Congress Takes a Hike

Yeah, Congress, go take a hike.

Well, three members of the House of Representatives did just that yesterday. Two Democrats (from Hawaii and Texas) and a Republican (from Illinois) spent part of their day on the Billy Goat Trail on the Maryland side of D.C.

You see, it was an unusual day. Congressmen usually aren't around on Sunday _ many fly home every weekend _ but the politics surrounding a looming government shutdown kept them here.

The Washington Post has a nice story about it, including a photo of the three Congressional hikers. (Hey, they look like real people!)

Now it's Monday. Back to your regularly scheduled government shutdown ...

Of course, a better way to get away from D.C. politics is to sign up for one of our hiking trips. We're going to Vermont, Switzerland, Nevada and Virginia in 2014. See you there.

Joseph

Neighborhood Gems You've Never Seen

I live in Fairfax County, Virginia, which has a population of about 1 million.

Doesn't sound as if there's much room for greenery, does it?

Fortunately, it's also a large county by area. Yes, it's crammed with people, but the planners have done a decent job preserving large swaths of land for parks, trails and such.

Today, for the first time, I happened to click on the official Fairfax County hiking trails webpage. Never noticed it before, and I learned something new right away. Had no idea that Huntley Meadows was the largest park in the county.

In fact, of all the major parks in the county, Huntley Meadows is the only one I've never visited. Next time I'm out for a long bicycle ride, I'll head that way and see what I've been missing.

While this is obviously useful info for my local readers, it's something all of us should realize _ there are often treasures located in your own neighborhood, town, city or county that you've never seen. They say that people who live in people in New York never go up the Empire State Building. I live near Washington, D.C., but I only visit the wonderful museums when I have company in town. (Hey, everyone, come and visit me, so I'll have an excuse!)

So, for my friends in Fairfax County, visit the website and see what's there. For the rest of you, find a way to explore the sites in your own area, places you never thought to visit.

Then, when you're ready to travel again, come with us. We've got hiking trips to Switzerland, Virginia, Vegas and Vermont next year. Sign up now.

See you on the trails.
Joseph

Make Your Own Snacks

Last night I stayed up late making pies.

5-layer chocolate on the left, 5-layer butterscotch on the right

Believe it or not, that's an outdoor-related activity. On the way back from a canoeing trip in Minnesota a few years ago, our group happened to drive by a place called Betty's Pies, overlooking Lake Superior.

It was pie heaven. I had a slice of 5-layer butterscotch, and it was the best piece of pie I've ever tasted. I became such a fan that I ordered the Betty's Pies cookbook when I got home. My own attempts at the 5-layer butterscotch aren't quite as good as the original, but it's close enough.

Home-made pies don't work too well on hikes, but you can certainly make your own snacks. Backpacker magazine has this recipe for Cherry-Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. The name sounds yummy. Give it a try.

Maybe one day we'll add a stop at Betty's Pies on one of our hiking trips. Instead, we'll find other treasures next year as we go to Switzerland, Vermont, Virginia and Vegas. Here's all you need to know.

See you on the trails.
Joseph

Weather or Not ...

As I noted yesterday, weather can add a thrill _ or a chill _ to a hike.

It's obviously one of the top considerations when planning any sort of outdoor activity. If you're going on a hike, you need to be prepared: check the forecast again and again, have proper rain gear, always carry an extra layer in case it's not quite as warm as you thought at the top of that mountain.

And, of course, if things look dicey, don't go. Postpone the hike to another day and have fun doing something else. I always build flexibility into the schedule on my hiking trips for that very reason. ("It's raining cats and dogs today, so let's tour the museum today instead of tomorrow," etc ...)

Today we're passing along a nice blurb from Explore magazine about predicting the weather while you're on a hike or a camping trip. Farmers have known most of these tips for centuries. Really, all of us should know them.

We'll be sure to see a full variety of weather next year in our hiking trips to Switzerland, Vermont, Vegas and Virginia. Take a look and sign up while slots are still available.

See you on the trails,
Joseph

The Chill of July Sleet

You can almost feel the chill in this photo. I get goosebumps just looking at it again.

It was last July in Switzerland. We had perfect, sunny weather for two days of hiking and ended up at a mountain hut called Blüemlisalphütte, about 9,200 feet above sea level.

As it got dark, the clouds came in. The temperature dropped, and there was even a little bit of sleet. The scene around the hut was fantastic _ the glaciers bathed in clouds, with the wind whipping the flag of the canton of Bern (with the bear on it).

