Hiking News - August 2011

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Take the Gamble Out of Hiking Las Vegas

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

t's a little known fact; some of the best hiking in the United States can be found within an hour of the world famous Las Vegas Strip. From Red Rock Canyon to Mount Charleston to Lake Mead, everything from relaxing walking trails to challenging climbs for advanced daredevils await, and they're all detailed in the newly expanded and updated, Hiking Las Vegas by long-time Las Vegas resident and exp ert hiker, Branch Whitney.

Author Branch Whitney has hiked and climbed more than 3,000 miles and led more than 2,000 hikers to summits and rewarding scrambling routes all over the Southwest. His website, hikinglasvegas.com is the primary source for hiking and mountaineering information for Southern Nevada, and now his experience and expertise is available in this definitive all-in-one guide. Every hike includes driving directions to the trail-head; quick-reference information on difficulty, distance, elevation, and completion times; detailed step-by-step instructions on how to get from the trail-head to the final destination; and dozens of quick tips so you can stay safe while getting the best views possible. Full-color photos throughout identify key way-points and provide a means to better preparation before and easier recognition during the hike.

Hiking Las Vegas is available as both a paperback and in multiple e-book formats, including the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. The Table of Contents and sample hikes are available to view at ShopLVA.com.

About The Author:
Branch Whitney is also the author of Hiking Southern Nevada, Hiking the High Sierra, and Hiking the Southwest. He has named over 25 peaks in southern Nevada and has found over 60 routes.

Protection of Streamside Land in Somerset County

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan today announced that 137 acres in Jefferson Township, Somerset County, including about 2,000 feet of land along Laurel Hill Creek, is being transferred from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and will be added to Laurel Hill State Park.

"By conserving this land, we are protecting much more than habitat and op en space," Allan said today at a ceremony on the property. "With 2,000 feet of frontage on Laurel Hill Creek, this property has significant recreational value and will be open to fishing and hiking with its addition to the Laurel Hill State Park.

"This acquisition also helps to protect the water quality of Laurel Hill Creek and the scenic views of Laurel Ridge, all priorities of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape effort," Allan said.

DCNR invested $250,000 through its Community Conservation Partnerships Program to acquire the land - known as the Countryman property - through the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. The funds were matched with $465,000 in private donations from the family of B. Kenneth Simon and the Colcom Foundation.

"This is a special property to us," said Tom Saunders, president of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. "It took two years to do the transaction, starting with the day that one of our staff members went to the original auction for the property. Then the conservancy worked with a family, a local Pittsburgh foundation and DCNR, who all put in funding. All it took was our land conservation staff walking the trail along Laurel Hill Creek, and hiking up the ridge to see the view back toward the existing state park, and we knew this was a property to be protected.

"DCNR has an exceptional asset in Laurel Hill State Park – it's a beautiful, fun destination, and much-used for all types of recreation," Saunders added. "This adds a new hillside, woods and a long stretch of this endangered creek to the park."

The vision of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative is to protect the unique character of the Laurel Highlands and recognize its communities as world-class heritage/recreation destinations as well as wonderful places to work and live.

Located an hour east of Pittsburgh, the Laurel Highlands is defined by three Allegheny Plateau ridges (the Chestnut, Laurel and Allegheny) and portions of several watersheds. The rolling hillsides, rushing streams with waterfalls and picturesque farmlands span at least part of four counties (Somerset, Westmoreland, Fayette and Cambria).

With this recent addition, Laurel Hill State Park now encompasses more than 4,100 acres of mountainous terrain in Somerset County. The 63-acre Laurel Hill Lake is a focal point of the park, and a trail system invites visitors to hike and explore the park and observe the diversity of plants and wildlife.

For more information on Pennsylvania's Gold Medal State Park system, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us.

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center to Open

Monday, 29 August 2011

National Audubon Society President David Yarnold, Dogwood Canyon "founder" David Hurt, local officials and guests will dedicate the new Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center at Cedar Hill (DCAC) on Friday, September 9, 2011, at 10:00 a.m., making Dallas, which already features the Trinity River Audubon Center, the only county in the country served by two Audubon centers.

The center and its bea utiful 205-acre natural surroundings will then open for a free weekend of fun and festivities on Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11. The weekend will include workshops, tours, trail hikes, children's nature play, and other outdoor activities. Hours for the free weekend are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday the 10th, and 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday the 11th. Visitors should park in front of the Dick's Sporting Goods at Uptown Village Mall at Cedar Hill, and a free shuttle will transport them to DCAC.

Patty McGill, Ph.D., center director for DCAC, said, "Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center is a wild and special place, a unique convergence of east, west, and Central Texas ecosystems. We are excited to open and make available our wonderful programs, hiking trails, and serene environment."

