Adventure Hiking

This is an incredible article about preparing for adventure hikes -- hikes in different parts of the world that last for days and might require more skills than just hiking (such as climbing, kayaking, etc). Especially interesting was this part of the article with the hikers' training regimen:

8-Week Training Program

Weeks 1-2: Getting Started: 3x/week
• Cardio: 2x/week 20-30 minutes each, 60-70% MHR (maximum heart rate).
• Crosstrain: Walking, jogging, stairs, treadmill or hill hiking
• Activity Specific: Weekend hike w/10# pack


Weeks 3-4: Develop a Fitness Foundation: 3-4x/week
• Cardio: 2x/week, 30-45 minutes each, 65-70% MHR
• Strength: 2x/week, full-body, 20 minutes, 2 sets of 12-15 reps, 6-8 major muscle group; specific to kayaking/hiking/scrambling
• Activity Specific: Weekend hike with 10-15-pound pack, gaining 1000-1200 feet elevation.


Weeks 5-6: Build muscular strength: 4-5x/week
• Cardio: 3x/week, 45 minutes, 65-75% MHR; one-day city hill hike with 15-20-pound pack
• Strength: 2x/week, 20-30 min, 2-3x8-10 reps, full body strength, added weight
• Activity Specific: Weekend hike with15-20-pound pack, gaining 1200-1500 feet elevation or 2-3 miles kayaking


Weeks 7-8: Increase Muscular Endurance: 4-5x/week
• Cardio: 3x/week, 45-60 minutes, 60-75% MHR; 1 of 3: hill intervals or stairs with 20-pound pack
• Strength: 2x/week, 30-45 minutes, 3x12-15 reps; vary exercises from weeks 3-6
• Activity Specific: Weekend hike with 20-poun pack; 1500-2000’ elevation gain or 3-4 miles kayaking

*Note: Stretch for 15 minutes after every workout.

From: Competitor Magazine - Preparing for your Adventure. This is a must-read article.

The companies web site is here: TSTAdventure.com, and they list a number of "adventure" hikes.

Kindergartener kicks my ass

This is unbelievable:

Isabelle ascended five 14,000-foot summits this past hiking season, a true accomplishment for any outdoor enthusiast in Colorado. What makes it all the more impressive is Isabelle Currat was only 5 years old.

From: Kindergartener Conquers Peaks -- Douglas County News Press

Moose Mountain is 7995 ft.... half points?

What will they think of next?

I can't get over how completely cool this is:

The stress and strain absorbed by your backpack could one day recharge your cell phone.

Researchers at Michigan Technological University have designed a strap that will capture the energy generated by the up-and-down movement of a hiker's pack and turn it into enough voltage to power small electrical devices.

Read the rest of the article at ScienceDaily.com: Hiking: A Backpack That Charges Your iPod?.