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Recreational Services: Resources Page
Want to find some good hiking and camping spots around Portland? Wondering what to eat before you work out? Want to learn how to fix your bike? Then this is the page for you! Just follow the links to learn more about outdoor opportunities in and around Portland, personal hygiene, nutrition, and more. We hope you find these resources helpful!
Biking, Road & Mountain
Bike rides, tips and maintenance
Good places to run in NoPo
Running Routes
Do you know how long the track is in the Chiles Center? The track is 240 meters. One mile is 6 2/3 laps.
Workout Tips
Eating disorders and compulsive exercise
Hiking & Camping
Oregon.com has useful hiking and camping information
Winter Sports
Biking, Road & Mountain
Bike rides, tips and maintenance
Good places to run in NoPo
Running Routes
Do you know how long the track is in the Chiles Center? The track is 240 meters. One mile is 6 2/3 laps.
Workout Tips
What to eat before and after a workout
Sharon Howard, R.D., M.S., C.D.E. FADA
Does your aerobics class interfere with your dinner schedule? What should you feed your son and hour before the soccer match? Does it matter what you eat after the 30-mile bike ride?
Timing is important!
Scheduling exercise into a busy lifestyle is one challenge, and planning meals and snacks around the exercise is a second one. Eating too much food, or the wrong food before exercise can impair your performance or cause indigestion, sluggishness, nausea, and vomiting. On the other hand, if you haven't eaten in six hours and try to work out, you may feel weak and unmotivated. Timing is important --a big breakfast may be troublesome if you are going for a morning run, but it is fine for a jog before lunch.
Your goal is to have fueled your body with nutritious food that is no longer present in your stomach when you work out. The pre-exercise food prevents hunger during exercise. Carbohydrates are easily digested, but foods high in protein and fat will linger in the stomach for some time, depending how much you ate. Large meals take longer to empty from the stomach, about four to six hours.
Snacks, depending on their content, take about 1/2-1 hour to leave your stomach.. Eating a high carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising can leave you ample energy and a calm stomach for a great workout. Many athletes avoid food within two hours of a very hard workout, but can tolerate a lighter snack within one to two hours of a light workout..
Pre-Exercise eating tips
Experiment with your eating schedule to see what works best for you. Keep these tips in mind:
· A high carbohydrate, low fat snack is easily digested and normalizes blood sugar
· Avoid fatty meals or snacks, because they delay stomach emptying
· Meal should be moderate in protein, just enough to satisfy hunger
· Drink lots of fluids. Your snack can be a liquid meal such as a fruit shake (See recipe)
· A light workout can be preceded with a light snack, but leave more lead time for intense workouts
Ten snack ideas before a workout
The snack should contain 40 to 100 grams of carbohydrates, and low in fat. Too much fiber may stimulate the digestive system at an inappropriate time.
· Milk and 12 crackers, 2 tbsp. peanut butter (54 grams carb)
· Banana and yogurt (56 grams)
· Bagel with jelly and juice (83 grams)
· Cereal (1 oz.) and milk (34 grams)
· Juice and pretzels (50 grams)
· Sports drink, 16 oz (30 grams)
· Sports bar and water (20-50 grams)
· Fresh fruits such as oranges or bananas (15-25 grams per)
· Low-fat vegetable soup, chicken noodle or tomato and crackers (40-50 grams)
· Blueberry muffin or fig bars and milk (45 grams)
What about sugar before exercise?
Some athletes can consume sugared soft drinks just before exercising, but they are taking a risk of causing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. About ten minutes after starting out, a sugar low will hit with lightheadedness and fatigue. The rush of sugar causes a rush of insulin, and with the muscles using glycogen so quickly, low blood sugar results. This is not common, but you know if you have this problem.
Will eating a candy bar before exercise give the quickest energy?
No, but maybe a tummy ache. The fat in a candy bar may delay stomach emptying Most of the energy used during your workout is stored glycogen, which comes from what you've eaten for days before you exercise. Also, how you replenished fluids and fuel after your last workout is important now.
What about food during exercise?
During exercise, your body uses sugar without needing insulin, so a sip of sweetened drink during exercise is no problem, but water is best. Exercise that exceeds one hour may require carbohydrate intake, to delay fatigue. Before getting too tired, consuming 30 grams of carbohydrate every 30 minutes can provide an extra boost. However, if the drink is too high in sugar, the liquid will remain in the stomach longer and cause sloshing. Sports drinks are designed with a small amount of quickly absorbed carbohydrate and electrolytes to replenish sweat and blood sugar during exercise. For a short workout, less than 60 minutes, water is adequate.
Recovery eating
After exercise, athletes need carbohydrate and fluid to replace glycogen and water losses during the exercise. They will recover faster if they eat a high carbohydrate diet-from 250 to 550 grams of carbohydrates a day. The muscles store more glycogen immediately after exercise than they do later.
Eat or drink carbohydrates as soon as you can tolerate them. Plan to consume 1.5 grams CHO/gm body weight within the first hour post exercise. Juices work great because of the carbohydrate and fluid, and then add solid foods one to three hours later. Sports drinks have half the carbohydrates as juices, and so are more appropriate during exercise. What you eat after exercise is very critical to your performance the next day, since the body needs carbohydrates to restock your glycogen stores. Protein at the post-game meal (two hours later) is also important to repair and build the muscle tissue.
Here is an easy recipe for a pre-exercise snack from the popular book by Nancy Clark, sports nutritionist, called the Sports Nutrition Guidebook.
Fruit Smoothies
· 1/2 cup plain, low fat yogurt
· 1/2 cup fruit, fresh or canned
· 1 cup fruit juice
Place all ingredients in blender and whip until smooth. Add ice if desired. 250 calories, 50 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams protein, and 3 grams fat.
You can use bananas and strawberries, orange juice and pineapple, or use milk or soy milk for the yogurt. To increase protein content, add powder skim milk or soy protein powder.
Does your aerobics class interfere with your dinner schedule? What should you feed your son and hour before the soccer match? Does it matter what you eat after the 30-mile bike ride?
Timing is important!
Scheduling exercise into a busy lifestyle is one challenge, and planning meals and snacks around the exercise is a second one. Eating too much food, or the wrong food before exercise can impair your performance or cause indigestion, sluggishness, nausea, and vomiting. On the other hand, if you haven't eaten in six hours and try to work out, you may feel weak and unmotivated. Timing is important --a big breakfast may be troublesome if you are going for a morning run, but it is fine for a jog before lunch.
Your goal is to have fueled your body with nutritious food that is no longer present in your stomach when you work out. The pre-exercise food prevents hunger during exercise. Carbohydrates are easily digested, but foods high in protein and fat will linger in the stomach for some time, depending how much you ate. Large meals take longer to empty from the stomach, about four to six hours.
Snacks, depending on their content, take about 1/2-1 hour to leave your stomach.. Eating a high carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising can leave you ample energy and a calm stomach for a great workout. Many athletes avoid food within two hours of a very hard workout, but can tolerate a lighter snack within one to two hours of a light workout..
Pre-Exercise eating tips
Experiment with your eating schedule to see what works best for you. Keep these tips in mind:
· A high carbohydrate, low fat snack is easily digested and normalizes blood sugar
· Avoid fatty meals or snacks, because they delay stomach emptying
· Meal should be moderate in protein, just enough to satisfy hunger
· Drink lots of fluids. Your snack can be a liquid meal such as a fruit shake (See recipe)
· A light workout can be preceded with a light snack, but leave more lead time for intense workouts
Ten snack ideas before a workout
The snack should contain 40 to 100 grams of carbohydrates, and low in fat. Too much fiber may stimulate the digestive system at an inappropriate time.
· Milk and 12 crackers, 2 tbsp. peanut butter (54 grams carb)
· Banana and yogurt (56 grams)
· Bagel with jelly and juice (83 grams)
· Cereal (1 oz.) and milk (34 grams)
· Juice and pretzels (50 grams)
· Sports drink, 16 oz (30 grams)
· Sports bar and water (20-50 grams)
· Fresh fruits such as oranges or bananas (15-25 grams per)
· Low-fat vegetable soup, chicken noodle or tomato and crackers (40-50 grams)
· Blueberry muffin or fig bars and milk (45 grams)
What about sugar before exercise?
Some athletes can consume sugared soft drinks just before exercising, but they are taking a risk of causing hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. About ten minutes after starting out, a sugar low will hit with lightheadedness and fatigue. The rush of sugar causes a rush of insulin, and with the muscles using glycogen so quickly, low blood sugar results. This is not common, but you know if you have this problem.
Will eating a candy bar before exercise give the quickest energy?
No, but maybe a tummy ache. The fat in a candy bar may delay stomach emptying Most of the energy used during your workout is stored glycogen, which comes from what you've eaten for days before you exercise. Also, how you replenished fluids and fuel after your last workout is important now.
What about food during exercise?
During exercise, your body uses sugar without needing insulin, so a sip of sweetened drink during exercise is no problem, but water is best. Exercise that exceeds one hour may require carbohydrate intake, to delay fatigue. Before getting too tired, consuming 30 grams of carbohydrate every 30 minutes can provide an extra boost. However, if the drink is too high in sugar, the liquid will remain in the stomach longer and cause sloshing. Sports drinks are designed with a small amount of quickly absorbed carbohydrate and electrolytes to replenish sweat and blood sugar during exercise. For a short workout, less than 60 minutes, water is adequate.
Recovery eating
After exercise, athletes need carbohydrate and fluid to replace glycogen and water losses during the exercise. They will recover faster if they eat a high carbohydrate diet-from 250 to 550 grams of carbohydrates a day. The muscles store more glycogen immediately after exercise than they do later.
Eat or drink carbohydrates as soon as you can tolerate them. Plan to consume 1.5 grams CHO/gm body weight within the first hour post exercise. Juices work great because of the carbohydrate and fluid, and then add solid foods one to three hours later. Sports drinks have half the carbohydrates as juices, and so are more appropriate during exercise. What you eat after exercise is very critical to your performance the next day, since the body needs carbohydrates to restock your glycogen stores. Protein at the post-game meal (two hours later) is also important to repair and build the muscle tissue.
Here is an easy recipe for a pre-exercise snack from the popular book by Nancy Clark, sports nutritionist, called the Sports Nutrition Guidebook.
Fruit Smoothies
· 1/2 cup plain, low fat yogurt
· 1/2 cup fruit, fresh or canned
· 1 cup fruit juice
Place all ingredients in blender and whip until smooth. Add ice if desired. 250 calories, 50 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams protein, and 3 grams fat.
You can use bananas and strawberries, orange juice and pineapple, or use milk or soy milk for the yogurt. To increase protein content, add powder skim milk or soy protein powder.
Choosing the right workout clothing
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Never mind fancy labels or the latest fashions: The best workout clothes are designed to make working out as comfortable as possible.
After a hard workout, you'll feel exhausted, tired, sore, fantastic — and will probably be covered in sweat. Believe it or not, the clothes you wear for a workout can make a difference in how you feel after exercise. Several factors can affect how comfortable your workout clothes are, including the fabric they're made of and whether they're right for the type of exercise you will be doing.
Workout Clothes: Pick “Workhorse” Fabrics
Some fabrics are designed to pull sweat away from your skin during exercise and others absorb it. When it comes to workout clothes, some choices are better than others.
· Think wicking. There are many breathable synthetic fabrics that “wick” the sweat away from your skin, which can help it to evaporate quickly and keep your body cool. Clothing made out of fabrics containing polypropylene or fabrics such as COOLMAX® and SUPPLEX® are a good choice for exercise and other activities in which you are likely to sweat a lot, as they allow the sweat to be evaporated from the skin but do not soak clothing and leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.
· Consider cotton. Cotton shirts and pants, on the other hand, absorb the sweat, and they don't pull it away from the skin or help it to evaporate quickly. That’s why cotton workout clothes can feel heavy and wet as you exercise.
· Avoid fabrics that don’t breathe. Never wear clothing made out of rubber-based or plastic-based materials, which keep sweat from evaporating and keep your body temperature too high during a workout
Workout Clothes: Get the Right Fit
To make sure that your workout clothes fit your body and the workout that you have planned, consider these tips:
· You should wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. But if you are running or biking, avoid wide-leg or loose pants that could get tangled up in the pedals or your feet.
· For activities such as yoga or pilates, stretchy, fitted fabrics that wick away sweat are a good choice.
· In general, keep in mind that you don't want any clothing that gets in the way of the activity.
Workout Clothes: Change With the Seasons
If you exercise outdoors or play seasonal sports, what you wear may have to change with the seasons. Keep these tips in mind when dressing for outdoor exercise:
· Hot weather. During warm summer months, be sure to choose fabrics that allow your skin to breathe and wick sweat away. Dress in clothes that are cool and comfortable, and allow you to move freely.
· Cold weather. When it's very cold outside, you'll need to dress warmly, but keep in mind that you'll be exercising and boosting your heart rate and your body temperature. Dress in layers that you can remove, and always dress for weather that's warmer than what the thermometer outside says. Keep sweat-wicking clothing on your inner layer, and put an insulating layer on top of that. Always cover your head, ears, and hands to protect them from the cold.
· Wet or windy weather. Nothing can ruin an outdoor workout faster than getting soaked in the rain or caught in a strong wind. Wear an outer layer that protects your skin from the elements.
Just remember that no matter what the temperature, you're still likely to work up a sweat during a workout. Keep yourself as comfortable as possible with clothing designed for heavy exercise that wicks sweat away from the skin. And keep the weather in mind if you're exercising outdoors, and dress appropriately.
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Never mind fancy labels or the latest fashions: The best workout clothes are designed to make working out as comfortable as possible.
After a hard workout, you'll feel exhausted, tired, sore, fantastic — and will probably be covered in sweat. Believe it or not, the clothes you wear for a workout can make a difference in how you feel after exercise. Several factors can affect how comfortable your workout clothes are, including the fabric they're made of and whether they're right for the type of exercise you will be doing.
Workout Clothes: Pick “Workhorse” Fabrics
Some fabrics are designed to pull sweat away from your skin during exercise and others absorb it. When it comes to workout clothes, some choices are better than others.
