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Six Questions To Ask About Gear When Backpacking in the Wilderness

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="Image by Zach Dischner via Flickr"][/caption] For hikers when backpacking you obviously want to carry less weight and you want it to be compact as well. I say obviously because there are always one or two people who want to carry extra weight for conditioning purposes. If you are not overwhelmed by the weight on your shoulders you are going to have a better time. Anyway, for most of us how do you choose which items to carry? I’d like

Protein Bars, A Healthy Food for Hikers

Losing energy (or meeting a bear) are what hikers fear the most, and a protein bar is the perfect answer. Hikers know when they’re losing energy. What’s better than eating a protein bar before you’re about to or during the hiking exercise. A protein bar will definitely get you over that hump.

Eating a protein bar will keep you energized. In order to produce energy the body uses more oxygen to burn proteins, fats and carbohydrates. So when you’re weak a protein bar will help you to keep going when it’s necessary to remain active, alert.

A protein bar contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and water, all if which gives your body energy. So a protein bar can be an essential snack, helping you get through a busy day.

A protein bar is the perfect snack for those on the go. It can be difficult to eat three square meals a day. This can hurt your metabolism and blood sugar level causing you to feel tired. To combat this a protein bar is an ideal snack.

Protein bars are loaded with the best of nutrients, all of which will help keep you active. So eating a single protein bar has many benefits. One protein bar should have a minimum of 10 grams of protein, and also consider the amount of sugar. Better to choose a protein bar that contains nutrients as opposed to additives.

Protein bars come in many flavors like chocolate and cheesecake. Read labels on protein bars helps you ensure that you are eating one that’s healthy as opposed to eating one that is junk. Protein bars are nutritious, despite sometimes being comparable to chocolate bars calorie-wise. A proper diet is necessary in order to perform. Protein bars area a must eat for any cyclist as they contain vital nutrients.

Though small, protein bars are full of vitamins and minerals, a tiny snack that packs a punch. Protein bars are truly an ideal way to get all the required nutrients you need in just a few simple bites.

Read a protein bar’s label before eating. A protein bar should be 200 calories and under, contain 15 to 35 grams of protein, and 15 grams of carbohydrates. Some protein bars contain 20 to 45 grams of carbohydrates, so reading labels is wise before eating.

A protein bar looks similar to a candy bar but is quite different. When choosing a protein bar there can be too many choices. Analyze a protein bar’s list of ingredients to ensure you choose the healthiest.

Some protein bars contain unhealthy trans fats found in hydrogenated vegetable oils. Protein bars can also have high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweetener. Reading a protein bar’s label will ensure that you avoid these healthy bars. Protein bars have few saturated fats and are high in carbohydrates. Because of this a protein bar will make you efficient. Protein bars are loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals and will give you added energy. A protein bar contains amino acids which will allow you to work harder for longer periods.

If you tend to do cardiovascular exercise such as hiking, eating a protein bar is a must. A protein bar will give you that extra push. A protein bar is sometimes necessary in order to keep your energy levels high.

On your next hike consider packing protein bars!

#Hiking Nutrition

Freeze Dried Foods, Advantages When Backpacking

Meals have always been an important part of the backpacking experience. While many people use regular food, consider freeze dried foods in your next hike. There are many advantages of freeze dried food, and they've come a long way from 30 years ago when it was first introduced for the astronauts. In fact, today's freeze dried foods have all of the flavor, texture, and vitamins and nutrients of canned or other types of frozen food.

1. It keeps for a long time. There are going to be certain types of freeze-dried food that is actually better than frozen as a keeps its flavor and vital nutrients. You can keep freeze-dried food for a very long period of time.

2. The weight. Another of the advantages you'll have with freeze-dried food is the weight, you'll have to have very good supporting shelves for canned food whereas freeze-dried food on the other hand is relatively small and takes up less space when backpacking.

3. Space. Many individuals such as those that enjoy backpacking, bicycling and camping enjoy lightweight of freeze-dried food. They have found that they can pack more food for a longer period of time if they use freeze-dried food than if they try to pack traditional food. They then will just have to have a water source in order to reconstitute the food into a fully nutritious meal.

4. Great for Emergencies - Many people store freeze-dried for emergency conditions. They will store in a bunker or other type of safe area that they will need should there ever be an earthquake or other natural disaster. Of course, there are those who figure that sooner or later war will tear our country apart and store freeze-dried food as well.

5. The Taste - There are many advantages to freeze-dried food, and one of the best, of course, is the taste is so much better than what was originally produced over 30 years ago. The freezing and drying process is quicker, maintains better flavor, and actually keeps vitamins and nutrients intact. While it might make sense to store a bit of canned food around in case of emergency, it makes even better sense to go ahead and purchase freeze-dried food and water to give you and your family as supply of good nutritious food, should you ever need it. You'll find a wide assortment of types of freeze-dried food, in fact, just about any type of food is available in the freeze-dried format.

The freeze and drying process for freeze-dried food as changed as well, now, they use a drying, heated and freezing process. The food is first frozen, it is then put it into a low pressure chamber where it is heated in order to allow the water to become a gas. It is then frozen again, and this allows pockets within the food that allows the expansion when it's rehydrated.

Enjoy your backpacking experience with your freeze dried foods!

#Backpacking #Excellent Hiking #Hiking Nutrition

Dealing with Poison Ivy

Poison ivy grows all over North America including Ontario. So it is best to know a little about this plant so you can easily avoid contact when hiking.

