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Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas. Image File history File linksMetadata Hikingontrail. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Hikingontrail. ...
Old-growth Douglas Fir in the Mount Hood National Forest The Mount Hood National Forest is located 20 miles (32 km) east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (533x800, 246 KB) Summary Kelvin Kay user:kkaymd Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (533x800, 246 KB) Summary Kelvin Kay user:kkaymd Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
Eagle Creek is one of many creeks along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. ...
An animated demonstration of a six-legged insect walking. ...
A country trail in Slovenia. ...
Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities. ...
Wilderness is generally defined as a natural environment on Earth that has not been modified by human activity. ...
The word hiking is understood in all English-speaking countries, but there are differences in usage. In some places, off-trail hiking is called cross-country hiking, bushwhacking, or bush-bashing. In the United Kingdom, hiking is a slightly old-fashioned word, with a flavor rather of 'heartiness' and 'exercise' than of 'enjoying the outdoors' (people in the UK would be more likely to use more modest terms such as hillwalking, or simply walking). Australians use the term bushwalking for both on- and off-trail hiking. New Zealanders use tramping (particularly for overnight and longer trips), walking or bushwalking. Hiking in the mountainous regions of Nepal and India is sometimes called trekking. Overnight hiking is called backpacking in some parts of the world. Hiking a long-distance trail from end to end is referred to as thru-hiking in some places. Hillwalking or fellwalking is the recreational practice of hiking in mountainous terrain. ...
Backpacking in the Grand Teton National Park, United States Backpacking (also tramping or trekking or bushwalking in some countries) combines hiking and camping in a single trip. ...
Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks, paths, footpaths or greenways) are trails or footpaths covering large distances, typically 50 kilometers (31 miles) or more, used for rambling (that is, hiking or backpacking). ...
Thru-hiking is the process of hiking a long-distance trail from end to end. ...
[edit] Comparison with other forms of touring Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities on which many others are based. Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking. Enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind (or on an animal; see horseback riding) because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as windows, engine noise, airborne dust in large quantities, and fellow passengers. It has an advantage over standing in one place because the hiker may cover a wide area. Outdoor activities usually mean activities done outdoor. ...
The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) This article is about the means of transport. ...
horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ...
A window is an opening in an otherwise solid and opaque surface through which light and, sometimes, air can pass. ...
An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ...
After just three years of use, dust has blocked this laptop heat sink, making the computer unusable Dust is a general name for minute solid particles with diameters less than 500 micrometers (otherwise, please see sand or granulates and, more generally, finely divided matter). ...
On the other hand, hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain does require some degree of physical ability and knowledge, as well as a backpack to carry food, water and essential equipment. Hikers may be caught in inclement weather or suffer mishaps. Some jurisdictions (for example, New Hampshire) now require inadequately prepared hikers to pay for their own rescues. A backpack A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on ones back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders (called shoulder straps) and below the armpits. ...
The Ten Essentials are items which many experienced outdoorsmen believe all outdoor enthusiasts should have handy. ...
Weather is a term that encompasses phenomena in the atmosphere of a planet. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area Ranked 46th - Total 9,359 sq mi (24,239 km²) - Width 68 miles (110 km) - Length 190 miles (305 km) - % water 3. ...
© This image is copyrighted. ...
© This image is copyrighted. ...
Typical painted blaze in Mt. ...
[edit] Ecological impact of hiking Hikers often seek beautiful environments in which to hike. Ironically, these environments are often fragile: hikers may accidentally destroy the environment that they enjoy. The action of an individual may not strongly affect the environment. However, the mass effect of a large number of hikers can degrade the environment. For example, gathering wood in an alpine area to start a fire may be harmless once (except for wildfire risk). Years of gathering wood, however, can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients. For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see climate) for a region above the tree-line. ...
Bitterroot National Forest wildfire A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, peat fire (gambut in Indonesia), bushfire (in Australasia), or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. ...
Generally, protected areas such as parks have regulations in place to protect the environment. If hikers follow such regulations, their impact can be minimized. Such regulations include forbidding wood fires, restricting camping to established camp sites, disposing or packing out fecal matter, imposing a quota on the number of hikers per day. Car camping is camping in a tent, but nearby the car for easier access and for supply storage. ...
Human feces, also known as stools, vary significantly in appearance, depending on the state of the whole digestive system, influenced by diet and health. ...
Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace: hiking in a way such that future hikers cannot detect the presence of previous hikers. Practitioners of this philosophy obey its strictures, even in the absence of area regulations. Leave No Trace is an ecological principle of leaving an environment of habitation in such a condition as to render it impossible for future observers to discern the previous presence of the practitioners of the Leave No Trace methodology. ...
 A cathole may be dug with a trowel. Human waste is often a major source of environmental impact from hiking. These wastes can contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. Bacterial contamination can be avoided by digging catholes 10 to 25 cm deep (4 to 10 inches, depending on local soil composition) and covering after use. If these catholes are dug at least 60 m (200 feet) away from water sources and trails, the risk of contamination is minimized. Many hikers warn other hikers about the location of their catholes by marking them with sticks stuck into the ground. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ...
Sometimes, hikers enjoy viewing rare or endangered species. However, some species (such as martens or bighorn sheep) are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Hikers should learn the habits and habitats of the endangered species, in order to avoid adverse impact. Species Martes americana Martes flavigula Martes foina Martes gwatkinsii Martes martes Martes melampus Martes pennanti Martes zibellina for the Wiltshire village see Marten, Wiltshire The Martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae. ...
