For Hiking Puerto Vallarta Is The Place To Go

By Sarah Green


Hiking is a term that is preferred in the United States and Canada for long, vigorous walks on footpaths in the countryside. Hiking is contrasted from walking, which involves short distances, and is usually confined to urban areas. There are several other words using to describe this activity in different places. Some common examples are rambling, tramping, hillwalking, fell walking, and backpacking among others. When in need of going hiking Puerto Vallarta is the best place to check out.

The idea of going for hikes is an old one, tracing its origin to the 18th century. This idea came up as people changed their attitudes toward landscape and nature, in association with the Romantic movement. Before the eighteenth century, the activity was mostly associated with poverty and vagrancy. In the US, Abel Crawford cleared a path 8.5 miles long to lead to the summit of Mount Washington in 1819. The path has remained the oldest mostly used hiking trail in the country.

Today, different countries have different long distance trails that are followed by hikers. Major examples include Grande Rota in Portugal, National Trails in UK, the Spanish Gran Recorrido, Grote Routepaden in Holland, and the US National Trail System among many others. Many countries such as Belgium, New Zealand, Nepal, Spain, France, Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK have long networks of trails.

Different equipment and tools are carried by hikers. What equipment and tools are carried depend on the length of the hike. Day hikers only bring rain-proof gear, maps, water, and food. Backpacking and mountain walking call for hiking boots. The rough terrain in some places make protective gear essential. For support and balancing purposes, stability equipment is needed.

Different hiking clubs and professionals recommend different items for the trip. In accordance to the Mountaineers club, the items that one should carry include flashlight, first aid kit, fire starter, knife, sunscreen, trekking pole, a compass, and sunglasses. Additional items recommended by other groups are an emergency blanket, a hat, gloves, and insect repellent. For additional guidance, GPS navigation devices, and route cards should be carried.

Sometimes people usually go for hikes in large numbers and this can have several negative impacts on the environment. For instance, a forested area can become deforested if it is subjected to several years of fire wood collection. Similarly, some wild animals are also very sensitive to the presence of human beings and will migrate if disturbed.

To help against damage that hikers are likely to cause to the environment, rules are usually imposed on how protected areas like parks can be used. Some of the rules include a ban on use of wood fires, restriction of camping to established camp sites, imposition of quotas on number of hikers, and disposal and packing of faecal matter.

Human waste has a lot of impact on the environment because it can contaminate watersheds and cause diseases in other hikers. It is recommended to use catholes that are at least sixty meters away from water sources. The cathole must be deep enough and must be covered well after use.




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