· Think wicking. There are many breathable synthetic fabrics that “wick” the sweat away from your skin, which can help it to evaporate quickly and keep your body cool. Clothing made out of fabrics containing polypropylene or fabrics such as COOLMAX® and SUPPLEX® are a good choice for exercise and other activities in which you are likely to sweat a lot, as they allow the sweat to be evaporated from the skin but do not soak clothing and leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.
· Consider cotton. Cotton shirts and pants, on the other hand, absorb the sweat, and they don't pull it away from the skin or help it to evaporate quickly. That’s why cotton workout clothes can feel heavy and wet as you exercise.
· Avoid fabrics that don’t breathe. Never wear clothing made out of rubber-based or plastic-based materials, which keep sweat from evaporating and keep your body temperature too high during a workout
Workout Clothes: Get the Right Fit
To make sure that your workout clothes fit your body and the workout that you have planned, consider these tips:
· You should wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. But if you are running or biking, avoid wide-leg or loose pants that could get tangled up in the pedals or your feet.
· For activities such as yoga or pilates, stretchy, fitted fabrics that wick away sweat are a good choice.
· In general, keep in mind that you don't want any clothing that gets in the way of the activity.
Workout Clothes: Change With the Seasons
If you exercise outdoors or play seasonal sports, what you wear may have to change with the seasons. Keep these tips in mind when dressing for outdoor exercise:
· Hot weather. During warm summer months, be sure to choose fabrics that allow your skin to breathe and wick sweat away. Dress in clothes that are cool and comfortable, and allow you to move freely.
· Cold weather. When it's very cold outside, you'll need to dress warmly, but keep in mind that you'll be exercising and boosting your heart rate and your body temperature. Dress in layers that you can remove, and always dress for weather that's warmer than what the thermometer outside says. Keep sweat-wicking clothing on your inner layer, and put an insulating layer on top of that. Always cover your head, ears, and hands to protect them from the cold.
· Wet or windy weather. Nothing can ruin an outdoor workout faster than getting soaked in the rain or caught in a strong wind. Wear an outer layer that protects your skin from the elements.
Just remember that no matter what the temperature, you're still likely to work up a sweat during a workout. Keep yourself as comfortable as possible with clothing designed for heavy exercise that wicks sweat away from the skin. And keep the weather in mind if you're exercising outdoors, and dress appropriately.
Eating disorders and compulsive exercise
Recovering from an eating disorder
If you or someone you know is living with an eating disorder, there is no substitute for professional help. Eating disorders that go on for many months should be investigated by a qualified health professional. However, there are things people who suffer from eating disorders can do to help themselves.
Developing healthy relationships with food, exercise and your own body is an essential part of the recovery / prevention process of any pattern of disordered eating, so here are some basic self-help tips.
Eat regular meals
Eating three meals a day including breakfast, lunch and dinner is a good place to start. Some people prefer to eat five or six smaller meals each day, this is fine, but remember it is your overall calorie intake each day that is important (2500 kcal for men and 2000 kcal for women). Try to avoid skipping meals and do not wait until you are starving, as you are more likely to overeat at your next meal. Choose healthy snacks such as fruit, nuts, and yoghurt in between meals if you are hungry.
Eat meals with family or friends
A person who is anxious about eating will feel more comfortable doing so among other people they trust, such as family or friends. This may mean planning ahead to ensure meals are served at times when everyone can be present. Try to keep the topic of conversation positive throughout each meal, and avoid talking about food, particularly calories and fat content. Meal times are a good opportunity for a person with an eating disorder to learn to associate eating with a pleasant environment.
Eat healthy foods
The types of foods we eat are important. We all like to indulge in our favourite foods every once in a while, but we should also eat as wide a variety of healthy, nutritious foods as possible. General nutrition guidelines include:
* Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
* Choosing complex carbohydrates such as bread, rice and pasta (whole grain if possible) rather than processed sugars
* Eating protein in the form of lean meats, fish, poultry, legumes and nuts
* Drinking water regularly
Avoid weighing yourself and looking in the mirror
If you can bring yourself to, throw the scales away, or weigh yourself no more than once a week. What the scales say is not an indication of how good a person you are, and you do not need their approval. Continual weighing and scrutinising yourself in the mirror is not going to help you free yourself from your insecurities about your weight and body image. There are matters more worthy of your attention, such as family, friends and other things you have going on in your life.
Keep a food diary
Keep a diary of what you eat and when you eat it to help you focus on eating regularly. Also record any episodes of going without food for long periods of time, bingeing or purging and the thoughts and emotions you have about them. If you can learn to recognise the situations and feelings that lead you to engage in unhealthy eating behaviours it will help you to figure out ways of dealing with them. The things you find out about yourself may surprise you.
Take regular exercise
Studies have shown exercise to have a positive effect on low self-esteem and poor body image, which are widely cited as being contributory factors in the onset of eating disorders. Remember exercise is good for us, but too much can have a detrimental effect and place unnecessary stress on our bodies. People with anorexia often have a compulsion to exercise excessively and this needs to be addressed. A healthy amount is 30 minutes of physical activity on five days of the week.
Be patient
Unhealthy relationships with food do not develop overnight, and it can take many months and even years to regain full control over your eating habits. The road to recovery is a long one along which you must be prepared to take small steps, but you have every chance of making it. Remember, if you have acknowledged you have a problem and have resolved yourself to do doing something about it, you are already halfway there.
from: http://www.disordered-eating.co.uk/help-for-eating-disorders/self-help-tips.html
Developing healthy relationships with food, exercise and your own body is an essential part of the recovery / prevention process of any pattern of disordered eating, so here are some basic self-help tips.
Eat regular meals
Eating three meals a day including breakfast, lunch and dinner is a good place to start. Some people prefer to eat five or six smaller meals each day, this is fine, but remember it is your overall calorie intake each day that is important (2500 kcal for men and 2000 kcal for women). Try to avoid skipping meals and do not wait until you are starving, as you are more likely to overeat at your next meal. Choose healthy snacks such as fruit, nuts, and yoghurt in between meals if you are hungry.
Eat meals with family or friends
A person who is anxious about eating will feel more comfortable doing so among other people they trust, such as family or friends. This may mean planning ahead to ensure meals are served at times when everyone can be present. Try to keep the topic of conversation positive throughout each meal, and avoid talking about food, particularly calories and fat content. Meal times are a good opportunity for a person with an eating disorder to learn to associate eating with a pleasant environment.
Eat healthy foods
The types of foods we eat are important. We all like to indulge in our favourite foods every once in a while, but we should also eat as wide a variety of healthy, nutritious foods as possible. General nutrition guidelines include:
* Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
* Choosing complex carbohydrates such as bread, rice and pasta (whole grain if possible) rather than processed sugars
* Eating protein in the form of lean meats, fish, poultry, legumes and nuts
* Drinking water regularly
Avoid weighing yourself and looking in the mirror
If you can bring yourself to, throw the scales away, or weigh yourself no more than once a week. What the scales say is not an indication of how good a person you are, and you do not need their approval. Continual weighing and scrutinising yourself in the mirror is not going to help you free yourself from your insecurities about your weight and body image. There are matters more worthy of your attention, such as family, friends and other things you have going on in your life.
Keep a food diary
Keep a diary of what you eat and when you eat it to help you focus on eating regularly. Also record any episodes of going without food for long periods of time, bingeing or purging and the thoughts and emotions you have about them. If you can learn to recognise the situations and feelings that lead you to engage in unhealthy eating behaviours it will help you to figure out ways of dealing with them. The things you find out about yourself may surprise you.
Take regular exercise
Studies have shown exercise to have a positive effect on low self-esteem and poor body image, which are widely cited as being contributory factors in the onset of eating disorders. Remember exercise is good for us, but too much can have a detrimental effect and place unnecessary stress on our bodies. People with anorexia often have a compulsion to exercise excessively and this needs to be addressed. A healthy amount is 30 minutes of physical activity on five days of the week.
Be patient
Unhealthy relationships with food do not develop overnight, and it can take many months and even years to regain full control over your eating habits. The road to recovery is a long one along which you must be prepared to take small steps, but you have every chance of making it. Remember, if you have acknowledged you have a problem and have resolved yourself to do doing something about it, you are already halfway there.
from: http://www.disordered-eating.co.uk/help-for-eating-disorders/self-help-tips.html
Helping someone with an eating disorder
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious conditions that cause both physical and emotional damage. While people with eating disorders usually try to hide the problem, there are warning signs you can watch for. Early treatment makes recovery easier, so talk to your friend or family member if you’re worried. You can’t force a person somebody with an eating disorder to change their behaviors or beliefs, but you can make a difference by showing that you care, offering your support, and encouraging the person to seek professional help.
In This Article:
* Understanding eating disorders
* Types of eating disorders
* Warning signs of eating disorders
* Helping a person with an eating disorder
* Treatments for eating disorders
* Supporting a loved one’s recovery
* Related links
Understanding eating disorders
Eating disorders involve extreme disturbances in eating behaviors—following rigid diets, gorging on food in secret, throwing up after meals, obsessively counting calories. But eating disorders are more complicated than just unhealthy dietary habits. At their core, eating disorders involve distorted, self-critical attitudes about weight, food, and body image. It’s these negative thoughts and feelings that fuel the damaging behaviors.
People with eating disorders use food to deal with uncomfortable or painful emotions. Restricting food is used to feel in control. Overeating temporarily soothes sadness, anger, or loneliness. Purging is used to combat feelings of helplessness and self-loathing. Over time, people with eating disorders lose the ability to see themselves objectively and obsessions over food and weight come to dominate everything else in life.
Myths about Eating Disorders
Myth #1: You have to be underweight to have an eating disorder.
People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many individuals with eating disorders are of average weight or are overweight.
Myth #2: Only teenage girls and young women are affected by eating disorders.
While eating disorders are most common in young women in their teens and early twenties, they are found in men and women of all ages.
Myth #3: People with eating disorders are vain.
It’s not vanity that drives people with eating disorders to follow extreme diets and obsess over their bodies, but rather an attempt to deal with feelings of shame, anxiety, and powerlessness.
Myth #4: Eating disorders aren’t really that dangerous.
All eating disorders can lead to irreversible and even life-threatening health problems, such as heart disease, bone loss, stunted growth, infertility, and kidney damage.
Types of eating disorders
The most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.
* Anorexia – People with anorexia starve themselves out of an intense fear of becoming fat. Despite being underweight or even emaciated, they never believe they’re thin enough. In addition to restricting calories, people with anorexia may also control their weight with exercise, diet pills, or purging.
* Bulimia – Bulimia involves a destructive cycle of bingeing and purging. Following an episode of out-of-control binge eating, people with bulimia take drastic steps to purge themselves of the extra calories. In order to avoid weight gain they vomit, exercise, fast, or take laxatives.
from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eating_disorder_treatment.htm
Warning signs of eating disorders
Many people worry about their weight, what they eat, and how they look. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults, who face extra pressure to fit in and look attractive at a time when their bodies are changing.
In the early stages, it can be challenging to tell the difference between an eating disorder and normal self-consciousness, weight concerns, or dieting. As eating disorders progress, the red flags become easier to spot. But a person with an eating disorder will often go to great lengths to hide the problem, so it’s important to know the warning signs.
Restricting food or dieting
The most obvious warning signs of eating disorders involve restrictive eating behaviors. A friend or family member with an eating disorder may frequently skip meals or make excuses to avoid eating—he or she had a big meal earlier, isn’t hungry, or has an upset stomach. The person may also claim to be disgusted by foods that used to be favorites.
When your loved one does eat, he or she may take tiny servings, eat only specific low-calorie foods, or obsessively count calories, read food labels, and weigh portions. In an effort to curb appetite, your friend or family member may also take diet pills, prescription stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin, or even illegal drugs such as speed.
Bingeing
Some people with eating disorders eat normally around others, only to binge in secret—usually late at night or in a private spot where they won’t be discovered or disturbed. Warning signs of bingeing include piles of empty food packages and wrappers, cupboards and refrigerators that have been cleaned out, and hidden stashes of high-calorie foods such as desserts and junk food.
Purging
People with eating disorders often go to extreme measures to work off calories from a binge or even a normal snack or meal. They may purge by throwing up, fasting, exercising vigorously, or using diuretics and laxatives.
Common warning signs of purging include disappearing right after a meal or making frequent trips to the bathroom. If your friend or family member is vomiting, he or she may run the water to muffle the sound and use mouthwash, breath mints, or perfume to disguise the smell.
Distorted body image and altered appearance
A loved one’s appearance can also offer clues to an underlying problem. Significant weight loss, rapid weight gain, and constantly fluctuating weight are all possible warning signs. A person with an eating disorder may also wear baggy clothes or multiple layers in an attempt to hide dramatic weight loss.
Other warning signs include a distorted self-image or an obsessive preoccupation with weight. A relative complains about being fat despite a dramatically shrinking frame, for example, or a friend spends hours in front of the mirror, inspecting and criticizing her body.
Common eating disorder warning signs
* Preoccupation with body or weight
* Obsession with calories, food, or nutrition
* Constant dieting, even when thin
* Rapid, unexplained weight loss or weight gain
* Taking laxatives or diet pills
* Compulsive exercising
* Making excuses to get out of eating
* Avoiding social situations that involve food
* Going to the bathroom right after meals
* Eating alone, at night, or in secret
* Hoarding high-calorie food
Helping a loved one with an eating disorder
If you notice the warning signs of an eating disorder in a friend or family member, you may be hesitant to say anything out of fear that you’re mistaken, you’ll say the wrong thing, or you’ll alienate the person. But although it’s undeniably difficult to bring up such a delicate subject, don’t let these worries keep you from voicing valid concerns. Eating disorders will only get worse without treatment, and the physical and emotional damage can be severe.
Talking to a friend or family member about your concerns
When approaching a loved one about an eating disorder, it’s important to communicate your concerns in a loving and non-confrontational way. Pick a time when you can speak to the person in private, then explain why you’re concerned. Be careful to avoid critical or accusatory statements, as this will only bring out your friend’s or family member’s defenses. Instead, focus on the specific behaviors that worry you.