Binomial name Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804 Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) are one of two species of mountain sheep in North America; the other species being Ovis dalli, that includes Dall Sheep and Stones Sheep. ...
There is one situation where an individual hiker can make a large impact on an ecosystem: inadvertently starting a wildfire. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker burned 7% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile by knocking over an illegal gas portable stove. Obeying area regulations and setting up cooking devices on bare ground will reduce the risk of wildfire. Bitterroot National Forest wildfire A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, peat fire (gambut in Indonesia), bushfire (in Australasia), or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. ...
2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Torres del Paine, Chile A view of the Torres del Paine National Park The three Towers of Paine (Spanish: Torres del Paine) in southern Chile are gigantic granite monoliths shaped by the forces of glacial ice. ...
Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, UK A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ...
A small portable stove and its container MSR WindPro with skillet, heat reflector, wind shield and isobutane/propane canister A portable stove is a stove specially designed to be portable and lightweight, as for camping. ...
[edit] Etiquette of hiking Because hiking is a recreational experience, hikers expect it to be pleasant. Sometimes hikers can interfere with each others' enjoyment, or that of other users of the land, but they can minimize this interference by following good etiquette. For example: - When two groups of hikers meet on a steep trail, there may be contention for use of the trail. To avoid conflict, a custom has developed in some areas whereby the group moving uphill has the right-of-way. In other situations, the larger of the two groups will usually yield to the smaller.
 Hiking in a group increases safety, but hikers may wish to hike at different rates. - Being forced to hike much faster or slower than one's natural pace can be annoying, and difficult to maintain consistently. More seriously, walking unnaturally fast dramatically increases fatigue and exhaustion, and may cause injury. If a group splits between fast and slow hikers, the slow hikers may be left behind or become lost. A common custom is to encourage the slowest hiker to hike in the lead and have everyone match that speed. Another custom is to have an experienced hiker sweep up the rear, to ensure that everyone in the group is safe and nobody straggles.
- Hikers often enjoy the silence and solitude of their surroundings. Loud sounds, such as shouting or loud conversation, disrupt this enjoyment. Some hikers purposely avoid loud sounds, out of deference to other hikers. Staying quiet will also increase the likelihood of encountering wildlife. (This is a hazard if dangerous animals are present; see "Personal safety hazards".)
- Hikers sometimes trespass onto private property from public land or rights of way (easements). Such trespass can alienate the property owners and (in countries where rights of way are not protected by law) close down hiking rights-of-way. To maximize hiking opportunities for everyone, most hikers will either stay on public land and easements, or solicit permission from property owners. Staying on well-marked trails avoids the possibility of trespass.
- Tree branches or other vegetation often hang low across trails. A passing hiker may cause a tree branch to snap back in the face of a hiker behind. While it is courteous to warn following hikers if a branch is likely to snap back, it is every hiker's responsibility to allow enough space between himself and the hiker ahead to avoid the hazard.
- In rural England, when two groups of walkers meet, it is considered a common courtesy to exchange greetings (either verbal or just smiles and friendly nods). To pass another group without such acknowledgement is very rude.
Nighttime traffic captured by a camera over several seconds. ...
Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
The word fatigue is used in everyday living to describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work induced burning sensation within muscle. ...
An easement is the right to do something or the right to prevent something over the real property of another. ...
[edit] Personal safety hazards -
Hiking may produce threats to personal safety. These threats can be dangerous circumstances while hiking and/or specific accidents or ailments. Dangerous hiking circumstances include losing the way, inclement weather, hazardous terrain, or exacerbation of pre-existing medical conditions. Specific accidents include metabolic imbalances (such as dehydration or hypothermia), topical injuries (such as frostbite or sunburn), attacks by animals, or internal injuries (such as ankle sprain). Any outdoor activity entails many risks, even if participants do not recklessly place themselves in harms way. ...
Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. ...
Hypothermia refers to any condition in which the temperature of a body drops below the level required for normal metabolism and/or bodily function to take place. ...
Frostbite (congelatio in medical terminology) is the medical condition where damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. ...
Grays Fig. ...
A sprain (from the French espraindre - to wring) is an injury which occurs to ligaments caused by a sudden overstretching (for the muscle injury, see strain). ...
Hikers often propose a set of behavioral prescriptions to minimize these threats. A well-known example of such a set of prescription is the Ten Essentials. The Ten Essentials are items which many experienced outdoorsmen believe all outdoor enthusiasts should have handy. ...
[edit] See also Kinds of hiking: Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...
This is a list of some long-distance footpaths used for walking and hiking. ...
The Ten Essentials are items which many experienced outdoorsmen believe all outdoor enthusiasts should have handy. ...
Related activities: Many beautiful natural scenes are only accessible if one is willing to hike to get to them. ...
Thru-hiking is the process of hiking a long-distance trail from end to end. ...
Hillwalking or fellwalking is the recreational practice of hiking in mountainous terrain. ...
Dog hiking refers to a form of hiking in which dogs travel alongside their owners. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Nudity in sport. ...
Adventure tourism is a type of niche tourism involving exploration or travel to remote areas, where the traveler should expect the unexpected. ...
River Trekking is a form of hiking or outdoor adventure activity, particularly popular in Hong Kong, and, in some ways, similar to canyoning or canyoneering. ...
A Geocache in Germany Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called geocaches or caches) anywhere in the world. ...
The international orienteering symbol. ...
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