Smart and Savvy Hiking by Kim Lipker

Author:Kim Lipker
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: ISBN: 9780897326711
Publisher: Menasha Ridge Press
Published: 2008-11-19T05:00:00+00:00

Wild Times

SPOTTING WILDLIFE IS ONE OF THE GREAT JOYS of hiking. You are in their territory now, and getting to know these creatures outside of books and zoos is always a thrill. Of course, this thrill-seeking must be conducted at all times at a good distance. Not only does this keep you safe, it protects the animals as well.

It’s worth your time to gather as much information about area creatures and plant life as you can before your feet hit the trail. The more you know about the natural habitats of your destination, the more you will appreciate the reality show that surrounds you. The Internet makes it easy to quickly scan what is going on, animal- and plantwise, in your hiking region. Just 30 minutes or so at your computer can yield a wealth of basic facts that may surprise you. Such surfing can also can help you decide a focus, in case you want to spend money on a nature book that’s of greatest interest to you. For example, you may learn that the area is teeming with migrating birds this time of year, and that is what really fires you up. So you would seek out a good guide on our feathered friends flocking to that area.

Then at state and national parks, most visitor centers have brochures and checklists of wildlife that you may see in the area. And it is almost always worthwhile to sign up for an excursion with rangers or naturalists before you set out on your own. They can give you more of the “inside scoop” about the park inhabitants (and about some of the local humans as well, perhaps).

I cannot stress enough how much difference it makes to have some real understanding of what you are looking at on your trails. For example, hiking in the Sonoran Desert, at Arizona’s Saguaro National Park, is exciting in itself. And you would likely stop and admire the candelabra-shaped, namesake cactus. But to know that the saguaro (pronounced “sah-WAH-roh”) matures at about age 125, typically lives to about age 200, and that in droughts its flesh feeds many different mammals, from jackrabbits to bighorn sheep, gives you a whole new appreciation for this icon of the Southwest. (And you will marvel at the estimation that only one in every 275,000 saguaro seeds will grow into a mature cactus.)

The WIDE, Wide, WIDE, Wide ECOLOGICAL World

Depending on where you decide to hike, you will likely encounter several ecologies and microclimates all in that one region. Here is a cursory look at what to expect in different areas:

IN THE FORESTS: I spend most of my hiking fun time in the woods. I read that a satellite view of the United States shows that 40 percent of the country is covered with these vast swaths of greenery. Trees are, of course, the building blocks of these forests: they add moisture to the air, provide shade on a warm day, and help remove pollution. Plus, they’re nice to look at, they absorb noise, they cut down on wind, and they hold soil in place.

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