Yep, that’s right. I will do my best to help you win.

Here’s the deal. The famous non-profit National Outdoor Leadership School is hosting a contest in partnership with the apparel and gear brand Patagonia. They are offering 6 prizes, with [...]]]>

NOLS Students Enjoying the Beautiful Wind River Range, Wyoming

Yep, that’s right. I will do my best to help you win.

Here’s the deal. The famous non-profit National Outdoor Leadership School is hosting a contest in partnership with the apparel and gear brand Patagonia. They are offering 6 prizes, with the Grand Prize being a 30 day all expenses paid trip to the gorgeous Wind River Mountains in Wyoming as a student in their classic NOLS Wind River Wilderness Course. This is a $4,000 trip!!

My friend over at NOLS let me know that they’ve only received a handful of entries so far (5 to be exact)! And 3 of them are from NOLS staff, who aren’t allowed to win anyway. So the 2 people who have submitted videos are automatically going to win one of the 5 tremendous prizes below if no one else enters. The contest ends 10/31/10, but the sooner you get your video submitted, people will have a chance to view it and vote.

Hiking Lady readers can do better! The way to win is to submit a very short video about “What is your dream expedition?” Pretty easy! And it doesn’t even have to be fancy, cause their are several categories of winners: most viewed, most creative, most inspirational, most low-tech, and funniest!

I WANT A HIKING LADY READER TO WIN! Why? Because this trip would be a fantastic experience for anyone who wants to hike in one of the most picturesque landscapes in America. And the runner up prizes are very impressive too.

How to participate:

• Film a short video of yourself. If you don’t have a video camera, remember that most digital cameras have a video mode. Your smartphone may be able to record the video… even iPods now have video recording features! So lack of video equipment is NO excuse.
• Create a YouTube account. Believe me it is quick and easy. I’ve done it (check out TheHikingLady on YouTube)


NOLS Students Learning Essential Skills

• As an extra incentive, for the first 2 Hiking Lady readers that submit a video for the NOLS contest, I will send you a copy of the bestselling NOLS paperback, “Bear Essentials: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country”
• Submit your video here.
• And as soon as you’ve posted your video, post a link to it in the comments section below. That way I will be able to send the first 2 Hiking Lady readers who enter copies of the Bear Essentials book, and Hiking Lady readers who are too chicken to film themselves will vote for you and help you win!

So dear friends, good luck!

And if I haven’t convinced you, check out this page for runner up prize details, all of the details, rules, regulations, red tape, fine print, etc. Bottom line – NOLS is giving out a great trip but no one seems to know about it!

Not only was the all womens rope team a unique aspect of this trip, [...]]]> It sure seems like some people are just able to accomplish it all! Today my Facebook friend Nina G. pointed out this inspiring story in The News Tribune about a group of seven women who climbed Mt. Rainier in early July.

Not only was the all womens rope team a unique aspect of this trip, but also each of the women in the group have had very successful careers. The group of women was organized by the CEO of outdoor retailer REI, Sally Jenkins. Joining her was a former astronaut, the leader of a health care foundation, 2 doctors, a scientist and a writer!

Leaving behind their urban lives, they joined together on an all-womens rope team, and 5 of 7 made the summit of Rainier! Congratulations to them! Check out the article here.

I read an excellent article this morning in the newspaper called the Gilroy Dispatch about the “Hidden Treasure” of the Eastern Sierra Nevadas.

From Southern California, it is a picturesque drive up north on highway 395 [...]]]> Want to know where I spend a lot of my time hiking and backpacking? The California Sierra Nevadas!

I read an excellent article this morning in the newspaper called the Gilroy Dispatch about the “Hidden Treasure” of the Eastern Sierra Nevadas.

From Southern California, it is a picturesque drive up north on highway 395 to the backside of the Sierra Nevadas, passing through the quaint towns of Lone Pine and Bishop. There are many excellent spots, including my favorites of the Mt. Whitney Portal, Big Pine Lakes, and Bishop Lakes. Mammoth Lakes are also nice, especially for downhill and cross country skiing in the winter.

Enjoy the article, and share your thoughts in the Comments below on your favorite spots in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas!

