This shoe is a versatile day hiking shoe that also looks good around town. (You could actually use this on a multi-day hike if you're an experienced hiker and you don't feel that you need a hiking boot.) The Chameleon   has arch support to spare, solid all-around construction , and a toe-lip that extends over the front of the shoe that looks like it won’t peel off any time soon. In fact, the shoe looks very much like a top of the line hiking boot (black sole, umber-colored leather), just cut low like a shoe. The arch support and tracking on this  shoe are incredible – your foot is held in place, exactly where it should be as you walk. The shoe looked so waterproof that on a recent trip to Telluride I couldn't resist submerging it in one of the local streams. It turns out that it is only waterproof up to the laces and I ended up with a bit of a soaker. But that's my fault. Great shoe.

This infant and toddler carrier can be used for years with your child. This pack lives in our car.  It has calmed our daughter at times when nothing else worked.  When we are on the road and want to get a short hike in, we just have to reach for this versatile pack.  We use it to grocery shop, to walk long distances in cities, to put our daughter to sleep at outdoor concerts, and to go on impromptu hikes.  My husband likes to pull to the side of the road to scout rapids for future river runs, so out comes the ergo pack, and while we do some rock scrambling our daughter is safely attached to us. It takes a while to get used to placing your child in it, but once you get the hang of it, it can be done by one parent without assistance. As your child gets older, they can help you. Cora always gets very excited when we take the ergo pack out.

Our family has used this pack on a variety of short day hikes and has found it comfortable.  The great thing is that it does not weigh too much; so when Cora wants to do some hiking of her own, we are not carrying a large frame child backpack for no reason.  I just let it dangle off my hips.  This pack does not replace the necessary frame packs for longer hikes or for hikes where you think you may slip and fall. Ideal for the light backpacking enthusiast.

Ergo offers a variety of products including: waist extension up to 51”, infant inserts, totes, diaper bags and backpacks that attach to the carrier and a front pouch for documents you want easy access to.

I have tried out a few of these accessories and they do what they say.  The only downfall of this carrier is that it does not look very good and adding the accessories does not help you feel stylish.

Regardless the Ergo pack is worth investing in.  We are heading to the airport for Thanksgiving with a change of plans in both directions.  The Ergo Pack will come with us rather than a stroller.  It keeps Cora centered and she can fall asleep and feel right at home.  I have not tried this pack with a newborn.

From the company: The ergonomic design supports a correct sitting position for the baby's hip, pelvis and spine growth. It balances the baby's weight to parents' hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent. Recommended weight limit of 40 pounds for its carrier; however, the carrier has been tested up to 90 pounds. Available in more than six colors with different accessories.  Can be purchased for $105 US at:

The New Generation ERGO Baby Carrier - Black with Green Lining

Heidi

Hello,

My favorite rainsuit of all time is the Newt Suit by MEC. Click to read my review.

I have never used a poncho with my Ergo Pack and am not sure how that would work because of possible suffication, condensation, which would make the baby wet.  I know that the Newt Suit would work great in the carrier and keep your child comfortable.

Hope this helps.

Heidi

Now that the rainy season is upon us (I live in Oregon), I am trying to figure out the best way to keep hiking with my little guy.  My son's 6 months old, already 20 pounds and I prefer to wear him in a front carrier.  (The Ergo is an amazingly comfortable & versitile pack for hiking!  www.ergobabycarrier.com )  I see all sorts of great rain suits out there, but they wouldn't keep the actual carrier dry.  (I use the carrier front pocket to store extra diapers, etc.)  I am wondering if anyone has experience with ponchos... especially before the baby is walking (or even sitting up).  If I do go the rain suit route, can anyone recommend one with a hood which would stay place on a little guys head... or possibly a good rain hat... again, for an infant, not a toddler.  Thanks so much! 

Most people who view this blog probably already have a family, but I came here to find out if the life I love -lots of hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing- is possible with children.  I know that I want children.  I know that I want to continue to do the activities that I love, that connect me to nature and simplicity.  Here's the difficulty...I don't have anyone around me who has children and also does the activities that I do.  I live in a community of soccer moms and football dads, where the TV and video games take up a lot of many families' time.  I often find myself having trouble relating to their lives, and then I begin to panic that I cannot continue the life that I love with children.

