Ethical Hiking Etiquette: How Hiking Affects the Environment

Hikers love to be outdoors and are therefore key players in environmental protection efforts. It is clear that hikers must take the responsibility of natural leaders, caring for nature seriously along with enjoying their recreational hobby. In order to take responsible, positive action, hikers and backpackers need to understand their direct impact on the environment. 

How Hiking Affects the Environment

Hiking is considered to be one of the most eco-friendly ways to enjoy the outdoors. Hiking the trails gives us the opportunity to connect with incredible ecosystems and animal species. There are many additional considerations, however, to hike with environmentally friendly practices.

Hikers can leave their footprint with very little effort, oftentimes unintentionally. Just venturing off the path can disrupt ecosystems and degrade soil. Destruction of plant and animal wildlife can occur from mere ignorance, which is more common than intentional destruction.

For the most part, every hiker I know would do the right thing for the environment if they knew exactly what that was. Following the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles should be mandatory for all hikers to understand before grabbing the trekking poles and hitting the trail.

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace

Hikers that follow the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, the golden rules of hiking, help to protect vegetation, air, water, soil and animals. The main goal of LNT is to do no harm on the trail. The 7 principles of Leave No Trace:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

4. Leave What You Find

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

6. Respect Wildlife

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Follow these guidelines when hiking to reduce your impact on the environment. Some examples of things you can do to make a difference while hiking are to use only biodegradable soaps and properly dispose of trash.

Biodegradable Soaps and Body Products

Dilute soaps and toothpaste when backpacking and carefully choose your body products like bug spray and sunscreen. Be careful to not contaminate water sources.

Pick Up and Pack Out

No one wants to see trash on the trail. Keep a trash bag in your pack so you can pick up your waste. If no other option, burying your waste to an appropriate level can make a difference.

Let’s all model these environmentally friendly hiking etiquette principles and respect the natural world we all enjoy.

Cascade Mountain Tech for All Your Hiking Gear

Cascade Mountain Tech is your source for hiking and camping gear for the outdoor enthusiast. We offer high quality camping and hiking gear including:

• Camp bedding, 30° and 0° mummy sleeping bags

• Roto-molded coolers

• Hiking trekking poles including carbon fiber and 3k carbon fiber

• Camp chairs, lightweight, high-back and wide stadium seating

Cascade Mountain Tech is your one stop for camping and hiking gear for the avid outdoor enthusiast. We offer high quality gear and expert assistance in selecting the right gear for you. Contact us to learn more about our products and the principles of environmentally friendly hiking.

Endless Possibilities with Delicious Campfire Recipes

With spring in the air and a yearning to get outdoors, we head to the trails with big plans to absorb nature and the fresh air. If you are car camping and can pack your favorite roto-molded super cooler with plenty of good food and beverages, you can plan some awesome meals with a little preparation. Giving up the kitchen does not diminish the possibilities to cook a good, home-cooked meal as long as you have fresh food and a quality roto-molded cooler. 

Grab your trekking poles and work up an appetite for some delicious campfire recipes. You can eat like a king in the great outdoors with nothing more than a campfire and a few essentials:

• Cast iron skillet

• Basic utensils

• Aluminum foil

• Roasting stick

• Grate to place over some hot coals

• Quality roto-molded cooler to keep food and ice fresh

Here are a few favorite campfire recipes to share with family and friends the next time you find yourself gathered around a fire: 

Campfire Kabobs – Meat or Veggie

You can make your kabob with whatever meats you like such as chicken, steak or shrimp. Veggies used in a kabob include bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini and onion but you can create your own favorite combo or veggie kabob delight. 

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini

• 2 bell peppers, whatever colors you like

• 1 medium sized onion

• Whole mushrooms, your favorite variation

• 1 pound of protein (your favorite meat or veggie)

• favorite seasonings

The night before:

• Cut the meat into chunks about 2 inches thick. Season with your favorite marinade or lightly season with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and a little thyme and refrigerate overnight in a sealed container.

• Wash and cut the veggies into 2 inch chunks, large enough to skew through the middle without breaking. Refrigerate in a sealed container.

Make ahead before leaving:

• Assemble your kabobs ahead of time and pack in a sealed container in a sturdy roto-molded cooler to stay chilled until you are ready to cook. This way you do not have to assemble all ingredients fireside. Assemble any way you like, a thick chunk of bell pepper on the bottom does a nice job of holding the mushrooms and other ingredients without sliding around on the skewer.

• At dinnertime, simply place on the grill or a grate about 8 inches above hot coals, turn while cooking.

• Have some dipping sauces if desired like steak sauce, ranch or honey mustard.

Enjoy! Campfire kabobs are easy to prepare, healthy and delicious.

Add some green beans for a delicious and easy side dish:

Green Beans on the Grill

Fresh green beans wrapped in foil over a campfire beat cooking indoors on the stove any day.

Ingredients:

• Fresh cut green beans

• Olive oil

• Onion

• Seasoning

Just place your fresh cut green beans inside an aluminum foil packet with some olive oil and onion slices. Crimp the packet shut and cook on the grate over hot coals turning every few minutes until cooked, about 20 minutes.

