The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail is a 47-mile long path along the Pacific coastal rim of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.  It was formerly a trail used by shipwrecked crews after drifting ashore onto the island.  The trail sees 6,000 visitors annually.  It is known as one of the most technically difficult trails to hike and demands seriousness and cautiousness.  The trail has various cable car passes as well as vertical ladder ascents to complete certain portions.  The trail skirts out along the coast and the beach at certain times, while other times it crosses into lush temperate rainforest to the east.  One needs to allow themselves and their group plenty of time to explore this beautiful place.  Most websites suggest at least 6-8 days to complete the hike, this gives you time to stop and enjoy what you're actually doing.  

As for equipment, one should plan on bringing a small collapsible backpacking stove and canister source as well as wet-start flint switches.  Campfires are prohibited on the trail but if in a survival situation then wet-start flint switches are a must.  Make sure to take note of the climate and its ability to change drastically along a coast.  Sleeping bags and sleeping pads are a must.  My tent of choice is going to be a bivy tent but keep them to minimal size to reduce impact on soil around you.

I hope to successfully trek the WCT this summer with a friend from Washington.  I want to experience the isolation granted by a location like this and hope to have some kind of enlightening moment while trekking.

I'm also going to try to take as many photos as possible so Facebook me for updates if you're interested! It was a great semester and I hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks again.

-JS

Copyright Tim Wellhausen

Copyright http://blog.travelpod.com/members/adarandjeremy

Hunting in Nebraska

Nebraska holds lots of challenges for hunters looking for a trophy. The eastern part of the state holds more whitetail deer then we know what to do with. The west contains the bigger Mule Deer and plenty of whitetail along the river. 63,000 deer were taken in the rifle season alone!

Turkey hunters will also have success in Nebraska. Turkeys are found state wide and show sighs of population growth. Shot gun and Archery seasons give hunters options in their method of take.

Nebraska is located right in the middle of the central flyway, one of the largest waterfowl migration routes in North America. Geese and all kinds of ducks are harvested every year.

Check out the game and parks website for more information!

outdoornebraska.org

Morel Mushrooms

http://thegreatmorel.com/index.shtml

The morel mushroom season varies across the United States depending on the region in which you are located. Typically it arrives in the spring months for most regions. Many variables such as air temperature, ground temperature and rain levels impact the growing cycle and how bountiful the crop. An air temperature of about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit during then day and a temperature of no less that the mid 40’s in the evening is perfect for them. They are usually found near downed trees, but can be elsewhere, near a river or stream. They like having some shade and sunlight throughout the day so they like wooded areas. They are great to eat or to sell and make money. You just have to be careful and know what they look like so you don’t pick the wrong mushroom.

 

The UNL Challenge course (aka ticktown by Wesley) was a blast!

Ticks that go eek in the Night!

After being attacked in "ticktown" a.k.a. the Challenge Course today, by what seemed to me like 100s of ticks, ( I might be over rounding) I decided to do a little research. On the bright side of the nasty little blood suckers, the tick itself would have to be attached for 24 hours before you can contract lyme disease. http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/ticks.asp
Also some things i have picked up over the years about handling or dealing with ticks;

bug spray will deter ticks from biting the treated area but will not stop them from crawling to an untreated spot like under your clothes, when pulling a tick off of you, pull staedy and at a 90 degree angle from your body to ensure that the head doesnt break off, and when actually bitten anti itch creams usually will stop the itch.
    Some things for future classes or even a future outings like ours is to be prepared! If doing a challenge course , do not wear shorts. Always use sunscreen, and it wouldnt hurt to spray some bug spray on yourself.

Ecotourism: That thing we've been talking about all semester!

In the spirit of recently celebrating Earth Day I found an article that explains ecotourism.  It's like what we've been talking about in class and is being seen more and more by the public!   It's all about giving more than you take and how you can make your traveling experiences more ecotourism-friendly rather than mass-tourism.  It also goes on to mention the mentally fulfilling experience of green travels providing you with the best memories and a good feeling and it gives tips on how to travel greener to get to your ecotourism destinations.  I liked the article, take the time to read it.  It's fun and is SO closely related to what we have talked about in regards to ecotourism all semester!

Here's the article!
http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-19-12-14-18-go-green-when-traveling-its-nicer-to-the-planet-and-creates-a-more-authentic-experience/

Also, if you ever use Google news and search "ecotourism" you can find all kinds of articles on ecotourism in the news.  It's pretty interesting because it's becoming more and more popular in many areas of the world. There are multiple articles about ecotourism; from Louisiana starting ecotourism in remote areas that haven't been explored much to the Philippines's bright ecotourism future.  Now that we know what ecotourism is, it's fun to go through Honey's principles to determine if what these articles are talking about really is ecotourism. I think it's fun to keep track of, especially since we have learned so much about it in this class!

