RSS FeedJanuary 06, 2008
One Trail, Seven Months, One Hundred Hikes!
Our cabin and Sunset Rock high above atop Lookout Mountain.
We plan to hike up to Sunset Rock and back 100 times by the end of July.
As I have mentioned here previously, this summer I plan to hike California's John Muir Trail (JMT) with my daughter Martha. I hiked the trail in 2006, and upon completion, I weighed about 210 pounds. Today I'm tipping the scales at about 240 pound. That is totally and completely unacceptable.
In order to prepare for our JMT hike, my daughter and I have been hiking together several times a week. Last month on a four mile (round trip) hike from our home to Sunset Rock some 1000' vertical feet above our cabin, I asked my daughter what she thought of hiking the trail we were on 100 times before our JMT hike. Not having any idea how she would respond to that idea, I was pleasantly surprised when she embraced the idea!
Today we hiked the trail together again. It was my sixth hike of the trail since we decided to undertake this lofty goal. Hiking the trail with a tall and lean 17 year old is no easy task for me these days. Martha is fit and strong and has a real competitive spirit. We walked uphill at a brisk pace, with me barely a full step behind her. At one point I slowly accelerated my stride, and she kept pace, increasing her speed so she stayed just ahead of me. I can remember the days when I had to take frequent breaks so she could join me on hikes. Now, the boot is on the other foot.
As we reached a point in our hike where two trails intersect, and we found ourselves perhaps 150 feet beneath our objective, I stopped to rest. Martha took off. I reached the summit perhaps 90 seconds after her, and that gave me a good feeling. I'm not that far behind her, and we were both a bit winded and sweaty from our climb.
As a parent, this is an interesting goal for me. Personality wise, Martha and I are very much alike. Around the house we tend to provide entertainment for my wife as our similar personalities clash on any number of subjects. Out on the trail in the woods, we both seem to scale back our intense personalities a bit, perhaps soothed by our contact with raw unfettered nature. Hiking together seems to bring us closer together.
I look forward to providing updates here on our progress towards our shared goal of 100 hikes on the same trail in a seven month period. This quest will span winter, spring and summer, and allow us to watch the changes to the landscape and the weather over that period.
In the coming weeks and months, look for periodic updates on our progress, as well as updates on my quest to lose weight. I'll post some photographs from our hikes, including images of blooming wildflowers.
Happy Trails!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:20 PM | Comments (4)
October 18, 2007
Recognizing and Eliminating Barriers to Participation in Hiking by the Visually Impaired
In April 2006 American Hiking Society Southeast Trail Program Director Jeffrey Hunter presented a poster entitled "Physical Activity Policy for People with Disabilities: A Trail Program that meets the Call to Action." This poster was co-authored by Jeffrey Hunter, Vision Teacher Suzanne Goodemote, and Health Scientist Dr. John Librett.
The "Call to Action" refers to the Surgeon General's 2001 report seeking to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity.
To download and view a PDF copy of our poster, which can be used to inspire and plan field trips for the visually impaired or other disabled populations on hiking trails, please visit the link below. In the coming weeks, American Hiking Society will be releasing a template for planning special events involving disabled populations on trails.
Physical Activity Policy for People with Disabilities: A Trail Program that meets the Call to Action. (157 KB) (PDF)
If you find this work inspiring, please support our work by joining American Hiking Society. Thank you!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:50 AM
April 30, 2007
Minimizing the Dangers of a Bear Encounter
From the National Park Service Yellowstone website;
Yellowstone is home to both grizzly and black bears. Although the risk of an encounter with a bear is low, there are no guarantees of your safety. Minimize your risks by following the guidelines below:
Make bears aware of your presence on trails by making loud noises such as shouting or singing. This lessens the chance of sudden encounters, which are the cause of most bear-caused human injuries in the park. Hike in groups and use caution where vision is obstructed.
Do not hike after dark.
Avoid carcasses; bears often defend this source of food.
If you encounter a bear, do not run. Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, faster than Olympic sprinters. Running may elicit an attack from otherwise non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, detour away from the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted aggressively, slowly back away.
Tree climbing to avoid bears is popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees. Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.
