Whats the best distance for a beginner backpacker to hike? He's an experienced hiker.?
87488
It's not a matter of distance, it's a matter of terrain and habitat.  I can hike a great deal farther with weight on my back in the Northeast US than I can in the desert.  \n\nYou have to consider where you will be carrying that backpack.  My largest backpack is custom designed.  If I choose to bend down and get a sip from a creek or tie my shoe, I can do it without losing my balance.\n\nI can go for long distances and not feel the weight on my shoulders, because I have appropriate padding and support straps.\n\nIf you are planning the trip near to where you live, pack your gear and get out there until you cannot continue.  Note what's bothering you, rest, then fix what you can on site - maybe you need to repack your gear.  Maybe you need padding in one shoe.  Maybe you need to adjust your trekking poles.  \n\nWhen you get back home, address the issues you could not fix on the trail.  Maybe you need to leave some gear behind.  \n\nMaybe you need to add something different.   When I do desert hikes - I carry a hydration water bladder with a tube, so I can sip water as needed.  I don't carry this when I'm not in the desert, unless it's an incredibly hot day.\n\nAnother consideration - are you going alone or with a group?  Are you deciding when to begin and end your hike?  If it's summertime - do yourself a favor hike from first light until sun up.  Try not to exert in the heat of the day and hike from just before sunset until dark.  \n\nHappy Trails.
542420
The Grand has several different routes to the summit.  The short answer is yes, a novice can climb the Grand.  However, if you choose to do it (which I HIGHLY recommend), be smart.  Go with someone experienced, choose your route with common sense, and always practice safe climbing!  Of course, plan, plan, plan, and then plan some more!
762476
are you planning a thru-hike? i have trekked pieces(springer mtn.-harper's ferry) over the course of five years. where are you starting from? ther are a myriad of resources to further you. pack light. you'll be able to restock along the trail. some sections of the AT are actually paved road(near towns)\ncontact me with questions........if i can help.
42657
ehhh you can look one up on the internet or in an atlas or practially anywhere... unless by "us map" you ment "waldo".. well then i have no answer for you... for he is one sneaky backpacker!
620755
I can also recommend you to join a hiking and trekking forum : http://www.infohub.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=124\n\nhow to join it/ firstly go to this  link that i am giving to you.\n\nnext: in the left upper corner there is the option "register" ( written with white on a green panel), you click it , then you read the benefits of registering, then you tick the agreement  (terms of service) and then click "register" below.\n\nAfter this you fill in the spaces with the information about yourself  and click "complete registration: below. That's it ! Good luck!\n\nIf you have more questions, feel free to ask, I'll be glad to help you.\n\nSee you on the forum soon!
1118402
Hi, I'm an outdoor instructor in the UK. First of all, I don't know of anyone who makes a full-time living as a trekking-guide. There're probably some out there but there can't be many and I haven't heard of them so I can't help you there. However, I CAN help you learn how to work as trekking guide on an occasional basis, with UK companies.\n\nIn the UK there is an organisation called the MLTB (Mountain Leader Training Board). They are a National Governing Body (NGB) who run and oversee the delivery of training and assessment courses for the Mountain Leader Award. There is the Mounain Leader Summer award and the Mountain Leader Winter award.\n\nSee http://www.mltb.org/ for details of how to gain these awards.\n\n\nIf you hold the Mountain Leader Summer award (as I do) there are many opportunities to work leading expeditions abroad. Just one example of a company is World Challenge Expeditions:\n\nhttp://www.world-challenge.co.uk/\n\nOnce I got my ML I applied for work as an overseas expedition leader and I attended a 4-day training/assessment. I am now ready to lead an expedition for them overseas once I have done their training expedition in Morroco which will only cost me £250 (this cost is also refunded to me once I have led an expedition for them).\n\nMost people lead one overseas expedition for them a year. It is possible to do maybe three a year at a push. The overseas expeditions last 1 month and you get paid between £600 and £1200 depending on whether you've led for them before, prior experience etc. All expenses are paid on top of that.\n\nThere are many other trekking companies, that is an example of just one.\n\nIf you want to do treks involving snow and ice, you will need your Winter ML. To do more extreme stuff like things involving climbing or high peaks (Himalaya etc), you would need at least your MIA (Mountain Instructor Award) or MIC (Mountain Instructor Certificate) - see http://www.ami.org.uk/ - or even higher; British Mountain Guide, for example.\n\nYou MAY (although I'm guessing a bit here) be able to work doing easy treks (or walking holidays) with a WGL award (Walking Group Leader Award) - see MLTB for details of this. There's also an award called the BELA (British Expedition Leader Award I think?) which is like the ML but you can't go over 600m I think. I think the MLTB will also have details of this. Both of these awards are for easier stuff and you might be able to get work with one of these quals also, but probably for easier walks, rather than full-on treks.\n\nThere are many trekking companies that run out of the UK and the ML Summer award is usually sufficient, along with developing world travel experience, or even better, developing world trekking experience, along with the company's internal training or assessment. Perhaps if you have loads of experience they would let you lead for them straight away, I don't know.\n\nI know if you just do your Mountain Leader Summer Training you can sometimes get on a World Challenge Expedition as an assistant with just expenses paid. This would usually lead on to leading an expedition once you have qualified fully. Other companies may do similar things.\n\nThat should be enough to get you started. Good luck!
