Welcome!!

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Replies

  • rammsteinsoldier
    rammsteinsoldier Posts: 1,552 Member
    I am having hiking withdrawals at the moment. All of the pictures of the mountains are killing me. :( I have recently moved to Kansas but I lived in Colorado for 13 years and Washington state for 10 years and they are both beautiful states with great hiking trails. Rocky Moutain National Park and Longs Peak were my favorite hiking places. My goal is to hike in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Hiking is the best form of exercise and relaxation I can imagine. Kansas is not known for its wonderful hiking so keep me in your thoughts. :)
  • Hi from the Adirondacks! So glad i found you all here! Since i am a total sucker for looking back at my hiking photos (reliving the moment??!!), here are a few snaps of some of my treks over the past year and a half. You'll notice that i am much heavier in my Mount Marcy photo (July 2010) than i am in my Mount Washington photo (July 2011)... I've since gained back around 15 pounds (out of 71 lost) and REALLY need to get back with things. Fortunately, Santa brought me some new snowshoes, so hopefully i have a few winter hikes around the corner... just as soon as we actually get some snow!?!?!! Anyhoo, here are my pics... looking forward to "meeting" you all & hearing about hiking in other parts of the world!

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    a pre-hike photo, taken this July (2011)
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    my summit photo from Mount Washington!
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  • Miss_Hiker_Pants
    Miss_Hiker_Pants Posts: 229 Member
    Hello from the Pacific Northwest!. I am addicted to hiking / walking. I quit smoking 1 yr & 7 months ago, and now it has become an addiction to push myself up the steepest hills. I lost 14.6 lbs on my own this year ( gained when I quit smoking) hoping this site will give me the push & motivation I need to be as healthy as I can be. I just set my goal up to hike 500 miles for the year.


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    Mount Townsed Fall of 2010 Elevation was just under 7000 ft. Elevation gain was about 4000 ft. in 4 miles
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    I hail from sunny south Florida (trying to figure out pics also) Most of our hiking is relatively flat and "squishy". Squishy is wet areas that can range from muddy to mid-thigh.

    I love the mountains and we try to go up to the Blue Ridge and Appalachians about every other year. My profile pic is actually on Grandfather Mtn in Boone, NC.

    Basically, I just love the outdoors, and will try to find any excuse to get out.
  • StoneColdFoxx
    StoneColdFoxx Posts: 12 Member
    hikers & backpackers is something I look forwards to doing once I have the fitness leaves to fully enjoy it :)
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    Awesome group! And I love the pictures.

    I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest and grew up hiking/backpacking around Chinook Pass and Mount Rainier. I've also lived in California and done some rock climbing at Joshua Tree and some backpacking in the Sierra Nevada range, along with climbing my first 14'er, Mount Langley.

    I now currently live in Romania and have done some beautiful hikes in the Cuicas, Bucegi and Piatra Craiului areas.

    Below are two pictures. The first is with my son at Cascada Urlatorea. The second is the cabana where we stayed (one night in the cabana, one night in the tent) on a backpack to the Piatra Craiului. (Edit: Pictures re-sized.)


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  • Hi,
    I'm new this this website, but have been an outdoor/nature lover since I was a kid. My greatest love is hiking and camping and backpacking, and trail running is a close second. My husband also loves the outdoors and we have a young son, so getting outdoors isn't quite as easy as it once was. But we still manage to make the time - it's either that or go insane with a toddler in his terrible 2s!

    I'm in central Texas, where we don't have tons of public land, but we do have a few nice state parks that I frequent all the time, mostly by myself and often with our son for very short hikes. And I try to get out for a short backpacking trip each spring and fall.

    Glad to have this group!
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    OOhhh, that means your in the hill country. I'm originally from Houston and my sister went to Baylor.

    That is definitely God's country. I really miss the bluebonnets.
  • Hi! Yep I am in the hill country! It's a beautiful place for sure, especially if you don't mind heat (which I don't). After the worst drought in recorded history last summer (pretty much half the state was ready to move to Colorado!), we are having the most beautiful winter you can imagine, thankfully!

    I actually went to grad school in Houston (UH) and we lived in Conroe! I ended up liking it quite a bit. LOVED living so near to the Big Thicket and so many national forests.
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    The thing I dislike the most about South Florida is that the only change in terrain is going below the water level. It's just way too flat. Although (if you look at the pics on my trail food thread) it can be very beautiful as well.
  • rockieschick
    rockieschick Posts: 321 Member
    Hello All!
    I am lucky enough to live in the Canadian Rockies and I get to do lots of hiking in the summer :)
    I am going to be doing alot more this summer in preparation for bigger climbs :)
    Here are some of my favorite pics from last summer!