Happy travels!

"Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" Program in Nebraska

As much as I love the outdoors, camping and hiking wasn't something my family did much when I was growing up. I never learned how to pitch a tent, load a fishing reel, or shoot trap.  Especially for women who have never learned these kinds of skills, spending a lot of time outdoors can seem intimidating.  Now, there is a nation-wide "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" program that teaches women a wide range of outdoor skills.

The program is run in almost every state in the U.S., and here in Nebraska it is run by the Nebraska Game and Parks.  The program lasts three days, and this year it will be held October 5-7 at the Nebraska State 4-H camp in Halsey, NE.  The classes cover a wide range of topics: identifying Nebraska animals species and ecology, beginning archery and bowhunting, fishing basics, introduction to shotguns, rifles, and deer hunting, game calls, canoeing and kayaking, hiking and camping, dog training, geocaching and GPS use, campfire cooking, climbing and repelling, photography, and emergency survival skills. The class is open to any women 18 years or older and costs $225 ($200 if you plan on providing your own off-site lodging), and scholarships are available.

Their brochure for the 2012 year can be found at:
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/Education/Programs/bow/pdf/BOW-HALSEY2012-events.pdf

And the website for the program and downloadable forms can be found at:
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/Education/programs/bow/information.asp

Wine Tours of Nebraska

I thought that because we had already experienced touring one vineyard in Nebraska, it might be fun to look at a few others.  There are several opportunities to experience wine and culture in Nebraska through festivals and tasting events.  One tasting event that I've been to since I've been 21 is the Riverfront Wine Festival held in Omaha.  This awesome event takes place outdoors by......the riverfront :) and there are opportunities to ride the ferry and hang out in the grassy areas and just enjoy the atmosphere.  

http://www.riverfrontwinefestival.com/

Another fun tourist opportunity that takes place around this area is the Southeast Nebraska Wine Trail.  This is a map that you follow that leads to all the local vineyards in the area.  So it may be something fun to do on your day off!

http://www.senewinetrail.org/map.html

Running events

There are different kinds of running events that could get people outdoors and in shape, not to mention some of these runs are quite fun! Different running events I have seen around the area is the Lincoln marathon and half marathon. But if your like me that one doesn't sound to fun. Another event is the Warrior Dash that is coming to Louisville NE, June 9th and 10th. It is a obstacle course that gets people moving and outdoors. I have a link below that shows a little of the run. Another one I have heard of is the color run where there are color stations you run by and get washable paint thrown on you. There are adventure races around Omaha and other cities that are big scavenger hunts that include bicycling, running, and canoeing. There are a lot of different kinds of races out there for different kinds of people. This is a good way of getting people outside and meeting other people who are interested in the same thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyDdMViZ3tk&list=UUbI8o30czOCRoBvHEnz9D9w&index=10&feature=plcp

10 Places To Visit Before They Disappear

I came aross this video: Check out this great MSN video: 10 Places To Visit Before They Disappear
I just thought it is interesting how it is telling people to go visit these places because they are at risk of disappearing partly because of excessive tourism. Hmm....

Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center

One of my favorite natural places near Lincoln is the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center.  Whenever a friend or family member from out of state comes to visit, I take them here.  I can't think of a better way to convince them that natural tallgrass prairie can, in fact, be beautiful. And it is!  According to their website, the Center covers 808 acres of preserved tallgrass prairie (650 acres of which have never been plowed), with miles of walking trails, ponds, wetlands, wildflowers, grasses, and a high diversity of birds and wildlife.  There are even a few preserved wagon ruts from the nineteenth-century!

The Spring Creek Audubon Center is also a big proponent of education.  Their on-site education building is built of green materials (reclaimed construction material, straw-bale insulation, etc.), and here school students of all ages come on field trips and are taught about the scientific method, introductory concepts of ecology, investigation of habitats and species adaptations, and general problem-solving skills.

