National Forest Sno-Parks Rated

Free Shipping Day 2011 Reminder

2011-12-07T12:56:00.001-08:00

The holiday season is upon us once again and if you are an online shopper here are a few important shipping dates to keep in mind.

Many online retailers already offer free shipping but many who don’t may offer free shipping on:

Free Shipping Day 2011
On Friday, December 16, more than 2,000 participating merchants will offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve in the continental United States. For more info visit

http://www.freeshippingday.com/

Shipping Deadline

Whether purchasing your gifts online or shipping them yourself, you should be aware of the shipping deadlines.

December 17th is the last day for Ground shipping to be guaranteed for a holiday order.

USPS parcel post cut-off is December 15th. Most of the rest of the ground carriers are on or about the 17th. After that, you need to consider priority and express shipments to get it there on-time for the holiday.

If you are a last minute shopper and can’t decide on what to buy, you might try:

GPS Snowmobile Mount Selection Guide - Garmin GPS Mount

2011-01-28T13:00:00.001-08:00

Looking for a GPS mount for your snowmobile? New-Gps.com has a printable GPS Motorcycle Mount Selection Guide that may help you select a GPS mount for your snowmobile.

Whether you want a handlebar mount or a cowl mount, the GPS Mount Selection Guide can help you match the correct GPS mount to your sled/GPS combination.

Best Selling Snowmobile GPS Mounts at Amazon.com

For ease of use, link your GPS to a Bluetooth helmet headset. GPS receivers are available with a “handsfree” feature that allows voice command prompting. A Bluetooth helmet headset can keep you in contact with fellow sled riders via intercom or 2-way radio and be synced to cell phones and MP3 players.

Bluetooth for helmet can help you select the right Bluetooth helmet or headset to fit your navigation and communication needs.

Best Selling Bluetooth Helmets at Amazon.com

USFS Sno-parks were designed as staging area for snowmobiles and other winter sports enthusiasts. If you spend any amount of time in the great outdoors in the Western US National Forests, you should know about the recreational opportunities found at the USFS Sno-parks.

For more information about National Forest Sno-parks go to Sno-parks.com.

Snowmobilers, Find Your Friends & Your Way with Handheld GPS Units

2010-11-08T10:10:00.001-08:00

Snowmobiling in the US National Forests can be very dangerous.

You can reduce that danger with a Garmin Rino Handheld GPS Unit.

These Handheld GPS Units feature a 2way radio to keep in contact with your fellow snowmobilers, as well as a GPS receiver to help you find your way. Some Garmin Rino handheld units can transmit GPS coordinates to other GPS units in your group.

Add your local snowmobile trail maps to your Garmin Rino and you are all setup for a terrific day of safe trail riding.

The satellite positioning seems to be right on and positioning after start-up was quick. …I was able to get within 5-7 feet of everything I marked.
Everyone in the group said that radio transmission was crystal clear, they could hear my transmissions better than anyone elses. Don't get me wrong the Garmin in definetly a GPS first and radio second but I was very pleased with its two-way capabilities. It performed as well, if not better, than the midlands and motorolas in the group.

For more consumer comments follow this link. Garmin Rino 520 & 530 110918

USFS Sno-parks were designed as staging area for snowmobiles and other winter sports enthusiasts. If you spend any amount of time in the great outdoors in the Western US National Forests, you should know about the recreational opportunities found at the USFS Sno-parks.

For more information about National Forest Sno-parks go to Sno-parks.com.

Here are some excerpts from consumer comments about the Garmin Rino:

How can a nature walk aid our health?

2010-09-09T13:43:00.001-07:00

Originally published Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 7:36 PM

How can a nature walk aid our health?

Research suggests we are hard-wired to seek green surroundings.

By Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden

McClatchy Newspapers

Perhaps the next prescription from your doctor will be for something a little different: contact with nature.

Many studies have looked at the positive impact of nature on emotional and physical health. Some research has suggested that we are genetically hard-wired to seek green surroundings for our health and well-being.

What are some health benefits of contact with nature and greenery?

Here are surprising findings from studies over the past few years:

— Green environments improve mental acuity. Children who play in playgrounds seem to have higher scores for attention than those who play on asphalt. In a study of 96 children diagnosed with attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder, the greener the play area, the better the concentration and mental functioning.

