Tag Archives: hiking

There’s No Camping Like Snow Camping

Camping had become almost a matter of routine. I was ready for a challenge. I thought about camping in the snow, but frankly, I was scared. I didn’t know if I could handle it, or if the cold would triumph instead. I decided to camp in an area where I could run to a motel if I needed to. (This was my first time, remember.) After some thought, I figured Sequoia National Park would be just perfect. There was a hotel and at least a few people around if I ran into trouble. And there was about 2 feet of … Continue reading →

Nice to Meet You!

When two people meet for the first time, it is only polite to introduce yourself. You and I are just meeting, as this is my first blog for Families.com, so please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sandra Essary and I was raised in Roswell, New Mexico (no, I never saw any aliens there) and Midland, Texas, the oil mecca of the southwest. We then moved to California when I was in high school. I did well in high school, but you couldn’t pay me to be a teenager again. College meant freedom to me. I studied hard, … Continue reading →

Fire in the Sky

A small coal penetrates the very center of the tipi-shaped stack of small twigs. A few flames struggle, and you wonder if it is going to catch. A few more flames, then through the top of the tipi a blue flame licks at the sky. Wood, which is really stored sunshine, is added, and each piece of wood in its turn succumbs to the fire. Yellow and orange tongues dance around and under each log. Blue flames peek from underneath a flat piece of kindling. The flames puff and crack in small tornadoes emerging from underneath a log. Peering past … Continue reading →

Where Do You Stand?

The place I camp is about 1 ½ hours from here, up in the Sierra Nevadas at about 7,000 feet. When I went there, I always took a walk along a path, across a paved single-lane road, down a dirt road that winds its way around a meadow, and finally to an area with huge boulders. I took in the fresh air, smelled the pines, and listened to the wind. Along the way I saw the dirt road, the meadow, the boulders – but time would teach me that I never really “saw” these things at all. Since I often … Continue reading →

Maintaining Your 72-Hour Kit

Recently, my husband and I went through our 72-hour kit of food that we had’?t touched for probably two years. Not surprisingly, all of the food was pretty much inedible. I mean, I know beef jerky is suppose to be tough, but I don’t think it’s suppose to shatter into hundreds of pieces when you hit it against a hard surface. We realized that we should have been more responsible and replaced the food regularly. Had we experienced an emergency where we needed to use our kits, we would at least have had something, but it would have been pretty … Continue reading →

Let’s Go Camping! KOA B1G1F and National Parks Reservations

It’s 26 degrees outside, and I’m planning some family camping trips. The boys are going with Scouts to a snow camp at the end of the month, but the trips I’m planning are for May and July. Think I’m nuts? Not really. The National Parks reservation system takes reservations up to six months in advance. We’re planning a family vacation to Yosemite in July. Family as in extended family. Because rates in the park run $200 or more for a small room, we’ve opted for tent camping. We found out the hard way that tent spaces for the more popular … Continue reading →

Snow Shoeing Tips for Beginners

I’ve only gone snow shoeing for fun once, though we did use them one winter where we lived because it was the easiest way to get out to the barn during the multiple blizzard type weather we had over one winter. Still, it’s important to recognize that snow shoeing like other forms of exercise and other sports has a learning curve and you need to build up your endurance. Your Stride It’s important to remember when you are snow shoeing that you have to lengthen your stride. The natural stride for walking is not elongated and if you walk with … Continue reading →

Wind Cave National Park

Because my family and I love the outdoors so much, we make it a point to visit as many national parks and forests as possible. I wanted to share some information about one of our adventures in the Wind Cave National Park. Located in Hot Springs, South Dakota, this national park is rated as boasting one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Stretched out over more than 28,000 acres of pine forest and mixed grass prairie, you can enjoy cave exploration, as well as wonderful wildlife. In fact, wildlife such as elk, bison, mule deer, coyote, … Continue reading →

Shasta Trinity National Forest

Rated as the largest national forest in the state of California, Shasta Trinity is a wonderful vacation destination for people who appreciate the great outdoors. The mountain range varies from 1,000 to more than 14,000 feet, which provides visitors with nice diversity of landscapes. Covering more than two million acres, this particular national forest offers five distinct wilderness areas, as well as literally hundreds of mountain lakes, and more than 6,000 miles of streams and rivers. The wilderness areas include the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel, Trinity Alps, Castle Crags, Chanchellulla, and of course, the famous Mount Shasta. While spending time … Continue reading →

Travel to Cherokee Landing in Tennessee

Located in Middleton, Tennessee is a great place with beautiful scenery called Cherokee Landing. With more than 296 power and water campsites, as well as cabin rentals, this is the ideal destination for families or couples wanting a romantic getaway. While there, you will fall in love with the rolling hills and relaxing valleys. Of course, the gorgeous lake where you can enjoy a paddleboat or canoe is a huge draw, along with the great fishing. With a huge outdoor area to explore, hike, swim, fish, or boat, Cherokee Landing is a wonderful destination but the campsite is also loaded … Continue reading →