Tips for Talking about an Eating Disorder
* Communicate your concerns. Share your memories of specific times when you felt concerned about the person’s eating or exercise behaviors. Explain that you think these things may indicate that there could be a problem that needs professional attention.
* Avoid conflicts or a battle of the wills. If the person refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem, or any reason for you to be concerned, restate your feelings and the reasons for them and leave yourself open and available as a supportive listener.
* Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt on the person regarding their actions or attitudes. Do not use accusatory “you” statements like, “You just need to eat.” Or, “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, use “I” statements. For example: “I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch.” Or, “It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”
* Avoid giving simple solutions. For example, "If you'd just stop, then everything would be fine!"
Source: Adapted from National Eating Disorders Association
Don’t give up if the person shuts you out at first or reacts in anger or denial. The eating disorder is your loved one’s way of dealing with emotions that are too painful to face directly. It may take some time before your friend or family member is even willing to admit to having a problem. Lecturing, getting upset, or issuing ultimatums won’t help the situation. Instead, make it clear that you care about the person’s health and happiness and you’ll continue to be there for him or her.
Seeking professional help
Aside from offering support, the most important thing you can do for a person with an eating disorder is to encourage treatment. The longer an eating disorder remains undiagnosed and untreated, the harder it is on the body and the more difficult to overcome, so urge your loved one to see a doctor right away.
A doctor can assess your loved one’s symptoms, provide an accurate diagnosis, and screen for medical problems that might be involved. The doctor can also determine whether there are any co-existing conditions that require treatment, such as depression, substance abuse, or an anxiety disorder.
If your friend or family member is hesitant to see a doctor, ask him or her to get a physical just to put your worries to rest. It may help if you offer to make the appointment or go along on the first visit.
Finding an eating disorder specialist
For treatment advice or referrals, click here or call the National Eating Disorders Association’s 24-hour information and referral helpline at 1-800-931-2237.
Treatments for eating disorders
There are many treatment options for eating disorders. The right approach for each individual depends on his or her specific symptoms, issues, and strengths, as well as the severity of the disorder. To be most effective, treatment for an eating disorder must address both the physical and psychological aspects of the problem. The goal is to treat any medical or nutritional needs, promote a healthy relationship with food, and teach constructive ways to cope with life and its challenges.
Often, a combination of therapy, nutritional counseling, and group support works best. In some cases, residential treatment or hospitalization may be necessary.
* Psychotherapy – Individual and group therapy can help your loved one explore the issues underlying the eating disorder, improve self-esteem, and learn healthy ways of responding to stress and emotional pain. Family therapy is also effective for dealing with the impact the eating disorder has on the entire family unit.
* Nutritional counseling – Dieticians or nutritionists are often involved in the treatment of eating disorders. They can help your loved one design meal plans, set dietary goals, and achieve a healthy weight. Nutritional counseling may also involve education about basic nutrition and the health consequences of eating disorders.
* Support groups – Attending an eating disorder support group can help your loved one feel less alone and ashamed. Run by peers rather than professionals, support groups provide a safe environment to share experiences, advice, encouragement, and coping strategies.
* Residential treatment –- Residential or hospital-based care may be required when there are severe physical or behavioral problems, such as a resistance to treatment, medical issues that require a doctor’s supervision, or continuing weight loss.
Hospitalization for an eating disorder may be necessary if your loved one is:
* Dangerously malnourished
* Severely depressed or suicidal
* Suffering from medical complications
* Getting worse despite treatment
Supporting a loved one’s recovery
Recovering from an eating disorder takes time. There are no quick fixes or miracle cures, so it’s important to have patience and compassion. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on your loved one by setting unrealistic goals or demanding progress on your own timetable. Provide hope and encouragement, praise each small step forward, and stay positive through struggles and setbacks.
Do’s and Don'ts for Friends and Family Members
Source: Adapted from Mirasol Eating Disorder Recovery Centers
DO:
* Avoid power struggles over food
* Accept your limitations
* Accept the other person's right to an independent life
* Allow each household member to make his or her own food choices
* Hold the person responsible for behavior that affects others
DON’T:
* Eat or avoid foods solely to accommodate the eating-disordered person
* Make mealtimes a battleground
* Monitor someone else's behavior for them (even if you are invited to)
* Be the "food police"
* Try to play therapist
* Comment about someone's weight and looks
* Set a good example. Make sure you’re a positive role model for healthy living and self-acceptance. Avoid dieting or making negative statements about your own body or your eating habits.
* Learn about eating disorders. Educate yourself about eating disorders and their treatment. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to help your loved one, avoid pitfalls, and cope with challenges.
* Listen without lecturing. Show that you care by truly listening to your loved one’s feelings and concerns. Resist the urge to criticize or offer advice. Simply let your friend or family member know that he or she is heard.
* Take care of yourself. Don’t become so preoccupied with your loved one’s eating disorder that you neglect your own needs. Make sure you have your own support, so you can provide it in turn. Whether that support comes from a trusted friend, a support group, or your own therapy sessions, what matters is that you have an outlet to talk about your feelings and to emotionally recharge. It’s also important to schedule time into your day for distressing, relaxing, and doing things you enjoy.
Eating disorders are serious conditions that cause both physical and emotional damage. While people with eating disorders usually try to hide the problem, there are warning signs you can watch for. Early treatment makes recovery easier, so talk to your friend or family member if you’re worried. You can’t force a person somebody with an eating disorder to change their behaviors or beliefs, but you can make a difference by showing that you care, offering your support, and encouraging the person to seek professional help.
In This Article:
* Understanding eating disorders
* Types of eating disorders
* Warning signs of eating disorders
* Helping a person with an eating disorder
* Treatments for eating disorders
* Supporting a loved one’s recovery
* Related links
Understanding eating disorders
Eating disorders involve extreme disturbances in eating behaviors—following rigid diets, gorging on food in secret, throwing up after meals, obsessively counting calories. But eating disorders are more complicated than just unhealthy dietary habits. At their core, eating disorders involve distorted, self-critical attitudes about weight, food, and body image. It’s these negative thoughts and feelings that fuel the damaging behaviors.
People with eating disorders use food to deal with uncomfortable or painful emotions. Restricting food is used to feel in control. Overeating temporarily soothes sadness, anger, or loneliness. Purging is used to combat feelings of helplessness and self-loathing. Over time, people with eating disorders lose the ability to see themselves objectively and obsessions over food and weight come to dominate everything else in life.
Myths about Eating Disorders
Myth #1: You have to be underweight to have an eating disorder.
People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many individuals with eating disorders are of average weight or are overweight.
Myth #2: Only teenage girls and young women are affected by eating disorders.
While eating disorders are most common in young women in their teens and early twenties, they are found in men and women of all ages.
Myth #3: People with eating disorders are vain.
It’s not vanity that drives people with eating disorders to follow extreme diets and obsess over their bodies, but rather an attempt to deal with feelings of shame, anxiety, and powerlessness.
Myth #4: Eating disorders aren’t really that dangerous.
All eating disorders can lead to irreversible and even life-threatening health problems, such as heart disease, bone loss, stunted growth, infertility, and kidney damage.
Types of eating disorders
The most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.
* Anorexia – People with anorexia starve themselves out of an intense fear of becoming fat. Despite being underweight or even emaciated, they never believe they’re thin enough. In addition to restricting calories, people with anorexia may also control their weight with exercise, diet pills, or purging.
* Bulimia – Bulimia involves a destructive cycle of bingeing and purging. Following an episode of out-of-control binge eating, people with bulimia take drastic steps to purge themselves of the extra calories. In order to avoid weight gain they vomit, exercise, fast, or take laxatives.
from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eating_disorder_treatment.htm
Warning signs of eating disorders
Many people worry about their weight, what they eat, and how they look. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults, who face extra pressure to fit in and look attractive at a time when their bodies are changing.
In the early stages, it can be challenging to tell the difference between an eating disorder and normal self-consciousness, weight concerns, or dieting. As eating disorders progress, the red flags become easier to spot. But a person with an eating disorder will often go to great lengths to hide the problem, so it’s important to know the warning signs.
Restricting food or dieting
The most obvious warning signs of eating disorders involve restrictive eating behaviors. A friend or family member with an eating disorder may frequently skip meals or make excuses to avoid eating—he or she had a big meal earlier, isn’t hungry, or has an upset stomach. The person may also claim to be disgusted by foods that used to be favorites.
When your loved one does eat, he or she may take tiny servings, eat only specific low-calorie foods, or obsessively count calories, read food labels, and weigh portions. In an effort to curb appetite, your friend or family member may also take diet pills, prescription stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin, or even illegal drugs such as speed.
Bingeing
Some people with eating disorders eat normally around others, only to binge in secret—usually late at night or in a private spot where they won’t be discovered or disturbed. Warning signs of bingeing include piles of empty food packages and wrappers, cupboards and refrigerators that have been cleaned out, and hidden stashes of high-calorie foods such as desserts and junk food.
Purging
People with eating disorders often go to extreme measures to work off calories from a binge or even a normal snack or meal. They may purge by throwing up, fasting, exercising vigorously, or using diuretics and laxatives.
Common warning signs of purging include disappearing right after a meal or making frequent trips to the bathroom. If your friend or family member is vomiting, he or she may run the water to muffle the sound and use mouthwash, breath mints, or perfume to disguise the smell.
Distorted body image and altered appearance
A loved one’s appearance can also offer clues to an underlying problem. Significant weight loss, rapid weight gain, and constantly fluctuating weight are all possible warning signs. A person with an eating disorder may also wear baggy clothes or multiple layers in an attempt to hide dramatic weight loss.
Other warning signs include a distorted self-image or an obsessive preoccupation with weight. A relative complains about being fat despite a dramatically shrinking frame, for example, or a friend spends hours in front of the mirror, inspecting and criticizing her body.
Common eating disorder warning signs
* Preoccupation with body or weight
* Obsession with calories, food, or nutrition
* Constant dieting, even when thin
* Rapid, unexplained weight loss or weight gain
* Taking laxatives or diet pills
* Compulsive exercising
* Making excuses to get out of eating
* Avoiding social situations that involve food
* Going to the bathroom right after meals
* Eating alone, at night, or in secret
* Hoarding high-calorie food
Helping a loved one with an eating disorder
If you notice the warning signs of an eating disorder in a friend or family member, you may be hesitant to say anything out of fear that you’re mistaken, you’ll say the wrong thing, or you’ll alienate the person. But although it’s undeniably difficult to bring up such a delicate subject, don’t let these worries keep you from voicing valid concerns. Eating disorders will only get worse without treatment, and the physical and emotional damage can be severe.
Talking to a friend or family member about your concerns
When approaching a loved one about an eating disorder, it’s important to communicate your concerns in a loving and non-confrontational way. Pick a time when you can speak to the person in private, then explain why you’re concerned. Be careful to avoid critical or accusatory statements, as this will only bring out your friend’s or family member’s defenses. Instead, focus on the specific behaviors that worry you.
Tips for Talking about an Eating Disorder
* Communicate your concerns. Share your memories of specific times when you felt concerned about the person’s eating or exercise behaviors. Explain that you think these things may indicate that there could be a problem that needs professional attention.
* Avoid conflicts or a battle of the wills. If the person refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem, or any reason for you to be concerned, restate your feelings and the reasons for them and leave yourself open and available as a supportive listener.
* Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt on the person regarding their actions or attitudes. Do not use accusatory “you” statements like, “You just need to eat.” Or, “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, use “I” statements. For example: “I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch.” Or, “It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”
* Avoid giving simple solutions. For example, "If you'd just stop, then everything would be fine!"
Source: Adapted from National Eating Disorders Association
Don’t give up if the person shuts you out at first or reacts in anger or denial. The eating disorder is your loved one’s way of dealing with emotions that are too painful to face directly. It may take some time before your friend or family member is even willing to admit to having a problem. Lecturing, getting upset, or issuing ultimatums won’t help the situation. Instead, make it clear that you care about the person’s health and happiness and you’ll continue to be there for him or her.
Seeking professional help
Aside from offering support, the most important thing you can do for a person with an eating disorder is to encourage treatment. The longer an eating disorder remains undiagnosed and untreated, the harder it is on the body and the more difficult to overcome, so urge your loved one to see a doctor right away.
A doctor can assess your loved one’s symptoms, provide an accurate diagnosis, and screen for medical problems that might be involved. The doctor can also determine whether there are any co-existing conditions that require treatment, such as depression, substance abuse, or an anxiety disorder.
If your friend or family member is hesitant to see a doctor, ask him or her to get a physical just to put your worries to rest. It may help if you offer to make the appointment or go along on the first visit.
Finding an eating disorder specialist
For treatment advice or referrals, click here or call the National Eating Disorders Association’s 24-hour information and referral helpline at 1-800-931-2237.
Treatments for eating disorders
There are many treatment options for eating disorders. The right approach for each individual depends on his or her specific symptoms, issues, and strengths, as well as the severity of the disorder. To be most effective, treatment for an eating disorder must address both the physical and psychological aspects of the problem. The goal is to treat any medical or nutritional needs, promote a healthy relationship with food, and teach constructive ways to cope with life and its challenges.
Often, a combination of therapy, nutritional counseling, and group support works best. In some cases, residential treatment or hospitalization may be necessary.
* Psychotherapy – Individual and group therapy can help your loved one explore the issues underlying the eating disorder, improve self-esteem, and learn healthy ways of responding to stress and emotional pain. Family therapy is also effective for dealing with the impact the eating disorder has on the entire family unit.
* Nutritional counseling – Dieticians or nutritionists are often involved in the treatment of eating disorders. They can help your loved one design meal plans, set dietary goals, and achieve a healthy weight. Nutritional counseling may also involve education about basic nutrition and the health consequences of eating disorders.
* Support groups – Attending an eating disorder support group can help your loved one feel less alone and ashamed. Run by peers rather than professionals, support groups provide a safe environment to share experiences, advice, encouragement, and coping strategies.
