Hiking for Beginners

The benefits of walking or hiking are plentiful. It is a low impact sport which is good for the joints. None of the pounding on asphalt as with jogging. Instead, lots of fresh air and nature around you to calm your mind. Hiking, of course, has all the benefits any other cardiovascular work out has. It strengthens the heart and increases the lung capacity. You will easily shed a few pounds, especially if you haven't been active before. Several muscle groups are strengthened, foremost the leg muscles and the glutes if you walk on an incline and even the core. If you walk with walking sticks, even your arms will be exercised. You can go hiking by yourself, although you should always let someone know where you are going and take a cell phone with you. Or you can go with friends or join a hiking group. Then, you will at the same time have a chance to meet new people and socialize. Being part of a regular group also helps with the motivation but more about that a little further down. Another benefit is that it is free. Why spend hard dollars on a gym membership, especially during the summer, when you have Mother Nature's fitness centre available?

Physical Benefits of Hiking
• Heart strengthening
• Reduces blood pressure
• Has a positive effect on cholesterol levels
• Improves the lung capacity
• Lose Weight
• Low impact for joints
• Strengthen several muscle groups
• Sun provides vitamine D
• Helps in an anti-aging program
• Helps increasing the bone density and therefore preventing osteoporosis in old age

Mental Benefits of Hiking
• Stress reducing
• Fresh air
• Feel the sun
• Activity in nature
• Fresh smells invigorating for your mind
• Changing scenery rather than looking at a wall while walking on a treadmill
• Clear your thoughts and calm your mind when hiking alone
• Meet new people
• Socializing
• Increase of libido

Financial Benefits of Hiking
• Mother Nature's fitness centre is free
• No special equipment is needed to get started

My advice for your first hike is to find a manageable trail. What is manageable? That depends on your fitness level. I will introduce a few very easy entry level trails further down but would like to start with an example of how better not to do it.

I was in no shape when I went on my first hike years ago, and I would have done well by sticking to a trail with no or a very moderate incline. But my first hike more happened like an accident to me rather than anything planned. I was out sightseeing with a friend in Vancouver, BC and we wanted to see Grouse Mountain. So, we bussed it out there and found that the gondola up to the peak cost more than we, at the time poor students, had accounted for. We found the entrance of the infamous Grouse Grind, also called "Mother Nature's Stepmaster", which leads up to the peak. And we started walking.
My friend was chattering about, telling me how others he knew had done it in 40 minutes for their first time while I was starting to huff and puff climbing over roots with my sandals. It was a hot summer day and I had no water on me. Friendly signs mark the quarter points, and when I reached the first quarter, my head was red, sweat was running down my face and I needed to sit down for a break. All the while, other people were walking by in a cheery mood, looking down on me with a mixture of disdain and amusement. I was longingly staring at their water bottles.
At this point, I was worried about turning around. It is quite a steep incline and there was the probability of a disgraceful slide or stumble down the hill. I got myself up and kept on marching. My friend, concerned about how his time compared to his friend's, had left me behind; he was going to wait for me at the peak. When I reached the half point, I thought I would be dying on this trail. My mouth was parched and my heart was pounding loudly in my ears. What kept me going were children, maybe 7 or 8 years old, that passed me seemingly without any strain. I would not let the Grind defeat me. If they could do it, I could do it.
At the third quarter point during another one of my frequent breaks, a maybe 5 year old kept crying, he didn't want to go any further. Even when his father put him on his back, he didn't stop wailing. I felt like doing the same. It would have been so nice if someone just carried me up the last quarter! But the little boy gave me a last spurt of ambition. I would do better than that 5 year old! Well, I made it. My friend was waiting for me on the top, laughing at me. Apparently, he had made it in 50 minutes. He was in good shape. It took me 1 hour and 20 minutes and I felt like I almost died. But I also felt a little proud that I made it.
I should add that you can buy water at the peak which I did. Then, we watched a fenced in grizzly bear and the lumber jack show before we went down again with the gondola.

Your first hike as a beginner should be nothing like this. The rules for the first hike: take water with you, wear firm shoes that give your feet support, the right socks and start on a trail that is not too demanding but still gives you a good work-out. Boy scout motto: Be prepared.

Starting with the right gear is key. Being equipped doesn't necessarily mean you have to go on a big shopping spree before you go on your first hike. You can, of course, if you'd like to. But it's not necessary.

The basic must-haves for the hiking beginner are:
• Firm shoes
• Good socks
• Water bottle
• Cell phone

Depending on the trail you picked, sneakers can be sufficiently firm shoes for your first hikes. If you go into uneven grounds with lots of rocks and roots, hikers will be best. There is a wide variety of hiking boots that will give your feet and ankles the support they need.

Don't underestimate the importance of the right socks. Your shoes can ever be so good, if the seams of your socks rub against your feet you'll still get blisters. I used to laugh at people who bought special running socks but I learned the hard way. They do make a difference!

Even if you only bring a plastic water bottle, proper hydration is a must. Of course, you always want to bring that bottle with you out of the woods again and dispose of it properly. We don't want to burden nature with our waste or spoil other hikers' and nature enthusiasts' view. At some point you might want to get your own permanent water bottle. There are plenty of options around.

Bringing a cell phone is a safety essential. If you are out with a group make sure at least one of you has a fully charged cell phone on her. It is even more important if you go by yourself as a precaution. Nothing may ever happen to you on your hikes but if it did, you would be glad to have a life line to the rest of the world. Now, just because you have a cell phone with you doesn't mean you have to use it continuously on your hike. You did want to get away from everything, after all.

Layer your clothing on your hiking days. It's the best way to keep warm, and when you get too warm you can just remove one layer.

Not essential but something you may want to consider is a good light-weight backpack where you can stow your essentials.

Walking sticks are also a good addition. They will give you stability on your hike and even exercise your arms. Try them out one day.

So, you've been on your fist hike and really liked it. You have learned a thing or two, about shoes and socks, about the merit of water bottles and layered clothing. Maybe you have a better idea of your energy level and fitness. And while you know you would be much better equipped than you were the first time, you still haven't gone for another hike. You want to go but there are so many other things to do, and anyway, it is so much more comfortable to just watch tv, sit on the patio having a barbeque, go to the park and people watch, ... [fill in the blank].

I know. I've been there. Actually, I still am there, every time I want to go on a hike, every weekend, really. I do enjoy getting the old pump going and breaking a little sweat but it often seems impossibly difficult to get going. So, if you enjoy the activity and it is not hard to do, doesn't require a lot of preparation etc. ... why is it so hard to just do it then?

I read once somewhere that the reluctance to exert any more energy than absolutely necessary comes from cave dwelling times when any surplus energy was needed in case of an emergency such as a saber-tooth tiger on collision course. That makes sense but this knowledge alone doesn't necessarily make it easier to get out and be active. So, what does?

The truth is, for some people it will always be a struggle to get going. It is all about how to manage this reluctance. One way of doing this is joining a regular hiking group. A hiking group gives the exertion of energy (hiking) another context. You do it because you want to see that nice girl again you chatted with the last time, or to exchange the hottest places to go to in town. And you've made a commitment once you sent off that email to say, yes, you will be there too. They would wait for you if you just don't show up. So you'll go.
A like-minded friend or a group of friends can do the same but it takes at least one person that reliably organizes the hikes.

If you prefer to go by yourself I suggest you pick a day and time in advance and then stick to it religiously. Once it becomes a habit it is a tad easier to get going but it does require some descipline, especially in the beginning. Reward yourself for doing it. And remind yourself of the benefits. You will be a healthy, slim and sexy person if you go regularly. Think of the fresh air and the pieceful surroundings. Get away from the stress life brings on. Just do it. Now.

Also helpful is setting a goal. For example, by the end of the season, I want to be able to do the Grouse Grind in less than an hour. Or pick a very scenic but taxing route to a peak with an extraordinary view that you would like to see. Maybe you have the dream to go hiking in Switzerland and climb a famous mountain like the Matterhorn. Or the Kilimanjaro in Tansania. Hold the image of this in front of your inner eye. Heck, get a poster of it and pin it on the wall. It should be something you are enthusiastic about. Something you would really enjoy when you achieve it.

