A "4-blister" Hike

I guess it's possible to get into a hiking rut from doing the same trails with the same people in the same seasons every year. While I've never had that feeling personally _ and I have way too much fun when I'm hiking to think I ever will _ it's good to be proactive by seeking out new groups and new hikes.

For 2010, I'm doing some hikes with a local DC-area group called Wandering Soles. They took part in the New Year's Day hike along the C&O Canal, and this Saturday they will be doing a hike in Catoctin Park and Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland.

Wandering Soles has a "blister" rating for all of their hikes. "Easy" is less than 2 blisters, "moderate" is 2 to 3.5 blisters, and "difficult" is greater than 3.5 blisters. According to the scale, one blister equals about 5 miles or about 2,500 feet in elevation gain. That's a good way to gauge what you're getting into.

The hike this Saturday is a 4-blister hike _ hitting several of the high points in the parks at a moderate-to-fast pace over 9.5 miles with more than 5,000 feet of elevation gain. The tricky part could be the ice _ we still have remnants of recent snowfalls in these parts _ but the guide tells me she's already plotted an alternative route around dicier parts of the trail, if necessary.

Several people have asked me if the hiking trip to Switzerland I'm offering this summer will feel more like winter hiking in the U.S. because of the elevation of the Alps. Actually, summer in Switzerland is more like fall in the mid-Atlantic U.S., with warm days and cool nights and some rain thrown in. I have seen a snowfall on one July hike near a glacier, but for the most part you're wearing shorts and soaking up sunshine.

You can learn more about the trip by taking a peak at our "Your Questions Answered" page on our Web site: http://myhikingvacations.com/faq.php. Or just go to the main page and start from there. http://myhikingvacations.com.

Regardless of where you decide to hike this year, I hope you do try some new places and meet some new people. That's half the fun!

Happy Hiking,
Joseph