Know your pace. Do you know how fast you hike? Do you have any idea? Knowing how fast you hike can be valuable information in any number of situations. For example, it’s late afternoon, you want to take a 5-mile hike. The sun sets in 2 hours and you’re not a fan of hiking in the dark. Do you have time for the hike? If you don’t know your pace, it’s pretty easy to figure out. Go to a trail with a known distance. Set your watch, hike. When you get back, take the time it took you to hike (using total minutes is probably easiest) and divide it by the mileage. So if it took you an hour (60 minutes) to hike three miles, divide 60 by 3 and there’s your pace: 20 minutes per mile (not a bad pace, fyi). Keep in mind that your pace will vary based on various factors, including the type of terrain you’re hiking (mountains will be slower) and how much weight you’re packing.

Speaking of sunset … . Knowing when the sun sets is especially important on a winter hike, when the temperature plummets once the sun goes down. Knowing when the sun sets is especially important as we head into this weekend and the end of Daylight Saving Time: come Sunday, instead of the sun setting around 6:22 p.m. as it will today, it will set at 5:18 p.m.! That is a huge difference that you don’t want to be reminded of on the trail. Check out sunrise and sunset times at sunrise-sunset.org. 

Dress appropriately.  A lot of folks hang up their hiking boots come winter because they simply don’t know how to dress. When it comes to exercising in winter your comfort comes down to two things: 1) avoid cotton clothes: cotton gets wet, it stays wet, you get cold, and; 2) wear layers. Wear a lightweight wool or synthetic layer next to your skin, cover it with a slightly heavier wool/synthetic layer. If it gets colder, you may need to add a third layer, a shell, perhaps. Wool hats and gloves help you regulate your body temperature: Too hot? Off they go. Too cold? Put ‘em back on. Wear a thicker sock in winter. The basics of layering are just that that. To get a better grip on the subject, check out this piece we wrote for our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co.

Snacks. Your body burns more calories in winter in an effort to keep the body warm — this is true even if you’re an expert at layering. High calorie snacks — a few mini-Snickers tucked into your hip-belt pocket, say — will keep you moving and keep you warm. Give yourself permission to eat on the trail, even if it’s a relatively short hike.

Hydration. Even though you aren’t sweating as much in cold weather, you’re still sweating and you need to replace that sweat. According to an article in Runner’s World by William O. Roberts, MD, “Fluid replacement is easily accomplished in the cold by drinking to thirst … then resuming your usual post-activity fluid intake.” So, when you get thirsty, drink. 

Know your route. You should always take a map when you hike, but you should also go over the map beforehand and get a feel for a few things, including: 1) Topography. If the topo lines are close together and the trail is squiggly, be advised that this 6-mile hike may take you longer than it usually does to hike 6 miles; 2) Look for stream crossings (the wiggly blue lines) that cross your trail. Maybe they have bridges, maybe they don’t. If you’re hiking in the shadow of a big rainstorm, keep in mind that those streams might be difficult to cross, that you might want to bring an extra pair of socks and use trekking poles, at the least; 3) Bailout routes and nearby roads. Four years ago we had a hiker who needed evacuating from one of the worst spots imaginable, Linville Gorge. Fortunately, we were near one of the few spots that I knew was close to a road, and we were able to get her out with little trouble. 

Use trekking poles. I’m an advocate of trekking poles year round, but especially in winter. They make those dicey stream crossings easier by helping your balance, they help you better navigate icy patches, and because they engage your core and arms, they help keep your upper body toasty, too.  

Don’t hike alone. Yes, I confess: I hike alone year-round. But in winter, when I go solo I try to hike trails that see some traffic. You sprain an ankle — or worse — and can’t move, you could be in for a long, cold, dangerous night if no one happens along. For this reason, too, be sure to tell someone where you’ll be hiking and when you expect to be back.

Embrace the winter hike. Prepare for it and you’ll be amply rewarded.

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Adventure Coaching

New to hiking and need some direction? Or maybe you want to up your game, or need help planning and prepping for a big adventure in 2021. Our Adventure Coaching can help. Learn more here, or email us at joe@getgoingnc.com.

The post Embrace winter hiking with these 7 bits of advice appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Here are some resources that will hopefully help you find the adventure you want:

Take a hike, close to home. Looking for a place to hike near home? Here are our recommendations for:

• 25 Top Hikes in Charlotte
• 25 Top Hikes in the Triad
• Mountains-to-Sea Trail hikes near urban areas. Check this post for where to pick up North Carolina’s statewide trail near you.

