Anybody who has ever spent any time outdoors with a child, during the cold winter months, has heard these words. “I’m cold, can we go back?” If you’re in the backyard, it’s no big deal. Simply go inside. What happens though, if you and the little ones are half way up a two mile trail? It’s not that easy. Before leaving for a trip with the kids, no matter how short your walk, make sure you’re prepared.

Typically, the reason anyone takes their kids winter hiking, is because they enjoy the activity themselves, and want to share the experience, and hopefully pass on the bug, to their offspring. By not being prepared and focusing the trip on the little ones, you risk scarring them forever and ensuring that their only memories of winter hiking are misery and regret. Be prepared, so when you next mention a winter’s day hike, the kids won’t be curled in the fetal position, shuddering in a corner with fear.

Many hikers take their kids out when they are just too young. A three year old may be able to do a one mile hike in summer, but only manage a quarter mile in cold and snow. This is normal and should be expected. Doing many short trails, is more enjoyable for youngsters than doing one long trail. Wait a season for those longer hikes, it will be cold again in a year’s time and maybe they will be a little more mobile by then. Make sure you have introduced them to hiking before the winter arrives. Learn to judge your child’s tolerance levels.

A common mistake, is choosing a route that is way to strenuous, or above the youngest kid’s ability. The problem here is that the symptoms only show themselves when you’re well under way. Select a trail that matches the ability of the youngest in the group. For the first winter hike, choose something that is way too easy for them. This acts like a “teaser” and has them wanting to do more. Don’t make it too long either. Look for signs of tiring, as you need to turn before the meltdown and collapse stage. Remember, at this stage, you still have to return. You will know if the trail was adequate if you end the trip with “can we do some more?” Keep them wanting more.

It may seem obvious, but many times on the trail, you see children under-dressed for the conditions. Focus on the basics first. A hat to keep head and ears warm. Gloves and warm socks. Insulated, water proof boots are important. Take a backpack so you can carry discarded items should it warm up. Always dress them in layers. Keeping them warm and adequately dressed, goes a long way to enjoying the outing. Kids snow boots are notorious for not being waterproof. This is a real problem as hiking with wet feet is no fun and can lead to severe chilling. Get them good snow boots.

What happens if the situation just deteriorates from factors beyond your control, such as weather changes, a scrape or fall? At the first sign of distress, turn back. Avoid showing any disappointment, and perhaps even reaffirm their desire by exclaiming, “You know, I feel like turning back too!” With factors like cold, the discomfort can continue even on the trip back to the car. For minor discomfort, you can try and distract them with treats or a made-up game. Take along some hand warmers. Kids find hand warmers fascinating, not just comforting. These tactics help keep their minds occupied and not what’s causing the discomfort. This is especially useful if you have turned back and want to end on a positive note.

Focus your hiking goals on your child’s needs. They don’t care about mileage, or how fast you complete the trail. Stop and look at animal tracks and watch birds and squirrels. Walk the trail from their perspective, slow and entertaining.

Kids love to be entertained. They are usually, good at entertaining themselves, but when stress mounts, you will need to provide that entertainment as a distraction. By distracting from the discomfort at hand, it buys you time to rectify the situation and turn a looming disaster into a memorable trip. This is your ultimate goal. So how do you entertain in a stressful situation? Make it a game. Turn whatever is causing misery into whatever your child enjoys. This does require some imaginative thought, but it can really make the trip back more pleasurable.

For young kids let them stop and build a fairy house with twigs and rocks. As moving up the trail, let the kids create markers to use on their way back. Strategically place a few M&Ms on the way up and then discover them on the way down. Anything like this keeps them entertained and having fun.

If the weather is less than great, just don’t go out. If it’s cold you can still get out and enjoy a short walk, but a fresh breeze can make for a miserable trip. Avoid windy, cold days!

The key to enjoying winter hiking with the kids, is to have them driving the desire to go on a hike. If they’re pestering you to get outdoors in the snow, then you have successfully created a monster. A monster that will remember the wonderful winter days on the trail with Mom or Dad, for years to come.

Take a kid outdoors today!

About The Author

Graham Armitage, is founder of the family outdoor website, Georec. The site allows anyone to discover new outdoor places and invites you to review and comment on outdoor locations. To access all the free hiking, fishing, paddling and other information available, or to add your own content, visit http://www.georec.com

Copyright 2006 – georec.com All Rights reserved WorldWide. Reprint rights – you may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, and do not edit the article in any way, and give credit to the author.

Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com

Author: Rachel Nunez

Colorado is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the country. Throngs of backpackers, lugging along their camping gear, take on the various hiking trails leading them to rugged terrains of snowcapped mountain peaks. Outdoor adventurers can choose from short, moderate and easy overnight hiking and campout, to week long adventure along more challenging hiking trails.

