alpenglow: the pink color the mountains turn in winter at sunrise and sunset. Many visitors see paintings of alpenglow and don't believe it can really look like that
bearing tree: a tree identified by surveyors to help locate survey monuments, which define corners of surveyed lots or boundaries; aka witness tree
bivouac: camping in the open with improvised shelter or none at all
blaze: a mark cut or painted on a tree or rock to indicate a trail. A double blaze, one over the other, indicates either an imminent change in trail direction or a junction with another trail or road
blowdown: trail obstacle, as when a tree is blocking the trail
break trail: forge fresh tracks on a trail that hasn't been hiked recently, as when you create fresh footprints on a snowy trail
bushwhacking: to make one's way through bushes or undergrowth without the aid of a formal trail
cairn: a pile of stones to mark a summit or route
chimney: a steep, narrow cleft or gully in the face of a mountain, usually by which it may be ascended
cobble: a small stony peak on the side of a mountain
col: a pass between two adjacent peaks or a gap in a ridge
corduroy: a road, trail or bridge formed by logs laid side by side transversely to facilitate crossing swampy areas
couloir: a deep gorge or gully on a hillside
cripplebrush: thick, stunted growth at higher elevations
dike: a band of different colored rock, usually with straight, well-defined sides, formed when igneous rock is intruded into the existing rock. dikes can manifest themselves either as gullies, if the dike rock is softer (as in Colden Trap Dike), or as ridges
duck: summit cairn
duff: partly decayed vegetable matter on the forest floor. it can burn easily. burning duff has started many forest fires.
gaiters: water-proof sleeves which defer water getting your socks wet and prevent twigs from getting in your boots
gitch: gear
glissade: standing glissade is 'skiing' down a snowy trail without skis, sliding down on your boots. sitting glissade is sliding down a snowy trail on your butt
gorge: a deep narrow ravine
GORP: Good Ole' Raisins and Peanuts (trail mix)
height-of-land: a high point along a trail when you ascend from a valley; could exist at a col or summit
hoard-frost: a deposit of ice crystals that form on a cold surface exposed to moist air
hubris: overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance
inukshuk: (IN-OOK-SHOOK) meaning "in the image of man", are magnificent lifelike figures of stone which were erected by the Inuit people and are unique to the Canadian Arctic. Standing along Canada's most northern shores, they endure as eternal symbols of leadership, encouraging the importance of friendship and reminding us of our dependence upon one another.
In the Baffin region of Canada's Arctic, the traditional meaning of an Inukshuk was to act as a compass or guide for a safe journey. The Inukshuk, like ancient trackers, helped guide people seeking their way through the wilderness. An Inukshuk on land with two arms and legs means there is a valley. At the end of this valley, you will be able to go in two directions. Today, this serves as a reminder that we always have a choice in the direction we choose to take in our lives.
Erected to make the way easier and safer for those who follow, an Inukshuk represents safety and nourishment, trust and reassurance. The Inukshuk guided people across the frozen tundra and gave them hope in barren places to handle hardships they encountered. These primitive, stone images showed the way ahead... pointing you in the direction you wanted to go. Had they been able to speak, I am certain they would have said... "Here is the road. It is safe. You can meet the demands that this path holds. You can reach your goals and attain your vision of where you want to be."
junction: where two trails meet
krummholz: German for bent or twisted wood, a name as awkward and graceless as their appearance, contorted by the wind into grotesque, deformed shapes, these stunted spruce hug the ground or crouch against the lee side of boulders. somehow, they hang on. trees have an immense will to live.
lean-to: a three-sided shelter with an over-hanging roof on the open side
lichen: fungus that grows symbiotically with algae, forming a crustlike or branching growth on rocks or tree trunks
lumber road: a crude road constructed for the purpose of hauling logs
massif: large mountain mass or compact group of connected mountains forming an independent portion of a range
morraine: piles of rock left by glaciers
posthole: to break through a layer of snow, sometimes up to your hips
pulk: Norwegian word for haul sled, translated from Native Eskimo it means "s*cks to be you to have to pull walrus carcass across frozen tundra"
rail: frozen ridge of hard packed snow on a hiking trail, packed down from footsteps, left after snow on the side of trails melts
railroad grade: a flat section of trail that once served as a route for trains to access deep woods
redlining: marking trails which you have hiked on a map, with a red marker
redoubt: rock wall which shelters hikers from wind
register: a book you record names and destinations of your hiking party in at a trailhead or summit
rime ice: a coating of ice, as on trees or rock, when extremely cold water droplets freeze almost instantly on a cold surface
scat: feces left by deer, moose, bear, dogs, people, etc
scree: loose rock debris covering a slope; sloping mass of rocks at base of a cliff
shoulder: a minor alternate summit, angling off from a true summit
socked in: covered by clouds
spruce trap: a pocket of air hidden beneath snow-covered branches which causes postholing
stinging nettles: formic acid and histamine cause the characteristic sting from the common nettle. juice from the plant is one of the remedies to counteract the sting. yellowdock or curly dock can also be used to antidote the sting as can rosemary, mint and sage.
summit: the highest level or degree that can be attained
sweep: taking "sweep" means assuming last position in a line of hikers making sure no one gets lost or loses gear
talus: a sloping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff
tote road: a better (than lumber) road constructed in connection with logging operations and used for hauling supplies to a lumber camp, etc. often built with corduroy, many of these roads are still evident after 80 years, and are often used as the route for present-day trails
trail: a marked or beaten path, as through wilderness
trail magic: long-distance hikers call trail magic, this incredible generosity that finds you like a magnet in the middle of nowhere
trail maintenance: maintaining trails, as to remove blowdowns, create channels to reduce water erosion, build stairs, etc
trailhead: the place where a trail begins
undercast: a condition where a summit rises above surrounding clouds, almost like an island rising above the sea
undermine: condition where an air gap exists beneath snow, potentially dangerous if you step above it
vlei: a marsh or swampy meadow (pronounced "vly")
yurt: a communal tent
Wanderlust: a word derived from German, roughly translating as "love of travel" in English. One of the words comprising "Wanderlust" is "wandern", a verb meaning roughly "to hike", although it is different from the English sense of the word. The German word "wandern" is more akin to a leisurely, highly enjoyable jaunt in the outdoors, while the English connotation of "to hike" is more akin to something that's strenuous, difficult and challenging. "Lust" is fairly obvious for English speakers, meaning something akin to "love" or "desire", although the word in German also has the connotation of "delight" or "zest". Wanderlust is a cultural attribute of the Germans that should become readily apparent to anyone who spends any amount of time in Germany. The Germans, as a people, love the outdoors and highly value pristine, undisturbed natural surroundings, and attempt to keep human disturbances to a minimum. It's not uncommon for one to see regional trains in Germany on weekends packed with hikers wearing their Wanderschuhe. To the English speaker, wanderlust means something close to having the itch to travel, to get out and see the world. It's not quite the same as in German, but the ideas of embracing an urge to get outside and move are roughly equivalent.