450089
ok - safety advice aside - have exit strategies - where and when you may want to pull out.  have support people around to help give advice on the route.  if you are doing a strict downhill thing - start at the bottom and increase your start point as you get used to the speed and turns.  (make sure there are no cars!)  the faster you go, the more tipsy you become so make sure the condition of the surface is suitable.  other than that if it isn't just speeed you are after, the same principles apply as they do for surfing or skiiing - zig zags slow you down etc.  HAVE FUN
989433
my son is there now.......pack as light as possible, but;\n1.  Take bottles to carry plenty of water, you are at altitude and it is dry and you must stay hydrated.\n2.  Rain suit, not just poncho, violent thunderstorms are not uncommon.\n3.  Water filter, they will give you disinfectant tablets but you will still want to filter the water for "chunks".\n4.  Sunscreen, bug juice.\n5.  Layers - it can be 90 in the day and 30 at night.\n6.  Your troop should have plenty of guidelines available.  You also should have gotten the field manual.  READ IT AND FOLLOW IT.  This is not kid's stuff...you are in the outback for a week or more.
761946
He's got insecurity issues.  Tell him to take a hike if he's not going to chill.
743122
any nearby mountain is good.  but don't waste your money on instructors they will just baby you and allow you to quit. go with a competitive friend, preferrably someone who is big on snowboarding and not willing to wait for you, this way you force yourself to get off your butt and go!
773407
Bound's hubby here:\n\nI would strongly suggest Sportsmans Guide, see link below.\n\nGood luck!
622684
I love Utah.  You can hike slot canyons, see Indian Ruins/writtings, while just a few hours away be hiking rugged snow-capped mountains.  You can also find popular hiking trails, and if you want find many that you will not see anyone on.
262524
The most I ever walked in one 24 hour period was 66 miles.\n\nSafe, is completely different.  Although you say you walk 5 miles, how long have you been doing it?  how often do you walk 5 miles? Is it flat or heavy terrain?  do you wear gear, or light? etc.\n\nI would say if you do already at least 5 miles a day and it is already comfortable (i.e. you don't stop, constant pace, and your heart rate does not increase much by the end), you can pop it up 100%  to 200% for a day within a week.  So, 15  miles should be tolerable.\n\nI would monitor your heart rate.  watch your baseline,and as you see it increase try to keep it at 50 - 70% above it... See how far you get within the same time as it takes you to do the 5 miles walk currently.  This should give you some guideline how much you could handle...\n\nYou should be able to keep a 3 to 3.2 mph speed.
619060
I've done a few of these long trips, and the best thing I've found to prepare is to jog. Try to do a 5 km jog 3-6 times a week until your trip. You could try taking a pack with you, too. Push ups are also a great way to strengthen your upper body. In my opinion, going to the gym is not the place to prepare for an outdoor trip. No sense wasting time and money at the gym, when the best treadmill is outside your front door, and the best upper body workout is push-ups. If you do go for day hikes as preparation for your trip, put in a good 6 hour hike, carry at least 40 lbs, and push yourself. Wear the same footwear you plan on taking on your trip, so you can test them out. It's very important to have good quality socks and footwear for long trips such as this. I suggest Merino Wool WigWam Socks, as they wick woisture away from the foot, and are especially designed for hiking. I'm not sure if they have their own website, but you can find them at Mountain Equipment Co-op (www.mec.com), along with everything else you could possibly need for this trip. I highly recommend a browse and a few purchases from this store before your trip. \n\nHappy Trails!
950435
Hiking sounds like a great idea.
135180
I love sleeping out the the mountains, but I don't bother carrying a tent if I'm hiking in the Northeast US, my home area.\n\nInstead I build a shelter called a debris shelter.  The link below will give you instructions on how to do this.\n\nIt is liberating and there is no joy greater than feeling competent and capable in nature.
454219
First, I know Pasadena City College has a hiking group.  You could try contacting them.  Second, go into REI (south of the 210 on Santa Anita) and ask them.  They are helpful and even sell books of trails.\n\nThird, listen to me.  \n1.  If you want an easy hike to get to, go all the way up Lake Ave. until it dead ends into the mountain.  You'll see people parked there, and on the Right-hand side there is the start of the mt. Wilson trail.  Go up as far as you like.  \n\n2.  Eaton Canyon.  Take Colorado East until Altadena.  Turn Left on Altadena and take it North for several miles.  After you hit New York Ave., look on the Right for the turn in and parking lot to the Eaton Canyon park.\n\n3.  I'm not sure what this trail is called, but it leads to a waterfall and is pretty cool.  Go all the way up Lake, Ave.  When it dead-ends, hang a Left on Loma Alta Dr.  Follow Loma Alta until it is crossed by Glenrose.  Just after Glenrose there will be a road kind of tucked into the trees on your Right.  I believe there is a flashing yellow light outside the road.  I believe the road is called Mt. Lowe Road.  Anyway, follow it up, park when you see some trail heads.  Have fun.