Needless to say, we were grateful for the warm accommodations inside the hut. It's easier to spend a few moments out in the cold when you know there's a nice hot meal and comfortable place to sleep waiting for you inside.

Here's a daylight view looking back in the other direction. The hut is located on the ridge of a mountain pass, and the clouds _ as if by magic _ had stopped right at the top of the ridge. To the left, you can see the contours of the mountain. To the right, you can't see a thing.

Our hiking trip to Switzerland next summer includes hikes to two mountain huts. They aren't quite as remote as this one, but both hikes are wonderfully scenic and the accommodations warm and friendly. Please visit our website to took a look.


See you on the trails.

Joseph

Fall Colors

The leaves are starting to turn in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Yep, soon the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive will be packed with cars as tourists with cameras head for the overlooks.

Fall in the mountains is truly worth the trip, especially if you've never done it before. It's all a matter of timing _ getting there when the colors are at their peak _ and finding a bit of solitude away from the masses, such as a hiking trail that's a little off the beaten path.

Here are a couple of websites that offer updates on the changing colors. Click here for the latest from Virginia, as detailed by the state Department of Forestry, and click here for the latest from the Smokies in North Carolina.

One of our hiking trips in 2014 goes to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia in the fall. Click here to take a look at the schedule. We've love to have you along.

Meanwhile, enjoy the colors. Nothing like looking at some leaves that you don't have to rake.

See you on the trails.
Joseph

The 10 Essentials ...

Can you name all 50 states? All 44 presidents? Every song on the Beatles' White Album?

Sometimes it's a matter of, "Yeah, I oughta know them all, but I don't."

Same thing with the famous "10 Essentials" _ the items you should take with you on every hike. Sometimes we need a refresher, so here's one from Southern California hiker/blogger Jeff Hester. Some might quibble that it's actually 11 things (sunglasses and sunscreen get combined into one), but I wholeheartedly agree that anyone hiking in the wilderness or the mountains should carry everything on the list.

Personally, I also would include "whistle" and "raincoat or poncho." Both are always in my daypack.

I'll have all those things in my pack when we take our hiking trips to Switzerland, Vermont, Nevada and Virginia in 2014. Visit our website and join us.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

It's Snowing ...

Hello All,

Lots going on in my corner of the hiking world today. Don't have time for a full blog post, so I'll give you a gorgeous photo instead. These are the mountains in Switzerland where we'll be hiking next July. The photo was taken this morning at Kandersteg International Scout Centre. They love their winter sports there, so they're excited to see the first flakes on the mountains, even if it's mid-September.

You can see other photos and such on KISC Facebook page. Lots of nice people there.

You can see these mountains in person next year. Read the complete itinerary here and sign up for our trip.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

We're Number 2! _ and a Top 100 List

We're number 2! We're number 2! A final update on the D.C. Urban Adventure Race. My son Harry made the four-drive to join me for the event, and we finished second. Won $200 in gift certificates. (We can take lots of people out to dinner!)

Once again, Jason Hofsess of CitySolve put on a great show. Had us running all over D.C., solving puzzles and doing goofy things. I had to play a mini-game of "Operation" (remember that board game?) and get a woman to put her dog in a bag. The photo on the right was taken at a place where we received a big tub of frozen yogurt. 

I truly recommend the experience. It's fun for all ages, and most people are there just to have a good time and/or pretend they're on "The Amazing Race" TV show. 

Back to hiking. Hiking lists are everywhere, including a new one that compiles the top 100 hiking trails in Virginia. Take a look for yourself here. Not sure I agree with everything on it. For one thing, the W&OD Trail (ranked No. 14) isn't really a hiking trail; it's a paved biking/jogging/walking trail that used to be a railway line. But such lists are very useful for getting ideas for places to go and things to see and do. 

Hmmm. Maybe I'll do my own list tomorrow. Stay tuned.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Hiking Florida? _ and a Photo of the Day

Hiking Florida? Really? OK, never really thought about it. I've been there. It's flat. Great place to ride my bicycle. Great place to find a beach. Or go fishing. But never considered it as a hiking destination because I think of mountains when I wander by foot.

To each his own, of course, and there are indeed plenty of places to hike in Florida, so today we feature a story about two people who have documented the best hikes in the Sunshine State, including something they called the "Big O Hike." Click here to learn more.