The kind and amount of camping gear to bring for this great outdoor adventure depend on the hiking trail you are going to take, the length of time to complete the hike, and the time of the year your are visiting.

Backpackers can choose the trail to Mount Zirkel Wilderness for a peaceful overnight experience in the Routt National Forest. For a perfect spot of peaceful overnight campout, hike about 7 miles out to Lake Elbert and follow the trail leading to Luna Lake, which is an additional 2-mile hike. You can set up your camp along the Lake but make sure to set back your tents 100 feet from the lake and trail. Always include in your camping gear provisions for treating your drinking and cooking water.

You can pack as lightly as possible for this 24 to 36–hour outdoor adventure. Backpackers must bring only the bare essentials for this short and moderate hiking with no major climbs. There are no special specifications for the kind of backpacks to bring for this type of hiking trail. The regular ones are just about appropriate for this outdoor activity. It must be made of strong material to at least keep your articles safe. It must also have sturdy shoulder straps but at the same time comfortable with adequate padding and curves. Zips, usually made of big teeth, must be very durable and strong. The backpack must have a waist strap so that it snugly fits to your body and will not make you uncomfortable while negotiating the more difficult parts of the trail.

While hiking, you must bring along a lightweight tent so you will not be burdened by the extra load of a larger, heavier weight model. You must also consider the season and weather conditions that you expect to encounter during the hike. Hikers can experience inclement weather conditions even during summer so it is advisable to bring tents that would not only provide a high level of human comfort but also the strength of both structure and material to withstand extreme weather conditions. Tents that are totally seam–taped also provide sufficient protection from mosquitoes and flies which are particularly prevalent in July and early August. Campers must bring four-season tents during the winter months. You must also bring a flameless catalytic tent heater to protect you from the breezy winter nights.

Your camping gear must also include additional items like a sleeping pad or inflatable mattress, and fleece sleeping bag liner to go with your sub-zero sleeping bag. Campers can bring any type of sleeping bag, as long as it can provide quality comfort along with high insulation properties. The season rating of the sleeping bag should determine which type to bring along. Campers must bring one with higher season rating during hikes in winter months. Seasoned adventurers prefer sleeping bags which are lightweight but windproof. One final feature of an ideal sleeping bag is that it must have a proper insulation as most heat is lost during the night, by ground and not by the air.

To complete the essentials of your camping gear, you must bring along a radio with a weather band along with a pack of fresh batteries, and a complete first-aid kit in your personal supply box. Bringing along extra food and water, signaling devices, emergency blankets and extra fire starters would also be a wise decision.

The key to a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure is proper and sufficient preparation-regardless of the season. Happy hiking!

About the Author:
For more tips and information about camping gear, check out http://www.summitcampinggear.com/camping-gear.html.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/camping-gear-essentials-colorado-wilderness-adventure-786134.html

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Communing with nature has ever since been the primary reason why people take on camping as a hobby. However due to technological advancements in camping gears, this hobby has become rather expensive. Unless you want to dedicate time and money to camping as a hobby, you do not need to spend much for camping gears. You can enjoy camping without spending much if you know where to look for smart buys.

With some research you can find discounted camping gears throughout the year. You can surf the internet and compare prices offered by various sporting goods stores and or directly look for suppliers offering discounted prices. In buying, put optimum consideration on quality. Be sure to inquire first on the brand. The discount may not be the good deal that you expected if the camping gear may turn out to be of poor quality. It is better to pay higher for quality than pay for an unhappy camping experience when your camping gear of poor quality breaks in the middle of the camping journey.

You can find stores that exclusively sell discounted camping supplies. These are used gears but you’ll get the same warranty as the new items albeit at a shorter warranty period. Better still, you can trade in your used sports equipment and save more. Even with camping trailers, there are companies that offer re-built camping vehicles if you cannot afford a brand new camping trailer. nd if a poor quality good caused you to not have what you need in the middle of a camping trip, then you’ll be paying the price of an unhappy camping experience as well.

More discounts can be found at the internet’s ebay or craig’s list, or you can check the message boards of camping clubs. You maybe taking your chance but you are sure to save much this way.

About the Author:

Abhishek is an avid Camping enthusiast and he has got some great Camping Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 84 Pages Ebook, “How To Have An Unforgettable Camping Vacation!” from his website http://www.Camping-Guru.com/768/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/camping-articles/discounted-camping-gear-tips-to-find-quality-stuff-777053.html

Author: Rachel Nunez

Colorado is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the country. Throngs of backpackers, lugging along their camping gear, take on the various hiking trails leading them to rugged terrains of snowcapped mountain peaks. Outdoor adventurers can choose from short, moderate and easy overnight hiking and campout, to week long adventure along more challenging hiking trails.