* Residential treatment –- Residential or hospital-based care may be required when there are severe physical or behavioral problems, such as a resistance to treatment, medical issues that require a doctor’s supervision, or continuing weight loss.
Hospitalization for an eating disorder may be necessary if your loved one is:
* Dangerously malnourished
* Severely depressed or suicidal
* Suffering from medical complications
* Getting worse despite treatment
Supporting a loved one’s recovery
Recovering from an eating disorder takes time. There are no quick fixes or miracle cures, so it’s important to have patience and compassion. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on your loved one by setting unrealistic goals or demanding progress on your own timetable. Provide hope and encouragement, praise each small step forward, and stay positive through struggles and setbacks.
Do’s and Don'ts for Friends and Family Members
Source: Adapted from Mirasol Eating Disorder Recovery Centers
DO:
* Avoid power struggles over food
* Accept your limitations
* Accept the other person's right to an independent life
* Allow each household member to make his or her own food choices
* Hold the person responsible for behavior that affects others
DON’T:
* Eat or avoid foods solely to accommodate the eating-disordered person
* Make mealtimes a battleground
* Monitor someone else's behavior for them (even if you are invited to)
* Be the "food police"
* Try to play therapist
* Comment about someone's weight and looks
* Set a good example. Make sure you’re a positive role model for healthy living and self-acceptance. Avoid dieting or making negative statements about your own body or your eating habits.
* Learn about eating disorders. Educate yourself about eating disorders and their treatment. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to help your loved one, avoid pitfalls, and cope with challenges.
* Listen without lecturing. Show that you care by truly listening to your loved one’s feelings and concerns. Resist the urge to criticize or offer advice. Simply let your friend or family member know that he or she is heard.
* Take care of yourself. Don’t become so preoccupied with your loved one’s eating disorder that you neglect your own needs. Make sure you have your own support, so you can provide it in turn. Whether that support comes from a trusted friend, a support group, or your own therapy sessions, what matters is that you have an outlet to talk about your feelings and to emotionally recharge. It’s also important to schedule time into your day for distressing, relaxing, and doing things you enjoy.
Dangers of over exercise
By Paige Waehner, About.com
Though many of us worry about getting enough exercise, there is such a thing as too much exercise. Regular exercise is a good thing, but more is not always better and in some cases, compulsive exercise can be just as dangerous as eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Compulsive exercise is just another tool some people use to purge their body of calories, much like a bulimic who binges and purges. In fact, there's even a name for it: Exercise Bulimia.
Exercise Bulimia
Exercise bulimia is hard to diagnose since everyone talks about how great it is to exercise. If you do more, isn't that good? Not if you're taking it too far. If you use exercise to purge or compensate for eating binges (or just regular eating), you could be suffering from exercise bulimia. Of course, knowing how much exercise is too much is something you may end up learning the hard way, but if you pay attention to your body, there are warning signs that you've taken exercise to the max.
The Symptoms
Compulsive exercisers will often schedule their lives around exercise just as those with eating disorders schedule their lives around eating (or not eating). Other indications of compulsive exercise are:
* Missing work, parties or other appointments in order to workout
* Working out with an injury or while sick
* Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in
* Working out for hours at a time each day
* Not taking any rest or recovery days
Compulsive exercising has to do with control, much the same way people with eating disorders use food as a way to take control of their lives. But, it can turn into an endless workout if you're not careful since most folks never feel satisfied with their bodies or their fitness levels, no matter how much they exercise.
The Danger
Exercising too much can cause all kinds of problems including:
* Injuries such as stress fractures, strains and sprains
* Low body fat - this may sound good but, for women, it can cause some serious problems. Exercising too much can cause a woman's period to stop which can cause bone loss
* Fatigue
* Dehydration
* Osteoporosis
* Arthritis
* Reproductive problems
* Heart problems
Some of these symptoms also apply to overtraining but if you're obsessed with exercise and use it as a way to undo bad eating on a regular basis, it isn't something you can tackle alone. Many compulsive exercisers find they need therapy to help them deal with exercise bulimia.
Compulsive exercisers will often schedule their lives around exercise just as those with eating disorders schedule their lives around eating (or not eating). Other indications of compulsive exercise are:
* Missing work, parties or other appointments in order to workout
* Working out with an injury or while sick
* Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in
* Working out for hours at a time each day
* Not taking any rest or recovery days
Compulsive exercising has to do with control, much the same way people with eating disorders use food as a way to take control of their lives. But, it can turn into an endless workout if you're not careful since most folks never feel satisfied with their bodies or their fitness levels, no matter how much they exercise.
Though many of us worry about getting enough exercise, there is such a thing as too much exercise. Regular exercise is a good thing, but more is not always better and in some cases, compulsive exercise can be just as dangerous as eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Compulsive exercise is just another tool some people use to purge their body of calories, much like a bulimic who binges and purges. In fact, there's even a name for it: Exercise Bulimia.
Exercise Bulimia
Exercise bulimia is hard to diagnose since everyone talks about how great it is to exercise. If you do more, isn't that good? Not if you're taking it too far. If you use exercise to purge or compensate for eating binges (or just regular eating), you could be suffering from exercise bulimia. Of course, knowing how much exercise is too much is something you may end up learning the hard way, but if you pay attention to your body, there are warning signs that you've taken exercise to the max.
The Symptoms
Compulsive exercisers will often schedule their lives around exercise just as those with eating disorders schedule their lives around eating (or not eating). Other indications of compulsive exercise are:
* Missing work, parties or other appointments in order to workout
* Working out with an injury or while sick
* Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in
* Working out for hours at a time each day
* Not taking any rest or recovery days
Compulsive exercising has to do with control, much the same way people with eating disorders use food as a way to take control of their lives. But, it can turn into an endless workout if you're not careful since most folks never feel satisfied with their bodies or their fitness levels, no matter how much they exercise.
The Danger
Exercising too much can cause all kinds of problems including:
* Injuries such as stress fractures, strains and sprains
* Low body fat - this may sound good but, for women, it can cause some serious problems. Exercising too much can cause a woman's period to stop which can cause bone loss
* Fatigue
* Dehydration
* Osteoporosis
* Arthritis
* Reproductive problems
* Heart problems
Some of these symptoms also apply to overtraining but if you're obsessed with exercise and use it as a way to undo bad eating on a regular basis, it isn't something you can tackle alone. Many compulsive exercisers find they need therapy to help them deal with exercise bulimia.
Compulsive exercisers will often schedule their lives around exercise just as those with eating disorders schedule their lives around eating (or not eating). Other indications of compulsive exercise are:
* Missing work, parties or other appointments in order to workout
* Working out with an injury or while sick
* Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in
* Working out for hours at a time each day
* Not taking any rest or recovery days
Compulsive exercising has to do with control, much the same way people with eating disorders use food as a way to take control of their lives. But, it can turn into an endless workout if you're not careful since most folks never feel satisfied with their bodies or their fitness levels, no matter how much they exercise.
Hiking & Camping
Camping near Portland
Silver Falls State Park
(503) 873-8681
20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE
Sublimity, OR 97385
In Short – Silver Falls State Park has ten spectacular waterfalls that range in height from 177 feet (South Falls) to 27 feet (Drake Falls), spread along a 7.5-mile loop of paved and unpaved trails that follow the bottom of a basalt canyon. Hikes include the challenging Trail of Ten Falls, the longest hike in the park with views of every major waterfall, and the shorter Lower South Falls Loop, with two waterfalls in only 2.3 miles. The 2.9-mile North Falls Loop offers a look behind the cascading water of the 136-foot high North Falls.
Milo K Mc Iver State Park
(503) 630-7150
24101 S Entrance Rd
Estacada, OR 97023
Situated along the scenic Clackamas River, the park is 45 minutes from Portland and offers everything from kayaking to inner tubing. Hikers and equestrians love the riverside and surrounding trails, 20 miles southwest of Mt. Hood. Cascade Range views abound. Most campsites have electrical hook-ups. Some primitive and hiker-biker sites lack amenities but are more scenic. Disc golf rentals are available here; boating and horseback riding rentals are nearby.
Champoeg State Park
(503) 678-1251
8239 Champoeg Rd NE
St Paul, OR 97137
Champoeg features a unique combination of history, nature and recreation. Oregon formed its first provisional government here in 1843. Situated on the banks of the scenic Willamette River, Champoeg's acres of forest, fields, wetlands and historic edifices recreate a bygone era. Campsites, yurts and fully equipped cabins are all available. Hiking and biking trails along the river allow for glimpses of wildlife, and fishing and canoeing are popular pursuits here.
Nehalem Bay State Park
(503) 368-5154
9500 Sandpiper Ln
Nehalem, OR 97131
On a 4-mile sand spit that separates the Pacific Ocean and Nehalem Bay, the park is a beautiful, watery setting for virtually every kind of recreation--with strong ocean gusts that keep summer heat down. Crashing waves lull campers to sleep in the shadow of the Coastal Range. – – Facts – At the park, a few sites have complete water and power hookups, with a large portion having electric-only. There also yurts, a horse camp, a hiker-biker camp and a fly-in camp adjacent to the airstrip. Fire rings and firewood are available. Crabbing and fishing on Nehalem…
Deschutes State Park
(541) 739-2322
E Bank
Rufus, OR 97050
This diverse and full-featured recreation area is centered on the Deschutes River, a rugged course of water that spills out of the mountains and into the Columbia River just east of The Dalles. The park is just south of the Columbia, where the two meet. A variety of campsites and recreational facilities make this a destination park for individuals and groups. Rafting, horseback riding, hiking, rock-climbing and other activities area available. Campsites can accommodate many kinds of equipment.
(503) 873-8681
20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE
Sublimity, OR 97385
In Short – Silver Falls State Park has ten spectacular waterfalls that range in height from 177 feet (South Falls) to 27 feet (Drake Falls), spread along a 7.5-mile loop of paved and unpaved trails that follow the bottom of a basalt canyon. Hikes include the challenging Trail of Ten Falls, the longest hike in the park with views of every major waterfall, and the shorter Lower South Falls Loop, with two waterfalls in only 2.3 miles. The 2.9-mile North Falls Loop offers a look behind the cascading water of the 136-foot high North Falls.
Milo K Mc Iver State Park
(503) 630-7150
24101 S Entrance Rd
Estacada, OR 97023
Situated along the scenic Clackamas River, the park is 45 minutes from Portland and offers everything from kayaking to inner tubing. Hikers and equestrians love the riverside and surrounding trails, 20 miles southwest of Mt. Hood. Cascade Range views abound. Most campsites have electrical hook-ups. Some primitive and hiker-biker sites lack amenities but are more scenic. Disc golf rentals are available here; boating and horseback riding rentals are nearby.
Champoeg State Park
(503) 678-1251
8239 Champoeg Rd NE
St Paul, OR 97137
Champoeg features a unique combination of history, nature and recreation. Oregon formed its first provisional government here in 1843. Situated on the banks of the scenic Willamette River, Champoeg's acres of forest, fields, wetlands and historic edifices recreate a bygone era. Campsites, yurts and fully equipped cabins are all available. Hiking and biking trails along the river allow for glimpses of wildlife, and fishing and canoeing are popular pursuits here.
Nehalem Bay State Park
(503) 368-5154
9500 Sandpiper Ln
Nehalem, OR 97131
On a 4-mile sand spit that separates the Pacific Ocean and Nehalem Bay, the park is a beautiful, watery setting for virtually every kind of recreation--with strong ocean gusts that keep summer heat down. Crashing waves lull campers to sleep in the shadow of the Coastal Range. – – Facts – At the park, a few sites have complete water and power hookups, with a large portion having electric-only. There also yurts, a horse camp, a hiker-biker camp and a fly-in camp adjacent to the airstrip. Fire rings and firewood are available. Crabbing and fishing on Nehalem…
Deschutes State Park
(541) 739-2322
E Bank
Rufus, OR 97050
This diverse and full-featured recreation area is centered on the Deschutes River, a rugged course of water that spills out of the mountains and into the Columbia River just east of The Dalles. The park is just south of the Columbia, where the two meet. A variety of campsites and recreational facilities make this a destination park for individuals and groups. Rafting, horseback riding, hiking, rock-climbing and other activities area available. Campsites can accommodate many kinds of equipment.
Hikes near Portland
from Localhikes.com; http://www.localhikes.com/msa/msa_6442.asp
Powell Butte, end of SE 162nd Ave. near Powell
Highlights:
An in-city hike with great views, lots of trails - catch a sunset, see a deer
Near: Portland, OR (13.5 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Hike Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
HikeType: Loop
Summary: Powell Butte is one of those places that you stumble upon one day and you wonder why you didn't know about it before. There are miles of loops and interconnected trails around the top and sides of the butte. You can take a walk of any length you like by combining the trails. The most direct route to the top is a paved, easy walk for any casual hiker. Right at the top, on the North side of the butte, you'll find a compass of sorts - pointers to all the buttes, mountains and named hills in a 360 degree radius, with distances to each and their elevations. This is a great place to picnic (tables are provided), see a sunset, take some pictures, or just walk and think. Coming down from the top one day two deer jumped accross my path just in front of me. Enjoy the great outdoors just a few minutes from home, whether you're walking, biking or horseback riding. One thing I enjoy - seeing lights come on at dusk in dark area while the sun is still sinking in the west.
Trailhead: In Portland, head out on SE 162nd Avenue and follow it up the hil just accross Powell Blvdl. The trailhead is on your right about halfway up the hill. There is a parking lot and restrooms. Horse trailer parking is available as well. There is no fee. The park is open from 6 AM to 10PM. (Lat:45.49016 Lon:-122.49824)
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses,
Ranger Contact: Portland Parks and Recreation, 503-823-PLAY
Latourell Falls in the Columbia Gorge
Highlights:
This is an easy hike to two waterfalls on the old Columbia Gorge scenic highway
Near: Troutdale, OR (25.5 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 2.1 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 650 ft
Hike Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
HikeType: Loop
Summary: Latourell Falls is a wonderful introduction to the many waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge. It is a plunge falls with a height of 249 feet. You can access the main or lower falls from the parking lot in the Guy W. Talbot State Park; this falls on Latourell Creek is named after Joseph Latourell, a prominent Columbia River Gorge settler. It is on the Historic Highway, 3.4 miles west of Exit 28 off I-84. It's a short walk from the park's picnic area to the viewpoint. The upper Falls is also a plunge falls with a height ranging between 75-100 feet. You can get behind the falls if you choose to cool off on a hot summer day. In winter the ice forms thickly and makes for beautiful pictures. To get to falls, travel another 0.8 of a mile along the trail from Latourell Falls (above). Continue on the trail to finish the loop back at the parking lot.
