Are You Ready To Get Dirty? Join us for National Trails Day, June 5

While it might not be an American pastime like baseball, hiking is a huge part of American culture. According to a report by the Outdoor Industry Association’s, 32.5 million Americans hike, 7.8 million backpack, and 4.8 million trail run. In order to give back and preserve the trails and land that millions of us love to visit, the American Hiking Society (AHS) has created National Trails Day.

It all started in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan who commissioned a report on the American outdoors. The report recommended that all Americans be able to walk out of their house and within fifteen minutes be on a trail. This recommendation known as, “Trails for All Americans” became a driving force behind the beginning of the AHS. As a result, in 1993, the AHS launched National Trails Day.

Over the last seventeen years, National Trails Day has brought together thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each June to celebrate and preserve trails across the country. We think this is really cool and have partnered with the AHS. Through this partnership, we developed, Hike, an iPhone app that provides unlimited access to over 220,000 miles of trails, thousands of trailheads, campgrounds, and picnic areas. The Hike app is the perfect companion for National Trails Day and all your summer adventures. Even better, a percentage of the proceeds from HIKE will be given back to AHS.

Last year over 180,000 volunteer labor hours were donated to help maintain trails, and provide educational exhibits and demonstrations. This year the National Trails Day website provides a map to help volunteers find an event near them. Outdoor enthusiasts are also encouraged to host their own free event, which will be added to the map. Here are instructions on how to do so.

Whether joining an event or spearheading your own, get out there and help protect the trails we all enjoy.

Hiking Season is Here!

As the weather warms up and the snow melts it is time to hit the trails. Today we officially kicked off hiking season with an interview on the 9News morning show. Check it out here.

This year Intermap has partnered with American Hiking Society for National Trails Day. On June 5^th, outdoor enthusiasts across the country will be celebrating local trails by volunteering for trail maintenance, gear demonstrations, educational exhibits, and trail dedications. Check out the National Trails Day website for more information on events taking place around you.

In 2009, over 285 million Americans and travelers visited national parks, an increase of almost four percent from the previous year. Every year the National Parks Service offers Free Entrance Days at over 100 national parks. Even if you can’t get away during one of those weekends, don’t worry, over 244 of the national parks offer free entrance year around, another great reason to get outdoors.

To see the AccuTerra GPS app in action check back here for more details as we hit the Colorado trails with KMGH Channel 7 in Denver…



April 17-25th is National Parks Week!

National Park Week, April 17-25^th, is an annual tribute to our nation’s great outdoors. This week of celebration was created in 1991 to celebrate the National Park Service’s 75^th anniversary.  This year’s celebration will include free admission to any of the 392 national parks and state parks, national monuments, historic sites. In addition, many parks are holding their own celebrations. Of note, April 24^th will be honored as National Junior Ranger Day in over 255 national parks. On this day, children ages 6-14 will learn all about a specific park through hikes and presentations and earn badges at the end of the day.

Some exciting events this week include:

• Moonlight Canoe Trek (Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve, LA)
• Recreation of Paul Revere’s midnight ride (Boston National Historic Park, MA)
• Hike Through Layers of Time with Geologists (Colorado National Monument, CO)
• Gap Cave Tours (Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, KY)
• National Park Service Career Day (Fort Dupont Park, DC).

Many parks will host a clean-up day in honor of Earth Day on April 24^th. Take this opportunity to help protect our nation’s historical monuments and great outdoors.

There are additional opportunities throughout the week for families and outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate their favorite national park. We suggest planning a hiking or camping trip to your local park to truly experience the wonders of these national treasures. Spending time as a family in the outdoors can be a great bonding experience and an invaluable opportunity to teach young children about nature. No matter if you head to a national park clean-up or plan your own outing, this week is an important time to raise awareness of US National Parks and their mission.

Avalanche Awareness

No I’m not talking about the NHL hockey team.  I’m talking about getting the information you need to be safe in the backcountry this season.  Avalanche awareness is probably the most important skill when exploring the outdoors in the winter and spring months.  It really is a matter of life and death so I want to give you a few resources to help you be more prepared.

First thing first, you have to sign up and take a class on avalanche safety.  There is no way around this.  If you don’t know what kind of conditions make slabs break off or what to do in case you or your buddy are caught in a slide you will regret this dearly.  Thankfully pretty much every mountain/outdoor area in the country has certified instructors that teach this every year.  I strongly recommend if you hike or ski this winter you go take a class.