The kind and amount of camping gear to bring for this great outdoor adventure depend on the hiking trail you are going to take, the length of time to complete the hike, and the time of the year your are visiting.

Backpackers can choose the trail to Mount Zirkel Wilderness for a peaceful overnight experience in the Routt National Forest. For a perfect spot of peaceful overnight campout, hike about 7 miles out to Lake Elbert and follow the trail leading to Luna Lake, which is an additional 2-mile hike. You can set up your camp along the Lake but make sure to set back your tents 100 feet from the lake and trail. Always include in your camping gear provisions for treating your drinking and cooking water.

You can pack as lightly as possible for this 24 to 36–hour outdoor adventure. Backpackers must bring only the bare essentials for this short and moderate hiking with no major climbs. There are no special specifications for the kind of backpacks to bring for this type of hiking trail. The regular ones are just about appropriate for this outdoor activity. It must be made of strong material to at least keep your articles safe. It must also have sturdy shoulder straps but at the same time comfortable with adequate padding and curves. Zips, usually made of big teeth, must be very durable and strong. The backpack must have a waist strap so that it snugly fits to your body and will not make you uncomfortable while negotiating the more difficult parts of the trail.

While hiking, you must bring along a lightweight tent so you will not be burdened by the extra load of a larger, heavier weight model. You must also consider the season and weather conditions that you expect to encounter during the hike. Hikers can experience inclement weather conditions even during summer so it is advisable to bring tents that would not only provide a high level of human comfort but also the strength of both structure and material to withstand extreme weather conditions. Tents that are totally seam–taped also provide sufficient protection from mosquitoes and flies which are particularly prevalent in July and early August. Campers must bring four-season tents during the winter months. You must also bring a flameless catalytic tent heater to protect you from the breezy winter nights.

Your camping gear must also include additional items like a sleeping pad or inflatable mattress, and fleece sleeping bag liner to go with your sub-zero sleeping bag. Campers can bring any type of sleeping bag, as long as it can provide quality comfort along with high insulation properties. The season rating of the sleeping bag should determine which type to bring along. Campers must bring one with higher season rating during hikes in winter months. Seasoned adventurers prefer sleeping bags which are lightweight but windproof. One final feature of an ideal sleeping bag is that it must have a proper insulation as most heat is lost during the night, by ground and not by the air.

To complete the essentials of your camping gear, you must bring along a radio with a weather band along with a pack of fresh batteries, and a complete first-aid kit in your personal supply box. Bringing along extra food and water, signaling devices, emergency blankets and extra fire starters would also be a wise decision.

The key to a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure is proper and sufficient preparation-regardless of the season. Happy hiking!

About the Author:
For more tips and information about camping gear, check out http://www.summitcampinggear.com/camping-gear.html.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/camping-gear-essentials-colorado-wilderness-adventure-786134.html

Author: Syed Abdillah Tuanku Abd Rahman

Unless you’re camping on a trailer, camping tents are one of the most critical camping equipment but they may not be as straightforward as most people want it to be, at least when it comes to choosing the right tent.

There are a few things you need to consider when buying a new tent especially if it is your first time.

You must first decide who many people you are going to house with the tent and get the one which accommodates one more extra. You probably noticed that tents come in different sizes from solo hiking tents to multi-room tents with rooms for storage and dressing.

Different camping tents are also made for the different seasons and climate. Some tents are made to withstand strong winds, some to keep you cool in the hot sun, keep you warm in winter, keep you dry in the rain or protect you from a combination of these natural elements.

If you are expecting strong winds, you may want to get a tent with a strong skeleton yet aerodynamic and have multiple tie-downs.

A similar type of tent you also be useful in places where you will encounter heavy snow with the addition of bright colors for visibility with room for cooking and storage and multiple vents and exits just in case you are buried by the snow.

Direct sun may heat up your tent and melt the surrounding snow so it’s a good idea to have a camping tent that has waterproof floors.

Camping tents that are quick to set up and keeps you dry would do wonders at a place where it’s cool and known to rain frequently. A tent with an overhang that keeps away water splashing up from the ground keeps you dry when the rains are heavy. Make sure that the tent also provides ventilation.

At places where it also rains but is also hot and humid, ventilation is even more crucial or you may have trouble sleeping at night and the heat may be too unbearable. A mesh canopy does wonders in keeping your tent cool.

Bright colored tents not only increases visibility but also help to keep the heat from the sun out especially when you camp out in the open desert. Protect yourself from the sun with tents which use fabrics which are resistant to Ultraviolet rays.