So, I have read your stories and tips...and they have given me much inspiration and courage.  Thank you for showing me the life that I knew was possible.  I look forward to many great adventures with children in the near future...we're hoping to get pregnant soon!

I have a couple questions though:

1) Is there anyone out there who can talk about continuing to sport climb when you have a baby or toddler?  I imagine that leaving baby behind with a babysitter is the best option.  And I have heard some people say that if you climb with another couple, then two can always be on the ground playing with baby(ies)...like in a Pack & Play or something?  I just would love to hear the basic logistics of sport climbing with baby/toddler.  Is it an idiot idea?!  I really don't know...

2) Does anyone know of an outdoor community in the Seattle area for families or women with children?  This seems like a critical point -hooking up with other outdoor families- from reading other peoples' posts.  Given that my husband and I have not managed to make this happen as a couple (in 8 years time), I am predicting it will be even more difficult with children.  Most people we know look at us like we're crazy when we talk about our weekend adventures, and I'm sure they will even further question our sanity if we say we had children in tow.  It seems like major outdoor hub cities have an outdoor community, a way of connecting with other like-minded folks.  I'm just not finding it here in Seattle...the Mountaineers appears to be our only offering, and it is 90% single males.

Thanks again for the inspiration and courage...even if we don't find other peeps around here, it helps just to be connected to all of you via the internet, hearing your tales and tips about an outdoor life with kids!

The first snow has fallen in Carbondale Colorado the same night that Barack Hussein Obama has become our 44^th president.  I have to mention this because I am so proud to be living here and to be a part of this amazing history in the making.

So, here I am back on track. Before you take out your skis, snowshoes and other winter sports wear think of taking your kids on a few other hikes. I feel like hiking with children is a great way to stay connected to the earth.  Also, if you head out now, your kids will see how the landscape is quickly changing.  If you are reading this entry from another part of the country, rest assured you will still find interesting information.  With these pointers you can start to plan a wonderful family vacation to the Roaring Fork Valley.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of letting your children do the exploring and discovering on the trail (to follow their pace).  Here I offer destinations that enable you to do this while still keeping your interest.  These are great places to visit with your grandparents or not so fit relatives.

Four small destinations that can enchant the young and the old:

Marble, Colorado:  Marble is a small town 22 miles south of Glenwood springs.  In Marble you can find numerous outdoor activities from climbing to skiing.  Much information can be found on the Marble Tourism Association website.  I recommend visiting the Yule Marble Quarry or Crystal Mill.  Both require a short amount of walking that is perfect for children, and yet offers many discoveries.

On your way to Marble or Redstone stop by the Penny Hot Springs.

Redstone, Colorado:   Read Stone is three miles north of Marble on 133. Visit Redstones website to find out about the different hikes and ice climbing activities in the area.

I like to bring Cora to Redstone’s kid’s park. It is beside the river and she can play and then we can walk on the bridge and explore the river’s edge.

Basalt, Colorado:   This is a small town on the way to Aspen on Hwy 82.  Once again here we like to go to the park that is adjacent to the Crystal River (one of the last free flowing rivers in the west) so that Cora can explore the river’s edge and walk on the groomed path.  She can also visit the pond and look at children fishing.  There is no playground equipment here, but there are amazingly grand picnic tables and the parking lot has a Mexican Restaurant.  From Basalt you can also visit Reudi Reservoir (offers camping)

Perham Creek Trail: From Carbondale travel south on HWY 133 for 10 miles. The trailhead

is 100 ft from mile marker 58 (they get smaller towards Redstone) on the right side.

The entrance is marked with two large metal gates.

This trail is a 4.2 mile hike that takes you up a steep first mile and a half but then takes you into a beautiful meadow.  You can see Mt. Sopris from the trail.

Hope you go out exploring,

Don't forget that if you contribute to this site by Nov.10th you could win a outsidebaby.com coolerbackpack.

Heidi

P.S You can always travel light with your baby.

I discovered Mountain Sprouts when I began researching for a new company I was thinking of starting.  I am a Mom of two kids (1.5 and 3.5) and we live in Bend, Oregon.  If you haven't been here recently there is a major baby boom going on and I can't even begin to tell you how many amazing outdoor families there are cycling, swimming, paddling, camping and skiing everywhere we go.   What an inspiration, and what was that kid wearing?  To make a long story short, I started an online retail store for kids outdoor gear and clothing- www.playoutdoors.com.  In getting ready to figure what our store should sell I came across Mountain Sprouts.   Jen's creations were some of the best kids specific outdoor clothing available.  From the construction, and fabric choice down to the safety whistle of the rogue jacket; I was just so excited that a company like Mountain Sprouts even existed!!   