However, in the meantime here are some useful sites to help build some wisdom regarding avalanches:

Avalanche.org – This site offers good facts and a clean interface walking you through situations.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center has lots of facts and tips for survival.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is an example of localized warnings and information specific to Colorado.

So go ahead and book a class and pick up a portable shovel, collapsible probe, and of course an avalanche beacon (aka transceiver).  Once you have proper instruction you can enjoy fresh snow out of bounds without worry.

Learn to XC Ski

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably spent many days cruising up the lifts and blazing down the runs at your local ski resort.  Just several years ago, you would be hard-pressed to find a winter weekend I wasn’t waking up at 5am to charge up to my favorite hills like Copper Mountain or Vail.  However, with times changing (gas prices going up and traffic getting worse), cross country skiing has become a great alternative option for still strapping on some skis and enjoying the great outdoors without many of the alpine resort hassles.

So why should you consider picking up this sport?  Here are several reasons:

• It allows you to get an incredible full body work out.
• You can glide with speed in totally new environments.
• No waiting in long lift lines
• Allows you to meet a lot of new cool people in the cross country ski community.

Now, where to start?  I suggest visiting a cross country ski center that has rental equipment.  Then take a lesson from a good instructor there. Although cross country skiing shares a lot of similarities to alpine skiing, you want to start off right with correct technique.  Also, make sure to spend this time learning on a packed trail to enjoy the process much more.  Once you have the basics down, even your local park after a storm becomes a place to experience on Nordic skis.  Summer time hiking trails and roads open up a world of opportunity during the winter months.  One great resource that is worth bookmarking is the Cross Country Ski Areas Association.  Here you an find lots of specific information for places in your area.  Below are just a few Nordic ski hot spots to get you going.

Crystal Lake Ski Center

Looking for snow in the mid Atlantic region? Crystal Lake Ski Center should be the first place you check out. Their unique snow bowl location usually has snow when the rest of the region is bare, and their trail system is second to none; with a varied terrain to please beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers.

Eldora Nordic Center

Eldora is Colorado’s most popular Nordic Center. Conveniently located just 21 miles from Boulder and 45 miles from Denver, Eldora is the closest Nordic facility to Denver and Colorado’s Front Range community.

Royal Gorge XC

The largest Cross Country Ski resort in North America. Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort offers you an extensive network of trails over thousands of acres of snow-clad wilderness in the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains.

Downloading AccuTerra Maps

There has been a lot of confusion lately from users of AccuTerra for iPhone that can’t see detail in their area.  I figured it would be a good opportunity to help walk those people through the process of loading maps in their regions so they have them on their next hike.  When you initially purchase and download the AccuTerra app from iTunes, you get a sample of the map detail in Yosemite National Park.  However, in order to really take advantage and personalize the app, you need to visit the Map Store within the app and find where you would like to go.

Now the things you need to keep in mind before downloading maps in AccuTerra for iPhone:

1. You must be connected to wifi (this is because Apple limits over the air transfers to 10mb – all of the maps are larger then 10mb)
2. You may need free space on your iPhone (some of the bundles depending on region could take as much as 700mb of space up)
3. You need to create an AccuTerra account (simply enter your email address, set a password, and confirm your email address). This account is only used to retrieve your purchased maps later, should you need to clear your memory.

Once you have created an AccuTerra account you are presented with a Categories menu.  National Parks, State Parks, and Recreational Areas all contain maps at the HD zoom level.  HD maps are one level higher detail than those maps found in the States category.  The advantage to the States category is much wider coverage (just less detail).  However, the State maps still do have a rough equivalent to a standard USGS hiking map and are very useful.  The decision to offer these at lower resolution is file size – because they cover vastly more terrain, a whole state at the HD resolution would be much too large to fit on your iPhone.

Tap a category – National Parks for example, and scroll through the list.  Tap a region of interest and you will find more details on that area.  If you like what you see, tap the price and ‘Buy Now’ in the upper right.  Then confirm your purchase and your download will start.  It is a good thing to note that depending on your wifi speeds it will take several minutes to complete the download (depending on your wifi speed) so you might want to fix a cup of coffee.

Now, to view your purchase within AccuTerra, just tap ‘Map’ in the upper right corner and zoom/pan to the area you want to view.  If you have any questions please ask me via Twitter  @AccuTerra.

Camera Roundup

It’s not even Halloween yet as I write this and 2 inch flakes are flying, even closing the schools in Boulder, Colorado.  Snow can make for some remarkable shots of a place that only exists like that for sometimes only a day.  One of my favorite passions aside from kayaking and skiing is trying to capture moments with great pictures.  They often say “a picture is worth a thousand words” and I tend to agree; there is nothing that can help tell a story better than some great photography.  Every gadget geek out there taking pictures knows there are tons of options when it comes to choosing your photo gear.