Hike with a group. Find out what your local GetHiking! chapter (as well as GetExploring! Greenville)  is up to over the holidays starting here.

Take a hike, farther afield. If you’re willing to commit and day (including driving), check out these worthy options:

• Five Great Hikes at the Coast and Coastal Plains. Heading to the beach for the holidays? Work in one of these hikes.
• Five mountain hikes on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Take a hike on New Year’s Day. The nationwide First Day Hikes program features New Year’s Day hikes at state parks across the land, including:

• North Carolina State Parks First Day Hikes, here.
• Virginia State Parks First Day Hikes, here.

Check road conditions. You likely check the weather forecast before heading out on an adventure, but do you check road conditions? A few quick resources:

• Blue Ridge Parkway road conditions
• North Carolina road conditions
• Virginia road conditions (and more)

GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods. This is our 3-hour off-trail romp that also teaches basic map and compass skills and how to navigate comfortably in the woods. It’s a great family activity, and fun to do with friends, too. Our holiday sessions are:

• Thursday, Dec. 27, 1 p.m., Umstead State Park, Raleigh. Find details and sign up here.
• Friday, Dec. 28, 1 p.m., Haw River State Park, Greensboro. Find details and sign up here.

Go skiing. Check current conditions, the forecast, lift ticket prices, lodging, rentals and more starting at SkiSoutheast.com.

The post Happy Holidays! (And where to enjoy them!) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

More seasonal temps descend this weekend. It will still be nice for a hike at the coast, and you’ll be able to hit the slopes in the mountains. Meanwhile, in the Piedmont, you can take it inside for a chance to try a cool sport associated with the cold.

Coast

You stand on shore, you look out to any number of islands and think, “I wonder what’s out there?”

Saturday is your chance to find out, when a park ranger from Hammocks Beach State Park takes a boatload of folks from the mainland over to Huggins Island for a couple hours of exploring. “You will get a chance to see and explore one of the Atlantic coast’s better-preserved earthwork fortifications and how it played a role in the American Civil War. We will look at the different groups of people that have utilized the island over the years- including the Native Americans and early European colonists- and talk about their role in shaping the island.”

Sounds like a hike worth driving a spell for.

Logistics: Huggins Island History Hike, Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m., Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro. Free, but space is limited and reservations are required, by calling 910.326.4881. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 54.

* * *

Looking ahead: Polar Plunge, 5K and 1-mile Fun Run, Kure Beach Pier, Kure Beach, Feb. 11. More info here.

Piedmont

Directions on how to dress for an event sometimes seem bizarre and silly. Sadly, they are typically based on experience. With that in mind, here’s how the folks at Triangle Curling suggest you dress for their two-hour Try Curling session:

• “No raised heels or flip flops.
• “Pants that offer easy movement are important as you will be required to stretch and get into positions that tight pants and jeans are not necessarily appropriate for.”

All of which will help you enjoy the sport of really cold places that much more when you give it a try Saturday morning at their Durham Curling Center.

Logistics: Try Curling, Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m., Triangle Curling Center, 2310 So Hi Dr., Durham. $25. More info here.

Saturday forecast: It’s inside.

* * *

Looking ahead: Astronomy Program at Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle, Feb. 18, 6-10 p.m. More info here.

Mountains

According to he Asheville Citizen-Times Outdoors section, “WNC ski areas that closed for an extended time due to some of the highest average January temperatures on record are set to reopen Jan. 27.”

That’s Friday, btw.

Figure out which lift line you’ll be in when the ropes drop by checking out the latest Southeast ski conditions at SkiSoutheast.com.

Weekend forecast: Overnight lows in the low 20s (perfect for snowmaking), daytime highs in the mid-30s (perfect for skiing), with snow moving in Sunday afternoon.

* * *

Looking ahead: Underground Railroad Hike, Feb. 5, Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, West Jefferson. More info here.

* * *

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Coast

The post This weekend: Winter returns  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

a) Frightful

b) Delightful

If you answered a), then you’ve already resigned yourself to spending the weekend indoors. Here’s a list of good books.

If you answered b), stick with us as we depart from our usual format, which is to recommend planned outdoor activities scheduled for the weekend. Organized bike rides, hikes, runs, that kind of thing. Odds are that anything scheduled throughout much of the state will be canceled should the forecast illustrated above (thanks WRAL Weather, btw) come true. No sense recommending something that likely won’t happen. Instead, some thoughts on how you, as an individual, can take advantage of the snowy cold weekend.

