May 27, 1999

LIBRARY / HIKING SITES

Seeking Advice of Seasoned Trail Walkers

By VERNE G. KOPYTOFF

From Memorial Day weekend to the end of summer, wilderness trails across the nation surrender to hikers searching for a taste of nature, spectacular views and isolation. Embarking on their treks, most people (that is, most courteous people) leave behind conveniences like cellular telephones and laptop computers.



Chris Maynard for The New York Times
Overview

• Seeking Advice of Seasoned Trail Walkers

This Week's Reviews

• America's Roof

• The Backpacker

• New York - New Jersey Trail Conference

• The Lightweight Backpacker


But the preparations for a walk in the woods can be enhanced by digital research. Browsing through some of the hundreds of Web sites that offer advice about camping equipment, trails and backpacking techniques may be a good idea for experienced and novice hikers alike.

If only I had heeded the counsel on these sites, I would have avoided the humiliation of my most recent trip, in which I was run off a mountain in the Sierras by mosquitoes and altitude sickness.

Next time I vow to be more prepared with ideas gleaned from the Internet for dealing with risks like skunks (bury your clothes to get rid of the smell) and untreated stream water (put in iodine drops to prevent giardiasis).

Most Web sites on hiking appear to be operated by amateurs who simply want to tell others about a favorite peak or recipe for granola.

People who are considering a hike along a route like the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine, may want to read the Web page of someone who has traveled it.

Hiking on the Web can also serve as a partial substitute for the real thing. Backpacking enthusiasts who live in large cities, seemingly thousands of miles from the nearest mountain, may get some satisfaction in looking at photographs and maps of trails they cannot readily get to.


BACKCOUNTRY HOME PAGE: www.flash.net/bhphiker/BHP  A good place to look for links to sites about outdoor sports like hiking, backpacking and orienteering.

GREAT OUTDOOR RECREATION PAGES: www.gorp.com  Taking its Web address from a favorite hiking snack, this site has articles about hiking and a good selection of trail information, much of it sponsored by equipment sellers.

ESCAPING TO NATURE: www.outdoorphoto.com  This showcase for the work of a Texas outdoor photographer also offers advice about cameras and photography.

BASECAMP: www.bpbasecamp.com  Articles about hiking gear and backpacking techniques, some of which come from Backpacker, a monthly hiking magazine.

MOUNTAINZONE.COM: www.mountainzone.com  Well-written articles about hiking, often from exotic locations like Bhutan and Kyrgystan.

BACKPACKING CHECKLISTS: www.anguswong.com/camping  Useful lists of what to take on a backpacking trip.

AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY: www.americanhiking.org  The home page of a nonprofit volunteer group that builds and maintains trails across the nation.

COOL WORKS: www.coolworks.com/natprk.htm  An on-line employment site that has listings for jobs at the nation's national parks, preserves, monuments and recreation and wilderness areas.

TRAILPLACE: www.trailplace.com  A site dedicated to Appalachian trail through-hikers, those who try to walk the entire 2,160 miles.




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