Take A Hiking Pole On Your Next Hike
By Monica Marty, Thu Dec 8th

Take a Hiking Pole on Your Next Hike

It is the downhill ski racing competition of the winterOlympics. You watch a ski racer zoom down the slope manoeuvringthrough the ski gates. However, you notice that something ismissing. The skier has on skis, boots, and a giant slalom skintight racing suit. You realize what’s missing when their armsflail about causing them to lose their balance on a patch ofice. They are missing their ski poles.

It is the cross country competition of the winterOlympics. You cheer from the crowd as the skiers fly down thetrail. Each skier pushes hard with their ski poles. However, oneskier is left far behind the pack because he does not have anyski poles. His graceful cross country rhythm has beeninterrupted due to a lack of balance.

In both cases, the skiers lost the race because they weremissing their ski poles. Ski poles are vital because they helpmaintain balance, provide support, and relieve some of thepressure off your body. If the use of a ski pole is so crucial,then why is it that many hikers do not use a hiking pole duringtheir hikes?

You might not think of a hiking or trekking pole as a necessityuntil you compare hiking to cross country skiing. In hiking youtraverse across a terrain of varying degrees and obstacles.There is constant stress and strain on your muscles and jointsas you navigate through rocks, sandy areas, and elevatedterrain. Your knees and lower back are constantly adjusting tothe pressure placed on them. This can

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North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, NV -Bonanza Photo - Jen Schmidt Jonathan Cherry shows some fancy footwork on the flat section of a slalom training course Jan. 17. &quot;It's tough missing Tyson. ...<br/><br/>::
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Enterprise-Record, CA -... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.<br/><br/>::
City blames rains for mudslide in La JollaContra Costa Times, CA - 1 hour ago... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.City b
San Jose Mercury News, USA -... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.<br/><br/>::
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Ad-Hoc-News (Pressemitteilung), Germany -... release: a Brent's Method routine for single-variable problems, as well as Downhill Simplex and Simulated Annealing Methods for multi-variable problems. ...<br/><br/>::
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Canada East, Canada -&quot;I'm kind of sick of the snow and sick of skiing now, so I'm ready to play.&quot; Log in to access premium content and features on this site.<br/><br/>::
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Arkansas Democrat Gazette, AR -... from Arkansas 23 on Forest Road 1003 (White Rock Mountain Road ), a total elevation gain of 3, 500 feet intermixed with 1, 900 feet worth of downhill. ...<br/><br/>::
Miller storms to overall Cup leadBBC Sport, UK - 21 minutes agoMiller, 30, won the downhill section of the two-discipline super-combined and clinched the slalom from Ivica Kostelic and Rainer Schoenfelder on Sunday. ...Miller Wins Super-
Citizen, South Africa -Miller turned on the slalom style to take control of the overall World Cup after winning the penultimate combined event of the season here Sunday. ...<br/><br/>::
Miller Wins Super-Combi World Cup EventLongview Daily News, WA - 38 minutes ago&amp;quot;I fell Saturday during the slalom practice. I have a bruised left hip.&amp;quot; Slalom specialist Ivica Kostelic of Croatia moved from eighth after
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US at the double as skiers Miller, Sullivan top podiumTurkish Press, MI - 3 minutes agoEurope's skiing elite were pushed into the shadows here Sunday as Bode Miller made sure the USA grabbed a rare double on the men's World Cup circuit.
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Miller wins super-combi World Cup eventMonterey County Herald, CA - 11 minutes agoThe American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the
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In-Forum (subscription), ND -The American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the ...<br/><br/>::
US at the double as skiers Miller, Sullivan top podiumCitizen, South Africa - 39 minutes agoAmerican Marco Sullivan upset the giants of the downhill Saturday to claim his maiden World Cup win on the 60th anniversary of the famed Kandahar
Longview Daily News, WA -The American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the ...<br/><br/>::

lead to soreness and pain.This is comparable to the demands of cross country skiing.

Hiking pain can be reduced by investing in a hiking or trekkingpole. Hiking poles have a wide range of benefits including:improved balance, endurance, and ward off knee injuries. Hikingpoles can enable you to successfully cross streams and workthrough steeper terrain. A mental side effect is that they canboost your confidence allowing you tackle the hiking trail withvigor.

There are different types of hiking and trekking polesavailable. There are long wooden poles, shorter aluminum poles,snow poles, and ice axes. Want to beef up your regular hikingpole? Hiking poles have various accessories to choose fromincluding: hand grips, shock absorbers, and camera mounts. Ifyou are going on a winter hike you can add a basket to yourpole. Another important aspect of your hiking pole is its tip.The common tip is made of carbide. However, rubber tips are alsoavailable. Each tip has pros and cons which should be consideredwhen purchasing a pole. Consult a hiking professional to assesswhich pole is best for you.

If you want more stability and less stress on your body considerinvesting in a hiking or trekking pole. The ability to navigatethrough difficult terrain will become a reality. Hiking polescan cost money, but they are worth every penny.

About the author:Monica Marty is a hiking fan and the webmaster ofhttp://hikingtrailfinder.com/ where you will find a directoryand information on Hiking You may freely distribute thisarticle, no need to obtain consent, as long as the author's bioparagraph (resource box) is included.