The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking - Softcover

Stevenson, Jason

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1592579604 ISBN 13: 9781592579600

Publisher: Alpha, 2010

Synopsis

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Get Started with Day-Hiking
Getting started with shorter hikes that allow you to sleep in your own bed at night.

Chapter 2: Hiking for All Ages and Types
Finding a satisfying trail whether you hike by yourself, with a partner, or in a group.

Chapter 3: Camping Overnight
The complete guide to a comfortable night's sleep at parks, campgrounds, and backcountry tent-sites.

Chapter 4: Backpacking Basics
Getting deeper into the woods, mountains, or wherever you want to explore by carrying everything you need on your back.

Chapter 5: Training Your Body for the Trail
Everyday fitness routines to get you in shape for any level of hiking.

Chapter 6: Never Get Lost (Again)
Easy-to-follow map, compass, and GPS tutorials to keep you on the right trail.

Chapter 7: Essentials for Every Trip
The lifesaving gear you should never leave home without.

Chapter 8: Welcome to Gear World
Expert advice on how to buy high-quality and long-lasting equipment.

Chapter 9: Footwear Fundamentals
Finding hiking boots or trail shoes guaranteed to keep your feet happy and blister-free.

Chapter 10: Outdoor Clothing 101
Smart layering advice for weather that's either fair or foul.

Chapter 11: Hauling Your Gear: Daypacks and Weekend Packs
The surefire guide to finding and loading the ideal backpack.

Chapter 12: Shelter from the Storm
Building the perfect sleep system by combining tents, sleeping bags, and ground pads.

Chapter 13: The Outdoor Kitchen
Cooking advice and recipes to fuel every hike and hiker.

Chapter 14: Liquid Refreshment
Where to find water and how to make it safe to drink.

Chapter 15: Hygiene on the Trail
Sensible strategies to keep clean on the trail.

Chapter 16 How to Survive
The no-panic plan on how to respond when trouble arises.

Chapter 17: First Aid
The on-trail prescription to fix blisters, bumps, and bruises.

Chapter 18: The Wild Things
Keeping encounters with poisonous plants and wildlife at a safe but exciting distance.

Chapter 19: High-Country Hazards
Hiking and camping tips for more challenging trails and terrain.

Chapter 20: Expanding Your Skills
Where to seek your next great adventure.
 
Appendixes
A Glossary
B Resources
C Equipment Checklists

About this title

From the Author:

Pick any hiking trail in any part of the country on a summer weekend afternoon and you'll find people of every size, shape, age, and ability. You might spot a middle-age couple speeding along at three miles per hour, effortlessly carrying on a conversation as they clamber over logs and sprint up switchbacks. Behind them is a troop of kids, moving slowly as they search the forest floor for nature's shiniest pebbles and smoothest sticks as several fleece-wearing parents and zigzagging dogs herd them forward. And finally there might be a former athlete trying to reclaim the vigor of his younger days as he huffs and puffs to reach the top of the next hill. When he gets there, he stops and enjoys the view as he catches his breath and prepares for the next climb.
 
Despite their different styles, speeds, and motivations, everyone on that trail is breathing fresh air, getting great exercise, and experiencing the simple beauty of the natural world. Each of them is part of a growing community, an Outdoor Nation that seeks a powerful, individual release far away from the digital racket of the paved world.
 
If you're picking up this book, you probably want to be with those hikers on the trail. You're planning your own adventurous goals and looking to join the Outdoor Nation. And you easily can, because this club doesn't have any membership restrictions or requirements (although buying this book will help). When you're on a trail you can hike at your own pace, by yourself or in a group, and over any distance you choose. You can camp in a tent, in a cabin, or snug inside an RV or trailer. You can drive to your local conservancy or fly across the country to visit one of America's breathtaking national parks. You often hear the phrase "It's so easy that your grandmother could do it," to describe something simple to accomplish. Well, lots of grandmothers are avid hikers and active members of the Outdoor Nation. If they can do it, then so can you.
 
The key to getting off the couch is to discover what motivates you to get outside and then indulge it. Are you looking for a fresh and more exciting way to exercise? Do you want your kids to grow up with an appreciation for nature and wide-open spaces? Do you love to hear the crunch of leaves and pine needles under your boots? Are you looking to get in better shape without joining another gym? The possibilities of what you can find outside are as endless as what you might be searching for. And when you're out there, surrounded by nature, you'll discover that abstract distractions like office politics and undone chores evaporate as you focus on the nitty-gritty of your physical needs. How can I light this fire? Will this rock support my weight? Where is the easiest place to cross this stream?
 
The first step is always the hardest. Far more people imagine themselves hiking and camping than actually kick up dust along a trail. This book will get you over the initial planning and logistical bumps, but it's going to take something more, something that develops inside of you, to make it to the top of a peak or the end of a trail.
 
If you really want to hike and camp more, the real question you need to ask yourself is this: When Saturday afternoon rolls around, where do you want to be? I hope you'll be on a trail.
 
And if you meet me there, I'll be the one huffing and puffing.
-Jason Stevenson

From the Back Cover:

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacker and Hiking
A guide so thorough it will send you packing...
Hiking remains one of the most popular, fun, and inexpensive, outdoor activities in America. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking helps anyone prepare and plan for a rewarding adventure.

• Covers planning, training, shopping, and packing for the trip
• How to live on the trail
• First aid and other safety tips
• Practical time- and money-saving hints
• What gear is necessary-and what isn't
• Special considerations when traveling with groups or pets

About this edition

• Publisher: Alpha
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1592579604
• ISBN 13: 9781592579600
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368