Trailhead: You can get there from I-84. If you're coming from the west, you can exit at Troutdale (Exit 17), Lewis and Clark State Park (Exit 18), Corbett (Exit 22), Bridal Veil (Exit 28 or Dodson (Exit 35). If you're coming from the east, you can exit at Dodson [Exit 35], Bridal Veil [Exit 28] or Corbett (Exit 22].
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: USDA Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (541) 386-2333
Bridal Veil Falls, Columbia Gorge Scenic Hwy
Highlights:
A very short, easy hike with a nice two stage waterfall - a post-picnic walk
Near: Bridal Veil, OR (27 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 0.7 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 50 ft
Hike Time: 0.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: OK, but a few difficult spots
HikeType: Out and Back
Summary: If you're looking for a nice spot for a picnic very close to Portland, Bridal Veil Falls State Park will fit the bill. Just 12 or 13 miles from Troutdale, this park is easy to get to and offers a nice waterfall and a nice view of the Columbia River for those who may not be able to walk far. The view of the Columbia is on a small loop off the parking lot, and it's paved and less than a 1/2 mile. You'll come out on some cliffs in a fenced area just above the highway. To see the falls, take the trail on the east end of the parking area. It starts out paved, but that soon ends. It would be nice if it were paved all the way. There are a few rocky spots, but nothing that an elderly person couldn't manage with a helping hand. There is a nice big rock for the kids to climb on at the base of the falls, and a nice wooden viewpoint platform at the top of some well-built stairs. If you're a serious hiker this is a place you might take your elderly parents.
Trailhead: Several miles down I-84 from Portland heading eas, take the Bridal Veil exit. When you get to the historic Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, take a right and go approximately 1 mile. There is a park with parking, restrooms and picnic areas. The trail head is at the east end of the parking lot. (Lat:45.5535 Lon:-122.18248)
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, 503-668-1440
Larch Mountain Trail, Columbia River Gorge Oregon
Highlights:
14 Miles of lovely waterfalls, streams, and some goergous views
Near: Bridal Veil, OR (30.1 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 12.25 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 4321 ft
Hike Time: 7.5 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Trail Condition: OK, but a few difficult spots
HikeType: Out and Back
Summary: This is a great trail to take on a sunny afternoon. Not the traditional way to get to Larch Mountain, but a very good look at several falls along the way. Once you pass Multnomah Falls, you enter a lush green forest and meander along the river for 6.8 miles and gains over 4000ft. You will pass no less than 5 waterfalls on the way; some are small and shallow, while others are up to 40ft or more and plunge into deep green pools. The trail crosses the river several times. Keep an eye on your footing as you go, the thick canopy does not let in large amounts of light to dry the trail out very quickly after a rainstorm. Once you get to the top of the trail there is a large picnic area with tables that makes for a nice lunch break. Be sure to take the 1/4 mile trail up to Sherrad Point. From this vantage point one can see the following Cascade Mountains. Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the top of Mt. Jefferson. What an awesome view.
Trailhead: Take I-84 to the Multnomah Falls exit, park in the lot and walk under the freeway via the tunnel. The trail starts next to the lodge and takes you past beautiful Multnomah Falls on your way up. (Lat:45.567639 Lon:-122.11645)
Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer,
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: Hood River Ranger Station 6780 Highway 35 Mt. Hood - Parkdale, OR 97041
Powell Butte, end of SE 162nd Ave. near Powell
Highlights:
An in-city hike with great views, lots of trails - catch a sunset, see a deer
Near: Portland, OR (13.5 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Hike Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
HikeType: Loop
Summary: Powell Butte is one of those places that you stumble upon one day and you wonder why you didn't know about it before. There are miles of loops and interconnected trails around the top and sides of the butte. You can take a walk of any length you like by combining the trails. The most direct route to the top is a paved, easy walk for any casual hiker. Right at the top, on the North side of the butte, you'll find a compass of sorts - pointers to all the buttes, mountains and named hills in a 360 degree radius, with distances to each and their elevations. This is a great place to picnic (tables are provided), see a sunset, take some pictures, or just walk and think. Coming down from the top one day two deer jumped accross my path just in front of me. Enjoy the great outdoors just a few minutes from home, whether you're walking, biking or horseback riding. One thing I enjoy - seeing lights come on at dusk in dark area while the sun is still sinking in the west.
Trailhead: In Portland, head out on SE 162nd Avenue and follow it up the hil just accross Powell Blvdl. The trailhead is on your right about halfway up the hill. There is a parking lot and restrooms. Horse trailer parking is available as well. There is no fee. The park is open from 6 AM to 10PM. (Lat:45.49016 Lon:-122.49824)
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses,
Ranger Contact: Portland Parks and Recreation, 503-823-PLAY
Latourell Falls in the Columbia Gorge
Highlights:
This is an easy hike to two waterfalls on the old Columbia Gorge scenic highway
Near: Troutdale, OR (25.5 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 2.1 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 650 ft
Hike Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
HikeType: Loop
Summary: Latourell Falls is a wonderful introduction to the many waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge. It is a plunge falls with a height of 249 feet. You can access the main or lower falls from the parking lot in the Guy W. Talbot State Park; this falls on Latourell Creek is named after Joseph Latourell, a prominent Columbia River Gorge settler. It is on the Historic Highway, 3.4 miles west of Exit 28 off I-84. It's a short walk from the park's picnic area to the viewpoint. The upper Falls is also a plunge falls with a height ranging between 75-100 feet. You can get behind the falls if you choose to cool off on a hot summer day. In winter the ice forms thickly and makes for beautiful pictures. To get to falls, travel another 0.8 of a mile along the trail from Latourell Falls (above). Continue on the trail to finish the loop back at the parking lot.
Trailhead: You can get there from I-84. If you're coming from the west, you can exit at Troutdale (Exit 17), Lewis and Clark State Park (Exit 18), Corbett (Exit 22), Bridal Veil (Exit 28 or Dodson (Exit 35). If you're coming from the east, you can exit at Dodson [Exit 35], Bridal Veil [Exit 28] or Corbett (Exit 22].
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: USDA Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (541) 386-2333
Bridal Veil Falls, Columbia Gorge Scenic Hwy
Highlights:
A very short, easy hike with a nice two stage waterfall - a post-picnic walk
Near: Bridal Veil, OR (27 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 0.7 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 50 ft
Hike Time: 0.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: OK, but a few difficult spots
HikeType: Out and Back
Summary: If you're looking for a nice spot for a picnic very close to Portland, Bridal Veil Falls State Park will fit the bill. Just 12 or 13 miles from Troutdale, this park is easy to get to and offers a nice waterfall and a nice view of the Columbia River for those who may not be able to walk far. The view of the Columbia is on a small loop off the parking lot, and it's paved and less than a 1/2 mile. You'll come out on some cliffs in a fenced area just above the highway. To see the falls, take the trail on the east end of the parking area. It starts out paved, but that soon ends. It would be nice if it were paved all the way. There are a few rocky spots, but nothing that an elderly person couldn't manage with a helping hand. There is a nice big rock for the kids to climb on at the base of the falls, and a nice wooden viewpoint platform at the top of some well-built stairs. If you're a serious hiker this is a place you might take your elderly parents.
Trailhead: Several miles down I-84 from Portland heading eas, take the Bridal Veil exit. When you get to the historic Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, take a right and go approximately 1 mile. There is a park with parking, restrooms and picnic areas. The trail head is at the east end of the parking lot. (Lat:45.5535 Lon:-122.18248)
Best Seasons: Year-Round
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, 503-668-1440
Larch Mountain Trail, Columbia River Gorge Oregon
Highlights:
14 Miles of lovely waterfalls, streams, and some goergous views
Near: Bridal Veil, OR (30.1 miles away)
Scenery:
Distance: 12.25 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 4321 ft
Hike Time: 7.5 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Trail Condition: OK, but a few difficult spots
HikeType: Out and Back
Summary: This is a great trail to take on a sunny afternoon. Not the traditional way to get to Larch Mountain, but a very good look at several falls along the way. Once you pass Multnomah Falls, you enter a lush green forest and meander along the river for 6.8 miles and gains over 4000ft. You will pass no less than 5 waterfalls on the way; some are small and shallow, while others are up to 40ft or more and plunge into deep green pools. The trail crosses the river several times. Keep an eye on your footing as you go, the thick canopy does not let in large amounts of light to dry the trail out very quickly after a rainstorm. Once you get to the top of the trail there is a large picnic area with tables that makes for a nice lunch break. Be sure to take the 1/4 mile trail up to Sherrad Point. From this vantage point one can see the following Cascade Mountains. Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the top of Mt. Jefferson. What an awesome view.
Trailhead: Take I-84 to the Multnomah Falls exit, park in the lot and walk under the freeway via the tunnel. The trail starts next to the lodge and takes you past beautiful Multnomah Falls on your way up. (Lat:45.567639 Lon:-122.11645)
Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer,
User Groups: Hikers, Dogs,
Ranger Contact: Hood River Ranger Station 6780 Highway 35 Mt. Hood - Parkdale, OR 97041
Wilderness survival and rescue
The New Rules of Survival
The planet is smaller than ever, but that just means there's a host of new dangers out there—and a new set of solutions. These days, a text message or the right travel-insurance policy might just save your bacon. So study up—your life may depend on it.
By Lisa Lombardi Outside Magazine, November 2009
Salvation Comes at a Price Hefty bills: the scary new trend in rescues
On a warm morning this past August, Scott Mason set off on what was supposed to be a day hike on New Hampshire's Mount Washington. The 17-year-old Eagle Scout packed a bivy sack and some extra clothes and consulted Forest Service rangers about his route. But well into the hike, he sprained his ankle, opted for a shortcut back to the trailhead on a path that was covered in snow, wandered off track, and promptly got lost. He spent three nights out before a rescue team found him. It was all fairly typical, until Mason got a bill from the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game: $25,000, the largest such tab in state history. New Hampshire is one of eight states that charge for rescues, and in June legislators had eliminated a cap of $10,000 while also requiring only that a person had demonstrated "negligence." Mason's shortcut had apparently outweighed the fact that, once lost, he'd done everything right, from sleeping in a rock crevice to starting a fire by igniting hand sanitizer. According to Howard Paul, public-information officer at the National Association for Search and Rescue, such laws are increasingly popular, as is enforcement, which has historically been lax. Oregon, California, Hawaii, Maine, Colorado, Idaho, and Vermont also look to charge the rescued in certain situations, despite strong opposition from the SAR community. Charley Shimanski, president of the Mountain Rescue Association, argues that the fear of a bill means "people are less likely to call for help sooner—or at all." The likely results: delayed rescue, more serious injury, and a more complicated overall operation. Your best way to avoid an SAR tab? Don't do anything that might get you labeled as negligent—like straying from designated trails or packing inadequate supplies—since it's the key factor in most states. But if you do get into trouble, don't hesitate to call for help; most states have low maximum charges (Colorado's is $300). And if you get a bill, it's probably best to just pay it, as legal fees would likely be higher. The exception, of course, is New Hampshire, where, at press time, Mason was still fighting an uphill legal battle to reduce his payment. "Other states have a system for calculating the cost," says Jim Moss, a Colorado-based attorney who specializes in recreational law, "but in New Hampshire, the way they decide how much someone owes is extremely arbitrary."
The New Rules: Don’t Go Paperless
A shiny document (and a smile) can change minds.
By Kyle Dickman
In the fall of 2008, I joined a team of six whitewater kayakers on an expedition down the Lower Congo River. The National Geographic Society, which was filming and sponsoring the descent, gave each of us a copy of a three-paragraph letter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's minister of public information. Basically, it read, "We're here on official government business." I had zero faith in its value, but I packed it with my toothbrush. Eight days into the trip, two soldiers with AK-47's made us lie facedown on a beach while villagers rifled through our bags. After 30 minutes, our expedition leader, Trip Jennings, was finally able to hand over his letter. When it was read aloud, the soldiers laughed—then took $50 and a pair of socks and let us go. Turns out simple documents can go a long way in many developing countries. According to Jennings, a veteran international adventurer, the idea is to convey that you have connections to important people. If you're on a focused trip, like a serious expedition or research project, you want authentic letters from government (or maybe rebel) leaders. Contact the country's consulate in the States and they'll usually direct you to the appropriate official. The ideal document is written on letterhead and clearly outlines who you are and what you're doing. Even if you're just traveling in a rough area, a confidently presented document can get you out of jam—and it doesn't have to be real. "Any official-looking scrap of paper works fine," says contributing editor Patrick Symmes, who's reported stories in crisis areas around the world and once dodged a potential hostage situation in Colombia by showing an illiterate guerrilla guard a photocopy of his passport. Veteran war correspondent Scott Anderson sometimes packs a "to whom it may concern" letter. "They come in handy with low-level officials who might be impressed by gold lettering," he says. The trick is to give the documents gravitas—heavy paper adorned with your picture, a stamp or seal, and a fancy signature—and know when and how to wield them. Anderson would present them with levity in sub-Saharan Africa, where, he thinks, it's best to treat confrontations like funny mishaps. "Understanding the culture is the key to making shiny documents work," he says.
The New Rules: Know When to Say When
It's better to bail out than to pass away.
