Hiking is a great way to escape the rat race, get out in nature
and leave the stress of the world behind. Alas, your hiking
experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is
to keep a hiking journal.
Hiking Journals
Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent
hiking experience. What sticks out in your mind? Who did you go
with and were there any incredible views? Now think about the
first time you ever went hiking. Undoubtedly, you remember few
things about the geography, people you went with and the
particular hiking routes. The experiences you've forgotten are
lost to time. If you keep a hiking journal, this won't be the
case.
There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout
time. Of course, Anne Frank's Diary is the best example. In her
diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her
family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your hiking
experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will
let you remember them as the years pass.
A good hiking journal combines a number of characteristics.
First, it should be compact so you don't have to lug extra
weight around. Second, it should have a case to protect it from
the elements. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to
write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces
to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should
include:
1. Who you went hiking with,
2. The length and difficulty of the hike,
3. Who you met and contact information for them,
4. The weather conditions,
5. Any unique things that occurred while hiking,
6. The routes you took on the hikes and alternatives you might
want to try later.
7. Unique information about the particular hiking trail, and
8. Any inside information provided by locals or other climbers
you met.
At the end of the hike, you should be able to get the following
from your journal:
1. Contact information for other hikers you met,
2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a guide if you
or they hike the location a second time.
3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and
4. Something to pass on to your friends, children and
grandchildren.
To get the most out of your hiking journal, you should write in
it just before you start, during breaks such as lunch and when
you return. It is always interesting to see the different
impressions you have before and after a hike as well as your
mood changes as the hike progresses. On a miserably rainy day in
winter, the journal will make for good reading
Hiking is a great way to commune with nature and spend a
weekend. Make sure to preserve the experience with your hiking
journal.
More Information:Rick Chapo is with
www.NomadJournals.com - makers of diary and writing journals. Visit
www.NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about national parks and the great outdoors.
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