It's midday and I am sitting in Yosemite in the campground while Mason naps in the trailer peacefully. A warm breeze blows gently across the campground and rustles the the wall of our pop up shower tent. Mark has gone for a hike without us to get his hardcore on. After a beautiful 9 mile trek to Vernal Falls with Mason yesterday, I am happy to wait it out here in the campground and take a b...
Ed note: This might be a topic that's pretty far fetched for most of us Mama Hikers, but if you are in a place like Anchorage, this is something you have to think about even when on trails around town! So we figured we might as well post it. It will also help those of you heading out to national parks this summer where there might be bears or moose or other large animals
Okay, so we've heard ...
Thinking of going camping this summer but new to the whole game? It's not as scary as you think. Keep it simple when you start. Go close to home and take what you need, leave the rest. Here's a newbie primer for getting started.
The Tent
If you are co-sleeping great! Put the baby in between you and your partner. Bring a blanket/sleeping bag just for baby (blankets work fine) and then one for ea...
What can we learn from our children when hiking? Baby steps. Especially when knees are involved. They are some of our greatest assetts when hiking and so we need to take precautions to protect them.
Our knees are incredibly designed, able to withstand enormous amounts of pressure and maintain mobility and stability all at once. Even though it’s a hinge joint (like a hinge on a door), its compl...
One of the things I have found that holds a lot of new mamas back from doing things like hiking on their own is how scary dealing with a carrier can be. I remember when Mason was little I was scared I would smother him in a carrier or do it incorrectly and hurt his hips or some part of his body. Then later as he grew, I was scared I would forget to buckle it and drop him! And then back-carrying...
Like most new parents, my life and that of my husband's, were forever changed last Fall with the arrival of our baby daughter, Autumn Eugenia Goffin. In spite of our permanently altered reality, we vowed we wouldn’t let parenthood stop us from venturing into the great outdoors and doing all the things we loved to do together. Being together in nature was part of what connected us as a couple. W...
Finding the time, energy and motivation to hike can be tough, especially with a baby! I only have one, so I have no idea how mamas with 2 or more get out, but here's how I've been able to do 2-4 hikes a month for the last 7 months. (I do more walks and hikes on my own too, and these tips apply to Hike It Baby hikes, my own neighborhood dog walks, family hikes and just getting to the park.)
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Eds Note: This is the first of a 3 part series on hiking with little ones.
As first time parents we had numerous friends tell us (in a loving way) that we should get used to the idea that our hiking days are now behind us.
As a family of two, we had always been into the outdoors and you'd usually find us every weekend or vacation somewhere on a mountaintop, trekking, hiking and climbing in t...
As new parents, Josh and I have been longing for a tropical beach getaway for the nine months Autumn has been with us, and probably for another nine months before that. Yet, like a lot of new parents, just thinking about the logistical challenges of traveling international with an infant were enough for us to stay put for at least for a few more months. Instead, we opted for a stay-cation at on...
Hikers Be Aware! There are creepy crawlies and weather that can ruin a good hike, but don't let that spoil the fun. Just be aware of these things as you head out there.
Over the last few weeks we have had some women talking about trail hazards like ticks, rattlesnakes, poison oak and stinging nettles, so we thought we’d post a brief list of things to think about when heading out with your littl...