Also, the new Photo Gallery on the website is such a big hit that we'll periodically feature a "Photo of the Day" here on the blog. The one on the right is a great shot taken by my friend Doug Donnell while we were hiking with a group to the Lotschenpass hut in in Switzerland in 2006. We look so tiny, and the glacier looks so big and forboding. (Spoiler: It was easy to cross and not as big as it might appear in the photograph, but it was still an awesome place to be.)

Be sure to join us on our hiking vacation to Switzerland in 2014.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

You Want Photos? We Got Photos

Hey, we love to get your feedback, and one of the most frequent comments we've heard lately is that our My Hiking Vacations website needs more photos.

You like pictures! I can't blame ya. More fun than reading all of my words.

So we've started a Photo Gallery of some of our great adventures over the years.This is just the first taste, but take a look and tell us what you think.

If you put your mouse over a photo in the gallery, it gives you a very brief description of where it was taken. Enjoy. We plan to add more soon.

And, while you're at it, be sure to sign up for one of our 2014 hikes while slots are still available.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Where Does the Trash Go When You Live on a Mountain?

My favorite hike in the world starts at a lake and ends at a mountain hut called 
Fründenhütte, where the food is delicious, the views are tremendous, and the mountain air wafting through the open window makes for a good night's sleep.

 Fründenhütte, a special spot in the universe

Huts are plentiful in the the Swiss Alps. They're run by friendly locals, they aren't expensive, and it's a great way to enjoy the beautiful mountains. It would be so cool to be a hut warden. Maybe one day ...

Today, however, we pose a question: Where does the trash go when you live on a mountain? Or, more specifically, in a mountain hut? 

I learned the answer in a very eye-opening moment while at Fründenhütte. As supper was being served, our guide instructed us very clearly to eat everything on the plate _ including the crust of the bread _ because the helicopters that supply the huts charge a lot of money to take away the trash, and it's billed by weight.

I was going to clear my plate anyway _ the food is really good there _ but it's just a reminder of how wasteful we can be in our homes when we don't have to worry about every ounce of bread crust.

Incidentally, I got to witness a helicopter landing at another hut in Switzerland a few years ago. It was an awesome sight, seeing the pilot zip off toward the mountains as if he were guiding a kid's scooter.

And I've also visited a hut that found another way to solve the leftovers problem: The warden and his family had a (very friendly) pet pig.

Recently, a group from the Kandersteg International Scout Centre went to Fründenhütte and picked up decades of trash that had been sitting under the rocks near the hut. Dave, one of the guides at KISC, wrote about the experience, and he has a very interesting perspective. Read Dave's blog here.

Fründenhütte is on our itinerary next July when we make our 2014 hiking trip to Switzerland. I'm sure you'll want to join us. Visit our website to find out more and sign up.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Family Hikes in Maryland

So what are the top 6 family-friendly hikes in Maryland? Hard to choose. My list might include the Billy Goat Trail between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River near D.C. and something at both the Cunningham Falls and Rocky Gap State Parks.

The Baltimore Sun has put together its list. I haven't most tried of the them, but I like the descriptions enough that I wish I could take a group of kids on an outing to each and every one of them right away. Always fun to learn about new hikes. The Sun also includes advice about kid-friendly snacks _ a must for any good family hike.

Read about it here.

I often get asked whether children can go on the hiking trips that we lead at My Hiking Vacations. Certainly! I've seen ages 8 to 80 on the trails. Visit our FAQ page and learn more.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

From a Desk Job to a Hiking Job, and Hiking Mount St. Helens

Today on the hiking blog we have a story about a man who did a 180, going from a desk job as an engineer to a hiking guide at Rocky Mountain National Park. Needless to say, Tom Dewitz is happy with his decision. Click here to read his story in the Wall Street Journal.

Speaking of career changes, I've been through a few myself. I was once a DJ at a rock 'n' roll station in North Carolina. I happened to be on the air when Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, so I was the first to disseminate the news to the, ahem, scores of people who might have been listening to my show.

I was reminded of that moment in history when I saw this story about hiking at Mount St. Helens. I've seen the volcano from a distance while on a trip to Washington state, and I've always wanted to go back and hike it. Just got to figure out when.

You know, there are just too many places we all want to go. It would take me many years to check off everything on my travel list. 

Hopefully, however, we can help you with your list. Ever wanted to hike in Switzerland, Vermont, Nevada or the Blue Ridge? Those are our destinations in 2014. Click here to find out more.

