jupiter and Venus would be traveling together above the southeastern horizon. Find out what’s going on in the sky before your next night hike, here.

Picture those clouds

You read about clouds and their various meanings in science class and thought, “Wow those cloud descriptions were great, but I’m a visual learner so how will I identify each type of cloud when I see it in the sky?” Well you’re in luck, because this Instructables page has everything you need to know and more about how to keep up with the clouds! Not to mention it has plenty of helpful pictures!

USGS streamflow data

You’re doing a hike that has multiple stream crossings, and there’s been a fair amount of rain of late. How do you know if the stream is too high to cross? The U.S. Geological Survey monitors streamflow on thousands of waterways nationwide, with data livestreamed to its website. Making sense of the data can take a bit of work. For starters, not every river is monitored, so you may need to rely on a nearby waterway to get an idea. And what exactly the data means isn’t intuitive. For each reporting station, both the river’s height (Gage Height) and flow (Discharge, measured in cubic feet per second) are shown. You’ll need to click on the reporting station’s Station Number for historical information to put those numbers into perspective. You can find data here for North Carolina, here for Virginia.

Six simple weather checks

As we mentioned earlier, we are now into the summer hiking season. In addition to dealing with bugs (see “Tip”) we must also be more vigilant about the weather, especially those summer thunderstorms that can pop up out of nowhere. The folks at The Simple Hiker offer up six resources for checking the weather before a hike (and during, to some degree). Reduce your chances of getting caught unawares by Mother Nature by checking out The Simple Hiker’s “Six Different Ways to Check the Weather,” here.

Dealing with pests

Insect repellant comparison

Choosing the insect repellant that’s right for you can be a very personal decision: One explorer’s DEET is another’s … cow dung? Cow dung, bananas, gin and tonic’s — they’re all repellants of choice for various individuals. So what’s the repellant for you? Helping you make that decision is the goal of a “A Guide to Mosquito Repellents, From DEET to … Gin and Tonic?” in an enewsletter called Goats and Soda, from National Public Radio. The assessment is based on research done by New Mexico State University based on interviews with 5,000 repellent users. If you overthink every decision in your life, you’ll want to spend some quality time on this page. Check it out here.

Guided hikes, events

Great Trails State Events page

Remember back during Year of the Trail (last year) how easy it was to find a Year of the Trail event? You simply went to the Great Trails State Coalition website, clicked on the Events page, and — Voila! — you had access to events from the mountains to the coast. YOTT may have passed, but the Events page lives on. It’s still a great way to find out what great trail-related events are going on around the state. Take this weekend: On Saturday, there’s the 9th Annual Wheels on the Greenway in Greensboro, the Haw River Camp ’n’ Clean, and our very own Deep River paddle trip and hike (see main story). On Sunday, Outdoor Women and the Dan River Basin Association host a free beginner kayak safety class at HaRo (hip-speak for (Hanging Rock”) Lake at Hanging Rock State Park. Continue to discover events around the state at the Great Trails State Coalition Events page, here.

AHS on National Trails Day

We will talk more about National Trail Days, which is June 3, next week. But if you want to start planning your observance now, check out the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day page. Learn what NTD is about, and more importantly, use it to find an NTD event near you. Check it out here

Camping

The Camping Canuck: ‘100 Camping Hacks’

Yes, more tips, these from The Camping Canuck.

Duct tape is but one wise trick in the hiker’s arsenal. To learn of others — from unlikely fire starters (Doritos) to other multi-use stars (baking soda, good for everything from treating minor burns to calming an upset stomach) — check out these “100 Camping Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind,” from The Camping Canuck. 07.25.24

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Here’s a quick look at prevention and treatment for both.

Ticks & mosquitoes

Ticks and mosquitoes are being shown to cause a growing number of maladies, from Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (ticks) to viruses including Zika and chikungunya. Ticks, according to current thought, need to be attached for 24 hours before they become a problem (though removal as soon as possible is best); mosquitoes can do their damage immediately.