By Will Gray
Team Calleva was exhausted. The four professional American adventure racers were trekking down a cliffside Chilean beach near Cape Froward, the southernmost point on the South American mainland. Ahead, the sheer cliffs met the water, blocking their way. Somewhere beyond was the finish line of the 2009 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race. After attempts to call in a rescue failed, they stared at the 50-degree waves of the Strait of Magellan and made a rash decision: They would try to swim around the cliffs. "It almost killed us," says Druce Finlay, 30. The rough waters turned them back after ten minutes. "We got out and shivered all night. I couldn't dress myself or operate my hands." That a team of talented professionals made such an irrational, life-threatening choice underscores just how easy it can be to let fatigue and a "save yourself" mentality lead you down a perilous path. In the ten days leading up to their ill-advised swim, Calleva had been moving almost nonstop through the notoriously brutal stages of the Wenger, sea-kayaking, mountain-biking, and trekking some 365 total miles in terrible conditions. They'd portaged kayaks 12 miles through a bog, been hammered by a snowstorm while camped on a ridgeline, and wandered drastically off-course in the dark. They ended up on the beach after opting for a misguided shortcut over a prohibited mountain pass, during which they ran out of food and took to eating berries and scavenging their trash. Like all nine teams in the event, Calleva carried flares, a satellite phone, and a Spot Messenger, a handheld unit that can send messages indicating your location and that you're OK or need help. But they didn't want a rescue; they wanted to finish the race. When they finally pulled out the sat phone on the beach, it couldn't get a signal and then ran out of power after being left on overnight. Their Spot was supposedly having problems, too, so they tried flares. No response. That's when they decided to swim. As the race's director, Stjepan Pavicic, sees it, endurance athletes are particulary prone to these kinds of scenarios, because they instinctively look for an "active way out." Calleva ultimately got lucky. After two members of the team scraped their way over the cliff and managed to alert race officials with their Spot, a helicopter came to the rescue. Self-reliance is, of course, a valuable trait for anyone venturing into the wild—but only up to a point. "Too often, the people who die in the wilderness are those who didn't know when to turn back or call for help," says Sheryl Olson, a registered nurse and the founder of Wilderness Wise, a Colorado survival school. "When to stop is something that should be discussed and planned before any trip begins."
The New Rules: Cover Yourself
Heading to the wild frontier? Get insured.
By Ryan Krogh
On the morning of November 10, 2008, New York Times reporter David Rohde set off with his fixer/translator, Tahir Ludin, to interview a Taliban commander southeast of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. Rohde had been in the country for only a month—and had been married for only two. It would be 221 days before Rohde and Ludin were heard from again. For Rohde, the risk of kidnapping was part of the job. He'd been detained in a foreign country before—in 1996, when Serb authorities accused him of being a spy during his Pulitzer Prize–winning coverage of the Srebrenica massacre—but this time was different. His capture had most likely been orchestrated by the very man he was meeting, and there was a significant price for his release: a reported $25 million, at first. Word of Rohde's abduction was slow to leak out. The Times worked to keep the story out of the headlines, fearing publicity would further endanger Rohde and Ludin, and was negotiating with the captors via a security firm. But negotiations were halting, then they stopped altogether. Kidnapping is a constantly evolving threat for any traveler heading into an unstable area. By some estimates, there are as many as 15,000 international abductions per year—and the hot spots keep shifting. Atop the current list is Mexico City, followed by Caracas, Venezuela. Right behind them is (surprise!) Phoenix, Arizona, thanks to an influx of drug cartels. Regardless of location, the majority of kidnappers are after the same thing: money. The average ransom paid approaches six figures, and perpetrators often have in-depth knowledge of their victims' financials, says Katie Colberg, a response consultant at the security firm ASI Global. Before booking a trip to a high-risk area, consider kidnap-ransom-and-extortion insurance from companies like Travelers Insurance or eGlobalHealth Insurers Agency, which will coordinate with crisis-management firms to organize your release and will often repay any financial losses, including ransoms. And if you are abducted, be patient—very few people successfully escape. "Waiting is the most difficult part," says Colberg. "You feel forgotten." The only place where ASI advises people to attempt to escape is Iraq, where Westerners are typically killed. Ultimately, Rohde and Ludin decided they had to save themselves. They made their break at night, after their guards were asleep, using a rope they'd found to descend a compound wall. Back in Kabul, Ludin told reporters that their escape was a desperate gamble by two demoralized captives. Rohde has yet to tell his story, but while traveling back to the U.S., he reportedly told a colleague, "All I want to do now is stay at home with my wife and cook some pasta."
The New Rules: Avalanches Don’t Discriminate
Just because you're in-bounds doesn't mean you're safe.
By Christina Erb
The prevailing wisdom goes something like this: If you ski in the backcountry, you're on your own. You should be trained in avalanche safety and carrying all the essential gear. But if you're skiing at a resort, you don't have to worry about slides; ski patrol has "controlled" the slope and deemed it safe. Not true. Consider what happened at resorts across the West this past winter. In mid-December, Snowbird opened its iconic hike-up peak, Mount Baldy, for the first time that season. Around noon, after more than 300 people had already skied Baldy, Heather Gross, a 27-year-old Salt Lake City local, lost a ski partway down the tree-and-cliff-riddled slope. As she was hiking up to retrieve it, a snowboarder above her triggered an avalanche. Skiers and boarders screamed warnings, but it was too late. Within seconds the slide had buried Gross beneath three feet of snow and debris. It took ski patrollers and a 150-person search a little more than an hour to locate her. She died later that day. On Christmas Day, a slide at Squaw Valley killed 21-year-old skier Randall Davis. Two days after that, 31-year-old skier David Nodine asphyxiated beneath seven feet of snow when an avalanche struck an experts-only area at Jackson Hole. Overall, the season saw the highest number of in-bounds deaths since a single avalanche killed three skiers at Alpine Meadows in 1976. Granted, the snowpack was unusually unstable last December. But, say many experts, as resorts continue to cater to skiers' growing appetite for challenging slopes by expanding boundaries to include more-extreme terrain, skiers need to start taking an active role in reducing their risks. "Resorts do a phenomenal job making it a safe experience, but they're working in nature's domain," says Dale Atkins, a VP at the International Commission for Alpine Rescue. "They can't guarantee safety." That doesn't mean every resort skier needs to take an avalanche course. If you stick to intermediate or groomed terrain with little exposure, you can essentially ignore the risk of slides. But if you search for the steepest, gnarliest terrain, wear an avalanche beacon and carry a shovel and probe, especially on high-risk days (during major weather and the first few days after). Studies suggest that if rescuers find you within 15 minutes, you have a 92 percent chance of survival. All the ski patrollers at these resorts, and many of the locals using them to access the backcountry, carry beacons. In the incredibly rare instance that you get caught in a slide, wearing one could save your life.
The 10-80-10 Rule
Check your head.
By Joe Spring
In his 2009 bestseller The Survivor's Club, Ben Sherwood writes that in survival situations, we all fall into one of three groups: the 10 percent who lead others to safety, the 80 percent who tend to wait for instructions, or the 10 percent who freak out. "The twin enemies of survival are fear and inflexibility," he says. "Fear is demotivating and paralyzing. Inflexibility means that you don't adapt to the new reality." Here, we apply the formula to a selection of adventure’s greatest survivors (and some other folks).
Anatomy of a Rescue
By Grayson Schaffer & Justin Nyberg
Every year, thousands of people get lost or injured in the backcountry. This past March, while on an afternoon snowshoe in the mountains above Santa Fe, New Mexico, 52-year-old social worker Laura Christensen became one of them. As with most wilderness emergencies, a series of small but easily made mistakes put Christensen—a NOLS graduate and Wilderness First Responder with an associate's degree in outdoor education—in a dangerous and desperate situation. Day 1, March 16, 2009 2:30 P.M. Christensen begins an afternoon snowshoe outing on one of her favorite trails (1). She tells a friend where she's going and is dressed for an aerobic hike and brings half a sandwich and a liter of water. Just in case, she also wisely packs an extra base layer, a balaclava, and a compass—but forgets the glasses she'd need to read it. LESSON LEARNED: If you're setting out late in the day, always bring a headlamp. Darkness can make even familiar terrain look foreign. And while Christensen smartly told someone where she was going, simply doing so isn't enough: You also need to tell them when you'll be back and that you'll contact them upon your return. 6 P.M. In search of fresh powder, Christensen decides to mix up her usual hike by going off-trail, meandering down a steep hill (2). LESSON LEARNED: Never leave familiar terrain without a map, especially near dark. 7 P.M.-dawn Christensen is distracted by the Eckhart Tolle book playing on her iPod and passes right over a second familiar trail (3). Darkness falls and she begins to panic. She tries to call 911 but can't get service. She begins shivering and leans up against a tree to stay off the snow but refuses to doze off. "I did everything in my power not to sleep," she says. LESSON LEARNED: Christensen's strategy was smart: She knew her body temperature would fall if she slept and that shivering would help keep her warm. Day 2, March 17 5:45 A.M. At first light, she begins moving again (4). LESSON LEARNED: The old adage about staying put when lost doesn't apply if the clock is ticking on your exposure (and no one knows you're missing). But avoid off-trail shortcuts. Rescuers (generally) stay on trails and will have a hard time finding you if you're not within earshot. 12 P.M. Christensen wanders into an area where trails and old mining roads go off in every direction (5). She knows she's close to a Forest Service road but can't find it. She'll spend all day wandering around looking for it. 1 P.M. She tries to call 911 again, then tries text-messaging her friends, but has no luck (6). Finally, at 2:45 P.M, unbeknownst to her, she gets a flicker of service. One text message in her outbox goes through, and a friend calls 911. LESSON LEARNED: Texts can be transmitted when calls can't. And because Christensen's text indicated where she thought she was, rescuers knew where to start looking. 4:56 P.M. After a flurry of phone calls, state police initiate the search. The first of two helicopters is dispatched to the area. 7:16 P.M. The police notify local search-and-rescue teams, and the painfully slow process of a mostly volunteer response begins. 8 P.M. On her second night out, Christensen starts walking along the path of a power line (7), hoping it will lead her to civilization in the morning. She builds a bed of branches to rest on in the dark. LESSON LEARNED: Cold ground saps heat much faster than still air. Branches and leaves can provide critical insulation. 11 P.M. Twenty-seven volunteers assemble near the trailhead (8) where state police found Christensen's car. With only a vague idea of where she might be, ten hiking teams are sent in all directions (9). Two state-police helicopters now fly overhead, but it's dark and Christensen has no light except that of her iPod's screen. Nyberg and Schaffer's team is assigned to sweep the most likely trail and sets out, shouting her name and blowing an air horn every few minutes. Day 3, March 18 1 A.M. About four miles in, their team spots a set of snowshoe tracks winding back and forth haphazardly on a remote path (10). The tracks lead to a nexus of trails and seem to go off in every direction. It's likely that the tracks belong to Christensen, but it's not clear which set of tracks to follow. LESSON LEARNED: If you're lost, make a mess. Break branches, string rocks into arrows, scratch HELP in the mud. Rescuers are looking for clues. 1:30 A.M. Delirious with hypothermia and exhaustion, Christensen hears shouting and an air horn but thinks it's campers scaring away a bear and is too afraid to go toward them. 4 A.M. After a night of false leads, Schaffer and two other team members start following an indistinct set of tracks, calling Christensen's name. A quarter-mile later, they hear her voice (11). Learn how you can volunteer for search-and-rescue at nasar.org
Hiking ResourcesThe planet is smaller than ever, but that just means there's a host of new dangers out there—and a new set of solutions. These days, a text message or the right travel-insurance policy might just save your bacon. So study up—your life may depend on it.
By Lisa Lombardi Outside Magazine, November 2009
Salvation Comes at a Price Hefty bills: the scary new trend in rescues
On a warm morning this past August, Scott Mason set off on what was supposed to be a day hike on New Hampshire's Mount Washington. The 17-year-old Eagle Scout packed a bivy sack and some extra clothes and consulted Forest Service rangers about his route. But well into the hike, he sprained his ankle, opted for a shortcut back to the trailhead on a path that was covered in snow, wandered off track, and promptly got lost. He spent three nights out before a rescue team found him. It was all fairly typical, until Mason got a bill from the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game: $25,000, the largest such tab in state history. New Hampshire is one of eight states that charge for rescues, and in June legislators had eliminated a cap of $10,000 while also requiring only that a person had demonstrated "negligence." Mason's shortcut had apparently outweighed the fact that, once lost, he'd done everything right, from sleeping in a rock crevice to starting a fire by igniting hand sanitizer. According to Howard Paul, public-information officer at the National Association for Search and Rescue, such laws are increasingly popular, as is enforcement, which has historically been lax. Oregon, California, Hawaii, Maine, Colorado, Idaho, and Vermont also look to charge the rescued in certain situations, despite strong opposition from the SAR community. Charley Shimanski, president of the Mountain Rescue Association, argues that the fear of a bill means "people are less likely to call for help sooner—or at all." The likely results: delayed rescue, more serious injury, and a more complicated overall operation. Your best way to avoid an SAR tab? Don't do anything that might get you labeled as negligent—like straying from designated trails or packing inadequate supplies—since it's the key factor in most states. But if you do get into trouble, don't hesitate to call for help; most states have low maximum charges (Colorado's is $300). And if you get a bill, it's probably best to just pay it, as legal fees would likely be higher. The exception, of course, is New Hampshire, where, at press time, Mason was still fighting an uphill legal battle to reduce his payment. "Other states have a system for calculating the cost," says Jim Moss, a Colorado-based attorney who specializes in recreational law, "but in New Hampshire, the way they decide how much someone owes is extremely arbitrary."
The New Rules: Don’t Go Paperless
A shiny document (and a smile) can change minds.
