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This Saturday, November 17, is National Take a Hike Day. Hiking is a great way to stay healthy, reconnect with nature and remind yourself of what we're trying to protect. In honor of the day, here are the EcoWatch team's favorite hikes, and the ones at the top of our bucket lists.
<p><strong>Olivia Rosane, Freelance Reporter</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Hike: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-hurricane-ridge.htm" target="_blank">Hurricane Ridge</a></em></p><p>Hurricane Ridge is the most accessible mountainous area within Washington State's Olympic National Park. Several hiking trails branch off from the Visitor Center, taking you past alpine meadows, grazing deer and stunning views of the snow-capped Olympics. I hiked here with my family when we first moved to Washington and immediately fell in love with my new home.</p>
<p><em>Dream Hike:<a href="https://www.greenmountainclub.org/the-long-trail/" target="_blank"> The Long Trail</a></em></p><p>The Long Trail, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the U.S., runs along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains from Massachusetts to the Canadian border. Someday, I would love to take two to three weeks and walk the whole thing, immersing myself in the woods, meadows and streams of one of the greenest states.</p>
<p><strong>Irma Omerhodzic, Associate Editor</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Hike: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cuva/the-ledges.htm" target="_blank">The Ledges </a></em></p><p>The Ledges in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio is only 1.8 miles long, but exploring the Ritchie Ledges is such a cool experience. There are petroglyphs that date back to the 1900s (no one really knows who carved them). My dog and I love taking a day trip here and escaping into nature. </p><p><em>Dream Hike: <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/cathedral-rock-trail" target="_blank">Cathedral Rock Trail</a> </em></p><p>Sedona, Arizona is a definite bucket-list trip. Sedona is said to be an energy vortex. I would love to hike the Cathedral Rock Trail in Coconino National Forest with the intention to heal at all levels. </p>
<p><strong>Chris McDermott, News Editor</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Hike: <a href="https://www.traillink.com/trail/seminole-wekiva-trail/" target="_blank">Seminole-Wekiva Trail</a></em></p><p> A rails-to-trails marvel on what once was the longest railroad in the U.S., the 14-mile Seminole-Wekiva Trail is perfect for bicycling, and even better for a slow hike on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/painttheseminoletrail/photos/a.471575402890510/894122520635794/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">Paint the Trail</a> stretch, which is filled with inspired artwork by Jeff Sonksen.</p><p><em>Dream Hike: <a href="https://outtt.com/en/adventures/2910/fl%C3%B8ya" target="_blank">Mount Fløya, Norway</a></em></p><p>My dream hike would take at least an hour before encountering the Northern Lights. The location could be flexible, but this lookout over Tromsø in Norway could be even better than the dream.</p><p><strong>Lorraine Chow, Freelance Reporter</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Hike: <a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/13/details.aspx" target="_blank">Bear Mountain State Park</a></em></p><p>Bear Mountain was always the perfect day trip when I used to live in New York City. It's about an hour away by bus from Port Authority. The hike is moderately challenging and has an all-rock section. The peak, hilariously, is a parking lot, but the incredible views on the way are totally worth it.</p><p><em>Dream Hike: <a href="https://www.visitshenandoah.org/" target="_blank">Shenandoah Valley</a></em></p><p>My bucket list hike is the Appalachian Trail, but if I had to choose a stretch it would be in the Shenandoah section. It would also have to be in the fall so I can see the colors. Maybe I'll also get to see a black bear!</p>
<p><strong>Jordan Simmons, Social Media Manager</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Hike: <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294314-Activities-c61-t219-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html" target="_blank">Pachamama</a></em></p><p>The kind-hearted local I met in the town's center of of Cusco, Peru pointed to a peak in the distance and asked if I'd like to hike to Pachamama, what he called the tallest point in Cusco. We trekked about eight hours away from civilization—passing through eucalyptus forests and drinking water from the stream. We ventured so far that our only way of finding home was to follow water.</p><p><em>Dream Hike: <a href="https://www.larutadelosconquistadores.com/history-1/" target="_blank">La Ruta de los Conquistadores</a></em></p><p>My passion to build my knowledge on Indigenous culture drives my desire to hike La Ruta de los Conquistadores (The Route of the Conquistadors) in Costa Rica. The route changes each year and is designed for mountain bikers but I fear such treacherous mountain biking, and I'm determined to hike this path, which traces routes undertaken by 16th century Spanish Conquistadors.</p>
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Visit Any National Park for Free This Saturday to Celebrate 25th National Public Lands Day
21 September 2018
Adventure
Muir Woods, which costs $10 for entry, will have free entry on Sept. 22. m01229 / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0
If you're stuck for plans this weekend, we suggest escaping your city or town for the great outdoors.
This Saturday marks the 25th National Public Lands Day, organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).
<p>
The annual event is known to be the nation's largest single-day volunteer effort and is one of the four days in 2018 where you can
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm" target="_blank">visit any national park for free</a>—even at parks that normally charge an entrance fee.
</p><p>
<span></span>Additionally, if you decide to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/public-lands-day.htm#CP_JUMP_5653218" target="_blank">volunteer for a work project</a> this Saturday, you will also receive a fee-free day coupon to be used on a future date, the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/public-lands-day.htm" target="_blank">National Parks Service</a> (NPS) said.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="df425" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="438COO1576662694"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1043156396060106753" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Visit national parks, forests, and monuments for free tomorrow-Saturday, Sept. 22-in honor of the 25th National Pub… https://t.co/SwI2voKbsG</div> — LandSearch (@LandSearch)<a href="https://twitter.com/landsearchapp/statuses/1043156396060106753">1537542840.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
<a href="https://www.neefusa.org/npld-snapshot" target="_blank">At last year occasion</a>, roughly 169,000 people rolled up their sleeves at more than 21,000 sites, generating $16.7 million in volunteer hours.
</p><p>
The volunteers planted trees, removed trash, repaired structures and habitats and more, providing much-needed help in chipping away at the national park system's
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/infrastructure/deferred-maintenance.htm" target="_blank">$11 billion</a> backlog of repairs.
</p><p>
Last year, the Interior Department moved to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/national-parks-entrance-fees-2559617590.html">more than double</a> the entrance fees at the busiest parks to address maintenance and other costs, but backed away after widespread <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/national-parks-fees-2511615668.html">public backlash</a>. Ultimately, NPS <a href="https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/entrance-fee-prices.htm" target="_blank">decided</a> to increase entrance fees for the 117 parks that charge admission between $5 to $10 for annual passes.
</p><p>
Fittingly, the theme of this year's National Public Lands Day will focus on the "resilience and restoration" of our public lands.
</p><p>
"Every day, natural disasters and
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/extreme-weather">extreme weather</a>, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change">human activities</a>, and a host of other factors take their toll on our public lands, threatening the health and wellbeing of the people and wildlife who depend on them," NEEF <a href="https://www.neefusa.org/npld" target="_blank">said</a> on its website. "Public land managers, volunteers, and others who steward these special places work tirelessly to restore these areas, make them more resilient to future threats, and ensure that people and wildlife continue to enjoy them for years to come."
</p><p>
<span></span>The annual event, which always falls on the fourth Saturday of September, is held in cooperation with seven federal agencies and more than 250 state, county, city, university and school partners.
</p><p>
Stuck on where to go? Visit the NPS
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/findapark/advanced-search.htm" target="_blank">website</a> where you'll have more than 400 national parks to choose from. Also check out the NEEF <a href="https://www.neefusa.org/event-locator" target="_blank">website</a> to find volunteer events near you.
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODY0NzIwNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTQ3OTYzNX0.ukl2h0Sd8pJpR9NKf057d_hLvhcFqqDQk1raxL6PBNU/img.png?width=980" id="31e7a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca5bfba2253c715657d7e179c1a2dab4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">National Parks Service</small>
</p>
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More and more homeowners in Raleigh, NC, have embraced renewable energy like solar power. This popular option allows residents to fuel their homes cleanly and effectively, minimizing their home's environmental footprint while lowering their monthly utility bills. What are the best solar companies in Raleigh, NC? We'll show you the top options, plus provide important information on solar panel systems, federal tax credits, and more.