Avoid

• In summer, seek double track trail, especially trail piggybacking on old roadbeds
• Stick to the center of the trail, avoiding brushes with brush
• Wear long pants (tucked into your hiking socks) and long-sleeve shirts, especially in tight passages. Yes, we’re heading into summer, but there’s plenty of lightweight clothing out there that will create less of a sauna effect.
• Especially for mosquitoes, avoid areas that tend to be wet and boggy (remembering that wet and buggy can occur at even the highest elevations),

Repel

• Use repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours. Other options: Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD), 2-undecanone.
• Have the best camping hammock with mosquito net delivered to your house, as an extra layer of protection.

• 

  Follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.

• Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin, which remains protective through several washings. 
• Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer. Farm to Feet, for instance, now has a No Fly Zone hiking sock that is, says the company, “treated with insect repellent that affects the insect’s nervous system causing ‘hot foot’, making it fly away before it may bite.” Greensboro-based Insect Shield not only makes a spray-on version and treats clothes for major outdoor clothing lines, but you can send in your favorite adventure clothing and have it treated. Prices start at $9.95 for a single item, drop two $8.33 per item for three to 19 pieces, and to $7.95 per item for 20 or more pieces of clothing.
• Unsure about the best repellant for your needs? The Environmental Protection Agency has an online tool to help you select the repellentthat is best for you and your family (see below).

Post hike

• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming off the trail, preferably within two hours.
• Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. If you have a close friend who can assist with the search, all the better. Parents should check their kids for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
• Examine gear and pets.Ticks can ride on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
• Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes require washing first, use hot water.
• If you find a tick on your body, remove it immediately

If you find a tick

Follow this four-part removal process recommended by the CDC:

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
• Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Poison Ivy

ID the plant

Your best bet in avoiding poison ivy is to know what this culprit looks like (see photo) and steer clear — way clear. In general, the vine has leaves that grow in threes; usually, but not always, one side of the leaf is smooth, the other has three serrations. Also, the vine itself is furry: if you see a fuzzy vine growing up the trunk of a tree, resist the urge to pet it. A good rule of thumb is to avoid “leaves of three,” which also covers the poison oak and poison sumac.

Avoidance and prevention

• Again, do what you can to avoid contact, which includes:
• Avoid green ground cover along the trail
• Wear long pants. And immediately upon getting home, gingerly slip them off inside out and toss into the wash.

If you get it …

Even if you only think you’ve been exposed — keeping in mind that it may be hours before symptoms in the form of a rash and really itchy skin — clean the area thoroughly in question thoroughly. There are various recommendations on what to use, including:

• Soap and water. Preferably a soap with some grit in it to help remove the poison oils from your pores.
• Hand sanitizer. If you’re on the trail and think you may have brushed up against poison ivy, the alcohol in the hand sanitizer you may well have in your pack should help.
• Alcohol pads. Ditto the alcohol pads found in most first-aid kits.
• Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser. Specially formulated to deal with poison ivy oils; keep a small bottle in your daypack if you’re hiking in dense, brushy woods. You can wash your clothes with it as well. Also comes in a scrub.

Treatment

If some poison ivy manages to penetrate your best defenses and you develop the really itchy rash, the more popular treatment options include calamine lotion, zinc carbonate, zinc oxide. Baking soda and colloidal oatmeal are also suggested itch remedies. Calamine lotion, though, is easy to apply (dab a little on a cotton ball and apply).

Learn more

Click on the following links for more in-depth insight into ticks, mosquitoes, and poison ivy.

• Wondering whether you really need to take precautions against tick and mosquito bites? Read this sobering piece — “Tick and Mosquito Infections Spreading Rapidly, C.D.C. Finds” — that appeared May 1, 2018, in The New York Times.
• Learn more about tick bites from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
• For details on dealing with mosquitoes, visit the Environmental Protection Agency here.
• Insect Shield
• On EPA insect repellant determination tool
• Learn more about more natural poison ivy treatments here and here.

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Today, we offer some of our favorite resources and explain why. Links to these resources are included.  

Scouting, planning, execution

alltrails.com — Where we start when looking at a new trail or area to explore. Of all the crowd-sourced trail sites, we’ve found this one to be the most extensive and most accurate (though not 100 percent so). The free version provides access to the database of trails, including maps and elevation profiles. Go Pro and you can print out maps and download them to your mobile device for GPS tracking in the field. It also lets you map your own route.

