Hiking

The open trail awaits!

Hiking, a great place to begin

The open trail stretches before you as you turn off your cell phone, take a deep breath, and step off. You’ve just taken the fist step of an epic journey, a weekend trip, a day hike, or even a short, one hour journey into the woods.

Hiking, the simplest and easiest activity with which to start your outdoor passion. You don’t need much; a pair of hiking boots (or a good set of sneakers), a map and compass, appropriate clothing, and water. Although if you’re using sneakers, I would upgrade to a solid pair of hiking boots when you can afford it and the frequency of your hikes and the distance of the hiking you are doing is worth it. As you begin to move farther away from the car and civilization, you’ll want to start rounding out (or upgrading) your ten essentials. By starting with hiking, you’ll begin to build your endurance for more strenuous activities like backpacking and mountaineering. You’ll also start to develop your navigation and outdoor skills to prepare for much longer and more exciting adventures!