<p>If you're looking to adopt solar energy in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the first steps in the process is to find the best renewable energy company. Thankfully, there are a number of excellent solar power providers throughout the area. They can provide the expertise and reliable technology you need to upgrade your home and truly take advantage of solar energy systems.</p><h2>Our picks for the best solar energy companies in Raleigh</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.8msolar.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">8M Solar</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncsolarnow.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NC Solar Now</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gosunpro.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sunpro Solar</a></li><li><a href="https://blueravensolar.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blue Raven Solar</a></li><li><a href="https://renuenergysolutions.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Renu Energy Solutions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.emeraldenergync.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Emerald Energy</a></li><li><a href="https://covenantsolar.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Covenant Solar Tech</a></li><li><a href="https://yessolarsolutions.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yes Solar Solutions</a></li><li><a href="https://sundollarenergy.com/about-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sun Dollar Energy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/renewable-energy/nc-shared-solar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Duke Energy</a></li></ul><h2>How we chose the best solar companies in Raleigh</h2><p>In order to create a list of the best solar power installers in Raleigh, North Carolina, we compared each company on a number of important categories. Our picks for Raleigh's best solar energy companies are based on the following:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li><strong>Coverage area. </strong>Some companies offer wider, more consistent coverage areas than others. We sought to include companies that make solar power readily available to both Raleigh and nearby areas like Durham and Cary.</li><li><strong>Services.</strong> We also ranked Raleigh's local solar providers on how many total services they offer. For instance, how much help do they offer in terms of consultation, solar system design, and installation? </li><li><strong>Installation process. </strong>We also evaluated local solar energy providers on the basis of whether they can install your new solar panels. Do they send an installation team to your home, or do you have to contract with a separate installation company?</li><li><strong>Pricing and financing. </strong>As you look for the best solar company in Raleigh, you'll definitely need to think about your budget. We've tried to evaluate companies on the basis of affordability and flexible financing options.</li><li><strong>Panel efficiency. </strong>Solar panels can vary quite a bit in terms of how much sunlight they absorb, and how efficiently they convert that solar energy to a usable AC stream. We've selected local companies that offer exemplary technology with the highest <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-performance-and-efficiency" target="_blank">solar panel energy efficiency</a>.</li><li><strong>Rebates.</strong> Along with flexible financing options, some solar installers make it easy for you to claim clean energy rebates, another useful way to offset your total energy cost.</li><li><strong>Warranty.</strong> When investing in a significant piece of technology, such as a solar panel system, it makes sense to seek some consumer protections. A good warranty can offer ample peace of mind.</li><li><strong>Professional affiliation. </strong>We looked for companies endorsed or certified by leading professional organizations. These include the <a href="https://www.seia.org/about" target="_blank">Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)</a>, the <a href="https://www.nabcep.org/about-us/" target="_blank">North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)</a>, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and more. This is one of the easiest ways to evaluate a solar company's reputation.</li></ul><p>With these factors in mind, we're now ready to take a look at a few of the most highly recommended solar power and renewable energy companies in Raleigh, North Carolina.</p><h2>The best solar energy companies in Raleigh, NC</h2><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMDY2My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NTU4Njk2MH0.4uZ3uc3dKy_eV6VkhXe01FTYZygEbPN2vPY52fIj148/img.jpg?width=980" id="6ae05" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c6d86615b9c32f2ec78431ce0441e6c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="721">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Blend Images - Done Mason / Getty Images</small></p><h3><a href="https://www.8msolar.com/" target="_blank">8M Solar</a><br></h3><p>Based in Wake Forest, 8M Solar is one of the best-rated clean energy companies in North Carolina. Their services are NABCEP-certified, they are SolarEdge and Tesla certified installers, and they are endorsed by Duke Energy. The owners are directly involved in all aspects of solar panel system design to provide hands-on expertise, and their panels come with generous 25-year warranties.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>Simply put, 8M Solar is one of the best companies to choose if you're looking for a straightforward way to go green and decrease monthly utility costs. The company claims that their rates are, on average, 10 percent lower than their competitors. Formidable expertise, best-in-class technology, robust warranties, and affordable pricing make 8M Solar a top choice.</p><h3><a href="https://www.ncsolarnow.com/" target="_blank">NC Solar Now</a></h3><p>Since 2010, NC Solar Now has been a dependable clean energy partner to homeowners throughout the state. Their company is built around a vision for sustainability and ensuring that all families have access to affordable energy. The company is a member of the NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA), the NC Clean Technology Center (NCCTC), is endorsed by Duke Energy, and was chosen as one of the top 20 solar contractors in the US by <a href="https://www.generalcontractors.org/the-best-commercial-solar-contractors-in-the-us/" target="_blank">General Contractor Magazine.</a></p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> NC Solar Now is a great all-around option for anyone looking to embrace the promise of clean solar power. They are locally owned and operated, they offer flexible pricing for both residential and commercial properties, and they can help you take advantage of all available solar incentives and rebates.</p><h3><a href="https://www.gosunpro.com/" target="_blank">Sunpro Solar</a></h3><p>Sunpro is a nationally known and NABCEP-certified company. They offer cost-effective pricing and leading rooftop solar technology that allows you to save big bucks on your home utility bills. SunPro takes a lot of pride in having first-class customer service and their team is also available to help you claim clean energy tax incentives.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Sunpro is one of the most-trusted solar energy installers in the country, and even ranked #5 on Solar Power World's 2020 list of the Top Residential Solar Installers in the U.S. They handle everything from design to installation, and offer 25-year guarantees on labor and equipment.</p><h3><a href="https://blueravensolar.com/" target="_blank">Blue Raven Solar</a></h3><p>Blue Raven Solar is one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the country, operating in a number of states throughout the Southeast and beyond. They're passionate about helping homeowners save money on their electricity bills, and that's allowed them to become a clean energy provider of choice in the Raleigh-Durham area, as well as Asheville, Charlotte, and Greensboro.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Blue Raven Solar offers a truly comprehensive solar energy service, including surveying, solar panel system design, installation, and more. The company also offers highly competitive pricing and excellent financing options (including $0 down), and has received rave reviews from their customers as one of the most trusted solar energy companies around.</p><h3><a href="https://renuenergysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Renu Energy Solutions</a></h3><p>Based in Charlotte, Renu Energy Solutions provides dependable solar energy services to homeowners throughout the state. Since 2010, this locally-owned and operated company has been one of the Charlotte area's trusted names in solar energy. They offer free solar assessments, along with plenty of assistance finding flexible financing solutions.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> This is another great example of a local business with world-class solar expertise. Choose them for friendly service, competitive pricing, and high-quality tech. Plus, Renu offers manufacturer's warranties of up to 25 years (depending on the specific solar panels you choose).</p><h3><a href="https://www.emeraldenergync.com/" target="_blank">Emerald Energy</a></h3><p>Emerald Energy is a Raleigh-based contracting company best known for offering design, consulting and installation for solar energy solutions. They offer zero money down and no interest financing on systems, and can help you take advantage of the many solar rebates and incentives that are offered in North Carolina.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>For a fully-licensed local contractor with real clean energy bona fides, Emerald Energy is one of the best companies you'll find. Their in-house system design and installation services can help you enjoy cleaner electricity, energy independence, and lowered utility bills.</p><h3><a href="https://covenantsolar.com/" target="_blank">Covenant Solar Tech</a></h3><p>Covenant Solar Tech is locally owned and operated in Raleigh, North Carolina. They deliver a full spectrum of services, including consultation, design, installation, financing, and beyond. For those exploring solar energy options, they offer free solar estimates, and boast some truly outstanding customer reviews.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Covenant Solar Tech offers expert installation with friendly, personable customer service. They are one of the best local Raleigh companies in the solar energy game. Their solar energy expertise and experience was also recently enhanced by the company's purchase of Sun Dollar Energy.</p><h3><a href="https://yessolarsolutions.com/" target="_blank">Yes Solar Solutions</a></h3><p>Yes Solar Solutions is a terrific clean energy company located in Cary, NC. Their installers proudly service residents of Raleigh and the surrounding area. The company has been around since 2009, and in that time they've helped more than 1,000 homeowners go solar. They are a certified installer for Tesla solar equipment, offer free assessments and various financing options.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Yes Solar Solutions is NABCEP accredited and has a long history, an impressive track record, and plenty of ways to help you cut energy costs. Reviews of the company attest to their excellent customer service in helping people go solar.</p><h3><a href="https://sundollarenergy.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Sun Dollar Energy powered by Covenant Solar Tech</a></h3><p>Sun Dollar Energy started a family-owned solar power contractor serving homeowners throughout North Carolina. The small solar company with local roots offered a personalized experience for customers. In January 2021, the company was purchased by Covenant Solar Tech, but will still provide the same reliable service under the Sun Dollar Energy name.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Sun Dollar Energy powered by Covenant Solar Tech is your best bet for a truly homegrown, local solar energy provider. They offer years of experience and their licensed, NABCEP-certified installers helped them become a leading provider in the area, with positive customer reviews for their easy installation process.</p><h3><a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/Our-Company/Environment/Renewable-Energy/Solar-Energy" target="_blank">Duke Energy</a></h3><p>Duke Energy might not be the first name you think of for this list, but they provide a wide range of solar energy solutions across the Raleigh area. Not only does Duke Energy provide solar rebates worth up to $6,000, they also offer services like <a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/renewable-energy/generate-your-own" target="_blank">net metering</a> that can help offset your electric bill with the energy from your solar energy system.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> Duke Energy has made some admirable commitments to renewable energy in recent years. With programs like NC <a href="https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/renewable-energy/nc-shared-solar" target="_blank">Shared Solar</a>, the company allows you to support solar energy generation and development each month even if you can't install solar panels on your own home, making solar energy more accessible.</p><h2>What types of solar energy are available in Raleigh, NC?</h2><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTcwMDY3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MjEyOTA1MX0.hZ7m-mEyAd_MBxOlVzFtHSuyPbttXtbGtvW1D6wGgh4/img.jpg?width=980" id="f92ca" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="659abb8e87ff463fb88bbe715ccafe0d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="713">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Buena Vista Images / Getty Images</small></p><p>As you consider your options for solar energy in the Raleigh area, it's important to note that different companies provide varied kinds of access to the sun's energy.<br></p><p>For instance, most of the companies on our list are truly solar installers, which means they can help you upgrade your home with solar panels and batteries, allowing you to directly absorb the sun's rays, convert it to electricity, and use that electricity to power your home.</p><p>But a few companies, like Duke Energy, do something a little different: They essentially allow you to choose a plan where you get solar power straight from Duke's solar energy facilities as part of your home's energy, but also use regular electrical power when necessary.</p><p>Make sure you understand these different models as you seek the right solar power provider for your home.</p><h2>How does solar panel installation work?</h2><p>It is also helpful to know more about the process of having solar panels installed on your home.</p><p>Usually, the process begins with an energy audit. A certified installer will arrive at your home, assess your energy needs, and also evaluate how much sun exposure you get. They will then recommend the number of panels that need to be installed on your roof, as well as the ideal locations for those panels.</p><p>Once installed, these solar panels draw energy from the sun and store it in a battery. This solar power is then converted to AC power, using a component known as an inverter, which can then power all your home appliances and devices.</p><p>If you have any specific questions about the installation process, it's usually best to go straight to your installer. Note that while the initial investment in equipment can be steep, that's usually it in terms of overall solar expense: the sun's energy is free, and you won't need to invest in any further fuel sources.</p><h2>Choose the best rooftop solar company in Raleigh</h2><p>There are countless reasons for Raleigh homeowners to embrace clean energy: it's a great way to minimize your environmental impact; it can lower your household energy expenses; and you can take advantage of the many rebates and tax advantages offered in the state.</p><p>As you consider different players within the solar industry, choose wisely, starting with some of the recommendations we've offered here. These are renewable energy companies that have solid reputations and proven track records of solar energy service.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. His writing on natural health, nutrition, and supplements has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
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Jason Mark
By Jason Mark
Normally, a writer writes to reach an audience. But what I'm about to tell you, I want you to keep just between us, OK? Whatever you do, don't email this article to your friends, don't share it on Facebook, and please don't post it on Twitter. Because I'm going to let you in on one of the San Francisco Bay Area's best-kept backpacking secrets, and I want to keep it that way.
