How to tell when your dog is ready for a long hike?
If you love to hike, then chances are you have considered taking your dog along for companionship and to enjoy the great outdoors with you. However, before you pack their backpack, it’s important to evaluate whether or not your dog is ready for a long hike.
Start by considering whether your dog is a suitable breed for hiking. A small lap dog would not be a suitable hiking dog because of their size and they could easily be attacked by predators. It’s important that your dog have an appropriate body size and body type that will permit them to hike over rugged terrain. You should also consider their coat length and thickness because it’s important that your dog be able to regulate their body temperature.
Hiking on a Budget
If one is a wilderness lover, a person who enjoys being outdoors and experiencing all that goes along with it, hiking is the utterly perfect activity. The very nature of it is cheap, designed for a frugal person on a budget. There are all sorts of places to go and things to see without having to empty one’s wallet in order to get there. This gets a bit harder if one lives in the city, but it is surprising how many good hiking trails there are close to urban centers, where just a short drive can make one feel as if they are in the middle of the wilderness. Many hiking areas are also government protected, and thus government funded. There are a plethora of opportunities to get out and experience the world in all its natural beauty, something that is new for many and well-loved by many more.
For starters, it’s all about finding the right place to go. Michigan’s Upper Peninsular has miles and miles of open land that is owned by the government, and places such as Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks have hiking trails that one can take for free. These are quite a drive to get to, so gas has to be factored in, but the actual hike itself is free. There scenery there is beautiful and will leave the hiker very satisfied with what they saw and experienced. The nice thing about hiking is just that open land is always so perfect to those who love the out of doors, and so a fancy destination is not required.
What to Keep in Mind When Plotting an Off-Trail Route
For fun and adventure in the world of hiking, plotting an off-trail route is one of the best things that one can do. It promises a change of scenery, and also means that the hike will be exclusively unique to the one planning it. Knowing that one is doing a hike that has never been done can add to the thrill. It also adds to the reward, as completing the hike feels more impressive when one knows that no one else tested it out first, that one truly was breaking trail and going it alone. However, planning a course like that can be hard and sometimes dangerous, so there are a number of things to think about when plotting out an off-trail route.
The first thing to do is to get a GPS Unit. These are very good both in helping in plotting the route and in using while on the hike. In the off chance that one becomes lost, a GPS unit can help to find the nearest trail or town, and it will also ensure that one will not commit that one mistake that haunts the imaginations of all hikers: walking endlessly in a circle without ever realizing it. The GPS Unit will allow the hiker to set waypoints, which can be set all along the route one wants to take, and then the GPS will keep track of the distance to the next waypoint during the entire hike. This way, the hiker can get an accurate idea of how fast they are traveling, and from that figure out how fast they need to go to reach their destination by the desired time — or, at least, before nightfall.
How to Load a Hiking Backpack For Comfort and Stability
It doesn’t matter how great of a backpack was purchased if the camper does not know how to properly pack it. This item bears the brunt of the camper’s utilities, and when these are loaded the wrong way will only increase the amount of weight that is felt on the shoulders and back muscles, leading to a premature stop for rest. It is vital for all campers to realize that loading their backpack takes a certain skill level and can mean the difference between an enjoyable trip and a poor one.
The first item of business is to categorize each of the necessities into one of three types: light, medium, and heavy. Each pile will have a priority rating for going into the backpack. They will be loaded based upon their level of importance. This procedure also helps to remember what is necessary and what can be left behind as each section is carefully placed inside.
How to Hike with the Kids
Kids and the great outdoors go naturally together. Hiking can be an incredible experience for a child, but the adults involved need to be aware that hiking with kids can be a little different. The basic guidelines are the same for any hike, you will need to select a trail that is not too long and has terrain that everyone can handle. Make sure your entire party is wearing supportive shoes with good traction, and good sun protection. Brief your kids on hiking safety, including staying on trail, identifying and avoiding dangerous wildlife, and what to do if they get lost. Bring plenty of water, most kids like having their own bottle to drink from.
If you aren’t already an avid hiker, you and the kids will probably be at about the same level. If you are used to covering miles a day or tackling tough terrain though, you will need to slow down a lot. Especially when hiking with small children, it is important to go at their pace. Infants are often quite happy to ride along in a carrier, but if you strap a child to your back you will need to be more careful about sunburns and bug bites. If you are the only adult on an outing, you will want to keep the baby where you can see and speak to him or her.