The Center also hosts a variety of public events to raise conservation awareness and build a sense of community based around the prairie.  Classes are offered in papermaking and basket weaving, and there are wildflower, bird, and insect walks throughout the year.  Each autumn, there is an annual "Twilight on the Tallgrass" prairie festival with a variety of events, booths, crafts, food, music, and educational programs.
For more information, photos, and directions, visit their website: http://springcreekprairie.audubon.org/

Cycling in Lincoln

In a recent Lincoln Journal Star article, there was a little talk about the city of Lincoln becoming a "premier biking city." There are some tentative plans to make major allowances for bikes along the city streets, splitting it between bicycles and automobiles. There are already some such layouts downtown at least, and now the City Council is considering applying the same idea to N Street. It has its costs but in addition to pleasing cyclists in Lincoln, the city is thinking about how to encourage business and tourism.
I appreciate the bike trails, (which if anyone didn't know, are largely converted railway lines), a lot, personally. I use the MoPac quite a bit. I don't mind saving the gas and getting a little exercise too. I would say those 2 factors, economy and exercise, are the main reasons for most people cycling, but probably not the only ones. If anyone reading this has any other reasons, they should write something under this post!

Grizzly vs. Mountain Lion

This isn't really ecotourism-related but I still thought it was interesting and it dealt with wildlife.  Check out this link....

http://now.msn.com/living/0328-mountain-lion-hiker.aspx

I wonder why the bear didn't then go after the man thinking he was a threat to the cub as well? Hmmm....either way, that's one lucky dude!

What I've learned

In this class, I feel like the something I have learned is to be more aware with what I do. I've always been cautious to not litter, try to stay on the path, and things like that, but this class has showed me to look more in-depth at things. Over spring break, I was in Colorado and went on a couple of hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Park. Besides the gorgeous views, I looked closely at what I was doing and what others were doing. I started to notice more, like people off the path, leaving apple cores, and having their dog on a hike which specifically said no dogs. It was very interesting to look at things with a different perspective on how we could be harming the environment around us.

Before one of the hikes, I noticed a sign that had the Leave No Trace Environmental Ethics. I was very happy to see it and relieved to see how people are trying to help out and keep the awareness alive!

~Kathryn Moore

Wildlife Tourism---Grizzly Bears!

I was reading the articles for class about Wildlife Tourism.  The article about wildlife responses to human had a picture of grizzlies in Katmai National Park.  I had seen this video, also in Katmai with the grizzlies.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/grizzly-bear-charges-alaskan-tourists-video-010559736.html

If you watched the video, you can see the tourists are very close to the bear and the bear clearly seems threatened based on his response.  It doesn't seem the bear was habituated because he didn't ignore the tourists sitting there.  I wonder if tourists get to close to wildlife in these instances.  Clearly the bear was not happy about it and I don't know about you, but I don't know if I could sit still like they do in the video because I would be so scared! That article we read for class mentions that having these animals out there makes them more susceptible to poaching and hunting if they leave their protected areas.  Anyway, I just thought this video was fitting for wildlife tourism and the effects it can have on both animal and people.

So the other day I was thinking about setting up a volunteer project for this student group I am in here at UNL and whenever I go to find projects my mind always tends to lean towards ones specific to my major. I started thinking of different environmental service projects in my head when the idea of Eco-tourism mixed with volunteer work popped into my head! I thought this combination would be the best of both worlds... well at least for those like me who love outdoors but also wouldn't mind volunteering to help others including other species.This idea goes hand in hand with what we have been learning in class especially the broad term of Eco-tourism meaning to help conserve, educate, and involve the local communities. I think if places market or advertise volunteerism as a tourist opportunity many people involved in service learning would take interest and spread the word!! One idea would be for parks to involve hikers and climbers to join in a project to help with conserving trails or helping to get rid of invasive species. Another great idea would be for those visiting indigenous villages to instead of observing the native people ask to get involved with a land management project such as farming or harvesting.  Of course these are broad ideas and there are many more different was to combine volunteering with Eco-tourism, these were just to get your own idea flowing!! 

When to visit Minnesota  we took time before hiking to help pull out the invasive garlic mustard plant from the area! I felt empowered knowing that I could help conserve an area so beautiful!

Here is a photo of the garlic mustard at work!

Are You Standard or Explorer?

From zorbing [photo above] to skidoos. From parascending to elephant riding. I ran into this exciting list of activities while I was curiously wondering how much travel insurance cost if I were to travel for a year. $913 for standard coverage and $1,200 for explorer coverage. It's worth looking into!

Check out which activities are covered in this list: Adventure sports for residents of USA

Simple travel insurance quote: www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/

Here's a link to a website that has eco-tourism conferences that include countries from around the world. They had a conference in 2011 that was based on making urban spaces more liveable while protecting biodiversity.  http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/etour.html

Here's a video about the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference in Portland, Oregon from 2010. It has some key points on people's views of eco-tourism.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ifm3TC41Wc&feature=related

This is a comical cartoon about eco-tourism and how the animals would react if they could. http://youtu.be/rb8tLfViFHA

Earth Day is approaching!! The Lincoln Earth Day event is a great time to enjoy and explore Lincoln's parks and appreciate this great planet. It is a zero waste event and  though there is some impact on the parks, most of it is concentrated in the main areas at Antelope Park for the day entertainment and the nature center at Pioneers Park for the grow celebration.

This isn't necessarily ecotourism, but it could in a way be voluntourism. There is appreciation for our local parks and it is a zero waste event that emphasizes the value of local businesses. So in those ways it fits some of the definitions of ecotourism

The morning is kicked off with a fun run at Wilderness Park and the day is filled with educational booth/exhibits and activities, live music and local food, including a farmers market and information about urban chickens.

The Earth Night Celebration isgoing to be at the Rococo and includes live music, a sustainable fashion show, an eco-art show, inspirational presentations from Ignite Lincoln and will feature local food and sustainable drinks.
 Visit the website for more info: http://lincolnearthday.org/index.asp

Check out pictures from last years event at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lincolnearthday

What on Earth Made This?

If you are curious on how some of earth's beautiful, bizarre, natural wonders were formed, check out this NOVA webpage and click 'Launch Interactive.' It's amazing what the forces of nature have done and continue to do.

Alaska: The Last Frontier

Alaska is somewhere that I have always wanted to go.  I love the thought of being completely secluded and Alaska is a place where that can happen.  Known as the Last Frontier, Alaska is home to some of the most majestic scenes.  I must say I’m jealous of those people who live in a secluded cabin and the only way to get in and out is by bush pilot.  That’s my kind of living!   It seems Alaska has a high public profile and draws more and more people all the time.  It’s probably because they have the most natural environment of anywhere in the United States.   I would love to visit Denali National Park or any of the remote areas in Alaska....who's with me?! 

This is a link to the Alaska Wildernress Recreation and Tourism Association and their ecotourism guidelines.  http://www.awrta.org/index.cfm?section=about&page=About&viewpost=2&ContentId=428  

Here is the Alaska tourism site: http://www.travelalaska.com/

Seeing the Northern Lights is on my bucket list and Alaska could make that happen!

      I love the mountains!!  

   Bush pilots are prevalent in the remote areas of Alaska and are the only way to get in and out of many native villages.  

Alaska is also home to many Native Americans.  The Natives are on the fence about tourism because they like the financial benefits it provides, yet they don’t want to see the land and natural resources be abused.  They are fully aware that tourism can bring too many people to the area and negatively impact their home environment but they also are aware of the great financial benefits that can come from it as well.    The link below is from the Alaska Native Science Commission’s website.  It expresses their concerns but also the benefits that could come from ecotourism.  It’s interesting because it’s from the perspectives of the Natives who have been on the land much longer than we have.  They have a strong opinion in keeping their environment and culture sacred and protected.  It’s interesting to get their perspectives about ecotourism. 

http://www.nativescience.org/html/eco-tourism.html

INDIAN CAVE'S

HEY YOU! GO EXPLORE!

For those of you out there who love hiking/backpacking or just being outdoors in general but believe you are restricted by your current location in flat ‘ol Nebraska look no further than Indian Cave State Park. I have, on multiple occasions, gone down to "Nebraska's best kept secret" to hike the trails and spend some nights out in the piney woods. Nothin' like gettin' away for the weekend... away from work, your parents, your girlfriend (ah thank god) and your studies. This park offers hikers great scenic overlooks and some spectacular views of the Missouri River. All-in-all this park offers over 20 miles of hiking trails which can consume a fellow explorer for a nice long weekend especially if you do what I did and take the wrong trail twice to find yourself going in a circle two times (dang hardwood trail!). AND I didn't even mention its main attraction (what it gets its name from), a natural cave formed by silt and fine-grained sand deposits (caves are awesome!). In this cave you can find ancient Indian picture writings (Petroglyphs) etched into the walls… it is the only known example of their kind in Nebraska (I actually drew them…shh…don’t tell)! But hey, If hiking isn’t your thing there are also multiple other activities to partake in including horseback riding and boating. Maybe you prefer to envelop yourself in butterflies, it's a 'can do' here at Indian Caves, they have their very own butterfly garden. Or hell, maybe you can just set up shop for a nice relaxing lunch at one of their multiple picnic areas (field trip?). I’m sure anyone could find something to do on this great little piece of land… they even have 347 acres of wetlands near the Missouri River if migratory bird viewing is your thing. Overall, the Indian Cave State Park offers plenty of recreation activities on their over 3000 acre boundaries. Heck, I’ll probably be going there before my second blog attempt and I’ll report back… I can be like a field reporter, ooo fun!... WHO’S COMIN’?!? For more info please visit outdoornebraska.ne.gov 

FYI. Hammocks work great for stargazing.

Louis and Clark were here!

So Lush, so green...

Can I camp in there?

It's a buffalo... no, an eagle head... no, a PETROGLYPH

One week, 4 camping locations

So most people usually travel to one place, camp there and really explore the park thoroughly. If you are looking for something new, try finding a far off place from where you live and then pick a camp then on the way back just stay at new campsite before each night. You will be amazing at all that you will see and the fun you will have.

My boyfriend and I decided to do that one summer in Texas and we decided we wanted to go camping for a week on 4^th of July week. So we decided to seek out camping areas in Texas that was about 5 hours away and we found a lot of places that we wanted to stay. We couldn’t decide on one so we actually picked Palo Duro Canyon as our starting point and we then just picked parks that were on the way back home. It was tough moving all the time, but I have to say it was the best experience I could have had. We went hors back riding, saw fireworks over a lake, went swimming and even fought off the vicious raccoon who was trying to eat our food one night. We were super sore when we got back home because we were used to comfy beds to sleep in, but I will never forget it and it truly was an amazing experience.

these are the places we stayed

This is Palo Duro Canyon

Me and my Boyfriend horseback riding

This is the second campsite... we were attacked by horse flies

3rd camp site... rained and this is where the raccoon tried to eat our stuff... also my camera died here... soooo no more pics :(

I LOVE camping and went just about ever other weekend to good ol' Wisconsin when i was a young tot. I also went a couple times during high school with a few friends on the weekends. What's so enjoyable about camping? And why Wisconsin?? Well first off it is the perfect get away form all of the worlds busyness and stress. Its gives you a chance to be adventurous and chose your own activities and forms of outdoor entertainment. You can do so many varies activities like hiking, swimming, bird watching, biking, fishing, and much much more! Wisconsin to me is like a second home because it neighbors Illinois and always seemed like a break from city life. Wisconsin is known for their tourist attraction, "the dells" but it also has amazing campgrounds in which many  of my child hood memories were made.

     This video shows camping for family's visiting Wisconsin with a variety of fun to chose from in case camping on your own seems to intense this would be the perfect way to introduce yourself to the outdoors!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yFrfw5wqxi4

Class Trip to the Climbing Wall

Ultralighting!

Alright so apologies for the late blog, no excuses!

I decided to elaborate on some of my motives for being an avid ultralight backpacker as well as some of the equipment I use to keep my treks enjoyable and hassle-free.

Ultralight packing embodies one of the fundamental concepts of nature-focused hikes: leaving nothing behind on a trek as well as striving for the most minimal impact upon your environment around you. Ultralighting can be as simple or in-depth as you want it to be. It's not for everybody though, it demands meticulously stripping your essentials to the most minimum you can go out with, assuming your doing it within your comfort zone. [i.e. some tramps go without the most basis medical supplies, I think that's crazy]

I find the most pleasure in ultralighting when I'm scaling hills or bouldering and I'm not caught up trying to maneuver pounds upon pounds of equipment around. It leaves you with much more energy to expend on getting your fullest experience out of the nature around you.

And my basic setup [very basic, not including initial foods or some miscellaneous items]:

Atmos 35 liter pack, my baby. :B

DIY soda can stove, powered with 50 mL of SLX denatured alcohol.

MSR water pump and filter

Sleeping bivy!

Call of the Wild

This video was shown at the Nebraska Agri/Eco-tourism Conference this past January by our keynote speaker Dr. Kelly Bricker. It's captivating to say the least. The video and images speak for themselves.

Fishing Nebraska (and some classic TV)

On of the my favorite memories of my childhood was waking up and watching the Andy Griffith Show. Time after time I would wake up to that iconic whistling them song and black and white sene of Andy and his kid going fishing. My dad always said "If their is a lesson to be learned in life, you will learn it form Andy Griffith." Well the first lesson of every episode is a dad and his boy going fishing. Fishing is something that is rooted deep in our culture and continues to be popular today. Lucky for us Nebraska has some great fishing.

The first lake that comes to mind in Nebraska for fishing is lake McConaughy. Big Mac (as its called, I think) is 22 miles long and 4 miles wide. It is located on the Platte river and has a Hydroelectric power plant in Kingsley dam. As breathtaking as the lake is itself the fishing might be better. Each year massive walleyes are caught in the lake that make me jealous.

Big Mac in the Summer 

A large fish caught next to the dam. 

Lake McConaguhy Is on of may fishing destinations in Nebraska. Fishing is a rewarding hobby that is cheap and easy to get started in. Nebraska has many fishing holes to have an Andy Griffith moment of your own!

(sorry for the terrible spelling and grammar.)

Adam