A Little Mud Does Not Scare Us From Hiking On National Trails Day!
Day Hiking On National Trails Day
A little moisture made it memorable! Thanks to all of our friends who were brave enough to hike through the raindrops and mud puddles on Saturday for our Horton Creek Trail hike in celebration of National Trails Day! Psst we’re compensated…see our disclosures.
We hiked and photographed
Stay tuned for our photo contest! Hikers will be submitting photos which will be published here next week. Our official judge is Peter Ensenberger who is the former photo editor of Arizona Highways magazine. Peter is now a trip leader and photography instructor with Photo Tours Unlimited and he is sharing his secrets with the world! The CVL Hike Club will enter the winning photo from each category in to the next Arizona Highways magazine photo contest and the American Hiking Societies National Trails Day photo contest.
Our hikers will be casting a vote for their favorite photos too! And don’t forget…The winners get bragging rights!
P.S. Hikers: Don’t forget to submit your photos by Sunday June 14, 2015 to KimHanna@CampingForFoodies.com. Send your best shots…1 per category and good luck in the contest!
The photo categories are:
- Horton Creek – the water
- Horton Creek – the critters
- Horton Creek – the hikers
- Horton Creek – the vegetation
- Horton Creek – the trail
We cooked and ate
Well, actually…Kathleen shopped, chopped, cooked and then we ate. She made some of my favorite Camping For Foodies camp recipes:
- Chips with Fresh and Spicy Salsa
- Fresh Summer Fruit Tossed in Honey Mint Syrup
- Turkey Panini with Avocado Mayo
And she even brought one of her own: Rice Krispie S’mores!
Ingredients:
2 10.5 oz bags Miniature Jet Puffed marshmallows
3 c Golden Graham Cereal
3 c Rice Krispies Cereal
4 T Butter
8 oz bag Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Add 1 and ½ bags of marshmallows and stir until melted and well-blended.
- Add Golden Graham and Rice Krispie cereal, the remaining ½ bag of unmelted marshmallows and 4 ounces of semi sweet chips. Stir until well coated.
- Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly and firmly in buttered 13 x 9 inch pan.
- Take the remaining semi sweet chips and sprinkle on the top of the treats.
- Place under the broiler for about 2 minutes until the marshmallow and chips begin to melt.
- Remove and cut into 2 x 2 inch squares when cool.
We had a trivia contest, “Outdoor Oddities”, and gave away tons of cool prizes
Here are the questions and answers!
The American Hiking Society promotes lots of activities for National Trails Day when people across the country celebrate trails and the opportunities they give us to enjoy the great outdoors. Four of those activities include: hiking, biking, paddling and horseback riding.
Q 1: What is the 5th activity they mention?
A: Geocaching
Our country has over 200,000 miles of trails
Q 2: How many trips around the earth would that equate to?
A: Over 8 times around the Earth!
June is the month of lots of celebrations:
ADOPT-A-SHELTER CAT MONTH
FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLES MONTH
Q 3: What other celebration happens in the month of June that is related to our day today?
A: Great Outdoors Month
The American Hiking Society is the only national organization that promotes and protects foot trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience.
Q 4: What year was American Hiking Society founded?
A: 1976
Q 5: What is Arizona’s State Nickname?
A: Grand Canyon State
I want "5 Secrets To Successful Camping Trips" plus weekly camping tips & recipes.
Q 6: What is Arizona’s State Fish?
A: Apache Trout (and if anyone knows how to catch one, please give my husband fishing lessons!)
The Grand Canyon is our pride and joy! People come from around the planet to experience it! The North Rim is a bit cooler than the South Rim because of the difference in elevation.
Q 7: How much higher is the North Rim than the South Rim?
A: About 1,000 feet
My fun blog post with more info https://www.campingforfoodies.com/grandcanyon-theres-better-place-get-edgy/
On the National Park Service website, you will find this info:
Did you know that (THIS—answer to the trivia question) Forest is more spectacular than ever? While the park has all the wonders known for a century, there are many new adventures and discoveries to share. There are backcountry hikes into areas never open before such as Red Basin and little known areas like the Devil’s Playground. This is the only national park site that contains a segment of the historic Route 66 alignment.