I typically like to have three devices in order to always have something available to snap a quick photo.  One thing I never go anywhere without is my iPhone.  The huge bonus about this phone is it actually can take some really great pictures (for a phone).  The advantage of being able to take a picture anywhere you are and at anytime far outweighs the lower quality imagery you get from an iPhone.  The newer iPhone 3Gs added a focus and exposure selection feature which does really help this camera out a lot.  I would strongly recommend the newest version if you are not invested already.

One other bonus to using the iPhone as a carry with you everywhere camera is the ability to edit photos in the device with the free photoshop.com app.  The there are many options for uploading on the fly to your favorite website to share (think Facebook, Flickr, or one of my new favorites Fuzzyshot).  There is even an app for a service called momentile, which you capture one image everyday for a year.  You can then go back and see all of the mundane to crazy things that you experienced in that year in a tiled collage.

Now on to the point and shoot camera variety.  My first digital camera back in 2002 was a Canon ELPH Powershot point and shoot camera.  Seven years later and I without doubt more of my great photos have come from one of my point and shoots that I’ve owned than any other camera.  I strongly recommend going with one of Powershot line, because of the advantage Canon has in both the lens and color rendering departments.  Sure there are other options out there from Pentax and Olympus that are waterproof for those outdoor adventures, but they just don’t take the same quality images with the click of a button.  Point and shoots are great for shoving in your pocket when you hit the slopes on a powder day or even are on a 5 day trek up a fourteener because of their small size.  The resolution on the models today are great enough to blow up huge posters if you so desire.  If you could only have one camera tool in your arsenal, a Canon ELPH would be my pick.

And finally what person would consider themselves a photographer without owning and shooting with an SLR (single lens reflex) camera?  There is a reason you see the pros shooting with these.  They allow you to shoot INCREDIBLE images (if you know what you are doing).  With this kind of camera you see exactly what your film is seeing, or in today’s modern age – the chip.  This way you can be more sure of what you are capturing in a way that both point and shoots as well as iPhones don’t allow.  Digital SLR’s such as the Canon Rebel T1i also allow you to carry a wide assortment of lenses to choose the right glass for the occasion.  With the click of a button and a slight twist you can have both a wide angle or a super telephoto camera.  The barrier to entry to DSLR’s is the cost.  Be prepared to settle throw down some serious cash for one of these with all of the lenses that you want to carry.  There is also a little bit of a steep learning curve, but most of which could be learned in a weekend adventure with the manual.  For the highest quality possible photos and when you are able to carry the extra weight and size the camera – pack the SLR.

Sledding Across the Country

Stretching all the way from California to Maine, there are hundreds of miles of scenic trails ready for snowmobiling. The increasing popularity of this winter sport has caused mountain resorts to plan extensive trail systems with groomed and ungroomed powder ready and waiting for riders.  To maximize your day and find your way back, check out the Upper Peninsula bundle available in the AccuTerra for iPhone application on the iTunes App Store.

Upper Peninsula, Michigan – The Upper Peninsula of Michigan receives snowfall ranging from 60 to over 200 inches of snow every year. Exceeding 2,500 miles of varying terrain, the Upper Peninsula offers plenty of snowmobiling. With groomed trails passing through forests, over rolling hills, and across frozen lakes and streams, the Upper Peninsula offers a beautiful maze of trails.  It’s a good idea to bring your backcountry GPS along as the lengthy and intertwining trails can get tricky.

Mammoth Lakes, California – Mammoth offers incredible beauty, including towering mountains, snowy meadows, and immaculate forests. Additionally, the mountain town has many welcoming spots where you can eat, sleep, and gas up. Mammoth Lakes offers approximately 80 miles of groomed trails and 75,000 acres of open snowmobiling area. Various hot spots include Lookout Mountain, the Inyo Craters, and Bald Mountain.  With 75,000 miles of open trails, you will definitely need a map – a GPS adds another measure of security.

Eagle River, Wisconsin – Over the past few decades, Wisconsin has developed a snowmobiling trail system that consists of more than 25,000 miles of top-quality trails. From these incredible trails, you can link every corner of the state. No wonder this powder-packed snow paradise is called the “Snowmobiling Capital of the World.” For safety reasons, trails are well-marked and methodically groomed.