<p>The place I'm going to tell you about is big enough, and still wild enough, to accommodate a week-long backpacking trip. It's a landscape that's textbook California savanna—a terrain of mammoth black oak and valley oak that, in the springtime, explodes into wildflower fireworks. And—best of all—it's a place that you can get to in a relatively painless two-hour drive from San Francisco or Oakland. </p><p>I'm talking about Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California. At 88,000 acres, it's about 25 percent larger than Point Reyes National Seashore, but it hosts a tiny fraction of the estimated 2.5 million visitors who travel to the national seashore every year. It's also stupid-close to the mish-mash of freeway mazes and sprawl that make up most of the Bay Area. As the crow flies, the park is a scant 35 miles from the Apple headquarters in Cupertino. </p><p>All of which makes Henry Coe the perfect escape. Once you get there, you'll feel far away—even if you're still close to home.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODIyMTI5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODIxOTM4MH0.7nyxfIVUVqHR_hATGp-Nz2u2tInUiVwNc-_TCx7OrZo/img.jpg?width=980" id="40fa3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9ab24715324b0cef0a9fb8ae9c41aec3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Jason Mark</small></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Jason Mark</small></p><p>I should say that if you're the kind of backpacker who hungers for epic alpine vistas or the sharp beauty of the desert, you may at first be disappointed by Henry Coe. There's little grandeur there. No big peaks or stunning buttes, no rough rivers or knock-you-on-your-ass tall trees. It's a place of subtle charms. With its broad sweeps of tall grass and swooning oak trees, Henry Coe feels like it's ripped from a John Steinbeck novel, the epitome of Old California. The place is merely pretty—but after weeks stuck in the city or the 'burbs, pretty is more than enough.<br></p><p>At a good half mile above sea level, this northernmost outpost of the Diablo Range has a lushness unusual for Californian savanna. Gray pines are scattered among all of the oak trees. There are ponderosa, including a few giants that seem like they've been transplanted from the kneecaps of the Sierra Nevada. Coyote Creek, one of the park's main arteries, manages to flow even through the dusty days of August and September. </p><p>Then there are the flowers—my God, the flowers. My field guide, <em>Wildflowers of Henry Coe State Park</em>, features 67 species. If you time your visit for late winter or spring, you'll be gobsmacked by the chaos of colors: blue lupine, pink and red paintbursh, football field lengths of orange poppy, crimson columbine, yellow fiddlenecks arching their heads above the grasses like herds of giraffe. There's purple everywhere: purple owl's clover, purple shooting stars (two different types), purple clarkia. </p><p>You've got a good chance of seeing some wildlife. Henry Coe's usual critters are common: deer and coyotes, flocks of turkeys zigzagging through the understory. If you behave yourself (that is, if you're practiced at being still) you might catch something more elusive. Once, I spotted a red fox, jumping through the beam of my head lamp. On another trip, I came across a bobcat, right in the middle of the trail. During a New Year's solo trip, I saw a feral hog above Coit Lake. It was the size and color of a wine barrel, tearing up a hillside with the speed of an NFL linebacker. </p><p>If you really want to play with solitude, Henry Coe will demand some work. Anything within a day's hike of the visitor center at Coe Ranch is reliably busy with day-trippers, crews of college backpackers, and mountain bikers a'shredding. (Many of the park's trails are old ranch roads, broad and with a brutal grade, which makes them popular with the two-wheelers.) But if you go farther afield, it gets lonely quick enough. Few folks make it out to the Orestimba Wilderness, a 22,000-acre state wilderness punctuated by the impressive chert outcropping of the "Rooster Comb," where miles-long groves of blue oak cast their candelabra arms skyward. I doubt more than a dozen people a year make it to the old corral below Bear Spring. </p><p>Did I mention that if you live in the Bay Area, Henry Coe is ridiculously easy to get to? The proximity is the point. Often as not, the backyard beats the bucket list destination. I've backpacked through Henry Coe nearly 10 times, and its lack of pretension has grown on me. At this point, it seems like an old friend.</p><p>I'd encourage you to start planning your route. Just remember: You didn't hear this from me. </p><p><strong>Follow in the Writer's Footsteps </strong></p><p><strong>Where:</strong> <a href="https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=561" target="_blank">Henry Coe State Park</a>. Take California Highway 101 to the city of Morgan Hill and exit at East Dunne Avenue. Follow Dunne Avenue eastward, and follow the park signs up into the hills. </p><p><strong>Best Time to Visit:</strong> Spring is the most popular season for visiting Henry Coe, on account of the explosions of wildflowers. If you want to beat the crowds, consider visiting in winter, when the grasses are typically green and lush and the temperatures still relatively mild. The park can be punishingly hot and dry in the summer, and water difficult to come by. </p><p><strong>Backcountry Hack:</strong> Each spring, the park hosts what it calls "Backcountry Wilderness Weekend," when park staff and volunteers from the <a href="http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/" target="_blank">Pine Ridge Association</a> organize a shuttle system along the old ranching roads to establish a temporary trailhead on the east side of the park, affording hikers and equestrians easy access to the Orestimba Wilderness. Downside: The typically quite-far reaches of the park become packed with people. Upside: It's a good way for families to get to places like the Rooster Comb, which requires at least two days of hard trekking to reach. </p><p><strong>Bring Your Fishing Pole:</strong> If you're an angler, consider bringing your pole. There's good fishing—bass, crappie and sunfish—at Coit Lake and Mississippi Lake. But both lakes are fringed with thick stands of tule reeds, so getting to a good place to cast requires some bushwhacking.</p><p><strong>Pro-tip—Brave the Narrows: </strong>Many backpackers or hikers seeking to get from the park headquarters to the eastern side of the park will avoid the narrow gulch of Coyote Creek marked on the map as "The Narrows" and will instead take the punishing ranching roads up and over the ridges. But if you're a half-experienced trekker, you should brave the Narrows (unless it's after a big rain). Between Poverty Flat Campground and China Hole you'll be rewarded with a sycamore-strung single-track free of mountain bikers. In the spring, the pools between China Hole and Los Cruceros are often filled with various species of duck. </p><p><strong>More Information:</strong> The Pine Ridge Association <a href="http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/" target="_blank">website</a> offers more detailed visitor information than the official park site.</p><p><span></span> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/henry-coe-state-park-bay-area-s-best-kept-backpacking-secret" target="_blank">SIERRA Magazine</a>.</em></p>
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Stacey McKenna
By Stacey McKenna
I'm sitting on a ridge at 9,000 feet, overlooking the world's largest alpine valley. The mid-June sun drops behind a nearby cliff band and the clouds shift, leaving errant rays of light shimmering in the passing agricultural vehicles' dust trails. Behind me, a fence blocks access to a yawning hole—the entrance to the decades-defunct Orient iron mine—from which tens of thousands of bats should start emerging any minute now.
<p>I love being in the humbling expanse of the San Luis Valley. Its conservation-focused ethos gives me hope at a time when optimism often feels foolish. Tucked into the western foothills of southern Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountain range since 2001, the nonprofit Orient Land Trust has labored to preserve this valley's pieces of human history, push for sustainable farming, and protect habitat for several species of animals, including the massive colony of bats that take over the abandoned Orient Mine each summer.</p><p>"What is that smell?" asked my husband Mike, approaching my perch from a patch of scrub oaks. I look around, shrug. Then, the ammonia hit my nostrils.</p><p>Scott, our guide for the night—and an amateur biologist and volunteer with the OLT—quickly pipes in, explaining that that the odor, which is reminiscent of a pit toilet and comes in waves over the next hour or so, is simply guano. In preparation for the night's hunt, bats void their bladders and bowels before taking flight. Any minute now, Scott said they should start the flight out, so I lean back, watch the sky turn pink and wait, listening to chirps of swooping swallows, yips of distant coyotes, and the excited chatter of 23 human strangers, all here for the same show.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODIxMjYyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjI2ODIzMX0.rFIEPpR_PBWh_bnHyZD5-CMaXQSSnvsRSWlwDSV8z_4/img.jpg?width=980" id="66d65" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dd2c2ad71f90ec328026d2b787446e01" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Stacey McKenna</small></p>
<p>It starts suddenly: A stream of Brazilian free-tail bats (pictured, right, courtesy of iStock/<a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/the4js?mediatype=photography" target="_blank">the4js</a>) splits the sky above my head. And as people's voices fall away, the only sound left is the river of wings. Throughout the night, they'll dine on moths, beetles, and other insects that inhabit the valley's agricultural wetlands and nearby hot springs. The critters weigh roughly half an ounce and have wingspans averaging 13 inches. Since this particular roost is composed mostly of males <a href="https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/keep-texas-wild/hanging-around-with-bats/a-year-in-the-life-of-a-mexican-free-tailed-bat" target="_blank">who have temporarily separated from larger colonies of females, most of whom are busy lactating and rearing their newborn pups</a>, it's considered a bachelor colony. Females give birth in June, and since males don't help raise their young, they typically split off during this period. The Orient Mine bachelors' counterpart maternity colony summers further south, in New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns<br></p><p> In fact, The Orient Mine hosts not only the largest bachelor colony of Brazilian free-tail bats in North America (interestingly, bachelor colonies are typically much smaller, numbering in the hundreds or low thousands), but also the highest in terms of elevation. The migratory mammals have been spending summers here since at least the 1960s. They usually arrive from Mexico in mid-June and return south via Carlsbad Caverns by the end of September, but this year's exceptionally <a href="https://alamosanews.com/article/snowpack-still-far-below-normal" target="_blank">dry, relatively warm winter</a> brought them early, and in unofficial but unprecedentedly high numbers.</p><p>As soon as we left our camper in Moffat, Colorado's <a href="https://www.olt.org/vvhs" target="_blank">Valley View Hot Springs</a> and set out on the trail that climbs 700 feet to the Orient Mine, Mike and I began noticing plenty of evidence of the region's chronic aridity and acute drought—the valley saw less than half its usual snowfall this winter, and the Rio Grande is running at 20 percent of its 120-year average. Early summer in the San Luis Valley is usually wildflower season, but the only visible blooms, pale yellow ones, unfurled from the prickly pear cacti at my ankles. As we hiked, the rain clouds we saw streaking black over the valley provided a guessing game: Were they scattered thunderstorms? Or (more likely) signs of virga, a form of precipitation that reaches toward but never quite touches the earth?</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODIxMjYwNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NjgxMzQxMX0.3q2KsNRIzMTm9PPpLfd8Ce_N9XZ0qZhTf0a3bbIENhc/img.jpg?width=980" id="b7c82" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="66780976ede6fa5abb378d77a1afa6c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Stacey McKenna</small></p>
<p>About a third of the way into the hour-long hike, the main trail veered right and massive piles of rust-colored tailings came into view. From 1880 until its closing in 1932, the Orient Mine produced two million tons of limonite and supported more than 400 people. Cutting through the piñon-juniper forest, smaller paths lead to old foundations and rusted barrels—the ruins of Orient Town.<br></p><p>The bats were first recorded in the Orient Mine about 35 years after extraction operations ceased. Ever since, they've been roosting throughout the small caverns that shoot off from the main cave, where temperatures stay consistently cool and the labyrinth provides shelter from potential predators. The bats' nightly hunts, coupled with the valley's dry climate and bitter winters, reduce the need here for agricultural pesticides.</p><p>According to OLT Executive Director Doug Bishop, the 2,200-acres it protects are home to common Colorado wildlife such as weasels, elk, and pronghorn, as well as two threatened species of fish—the Rio Grande Chub and the Rio Grande Sucker. Near the hot springs, the humidity and warm waters create a microclimate that supports a rare mountain orchid, a hot springs endemic snail, and one of Colorado's few populations of fireflies. The organization encourages responsible stewardship of this fragile, high desert environment. Beyond teaching visitors about the bats at Orient Mine, they operate the cabins and campground at Valley View Hot Springs using <a href="https://www.olt.org/nature/alternative-energy" target="_blank">hydroelectric power</a>, and lead educational hikes and programs at <a href="https://www.olt.org/ranch" target="_blank">Everson Ranch</a>—a nearby historic homestead where the OLT runs sustainable agricultural and green energy projects.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODIxMjYwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjM0OTM0MH0.SN-ZrwmpalSh1f2FE0JJJw2-CPzgg6j240CltxqcbmQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="7075e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="950d139c0b6640c1d73699dc3c81e107" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Stacey McKenna</small></p>
<p>As the light fades, the bats become harder to see, but I still know when they pass. Their wings move through the air like a whip when they buzz my head. It's difficult to know exactly how many leave the roost on a given night, but estimates put this colony between 100,000 and 250,000 individuals, depending on the month and year.<br></p><p>The bats flow from the cave for 45 minutes, almost twice as long as they will later on in the summer, as the season peters out. At first, they follow one another's echo-location, forming a tight ribbon that zooms toward the valley floor. As their numbers thin from about 100 bats per second to 40, the stream widens and they begin moving independently. "[When there are fewer bats] it's easier for them to hear the moths, so they can follow them instead of each other," said Scott. "That's why they seem more erratic."</p><p>At 9:14 pm, as suddenly as the out flight began, it's over. We pack up and don headlamps for the 1.5-mile hike back to the Valley View Hot Springs campground. Stars emerge, bright pinpricks in the inky moonless sky. After leaving our bags at the campsite, Mike and I wind through the woods to take a final soak in the hot springs, tracing steamy streams lit by fireflies that wink along their banks. As I sink into the warm water, constellations shimmer on its glassy surface, and I feel the air shudder as a bat wings past my ear.</p><p><strong>Follow in the Writer's Footsteps</strong></p><p><strong>Where:</strong> The Orient Land Trust in Moffat, Colorado</p><p><strong>Getting There:</strong> It is roughly 200 miles (about a 3.5 hour drive) from Denver to the Orient Land Trust and Valley View Hot Springs Welcome Center. From there, the hike is approximately 1.5 to 2 miles, with a 700- to 800-foot elevation gain. I recommend the free guided hikes OLT offers nightly throughout the summer (weather permitting). Valley View Hot Springs is well equipped as a home base for the hike, with cabins as well as campsites for RVs, campers and tents, but it fills up early.</p><p><strong>Best Time to Visit:</strong> mid-June through September</p><p><strong>Fees:</strong> The hike is free. Overnights at Valley View range from $10 per night to $75 per night, plus a $30-per-person soaking fee.</p><p><strong>What to Wear:</strong> OLT and Valley View are clothing-optional (this goes for the hike up to Orient Mine, too). However, Colorado weather can be mercurial, and temperatures drop quickly after dark, especially at 9,000 feet, so whether you choose to wear clothes or not, bring layers for rain and warmth, plenty of sunscreen, a hat, and a headlamp for the return hike.</p><p><strong>Respecting the Wildlife:</strong> To avoid disturbing the bats during their out flight, don't use flash for videos or photography, keep your movements calm and quiet, and speak in low voices, or not at all.</p><p><strong>For More on Bats: </strong>Check out Sierra's <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/slideshow/batman-forever-october-slideshow?slide=" target="_blank">most recent slideshow</a> featuring various bat species that were photographed by veteran biologist and photographer Merlin Tuttle. </p><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/night-hiking-san-luis-valleys-bachelor-bats" target="_blank">SIERRA Magazine</a>.</em><em></em></p>
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Pixabay
By Karin Klein
There are times when I don't know what to do with myself. I feel at odds with the world, irritated by the people in it, in a funk about myself and what I'm achieving or, rather, not achieving, overwhelmed by the obstacles and complications of life. Happiness seems like an entirely elusive state of being.