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    Picture taken from a scramble on David Thomspon Highway AB
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    Picture taken from top of Mt. Temple AB
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    Picture of my cute lil girl asleep on our way to Ha Ling Peak in Canmore
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    Rockieschick, I love the summit pose. It'll be you this summer on Rainier!
  • 317387_10150773314010161_733955160_20299093_2674192_n-1-1.jpg
    Picture taken from top of Mt. Temple AB

    Love it! :)
  • michaelinnc84
    michaelinnc84 Posts: 40 Member
    Hi I just joined the group. I am from western north carolina and love hiking the appalachains. I am a big guy to be hiking, 350++ but I am working on getting that number down. So far I have lost 32 pounds, 389 being my highest weight. I have recently been having bad knee problems in my right knee and I am really hoping this doesn't last and effect my progress. I am thinking I really need to go to the doctor to get it checked out... but I digress. Feel free to add me as a friend :-)
  • trail_rnr
    trail_rnr Posts: 337 Member
    Hi all! New also. After years of debilitating back problems, I had surgery in 2010 and started doing short backpack trips again in the summer of 2011. I am so thankful that I can do this again! I currently live in Utah and have access to some great areas and formerly lived in California (and know the Sierra like the back of my hand). My primary form of trail visitation is trail running, which in reality (for me) means some running and some hiking. I also enjoy regular ol' hiking. I have some big running events planned for the summer of 2012 but I hope to get in a few backpack trips along the way. And I hope to not get eaten by a grizzly bear in the Winds :-D
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Hi all.
    GreenLifeGirl, great idea and thanks for the invite.
    I live in Northern England, and have camped and hiked since I was a nipper, when my Dad used to take me on long walks around our local river.
    Frustratingly injured at the mo, want to get back to fell-running and scaling our bigger and more remote hills in Scotland, especially using my Carawagon Land Rover as a base.
    It has beds, a sink, cooker and even a shower, so I have no excuses.
    But I do prefer to cook outside with a real fire!
    Have recently taken up wood carving to ease the pain of not being able to run, so up to now have made a spoon and a kuska (Finnish for little cup).
    Cheers
    Steve
    PS How do you post 4 toes?

    So excited to have found this group! I'm a fellow northerner and live within an hour's drive of the Lake District, Yorskshire Dales, Forest of Bowland and (bit further!) the Peak District.

    Started hiking most weekends when I was about four... then got to 18 and started to refuse to go with my family! We've always had a week's holiday in the Lake District every year and by my teens I became more interested in the pub than walking.

    Then a few years ago, an utterly unfit, chain-smoking, binge-drinking 30-something, I met my partner. Turned out his family were hikers too and he had got out of the habit. He was, however a keen cyclist so really fit. He started dragging me out on walks every weekend and we resurrected the annual walking holiday.

    Here I am five years later, I've quit smoking, drink less and can make it up 3,000ft without feeling like I'm going to die.

    I still haven't made it up Scafell Pike (England's highest mountain) but plan to by June. I joined MFP because I really do think that carrying an extra 3st up hill and down dale is not making it easy for myself.

    Forget the gym, nothing gives me a high like getting to the top of a mountain and feeling like I'm top of the world!
  • felcandy
    felcandy Posts: 228 Member
    I live in Tucson, AZ and my honey and I just started hiking this week. I'm a beginner and know next to nothing about it except that its fun and I dread the summertime!
  • scott1080
    scott1080 Posts: 109 Member
    thanks for adding me to the group i have always enjoyed walks in the mountains being an avid hunter. more recently getting out to explore some of the appalacian trail here in central pa
  • Beautifully pics folks. I'm a hiker wanna be. I've always enjoyed what I call hikes, then I saw Mt Baldy. I've finally started getting in shape. It would be nice if "they'd" stop burning the mountain so I can at least dream about having a job so I can get back to Cali...so I can backpack that beautifully mountain.
  • Marty_D
    Marty_D Posts: 39 Member
    I've been forunate enough to have always lived near the Niagara Escarpment (Glacier formed mountain ridge running for miles) in Southern Ontario. There are numerous provincial parks along the escarpment offering amazing trails with breathtaking views. Nothing puts a week at work into perspective like a good hike!!
  • jagwab
    jagwab Posts: 93
    Hi fellow hikers.

    My name is Melissa and I live in Knoxville now. I have been hiking and backpacking for about 5 years now.
    I try to do a week long trip at least once a year but usually only get for 2 or 3 days at a time.
    I leave for a 12 day trip in a little less than a month,
    Most of my trips are along the Appalachian trail in the south and in the Smokies.
    Looking forward to being a part of the group.
    If anyone wants to meet up and hike let me know. I get tired of hiking by myself at times.
  • Hello all, I'm an intermediate hiker. Ive hiked in the past while camping, but took a long hiatus while i was in college. Now in grad school, I have a lot more time (which doesn't make sense). Me and my other half do a day hike every weekend, and are training to do Mt. Baldy, San Jacinto, and San Grogonio, all in SoCal (hopefully by years end). We enjoy it, and always look forward to Sunday's, to get out and hike!
  • I live in Tucson, AZ and my honey and I just started hiking this week. I'm a beginner and know next to nothing about it except that its fun and I dread the summertime!