Cross-country skiing

Yup, skiing Nordic style, out your front door. Of course, there’s a big caveat: you have to have skis (kudos to those of you from the North and West with the good sense to cling to your sticks). But if you do, with as little as 4 to 6 inches of snow, some of our favorite hiking trails become our favorite cross-country trails. Which ones? Find out at our GetGoingNC! Guide to Cross-Country skiing, here.

Sledding

You don’t even need a sled to go sledding in a few inches of snow; you can improvise with any number of household devices — a garbage can lid, a baking sheet, the hood of dad’s car (some disassembly required). You will, however, need a hill. If you live in the Triangle you can find one here.

Hiking

It’s hard to beat a hike in the snow. A few caveats before lacing up, however. First, make sure the place you plan to hike is open. If you’re a fan of North Carolina State Parks, they do a great job of updating closures on their web site, NCParks.gov. More important, make sure you can get there. Even if it quits snowing midday Saturday, the ongoing cold will keep many roads in an icy state. N.C. Department of Transportation will keep you up-to-date on road closings here.   And keep in mind that many of our trails are peppered with rocks and tree roots, which will be buried under a blanket of deceptively smooth snow. An especially good time to use trekking poles.

Mountain biking

Most trails close when wet. Of course, with temperatures below freezing, will they be wet?

Exploring the hood

Your best bet: take a walk around the winter wonderland that will be your neighborhood. No driving involved and if you get cold, you’ve got a hot-toddy within a prudent distance.

We’ll go ahead and run our usual calendar (below), just in case. But here’s hoping it will be of no use.

* * *

Coast

The post Your weekend: Frightful? Delightful!  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

With the weather officially dipping into Brrrr territory, to help you stay warm and moving we suggest you do the following:

Coast

Isn’t some of what makes the weather getting colder so sweet, the appreciation we have for a nice, hot meal?

Saturday, you’ll get the chance to experience just that. Help wrap up North Carolina State Parks’ 100 Year Anniversary with Goose Creek State Park’s campfire cooking program. Some of the most essential skills to survival are building a fire and using that fire to cook food, which is the aim of the program.

Logistics: Campfire Cooking, Saturday, 4 p.m.,Goose Creek State Park, Washington. Find out more, here.

Saturday Forecast: Rain early in the day, high of 69.

***

Looking ahead: Winter Birding, Dec. 23, 11 a.m., Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro. More info, here.

Piedmont 

Tis’ the season for giving! Giving back gives a sense of gratitude, a feeling of being a part of something, of having purpose.

Feeling a little stressed? Let the pressures of this season fall to the Earth with every step, and take a breath. Join our GetHiking! Triad group for for a Gratitude Walk at Hagan Stone Park near Greensboro, and finish feeling refreshed with a positive outlook. Come out feeling taller than the trees!

Hagan Stone has a reputation for being all things to all people. You’ll get to see so much of what this park has to offer – from playgrounds and camping to fishing and general natural beauty on this hike that piggybacks on one of the most popular high school and college cross-country courses in the region.

Logistics: GetHiking! Triad Gratitude Hike at Hagan-Stone Park, Pleasant Garden. Sunday, 1:30 p.m., 3 miles. More info, here.

Sunday forecast: Bright skies and a high of 56.

***

Looking ahead: Forrest Bathing/ Nature Hike, Dec. 28, 2 p.m., Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough. Find out more, here.

Mountains 

With temperatures dropping we finally get some exercise in one of our favorite ways, skiing the slopes.

With the most slopes open and almost all of their lifts running we recommend you find your way to Appalachian Ski Mountain! App has nine of 11 slopes open. Current conditions are nice with the weekend getting a little bit more sludgy but still skiable none-the-less.

For a sense of how winter magically happens in the Southeast, check out this video of 24 hours of snowmaking at Wisp Resort in Maryland.

Logistics: Appalachian Ski Mountain, Blowing Rock. Open 9 a.m. to Midnight. Find out more, here. Learn what other slopes are open in the region at SkiSoutheast.com.

Weekend forecast: Cloudy with a chance of rain Saturday and Sunday, with highs near 50.

***

Looking ahead: Christmas Day Photo Scavenger Hunt, Grandfather Mountain State Park, Banner Elk. Dec. 25, 3 p.m. More info, here.

***

Coast

The post Your weekend: Embrace the cold appeared first on GetGoing NC!.