<p>At such moments, my friends know exactly what I should do. "When's the last time you've been on a hike?" they inquire gently, and it's time for a head smack. Of course, that's the answer. I might not feel like pulling on my hiking boots; my mood is more in line with reclining on the couch and streaming <em>Breaking Bad</em> for the billionth time. But what I need is the trail.</p><p>To say that I return in a better mood would be damning nature with faint praise. I'm wholly restored, optimistic, energized, almost euphoric. I sleep soundly that night.</p><p>For a long time, hiking felt like my personal mental health elixir, a magical relationship just between me and nature. The truth is that I was experiencing phenomena well known to science. Hiking is a near-perfect combination of elements known to relax us, raise our alertness, elevate our self-esteem, and physically prepare us for true rest afterward. It exposes us to sunlight, outdoors, the color green, the sound of water, physical activity, social interaction. All of these have been shown in research to have beneficial effects on our mental well-being.</p><p>Me, I can't meditate for shit. Sitting that long, paying attention to my breath or an imaginary white light, chafes my natural impatience. In contrast, hiking easily brings me to that sought-after state of being "in the moment." Hikers pay attention to where they are and what's going on. They have to, in order to avoid obstacles along the trail as well as such annoyances as poison oak and ivy. At the same time, the trail is a multisensory experience that calls on us to observe wildflowers, smell aromatic plants, and hear bird calls and the rustle of small animals in the brush.</p><p>These outings became such a strong return-to-sanity requirement for me that I trained to become a certified naturalist for my region's wilderness parks and wrote a hiking book. Most people don't go quite that far, but it's an unusual newbie who doesn't discover the restorative powers of the trail.</p><p>That's not to say that hiking can cure serious mental illness. But research shows it's a useful adjunct to other treatments for serious emotional conditions. For mild to moderate stress and depression, nature walks have time and again been found to boost mood and banish stress.</p><p>Science says it's both the walking and the nature that make powerful medicine together.</p><p>There's plenty of evidence in favor of exercise, which improves mood and reduces anxiety, releasing endorphins and raising serotonin levels. But a 2016 study in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity specifically found that bouts of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1755296615300156" target="_blank">outdoor exercise</a> were significantly better at lifting the mood of people with mild to moderate depression than indoor activity. Previous studies found that so-called "<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16416750" target="_blank">green exercise</a>"—and they didn't mean golf courses—<a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es903183r?journalCode=esthag" target="_blank">raised self-esteem</a>, especially among those with mental illness.</p><p>Exposure to sunlight alone <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728098/" target="_blank">improves cognitive function</a>, according to a 2009 study in the journal Environmental Health. For that matter, outdoor exercise has been shown to lead to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19791648" target="_blank">more vigorous workouts</a>; people walk faster and longer but perceive their workouts as easier.</p><p>Other aspects of nature have a calming rather than stimulating effect; studies have found that the <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244014525423" target="_blank">colors</a> green and blue—the hues that make up most nature scenery—are relaxing, as well as the sound of flowing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5842016/" target="_blank">water</a>.</p><p>Despite how cheap, helpful, and easy hiking is, access to nature itself can be uneven and downright difficult. People living in dense urban areas are generally farther from the backcountry and might not have cars to get there. Low-income neighborhoods are less likely to have parks of any kind. These are often places where Black and Latino communities are located, so they are particularly affected. A 2011 <a href="https://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/docs/CompSurvey2008_2009RaceEthnicity.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> by the National Park Service found that non-Hispanic Whites were highly likely to visit the parks, while "African Americans and Hispanic Americans visited at the lowest rates."</p><p>Various groups are chipping away at barriers. Outdoor Afro facilitates outdoor access in the Black community. In Orange County, California, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, which provides free guided hikes on conservation lands, has begun offering some of them in <a href="https://letsgooutside.org/activities/2016/10/08/caminata-nocturna-en-silmodnocturnal-walk-silmod-trail-2/" target="_blank">Spanish</a>. Latino Outdoors is a nonprofit dedicated to providing nature experiences for that community, and Disabled Sports USA helps people with physical challenges get out on the trail. An increasing number of parks offer wheelchair-accessible trails. And for anyone who lacks a group to join, many wilderness parks include docent-led tours to give you a safe introduction to the back country.</p><p>While not as meditative as a solo walk in the woods, these kinds of programs address another aspect of mental well-being. Group outings overcome reluctance to venturing in unfamiliar backcountry and appear to heighten the positive effects of nature walks.</p><p>A 2012 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22486584" target="_blank">study</a> found that such experiences could even help people with suicidal thoughts. "A group experience of regular monitored mountain hiking, organized as an add-on therapy to usual care, is associated with an improvement of hopelessness, depression, and suicide ideation in patients suffering from high-level suicide risk," the authors concluded in their paper.</p><p>But endurance climbs over steep hills aren't needed to reap the social and emotional up sides of gathering with others on the trail. According to a 2014 study in the journal Ecopsychology, group walks in nature were linked to significantly lower depression and stress, as well as an enhanced sense of mental well-being.</p><p>Of course, any kind of exercise can be taken to unhealthy extremes. And taking on physical challenges in the wilderness without the proper knowledge, equipment, or level of fitness can be downright perilous. Hiking alone or going off trail often gets people into life-threatening situations. But I've been hiking regularly for 20 years without that ever happening. The studies seem conclusive: With reasonable care, a walk in nature is much more likely to help us than hurt.</p><p>I'd be on the trail, anyway. But it's good to know that science is on my side.</p><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate </em><em><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/if-meditation-is-not-your-thing-try-a-walk-in-the-woods-20180712" target="_blank">YES! Magazine</a>.</em></p>
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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress
By Jillian Mackenzie
If you've visited the wilderness recently, you may have noticed something: people. People with walking sticks, people with selfie sticks, people with more people in tow. Surging numbers of visitors are hiking, camping, and all-around loving the outdoors. A whopping 330,882,751 of them spent 1.44 billion hours in our national parks in 2017—up 19 million hours from 2016. Great news, except that all this wilderness enthusiasm does come with a downside. "We're seeing record numbers of people connecting to nature, and that's a good thing," said Dana Watts, executive director of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. "But with that comes an increase in the impact to the land."
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Still, soil erosion, loads of litter, and risky animal encounters are entirely preventable if you stick to a few simple guidelines.
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<strong>Plan your trip.</strong>
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Whether you're a newbie or a <a href="http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/community/2000-milers" target="_blank">2,000 miler</a>, taking off for a quick hike or embarking on a weeklong backpacking trip, never head outdoors haphazardly. "Always know exactly where you're going and what the conditions and weather are," Watts said. "Having the right gear, food, and clothing means you won't have to make bad decisions in the name of safety." The National Park Service (NPS) has a handy trip-planning guide that includes a list of "<a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm" target="_blank">Ten Essentials</a>" to help you stay safe on the trail; the list includes a navigation system, sun protection, insulation, illumination, a first-aid kit, a repair kit, nutrition, hydration, emergency shelter, and a fire kit. And speaking of flames, the NPS also provides a useful guide on safely building and extinguishing campfires. You'll definitely want to consult this guide before you get started, since research shows that <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-shows-84-wildfires-caused-humans-180962315/" target="_blank">84 percent of wildfires are caused by humans</a>.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDcxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMzMwMDIyOX0.0wIJWCzB8fXexrjfEavT3T23OhqJ1xcoFmhGmm6D1Jo/img.jpg?width=980" id="a6b25" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e92ed9c9f18d2616ef6aa1af1ecadd2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">From left: Ruth Glacier, Denali National Park, Alaska; Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve, Colorado</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p><p><strong>Follow the posted rules.</strong><br></p><p>
Many hikers and campers head out into nature in pursuit of a rush of freedom, but this feeling of liberation doesn't mean that anything goes. "Most <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-lands">public lands</a> have regulations that all visitors must abide by, like having campfires only in designated areas, safely storing food, and not flying drones," said Mark Wenzler, senior vice president of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> programs at the National Parks Conservation Association. (As drones gain popularity, they bring certain risks to the landscape, as happened in 2014 when <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-drones-yellowstone/drone-crashes-into-famed-hot-spring-at-yellowstone-national-park-idUSKBN0G62I620140806" target="_blank">one crashed into a famous Yellowstone hot spring</a>; the devices have since been <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/unmanned-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm" target="_blank">banned in our parks</a>.) To find out the rules for visiting a given park, be sure to check the "plan your visit" section of its website before heading out.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDcyMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjQxNzM3MX0.SuvY_CEXphr83Zdvm-L0zNYExxV5gm19YRTQhJ_EOIU/img.jpg?width=980" id="e4f56" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f31d7fd90f81bba91cabb5c1ccde02ed" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Yosemite National Park, California</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p><p><strong>Stick to the trail.</strong><br></p><p>
Yes, it's the wilderness. But "the trail is there for a reason," Watts said. "Staying on durable surfaces helps protect vegetation." That's especially true on switchbacks. These paths are designed to prevent erosion, so never cut across. On any trail, you'll do less damage if you keep your group size small and always walk single file straight down the middle.
