The Trails - Appalachian

To further explain what it means to "Triple Crown" in USA hiking, I thought I would discuss the trails involved.

Today, we'll just cover some jargon and the Appalachian Trail.  In a week, we'll discuss another one of the trails, the Pacific Crest. Finally, two weeks from today we'll wrap up with a discussion about the Intercontinental Trail.

There are three trails (hence the "Triple") that hikers must complete and a variety of ways to do so.  Some people argue that you have to do the entirety of one trail in one backpacking excursion (known as thru-hiking).  However, for those of us who have jobs, completing the entirety of a thousand-mile or greater trail in the matter of months simply isn't possible, no matter how much we may want to.  Fun Fact provided by the official website of the AT: Only 1 in 4 hikers who attempt to thru-hike actually complete it.  Ready for a cheesy pop-culture reference? "May the odds be ever in your favor".

Some people like to hike against the general population, so they complete one portion of the trail starting from a mid-point, then go back to the mid-point of the trail at another time and complete the other half (this is known as "flip-flopping).  Sometimes flip-flopping makes a lot of sense.  For example, on the Appalachian Trail, one hikes from the southern most states (Georgia) up through to the northern most state on the east coast (Maine).  To get an early start, a large quantity of people start hiking in April.  It's still rather brisk in Maine at April, so it makes more sense to start in Virginia and work your way up to Maine so that, come the heat of mid-summer, you're in Maine. Then, upon completing Mt. Katahdin, going back to the starting point in Virginia and working south so that you're in the southern states when fall sets in and the temperatures start to drop.

Finally, for those who cannot do either of those options, there is "section hiking", which is exactly what it sounds like. You select a section of the trail to do and do it.

Going back to the three trails, they are:
Appalachian Trail (fondly known at the AT): 2,184 miles long, the AT goes through (from South to North): Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

According to the AT's website, there are three main types of blazes.  For those unfamiliar with the vernacular, blazes are trail markers that allow hikers to know that they're on the right path.

One type of trail marker is a white blaze that can be found on trees, posts, rocks...you name it.

Another form of blaze is a double blaze, these are used to "signal an obscure turn, route change, or incoming side trail".

Finally, and perhaps my favourite form of blaze, is a cairn.  They're used above treelines or in any area where a blaze may be obscured.

Dogs and the AT
There are portions of the AT that are dog friendly and others that are not.  The areas of the AT that do not allow dogs are:

• Baxter State Park, Maine
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Bear Mountains State Park (though this one has an alternate road route available....but how safe is it to walk your dog along the road?)

Then, of course, those that are dog friendly can vary from allowing complete off-leash hiking to those that require leashing your dog.

For the parts that do not allow dogs, occasionally there are kennels available to house your dogs while you're hiking. In most cases, you can find a kennel, though it is best to do your research.  I will continue to look this up and post links as I find them under an applicable tab.  However, remember, thousands of people hike the AT yearly, it is best to reserve a kennel as early as possible.

There are hostels and shelters along the way - but most of these expect you to keep your dog outside.  So, if you have a hard time leaving your dog alone in unknown territory, then plan on tenting it most of the way.


To read more about people who have hiked the AT and they're journey, check out any of these online journals.

Middle Cottonwood Trail

This post is brought to you by Middle Cottonwood Trail in the Bridgers near Bozeman, MT.

Here's the stats:

Directions:  Head north on 19th off of Main. Continue to Springhill Rd and take a right (you'll only have the option of taking a right or left turn).  Continue along Springhill Rd until Toohey (gravel), which will also be on your right.  Follow Toohey until you, once again, have to take a Right or a Left onto Walker.  Take a Right.  Walker will curve around and you'll take a gradual left onto Saddle Mt Rd.  This will also take a gradual left and you will see a Mdl Ctnwd Trl Forest Service sign.  Take a right at the sign and take the service road up to the trail entrance (a dead end).

Length: Middle Cottonwood Trail splits about a mile up and you can choose to go to Fairy Lake on a 16 mile trek, or go to the "M" on a 6 mile hike.  Either way, it's advisable to give yourself the majority of the day to complete the hikes.

Allows: Hikers, Dogs and Mountain Bikes (no motorized vehicles)

Here's my personal opinion:
While I haven't completed the hike up to Fairy Lake or to the "M" - I have gone about 3-4 miles in and enjoyed it the entire time.  The hike allows you to ascend to multiple beautiful lookouts and to go into valleys where you feel completely engulfed by the nature around you.

It's also a great hike for the pooch as it follows a stream/creek for the first portion of the hike, which all dogs seem to enjoy.  There is minimal wildlife on the first portion of the hike, so if you dog is the run-away-at-anything-that-might-move sort, you needn't worry too much for a short day hike.

The trail itself goes from being very smooth to very rocky.  I'm told that, later on, the hike turns to a slight scramble, but I cannot vouch for this myself.