West Yellowstone, Montana – West Yellowstone averages over 150 inches of snowmobile-ready powder. Its extensive trail systems cover miles of terrain and stretch across three states (Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming). Additionally, it’s close to Yellowstone National Park, which alone offers several natural beauty wonders. Some of the top trails include “Two Top Trail,” which consists of a variety of terrain and a 2,000 foot elevation gain, and “The Big Sky Trail,” which is a 110-mile trail consisting of both groomed and ungroomed powder.

Alyeska Resort, Alaska – Snowmobiling anywhere in Alaska is simply breathtaking. But Alyeska Resort, located near Anchorage, offers a fun, exciting, snowy adventure with several trails and various snowmobile tours. Alyeska is the place to snowmobile with an average annual snowfall of about 630 inches. Mt. Alyeska has 2,500 vertical feet of terrain.

Grand Lake, Colorado – Grand Lake has one of the largest snowmobile trail systems in Colorado. It’s known as the “Snowmobile Capital of Colorado” – even though it’s not the Snowmobile Capital of the World, like Eagle River, this is one prestigious title to have. Grand Lake has hundreds of miles of excellent snowmobile riding on powdery trails in the midst of snow-capped trees.

 

Regardless of which trails you snowmobile on, you should follow basic snowmobile safety tips:

• Follow trail maps and watch for caution signs.
• Always carry some form of map, compass, and GPS.
• Don’t travel alone.
• If you must travel alone, or even if you are traveling with other people, let someone know where you are going and when you plan on returning.
• Check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center website and with local officials for conditions and any avalanche warnings.
• Be prepared with adequate winter clothing, protective goggles, food, and sunscreen.
• Do not drink and drive.

Hiking the Big Ditch

Hiking is a truly wonderful experience. It can be thrilling, fun, healthy, and stimulating. There are amazing trails all over the world, and one of the best and most popular places to hike is the Grand Canyon.

Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is 77 miles long, 1 mile deep, and up to 18 miles wide. In and around the Grand Canyon are hundreds of hiking trails. The Grand Canyon National Park Web site provides a wealth of information for hikers – there’s also a iPhone-ready trail map downloadable through AccuTerra for iPhone. Below is a list of some of the best Grand Canyon hiking trails to help you plan your journey.

• The South Kaibab Trail – This trail is about 6 miles long (one way) and descends to the Colorado River. It can be very steep in certain places, so you may want to hike down this trail and plan a different hike back. You can use topographic maps or an outdoor GPS to help you plan your adventure. The trail offers breathtaking views and directs you to Cedar Ridge, which is a perfect day hike destination.
• The Bright Angel Trail – Starting near the Bright Angel Lodge, this trial offers hikes that can range up to 12 miles long. Along this trail, you can hike between canyon walls, through canyon tunnels, and along the water. Please note that some spots on this trail are steep.
• Grandview Trail – Experienced hikers should definitely hike this tough trail. While this is a shorter trail, the trail conditions are tougher than many other Grand Canyon trails, but the views and sights along the trail make the strenuous hike all worthwhile. The picture below shows the difficulty level of this trail as well as the amazing views hikers will see.

• The North Kaibab Trail – Depending on the time of day and the season, this relatively short trail can be covered in shade as one hikes between trees antunnels. It intersects with several other trails, so hikers can venture onto a different route. Bring a trail map with you to keep track of the turns – you’ll want to know your way around if you decide to venture onto intersecting routes.
• Uncle Jim Trail – This short loop trail runs along Roaring Springs and Bright Angel canyons. It’s fairly elevated, so you’ll have the chance to look over the canyon and other hiking trails.
• Ribbon Falls Trail – This is an excellent trail choice if you plan to hike during the day. On the trail, you’ll find Ribbon Falls, a beautiful small waterfall that provide an opportunity to cool off.

Whenever you go hiking, there are several items you should bring with you, including a camera, a GPS device, sunscreen, water, healthy snacks, and some sort of map. Enjoy your hike!

The Inevitable 1st Post

So what came first?  The chicken or the egg?  The first blog post or the blog?  In my case on the new Outdoor Gadget Geek blog it’s both.  The purpose of this new blog is not just to talk about our sweet new iPhone app, but really to talk about… well, pretty much anything I find cool and interesting.  Sure I might have to mention that the app is a 2009 Apple Design Award winner, but that is about where the self promotion will end.

I hope you will find useful information or even some entertainment by visiting, so please go ahead and subscribe to my new RSS feed or bookmark what promises to be a wealth of outdoor and gadget knowledge to come.  Thanks for visiting!