</p><p>
<strong>Handle your trash.</strong>
</p><p>
You know to pack up every last thing from your campsite and to use trash cans if they're available. But try to go a step further: Avoid bringing any disposable stuff like water bottles into a park. Right now, our national parks manage <a href="https://www.npca.org/resources/3180-infographic-on-zero-landfill-initiative" target="_blank">100 million pounds of waste</a> every year—including enough plastic bottles to motivate <a href="https://www.thenorthface.com/featured/bottle-source.html" target="_blank">one well-known activewear company</a> to create a line of upcycled T-shirts made from 160,000 pounds of the stuff, collected from just three parks. "None of us wants to see litter and overflowing trash bins in our parks," Wenzler said. "And we want our parks spending money on rangers and trails, not on trash disposal." (Some national parks are <a href="https://www.npca.org/articles/1292-study-reveals-lack-of-awareness-of-waste-challenges-facing-us-national" target="_blank">aiming for "zero landfill" status</a>.)</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDcyOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NDI4NDQ1M30.BG02rrq5-6fT2eS64ZGT6-y1ix1QR5e_LrZysiTHooU/img.jpg?width=980" id="609af" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b07093aea4aa27c423593c681a155c3f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">From left: North Window, Arches National Park, Utah; Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p><p><strong>Appreciate the animals from a reasonable distance.</strong><br></p><p>
"One of the great things about heading outdoors is experiencing the magic of the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a>," said <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/matt-skoglund" target="_blank">Matt Skoglund</a>, director of <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/" target="_blank">NRDC</a>'s Northern Rockies office. While human‒animal conflicts are rare, you still have to be smart. If you see a bison, moose, or mountain lion at close range, for example, don't try to feed it, approach it, or, for Pete's sake, take a selfie with it. (Bison, one of the biggest attractions for the more than four million tourists who come to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/yellowstone-national-park">Yellowstone</a> each year, have injured more people than any other animal in the park, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm" target="_blank">according to the NPS</a>.) "Give the animal some space, use common sense, and also use your senses," said Skoglund. In other words, stay vigilant while on the trail by carefully observing your surroundings, keeping your ears perked (and definitely earbud-free), and taking note of any whiff of wildlife along the way.
</p><p>
Of course, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/animals/">animals</a> are able to sense you, too. For bears, <a href="https://www.recreation.gov/outdoors/Explore_And_More/exploreArticles/need-to-know-bear-facts-and-safety-tips.htm" target="_blank">smell is the sharpest sense</a>, spanning miles, and this means that for the most part, they can (and will) easily avoid you. As a result, while bears (especially grizzlies) inspire particular fear, sightings are rare, Skoglund said. If you do encounter a grizzly at close range, he said, "stay calm and don't run away. Take a few slow steps back and talk calmly to it. It will most likely turn and walk the other way. If not, and it charges you, use your <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/bearspray.htm" target="_blank">bear spray</a>—the most effective method of deterring an attack."</p><p>
If you do encounter an ursine, it'll much more likely be a black bear. "There are about 800,000 to 900,000 black bears in North America—that's 15 times the number of grizzly bears," said Stephen Matthew Herrero, professor emeritus of environmental science at the University of Calgary and the author of <em>Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance. </em>There are hundreds of thousands of encounters between bears and humans each year, but only one to three deaths. (Often the more violent encounters are triggered by dogs surprising or barking at bears; keeping Fido on a leash helps.) "In most cases, as soon as the bear senses you, it will leave," Herrero said. Otherwise, if it shows signs of stress—huffing loudly or swatting a paw at the ground—simply back away slowly. Don't run, or it may instinctively chase you.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDczMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzE2MTI2Mn0.MqBgKqH17udiGX5S5lbRfniiV9H9COn2zFR5PkXocVc/img.jpg?width=980" id="7a82c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="423857c99624aa0b8db636c0ca8414ec" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p><p><strong>Pee responsibly.</strong><br></p><p>
If you're on the trail for more than a few hours, you're gonna need to go. For best pee and poop practices, you can check with the park's land manager. Or if you don't relish the thought of having that conversation in person, you can also look online. "Not all regulations will be posted at all places, but there will be site-specific and relevant information on most park websites," said Watts. The general rules of <a href="http://www.trailspace.com/articles/backcountry-waste-disposal.html" target="_blank">rules of thumb</a>: "If there are facilities, use them," Watts said. If not, and you're in the woods, pee far away from water, campsites and the trail. (One exception: "If you are recreating around or in high-volume running or moving water, like river rafting with overnight camping in designated areas, peeing directly in the water is sometimes the most appropriate," she said.) As for solid waste, "in the backcountry, dig a cat hole the depth of a hand and a half in an organic soil environment," she said. "And don't bury or burn your toilet paper; pack it out in a Ziploc bag." (Sorry, wilderness lovers, but it's just one of the many sacrifices we must make to keep nature intact.)</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDc0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTUyMTkxMn0.aZODj4gbR5JxZoaA7SeqPK4ItYzxDb_nEsClbclk5dQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="78679" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="940655934c9e645bc478190782c87905" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">From left: South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p><p><strong>Wash responsibly, too.</strong><br></p><p>
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics recommends that when it's time to wash up, you should carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap (that goes for both your body and your dishes). Also, skip the hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps—they may seem convenient, but many of these products contain <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/dirt-antibacterial-soaps" target="_blank">triclosan</a>, a hormone disruptor and a pesticide. Washing with antibacterial soap is no more effective than using regular soap and water to kill germs. Moreover, antibacterial products can contaminate a park's surface waters, as a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/emerging-concern-among-every-day-chemicals.htm" target="_blank">study</a> by the Great Lakes Network, working in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other monitoring groups, found after sampling waters from various parks in 2013 and 2014.
</p><p>
<strong>Speak out for our national monuments.</strong>
</p><p>
You can do even more for the parks you cherish by telling government officials <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/save-our-national-monuments" target="_blank">waging an attack on our public lands</a> that you oppose their actions and support our national monuments. President <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">Trump</a> and U.S. Interior Department Secretary <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ryan-zinke">Ryan Zinke</a> want to open up America's national monuments to extractive industries that can exploit, privatize, and profit from our lands and waters. And that's far more dangerous than the effects of tourism. "While visitors can have a big impact, the worst impacts on our public lands are caused by industrial and commercial development like oil and gas drilling near park boundaries, or coal-fired power plants in their airsheds," Wenzler said. Raising your voice—and casting your vote—are powerful ways to strike back.
</p><p>
So now, thrill-seeking and rule-abiding outdoor adventurers—get out there!</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODEzNDc1NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NzY2NTE0OH0.N68uroac6On093gNQyCS_4QdQ_NwDjow4fNWXitC2Vk/img.jpg?width=980" id="240e4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5c17614142436ea8236012f443578d8f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Carol M. Highsmith Archive / Library of Congress</small></p>
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Give your Dad a National Parks pass to enjoy family hikes. James Mann / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Father's Day is Sunday, four days before summer officially kicks off. So many traditional Father's Day gift ideas—from fishing gear to golf balls—emphasize outdoor activities. Here are some eco-friendly gift ideas that will help you and your Dad enjoy some time in nature together, while showing it as much care as your father has shown you.
<p><strong>1. A Gas Grill</strong>: Nothing brings the family together like a backyard BBQ. <a href="https://grist.org/living/whats-the-most-eco-friendly-way-to-grill/" target="_blank">Grist</a> did the math back in 2015 and determined that gas grills are the best outdoor cooking option for the environment. Charcoal grills release ozone and particulate matter into the air, which cause <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" target="_self">air pollution</a>, and also have larger carbon footprints. Gas grills are even better for the environment than indoor cooking during the summer, since they are more efficient than ovens and don't heat the house, forcing AC to work overtime. This is a more expensive option, though, so maybe consider it as a joint gift if you have lots of siblings who want to collaborate on a gift for Dad.</p><p><strong>2. A <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/national-parks" target="_self">National Parks</a> Pass</strong>: Give your dad a <a href="https://www.recreation.gov/marketing.do?goto=/ATBPass/America%20the%20Beautiful%20Pass%20Series.html" target="_blank">ticket</a> to a year's worth of adventure, and support America's breathtaking public lands in the process. The America the Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass gives your father access to 2,000 Federal Recreation sites including national parks and national wildlife refuges. If your dad wants to take the family, the pass will cover the vehicle fee for one car and all of its passengers, or four adults at parks with a per-person entrance fee. Children under 15 can always enter for free. This costs $80 for the year, unless your dad is over 62. Then you can buy him a lifetime pass for only $10!</p><p><strong>3. Recycled Gear</strong>: More and more, companies are devising ways to help you enjoy nature while also cleansing it of plastic pollution. <a href="https://repreve.com/discover" target="_blank">Repreve</a> turns plastic bottles and other recycled materials into strong fibers that many companies incorporate into <a href="https://repreve.com/shop/outdoor" target="_blank">outdoor equipment</a>. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/parley-for-the-oceans-partners-2574315406.html" target="_self">Parley for the Oceans</a> has partnered with Adidas to make <a href="https://www.adidas.co.uk/parley?grid=true&cm_sp=SLOT-8_PARLEY_ADIDASPARLEY_HOME-_-FEATURE_FROM_THREAT-_-SHOP-ALL-PARLEY-PRODUCTS" target="_blank">shoes and other athletic clothing</a> from <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastics</a> gathered from oceans and coasts. </p><p><strong>4. Bird-Watching Starter Kit:</strong> Fishing and hunting are perhaps the archetypal dad-and-child outdoor sports, but if you want something that includes the potential bonding time of long hours spent waiting for wildlife without harming any animals, why not get your dad a field guide to birds in your region and a pair of binoculars? <a href="https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/resources/articles/bird_songs/beginning_birders_guide_4.pdf" target="_blank">Ask a Biologist's Beginning Birders' Guide</a> recommends regional guides by <a href="http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/peterson/birds.cfm" target="_blank">Roger Tory Peterson</a> and <a href="http://www.sibleyguides.com/about/the-sibley-guide-to-birds/" target="_blank">David Allen Sibley</a> and binoculars with power x lens-width measurements of 7 x 35 or 8 x 42. </p><p><strong>5. Eco-Friendly Socks</strong>: Socks are another Father's Day staple, but good, comfy socks are truly essential for any outdoor activity that requires boots or shoes. Why not treat your dad, and the planet, to Sierra Club's official socks. <a href="http://www.parkerlegwear.com/" target="_blank">Parker Legwear</a> is a three-generation family-owned sock maker in North Carolina that uses recycled materials and organic cotton to produce comfortable socks using limited amounts of energy. </p><p><strong>6. Second-Hand Books</strong>: Not every outdoor activity has to work up a sweat! One of the best things to do in summer is sit out on the grass with a good book. Hit up your local used bookstore or thrift shop for a budget-and-tree-friendly previously owned title to get your dad started on his summer reading.</p>
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The Salado Creek Greenway in San Antonio, Texas. dq5studios / CC BY 3.0
This Saturday, the American Hiking Society is celebrating a very special National Trails Day—2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the National Trails System Act, which created and protected some of the U.S.'s most loved scenic and historic walks.