This trail is exceptionally popular on weekends, so I might wait until the week to attempt it.  It's also more popular in the afternoon than in the morning (as are most trails around here) - so if you are going to try it on the weekend, get out there by 9am and you'll find a peaceful xanadu awaiting you.

Also, this hike is completely Koda approved.

Off-Leash Training

Off-Leash Training

Alright, so, I'm going to start this out by completely owning up to the fact that Nathan helped me out with training Koda to be off leash.

He helped me out a lot.

You see, I'm exceptionally protective of Koda (probably due to the fact that I have wanted a dog since I was 8 and have finally achieved that glorious goal).  I'm also exceptionally aware of the fact that, if he does get hurt, so does my bank account.  I'll do whatever is necessary to "fix" him, but a teacher's salary isn't extensive and being cautious doesn't always hurt.

But, as you'll notice in upcoming photos of recent hikes, Koda is completely off leash.  I've only had him 6 months, so how could this happen so quickly?

I'll give you a write down of the process that we went through to get him to the point he is now:

First, it was the re-tractable leash.  This was for the first 4 months of owning him. Koda was previously called "Tex", so I needed to be sure that he knew his name.  I constantly rewarded him by giving him small treats when he came after I whistled or called his name.  I also am consistent with the whistle I use to call him (For any Wes Anderson fans, it's the same whistle as used in "Fantastic Mr. Fox").

On the Lead

Second, my parents purchased a 20'-25' lead.  Originally, we were just going to use it to let him hang out in the backyard while we were doing other things.  Eventually I used it as his leash (connecting it to my day-hiking backpack) when hiking.  It allows him enough room to maneuver and be a good distance away from us, but not outside of a controllable range.  The lead also allowed me to test his listening skills and see if he would come when called.

Snowfill Dog Park

At this point, I had also moved to Bozeman which has a phenomenal dog park called Snowfill Dog Park (see previous post).  This park is large enough that we can really test Koda's listening by having him be half a mile away and calling him.  It also allowed us to see how well he listened while being distracted by other animals/people.

The next step Nathan took the initiative with - I was too nervous about it.  When Koda seemed mostly responsive to his name and coming when called, we stopped holding on to the lead.  We still had it drag behind/under him - so it provided some resistance - but Koda was essentially free to run around where he liked.  This part we did for about a month and a half and continuously rewarded him with praise and treats when he did return.

Once Koda proved that he would come when called both at the dog park and on hikes/other walks with the lead still attached, we removed the lead.

BAM. Off-leash dog.

Finally Off-Leash

Now, does Koda respond 100% of the time with alacrity?
I wish.

When on hikes, he likes to get a good distance ahead of me.  I learned this really well today on a hike (post about that next week).  There were points where he would be beyond my sight (something I'm not okay with).  So, when he proved again and again that he wouldn't come when called, I attached the lead to him and made him stay on lead.  I'm blessed with a fairly intelligent dog, so he knew what he did/did not do, and walked very nicely on the lead.

Do I think this method will work with all dogs? No, I honestly don't.  If you have a dog who is high energy and easily distracted, or a dog who is stubborn and likes to test your ability as "Alpha" - this may not work for you.  It also may not work if you don't have the time to devote to it.

It worked for me, and so far so good.
Knock on wood!

Best,
A

Bozeman

So, as I mentioned in my last post (a long time ago, sorry about that!) - I scored an awesome job teaching K-8 music in the Bozeman, MT area.  This. Is. Wonderful.....

....for so many reasons.  While I could talk extensively about how much I enjoy my job and the area in general, it is specifically wonderful for the purposes of training for a long distance hiking trip.  Bozeman is surrounded by mountain ranges, and all of them have extensive hiking trails throughout.

So, in staying with priorities, one of the first things I did upon arriving in Bozeman was purchasing a day-pack for Koda.  I took a quick trip to Dee-Oh-Gee and started looking at packs. A word about Dee-Oh-Gee - they're product may be on the pricier side, but they have a staff that seems to be knowledgeable and willing to help with any questions one might have.  The woman that was working, and I forget her name, showed me some packs made by RuffWear and one pack made by Kurgo.  While I do believe that, in many instances, it's best just to purchase the pricier option first (in this case, the RuffWear packs) and never look back, I opted for the Kurgo Wander Pack.

So far, I'm very pleased for a day-hike, light usage pack.  The pack comes with two pockets on either side which are secured by zippers.  The pack itself is black and bright orange, which is awesome for visibility purposes.  There is heavy-duty metal ring on the back, which you can use to clip to a leash without having to worry about the dog stumbling over the cord as is often the case with collars and Gentle Leaders.

A Hiking Dog is a Happy Dog

The pack also features three straps, all of which are adjustable.  Two that run around the dogs chest from under the pockets and one that connects up in front of the chest onto the collar that runs around the neck of the dog.

Too much text? Have a look.






I'll work on updating more frequently, now that things are finally (sort of) beginning to settle down.

Also, just to tease you with the hiking possibilities in Bozeman, here's a photo of an easy 6 mile (round trip) hike to a place called Lave Lake in Gallatin Canyon.

Nathan (the boyfriend's) hand holding a Clif Bar (classic) and Koda up at Lava Lake.

Next time, the discussion about which trail of the "Triple Crown" legacy to attack first, when to do it, and what I need to get and be able to do before that (sure to be) fateful summer.

Best,
A

The Move!

Wow.

So, in the time that has passed, big things have been happening. Big things that will most definitely alter the course of planning for the AT and backpacking with Koda in general.

I have been looking for a job teaching music all summer.
I've had a few offers, but they didn't feel completely "right", so I turned them down.
Then, in a whirlwind of awesome that was 2 weeks ago, I get a call from a small town outside of Bozeman, MT about an interview.

36 hours later and I've been told that I will be put up for recommendation in front of the board of trustees as the new music teacher for that school district.

I don't know how many of you know much about Bozeman, but it's essentially an outdoor lover's paradise.  Hiking, Camping, Backpacking, Kayaking, Canoeing, Snowshoeing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Bicycling........anything-ing.

So while the weather has cooled off here, I've been so busy packing and tying up loose ends that it's been hard to go hiking.

Koda and I did do a 4 mile hike the other day.  No pack or anything. And, stupidly, no food or water for either of us.  The hike was only supposed to be a 2 hour one, but the state park didn't have the best blazes for the trails and we got lost for 2 hours, then add the 1 hour hike back.

I was crabby. Koda was crabby.
We were both tired, hot, and hungry.

But we survived.
Most importantly, Koda was able to keep going consistently throughout the 4 hours. No needing to stop and rest or anything.

He's getting healthier every day, and I think this fall and next spring/summer are going to bring a lot of wonderful hiking surprises!

I may not update again until I'm full settled into Montana.
Buuut, photos and stories are to come!

The Heat

It's hot.
Like, go out at 7am and then hide inside until 9pm when you can squeeze in a walk without becoming a puddle on the sidewalk, kind of hot.

Triple digits most days. Yesterday it was 105 around 4pm.

You can't do ANYTHING in this kind of heat, and it's exceptionally frustrating.

So, Koda and I just hang out inside. No big deal or anything, just bored out of our skulls.

Diet/Exercise/Research Update

Sorry it's been so long. I've got a few other side projects going on right now that seem to have taken priority.

So, let's get down and dirty and break it up real quick:


Diet


Koda maintains his Eukanuba diet, but I have added a few berries (raspberries or strawberries) to his daily intake.  From what I've read, they're just as good for dogs as they are humans (due to antioxidants), and Koda really enjoys eating them.  I've also cut up a sweet potato and put it in the freezer, after a long hike on a hot day, I'll give him a chunk after he has cooled down a bit.

My diet has become fairly regular, due to budgeting.
Breakfast
1 egg + splash of milk + 1 Tbsp cut up onion + 1/4 c. cut up ham + sprinkle of cheese: all scrambled
1 smoothie (banana, plain Stonyfield yogurt, strawberries/raspberries, milk)
1 slice of homemade bread (toasted)
1 glass of water

Lunch
Ham and cheese sandwich with homemade pepper jelly on home made white/wheat bread.
Fruit of some sort (the current favourite is pineapple)
Kombucha or water to drink

Dinner
Spaghetti (with Organic Pasta Sauce and steamed vegetables (most often carrots, broccoli and green beans)
Slice of toast with olive oil and cut basil on it
Glass of water

Not to enthralling, but it's fairly healthy and it keeps me going.

Exercise
It has been in the triple digits here, much like the rest of the country. In the morning I take Koda for a brief walk and then down to the dog park so that he can run out a lot of his energy before it gets too hot/humid.  I'm often at work from whenever we get home until early evening. When I get home we go for a 3 mile walk (or so), unless it's too hot.  To be honest, it's all just dependent upon the heat. I can tolerate the high temps very well, but Koda cannot.  I ride my bike into work as often as possible (which is about 2 miles, one way) and occasionally for errands if I don't have to go too far or carry too much.

Research
I have added some new links for all of the trails on the "Links" page.  From my understanding, and discussion with a few hikers, the trip can be completely worthwhile to do with your dog, so long as the dog is well trained and as a hiker I am willing to make sacrifices.

I'm currently looking in to gear and reviews of gear, so that's the next big step.  I've put a list up of what I have and what I'm looking at purchasing in the future.  The biggest trick will be finding the best route to take and figuring out where I can and cannot have Koda.

Take it easy,
A