    Hi! That's awesome you just started hiking! I was in Tucson a couple of years ago and had one of the best hikes ever on one of the trails in Saguaro NP. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Welcome!
  • Hi fellow hikers.

    My name is Melissa and I live in Knoxville now. I have been hiking and backpacking for about 5 years now.
    I try to do a week long trip at least once a year but usually only get for 2 or 3 days at a time.
    I leave for a 12 day trip in a little less than a month,
    Most of my trips are along the Appalachian trail in the south and in the Smokies.
    Looking forward to being a part of the group.
    If anyone wants to meet up and hike let me know. I get tired of hiking by myself at times.

    Hi Melissa,
    Welcome! Wow, a 12 day trip, that sounds fantastic. Will it be along the AT or in the Smokies? I lived in Cookeville when I was in grad school and LOVED getting out to the Smokies whenever I could. What got you into hiking and backpacking?
  • Hello all, I'm an intermediate hiker. Ive hiked in the past while camping, but took a long hiatus while i was in college. Now in grad school, I have a lot more time (which doesn't make sense). Me and my other half do a day hike every weekend, and are training to do Mt. Baldy, San Jacinto, and San Grogonio, all in SoCal (hopefully by years end). We enjoy it, and always look forward to Sunday's, to get out and hike!

    Hi, welcome! Sounds like you have some great places to hike!
  • sabrina32576
    sabrina32576 Posts: 253 Member
    Hi everyone! I'm Sabrina and I'm 35. I'm just beginning to get into hiking/backpacking. I live in Western Maryland so I am lucky enough to have the C&O Canal and the Appalachian Trail nearby along with many other options. I look forward to reading everyone's tips and adventures.

    Feel free to add me!
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
    Hey everyone!

    I'm Barb, 29 from the Baltimore, MD area. I'm not an expert hiker or backpacker by any means but I love spending time outdoors and going on hikes! I work in the Sparks area which means easy access to the NCR Trail and other trails like Gunpowder Falls.
  • SarahE1092
    SarahE1092 Posts: 83
    Hello Fellow hikers and Backpakers!
    I grew up and still am in Northern Virginia. We have some great hiking and camping locations in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    I have never camped before 2009. My boyfriend and I were looking for a cheap way to have some fun and enjoy the outdoors. We are avid beach goers but it was getting too expensive to go. So we started camping, then hiking, now backpacking.
    I am a plus size girl, so I have had to adjust some camping/hiking/backpacking gear to fit me. I had to buy a mens backpack ( even though it is an AWESOME Deuter pack) because the womens ones would not fit me.

    We are planning as many backpacking trips as we can, since the weather in VA is not always the greatest.
    Feel free to add me, just let me know where you are from.
  • JoyMarie64
    JoyMarie64 Posts: 2
    I'm actually a new hiker, but have recently been restricted due to being diagnosed with Dystolic Heart Disfunction. As a teen, I hiked many trails in the Smokey Mountains (born and raised in FL, but have lived in E.TN for over 30 yrs.). But, as an adult, I've always loved camping and have recently incorporated hiking, bringing along my Audubon books and camera in my backpack, and started hiking local trails and making plans for weekend hikes before being halted by the doctors. I'm hoping after they get my medication balanced to get started again. I still hike short easy trails...just don't tell my doctor. It can't be good to just sit until who knows when! I have been learning so much about the trees and plants around me and recently discovered a wild edible that has been overlooked for years called autumnberry. I'm very much into wild edibles and know MANY of the edible plants in our location. My children would go to school and kiddingly tell the teachers that I make them eat weeds! lol After doing research on the autumnberry, it's said that it actually contains 18x the lycopene that tomatoes do! I'd say that probably gets it up there on the "super fruit" list. :) I'll be harvesting them for the first time this year. Plan to make wine and jelly from them if I have a good harvest.

    Hiking brings on new discoveries every time. I'm careful and do bring aspirin and a cell phone...not that the cell phone is useful at all times. But, I am not afraid to hike alone and quite frankly, I can think of worse ways to go! <smile>
  • sweetbippy
    sweetbippy Posts: 189 Member
    Hi,
    My husband and I hiked in The NC Smoky Mt. Cataloochee region this summer. So beautiful. 2 summers ago we took a 4 week road trip from Ohio all the way to CA and back, hitting all the major national parks along the way and hiking.That was definitely a bucket list check mark for me. I couldn't pick a favorite. They each have their own special qualities. I can't wait to get back out west for more hiking.
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