Now, just in time for Saturday's festivities, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has announced in a Department of the Interior (DOI) press release Wednesday that he is adding 19 new recreation trails to the national network in 17 different states.
<p>"By designating these new national trails, we acknowledge the efforts of local communities to provide outdoor recreational opportunities that can be enjoyed by everyone," Zinke said. "Our network of national trails provides easily accessible places to exercise and connect with nature in both urban and rural areas while boosting tourism and supporting economic opportunities across the country."</p><p>The new trails will add 370 miles to a 2,802 mile system that includes more than 1,000 trails in 50 states. As the weather improves and spring moves towards summer, National Trails Day is a good excuse to go out and explore the trails, new and old, near you.</p><p>"As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System, I hope everyone will take advantage of a nearby national trail to hike or bike," National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith said in the DOi release. </p><p>You can also take the day to give back. The American Hiking Society is asking volunteers to pledge to help clean a trail Saturday as a 50th birthday present. </p><p>"Join this historic event and leave the trail better than you found it! In honor of the 50th anniversary of the National Trail System, pledge to pack out trash, join a trail work project or clean up a park," the website urges.</p><p>If you want to check out one of the new trails, here are some of the highlights:<strong></strong></p><p><strong>1. Mt. Umunhum Trail, California</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzg3NTk4NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MTMyMzE5MX0.RneMAwMmt2594egH5wh1jPTV4mMlgHlds2AenWoqGmg/img.jpg?width=980" id="dc2ac" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fc6d41c9d5829ca27b2729af6ae39dd8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Mount Umunhum</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Dicklyon&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">Dicklyon</a> / <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></small></p><p>Mount Umunhum is one of the highest summits in the Santa Cruz mountains and provides hikers with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean to one side and the Sierra Nevada mountains on the other, according to the <a href="https://www.openspace.org/mount-umunhum-sierra-azul" target="_blank">Midpeninsula Regional Open Space website</a>. The trail offers 3.7 miles of moderate hiking to reach one of the few accessible peaks in the Bay Area, with chances to see lizards, birds, butterflies, oaks and pines, the DOI reported.<br></p><p style=""><strong>2. Corona Arch, Utah</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzg3NjA5OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzc0Nzk0MX0.XloV3n14dRe8BXTzQipsUohxVnGyWrzbyL9clv1heJA/img.jpg?width=980" id="6bc02" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eb5450dc7078c51ad15922717e7983eb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Corona Arch </small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Phreakdigital&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">Michael Grindstaff</a> / <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></small></p><p style="">This three mile loop provides striking views of the 140-by-105-foot Corona Arch and the nearby Bow Tie Arch, as well as a canyon and the Colorado River. <a href="https://utah.com/hiking/arches-national-park/bowtie-corona-arches" target="_blank">Utah.com</a> recommends it as one of the best short hikes in the Moab area and says it is especially good for young children, since there is plenty to see.<br></p><p style=""><strong>3. Iron Ore Heritage Trail, Michigan</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzg3NjE0Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzM4NDk4OH0.thLYPu3r1xu3boN6URrLTnQZugMxtuJGYu_La6BbF2M/img.jpg?width=980" id="e4d49" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9348992a8430224e280fd5a3e7f6fd2b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Michigan officials learn about the history of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Michigan Municipal League / Flickr / <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND 2.0</a></small></p><p style="">In addition to providing 47 miles of trail for hiking, biking and snowshoeing connecting towns in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the <a href="http://ironoreheritage.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Iron Ore Heritage Trail</a> teaches users about the industrial history of Michigan and the U.S. Specifically, it explains how iron mines in the Marquette Iron Range made a difference in the Civil War, industrial revolution and World Wars I and II.<br></p><p style=""><strong>4. Fort River Birding and Nature Trail, Massachusetts</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzg3NjE3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzMyOTA4NX0.z0tOmgrofJJ-FTY7aGFIYbDhOYIaKUs5c3ZmKUwoVrU/img.jpg?width=980" id="dcf12" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dbafa008cd31753f24a994f1d5b7a789" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">The boardwalk of the Fort River Birding and Nature Trail</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region / Flickr / <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND 2.0</a></small></p><p style="">The Fort River Birding and Nature Trail is 1.2 miles of boardwalk and flat surfaces built through the Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge, making it fully accessible to the blind, wheelchair users and families with strollers, the <a href="https://www.kestreltrust.org/places/fort-river-trail/" target="_blank">Kestrel Land Trust explains</a>. It passes through forests, rivers and grasslands, allowing walkers to observe the many birds and animals that live in these diverse habitats. Youth and community groups worked with the Refuge to build the accessible trail, according to the DOI.<br></p><p style=""><strong>5. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park Trail System, Florida</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzg3NjIxNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTU4OTkyNH0.PdvkAxJdmwmTi2lJ7FonRbKzl_Z78CbcwZgktJ4BQPs/img.jpg?width=980" id="c2a8a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f83db1268c0f52860058eb741c1ce7ec" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Shelters at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mgreason" target="_blank">Mgreason</a></small></p><p style=""><a href="http://www.coj.net/departments/parks-and-recreation/recreation-and-community-programming/docs/preservation-(1)/kathryn-abbey-hanna-park-trails-maps.aspx" target="_blank">The Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park Trail System</a> provides 20.85 miles of hiking and biking trails to residents of Jacksonville, Florida and visitors. The trails give hikers a chance to walk along the beach, see the dunes and even rest in maritime hammocks if they get tired.<br></p><p style="">If your home state isn't represented in this list, the new trails also include the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail in Virginia, the Wright's Mountain Trails in Vermont, the Salado Creek Greenway in Texas, the Bays Mountain Park Trail System in Tennessee, the Blackberry Trail in South Dakota, the Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail in Pennsylvania, the Martin Van Buren Nature Trails in New York, the Guadalupe Ridge Trail in New Mexico and Texas, the Climax Canyon Nature Trail in New Mexico, the River's Edge Trail in Montana, the Wilson's Creek Greenway in Missouri, the Cannon Valley Trail in Minnesota, the North Western State Trail in Michigan and the Fort Larned Historic Nature Trail in Kansas. </p>
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Posting Your Hike on Instagram? Now You Can Tag Your Location’s Indigenous Name
24 May 2018
Adventure
"These are lands that have been stewarded by indigenous people for thousands of years, and now it's a responsibility of everyone to take that into consideration." @nativesoutdoors / Instagram
By Isabelle Morrison
Public spaces are for everyone, but how we perceive them and interact with them is contextual. Some activists are making their statements on the public canvas all around the world. And it's catching on.
<p>Len Necefer fell in love with mountain climbing after moving to Colorado, but he noticed that information about the national parks he visited did not include indigenous history, despite Native people being the first occupants of those areas. </p><p>Soon, he discovered a way to reclaim indigenous lands.</p><p>In 2017, Necefer, a member of the Navajo Nation, began posting photos of Native people participating in outdoor recreation to his Instagram account, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nativesoutdoors/" target="_blank" title="">@NativesOutdoors</a>. One day, he posted a photo of a woman standing on the summit of Longs Peak, with the geotag "Neníisótoyóú'u," the mountain's Arapaho name.</p><div id="7f9ba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="X8VB071576662416"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
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<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
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</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BeR7Y8tl2s0/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">NativesOutdoors on Instagram: “Big ego in the mountains means big problems in the mountains. Bailing off a mountain is still a worthwhile lesson & time well spent. This…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>Since then, through a combination of scholarly research and gathering traditional indigenous knowledge, Necefer has created indigenous place-name geotags for more than 40 mountains, most in Colorado.</p><p>"For a lot of folks, even myself, the education we receive about indigenous history in this country is pretty inadequate," Necefer said. "It does not talk about the immense suffering and displacement that occurred, especially on public lands. People are curious and want to know, and I think this is one way that can happen.</p><p>"These are lands that have been stewarded by indigenous people for thousands of years, and now it's a responsibility of everyone to take that into consideration."</p><div id="1d67d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="X9NSAS1576662417"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
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<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
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</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYBxxn5l2qb/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">NativesOutdoors on Instagram: “These mountains, have, and continue to be, stewarded by indigenous people. Our public lands are also the repositories of thousands of years…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate </em><em><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/affordable-housing/posting-your-hike-on-instagram-now-you-can-tag-your-locations-indigenous-name-20180523" target="_blank">YES! Magazine</a>.</em></p>
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Brent McGregor
By Megan Hill
Eddy Cartaya and Brent McGregor have unearthed what might as well be another planet. It exists in the backyard of 6 million people, in areas frequented by scores of national park tourists each year.