Outdoor kids and families are what Mountain Sprouts is all about...keeping kids happy and comfortable in the outdoors is the best way to encourage them to love the outdoors as much as you do, building confidence and self reliance no other life experience can provide.  That's why I'm here writing about these ladies because they rock!  

After having used disposable diapers for a year and a half with our son, my husband and I recently decided to switch to cloth.  We suspect our son will be in diapers for a while longer and we are expecting another baby in a few weeks.  We were given a single Bum Genius 3.0 one size fits all cloth diaper by a friend to try out and were “sold” immediately.  We had tried a few other popular brands and Bum Genius won hands down.  We actually had our son in this diaper for a good 4+ hours while hiking and playing hard outside.  The diaper was soaked and had a “number 2” in it, but didn’t leak!  After the poo was emptied, the diaper was stuffed into a ziplock and forgotten about for 8 days in August heat (oops…)

Once we got past the ammonia smell upon opening this bag, we were astounded to find the diaper in great shape!  We washed it once with an extra rinse and it was like new (with the exception of a tiny “poo” stain on the interior.)

This sample was all we needed to settle on our cloth diaper of choice. In addition to its ability to withstand extended outdoor wear and abuse, the Bum Genius possesses other great qualities.  It’s a super-soft pocket diaper with Velcro closures—just as easy as a disposable; there’s a laundry component on the interior so the Velcro flaps don’t stick to other laundry items or themselves and wear out; it’s less bulky than other cloth diapers; there’s a cuff that holds the super-absorbent insert in the pocket and away from baby’s skin; the elastic fits our son just right in the leg, preventing leaks; and, the diapers are cute!  They come in several fun colors and our son loves them.  He actually asks to be put in his “new diapies.”

I’d recommend the Bum Genius to veterans or anyone just getting started with cloth diapers.  I wish we had been given that sample a year and a half ago and saved hundreds of dollars.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is a great place to take a toddler.  We took our 3 year old daughter, Ruby, to visit for a couple days in September and she had a blast.  She was ready to hike to the top of the tallest Dune.  She jumped off the side of the sand dunes, slid down them forward and backward and hiked up and ran down.  She was fully entertained the entire time.  The creek was running and even though it was a little chilly she splashed around and had a wonderful time playing in it.  We have been visiting the Sand Dunes for many years now, and even though it has become a National Park it still has a good feel to it and it was not too expensive.  We took our dog and even let it run off leash to fetch the ball without any problem.  The San Luis Valley is a great place in Colorado to spend time in the outdoors and the Sand Dunes provides hours of fun and adventure for you little ones.

Snow is falling in Carbondale, Colorado today.  Wherever you are living in North America, your hiking, climbing, visiting the park and swimming outdoors days are coming to an end.  I take this as a sign that I should squeeze in just a few more outdoor activities before all the leaves fall off the trees.  Of course, there are plenty of cold weather sports to keep you busy all winter long, but I like to have a memory of a warmer hike to keep my spirits warm during crisp winter days. Also, taking children outside just before the weather turns is a great way to make them connect to the changing of the season, the reason for the change of pace, and activities.

In other blogs I have written about hikes up Red Hill, Thompson Creek, Mt. Sopris, Old Snowmass road, and a few others. Here I offer two more easy hikes that can be done with small children, with or without the help of a spouse.  Hopefully, before Thanksgiving I can write about a few more.

Hanging Lake:  This 2.4 mile trail is a Colorado tourist’s classic, but it is sure to enchant anyone who can ignore the large number of hikers.  The trail takes you from 6,100 to 7,250 feet (1,150 elevation gain) on a very well marked trail.  You will encounter dirt, large rocks, manmade bridges, boulders, and steep inclines on exposed rock (protective railing installed) while hiking along a stream.  Many resting spots have been strategically placed on this mostly shady trail. At the end of the hike you have a wonderful reward; you arrive to a beautiful, emerald-colored, crystal clear lake that is filled by a waterfall. Make sure to check out Sprouting Rock when you are out there.

Remember no fishing or dogs allowed.

This trail is part of the White River National Forest and should take you around two hours without counting rest stops.  Use the USGS Map: Shoshone for topographic information but this is not necessary.

