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Just read a little online article on what to do when you encounter a bear. It's short and doesn't say whether they're talking Grizzlies or Black Bear, but I know when I ran into one in the woods by myself, I handled it the way they suggest here and everything went fine. It was a good...

I'm a state worker now so we get lots of vacation and personal leave time, but when I was a college instructor, I would sometimes give my class the option - we either come back on Friday or go a little longer today. They would always say, "let's go a little longer today," and not one student...

Wow - not fair. If I had only one mountain that I could climb I would have to say Algonquin. I usually don't list it as one of my favorites, but the hike is good and in spots, can be challenging, and the views at the top are some of the best.

Rick, I thought they were crocuses too. I grow them in my front yard. They're usually the first to bloom in Spring and they're really easy. I wouldn't know why you would see them in the middle of nowhere though because I'm pretty sure they're not native to our area - they're usually...

Hi A&W. Welcome to the ADKs. You asked about the time period between Memorial Day and the 4th of July and that's pretty close to the black fly season in the Adirondacks. There was a thread just recently where people discussed black flies. It's in the Q&A forum and the last posting was just a...

My Black Diamond Gemini is the best. It has dual light sources - LED and Xenon that you can easily switch back and forth. The battery pack is in the back and the strap keeps it in place without having to worry about it - or even think about it. I've climbed in the dark a lot and I really like...

OK. Aren't we getting to the point that we're beating a dead horse? . . . or maybe in this case, it would be more appropriate to say a 'dead' moose? ;) I think it's interesting to see the various viewpoints on a topic like this, but either way, maybe somebody should set up a poll to see...

I found a turkey feather on a trail once and took it home. I was on an ADK hike at the time and the leader suggested I go ahead and take it. Other hikers still complained. I don't feel bad about it, but I'm glad the leader, who was well respected, supported it. It's not a clear line for LNT...

I always have at least a light breakfast the morning of a hike - some of you might think it's gross, but I'll have yogurt and/or fruit at home and a sandwich with whole wheat bread or something like that along the way - but that's mainly because of time constraints. If I had the time, I'd...

I find that the more I go hiking, the more stuff I think I need. As in so many other things, I will never be perfect and there will always be something I could do better. I have to agree with catskillclimber. I've gotten my share of "warning" comments from people that did nothing more than...

I think overall, people need to find out what's right for them. When I get ready to head back out for long hikes, I try to simulate the hikes on my treadmill. When I was shopping for a treadmill, I was told too that they don't go over a 15% grade, but I found one from NordicTrack called...

Hi Orphic Seth, When I first started hiking in the ADKs, I found them to be really different. All my previous hiking was done in the Catskills and California. The air smelled different, the dirt and trees were different, and it reminded me more of the Black Forest in Germany - more 'woodsy'...

Thanks for your replies. Since the ADKs don't seem to be the best option until June, does anybody know about the Lake George area for hiking in the Spring? Also, this is interesting. I know the soil is really different in the Catskills becase it seems to have a reddish tint. I was always...

It's been a while since I've posted here and it's good to see familiar names still here. After finishing the 46, I focused on finishing my PhD and now this Spring and Summer, I'm free :D . Since Spring is not the usual time for me to hike in the Adirondacks, I'm wondering when a good time is...

Hi Dundare, I don't want to list specific packs because they change every year and mine is a few years old. I looked for years for a backpacker's pack and when I was trying them on, I found out after I picked one out and said, "yes, that one!" that what I picked was a pack for women. I guess...

I would think that your best bet in finding a doctor that understands all the hiking-related issues that can come up is to look in an area where there's lots of hikers, but since you live in the 'urban jungle', I would think you're less likely to find someone local to you who can help. Just a...

A few years ago, I was coming down off of Big Slide at the trailhead near JBL. It was the end of a drizzly summer day and I think I was the last one off the mountain. Just before I got to the trailhead, I ran into a big male bear in the trail. After coaxing him off the trail so I could...

Thanks for the tips. I definitely like my maps too and even for simple hikes, I enjoy the hike more if I've spent some time checking out a map ahead of time.

CNN's carrying a story of a hiker that died. These stories remind me how important it is to be careful out there. Here's the link if you're interested. http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/06/03/rainier.rescue.ap/index.html

Just in case anyone's interested, I know there's rattlers on Overlook in the Catskills (Haven't seen them but I've heard them).