<p style="">In 2011, the two men founded <a href="http://glaciercaveexplorers.org/#why-explore-glacier-caves" target="_blank">Glacier Cave Explorers</a>, a Pacific Northwest–based group of scientists and adventurers, all of whom probe, map and study the extensive cave networks that lie beneath the glaciers on Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington and Mount Hood in Oregon. These caves, formed by meltwater and volcanic steam, can answer questions about climate change, volcanology and alpine rescue—and even about what life might look like on other planets. And expeditions to their ethereal, dangerous depths make for one hell of a thrill.</p><p style="">Before they learned of these glacier caves, Cartaya and McGregor had spent years exploring limestone caves and lava tubes. "There's something especially alluring about a cave," said Cartaya, who is a search-and-rescue volunteer, avid climber, law enforcement officer and cave manager for the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us" target="_blank">U.S. Forest Service</a>. "When you see a hole and you can't see the extent of what it harbors, there's a draw to go in, as opposed to a mountain, where you can see the top."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYyNzExMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MDQ5ODUzNn0.UaVdsyZWax3pQRhsFxw8kc9fKECu0_T0x3_VmED8aqw/img.jpg?width=980" id="af8d1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e8ca4cb2fde5620d9a46d259aac39a5a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."> Eddy Cartaya.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Katie Campbell</small></p><p style="">McGregor, a professional wood sculptor, was simply seeking a break from work when he started climbing mountains. "I was in my mid-40s, around the time most people are retiring from climbing," said McGregor, now 65. "I just started summiting peaks—one after the other, more than once, different routes, different seasons, whatever. Once I had done that, I started looking underground." In 2011, he happened upon a YouTube video that showed hikers at the entrance of a cave on Mount Hood's Sandy Glacier and knew he (and his friend Cartaya) had to check it out. While McGregor is quick to note that he didn't discover the cave he named Snow Dragon, he and the Glacier Cave Explorers have since 2011 mapped its more than 7,000 feet of passages. </p><p style="">That first trip into Snow Dragon ignited a new chapter in the two men's caving careers. The multidisciplinary group they founded afterward—Glacier Cave Explorers is part of the <a href="https://caves.org/" target="_blank">National Speleological Society</a>—has since undertaken expeditions to the ice-encrusted upper reaches of Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYyNzExMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTkxOTg3OX0._9kKlWLpTDnwLrLAs02IY3RphZuSx0FI64r8a88iAnE/img.jpg?width=980" id="b740d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="af486a5762e5e36c173b5ca648c246a8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Brent McGregor</small></p><p style="">Every spring and summer, Glacier Cave Explorers dispatches teams of eight to 12 people up these mountains; some team members are researchers and others are mountaineers who help transport gear, mark routes and ensure safety. Each mountain's approach is different: On Mount St. Helens, equipment can be flown in via helicopter; Rainier requires a multiday climb with packs weighing 80 to 90 pounds. Mount Hood's cave entrances can be reached via a half-day hike. Expeditions last from a few days to two weeks.<br></p><p>Though the researchers have visited each cave many times, they're never sure what to expect.</p><p style="">"With limestone caves, you'll see them grow a little bit if you wait around a thousand years," Cartaya said. "But glacier caves change daily as the whole glacier moves down the mountain. Every time we go back it's like going to a new cave. Waterfalls change positions. Different rooms have formed while others have gone away." </p><p style="">The team approaches a cave's entrance carefully. "Rocks are coming down from the surface and landing in piles at the entrance of the cave," Cartaya said. "Sometimes getting in the cave is the most dangerous part, because you're playing Russian roulette with these things raining down."</p><p style="">Once inside, headlamps illuminate surreal surroundings: wind-scalloped walls glowing blue and green and sparkling like diamonds, meltwater lakes, waterfalls, ceiling holes called moulins, rooms hundreds of feet in diameter, ice stalagmites and other bizarre formations. "It's a magical place," McGregor said.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYyNzExMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTM2MDc5Mn0.Gjv9FKcdSFwJmV8Gze6Acwl7jwXlCOMGdXeJwspxABU/img.jpg?width=980" id="7eb17" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bb581d7ce7304fa94c6dccc73b5a4ad2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Tom Wood</small></p><p style="">It's also a noisy one. "You'll hear big rocks melting out of the walls or the ceilings and hitting the floor, or hundred-pound blocks of ice falling off the ceiling, hitting the floor and ricocheting down the tube with a thunderous roar—<em>kabaam</em>!" McGregor said. "Almost every trip, I come out and have lost my voice because you have to yell so loudly."</p><p style="">The Glacier Cave Explorers can't spend too much time admiring the sights, though—they have to concentrate on the host of things trying to kill them: collapsing ceilings, unexpected floods, ice falls, crevasses, boulders the size of houses careening down passages, avalanches. That's to say nothing of the gases—these are, after all, active volcanoes. The team carries rebreathers and gas monitors to track deadly levels of carbon dioxide, which can pool in invisible lakes below lighter, safer stores of oxygen. A simple fall can send someone into a lethal pool of carbon dioxide (the symptoms of this happenstance closely resemble those of altitude sickness). Meanwhile, volcanic fumaroles can exhale sulfurous gases unpredictably. "It's a constantly changing environment," Cartaya said. "Not just structurally but chemically."</p><p style="">Mount St. Helens, which erupted in 1980 and 2004, is its own beast. "It's not that high, but it's basically like a nuclear bomb went off up there," Cartaya said. "Everything is fractured, falling apart. There are boulders constantly falling down the crater and it's a very stressful environment to be in. The ground is literally moving beneath you." St. Helens is also home to the lower 48's only growing glacier, making it a particularly interesting destination for scientific study.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYyNzEyMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzQ4MjE5OH0.wlrsqXR3nW9sJyWlMbDg3PwmvAuFfj3KEVcTgaiXlgk/img.jpg?width=980" id="f0dee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3fee21cdf6d9f012596f3336b2c47934" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Brent McGregor</small></p><p style="">Safety management and planning play a significant role, and so far, Glacier Cave Explorers have experienced no serious incidents. Cartaya emphasizes that theirs are not endeavors for amateurs or thrill-seekers—each team brings it own rescue and medical supplies and installs a field hospital outside the caves.</p><p>The research collected on these expeditions serves multiple purposes. The maps—which need to be updated annually as the caves change—can be used in rescue missions. Some scientists who join trips study rare microbial life, looking for so-called extremophiles that thrive in unlikely conditions. Their findings could provide context into what life might look like on Mars and Europa.</p><p>Expeditioning glaciologists look for changes beneath the ice that can lend new information about climate change (typical climate studies look at glaciers only from above). This data, especially from the dying glaciers on Mount Hood, can be helpful in predicting impacts on watersheds and other natural resources. "Glaciers are also paleoclimate archives," Cartaya notes. The layers in a glacier—stripes that indicate seasons—are climatic snapshots dating to a glacier's birth. The caves make those layers visible.</p><p style="">Of immediate concern is the question of whether these volcanoes are going to erupt. While the volcanoes are studied extensively for seismic activity, Cartaya said there are other, more silent indicators of potential disaster—and that they're not all thoroughly understood or tracked.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYyNzEyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDI4ODYwMX0.Gykkn58t9u52XgfYuttf1LnDTIj_zTl2qcW2cvEtzbc/img.jpg?width=980" id="517e2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7bb0b586edbb8287f3dde91a42ec9a57" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p style="">"The ice on these volcanoes can react to changes in geothermal or hydrothermal activity in the mountain," Cartaya said. "It can register changes that are not noticed by surface observations, changes that could signal a destructive event that's not going to be advertised seismically." These changes can point to structural instabilities in the volcano and may portend cataclysmic mudflows, called lahars, which can threaten nearby communities. "Like a wet sand castle, the mountain can blob over under its own weight and collapse," Cartaya said.<br></p><p>Following each expedition, the teams—made up entirely of volunteers—donate their data to the federal agencies that protect and monitor these places, passing along vital information that could help save lives or assist scientific breakthroughs.</p><p style="">"A glacier cave isn't just a hole in the ice," Cartaya said. "It's a whole ecosystem—just an extreme one."</p><p style=""><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/meet-adventurers-who-brave-glacial-caves-name-science" target="_blank">SIERRA Magazine</a>.</em></p>
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High-rises, power lines and cell towers punctuate the view along the Maclehose Trail. Tse Hon Ning
By Mike Ives
Gauzy lights flicker in the fog, outlining a summit. Otherwise, darkness. The only sounds I can hear are my breathing and the rustling of my windbreaker. A rocky chasm yawns below me, just steps from the trail. For a moment, I imagine that I'm watching a search party traverse a remote wilderness.
<p>But no, I'm solo hiking in Hong Kong, and the lights are the head-lamp beams of three other travelers on the MacLehose Trail. Beyond them, through occasional breaks in the fog, I can just barely see some of the blinking lights on the apartment towers—the edge of a global financial center where 7.4 million humans squeeze into an urban area roughly the size of Boston. Soon I'll be pitching a bright-orange tent on a seaside bluff, as far from that madding crowd as possible.</p><p>Hong Kong, a former British colony and now a semiautonomous Chinese territory, has some of the world's densest urban districts. But less than a quarter of its total land is inhabited. Another 40 percent—a noncontiguous area twice the size of Seattle—is divided into 24 country parks that receive more than 11 million visitors a year. The parks' peaks and ridges are known for their panoramic views of skyscrapers, but that's only part of their appeal: They also ease the stress of living in a crowded city wracked by soaring inequality. </p><p>It's hard to survive here without a generous corporate salary. Every month, my wife and I, both of us journalists, stretch our budget to rent a tiny walk-up apartment. The price of food and basic services always makes us cringe, and we never manage to save money. Our standard of living could be far worse: One in five Hong Kongers lives below the poverty line, and the affordable-housing crisis is so severe that some locals live in stacked cubicles called "cage homes" or "coffin cubicles." Hong Kong's extreme wealth disparities get under our skin. In our neighborhood, Ferraris and Lamborghinis whiz by a welfare office as the poor queue around the block.</p><p>Which explains why I often feel like escaping the grid for a few hours, to a place where trees outnumber people, the cellular signal can be hit or miss, and the Darwinian struggle is mainly waged by other species.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzYwNjI1Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzg3OTYzMH0.7UezM9ywbjtqRPN7gb-9PxF0Iy3J6F3xu94f0y_NABc/img.jpg?width=980" id="5dbfd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cb2d85580c53cb49d3bd912f97980f44" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."> Map by Steve Stankiewicz</small></p>
<p>The future of the country parks is uncertain, however. The British established many of them in the 1970s, often on lands that bordered streams or reservoirs. Now, as Hong Kong's property market soars, a few local politicians are beginning to talk of carving up some of the parks to make room for housing. The initial cuts, if they ever occur, would likely be modest. But the mere suggestion has rattled conservation groups. Cutting into the parks would set a dangerous urban-development precedent, they warn, and the authorities should focus instead on developing idle sites near existing skyscrapers.<br></p><p>A key feature of the country parks is a nearly 200-mile network of four hiking trails. The longest is the MacLehose Trail, which runs for 62 miles and is named for the British official who governed Hong Kong in the 1970s. I like it because it takes me furthest afield. </p><p>The trail begins by edging along the South China Sea, darting through scrubby forests and along sandy bluffs. The air here is heavy with humidity and sea salt, and the location—the far corner of a vast country park—is free of condominiums. One summer afternoon, the only human presence I see from a bluff is an oil tanker cutting through whitecaps. Otherwise it's just me, the breeze, and a sea the color of my wife's engagement ring.</p><p>Farther on, the MacLehose passes through a village with surfboard rentals and open-air restaurants that smell of seafood and garlic. Nearby lies a white-sand beach that's tucked into a rocky cove and partially sheltered from the wind. Some local surfers say that the best break in the territory is here, though only in the winter typhoon season, when the swell picks up and the crowds of fair-weather weekenders thin out.</p><p>After its seaside leg, the MacLehose hooks west, brushing past the 2,303-foot summit of Ma On Shan (Horse Saddle Mountain) and across a miles-long ridge dotted with graffiti-spattered concrete pillboxes. British soldiers built this so-called Gin Drinkers Line of fortifications in the 1930s to protect nearby Hong Kong Island from invasion. Japanese forces seized the territory anyway, in 1941. Britain regained control after World War II, and the pillboxes still bear London-inspired names like Charing Cross and Shaftesbury Avenue.</p><p>"Artillery observation post," a sign on one of them says. "No playing war game."</p><p>The artillery is long gone. Today, high-rises, power lines, and cellular towers hover in the not-too-distant background along nearly the entire sweep of the trail. An "unspoiled" wilderness this is not; I'm never more than about 90 minutes from a bus stop or train station. Yet the juxtapositions of urban life and natural scenery are beautiful in their own right: A mountain view framed by a halo of smog, say, or packs of elderly joggers who blare Cantonese opera on handheld radios. Who am I to ask them to turn down the volume? Sometimes, and in some places, it's easier to appreciate wildness if you are reminded of its limits at practically every turn. </p><p><strong>Where:</strong> MacLehose Trail, Hong Kong</p><p><strong>Getting there:</strong> The trail traverses a total of eight country parks, mainly in the New Territories, a vast area north of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Most trailheads can be reached by a mix of bus, train, or ferry. A taxi or private car will often, though not always, get you there faster. </p><p><strong>When to visit:</strong> The best time to hike Hong Kong's country parks is late fall through early spring. From late spring through early fall, bring lots of water if you hike on especially hot or humid days.</p><p><strong>Camping:</strong> There are 41 campsites in the country parks, and a few are scattered along the MacLehose Trail. The campsite at Ham Tin Wan, on the second of the trail's 10 sections, is especially popular because it sits steps from a pretty beach.</p><p><strong>Pro tip: </strong>Consider a varied range of hikes. The MacLehose, Wilson, Lantau, and Hong Kong Trails are all spectacular in different ways, with offshoots connecting back to the city. </p><p><strong>Further reading:</strong> The <em>Serious Hiker's Guide to Hong Kong</em> by Pete Spurrier (FormAsia Books, 2007)</p><p><strong>More: </strong><em><a href="http://bit.ly/hongkonghikes" target="_blank">bit.ly/hongkonghikes</a></em></p><p><em><a href="http://bit.ly/hongkonghikes" target="_blank"></a></em><em>This article appeared in the May/June 2018 edition with the headline "Hong Kong's Great Escapes."</em></p><p><em> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2018-3-may-june/explore/maclehose-trail-hong-kongs-great-escape" target="_blank">SIERRA Magazine</a>.</em><em></em></em></p>
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Nadine Lehner
By Robin Walter
After fording a rib-deep and bone-cracking cold river whose current could have easily swept away a person much bigger than I am, I took stock of my surroundings. My companions and I were sodden and soggy, huddled against slanting hail on the banks of the Jeinimeni River in Patagonia. Miserable? You bet. But there were also huge grins plastered across all of our faces. Exhilarated? Yes. Joyful? Plainly. Through rivulets of water cascading down rain-jacket hoods, I registered a few shell-shocked expressions. Everyone seemed to be chewing on the same question: How in the hell did I end up spending Christmas morning with frozen feet?