You would want to have a full canopy mesh for ventilation which also protects you from desert insects which can be really annoying.

You might also encounter strong winds, even thunderstorms in the desert so make sure your camping tent can withstand such conditions. Remember that the standard stakes don’t work well in keeping your hiking tent together in the sand so make you also have T-stakes designed for sand or loosed ground. Try to avoid zippers because of the sand and because there are not trees around make you’re your tents don’t require trees to other natural stationary objects to keep your tent upright.

Weight is also a major consideration especially for hikers. The tent may not weigh much when you carry it at the camping store but if you carry it over a long distance you will find out how a small difference in weight can have a large impact.

Try to get a camping tent that is as light as possible but remember to consider the natural elements what you are likely to be subjected to. Having a hiking tent which does its’ main function of protecting you or as a house when you go camping is far more important than the weight itself.

Since price may be an issue for some people getting a tent which is specific to a climatic condition can be cheaper than an “all weather conditions” solution, not that there is such a tent that is suitable for all conditions but a camping tent which is suitable for a large range of conditions would certainly cost a lot more.

About the Author:
Jonsky has a lot of experience on using different types of camping tents in different terrain and conditions. He advices that you stay away from dome tents when in extreme weather conditions. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonsky_Sicuna

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/camping-tents-tips-on-getting-a-new-camping-tent-786012.html

Author: Jonsky

Choosing camping gear is not about buying the latest, most popular or even the most expensive equipment. Camping equipment should be affordable and suitable for your needs.

The key to choosing the right gear is to know what you will encounter on your camping trip. How long you will be camping also influences what camping gear you would need.

Consider which gear is essential based on the terrain and weather conditions. You can still have many choices of gear which are still practical and functional even if you are on a tight budget.

It’s easy to get distracted by all the gear you see in camping stores but you need to focus on the camping gear that you will definitely need and would later prove useful to your needs.

You also wouldn’t want to carry too much gear and equipment if you can. The rule of thumb is to carry not more than a third of your body weight.

The strongest camping and hiking gear may be too heavy or lack the features you need so evaluate the conditions of the terrain and decide if you really need gear that may be overkill. Contact the local tourist office to find out about weather conditions and terrain before you start buying new equipment or before you pack what you have already.

Sometimes you will go through a variety of conditions and terrain in the same camping trip so make sure you take this into account when choosing camping gear. For example if you go on a mountain hike, the conditions and terrain would be different at the top of the climb than at the beginning.

If the weather is unpredictable bring rain gear and pack your gear in a waterproof enclosure so that it remains dry.

Making Your Own Camping Checklist

A camping checklist is something that evolves as you gain more experience camping. It not only makes sure that you carry everything that you might need but it also can be used to make sure that you don’t carry too much camping equipment.

To make a dynamic camping checklist that you be useful for different occasions make a note of which camping gear you did or did not use and alter you list accordingly.

The camping list may change from each camping trip as you encounter different conditions. This is the trial and error method for choosing the right camping equipment for you.

As you take notes on which equipment works best for different situations and which gear you wish you had or how much of the camping supplies you had used up in your camping trip your list will become better, more useful and more customized to your individual needs.

Making your backpack lighter

While the camping gear checklist can possibly make your backpack lighter by reducing the number of camping, it may take a few camping trips to get it right.

With new technology camping equipment are increasingly lighter and smaller with new designs and materials. Choosing a lighter alternative to the same piece of gear can significantly reduce your overall load. It is not necessary to sacrifice certain essentials just to make your backpack lighter.

A lighter backpack will help you travel more quickly and cover more distances in a day and put less stress on your knees, shoulders, neck and back.

These 5 tips will help you reduce the weight of your backpack.

? Get rid excess – Don’t bring extra changes of clothing more than one. Don’t bring more than one cooking pot.

? If you are hiking in a group or someone else try to share some of the camping gear that can be conveniently shared like camping tent, camping stove, insect repellent etc.

? Replace camping equipments with lighter versions of it. Lightweight components and simple designs can almost maximize function while minimizing weight.

? Use camping gear that can perform different functions.

? Use travel size versions for consumables like soap and toothpaste and try to reduce packaging.

Traveling with a big load on your back is not fun and most times unnecessary. If that’s what you’ve been doing you’ll appreciate how easy it is to travel with a lighter load. Keeping your body in shape can help you carry your load better still.

About the Author:
Jonsky is an expert in camping gear and hiking equipment with over 20 years of experience hiking exotic places around the world. Especially loves hiking in the mountains. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonsky_Sicuna

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/camping-gear-choosing-the-right-camping-gear-785963.html

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