1. Poison ivy looks like?

Poison ivy is a hearty plant that can be found thriving in tall grass, along roadsides, in the woods and I have even found it growing in campgrounds. The plant has three pointed leaves that are smooth with the center being slightly longer than the two on the sides. The leaves do change color throughout the year being a reddish-yellow colour in the spring turning green during the summer months and then red, orange or yellow in the fall. Also the small greenish flower in bunches along with clusters of small white berries which develop in late in the season.

2. Can there be any benefits of poison ivy?

Actually there are, but not for you or I. Many small animals and birds use poison ivy as a food source eating the berries and they are not impacted by the oil.

3. What makes poison ivy, well poisonous?

Poison ivy contains urushiol oil which in a matter of minutes or a few hours can penetrate deeply and quickly into your skin. For about 85 percent of us our immune system then reacts to the poison urushiol oil as it is seeping into our skin and leads to unpleasant that blistering, itching and a rash.

Later a red inflammation of tiny bumps and blisters with a clear fluid ooze forms. This fluid from the blisters can even cause the rash to spread so never break open the blisters. It takes from a few days to five weeks for the itching rash to go away by itself if left untreated although everyone reacts differently.

Urushiol oil is very tenacious and it is not water based so it does not evaporate. The oil can contaminate and stick to items such as your hiking clothes, boots and gear for over a year. It is therefore possible to become infected long after your original hike. The oil can also stick to your dog as well.

4. Treatments if your catch poison ivy

As with any medical condition it is always a good idea to see a medical professional immediately if in doubt as to how you should procedure. If you experience blistering or your eyes swell shut do consult a doctor. As mentioned earlier people do react differently to the poison.

There are both home remedies and over the counter products are also available from your drug store for treatment. Whatever method you choose, react quickly before the poison ivy spreads.

· Begin by immediately washing the affected area in warm water and rubbing alcohol on the rash and immediate area. This is to help the dry out the rash

· Then immediately take a full body shower using soap. Do not a take bath as it will not help get rid of the oil. Some people recommend dish soap as it is made to cut grease.

· Suggestions to help with the itching include using white vinegar, hot tap water, baking soda as a paste and calamine lotion.

Have a safe walk and watch out for poison ivy along the hiking trails.

#Hiking for Beginners #Poison Ivy

A Successful Hike with your Family

I talk a lot about hiking on CampingBlogger, because it is something that we enjoy on our family camping trips and it is a great way to keep the kids busy, for an afternoon. If you are new to camping, though, you might be wondering if hiking is something that your kids – or even you, will actually enjoy.

A gorgeous day at the lake, but the weather can change quickly at 5,700 feet

Over the Fourth of July holiday, one of the places we camped at was Lassen National Park. On our last afternoon in the park, we drove back down to Manzanita Lake at the western entrance, to hike around the lake. As family hikes go, this one is perfect. It is 1.6 miles around the lake, which is a great distance for our two younger ones, who are 5 and 9. It is also nice and flat, since the trail follows the edge of the lake.

Baby geese on Manzanita Lake

During our first two days in Lassen, the only wildlife we had seen were the numerous pikas throughout the area. I had high hopes that we would have better luck around the lake, and I wasn’t disappointed! We had barely hiked 200 feet, before we came across baby Canada Geese perched on a log, just off shore. Is there anything cuter than baby geese? If you are trying to stretch a short hike with kids, being able to spend some time watching wildlife is a great way to do it.

Taking advantage of a fallen tree

Wildlife isn’t the only attraction, around Manzanita Lake. The girls had a lot of fun walking out onto a fallen tree. We try to take advantage of these “fun breaks” whenever we can, and there are always a lot of things to do around water. Breaking up a hike like this can make it an easier experience for the kids, who might enjoy skipping rocks, or poking mud with a stick, more than just hiking.

One of the keys to hiking with kids is patience. Patience to let them walk on a log, watch baby geese, throw rocks – some of the “kid things” that they don’t get to do, back home. This can be frustrating if you are trying to get somewhere, but when you are just entertaining the kids for an afternoon hike, it is much easier to move at their speed.

Weather changes rapidly at 5,700 feet and we were soon hiking in light rain and hail

Half way around the lake, the weather began rolling in over the mountains and we were soon hiking in the rain, and even some hail. Early July in the mountains is always an adventure – we had also had some weather come up on us a week earlier, in the Oregon Cascades. That was a much longer hike, though, and one without the kids – so I was curious to see how they would react. Watching them laugh and jump around in the rain quickly reminded me of how much I liked that, when I was a kid! Maybe our generations aren’t so different, after all. I’m not a kid anymore, though, so out came the GORE-TEX® Paclite® shell that I keep with me, exactly for these situations.

This doe decided to grab an afternoon snack

Other than the kids having a great time getting wet, another benefit of the rain was that it got some of the local wildlife up and moving, in the afternoon. When we are camping in the coastal mountains of California, if the kids want to see deer we have to schedule our hikes fairly early in the morning. Needless to say, the kids don’t get to see a lot of deer! The rain lasted about 20 minutes and we soon spotted a doe, just off the trail.

It was the perfect end to a perfect hike, with the family. The two youngest ones headed off to the store with mom for some firewood and I went with our oldest daughter back down the beginning of the trail to find the jacket that she had left hanging on a log. They grow up so fast – 10 years old and already acting like a teenager!

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