Backpacking Tips
With the mountains surrounding us, Utah has plenty of hikes to fit any time frame and skill level. Here are some tips to keep you safe and warm while backpacking and camping in the great Utah outdoors.
Be prepared. Prepare for your trip by becoming a daily walker. You may also want to take start taking packs about a week before the trip so your back and shoulders adjust to the heavy load.
Start slow. Make the first day’s hike a short one, and gradually increase the distance so you adjust easier.
Bring essential tools. Buy a good backpack, a warm sleeping bag, and a portable stove. These three essentials will keep you warm and supplied for the trip ahead.
Keep dry. Keep matches dry by keeping the tip in fingernail polish. Pack socks, toilet paper, electronics, and other items you want dry in zip lock bags. Eliminate all air to save space in your pack.
Prepare easy meals. You can find lightweight backpacking meals already prepared or buy food at the grocery store that only requires adding boiling water.
Hopefully these backpacking and hiking tips will help you the next time you are enjoying the great outdoors.
Mosquito Hats For Summer Hikes
This past summer I went hiking in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and I noticed there were a bunch of mosquitos along the trail. (Mostly by where the river was.) It was making me crazy - I was getting eaten alive. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t even notice. For some reason, they leave him alone, but constantly attack me. I have sweet blood, I suppose.
At any rate, I was getting nervous about the whole West Nile Virus thing, so I thought about getting one of those mosquito hats - you know, the one with the netting that zips out of the top of the hat. It’s a really cool concept. It looks like a normal hat, but a small zipper can open up to reveal netting that comes down over your shoulders to protect your face and neck.
The next hike we took was great - I wore long sleeved shirt and pants along with my mosquito hat, and I was good to go. Yay!