Hiking, Camping, Nature Walks, Rock Climbing, & Geocaching
Image via Flickr user BRDavidson
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Hiking Resources
- Washington Trail Association’s Hiking 101 covers how to find the right hike, what gear and clothing to take, and how to stay safe while out and about.
- Per Wikipedia, "The Ten Essentials is a list of essential items hiking authorities promote as recommended for safe travel in the backcountry." Click here for the list and links to some of the items.
- REI: In addition to gear, REI often offers FREE classes in topics like backpacking, map and compass navigation, GPS usage, camp cooking and more. There are also classes in rock climbing, advanced GPS and more offered for a fee. Those classes are regularly added to the calendar.
- There is a full archive of Seattle PI’s “Take a Hike” hiking articles describing various destinations.
- Green Trail Maps publishes topographic recreation maps that are updated fairly frequently and are at a scale useful to hikers.
- The Mountaineers organization offers many resources, classes, and more to its members, on topics including: “hiking, snowshoeing, climbing, sea kayaking, photography, skiing, backpacking and more.”
- There are several local Meetup groups, including some that aim for easy-going hikes.
- Check out Trail Cooking for tips on ways to pack light and eat well on the trail.
Nature Walks
- Here’s a handy round-up of the Walkabout articles by Cathy McDonald of the Seattle Times.
- The Arboretum is a wonderful place to take a nature walk. The Arboretum also offers free guided tours at 11am & 1:30pm on 1st & 3rd Sun of the month, Jan-Nov. No RSVP needed, just show up! (These are on the calendar.)
- Seattle Parks and Recreation often offers a variety of nature walks. These are usually on the calendar, but you can also check out their registration system to look for any I might not have had a chance to add yet.
- Kubota Gardens is a lovely and free spot to take a walk. They also offer free guided tours on the last Saturday of the month until Oct.
Orienteering
- "Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain. Participants are given a map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points."
- Meridian Geographics "offers events, education and products related to map-based sports and running."
- Cascade Orienteering Club. "Since its start in 1979, Cascade Orienteering Club (COC) has helped individuals, families, and schools discover enjoyment of the outdoors through the sport of orienteering."
Rock Climbing
Geocaching
Geocaching "is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment."