Hiking on a rugged trail teaches you a lot more than just how to successfully accomplish the feat. It’s more about the journey and the struggle than the destination itself.
Once you summit the peaks you had always wanted to conquer, you’re not just left with a feeling of pride but also a few invaluable life lessons. Hiking not only helps you get your body back in shape but also instills rare qualities that would otherwise be impossible to learn.
Such journeys truly are memorable. They’re anything but a fleeting experience. The mountains surely give a lot more than memories of mesmerizing views to take back with you.
Here are a few life lessons that can be learnt while hiking.
We’re living in a chaotic world where our minds are constantly occupied with things that cause us to worry and think about all the wrong things.
Going on a hike offers us some silence, peace and a few moments to self-reflect and organize our thoughts.
Hiking is often thought of as nature’s therapy. If you’ve never been hiking before, here’s why it’s considered therapy for the mind, body and soul:
It Clears your Mind
There’s so much going on in our everyday life that clutters our mind and prevents us from thinking clearly. Hiking forces you to break away from your everyday routine – even if it’s just for a few hours. As you leave behind your home and work, you’ll feel your problems and everyday stress fade into the distance.
For the next few moments you don’t have to think about the upcoming meeting with your clients, paying bills or finding a new place to live. Whatever it is that’s causing you to stress, this is your chance to leave it behind and think clearly.
Hiking gifts us with clarity. Many hikers are inspired by nature as they walk through long trails away from the hustle bustle of the city. Use this time to soak in the nature and live in the present.
Makes you Happier
There is plenty of research that proves that the human body is happier in green spaces and nature.
When you’re hiking, not only does nature get to work its magic and boost your mood but you also benefit from the psychological benefits of exercise. Hiking engages your entire body and all that physical activity releases endorphins into your system. As a result, your mood enhances, you’re in better spirits and you feel happier.
It Elevates your Senses
Humans are equipped with powerful senses. You may be able to walk through the familiar city streets with music in your ear without paying much attention to your surroundings. But hiking in nature is different. No matter how many times you’ve gone hiking, you need to pay attention to what’s around you.
Hiking forces you to use all your senses to make sure you stay on trail, you’re not being stalked by some dangerous animal, keep a track of time, etc.
It’s an adventure
Sitting on your couch and binge-watching your favorite show cannot compare to the thrill of hiking.
It doesn’t matter how simple the terrain is, hiking will always feel like an adventure. It challenges you to get out of your safe space and immerse yourself in nature.
Each hike makes you stronger physically and mentally which is why you need to make it a regular activity.
Ready to go hiking? Make sure you have a sturdy backpack.
Aarn USA offers award-winning lightweight backpacks that offer plenty of space for your belongings. Their collection consists of daypacks, StrongLites, UltraLites, Hipbelts and other hiking accessories. Check out their collection online and buy your new backpack today!
Hiking is a training of the mind, body and soul. As such, the earlier you get your children to learn the joys of hiking, the better! Not only are you making them escape the childhood obesity epidemic sweeping across America—1 in every 5 school aged child is obese—you’re also implementing in them some truly valuable lessons who can shape who they become as adults.
What does hiking have anything to do with life lessons?
Well, for one, it can teach both you and your kids some excellent leadership lessons! Not sure how? Let’s find out!
The First Step to Being a Good Leader Is Understanding Others’ Limits
A leader who keeps walking at their own pace without looking behind to see if those behind them are keeping up, is very likely to find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with no one backing them up!
Understanding your pack’s needs, expectations and limitations from the hike can not only make the trip smoother for everyone involved, it can help you reach your destination faster!
Being at the Top (Or the Front) Doesn’t Necessarily Make You the Leader
If you’re head of your department at work and yet those under you keep turning to your subordinate for anything they need, you might not actually be the leader at all!
Titles are of no use unless you can show responsibility, skill, empathy and communication with all members of your team. Just because your kid doesn’t have the title of trail leader does not always make him incapable of the position! Leadership qualities can be demonstrated by anyone.
Leaders Must Be Good At Communication
A hiking trail can be fraught with danger. From getting your pack past road blocks and obstacles to clearing paths to make the trail smoother, it is the job of the leader to ensure every member of his team is safe from all danger.
Communication is important when hiking in groups—very similar to how it works in the real world too!
Leaders Too Need Mentorship
Who is now a leader was once a follower. Even in the leadership position, the hiker is always learning new things with every hike he goes on, whether from his own experience or through the tutelage of someone more experienced than he.
It pays to have someone to lead a leader, to make him better suited to handling his own team. Teach your kids never to shy away from asking for the help of someone more experienced, no matter how high up the rung they go and they’ll be better equipped to handling stuff they’ve never encountered before.
Preparation Is Key
All leaders are always prepared for everything that may spring up in their journey to the top. Preparedness is the key to success and nowhere is this more important than when you’re away from civilization on a hike!
Enlist the help of your children in packing and preparing for the hike, which will also make them more interested in the trip in general. Pack their favorite snacks, diapers and milk bottles (if you’re bringing a baby), extra layers, sunscreen, lip balm, bug repellant, sufficient water and protein-filled foods, a first-aid box and any medication they might need.
Store all of the gear you might need in a lightweight, comfortable backpack tailored according to your gender and body type like the ones over at Aarn USA and get started on your family hiking trip!
Can’t find what you need? Let their selection guide help!
Since 1970, the rates of obesity in children have more than tripled in the United States. Increasingly digitalized operations and indoor activities have lowered the amount of time children spend in physical activity and are making our children prone to a number of diseases—and the risk of early death!
Instilling the love of hiking in your children from an early age can increase physical activity levels, improve general wellbeing and make them healthier in the long run. Getting your children outside of the house and away from their game controllers can do them a world of good; more than you could have imagined!
Here are a few tips we have for anyone looking to have a great time with their kids in the great outdoors:
Start Early
Children learn from experience, not from words. They’ll emulate what you do, and asking your children to engage in physical activity while you lie on the couch surfing through Netflix is not doing to do anything for you!
Take your newborn with you on your hikes as early as possible to develop a love for the outdoors right from the get-go. Take walks regularly and take your children with you. Walk down to the local grocery store across the block with your kids instead of driving to it. Look for new places to discover and adventures to go on and make every trip exciting for your kids!
Make Them Fun And Educational
Children are generally curious about everything and introducing them to the latest gadgets used for hiking purposes is sure to pique their interest. Educate them about GPS, geocaching, pedometers, headlamps and flashlights.
Make your hiking trip a treasure hunt by hiding small “treasures” in various locations on your path a day or two before your trip and creating maps for your children to hunt for treasure with. Stop and explore with your children whenever they find something that piques their curiosity.
Remember, it’s not getting to the destination that’s the goal here; it’s making sure your children start loving hiking as much as you do!
Involve the Kids in the Planning
Sure, you know what you want from this trip and you think you know what your children expect from the hiking trip, but what you expect and the reality may not always be in sync with each other!
Ask your children to take part in the planning. Older children can help pick out the destination while younger ones might be more interested in bringing their favorite toy along. Your teenager may even want to bring a friend along to make the trip more interesting. Let them!
Take the Right Gear
Your children will have need for a greater amount of gear than you normally would have. Pack their favorite snacks, diapers and milk bottles (if you’re bringing a baby), extra layers, sunscreen, lip balm, bug repellant, sufficient water and protein-filled foods, a first-aid box and any medication they might need.
Store all of the gear you might need in a lightweight, comfortable backpack, tailored according to your gender and body type like the ones over at Aarn USA and get started on your family hiking trip!
Can’t find what you need? Let their selection guide help!
The long winter months can get especially tedious and lengthy when you have nothing but days upon days of sitting in front of the fireplace on your couch to look forward to. And even more so when you’re habitual of going out on long hikes during the summer months!
But just because it’s now cold out and the trails in your region are closed off due to avalanche threat is no reason for you to stop doing what you love. If you’re looking to head to somewhere warmer for the winter months, Arizona may just be the place for you!
South Mountain, Phoenix
One of the largest municipal parks in America, South Mountain hosts a 14.3 mile long trail titled National Trail that is perfect for a hike, no matter what the season! With average highs of 50°F during the winter, the climate of Phoenix is sufficiently dry and cold to make for a great hike!
Camelback Mountain, Phoenix
A hike that’s more of a rock climbing adventure, a trip to Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain is not for the weak or beginning hiker! A 1.2 mile hike that involving climbing from one huge boulder to another, the adventure is sure to make you work up a sweat, even in low temperatures!
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, Tucson
An excellent national park with some truly gorgeous sceneries, exquisite flora and fauna and exceptional hiking opportunities, Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in Tucson also offers open shuttle rides for passengers who’d prefer to take them. Hike your way down a 2.5 mile trail to reach the magnificent Seven Falls for the perfect wintertime getaway.
The Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
One of the most iconic locations in the world, the Grand Canyon National Park is home to most of the Grand Canyon and boasts some truly spectacular winter trails. While the North Rim is closed to visitors during the colder months, the South Rim is open and all yours to explore!
Make your way down to the Colorado River on the Bright Angel Trail which runs 9 miles each way. The upper few miles of the trail can be frozen with snow and ice during the winters so it might be a good idea to put on a few layers for this trip!
Thumb Butte, Prescott
A 2-mile hike that takes you almost to the top of the mountain’s summit, the Thumb Butte hike has both a steep side and a less-steep one for all levels of hikers. The steeper side is also usually icy due to the small amount of sun it sees on a regular basis, making for a simultaneously thrilling yet dangerous adventure!
Take the Right Gear
Regardless of where you decide to go on your winter hiking trip to Arizona, you’re going to need a sturdy, lightweight and roomy backpack to store all your hiking necessities in. Aarn USA has just what you need!
With backpacks and daypacks specially designed to be lightweight, comfortable and built according to various body types and genders, Aarn USA offers high-quality products for all your hiking needs.
Can’t find what you need? Let their selection guide help!
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