Q 8: What forest are they referring to?
A: Petrified Forest National Park
I have more info on our state parks, forests and monuments here: https://www.campingforfoodies.com/free-entrance-national-parks-celebrate-national-parkservice-birthday-august-25/
In Arizona we have lots of sunshine which is great for outdoor enthusiasts!
Q 9: What should you always check prior to planning your camping menu to ensure your preferred cooking method is allowed?
A: Fire restrictions
I have great tips and info resources here: https://www.campingforfoodies.com/blue-skies-pines-make-great-camping-one-exception-campfires/
My recipes are listed by cooking method so if fire restrictions are in place, you have lots of options. https://www.campingforfoodies.com/camping-recipes-list/
I was interviewed by Great American Country for a story on Glamping and shared the kitchen-ish tool I won’t leave home without.
Q 10: What is that item? (hint: I’m giving one away today)
A: Muddler and cocktail shaker (not only are they great for cocktails but they are great for non-alcoholic drinks like fresh squeezed lemonade as well as iced coffee drinks)
Here is the blog post I did about it https://www.campingforfoodies.com/great-american-countrytv-network-talks-glamping-kim-hannas-campingfoodies/
Want to download the trivia questions pdf? Get it here
We shared some great hiking tips and met new friends
American Hiking Societies: Ten Things You Should Bring on Every Hike
- Appropriate footwear. For a short day hike that doesn’t involve a heavy pack or technical terrain, trail shoes are great. For longer hikes, carrying heavier loads, or more technical terrain, hiking boots offer more support.
- Map and compass/GPS. A map and compass not only tell you where you are and how far you have to go, it can help you find campsites, water, and an emergency exit route in case of an accident. While GPS units are very useful, always carry a map and compass as a backup.
- Extra water and a way to purify it. Without enough water, your body’s muscles and organs simply can’t perform as well. Consuming too little water will not only make you thirsty, but susceptible to hypothermia and altitude sickness.
- Extra food. Any number of things could keep you out longer than expected: getting lost, enjoying time by a stream, an injury, or difficult terrain. Extra food will help keep up energy and morale.
- Rain gear and extra clothing. Because the weatherman is not always right. Dressing in layers allows you to adjust to changing weather and activity levels. Two rules: avoid cotton (it keeps moisture close to your skin) and always carry a hat.
- Safety items: fire, light, and a whistle. The warmth of a fire and a hot drink can help prevent hypothermia. Fires are also a great way to signal for help if you get lost. If lost, you’ll also want the whistle as it is more effective than using your voice to call for help (use 3 short bursts). And just in case you’re out later than planned, a flashlight/headlamp is a must-have item to see your map and where you’re walking.
- First aid kit. Prepackaged first-aid kits for hikers are available at any outfitter. Double your effectiveness with knowledge: take a first-aid class with the American Red Cross or a Wilderness First Aid class.
- Knife or multi-purpose tool. These enable you to cut strips of cloth into bandages, remove splinters, fix broken eyeglasses, and perform a whole host of repairs on malfunctioning gear.
- Sun screen and sun glasses. Especially above treeline when there is a skin-scorching combination of sun and snow, you’ll need sunglasses to prevent snow blindness and sunscreen to prevent sunburn.
- Daypack/backpack. You’ll want something you can carry comfortably and has the features designed to keep you hiking smartly. Don’t forget the rain cover; some packs come with one built-in. Keep the other Essentials in the pack and you’ll always be ready to hit the trail safely.
Want to download the Ten Things You Should Bring on Every Hike pdf? Click here.
Hiking trail news!
The American Hiking Society announced its publication of Hiking Trails in America: Pathways to Prosperity which is…
…a report that answers the need for a one-stop source for readily understood information about America’s hiking trails and the myriad of benefits these trails offer the nation. Hiking Trails in America provides information about the evolution of hiking trails in the U.S., the trails community, the benefits of trails, and in the 2015 inaugural issue, the economic benefits of trails, which are surprisingly significant.
Get the Hiking Trails in America: Pathways to Prosperity pdf from The American Hiking Society.
If you would like to become a member of AHS you can get more information here: www.AmericanHiking.org
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