Author Archives: Cathy

Email From the Trail? Tales from Alaska

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Cathy

Do you email from the trail? Tweet about the birds you’ve just heard? Check your iphone or Blackberry while out in nature? Do you find it unbearable to be disconnected? Or do you happily take a break from technology when … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Rafting, Technology, Utah, Wildlife, Yukon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Outdoor Contests: Share Your Photos (or Just Your Name), Win Trips and Gear

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Cathy

Three cool contests that hikers and other outdoors people are sure to like: The Leave No Trace Trailhead Sign Contest wants your photos of trailhead signs that mention the Leave No Trace program. Post them on the Leave No Trace … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Contest, Environmental Impact, Gear, National Parks, Photographs, U.S. Forest Service, Wilderness Area | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Outdoor Contests: Share Your Photos (or Just Your Name), Win Trips and Gear

Free Admission to National Parks

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Cathy

Time to plan a hike! The National Park Service announced two more free-admission days –August 14 and 15 — at the 146 parks that normally charge an entrance fee (nearly 250 others never charge a fee). Rocky Mountain National Park, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Hikes, National Parks | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Free Admission to National Parks

How Do Search and Rescue Dogs Find People?

Posted on July 28, 2010 by Cathy

[This is a reprint of an article I wrote for Smithsonian magazine a few years ago. My all-time favorite freelance assignment. Longer than your average blog post, but that’s what writers did in those days.] Elbow by elbow, like a … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Dogs, Hikes, National Parks, Safety, Search and Rescue | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

What’s in Your Backpack? The 10 Essentials of Hiking…and a Few More

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Cathy

What should you bring on a hike? I’ve always heard that there are “ten essentials” of hiking – the items you must bring on a hike to stay safe and warm. That list seems to vary a lot, though, depending … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Gear, Hikes, Safety, Wilderness Area | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Fiery Furnace Hike in Arches National Park

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Cathy

The Annual Girls’ Adventure Tour took us to Moab, Utah, this year. My sister Lisa and I had camped in the area a very long time ago, at Dead Horse Point State Park, but she hadn’t been back since then. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hikes, Kids, National Parks, Safety, Utah | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Welcome to GoodHiker.com!

Posted on May 31, 2010 by Cathy

GoodHiker.com is here to help you and the kids in your life to get outdoors and have fun hiking, while also learning about minimizing your impact on the environment — in short, how to have fun, stay safe and tread … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Environmental Impact, Everything Else, Good Hiker Certificate, Hikes, Kids, Safety, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments