Sage Wisdom From the Hiking Nerd - 2010 Style (12-31-2009)

2010 is another opportunity to achieve greatness (whatever greatness means for you and your situation). Will this be the year your career or business takes off? Will you hike the Appalachian Trail or embark on a new adventure? Will you spend more time with the kids or spouse?

What is it that you want to accomplish in 2010? What has been holding you back?

I don't know what you want to achieve in 2010, but I do know what holds people back from gettin er' done. YOU hold YOU back. We are ultimately responsible for our lives and what we accomplish. If you aren't the person you want to be, do something about it. No one else can do it.

Michael Jackson had it right in the song "Man in the Mirror" when he sang:

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change"

This is where I'm supposed to give you powerful motivation tips or quotes like:

-The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.

Arthur C. Clarke

-Knowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

-In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.

Author Unknown

-By associating with wise people you will become wise yourself.

Menander

Look, I'm not Tony Robbins.... I'm The Hiking Nerd. And after years learning about motivation, along with practical experience helping people reach their hiking, fitness, and nutrition dreams, I have boiled success in life down to one wise statement.

Before I give you the life changing statement I just mentioned, you need to know its origin. I didn't make it up myself. It comes from the movie Saw. Yes, the secret to success in life comes from a horror movie. Ready? It goes like this:

"Live or die, make your choice."



A bit dramatic for a life quote? Maybe. But it makes a brilliant point. We either move forward (choose to live) or backward (choose to die). Do something DAILY to move yourself closer to your dreams and watch 2010 be your best year ever.

Ultimately, success in life is YOUR choice. Make the right choice. Choose to live!

Wishing you the best in 2010,

The Hiking Nerd

So What if I Have a Small Head?

Off and on through my adult life, people have told me that I have a small head. True, my head may be smaller than some adults, but I certainly do not suffer from microcephaly.

I used to care that some people thought my head was small. I took it personally. As if something must be wrong with me because my head didn't meet a certain criteria. For the record, There is no head circumference criteria for adults. We all vary in our body make-up. Head circumference is an important health indicator when a baby is born and through the first couple years of life.

Over time, I realized a small head isn't a big deal. I have accepted the fact that I have a littler mellon than some. For all the small headed adults out there, I present to you, the Top 3 Reasons a Small Head Isn't the Worst Thing in the World (in no particular order):

1. There is absolutely no proven correlation between head size and intelligence.
We see people with big heads and small heads alike acting stupid.

2. We lose less body heat if we go outside without a hat (versus people with a big head) when it is cold. This reduction in body heat loss could mean the difference between life and death
while climbing K2 or Mt. Everest.

3. You can wear kid sized hats. Not only does this save money, There are much cooler options for head wear. Take for example, my 3-year old son's balaclava. Because of my small head, I get to hike, snowshoe, and mountain climb wearing this stylish Elmo head cover:


Hike on people with small heads!

2009 Outdoor Book Awards (12-29-2009)

Those that read, rule the world...or something like that.

Check out the 2009 Outdoor Book Award winners. Even better, read one of the books. I highly recommend Halfway to Heaven, by Mark Obmascik. His book won the "Outdoor Literature Category".

Halfway to Heaven info: Overweight, out of shape and in his 40s, Mark Obmascik sets out to climb all 54 of Colorado's 14ers in this humorous story about a normal man and extraordinary adventure.

Read on, fellow hikers!

Ski-Parachuter Crashes on Quandary Peak (12-29-2009)

Ok, I fully understand the desire for an adrenaline rush...but ski-parachuting off of a 14,000 foot peak? I wish Victor all the best in his recovery.

This story hits home for me. I will be attempting to ascend Quandary Peak this Friday for a "sunrise-summit". Each year, I attempt to summit one of Colorado's 14ers to watch the sun rise as a way to celebrate the new year. Let's hope I don't end up posting a news story about my own rescue : 0

The North Face Sues the South Butt (12-22-2009)

I'm a big fan of the free market and the fact that in the United States we all have the opportunity to succeed.

Sometimes, however, the line becomes blurred between originality and copycatting (is that even a word?) A good example to demonstrate my point is Jimmy Winkelmann's parody product site, The South Butt.

Originally started as a way for Jimmy to pay for college, The South Butt is currently being sued by The North Face because of its parody product line.

Personally, I find The South Butt products funny - regardless of whether they violate a law or not. I DO NOT advocate the purchase of Jimmy's products, but I think I'm going to have get a shirt before The North Face wipes them off the Face (pun intended) of the internet.

Don't Die in an Avalanche! PLUS - Frightening Avalanche Videos

If you're like me, winter doesn't stop you from heading out into the back-country. And it shouldn't. The scenery, serenity, and solitude that comes from hiking and snowshoeing in the mountains this time of year can't be beat. I absolutely love it.

But with the fun, comes a danger we don't have to deal with in the summer and fall...Avalanches!

Are YOU prepared to deal with an avalanche?

Here are a few avalanche stats for you:

1. Most victims trigger their own avalanche.

2. Wind is the most common cause of avalanches.

3. Avalanche victims are almost exclusively back-country recreationists: snowmobilers, climbers,snowboarders, snowshoers, skiers and hikers.

4. From 1950-2007, there have been approximately 824 avalanche fatalities in the
United States. Colorado Avalanche Information Center)

5. Colorado led all other states with 221 avalanche fatalities from 1950-2007.
Alaska came in second with122 deaths.

6. Dry slab avalanches account for almost all avalanche fatalities.

7. Dry slab avalanches typically travel 60-80 miles per hour. They reach these speeds within about 5 seconds after they fracture. Wet avalanches usually travel much slower, around 20 miles per hour.

Don't get caught in an avalanche. Read the Colorado Mountain Club's article "8 Steps to Reducing Your Avalanche Risk". It is one of the best (and shortest) articles I've seen that summarizes the process for reducing a person's chance of getting in an avalanche situation.

Don't "wing-it". Know what you're doing in the back-country. Take an avalanche safety course. It may save your life or your friends' lives. Click HERE to view a list of avalanche course providers near you.

Are you curious as to what it would be like to actually be caught in an avalanche? You're' sick, man!

WARNING: Not for the faint-of-heart...Seriously.

Want another avalanche video? Here you go...

The Avalanche From Hell

Be safe out there!!!

Caught in an Avalanche - Survivor Tells His Story (12-19-2009)

It's that time of year again...avalanche season.

Alec Meyer was fortunate and didn't die. LEARN a few things from him before you head out onto those snowy slopes.

Be safe out there as you embark on your winter back-country adventures.

Do you think the climbers at Everest Base Camp were a bit concerned?