I just started trying to get in better shape, so in avoiding tourist traps, I've ventured out into the wilderness/desert to hike some.

Two weeks ago I was in Arizona for business travel, and I had one day to escape. So I followed some locals and their horse trailer out to a nice remote area to hike around in...

http://i30.tinypic.com/120ghs6.jpg

And then last week I was in Seattle, so I just drove east until I found something cool. I found a Park Ranger Station and after the guy looked at my obvious unfitness to climb the real Mountain Si, he recommended Little Mount Si (elevation 1580', base 350').

I was lucky and had one of the only "sunny" days of the week. 3 hours later I was at the top:

http://i32.tinypic.com/2gvngur.jpg


Anyone else hike around? Tips? I'm an obvious beginner but I'm enjoying this...

I just finished reading a book called "Keeping your ass alive 98.6" and am currently putting together my emergency pack. Lots of people go out for day hikes and when 2 or 3 things go wrong it puts you at risk for catastrophy.

I won't go into specifics but basically a fanny pack sized emergency pack could make a few mishaps into just that, minor inconviences that were just something to laugh at.

Those are beautiful pictures though. I love nature, outdoors, the sky (day and night), and cool stuff like that..... can't get enough of that stuff :)

put together a survival kit like Bise said. Plan for disaster so if it does happen it will only be an inconvenince.

Mt. SI is nice hike from what i've heard but kinda trendy and overcrowded(you went early in the year).
If you find find yourself in this region again make the time if you can to drive down to St. Helens and look around. my first visit there was around 86. Frakking badassed.
Another good location for hiking is off of the mountain loop highway's southern leg. just north of the town of Granite Fall's. limitless option's here. two of the neatest and most popular one's are the Mount pilchuck hike about 2.2 miles if memory serves right. and the Ice caves wich requires timing for the best effect. but is only a 1 mile hike and disabled friendly.

put together a survival kit like Bise said. Plan for disaster so if it does happen it will only be an inconvenince.

BaH!!!! I'snt that why we Invented Cell Phones and helicopter rescue??

http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Survival.htm

Hey Akipt, living as close as you do to the Appalachian Trail you should get out there at some point. Also Valley Forge has some great trails in the park, though you've probably done it all before.

Also the hiker's must read ... A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.

Hiking is great. We are fortunate to have the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota here. I cannot stress enough what Bise said about being prepared though.

Great pics, Akipt.

Tips.

One would be get a compass and a GPS. Don't leave home with out and have battery back ups. Get familiarized with it.

GPS? Bah!

At a minimum, tell plenty of people where you are going, and don't go exploring off trail alone. Respect the hell out of the weather, that's what gets most people in trouble. If you're not an experienced hiker, there are plenty of popular, low risk trails that offer some phenomenal views without leaving you alone in the wilderness.

If you pop into the local REI or similar camping stores in an area, you can usually find plenty of great trail guides which will not only list nearby trails, but give you plenty of information about the hike and terrain.

I've hiked just about every region in Arizona, and the surrounding states. AZ is great, since you get everything from low desert to a few high timber mountains. The Arizona Snowbowl (Ski resort) is fun to hike in summer. There's also a wrecked bomber from a training flight up on the San Francisco Peaks that I'd love to hike out to some day.

I've hiked portions of the Appalachian trail (approximately 30'ish miles during 2 separate full weeks). I find it fun and it helps one stay in decent cardio shape.

I prefer day hiking to camp hiking however as the former allows you to keep a smaller pack and not have to worry about finding a decent camp spot and then completely pack up and continue the next morning for days at a time.

I've hiked portions of the Appalachian trail (approximately 30'ish miles during 2 separate full weeks). I find it fun and it helps one stay in decent cardio shape.

I prefer day hiking to camp hiking however as the former allows you to keep a smaller pack and not have to worry about finding a decent camp spot and then completely pack up and continue the next morning for days at a time.

