Most real hikers like to have companions on the trail. This is why there are so many hiking clubs throughout the United States. Beautiful things are usually more attractive when enjoyed with some other person. Then there is much to the point of safety, too. It is much safer for three or more persons to hike together than for a person to hike alone. In case of accident, one can assist the other while the third goes for help.

A Hiking Club

Young people may find it worth while to organize a hiking club and make it possible to have all enjoy their thrills together. The club can plan trips, explore new places, and help each other with hiking methods. The organization of a hiking club should be very simple. The main purpose of the club is for outdoor activity, not indoor meetings, elections, and speakers. However, if activities are to go forward it is necessary to have someone responsible for making arrangements, notifying members, collecting dues, and the like. A president or hike leader and a secretary-treasurer are sufficient.

Sometimes it is possible for the club to have a room where they can collect a library on hiking and meet to discuss their plans. Some hiking clubs are very famous, such as the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Green Mountain Club, the Sierra Club, and others. Any group of young people can form a hiking club with little or no cost to any member. They can make their equipment together and plan trips on maps during rainy days, and when the weather is favorable set forth together to explore the world. As the club goes on hikes together, the members can collect pictures for their meeting place and write reports of their exploration in their diaries.

Once a club has been organized, choose a suitable name for it - one that is descriptive of the location, membership, and purpose. The name is quite important in building tradition. Some clubs like also to adopt a monogram or insignia for use in branding their equipment. Note, for instance, the sign of the Appalachian Trail shown on page 39.

Among other things, clubs of this kind can be helpful in promoting the development of hiking trails throughout the United States. It may be that there are some old Indian trails or old logging roads in your vicinity that would be wonderful for hiking. A good club project would be to map out some of these trails, secure permission from the owners to use them, and then mimeograph or print a little folder describing these trails. The folder would be useful for the members of the club and others who are interested in rambling.

When a club goes hiking, it is a good plan to assign the duties of the trip in such a way that each man has a turn at one of the regular tasks, such as cooking, firemaking, carrying water, cleanup, and so forth. By arranging the tasks in some such manner as indicated at the top of the next page, and then moving up one task for each meal, you can greatly simplify the various camp duties and everyone has his share to do. In this way the hike can run much more smoothly than when everyone is milling about with no particular responsibility.

A plan such as this is especially good when the hikers are spending a few days together in one place, such as a cabin in the woods. For a short hike it is probably more simple to have each person responsible for his own food and shelter.

Hiking around the Calendar. Not all hiking fun comes in the summer months. Hiking is a sport that can be pursued the year around regardless of the part of the country in which you live. As a matter of fact, one of the really interesting things about hiking is the variety it offers as the seasons roll by.

The summer time, of course, offers the opportunity for long hikes through shady woods when wild life is abundant and conditions are right for overnight trips. The other seasons of the year have their special treats to offer also.

Autumn, in most parts of the country, is a most colorful season. There is a certain something about hiking through the woods when the leaves are turning and the first frost is in the air! At harvest time, the fields are picturesque with acres of ripened wheat, shocks of corn, and full-grown pumpkins. This is the season for apples, berries, and many other fruits. If you have never felt the crisp crackle of dried leaves under your feet as you walked through the woods, then you have missed one of the real thrills of hiking. But take care! These very leaves are apt to start a forest fire if you do not scrape them away for a good distance when you stop to broil your steak.

Winter hikes have a fascination all their own. Try walking through the silent woods when they are covered with a blanket of snow. This is the season to observe animal and bird tracks. You can read many interesting stories in these tracks if you look closely enough. You may find the footprints of animals which you thought had long since disappeared from your part of the country. Some birds will not be seen at this time of the year, and some can be seen that are not present at any other time.

Winter hiking is an invigorating sport, provided you dress for the occasion.

Then there are winter sports, too. Hiking on snowshoes, skiing, and ice skating should all be part of your winter hiking program.

Genuine spring fever comes with the call of the open trail tempting you out into the woods again. At no time of year is the out-of-doors more attractive. The tang of the new foliage, the fresh softness of the air, the lazy hum of the awakening insects, are all a tonic to your system. These are the days of blossoming trees, sprouting grass, and countless birds on their way from the South to their summer homes in the North.

Yes, hiking is an all-year sport. Learn to enjoy it by taking advantage of every different type of hiking available in your own locality. Hike all around the calendar.