By Kyle Dickman
In the fall of 2008, I joined a team of six whitewater kayakers on an expedition down the Lower Congo River. The National Geographic Society, which was filming and sponsoring the descent, gave each of us a copy of a three-paragraph letter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's minister of public information. Basically, it read, "We're here on official government business." I had zero faith in its value, but I packed it with my toothbrush. Eight days into the trip, two soldiers with AK-47's made us lie facedown on a beach while villagers rifled through our bags. After 30 minutes, our expedition leader, Trip Jennings, was finally able to hand over his letter. When it was read aloud, the soldiers laughed—then took $50 and a pair of socks and let us go. Turns out simple documents can go a long way in many developing countries. According to Jennings, a veteran international adventurer, the idea is to convey that you have connections to important people. If you're on a focused trip, like a serious expedition or research project, you want authentic letters from government (or maybe rebel) leaders. Contact the country's consulate in the States and they'll usually direct you to the appropriate official. The ideal document is written on letterhead and clearly outlines who you are and what you're doing. Even if you're just traveling in a rough area, a confidently presented document can get you out of jam—and it doesn't have to be real. "Any official-looking scrap of paper works fine," says contributing editor Patrick Symmes, who's reported stories in crisis areas around the world and once dodged a potential hostage situation in Colombia by showing an illiterate guerrilla guard a photocopy of his passport. Veteran war correspondent Scott Anderson sometimes packs a "to whom it may concern" letter. "They come in handy with low-level officials who might be impressed by gold lettering," he says. The trick is to give the documents gravitas—heavy paper adorned with your picture, a stamp or seal, and a fancy signature—and know when and how to wield them. Anderson would present them with levity in sub-Saharan Africa, where, he thinks, it's best to treat confrontations like funny mishaps. "Understanding the culture is the key to making shiny documents work," he says.
The New Rules: Know When to Say When
It's better to bail out than to pass away.
By Will Gray
Team Calleva was exhausted. The four professional American adventure racers were trekking down a cliffside Chilean beach near Cape Froward, the southernmost point on the South American mainland. Ahead, the sheer cliffs met the water, blocking their way. Somewhere beyond was the finish line of the 2009 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race. After attempts to call in a rescue failed, they stared at the 50-degree waves of the Strait of Magellan and made a rash decision: They would try to swim around the cliffs. "It almost killed us," says Druce Finlay, 30. The rough waters turned them back after ten minutes. "We got out and shivered all night. I couldn't dress myself or operate my hands." That a team of talented professionals made such an irrational, life-threatening choice underscores just how easy it can be to let fatigue and a "save yourself" mentality lead you down a perilous path. In the ten days leading up to their ill-advised swim, Calleva had been moving almost nonstop through the notoriously brutal stages of the Wenger, sea-kayaking, mountain-biking, and trekking some 365 total miles in terrible conditions. They'd portaged kayaks 12 miles through a bog, been hammered by a snowstorm while camped on a ridgeline, and wandered drastically off-course in the dark. They ended up on the beach after opting for a misguided shortcut over a prohibited mountain pass, during which they ran out of food and took to eating berries and scavenging their trash. Like all nine teams in the event, Calleva carried flares, a satellite phone, and a Spot Messenger, a handheld unit that can send messages indicating your location and that you're OK or need help. But they didn't want a rescue; they wanted to finish the race. When they finally pulled out the sat phone on the beach, it couldn't get a signal and then ran out of power after being left on overnight. Their Spot was supposedly having problems, too, so they tried flares. No response. That's when they decided to swim. As the race's director, Stjepan Pavicic, sees it, endurance athletes are particulary prone to these kinds of scenarios, because they instinctively look for an "active way out." Calleva ultimately got lucky. After two members of the team scraped their way over the cliff and managed to alert race officials with their Spot, a helicopter came to the rescue. Self-reliance is, of course, a valuable trait for anyone venturing into the wild—but only up to a point. "Too often, the people who die in the wilderness are those who didn't know when to turn back or call for help," says Sheryl Olson, a registered nurse and the founder of Wilderness Wise, a Colorado survival school. "When to stop is something that should be discussed and planned before any trip begins."
The New Rules: Cover Yourself
Heading to the wild frontier? Get insured.
By Ryan Krogh
On the morning of November 10, 2008, New York Times reporter David Rohde set off with his fixer/translator, Tahir Ludin, to interview a Taliban commander southeast of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. Rohde had been in the country for only a month—and had been married for only two. It would be 221 days before Rohde and Ludin were heard from again. For Rohde, the risk of kidnapping was part of the job. He'd been detained in a foreign country before—in 1996, when Serb authorities accused him of being a spy during his Pulitzer Prize–winning coverage of the Srebrenica massacre—but this time was different. His capture had most likely been orchestrated by the very man he was meeting, and there was a significant price for his release: a reported $25 million, at first. Word of Rohde's abduction was slow to leak out. The Times worked to keep the story out of the headlines, fearing publicity would further endanger Rohde and Ludin, and was negotiating with the captors via a security firm. But negotiations were halting, then they stopped altogether. Kidnapping is a constantly evolving threat for any traveler heading into an unstable area. By some estimates, there are as many as 15,000 international abductions per year—and the hot spots keep shifting. Atop the current list is Mexico City, followed by Caracas, Venezuela. Right behind them is (surprise!) Phoenix, Arizona, thanks to an influx of drug cartels. Regardless of location, the majority of kidnappers are after the same thing: money. The average ransom paid approaches six figures, and perpetrators often have in-depth knowledge of their victims' financials, says Katie Colberg, a response consultant at the security firm ASI Global. Before booking a trip to a high-risk area, consider kidnap-ransom-and-extortion insurance from companies like Travelers Insurance or eGlobalHealth Insurers Agency, which will coordinate with crisis-management firms to organize your release and will often repay any financial losses, including ransoms. And if you are abducted, be patient—very few people successfully escape. "Waiting is the most difficult part," says Colberg. "You feel forgotten." The only place where ASI advises people to attempt to escape is Iraq, where Westerners are typically killed. Ultimately, Rohde and Ludin decided they had to save themselves. They made their break at night, after their guards were asleep, using a rope they'd found to descend a compound wall. Back in Kabul, Ludin told reporters that their escape was a desperate gamble by two demoralized captives. Rohde has yet to tell his story, but while traveling back to the U.S., he reportedly told a colleague, "All I want to do now is stay at home with my wife and cook some pasta."
The New Rules: Avalanches Don’t Discriminate
Just because you're in-bounds doesn't mean you're safe.
By Christina Erb
The prevailing wisdom goes something like this: If you ski in the backcountry, you're on your own. You should be trained in avalanche safety and carrying all the essential gear. But if you're skiing at a resort, you don't have to worry about slides; ski patrol has "controlled" the slope and deemed it safe. Not true. Consider what happened at resorts across the West this past winter. In mid-December, Snowbird opened its iconic hike-up peak, Mount Baldy, for the first time that season. Around noon, after more than 300 people had already skied Baldy, Heather Gross, a 27-year-old Salt Lake City local, lost a ski partway down the tree-and-cliff-riddled slope. As she was hiking up to retrieve it, a snowboarder above her triggered an avalanche. Skiers and boarders screamed warnings, but it was too late. Within seconds the slide had buried Gross beneath three feet of snow and debris. It took ski patrollers and a 150-person search a little more than an hour to locate her. She died later that day. On Christmas Day, a slide at Squaw Valley killed 21-year-old skier Randall Davis. Two days after that, 31-year-old skier David Nodine asphyxiated beneath seven feet of snow when an avalanche struck an experts-only area at Jackson Hole. Overall, the season saw the highest number of in-bounds deaths since a single avalanche killed three skiers at Alpine Meadows in 1976. Granted, the snowpack was unusually unstable last December. But, say many experts, as resorts continue to cater to skiers' growing appetite for challenging slopes by expanding boundaries to include more-extreme terrain, skiers need to start taking an active role in reducing their risks. "Resorts do a phenomenal job making it a safe experience, but they're working in nature's domain," says Dale Atkins, a VP at the International Commission for Alpine Rescue. "They can't guarantee safety." That doesn't mean every resort skier needs to take an avalanche course. If you stick to intermediate or groomed terrain with little exposure, you can essentially ignore the risk of slides. But if you search for the steepest, gnarliest terrain, wear an avalanche beacon and carry a shovel and probe, especially on high-risk days (during major weather and the first few days after). Studies suggest that if rescuers find you within 15 minutes, you have a 92 percent chance of survival. All the ski patrollers at these resorts, and many of the locals using them to access the backcountry, carry beacons. In the incredibly rare instance that you get caught in a slide, wearing one could save your life.
The 10-80-10 Rule
Check your head.
By Joe Spring
In his 2009 bestseller The Survivor's Club, Ben Sherwood writes that in survival situations, we all fall into one of three groups: the 10 percent who lead others to safety, the 80 percent who tend to wait for instructions, or the 10 percent who freak out. "The twin enemies of survival are fear and inflexibility," he says. "Fear is demotivating and paralyzing. Inflexibility means that you don't adapt to the new reality." Here, we apply the formula to a selection of adventure’s greatest survivors (and some other folks).
Anatomy of a Rescue
By Grayson Schaffer & Justin Nyberg
Every year, thousands of people get lost or injured in the backcountry. This past March, while on an afternoon snowshoe in the mountains above Santa Fe, New Mexico, 52-year-old social worker Laura Christensen became one of them. As with most wilderness emergencies, a series of small but easily made mistakes put Christensen—a NOLS graduate and Wilderness First Responder with an associate's degree in outdoor education—in a dangerous and desperate situation. Day 1, March 16, 2009 2:30 P.M. Christensen begins an afternoon snowshoe outing on one of her favorite trails (1). She tells a friend where she's going and is dressed for an aerobic hike and brings half a sandwich and a liter of water. Just in case, she also wisely packs an extra base layer, a balaclava, and a compass—but forgets the glasses she'd need to read it. LESSON LEARNED: If you're setting out late in the day, always bring a headlamp. Darkness can make even familiar terrain look foreign. And while Christensen smartly told someone where she was going, simply doing so isn't enough: You also need to tell them when you'll be back and that you'll contact them upon your return. 6 P.M. In search of fresh powder, Christensen decides to mix up her usual hike by going off-trail, meandering down a steep hill (2). LESSON LEARNED: Never leave familiar terrain without a map, especially near dark. 7 P.M.-dawn Christensen is distracted by the Eckhart Tolle book playing on her iPod and passes right over a second familiar trail (3). Darkness falls and she begins to panic. She tries to call 911 but can't get service. She begins shivering and leans up against a tree to stay off the snow but refuses to doze off. "I did everything in my power not to sleep," she says. LESSON LEARNED: Christensen's strategy was smart: She knew her body temperature would fall if she slept and that shivering would help keep her warm. Day 2, March 17 5:45 A.M. At first light, she begins moving again (4). LESSON LEARNED: The old adage about staying put when lost doesn't apply if the clock is ticking on your exposure (and no one knows you're missing). But avoid off-trail shortcuts. Rescuers (generally) stay on trails and will have a hard time finding you if you're not within earshot. 12 P.M. Christensen wanders into an area where trails and old mining roads go off in every direction (5). She knows she's close to a Forest Service road but can't find it. She'll spend all day wandering around looking for it. 1 P.M. She tries to call 911 again, then tries text-messaging her friends, but has no luck (6). Finally, at 2:45 P.M, unbeknownst to her, she gets a flicker of service. One text message in her outbox goes through, and a friend calls 911. LESSON LEARNED: Texts can be transmitted when calls can't. And because Christensen's text indicated where she thought she was, rescuers knew where to start looking. 4:56 P.M. After a flurry of phone calls, state police initiate the search. The first of two helicopters is dispatched to the area. 7:16 P.M. The police notify local search-and-rescue teams, and the painfully slow process of a mostly volunteer response begins. 8 P.M. On her second night out, Christensen starts walking along the path of a power line (7), hoping it will lead her to civilization in the morning. She builds a bed of branches to rest on in the dark. LESSON LEARNED: Cold ground saps heat much faster than still air. Branches and leaves can provide critical insulation. 11 P.M. Twenty-seven volunteers assemble near the trailhead (8) where state police found Christensen's car. With only a vague idea of where she might be, ten hiking teams are sent in all directions (9). Two state-police helicopters now fly overhead, but it's dark and Christensen has no light except that of her iPod's screen. Nyberg and Schaffer's team is assigned to sweep the most likely trail and sets out, shouting her name and blowing an air horn every few minutes. Day 3, March 18 1 A.M. About four miles in, their team spots a set of snowshoe tracks winding back and forth haphazardly on a remote path (10). The tracks lead to a nexus of trails and seem to go off in every direction. It's likely that the tracks belong to Christensen, but it's not clear which set of tracks to follow. LESSON LEARNED: If you're lost, make a mess. Break branches, string rocks into arrows, scratch HELP in the mud. Rescuers are looking for clues. 1:30 A.M. Delirious with hypothermia and exhaustion, Christensen hears shouting and an air horn but thinks it's campers scaring away a bear and is too afraid to go toward them. 4 A.M. After a night of false leads, Schaffer and two other team members start following an indistinct set of tracks, calling Christensen's name. A quarter-mile later, they hear her voice (11). Learn how you can volunteer for search-and-rescue at nasar.org
Winter Sports
Skiing and snowboarding: Quick tips
Quick Tips—Cross-Country Skiing
1. Cross-country skiing is an aerobic activity, and you can overheat quickly if you're dressed too warmly. Dress in layers to avoid perspiring and the risk of chills or hypothermia. Lightweight wicking underwear, a fleece top and tights, and a weatherproof outer shell should do the trick.
2. Protect yourself from the sun, even on overcast days. Reflected light off the snow and prolonged exposure can cause serious burns (and in some cases, "snow blindness"). Wear sunscreen and sunglasses with good UV protection.
3. Carry a larger pack for winter backcountry trips than you do during summer. You need extra clothing and gear to stay comfortable on a winter day trip. A pack with an outer pocket is handy for carrying a snow shovel.
4. Drink plenty of water when you're out skiing, even if you don't feel thirsty. You need to stay hydrated to stay warm!
5. Stretch before and after skiing to stay flexible and decrease muscle soreness. Gently stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscles and calves. Don't forget the biceps and triceps, as cross-country skiing works your arms, too!
6. Start out at a lift-assisted ski area when learning to telemark ski. You'll learn faster on consistent snow conditions and be ready to challenge backcountry terrain with a few skills under your belt.
7. Carry some glide wax packets in your pack to keep your "no wax" skis gliding smoothly all day. Apply only to the smooth surface of the ski base.
8. Find 2 or 3 grip waxes that cover the full range of temperatures you're likely to encounter, and stick to them until you're comfortable using each one.