The entirety of the PA trail can be done day hiking, there are roads that intersect with it about every 12 miles. My boyscout troop does a thing where over the course of your entire history with the troop (age 13 to 18) you'll hike the whole PA portion of the trail. When through hiking its known as "Where Boots Go To Die" but doing it a day / weekend at a time its really beautiful and lots of fun. WAAAY better than the Maryland leg, and not as picturesq as the Virginia leg but its still a great trip.

Hiking country in PA....photo hikes!!! Taken with a Nikon D40, 18mm f22 with red cokin filter

http://www.vanreedtrading.com/photos/sunset-bluemarsh-040108bw.jpg

Great stuff guys. And Rover, that's beautiful.

An experience with a cholla cactus taught me the lesson of getting a local's advice on the area. Next time I go out into the desert I'm taking a pair of pliars. That would have saved me 15 minutes of excruciating pain after my pants leg caught a cute little ball of thorns-from-hell. Kanyli can tell you about those probably. Velcro has nothing on these guys and you can't use your fingers to extricate them.

Great stuff guys. And Rover, that's beautiful.

An experience with a cholla cactus taught me the lesson of getting a local's advice on the area. Next time I go out into the desert I'm taking a pair of pliars. That would have saved me 15 minutes of excruciating pain after my pants leg caught a cute little ball of thorns-from-hell. Kanyli can tell you about those probably. Velcro has nothing on these guys and you can't use your fingers to extricate them.My grandfather taught me about cholla. He pointed to the cactus as he was talking, and suddenly went, "Dang, got that in my hand." Crazy old man shook his hand to get it off, and the thing rolled down his arm and refused to fall off. Good times!

Take two sticks or rocks, and try to pinch it off from either side. That, or pliers. They definately beat out velcro!

I'll have to look for some of my hiking pics. I'm not much of a photographer, but I do have some cool shots. Somewhere.

A former co-worker of mine hiked the AT trail twice from beginning to end. She even quit here to go hike some 15 week trail in California to Canada a few years back. My company wouldn't allow her the time off so she just quit to do it. She was quite the interesting character but I believe her and her husband have probably hiked just about everything hikeable in the US.

She is also an amateur photographer and had some of the most gorgeous pictures I've ever seen. I wish I had the desire to get involved but alas the thought of being too far away from civilization with no control over situations and having to plan for the worst just makes me /cringe and want to instead live vicariously. She had some very scary stories and close calls, even a small cut on your finger can be a bad thing when you're 3 days from a phone or wet clothes, etc. So, about all I've done that is considered hiking is climinb Stone Mountain! /pffft Good luck to you, I'm a puss. :(

A former co-worker of mine hiked the AT trail twice from beginning to end. She even quit here to go hike some 15 week trail in California to Canada a few years back. My company wouldn't allow her the time off so she just quit to do it. She was quite the interesting character but I believe her and her husband have probably hiked just about everything hikeable in the US.

She is also an amateur photographer and had some of the most gorgeous pictures I've ever seen. I wish I had the desire to get involved but alas the thought of being too far away from civilization with no control over situations and having to plan for the worst just makes me /cringe and want to instead live vicariously. She had some very scary stories and close calls, even a small cut on your finger can be a bad thing when you're 3 days from a phone or wet clothes, etc. So, about all I've done that is considered hiking is climinb Stone Mountain! /pffft Good luck to you, I'm a puss. :(

I think doing the AT you can get a shower at least once a week at even a slow pace, there's tons of towns and hotels along the trail that cater to through hikers. My old scoutmaster did it a few times and had tons of great stories, but like you said, its extremely dangerous to do it alone and you need to make sure you're prepared for the worst.

1 shower a week is enough to make me stay home :)

Actually, the irony is the showers do more harm than good through Georgia up to Maryland. Clean skin attracts mosquitoes better than bug repellent can keep them away. After a day or two without a shower, the mosquitoes won't even notice you.

Avon skin-so-soft bath oil...the bug repellant of choice for every US Marine!!!!