Excellent! I'm back in "civilization" and ready to continue this monthly newsletter, filled with hiking news you won't find anywhere else.

Plus, I've been hiking up a storm (and doing my share of enduring them, sometimes without benefit of my tent).

Here, I'm raising my arms in greeting to an incoming storm. Or maybe I'm saying goodbye to the bush pilot. Or could I be dancing with joy because I'm in my happy place again?

Take your pick!

Big City Mountaineers

It's a peer-to-peer fundraising initiative, meaning while you hike (any length or area) you can raise funds for BCM.

What do they do with the funds? They get young folks (ages 12 - 18) out in the wilds, specifically kids who wouldn't have a chance to hike or backpack any other way.

Take a look at how BCM rolls here:

Big City Mountaineers organization

If you're wondering exactly how all this plays out in real life, here's an article with details:

The impact of BCM

Backpacking meals with an environmental focus

Have you tried their meals? I'd love to hear what you think.

Farm To Summit

Inspiring female hiker

The distance this woman has walked/hiked is staggering.

And she's not done yet!

Catch up with her and her hiking companion Wombat in Canada:

Hiking the Americas, Lucy Barnard style

Hiking resources

This month, it's a resource for those of us like Lucy Barnard who hike with dogs.

Not sure about you, but the dogs in my life eat anything and everything they encounter on the trail, often in the blink of an eye.

More than once I've had to pry open a snout and take a whiff to get an idea of what just went down the hatch. Can you relate?

Here’s a thorough article from a veterinarian which covers common hazards, signs of trouble, and what to do immediately to help your hiking companion after an episode of "WTH was that?".

What to do when your dog scarfs down something gross

I have plenty of other tips on hiking with dogs, please feel free to pick through these resources:

Tips for hiking with dogs

Best hiking gear for dogs

Hiking backpacks for dogs

Looking ahead

*new gear reviews including a heated fleece jacket and a lightweight stove that burns forest debris so you don't have to carry fuel

*a detailed trip review of my 2025 rafting/hiking 14 day trip in the NW Territories - come with me to a place no one ever goes!!

*updated pages with new tips and tricks to use on the trail to solve and prevent problems

Now it's your turn.

What would you like to read in this newsletter? Or on the Hiking For Her website?

Send it my way by hitting reply. Thanks!

August doldrums?

When it's too hot or humid or stormy or (insert your weather here) to hike, what can you do instead?

Here's what I do: daydream about next year's hiking destinations and goals.

I use this website as my inspiration: 57Hours for planning your next adventure

It's never too early to line up your hiking trips for 2026!

Wishing you all the best for joyful hiking this month,

Diane a.k.a. Happy Hiker

diane@hiking-for-her.com

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Wow!

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