9. Most cross-country ski boots come in European sizes, and some are sold in American sizes. Some telemark and randonee boots come in "mondo point" sizing, which equals the length of the boot in centimeters. When trying on boots, wear one pair of medium-weight or lightweight socks and a liner sock made of synthetic materials or silk. Aim for a snug fit so that your heel does not move up and down, but your toes can still move comfortably.
10. To slow your descent when skiing in groomed tracks, carefully lift one ski out and set it at an angle to the track. Put pressure on the inside edge of that ski, in a "half snowplow" formation. Be careful not to press too hard, though, or you may catch your ski and stop too suddenly!
11. When selecting cross-country boot and binding systems, make sure they are compatible. NNN (New Nordic Norm) and SNS (Salomon Nordic System) binding systems must be matched with their respective NNN or SNS boots. Similarly, BC (backcountry) versions of these bindings must be paired with BC boots. Other combinations of these boots and bindings will not work.
12. Turn your alpine skis into randoné e (or alpine touring) skis with binding converters. These accessories free your heels for ascending mountain slopes. (You'll also need some climbing skins.) At the top, the bindings click back into alpine ski mode so you can make parallel turns downhill.
13. Check your windshield washer fluid level before you head for the mountains in winter. Dirty slush is nearly impossible to see through when it's splashed on your windshield by passing traffic, and wipers alone just make it worse!
14. Buy skins so they cover as much of the ski base as possible while leaving the metal edges free. This is usually about 5mm narrower than the ski's waist.
15. To keep your climbing skins from icing up, try rubbing on some Glob Stopper skin wax.
Quick Tips — Snowboarding
1. Are you a freestyle rider with big feet and large boots? Prevent toe drag by using toe lifts.
2. They may look cool, but avoid ribbed or patterned knit socks that can cause ankle abrasions inside your boots.
3. Get into the habit of waxing your board every other outing. Fresh wax will make it will ride faster and actually help protect the base from abrasion from the snow. Rub-on wax is OK, but hot wax is best.
4. Check that your board's binding screws are tight every day. Some people put a dab of nail polish on the binding's screw threads to help keep the screws in place.
5. If you fall off a chairlift (hey, it happens) when loading or unloading, try to move to the side as quickly as possible so the chair doesn't hit you. You want to make sure that you are out of the way of the people coming off of the next chair.
6. When sliding, do not let the board go completely flat on the snow. This can allow the downhill edge to catch on the snow and—you guessed it—make you fall.
7. Do you suffer from chronic cold hands? Consider that mittens provide better insulation than gloves.
8. If you are a beginner, you might want a more flexible board, which takes a bit less technique to control than a very stiff board. Check the flex of your board by pushing it in the center while it is standing upright.
1. Cross-country skiing is an aerobic activity, and you can overheat quickly if you're dressed too warmly. Dress in layers to avoid perspiring and the risk of chills or hypothermia. Lightweight wicking underwear, a fleece top and tights, and a weatherproof outer shell should do the trick.
2. Protect yourself from the sun, even on overcast days. Reflected light off the snow and prolonged exposure can cause serious burns (and in some cases, "snow blindness"). Wear sunscreen and sunglasses with good UV protection.
3. Carry a larger pack for winter backcountry trips than you do during summer. You need extra clothing and gear to stay comfortable on a winter day trip. A pack with an outer pocket is handy for carrying a snow shovel.
4. Drink plenty of water when you're out skiing, even if you don't feel thirsty. You need to stay hydrated to stay warm!
5. Stretch before and after skiing to stay flexible and decrease muscle soreness. Gently stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscles and calves. Don't forget the biceps and triceps, as cross-country skiing works your arms, too!
6. Start out at a lift-assisted ski area when learning to telemark ski. You'll learn faster on consistent snow conditions and be ready to challenge backcountry terrain with a few skills under your belt.
7. Carry some glide wax packets in your pack to keep your "no wax" skis gliding smoothly all day. Apply only to the smooth surface of the ski base.
8. Find 2 or 3 grip waxes that cover the full range of temperatures you're likely to encounter, and stick to them until you're comfortable using each one.
9. Most cross-country ski boots come in European sizes, and some are sold in American sizes. Some telemark and randonee boots come in "mondo point" sizing, which equals the length of the boot in centimeters. When trying on boots, wear one pair of medium-weight or lightweight socks and a liner sock made of synthetic materials or silk. Aim for a snug fit so that your heel does not move up and down, but your toes can still move comfortably.
10. To slow your descent when skiing in groomed tracks, carefully lift one ski out and set it at an angle to the track. Put pressure on the inside edge of that ski, in a "half snowplow" formation. Be careful not to press too hard, though, or you may catch your ski and stop too suddenly!
11. When selecting cross-country boot and binding systems, make sure they are compatible. NNN (New Nordic Norm) and SNS (Salomon Nordic System) binding systems must be matched with their respective NNN or SNS boots. Similarly, BC (backcountry) versions of these bindings must be paired with BC boots. Other combinations of these boots and bindings will not work.
12. Turn your alpine skis into randoné e (or alpine touring) skis with binding converters. These accessories free your heels for ascending mountain slopes. (You'll also need some climbing skins.) At the top, the bindings click back into alpine ski mode so you can make parallel turns downhill.
13. Check your windshield washer fluid level before you head for the mountains in winter. Dirty slush is nearly impossible to see through when it's splashed on your windshield by passing traffic, and wipers alone just make it worse!
14. Buy skins so they cover as much of the ski base as possible while leaving the metal edges free. This is usually about 5mm narrower than the ski's waist.
15. To keep your climbing skins from icing up, try rubbing on some Glob Stopper skin wax.
Quick Tips — Snowboarding
1. Are you a freestyle rider with big feet and large boots? Prevent toe drag by using toe lifts.
2. They may look cool, but avoid ribbed or patterned knit socks that can cause ankle abrasions inside your boots.
3. Get into the habit of waxing your board every other outing. Fresh wax will make it will ride faster and actually help protect the base from abrasion from the snow. Rub-on wax is OK, but hot wax is best.
4. Check that your board's binding screws are tight every day. Some people put a dab of nail polish on the binding's screw threads to help keep the screws in place.
5. If you fall off a chairlift (hey, it happens) when loading or unloading, try to move to the side as quickly as possible so the chair doesn't hit you. You want to make sure that you are out of the way of the people coming off of the next chair.
6. When sliding, do not let the board go completely flat on the snow. This can allow the downhill edge to catch on the snow and—you guessed it—make you fall.
7. Do you suffer from chronic cold hands? Consider that mittens provide better insulation than gloves.
8. If you are a beginner, you might want a more flexible board, which takes a bit less technique to control than a very stiff board. Check the flex of your board by pushing it in the center while it is standing upright.
Winter sports parks near Portland
Downhill Skiing , Snowboarding, and Telemark Skiing
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, 1-800-SKIBOWL, www.skibowl.com
Skibowl is America’s largest night-ski area with over 34 lighted runs, featuring 90 acres with 1,500-foot vertical drop and is a favorite with skiers and snowboarders. On Telemark Tuesdays, check out the latest demos.
Summit Ski Area, 503-272-0256, www.summitskiarea.com
Established in 1926, this is the oldest ski area in the Pacific Northwest and the first one on Mt. Hood . Family friendly area. It is a great place to learn to ski or snowboard.
Timberline Ski Area, 1-800-547-1406 or 503-222-2211, www.timberlinelodge.com
Located at the 6,000-foot level on Mt. Hood, Timberline offers year round skiing and snowboarding on more than 1,000 acres of ski runs and terrain parks.
Mt. Hood Meadows, 1-800-SKIHOOD, www.skihood.com
With an annual snowfall of 430 inches and five high-speed quads, Mt. Hood Meadows offers the most varied, diverse and exciting runs on Mt. Hood.
Cooper Spur Ski Resort, 541-352-6692, www.cooperspur.com
Located on the north side of Mt. Hood, Cooper Spur specializes in affordable winter fun for the whole family. It offers 10 ski runs and a tubing center.
Timberline, Ski Bowl and Mt Hood Meadows have extensive terrain parks challenging both snowboarders and skiers.
All of the ski areas offer downhill and snowboarding lessons and equipment rentals. Rentals are also available at the Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop, 503-272-3380, www.mtntracks.com and Valians Ski Shop, 503-272-3525, both centrally located in Government Camp.
Telemark lessons are available at Mt Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl and through Wyeast Nordic Ski School , 503-622- 4841, www.wyeastnordic.com Telemark rentals are available at Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop in Government Camp , and at Timberline and Mt Hood Meadows Ski Areas.
For the experienced adventurer, there are unlimited backcountry options near Government Camp and on the upper mountain.
Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
Enjoy XC skiing and snowshoeing right from your lodging in Government Camp. The road system within the village connects to both the Crosstown and Summit Trail Summit which Trails that circle the community. First timers can find gear and trail recommendations at local shops.
Groomed XC trails can be found at:
Trillium Lake Snowtrails: Six miles groomed trails for traditional XC skiing and snowshoeing. Trails are generally groomed a twice /week from Thanksgiving until April. Ski right from your Government Camp Lodging onto trails that connect to Trillium. Dogs allowed on a leash. Donation requested.
Teacup Lake , www.teacupnordic.org
Located one mile north of Mt. Hood Meadows on Oregon 35. Generally groomed several times / week per week for both skating and traditional XC skiing. There are 12 kilometers km trails of trails, a toilet and warming hut. $5 donation requested. Dogs and snowshoers prohibited.
Mt Hood Meadows Nordic Center , www.skihood.com
Generally open on the weekends and holidays. (www.skihood.com), Enjoy 15 kilometers of groomed skating and set track through beautiful wooded trails and meadows. Rentals available. Track fees range from $5-$10. Dogs and snowshoers prohibited.
Cooper Spur Nordic Center , www.cooperspur.com
Offers 6.5 km of cross-country ski trails groomed for both skating and traditional cross country skiing. Separate trails for snowshoers. Trail fee varies from $5-10. Rentals available. Dogs prohibited.
There is unlimited opportunity for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on Mt. Hood National Forest designated XC trails snowtrails as well as backcountry options.
For updates on current snow conditions, visit the Mt Hood National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood and check out SnoPark conditions .
Cross country ski and snowshoe rentals and trail maps are available at Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop or Valians Ski Shop in Government Camp.
Snowtrail Etiquette: Cross-country skiers and snowshoers should establish and maintain separate parallel tracks.
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, 1-800-SKIBOWL, www.skibowl.com
Skibowl is America’s largest night-ski area with over 34 lighted runs, featuring 90 acres with 1,500-foot vertical drop and is a favorite with skiers and snowboarders. On Telemark Tuesdays, check out the latest demos.
Summit Ski Area, 503-272-0256, www.summitskiarea.com
Established in 1926, this is the oldest ski area in the Pacific Northwest and the first one on Mt. Hood . Family friendly area. It is a great place to learn to ski or snowboard.
Timberline Ski Area, 1-800-547-1406 or 503-222-2211, www.timberlinelodge.com
Located at the 6,000-foot level on Mt. Hood, Timberline offers year round skiing and snowboarding on more than 1,000 acres of ski runs and terrain parks.
Mt. Hood Meadows, 1-800-SKIHOOD, www.skihood.com
With an annual snowfall of 430 inches and five high-speed quads, Mt. Hood Meadows offers the most varied, diverse and exciting runs on Mt. Hood.
Cooper Spur Ski Resort, 541-352-6692, www.cooperspur.com
Located on the north side of Mt. Hood, Cooper Spur specializes in affordable winter fun for the whole family. It offers 10 ski runs and a tubing center.
Timberline, Ski Bowl and Mt Hood Meadows have extensive terrain parks challenging both snowboarders and skiers.
All of the ski areas offer downhill and snowboarding lessons and equipment rentals. Rentals are also available at the Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop, 503-272-3380, www.mtntracks.com and Valians Ski Shop, 503-272-3525, both centrally located in Government Camp.
Telemark lessons are available at Mt Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl and through Wyeast Nordic Ski School , 503-622- 4841, www.wyeastnordic.com Telemark rentals are available at Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop in Government Camp , and at Timberline and Mt Hood Meadows Ski Areas.
For the experienced adventurer, there are unlimited backcountry options near Government Camp and on the upper mountain.
Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
Enjoy XC skiing and snowshoeing right from your lodging in Government Camp. The road system within the village connects to both the Crosstown and Summit Trail Summit which Trails that circle the community. First timers can find gear and trail recommendations at local shops.
Groomed XC trails can be found at:
Trillium Lake Snowtrails: Six miles groomed trails for traditional XC skiing and snowshoeing. Trails are generally groomed a twice /week from Thanksgiving until April. Ski right from your Government Camp Lodging onto trails that connect to Trillium. Dogs allowed on a leash. Donation requested.
Teacup Lake , www.teacupnordic.org
Located one mile north of Mt. Hood Meadows on Oregon 35. Generally groomed several times / week per week for both skating and traditional XC skiing. There are 12 kilometers km trails of trails, a toilet and warming hut. $5 donation requested. Dogs and snowshoers prohibited.
Mt Hood Meadows Nordic Center , www.skihood.com
Generally open on the weekends and holidays. (www.skihood.com), Enjoy 15 kilometers of groomed skating and set track through beautiful wooded trails and meadows. Rentals available. Track fees range from $5-$10. Dogs and snowshoers prohibited.
Cooper Spur Nordic Center , www.cooperspur.com
Offers 6.5 km of cross-country ski trails groomed for both skating and traditional cross country skiing. Separate trails for snowshoers. Trail fee varies from $5-10. Rentals available. Dogs prohibited.
There is unlimited opportunity for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on Mt. Hood National Forest designated XC trails snowtrails as well as backcountry options.
For updates on current snow conditions, visit the Mt Hood National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood and check out SnoPark conditions .
Cross country ski and snowshoe rentals and trail maps are available at Mountain Tracks Ski and Snowboard Shop or Valians Ski Shop in Government Camp.
Snowtrail Etiquette: Cross-country skiers and snowshoers should establish and maintain separate parallel tracks.
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