Before you turn in for the night in your warm and cozy mummy sleeping bag, try some campfire dessert. This simple recipe is quick, easy and delicious:

Campfire Cobbler:

Ingredients:

• 2 can(s) favorite pie filling

• 2 c water

• 1/2 c butter

• 1 box yellow or white cake mix

Campfire cobbler is quick and easy to make, similar to a dump cake recipe.

• Start by greasing the inside of a cast iron Dutch oven or line with non-stick aluminum foil for quick clean up.

• Spread the 2 cans of fruit filling evenly across the bottom

• Pour the cake mix evenly over the fruit layer

• Break up the butter into small pieces and distribute over the fruit layer

• Pour water over everything – DO NOT STIR – put a lid on it

• Place on top of hot coals and put some hot coals on top of the lid

• Let cook for 1 hour without lifting the lid

Campfire cobbler is a classic favorite that you can mix up with any combination of fruit and cake mix that you like such as blueberry filling with lemon cake, raspberry filling with chocolate cake or apple filling with spice cake, for some examples. 

We hope you enjoy these recipes and your time outdoors. Camping and hiking is great for the mind and body, and even better when you plan ahead for some delicious meals. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers high quality hiking and camping gear for any outdoor enthusiast. Our roto-molded coolers keep ice for up to 10 days, ensuring a healthy and delicious meal while camping. Contact us for all your hiking gear and to learn more about the roto-molded super cooler.

Classic Campfire Game Ideas and Camping Activities

Whether you are hiking for adventure with close friends or camping in the backyard with the family, letting loose and having some fun should be part of the plan. After having some good campfire food and plenty of cold beverages from your roto-molded cooler, there’s nothing better than relaxing around the fire. 

If your troops get a little restless from star gazing, here are a few campfire game ideas to liven it up a bit and make some fun memories. 

1) Campfire stories – the old campfire stories are still a hit for every generation, whether your group prefers funny adventures or scary ghost stories. If you want to incorporate some modern technology into this classic campfire activity, use your phone to download an audiobook or podcast to share over a Bluetooth speaker. 

2) Good and Bad – this activity makes a great conversation starter and helps the group bond over sharing something personal. Ask each person to say one good and one bad thing that they have experienced in the last week. You will be surprised at some of the things you can learn about close friends and family. 

3) Board games, cards and dice – it might be difficult to pull your kids away from technology when connected to the internet. One of the biggest advantages of camping is being unplugged. This is a great time to teach new card games or play some dice, making memories they will not forget. 

4) Charades – what is more fun than acting out a phrase for your friends to guess what you’re trying to say? This is a great game to liven up any party and get a lot of laughs. 

5) Flashlight tag – this fun game has to be played away from the firelight and is a fun activity for people of all ages. The person holding the flashlight tags other players by shining the light on them when found, like a combination of hide-and-seek and tag. This is a fun game for all or a great way to entertain the kids while the adults relax around the fire. 

No matter what you enjoy most when adventuring outdoors, we hope that you make time to have some fun and enjoy nature with your loved ones. If laughter is the best medicine, it must be even more healing when combined with the great outdoors. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers everything you need for an awesome outdoor adventure with hiking poles, super coolers and quality rated camp bedding including mummy sleeping bags to keep you warm at night. Contact us with any questions on hiking or camping gear and for more tips for an awesome outdoor adventure.

#Hiking Safely During the Pandemic: #SocialDistancing

Social distancing guidelines are still in place in many areas of the country with stay at home restrictions loosening up in some states. Conflicting messages can make it difficult for people to know if it is safe for them to get outside and visit parks, national parks or trails. The warmer weather on the way makes us anxious to grab our trekking poles, stretch our legs and hit the trail. 

Most medical experts agree that hiking is safe if hiking with someone from your household and the trail is not crowded. Some parks may ask hikers to postpone their trip while others may be open with social distancing guidelines and limited use of facilities. 

Be sure that your park is open to hikers before heading out and know the proper etiquette to hike safely during the pandemic. Follow these tips to hike safely with social distancing: 

1) Stay six feet apart from other hikers

We keep hearing about staying six feet apart to practice social distancing. To help you understand this distance, extend your trekking poles on each side of you and this should be your personal space. 

2) Stay home if you or a household member is sick

While this might be obvious, before the pandemic we may have gone for a hike if we thought we just had a little cold. During this time, you should absolutely stay home if you feel sick or have any fever, or anyone in your household is ill. Since the incubation period for COVID-19 is 14 days, you could easily put others at risk even if you have no symptoms at all. Those that are experiencing even very mild symptoms should stay home until the entire household is feeling well. 

3) Do not take any unnecessary risks

With the added strain on medical staff from coast to coast, an injury or incident requiring a rescue will further stretch the resources of emergency responders. You should try to avoid a potential hospital visit if at all possible.

Be smart, hike locally and with members of your household while maintaining a safe, six foot distance on the trail. 

