Category: Free Inquiry (Page 1 of 2)

This free inquiry project has been very beneficial for my progress in hiking. My initial goal for this blog was for it to hold me accountable with keeping up with hiking throughout the busy semester. Wanting to stay consistent with blog posts was definitely an incentive to go out and hike more, but I had a few other major takeaways from this experience.

One benefit of this blog was that writing about hiking reminded me why I started hiking in the first place and proved how much I enjoy hiking. I had never taken the time to reflect on why I hike, I just did it. After recording my thoughts on my blog, my hikes have become more intentional. Hiking is an opportunity for me to get into nature, connect with friends and family, think more clearly, support my mental health, explore new places, and challenge myself physically. When I felt really busy with school and work but wanted to keep up with my hiking entries, it was always so worth it to go hike because I always feel so much better afterwards.

Another benefit of this blog was that I learned so many new ways to implement technology into hiking for both enjoyment and safety. I researched how technology supports safety in hiking which will be necessary knowledge if I start hiking alone. I also discovered multiple apps that can be used to track hiking stats, progress, and routes. I am very competitive and love to beat my personal records, so keeping track of my stats and reflecting on my progress is a really fun aspect of hiking for me. Apps are also a great way to connect and compare data with friends, families, or even strangers who share the same interests. Additionally, I took time to think about ways that I’m already using technology in my hikes by researching hikes/routes, as well as using my phone and my apple watch during my hikes.

One other key take away from this blog was that I took the time to make future goals. My last inquiry post was my hiking bucket list which includes hikes that I want to work towards and ideally complete one day. I had so much fun researching different incredible hikes around the world that cover different terrains and environments. It was also really cool to real people’s reviews and experiences hiking them. It definitely sparked an excitement for me to continue to hike often and experiment with more difficult hikes, so that I’m prepared for a new and challenging hike one day. I messaged my family group chat after making my hiking bucket list and asked if they are interested in hiking mount Kilimanjaro one day, and they all said yes, so fingers crossed that that plan will be executed!

Two of my favourite things in life is hiking/the outdoors and travelling. I love watching vlogs and looking at posts of people that have done some amazing hikes at different locations of the world. I have a couple hikes in mind that I’ve always wanted to do, but today I researched some more to add to my bucket list. When choosing these hikes, I have the location in the world, the terrain, the difficulty, and the views in mind. In no specific order, here are 3 hikes on my current bucket list:

1. The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail is located at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This is the first hike that I’ve been really keen on doing, mainly because I know a lot of people who have done it and I’ve heard really good reviews. Something that draws me to this hike is the fact that it is accessible because it is local, so I feel like I need to experience it. For the most part, the hike itself is not too difficult, but it is long and takes approximately a week to complete the entire thing. The challenge of this hike is the element of heights/ladders for me because I haven’t done a hike where that is a requirement yet. This hike also takes a lot of planning for food, clothing, shelter, water, and other important safety measures. This hike would definitely be a good one to do with family or a group.

2. Kilimanjaro Africa

This hike has always been a dream of mine. Back in 2018, I travelled to Botswana Africa to go on a safari. Africa had always been my dream travel destination and it was the most amazing and most unforgettable experience of my entire life. Since then, I’ve been so eager to go back but to experience other aspects of Africa. I would love to volunteer in schools and hike! I’ve heard the most amazing things about hiking Kilimanjaro in Tanzania; it is the highest peak in all of Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the entire world. There is also a variety of terrains that are covered. Although it is recommended to train for this hike, reviews say that anyone with a moderate degree of physical fitness is capable and it is achievable for most people.

3. Tour Du Mont Blanc

This famous hike is the most popular long-distance walk in Europe, covering 170 km and taking between 6-14 days to finish. It goes through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Although I had heard about this hike, I discovered most of what I know through my research today. This trek sits on the Italian and French border and is Western Eurpoe’s highest mountain, it is considered a challenging hike. As this hike is a popular tourist attraction, there are many planned trip itineraries to deal with accommodations and organize an elaborate tour. I’ve gotten the opportunity to travel to Greece and Croatia, but I have never seen this side of Europe before, so it is definitely on my bucket list.

Today for my inquiry post, I researched “10 Essential Safety Tips for Every Hike,” and I found ways that technology can allow someone to implement these tips.

The first tip that stuck out to me was “Let Someone Know Where You’re Going”. This is one of the most important tips as it can save your life if you get lost or injured while hiking. Letting someone know where you are going can be as simple as a quick text or phone call. More specifically, the National Park Service recommends that your pre-trip plan includes a map with itinerary and route planned, expected return date and time, colour and license number of your parked vehicle, what colour clothes you are wearing, and a list of the people in your group if you are hiking with others. Technology can be used to record all of this information and conveniently send to one other person. If you are using an app like Strava, you can send the specific location and intended trail route prior to beginning your journey.

The next safety tip is related to mapping your planned route as it recommends you “Research Your Route In Advance.” Although aimlessly exploring and discovering new trails can be exciting, researching the trails and routes is much safer and has the potential to prevent dangerous encounters and terrain. Sometimes, a part of the trail will be closed due to flooding, avalanches, a fallen tree, or even frequent sightings of dangerous animals like cougars. While researching the route ahead of time, you will already be aware of these potential roadblocks. Additionally, mapping your route will give you a better idea of how long the hike will take to prepare an adequate amount of food, water, and the right hiking gear. This prior knowledge should also prevent you from getting lost as you’ll be more familiar with the routes and trail names.

The next tip is “Know What To Do In Bad Weather.” The first step of this would be to use technology to check the forecast. Watching the news and checking weather apps prior to hiking is a great way to prepare. However, weather can change fast and unexpectedly so it is essential to be prepared with extra gear in case a rainstorm begins.

Some other ways that technology can be easily utilized during hikes includes having an app that blows a horn or a whistle in the case you come in contact with a bear, having your phone charged or carrying a portable charger so that you can call someone or check your route whenever necessary, taking photos, and simply tracking your hike to look at data and stats. One instance where technology isn’t recommended is through headphone use. Wearing earbuds or headphones means eliminating a very important sense when hiking. Without hearing, your safety is compromised as you can’t hear other people, animals, thunder, or the sound of a branch/tree cracking. It is also a bonus to hear nature sounds instead of music while hiking.

Here is the source I used to find the “10 Essential Tips for Every Hike”:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/essential-safety-tips-for-every-hike-5176614

Over reading break, I went back to North Vancouver. It was my mom and I’s birthdays so we celebrated by going on a hike together. It was also super exciting because my puppy is old enough to go on longer hikes now, so we took him with us which was so fun because he was so happy and did great.

During this hike, we experimented with using the app “Strava” to record our hiking route and stats. This app allows you to track your hikes, access GPS, share photos, join challenges, see reviews of hikes, and follow friends. Technology like this is great because it allows people to be apart of a community of people that share the same interests. This app also is good for holding yourself accountable and staying motivated to go explore and challenge new hikes. I would definitely use this app again in future hikes or runs.

Here is the link to the app and more information about Strava and its features:

https://g.co/kgs/3MdYJP

One of the ways that I’ve incorporated technology into my hiking journey is by tracking my hikes on my apple watch. I wear my apple watch everyday to meet goals, track steps, and record my workouts. Usually, I just glance at the data and don’t analyze my stats each day. However, when I go hiking, I love to analyze and reflect on the workout summary. Right before I start my hike, I select the hiking option on my watch so that I can get the most information possible. As my hike progresses, I get a notification when I reach a new mile or achieve a specific goal. This is great because it keeps me motivated, especially on a long and tougher hike. The hiking setting on my watch tracks the hiking route, the workout time, the distance, the elevation, a progression and average of my heart rate, the miles/mile times, my average pace, the amount of steps, and the calories burned.

I don’t set specific goals or expectations for myself in terms of stats because I just like to enjoy myself when I hike, but I’m often pleasantly surprised by my output and achievements when I look back. It is really interesting to see how my pace and heart rate fluctuate throughout the duration of the hike. One of my favourite things to do is to compare my stats if I do the same hike multiple times. Although factors such as who you hike with, the weather, how busy it is and how tired you are will impact your success, more often than not, my stats improve when I repeat a hike. This encourages me to challenge myself and makes me excited to hike more. I often look back on my previous hikes if I’m trying to decide which hike to do on a specific day because I can look at the difficulty and the length of each hike based on my stats. This is more accurate than googling this information as the time and difficulty will vary for each person.

My apple watch is a really efficient and effective way to implement technology into my hikes. As I already wear my watch daily, it is super convenient and doesn’t take away from the experience. I can also use my watch to call/text or look at my location which is a good safety measure when I’m exploring new trails. Although this is an obvious feature, it is helpful to access the time so easily for various reasons.

Below I have attached screenshots of a few of my hikes/walks that I found in my apple watch history.

This morning after class, Sarah and I walked through Mount Tolmie. The combination of our 8:30 class and the rainy, dark morning had us feeling very tired and unmotivated. However, we decided it would be nice to get some fresh air and go on an adventure before starting our homework. Neither of us had been to Mount Tolmie before, so we thought it would be the perfect place to explore. This trail was so peaceful and beautiful. It reminded me of a fairy tale because the path was in perfect condition and the trees looked fake. We originally thought that the walk wouldn’t be as nice today because it was so foggy, but it actually added so much to the atmosphere and the overall experience. The fog made it feel very calm and allowed us to focus on the trees and plants, rather than the view of Victoria that we would’ve seen if it was clear. Although this was more of a stroll than a hike, it was a good reminder for me that the difficulty of the hike doesn’t determine if it was a beneficial and enjoyable experience or not. Getting outside and exploring somewhere new boosted my mood and allowed me to feel more focused and motivated afterwards. As I also felt very tired this morning, there was no need to burn myself out by doing a difficult hike.

To document our hike today, I took a series of short videos. I then experimented with the app “iMovie” to combine all of my videos together into one. While using the app, I found a feature that allowed me to add sound effects to the background of my video. The sound effects I chose were rain sounds, footsteps, and crickets. I thought that those sounds would be the best way to describe and represent the mood of our walk today.

Every year over the Thanksgiving long weekend, my family has a tradition of going on a hike together. This hike is always so exciting because the leaves have all fallen and we are surrounded by the beautiful fall colours. The weather was also sunny and warm today, which made for a really nice hike. I’ve felt very busy with school and work recently, so I haven’t spent enough time in nature to notice the change in the season. Getting outside today definitely boosted my mood and put me in a fall and festive mood. I hadn’t seen my family for over a month, so there was so much to catch up on with my family. My dogs were also full of energy and excitement since having everyone home for the long weekend; hiking is also there favourite activity so I love to share that with them. I added a photo of 2 of my dogs below; I wasn’t able to get my puppy in it because he is full of energy and can’t sit still for a picture. I’m hoping to get one more hike in while being back home in North Vancouver because it is one of my favourite things about living here.

This past summer, I hiked the Chief in Squamish for my first time. My friend that I hiked with is a very advanced hiker, so the pace we were hiking at was definitely a challenge, but I really enjoyed it. It was in July, so the heat also made the journey more difficult and tiring, but the summer weather made the view so clear and beautiful. When hiking the Chief, there are three separate peaks that you can go to. I was under the impression that we were only going one, or maybe two peaks. It turns out that my friend wanted to go to all three…this sounded really intimidating and I was unprepared as far as snacks and water went. However, I’m so glad we did it because the view at the top of each peak got better and better. The water was a beautiful light blue colour and the contrast of the dark blue mountains made it the perfect picture. The photo I inserted below was at the second peak. I couldn’t find a photo of the third peak, but somehow it was even better! I definitely would recommend this hike to anyone looking for a fun and challenging yet rewarding adventure.

The first hike I did in Victoria was Mount Finlayson. I really enjoyed this hike and it was a good challenge. Certain points of this hike had some difficult terrain to climb up at high heights, which pushed me out of my comfort zone. Rather than having a trail the entire way up, there was a portion of the hike that was essentially rock-climbing. However, getting to the top made the trek so worth it. Especially on a day as beautiful as this one, the view was amazing. I had never seen Victoria from this height before, so I was really excited to observe my surroundings. As my hikes in Vancouver get quite repetitive, the aspect of not knowing what was around each corner or above each hill kept me engaged and excited. I completed this hike with a group of my friends, so it was also a great way to socialize and bond with friends. The only down side of this hike was that my dogs aren’t here in Victoria because they make hikes much more fun. Next time my family comes to visit, I’m looking forward to taking them on this hike, hopefully with my dogs as well. This hike motivated me to explore more new trails in Victoria, so I can’t wait for the next one!

Hiking has always been a part of my life. My family has three dogs, so hiking and simple trail walks have been an essential part of my families routine since I was little. When I was younger, I was often bored on hikes or I would complain about the difficulty. Once quarantine hit in 2020, I was very grateful for anytime I spent in nature, rather than being stuck at home. The most exciting part of my day became going on hikes or walks with my family. This became a passion of mine; a lot of my friends shared the same love for hiking, which gave me so many opportunities to hike. Most of the hikes I’ve done have been close to my house in North Vancouver. Since I live so close to some beautiful mountains, hiking is very convenient. However, I’ve done all of those hikes many times now. After coming to Victoria for school, I’ve been hesitant to hike because I’m not familiar with the area or common hiking trails. This was a factor that prevented me from hiking as much as I would’ve liked to last year. Another factor that decreased the amount of time I spent in nature is not having my dogs here. Even on the days that I didn’t have the desire to hike/walk, having the obligation to take my dogs out held me accountable. This year, I’m determined to explore more of Victoria through hiking. Without having my family, dogs, or familiar trails here, I think a great way to do this will be to hike with friends that share the same interests as me. I enjoy the social aspect of hiking with other people, so this is an activity I can see myself incorporating into my life more frequently. I hope that this blog will hold me accountable to staying consistent with hiking in new locations. I’m also eager to discover new ways to incorporate technology into my adventures!