Families on Foot: Urban Hikes to Backyard Treks and National Park Adventures

by Jennifer Pharr Davis, Brew Davis

Overview

Down and Dirty Tips and Tricks for Families on the Trail Published in partnership with the American Hiking Society, Families on Foot offers practical advice and engaging activities to make hiking even more fun for families. You'll find clever ideas and inspiration that apply to kids of all ages—from tackling diaper blowouts in the backcountry to using smartphone apps and GPS to engage teenagers with nature. Information for children with special needs and seniors also is included. Author Jennifer Pharr Davis, the former record holder of the fastest thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, together with her husband Brew Davis, marries old-fashioned know-how on safety, preparation, and trail conservation with modern day activities and technology, inspirational and interactive games, and down-and-dirty fun on the trail. Information includes smart tactics for families with kids of a variety ages on the trail—from tackling diaper blowouts in the backcountry to getting teenagers engaged in nature with smartphone apps and GPS—and is inclusive of special needs children and senior adults.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493026715
Publisher:	Falcon Guides
Publication date:	03/01/2017
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Jennifer Pharr Davis is the founder of Blue Ridge Hiking Company, as well as a long distance hiker, author, speaker, and ambassador for the American Hiking Society. She has hiked over 12,000 miles on six different continents, including thru-hikes on the PCT, the Appalachian Trail, the Colorado Trail, the Long Trail, and more. In 2011, she set the unofficial record for the fastest thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail with a time of 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes—and held this until July 2015. Her adventures have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Outside magazine, to name a few. Jennifer has been named Blue Ridge Outdoors Person of the Year and a National Geographic Adventurer of the year. Her Appalachian Trail record was voted Ultrarunning Magazine’s Female Performance of 2011. Brew Davis guides for Blue Ridge Hiking Company. He’s an accomplished long distance hiker and ultrarunner, having hiked in all fifty states and completed the 500-mile Colorado Trail.

Table of Contents

Preface viii

Introduction xiii

Prep

Chapter 1 Make a Game Plan 1

Chapter 2 Safety on the Trail 17

Chapter 3 Purchasing and Packing Gear 39

Hike

Chapter 4 What to Expect When You're Exploring 61

Chapter 5 Honing Your Hiking Skills 75

Chapter 6 Games and Activities 93

Learn

Chapter 7 Learning, Conserving, Volunteering 117

Chapter 8 Grown-up Children and Grandparents 135

Chapter 9 Health Conditions and Special Concerns 147

Chapter 10 Where to Go 175

Index 218

About the Authors 228

Editorial Reviews

If Richard Louv in Last Child in the Woods made the case for unplugging our kids from the Internet and getting them outside, with Families on Foot Jennifer and Brew have explained just how to do it!” – Chuck McGrady, National Sierra Club President (1998-2001) “Jennifer Pharr Davis has written Families on Foot with the passion and enthusiasm of a renowned long distance Appalachian Trail hiker, and the loving insightfulness of a mother who wants her children to appreciate the wonders of the outdoors. This book is a must-read for parents who seek the same experience for their families, especially the practical advice for how to successfully plan and organize hikes and camping trips.” –Ron Tipton, Appalachian Trail Conservancy Executive Director/CEO “Jennifer Pharr Davis and Brew Davis have a rare combination: tons of experience with trails and with kids. For families looking to get outdoors, that means tons of useful advice.” –Dennis Lewon, Backpacker Editor-in-Chief

From the Publisher