<p style="">Later that night, we huddled around a fire in a sheep-shack tucked into a <a href="http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/blog/2012/06/19/species-profile-the-lenga-forest-nothofagus-pumilio/" target="_blank"><em>lenga</em></a> forest on the edge of Valle La Gloria, sang rousing rounds of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Huemel" (that's the <a href="http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/buildingthepark_biodiversity_huemul.htm" target="_blank">endangered deer</a> that lives in the southern Andes), and considered why we had travelled thousands of miles by plane, ferry, bus and truck to spend Christmas in Patagonia's backcountry.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
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<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Nadine Lehner</small></p><p style="">Each of the 10 team members had signed up to spend nine days trekking through Patagonia's Aysén region with <a href="https://chulengo.org/" target="_blank">Chulengo</a>, an expedition-centered company that aims to reconnect us with the wilds of the natural world and to challenge us to think hard about our roles as advocates for a healthier ecological future. Some came seeking adventure. Others came to foster a connection with self through challenge. Yet others hoped to reconnect with a part of themselves that had been put on the backburner. I had visited Patagonia years before, and came back to help lead the trip as if pulled by the force of a magnet.<br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
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<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."> Nadine Lehner</small></p><p style="">The symphonic peaks and endless steppe drew me back to Patagonia, but it was also something else. I think it had something to do with Patagonia's power to decenter you, to render you insignificant, to destabilize your sense of importance. Its sheer scale—the magnitude and improbability of its angles, the electric green <em>barba de viejo</em> moss strung across its trees—forces a shift in perspective. There's something both alluring and a little scary about allowing your sense of self to crack apart.<br></p><p>Patagonia's landscape has long held such power; now, it also enjoys new legal protections. In late January, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet signed into creation two massive new National Parks in the country's rugged south: <a href="http://www.parquepumalin.cl/en/" target="_blank">Pumalín</a> and <a href="http://www.patagoniapark.org/" target="_blank">Patagonia National Parks</a>. Together, the new parks will preserve nearly 10 million acres of wildlands, an area three times the size of Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks combined.</p><p style="">The creation of Patagonia National Park is one of the biggest conservation success stories in history—and it's as controversial as it is ambitious. The vision for the park has been spearheaded by American conservationist <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2017/kristine-mcdivitt-tompkins-conservationist-patagonia/" target="_blank">Kristine Tompkins</a> and her late husband <a href="http://www.tompkinsconservation.org/about_kris_and_doug_tompkins.htm" target="_blank">Doug</a> Tompkins (co-founder of The North Face clothing company), who donated 1 million acres of private land to the park. The new National Park represents a monumental shift in how humans will interact with this landscape. As such, the project has sparked furious debate. Some people have resisted the conversion of rangeland to wilderness preservation, while others have embraced this evolution. </p><p>"The way you understand the region's history impacts how you conceptualize its proper use," <a href="https://chulengo.org/team/" target="_blank">Nadine Lehner</a>, co-founder of Chulengo and former executive director of <a href="http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/home.htm" target="_blank">Conservación Patagonica</a>, told us around the fire that soggy Christmas night. </p><p>Consider, to take just one example, the Jeinimeni Valley through which we were trekking, which makes up the northern extent of the new Park. It has only existed as a national reserve for the last 20 years. Before that, settlers utilized the area for agricultural, often to graze sheep. In pre-Columbian times, the nomadic Tehuelche people inhabited the area, traveling to the highlands to hunt game. Each of these periods marks a shift in humans' engagement with the landscape. Each has had a different impact.</p><p style="">The word "Patagonia" evokes images of wildness. Many think of Patagonia as an icon of the last "untouched" places. Words like untrammeled and unspoiled, virgin and pristine, punctuate descriptions of the place. Is Patagonia wild? Absolutely. The landscape boasts snow-scoured peaks, hanging glacial lakes, and unfathomably blue waters. Is it untouched? Parts of it. Is it wilderness? That's a loaded question.</p>
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<p>The fact that we took refuge on Christmas evening beneath the leaky roof of a <em>refugio</em> once used by sheep herders to graze their flocks speaks to the complexity of those questions. To arrive at our camp, we bushwhacked across thorny understory in shin-deep mud and waded through waist-deep rivers clean enough to drink from. The sound of glaciers pouring melt-water through rock made up the soundscape. </p><p style="">It was easy to imagine this place was remote enough to have eluded human impact. But the romanticized notion of it being "untouched" dissolved as we took shelter beneath the tin roof built by shepherds in decades past. </p><p>"[Ranching] has been so much more than just an economic center in the region," Lehner said. "Ranching has been both the primary economic activity and the cultural identity for a very long time." </p><p style="">In an effort to re-wild the Valle Chacabuco landscape, which now forms the centerpiece of the new Park, Conservación Patagonica removed 25,000 sheep, 5,000 cattle, and 400 miles of fence, moving what once was Chile's third largest sheep ranch out of production and into conservation. </p><p style="">"If you go around the region and ask people what they love about this place, the word that comes up over and over is '<em>tranquilidad'</em> or 'calmness,'" Lehner told us. "Tourism is a complicated game because it has the potential to disrupt that."</p><p style="">Independently of the park's creation, the region has undergone vast changes. The road into the area is improving, and 3G reaches more places than ever before. The region's tranquility will evolve regardless of an increase in eco-tourism. By affording protection to an area that might otherwise have faced development, the park may ultimately play a role in safeguarding the region's <em>tranquilidad</em>, though it may look different than in years past.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
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<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit..."> Linnea Bast</small></p><p style="">The morning after Christmas, I woke early to head to the river where I watched the sun slide across the water braiding down the valley. A Magellan goose regarded me through inky eyes as she herded four chicks into the water. Across the river, a waterfall cascaded into glacial moraine. The spray caught the sun and threw a shimmering brocade of light onto slick black rock.<br></p><p style="">Enormous forces created this place: glaciers had carved entire valleys as rivers moved tons of rock. I thought about home, and what it means to feel at home in a wild place. How do we foster a sense of belonging—not of the natural world belonging to us, but of us belonging to the natural world? </p><p style="">One answer: Create experiences that remove the boundaries that ordinarily stretch between us and the natural world. Take away the cars, phones and faucets. Take away the beds that separate our backs from the ground. Invite our bodies into the presence borne from plunging into glacial lakes. Dissolve the distance that spreads between us and our human-as-animal selves. </p><p>"I hope that our generation comes up with a new word for conservation," Lehner said the night before as the fire died. "Because it's easy to think that conservation ends with creating national parks, when really it's just the beginning. We're standing on the shoulders of giants to be able to walk in these places, and the work each of us needs to do when we walk away from them is different. To borrow a phrase from Doug Tompkins, 'It is important to consider how each of us will pay rent to live on this planet.'"</p><p style="">For each of us, this work will manifest in diverse ways. Lehner's exhortation sounded to me like an invitation to dig into. So I dove head first into the river. I shocked my body into the present and allowed my tangled thoughts about wilderness to turn toward the reality of the present: shivering, cold and at home in a truly wild place.</p><p style=""><strong>WHERE</strong> The Avilés Trail, Patagonia National Park, Aysén, Patagonia, Chile </p><p><strong>GETTING THERE</strong> It's not easy to get really far away. From the Chilean capital of Santiago, fly to Balmaceda. Make your way to Coyhaique, take a bus to Puerto Ibañez, catch the ferry across Lago General Carrera to Chile Chico, and find a kind soul to take you across Patagonia's eastern steppe to the trailhead at Lago Jeinimeni.</p><p><strong>WHEN TO VISIT</strong> The window between November and March is your best bet—though expect to be hailed on any time of the year.</p><p style=""><strong>CAMPING</strong> You'll find <em>puestos</em>—or lean-to's—along the route that offer varying degrees of shelter. Fires are not permitted outside these structures. Leave your iodine and water filters behind; the water here is as clean as you'll ever find. </p><p style=""><strong>SURVIVAL TIPS</strong> Know <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2199876/how-ford-river" target="_blank">proper river-crossing techniques</a>. Bring trekking poles to help in deep crossings. Make sure to buy a copy of Map for Good's recently completed <a href="http://mapsforgood.org/" target="_blank">topo map</a> of the area, and know how to read it. </p><p><strong>WHAT TO WEAR</strong> Don't forget your gaiters! You'll be able to gloat when your bare-legged companions spend hours picking burs out of soggy socks. </p><p style=""><strong>ADDITIONAL INFO</strong> Read about Tompkins Conservation's work to protect ten million acres—an area the size of Switzerland—<a href="http://www.tompkinsconservation.org/news/2018/01/29/president-of-chile-and-ceo-of-tompkins-conservation-sign-decrees-creating-10-million-acres-of-new-national-parks/" target="_blank">here</a>. Want to experience a polar plunge in one of these parks for yourself? Sign up for a Chulengo expedition <a href="https://chulengo.org/expeditions/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/wilderness-no-other-chile-s-new-patagonia-national-park" target="_blank">SIERRA Magazine</a>.</em><em></em></p>
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