Sixteen miles south of downtown Dallas in Cedar Hill, Dogwood Canyon is home to rare plant and animal combinations, such as the Black-chinned Hummingbird of west Texas nesting in the flowering dogwood tree of east Texas. Other unique wildlife found in the canyon includes the Painted Bunting, Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler, the latter two of which are endangered.

DCAC is anchored by the 6,000-square-foot, sustainably built, C.E. Doolin Visitors Center, which features classrooms, a canyon viewing room, and rentable reception space.

After the free grand opening, admission will cost $6 for adults, $3 for children aged 3-12 (children under 3 are free), and $4 for seniors 60 and older. Membership levels begin at $75.

The Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center at Cedar Hill is located at 1206 W FM1382, Cedar Hill, Texas, 75104. Entrance to the center is northwest of the driveway to Northwood University. Complete ticket information, operating hours, and directions can be found by calling 469-526-1980 or visiting www.dogwoodcanyonaudubon.org.

High Sierra Sponsors North Coast Music Festival

Friday, 26 August 2011

High Sierra Sport Company is pleased to announce their participation as a sponsor of the North Coast Music Festival held September 2nd – 4th, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. North Coast Music Festival music line up will include David Guetta, BassNectar, STS9, Wiz Khalifa, Thievery Corporation, Fatboy Slim, Common and more.

During the North Coast Music Festival, High Sierra Sport Comp any will run a booth displaying new products for the season as well as offering games and product giveaways for consumers. In addition, each music performer will receive a High Sierra Brewster backpack.

High Sierra’s Brewster is ideal for anyone looking for style, function, organization, and storage, all with one great bag at the music festival. The bag has an insulated cooler compartment to keep beverages cold. It also has a separate, CUSHION ZONE padded computer compartment with a built in frame sheet to protect a 17” notebook computer.

For additional information on the North Coast Music Festival and High Sierra Sport Company’s sponsorship, visit www.northcoastfestival.com or www.hssc.com.

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org

Students Excel During Summer ASTEE© Trips

Thursday, 25 August 2011

While some teens were at home relaxing during summer vacation, students at Grove School in Madison, Conn., a co-ed, therapeutic boarding school for adolescents, were busy honing their communication and teamwork skills through a series of outdoor adventures. The activities, which led students to Lake Placid, N.Y., home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics, and Charlemont, Mass., are part of Grove School 's signature ASTEE© (Alternative Site Therapeutic and Educational Experience) programming.

Grove School's first summer ASTEE© trip took eight students to Lake Placid on a five-day, high-adventure trip that included mountain biking up Mount Von Hogenberg, canoeing 20 miles and hiking to the summit of Long Pond Mountain.

"When I first came to Grove I never thought that I would want to do a trip like the Five-Day," said Casey Vecilla, a senior from New York City. "Having successfully completed the trip I can proudly say that it was one of the best experiences of my life and definitely worth it!"

Trip leader and Grove School faculty member Alex Klein felt the Lake Placid excursion offered students an optimal ASTEE© experience.

"At the beginning of the trip the students did not know each other very well," Klein said. "However, by the end of the trip all of the students and staff were working as a single unit, supporting and helping one another. This is the ASTEE© experience."

A second Lake Placid trip then took eight students on a low-impact adventure that included mountain biking, canoeing and rock climbing. The trip was a great success with all attending students expressing a desire to participate in future ASTEE© excursions.

"If you don't know about something, it is good to try it anyway because you never know what's going to happen," said Michael Rosenthal, a freshman from Sioux City, IA. "I was afraid of rock climbing but I ended up getting to the top three times and that felt great!"

Grove School also took two groups of students on whitewater rafting trips along the Deerfield River in Charlemont, Mass. Through activities such as learning to pilot the craft, students were able to further develop their teamwork skills and learn to communicate better with one another.

"The students were apprehensive at first but quickly found that they could be successful if they worked hard and supported one another," said faculty member Mike Black, a trip leader.

Through its ASTEE© program, Grove School challenges students to work together in a novel setting that motivates them to take reasonable risks and learn new skills. These opportunities, which Grove School has been offering to students for more than 20 years, helps strengthen students' sense of community while also helping them to build new and meaningful relationships with their mentors and peers. Past ASTEE© excursions include skiing, sailing off the east coast and in the Caribbean, as well as annual service trips to El Salvador. Rock climbing, backpacking and horseback riding adventures are under consideration for Fall 2011.

To learn more about the signature ASTEE© programs for adolescents with social, emotional and learning challenges at Grove School in Madison, Conn., visit www.GroveSchool.org.

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