Trail status, road conditions

Especially this time of year, when venturing into the high country it’s important to check ahead and make sure the trails, and the roads leading to them, are open. Here are some of the more prominent locations where you may find yourself seeking such information.

• North Carolina State Parks
• Croatan, Nantahala, Pisgah and Uwharrie National Forests
• Virginia State Parks
• Appalachian Trail
• Blue Ridge Parkway
• N.C. Department of Transportation
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• North Carolina State Parks
• North Carolina National Forests (Croatan, Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie)
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• Shenandoah National Park
• Virginia National Forests (George Washington and Jefferson)
• Virginia State Parks  

sunrise-sunset.org  — Plug your location into the site and you can find, by date, the start of twilight, sunrise, sunset, end of twilight, day length, solar noon, and the start and end of both nautical twilight and astronomical twilight.

Leave No Trace — Most of us know the basic seven principles of Leave No Trace: 1. Plan Ahead and Prepare; 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces; 3. Dispose of Waste Properly; 4. Leave What You Find; 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts; 6. Respect Wildlife; 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors. But do you know what these seven principles entail? Be a better outdoorsy type by becoming better versed in the specifics of Leave No Trace, at the Center for Outdoor Ethics’s Leave No Trace website.

Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Looking to hike a portion of the 1,175-mile MST, which runs the length of North Carolina from Clingmans Dome on the Tennessee line to Jockey’s Ridge at the coast? The Friends site includes online guides to the entire trail, guides that tell you, mile by mile, where you can get on and off the trail, where there’s water, what the terrain is like and more. Some recommended day hikes are included.

Fire Weather Intelligence Portal —Developed by the State Climate Office of North Carolina, the Fire Weather Intelligence Portal provides current fire danger ratings throughout North Carolina for 13 states in the Southeast. It assesses fire danger by looking at relative humidity, air temperature, and wind speed and direction.

Campsite Assist — Finding a campsite at the last minute can be a tedious task, especially considering that campsites can be reserved up to a year an advance. But a lot of those reservations get canceled at the last minute, and when they are you can find them on Campsite Assist, a part of CampsitePhotos.com. In fact, they’ll even send you an alert for campsites you express an interest in.

A Virtual Wildflower Garden Across Time — Right about now’s the time spring wildflowers start popping up in the Piedmont. And if you don’t know a trout lily from a trillium, you need to bookmark this site. It helps you identify wildflowers by color, location and by when you’re most likely to see them. Invaluable for any lover of spring.

Skywatching — Is there anything more enthralling than the night sky? You gaze to the heavens on a clear, moonless night and realize — you have no idea what you’re looking at. Unless you have access to space.com‘s Skywatching page. What planets are visible, the constellations, the space station’s path — it’s all here.

General hiking information

Volunteer Vacations — Intrigued by the notion of a “vacation” where you work your behind off to improve the outdoor experience? If so, here’s good news: there are lots of opportunities out there and you can find them on the American Hiking Society’s Volunteer Vacations page.

American Hiking Society — A good resource for all things hiking, especially if you’re just starting out and find yourself full of questions. 

National Trails Day — The first Saturday in June — that would be June 4 this year — we give back to the trails we love, through hundreds of projects nationwide designed to celebrate and enhance our trails. Start checking this site in May for an NTD event near you.

Hiking the AT for $400 — Thinking about hiking the Appalachian Trail? Then you likely have a few questions, questions that likely can be answered on the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s FAQ page.

Got a few minutes to kill?

fastestknowntimes.com — Until two years ago, FKTs — Fastest Known Times — were limited to the likes of the Appalachian Trail, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail … the big boys. Then the pandemic hit and people found themselves with a lot of free time and the only safe place to spend it outside. Outside, on the trail, going really fast, apparently, because now just about every trail you know has an FKT, which is likely documented here.

* * *

GetHiking! enewsletter

Interested in subscribing to our free weekly enewsletter? In it, you’ll find a man story examining some aspect of trail life, what hikes are upcoming in our eight GetHiking! chapters in North Carolina and Virginia, as well as gear recommendations, media reviews, hiking tips, and even more resources. Sign up by emailing us at info@getgoingnc.com.

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