How to get there: Take the Hanging Lake exit along Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon. Westbound travelers must exit a few miles farther west at the Grizzly Creek exit and double back on the eastbound lane to the Hanging Lake exit. Eastbound travelers can drive east from Glenwood Springs directly to the Hanging Lake exit. The return access to Interstate 70 from Hanging Lake is westbound only, so drivers who wish to continue east on Interstate 70 must travel west to the Grizzly Creek exit to get back on track after the hike.

Once you have parked your car at the Hanging Lake rest area (bathrooms and picnic tables are available), follow the paved bicycle path east, or upstream, for about 0.25 mile to a narrow side canyon.

New York Creek Trail:  This trail is significantly longer 4.2 miles one way and has a 2,000 elevation gain.  I have never hiked the whole trail but I recommend this hike if you want your small toddlers to hike a bit of the trail.  The beginning of the hike goes over a river and requires a bit of balance to get across, then for the next mile you are mildly climbing through pine forest and mountain meadows.  It is quite picturesque.  Your children will get to experience many different terrains on a very short hike.

After one mile you hit an old but well established Jeep trail. That is where we turned back down for an afternoon swim at the Aspen Recreation Center.

If you want to camp out there are many sites along the Lincoln Creek road.

If you are planning on doing the whole trail you should get the topo map USGS  New York Peak and visit this website:  Click for link

ACCESS: Drive 10 miles east of Aspen on Highway 82 to Lincoln Creek Road. Turn right and drive 3.1 miles on Lincoln Creek Road to the New York Creek Trail turnoff on the right. Although a 4WD vehicle is not necessary, high clearance is a must.

Remember you can win a fifty dollar gift card just by sharing your story or question before Oct. 31st.

Heidi

The Rogue Jacket by Mountain Sprouts is a great purchase.  My daughter fell in love with it the minute she saw the color (gumdrop), and it is incredibly comfortable, practical, and versatile.  So many technical outdoor clothes for children look bulky and old fashioned.  This coat is fashionable and well made.  We have used this coat at different times as a rain coat, wind breaker and warm layer.  Mountain Sprouts really has the well being of parents and children in mind.  The coat has integrated mittens at the end of the sleeves. This is a great added touch that could prove a saving grace in a number of different scenarios: being caught in unexpected weather, losing a mitt, enveloping the hands of a sleeping child on a long cold hike, or covering a child’s hands in a tent while they sleep at night.  In this coat it seems that Cora always seems protected from the elements.  The coat seems a little big for Cora (but she’s not a big child), and it got stained early on, but it still works and we can use it for at least a year longer.  It is made of weather resistant Polartec softshell and comes with a multi-generational guarantee.  This coat can be purchased for $98.  I think it is a good buy for you money since the coat is so versatile.  I would buy myself this exact coat if it was made in my size.

As a great FYI the Polartec used in this coat is named :eco engineering; Meaning it has at least 50 percent recycled content.  This is another reason to put your money towards companies that support the planet.

To purchase this fabulous coat visit Mountain Sprouts.

Heidi

Remember a winner will receive a fifty dollar gift certificate for Mountain Sprouts.  All you need to do is share a story, tip, trick, question on this website and one winner will be selected by October 31^st.

Even though the super sunny season is pretty much over, I had to share my findings with all who may be interested. This boys hat is reversible (taupe/white or navy/white), super light weight and it totally keeps their heads fresh. It's also pretty easy to wash, since the stains come right off and the fabric (cotton/linnen) won't bleed (just throw it in the washing machine!). You can find it at cabanalife.com (if you hurry you'll even find it on sale). The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the fact that it's actually too plain, but apparently kids don't always care about this. My son Stephan doesn't usually wear anything other than his baseball cap, so I was surprised to see that he was actually eager to wear it. Sadly for him, his friend Jiah wanted to wear it too (believe it or not, they actually fought over it) and got to keep it for the rest of our hike. I had to promise Steph that we'd go on another hike soon and that he would get to wear it and to keep it for good, so he was really happy with this arrangement. Next time around he put on his special hat as soon as he knew that we were hiking, asking where his "mountain hat" was and making sure we didn't leave it behind. He proudly wore it for the whole hike and took great care of it, complaining about the wind trying to snatch it off his head as he held it with both hands. Needles to say, we'll take it in all our future outings.