Happy Trails!

PrAna is [...]]]> A long weekend of relaxing and fun in the most beautiful part of California? Talk about my kind of weekend! Wanderlust 2010 is an extremely unique yoga retreat and music festival that will be hosted in Squaw Valley in North Lake Tahoe July 29 to August 1.

PrAna is partnering up with Wanderlust 2010, and organizing lots of special events at the festival. Those Hiking Lady readers that practice yoga or are avid rock climbers are likely very familiar with the apparel company prAna! (I have a pair of prAna pants and a pair of capris and love them! Ok, no more digressing. But I really do love their apparel!)

The best part is that prAna has set up a contest to win a trip for 2 to the festival!

Here’s the website to check out for a chance to win the trip to Wanderlust 2010 and to find out more info about the event!

Good luck! Namaste!

Looking for a way to challenge yourself and raise money for a good cause? An organization called Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up encourages people to create their own charity challenges and raise money for African children with AIDS.

There are hiking events, rock climbing events, biking challenges, mountaineering expeditions, and more! And [...]]]>

Looking for a way to challenge yourself and raise money for a good cause? An organization called Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up encourages people to create their own charity challenges and raise money for African children with AIDS.

There are hiking events, rock climbing events, biking challenges, mountaineering expeditions, and more! And you can even plan your own event. They already have a series of events being held in rock climbing gyms across the country and there is an expedition of Nike employees climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in September!

Happy trails!

Hindu Teaching

There is a wonderful blog called Summit Stones & Adventure Musings, with stories and inspiration from a writer and artist named DSD.

DSD has created numerous summit stones – hand painted treasures of inspiring outdoor landscapes on stones that have been [...]]]>

Summit Stone placed near an undisclosed peak in Southern California - will you find it?

There is a wonderful blog called Summit Stones & Adventure Musings, with stories and inspiration from a writer and artist named DSD.

DSD has created numerous summit stones – hand painted treasures of inspiring outdoor landscapes on stones that have been collected through the years.

Hiking Lady has joined along in the project to help spread some of these Summit Stones, and I’ll be carefully placing them in summit register boxes on my many hiking adventures.

I hope that you have the opportunity to find one, and let it be an inspiration to you and other hikers. Along with the beautifully painted stones are small little books of motivational and enlightening quotes from many of the world’s greatest thinkers, climbers, hikers, and poets. Perhaps you will find one as you reach a mountain summit that I have climbed!

Patagonia is hosting a free adventure movie at their Santa Monica store – this is the first of a series of “First Monday” adventure films.

The movie this month is Journey of a Red Fridge, the story of a 17-year old boy who lives in a small Himalayan village in [...]]]> For the local Southern Californians…

Patagonia is hosting a free adventure movie at their Santa Monica store – this is the first of a series of “First Monday” adventure films.

The movie this month is Journey of a Red Fridge, the story of a 17-year old boy who lives in a small Himalayan village in Nepal.

Hiking and mountaineering adventurers are sure to like this film because he works as a porter in the gorgeous Himalayan mountains.

I believe the movie has a message about child labor, but since I haven’t seen it yet I’ll have to wait until June 7th to check it out!

Date: Monday, June 7th
Time: 7:30 PM
Cost: Free!!!
Location: Patagonia Santa Monica store

When I picked up the LA Times earlier in the month, I was pleasantly surprised to see a picture of my favorite mountain on the cover of the Travel section – Mt. Whitney. The article that followed brought a huge smile to my face, and is a must read for women hikers and backpackers.

Lynn [...]]]>

When I picked up the LA Times earlier in the month, I was pleasantly surprised to see a picture of my favorite mountain on the cover of the Travel section – Mt. Whitney. The article that followed brought a huge smile to my face, and is a must read for women hikers and backpackers.

Lynn Lively, age 65, and 2 other friends, aged 65 and 70, decided to celebrate their birthdays by summitting the highest peak in the continental 48 states – Mt. Whitney! Lynn paints a beautiful picture with her words, discussing the detailed planning, triumphs, and setbacks on their journey.

Check it out for some inspiration so you can start planning your summer hikes and backpacking adventures!