See you on the trails.
Joseph

So What Is a "Cheesery"?

One of the hikes we're planning for our trip to Switzerland next year is a visit to a "cheesery" _ a mountain hut where they make that wonderful Swiss cheese. (And you have to admit _ "cheesery" is cool-sounding word.)

We start in the valley on a foggy morning ...

By popular demand, here are some photos from last year's Cheesery Hike. We started in the village of Kandersteg and worked our way up to the hut, where we had a nice lunch at the picnic table and took a tour of the cheese-making operation. 

It's basically a woman and her son. They make cheese all day (from cow milk and goat milk) and send it down to the village. 

... and work our way up the mountain.

I bought some goat cheese, and it was by far the best I've ever tasted on my many trips to the Alps. That's the thing about a trip to Switzerland _ the cheese is so good that you'll never want to eat processed American cheese again.

Hope you can join us next year when we visit the cheesery once more. Find out more by visiting our website.

We arrive at the "cheesery." Note the menu written in chalk.

There be goats about!

The cheese-maker shows us how it's done. 

Lots and lots of cheese for sale. The goat cheese was superb.

The fog has lifted, and we can see down into the valley. They have curvy roads in the mountains. 

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Cali Blogger

We hikers like to read about other hikers. Yep, that's no surprise. So occasionally on the hiking blog we'll feature other hiking blogs. 

I've traveled to 34 states and been hiking in many places, but I haven't spent much time in California _ and I've never hiked there. I'm therefore fascinated by Walk Simply, a blog/adventure website by Traci Lehman. I really like this entry about roaming the beach at night in Southern California. Not really hiking, but it sure makes me want to pack a swimsuit and spend an evening or two there next August.

Traci also has what she calls the "Big List" of Southern California beach hikes. Looks like lots of fun. 

We usually head to the mountains for our hiking trips, but some of those mountain lakes have beaches. Maybe it's the best of both worlds. We're going to Switzerland, Vermont, Nevada and the Blue Ridge in 2014. Be sure and join us.

See you on the trails.

Joseph

Summer's Over; Summer's On The Way _ Think Switzerland in 2014

A look back at the valley as we hiked to Kandersteg

Sigh. Labor Day has come and gone. Kids are back in school. Gee, that vacation you took seemed like a blur. Where does the time go? Time to get back to the routine of everyday life.

Aw, c'mon. Keep your spirits up. One way to do that: Start getting excited about next year's vacation.

If you've ever want to go hiking in Switzerland, now's the time to think about it. Today we're posting photos from last year's hiking trip to the Alps _ got a zillion pictures from that trip, wish I could show them all _ and here's hoping they entice you into joining us when we return in 2014.

A group of hikers we met while crossing a small glacier.

Seriously, can you beat the scenery? The fresh air? The chance to experience a different culture? The fabulous bowlful of pasta that you get when you arrive at a mountain hut?

OK, that's enough for now. Well, not really. Click here for lots for more details. The dates are July 8-18. Mark your calendar now, folks.

 See you on the trails.

Oeschinensee _ perhaps the most gorgeous lake in the world

Hard to get lost hiking in Switzerland. Signs everywhere.

Wow, those glaciers are huge.

Token photo of your hike leader, taking a break. 

Scaring off a Mountain Lion While Hiking in a Skirt _ and Breaking a Record

Wow. This is the best hiking story I've seen in a while. An overweight couch potato turns into a hiker and breaks a record for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.

Her name is Heather Anderson. She prefers to hike in dresses and skirts. (Wait until you find out why.) She also scared off two mountain lions. An inspiration to us all.

Read Heather's story here, as told in the New York Times.

Also, we have an update to an earlier blog post: I have found a partner for the CitySolve Urban Adventure Race in D.C. on Sept. 14. Thanks to all those who responded.

I was also contacted by the organizers of a new adventure race, the XPlore Urban Adventure Race Series. It looks similar to CitySolve, but "The Amazing Race" craze is such that I'm sure there's room for both. XPlore is coming to D.C. on Sept. 28 _ I plan to stop by and maybe even take part, schedule permitting _ and there are other cities on the list. Give it a try. Looks like fun.

Even more fun, of course, is a hiking trip to the Swiss Alps. Or Vermont. Or Nevada. Or Virginia. Visit our website and join us for one of our walking vacations in 2014.

See you on the trails.
Joseph