Cascade Mountain Tech for All Your Hiking Gear

We are all itching to get outside and the fresh mountain air may be the best medicine of all. Just be sure to respect the rules of social distancing to protect yourself and your fellow hikers. Cascade Mountain Tech offers everything you need for an awesome outdoor adventure including:

• High quality trekking poles

• Roto-molded coolers

• Camping Chairs and stadium seating

• Camp bedding and mummy sleeping bags

Cascade Mountain Tech cares about your health and safety and we encourage you to continue to flatten the curve. We offer a wide selection of high quality hiking and camping gear for every outdoor adventure. We are here for you and urge you to contact us with any questions about hiking safely in any environment.

Update Your Home Survival Kit with Essential Camping Gear

Avid campers and hikers understand the importance of preparedness. We usually have an essential survival kit ready before we grab our trekking poles and hit the trails. 

Having a home emergency kit packed with essential survival items is just as important, to be prepared for an emergency like a natural disaster or a widespread power outage. Mother Nature can be unpredictable and you may have no warning before having to evacuate your home due to earthquake, tornado, wildfire, or flood. 

Make sure that you have a home survival kit ready to go with the following essential items:

Water and Water Treatment

Water is life, literally, and is essential for survival. If you find yourself in a situation where there is no clean drinking water, it will not take long for your body to experience dehydration. It is recommended to have on hand at least 1 gallon of water per person for up to a 3-day supply. In the event that your tap water is compromised you should have a water treatment device to filter or purify water. 

Lighters and Matches

Lighters and matches are definitely on the list of top 10 essential items for an outdoor or indoor home emergency kit. We need flame to light a campfire or to light candles in the house in case the power goes out. Be sure to always have a good supply of lighters and matches in your emergency kit. 

Portable Lighting

Flashlights, headlamps and lanterns are absolutely essential when the sun goes down in the middle of the wilderness. Even with lighters or matches, once your campfire is out you may need to locate your gear quickly if something goes bump in the night. Make sure your home survival kit has plenty of portable lighting options besides candles and lighters. You should pack some battery powered lights and be sure the batteries are good and that you have some spares. 

Food

Just as important as water is food. Backpackers are familiar with packing a light load of freeze dried meals or dehydrated foods. These lightweight and long lasting sources of sustenance make great additions to your home survival kit as well and take up little space.

Cooler

If your power suddenly goes out are you prepared to transfer all your food to a cooler? It is a good idea to have a cooler near your survival kit with enough ice in the freezer to pack around your food items. Using a high quality roto-molded cooler will keep ice for up to 10 days, saving your perishables until you have a better option.

First Aid

A standard first-aid kit with all the basics is mandatory for any camping or at home survival kit.

Blankets and Camp Bedding

If you are camping in chilly weather a mummy sleeping bag will keep you warmer than a rectangle bag and is easier to pack when hiking. Be sure to have some blankets and sleeping bags packed should you need to grab your home survival kit in a hurry. 

Cascade Mountain Tech was founded by outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest. We are dedicated to providing an achievable adventure to everyone. Learn more about our high quality camping gear including trekking poles, super coolers and more.

What Kind of Camping Chair Should I Pack?

Packing all the essentials for your camping trip is part of the planning and organization that is mandatory for a great trip experience. All of the usual camping gear comes to mind; cooler, tent, sleeping bags. While running through the list, don’t forget to pack your camping chairs so you have comfortable seating around the campfire. 

Lightweight, foldable camping chairs are easy to pack and quick to fold up and put away. There are a few things you want to look for in your camping chairs, such as weight capacity and durability. 

Choosing the Perfect Camping Chair

Choosing the perfect camping chair depends on exactly how you’re going to use it, and pack it. This usually comes down to whether you’re car camping or backpacking. If you’re throwing all the essentials in the car and camping with the family, you might have room for some larger chairs. If you’re backpacking, however, you’ll absolutely need the lightest weight, foldable camping chairs you can find. 

Cascade Mountain Tech has a wide selection of lightweight, foldable camping chairs as well as stadium seating with high back support and hooks for stability. Camping chairs are available with weight limits up to 250 lbs., available in a chair that weighs no more that 2.5 lbs. and folds for convenient portability. 

Foldable camping chairs include high-back options with sand feet for comfort and stability on soft ground, ultralight backpacking chairs for optimum portability, and low-profile camp chairs that sit low to the ground and double as ideal options for beaches and concerts.

You can choose from stadium seating with regular or extra wide seats, ultra-light or ultra-strong construction. No matter where you’re headed, take along your foldable seating from Cascade Mountain Tech and never worry about having a comfortable place to sit down and relax. 

Choose the perfect hiking trekking poles for you and enjoy a nice hike before you relax by the fire. Don’t forget your quality camp bedding for a good night’s sleep and a rotomolded cooler to keep ice for up to 10 days. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers all your quality camping and hiking gear including seating, camp bedding, super coolers and more. We were founded by outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest and are committed to providing affordable adventure to everyone. Contact us with any questions on selecting the right outdoor gear for your adventure including comfortable and durable camping chairs.