Hopefully, one of these tips will give you the right jolt to get you going so you can enjoy your new, healthier and happier lifestyle.

Lynn Canyon Park is famous for its the suspension bridge. Flocks of people are always on and around it taking pictures of it and each other. Unlike the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Lynn Canyon's bridge is free and also a tad more exciting. There are several trails on either side of the bridge, so don't worry if you have problems with bridges or heights. To get to the park, you best aim for the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre where you can park your car.

There are several waterfalls and rapids in the park which provide picture opportunities. The Twin Falls are only a short walk from the suspension bridge and invite for a little rest or picnic. The trail meets with the famous Baden Powell trail which goes all the way across the North Shore mountain range from Deep Cove in the East of North Vancouver to the Cypress Mountain area in West Vancouver. The park has a system of signs which make it fairly easy to find your way around.

My suggestion for a good little hike is to turn left right after the suspension bridge and follow the trail along the creek. You will find a water pool where people often go swimming. My first hike this year brought me there in February on a sunny day and, believe it or not, there were people jumping into the water as if it was summer. I pulled my shoulders up and my scarf a little tighter but enjoyed the show. At this spot, you'll find a stairwell going up. If you are not fit, yet, you will probably find it endless... I did. But the view down into the valley is worth the sweat, and you can believe me when I say, I wasn't cold anymore after the climb! From there, you can walk further to the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. I walked around Rice Lake and then back the same way I came. The whole hike took me about 1½ hours.

The Lynn loop trail is already a little more taxing than the hike described in Lynn Canyon Park. Starting Point is the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve at the very end of Lilloet Road in North Vancouver. Several nice trails go off this spot and you can also bike very nicely here. From the parking lot follow the signs to the Lynn Headwaters trail. It leads you directly to the Lynn Loop trail. Of course, you can also walk around Rice Lake on your way which is what I did. It's just a very nice lake.

At the Lynn Headwaters Park entrance, about 1 km from where you started, you need to make a decision. Do you want to go up the Lynn Peak trail first and then walk back the fairly flat Cedar Mill trail along the creek, or do you prefer it the other way around. For me, that wasn't a hard decision. I turned right and went up the Lynn Peak trail. It is quite steep and very rocky. A few small creeks cross the trail. I hiked the trail in March and got my shoes wet a little so make sure you wear proper boots for this. The trail leads up the mountain through the woods and gets your heart pumping. Of course, I was inevitably passed by younger people walking along showing no obvious strain.

When you come to the sign that shows the way up to Lynn peak, just ignore it and keep walking if you want to stay on the Lynn Loop trail. After that point, there will be a few wooden bridges to pass and then you arrive at a fork. Straight goes further the Headwaters trail, left follows the Lynn Loop trail. I went down and walked with already a little shaky knees down the trail and many wooden steps until I reached the Cedar Mill Trail. I almost found this flat trail following the creek a little boring after the cross country feel of the forest trail but in the end, I was glad to see my car again. The trail took me 2 hours including the walk around Rice Lake.

The Deep Cove end of the Baden Powell trail is a great starting point. The hike is fairly easy and goes up to a nice rock plateau with a nice view over the bay. It really is beautiful.
The beginning goes a steep up, starting with a wooden staircase and continuing over rocks and roots. Don't let that deter you. It gets much easier after the first little bit. The whole trail is quite rocky with lots of roots though. You definitely want to wear proper shoes for that.
The Baden Powell trail does not go just up like the Lynn Peak trail. It winds up and down, and you may want to keep that in mind in deciding when to turn around. The trail goes further beyond the viewing plateau and it is up to you how far you want to go. Since this is not a loop trail, you will have to hike the same way back. Or, if you are in good shape already you can walk the Baden Powell trail all the way to the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. This would be a 12 km hike and is estimated to take about 5 hours. I have not done this yet but I think I will try it this summer. I just have to train a bit more for that.