How to Choose Hiking Boots: Expert Advice from REI

How to Choose Hiking Boots: Expert Advice from REI

From day hikes to long treks over many miles of rough terrain, this covers it all. Nothing trumps comfort when you're out on the trail - and it all starts with footwear. Click the link above for the complete guide to choosing the right hiking boots.

WILD 101 Wilderness Class

Wild 101: A full day class all about “what to do if you’re lost in the wild“.

The location for this will be at Sandy Point State Forest. Sandy point road is off of RT 30 and just a few miles southeast of King William Co. court house. (on the left if you’re heading towards West Point) Follow Sandy Point road all the way to the end and we’ll meet you there in the parking lot. Please contact me at the email below if you need further directions.

Meeting at 10am at S.P. Be sure to pack a lunch you can throw in a daypack and bring water for each member of your family. Be sure and dress for the day’s temperature, being cold is a choice. Hiking boots would be a good idea as we may encounter rough terrain and possible muddy conditions. We’ll be back at the parking area about 4pm.

What does this class cover?

Learn S.T.O.P.

In the wild, most people don’t realize that they are in fact lost until they have been truly lost for quite some time. You don’t just cut a corner and say…huh!? I’m lost. It usually starts with you quietly doubting yourself, then it turns to you trying to re-assure yourself that salvation must be just over there, or maybe just over here. As your immediate conditions dwindle you are suddenly faced with a choice, a choice you will not have complete control over; to panic or keep your wits.

I think most people automatically panic, even if it’s just

Lost in the wild

The old saying is; “When you’re lost in the wild, your best bet is to find water, follow it downstream until it becomes a creek, then a river, and your sure to find civilization”. This is great advice, unless you’re lost in the upper regions of Canada, with more fresh water streams, rivers, and lakes than you can poke a stick at. What if you follow a stream, and after hours of winding back and forth along its banks, you find yourself at the shore of a remote lake? I would say, that finding water should be a top priority, but you might not always find the salvation you’re looking for