Some bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still until the bear stops and then slowly backing away. If a bear makes physical contact, drop to the ground, lie face down, and clasp your hands behind your neck. It may take all the courage you have, but lie still and remain silent. Resistance will only provoke the bear. Before moving, listen and look around carefully to make sure the bear is no longer nearby.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 03:11 PM
Black Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Black Bear - Photo by NPS
Here is an excellent National Park Service website about Black Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear, so please handle all of your food in the backcountry in a manner that ensures that bears can not obtain access to it. Also, according to the National Park Service, "Willfully approaching within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces a bear, is illegal in the park. Violation of this federal regulation can result in fines and arrest. Use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals."
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 03:10 PM
Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 2
Pain, gratitude and a long fight back
His daughter was safe and he was recovering,
but months later, he knew the bear still had him.
By Thomas Curwen
Times Staff Writer
"Copyright, 2007, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission."
April 30, 2007
HIS halo was a cage, and all Johan Otter could do was stare out through the carbon graphite rods that pinned his head in place.
If he slept, he dreamed, and the dreams bordered on nightmares. He lay in a passageway somewhere between a gym and a locker room. People came and went. He didn't mind the traffic, only he was puzzled by a black object in the middle of the room. It looked like the Batmobile, dark and sinister. What was it?
Uncertainty brought a tinge of adrenaline and a flood of panic. Trapped by this metal contraption locking his head to his shoulders, treatment for a broken neck, he couldn't move. The walls of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle closed around him. He tried to find the call button, but it was lost in the bedding. He was alone. He screamed for help.
Morphine for the pain. Valium and Ativan for the anxiety.
Continue reading "Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 2"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:47 AM
March 09, 2007
Richard Louv Keynote Address
Excerpts from his talk at the 2006 NAI National Workshop
In 2006, Richard Louv was the Keynote Speaker at the 2006 National Association for Interpretation Workshop in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Louv is the author of Last Child in the Woods.
To view an excerpt from his talk, please launch the video at the link below.
When you're done watching the video, please join American Hiking Society, or purchase a gift membership for that special young person in your life. Your support helps us promote hiking and protect trails all across America.
Thank you!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:25 PM
Leave No Child Inside:
The Growing Movement to Reconnect Children and Nature
By Richard Louv - from the pages of Orion Magazine
My niece and nephew on the trail to Lost Lake in Colorado
Today I received an email from Orion Magazine. I receive them about every other month since I subscribed to their electronic newsletter. Orion in my opinion, is one of the very best magazines out on the market.
This, the March/April 2007 edition features a new article by Richard Louv, the author of Last Child in the Woods. To view this article in its entirety, please visit Orion Online.
Enjoy! After reading the article, please join American Hiking Society. After that, you can start planning your next hike. Be sure to take a young person with you when you go. It'll do the two of you some good!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:18 PM
March 06, 2007
No Child Left Inside
An Interview with Hiker and School Psychologist Olga Pader
Olga Pader, Hiker and School Psychologist
Yesterday I attended a teacher workshop in Franklin, North Carolina. The workshop was coordinated by the Nantahala Hiking Club, and the target audience was Physical Education teachers. American Hiking Society was one of the sponsors of this workshop.
Throughout the day, a variety of presenters provided the teachers with wide variety of information about hiking including navigation skills, equipment, Leave No Trace, the physical benefits of hiking, and the psychological benefits of hiking.
The session on the psychological benefits of hiking was led by Olga Pader, a hiker who is active with both the Nantahala Hiking Club and the North Carolina Bartram Trail Society. During our lunch break, I took a few minutes to interview Olga about the psychological benefits of hiking for children. To listen to this 7 minute 38 second interview, please click here. (3.5 MB) I apologize for the poor quality of the recording. The interview was conducted outside, and it was windy out.
Enjoy!
The mountains in Western North Carolina near Franklin
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:47 AM
January 21, 2007
Pacific Crest Trail hiker discusses
the many benefits of hiking
Long distance hiker Scott Williamson was featured on CBS Sunday Morning today. Scott performed a Yo-Yo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, not once, but TWICE! A Yo-Yo of the PCT involves walking from Mexico to Canada, and back again - in one season. Scott's story has previously appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune. Now he's taken a leap to television! If you missed the piece this morning, you can view Scott's inspiring story below. Enjoy!
Keep an eye out for Scott's documentary entitled Tell It on the Mountain, which is due for release this spring.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:13 PM