Upcoming Wilderness First Aid Classes:
I am proud to share that I am instructing HSI Wilderness First Aid certification classes. First Aid in the backcountry has unique challenges. This course teaches practical skills that will enable you to respond to wilderness injuries and emergencies. I’d be happy to arrange classes for your group or organization.
The COVID-19 impacts on hiking include the universal disruption of plans, including ours.
Like lots of people, I’m going more than a little stir crazy due to the COVID-19 outbreak. I’ve been taking local hikes to get some fresh air and exercise and this really does help. It’s been a challenge to keep up with constantly changing COVID-19 impacts on hiking activities. Active guiding is on hold for now and near-term trips that were planned have been canceled. Longer term everything is tentative, although we are still taking bookings for guided trips. These will be dependent on both public health policy and local rules as well as common sense regarding COVID-19
Officially, we are still encouraged to get outside, but there are important common-sense guidelines. Below are some key takeaways regarding COVID-19 impacts on hiking and camping, my personal thoughts and interpretations regarding access and safety considerations, and some links you can use to keep track of rapidly changing guidelines for outdoor recreation
Continue readingEastern Outdoor Experiences will be exhibiting at the Catskills Great Outdoor Expo. We are proud to join this fun and informative event in Kingston, NY on Saturday March 30. The Expo runs from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Center, which is located at 503 Washington Avenue in Kingston, New York
Please stop by and say hello. We will be there all day and therefore eager to chat about outdoor adventures in the Catskills. Above all we are excited to meet other outdoor enthusiasts. We love answering questions and hopefully getting to hear about your Catskill experiences. There will be mini clinics during the day for those looking to learn hiking and camping skills. At noon, Ed will be giving a presentation titled, “Bushwhacking The Catskills”.
There will be dozens of other exhibitors. These include hiking clubs, outfitters, Catskill food producers, arts and culture organizations and more. As a result you can expect to enjoy expert presentations, free samples and raffles.
Proceeds will benefit the Catskill Center. The center’s mission is to protect and foster the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region.
Eastern Outdoor Experiences looks forward to seeing you at the Catskills Great Outdoor Expo on the 30th.
If you have any questions feel free to contact Ed Moran.
Enjoy Catskill guided hiking, skiing and lodging this winter! The winter snow season is off to a great early start in the Catskills and therefore so are the winter activities we look forward to each year. As a result it is looking like a promising season for cross-country skiing on natural snow. Join us for a celebration of winter with a 3-day / 2-night package of guided hiking or skiing with an experienced and enthusiastic guide. This package includes two nights of comfortable lodging, homemade breakfasts and trail lunches. Your Guide will accompany and assist with all facets of your Catskill experience. Consequently, you will love this getaway whether you are looking forward to advanced or beginner snowshoeing or relaxed ski touring. Continue reading
Carrauntoohil, the highest peak in Ireland
The Coomloughra Horseshoe is a loop hike over the three highest peaks in Ireland. We hiked this route on a day with perfect weather gracing the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks in County Kerry. The horseshoe shaped glacial valley surrounded by these three peaks contains 3 lakes. The largest of these, Coomloughra, gives the route its name. The horseshoe loop reminds me a little of the Franconia loop in New Hampshire, but there is much more exposure to heights on the Irish version of the knife-edge. There are fantastic views all around. The full hike includes about 4200 feet of elevation gain and 8.5 miles of walking. Continue reading
This was a combination vacation and working trip to firm up some of the details for our Hiker’s Tours of Ireland of Irelands. We brought the usual collection of foul weather rain gear and fleece jackets but didn’t need any of them. 10 days of blue skies and warm to hot temperatures (up to 31C / 88F). I wish we could promise that for all of our tours but this kind of weather without interruption is uncommon for Ireland. We traveled around quite a bit, focusing on County Wicklow and County Kerry 
for outdoor attractions and some great hiking. We also spent a little time on a personal quest visiting the house my grandmother grew up in and finding a great craft brewery in the town my great grandfather was from. Continue reading
An embarrassing camping moment…
With all due respect to Stanley Kubrick, this is a tale about what happened when I failed to follow plan C (for Compass).
I was backpacking with my son’s Boy Scout troop in Harriman State Park and it was a beautiful moonlit night in mid-November. Most of the boys were camped in the lean-to and a few were in tents right next to it. As is our practice the adults were camped separately, on this occasion about 200 feet away.
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