— Green environments reduce aggression and crime. A 2001 study showed that housing blocks in Chicago with high levels of greenery had about 50 percent fewer property and violent crimes, compared with housing areas with little vegetation.

— Green environments reduce stress, depression and anxiety. A 2005 study in Sweden found that the more often one visits green areas, the less often one reports stress-related sickness. Other studies have shown that doing exercise in nature reduces depression and anxiety in adults.

— Green environments improve the functioning of the body’s immune system. A 2007 study in Japan showed that a three-day exposure to nature increased the body’s natural “killer cells” by 50 percent. A 2008 study showed that enhanced activity of white blood cells lasted more than a week after exposure to nature.

— Green environments lower blood pressure. In a study this year of 280 people in Japan, scientists found that walking through a forest or other wooded area for a few hours lowered concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, lowered the pulse rate and lowered blood pressure.

— Green environments make one feel healthy. A 2006 epidemiological study in the Netherlands on more than 250,000 people showed that the percentage of green space in a living environment has a positive association with residents’ perceived general health. This was most apparent among the elderly, housewives and lower socioeconomic groups.

In fact, the Japanese have a name for exposure to greenery, “Shinrin-yoku” — roughly translating as taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing. We think this is a great prescription for overall good health and should be taken often.

So go ahead and take one Shinrin-yoku and call us in the morning.

National Forests are a great place to find the perfect “Green” Camping Spots.

Labor Day Weekend is the Best Time of Year for Camping

2010-08-19T08:48:00.001-07:00

If you are looking for a Free National Forest Camping spot; USFS Sno-parks are a great candidate. Sno-parks use is free this time of year and the weather is great.

Late summer camping has other benefits:

Mosquitoes are all but gone.
Hot sunny days & cool nights.
Fall colors.
Fat fish, the fish stocked in the spring are fat and tasty.

National Forest Sno-parks are located in the Cascade Mountain Range in WA & OR and in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in CA.

Hikers and backpackers can pick up snowmobile and cross country ski trail maps at the USFS ranger station. If hiking off trails in wilderness areas, hikers should be equipped with handheld GPS units to avoid getting lost.

Memorial Day RV Caravan Camping

2010-05-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Sno-Parks are the perfect destination for RV Caravan Camping.

By Memorial Day weekend most National Forest Sno-parks are open for free camping. Free camping is available but check with the USFS to be sure Parking Permits are no longer necessary. Please be sure to check local weather conditions as some high elevation Sno-parks may have snow.

The open parking atmosphere of the Sno-parks is ideal for RV caravan camping. Smaller Snow-parks have parking for 20 Rvs while larger Sno-parks can accommodate 200 or more. You will be able to park close to your fellow Caravan Campers, enjoy free nearby camp facilities and have great access to the National Forests.

For more detailed info (including GPS coordinates) on Top Rated Northwest Sno-parks go to Sno-parks.com.

If you are looking for a new GPS system (for auto, ATV or hiking); New-GPS.com can help you find the Perfect GPS System for you.

A good USFS topographic map and compass will also be of great help in finding your way around the forest and should be included in your survival kit.
Enjoy a Safe and Pleasant Memorial Day camping experience!
　
RV_Maverick
mike@sno-parks.com

Using New GPS Navigation to Find Sno-Parks

2010-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Most National Forest Sno-parks do not have street address; at best they have road intersections. Minimal driving directions are found for some Sno-parks but may not be sufficient. USFS maps are very good, but 1 wrong turn can lead you miles out of your way.

Sno-parks.com has included GPS navigation coordinates for many Sno-parks in the Northwest. These GPS coordinates are found in the detailed information about each Sno-park. To get to the Sno-park enter the GPS coordinates into your GPS navigator as indicated on the website. If using a sport GPS receiver or handheld device, these GPS coordinates can also be used to get you back to the Sno-park if needed.

If you do not have a GPS navigator, basic information about selecting a new automobile GPS navigator or selecting a new sport handheld GPS receiver can be found at New-GPS.com. A good USFS topographic map will also be of great help in finding your way around the forest and should be included in your survival kit.

I hope you will enjoy summer camping at National Forest Sno-parks as much as I have.

RV_Maverick
mike@sno-parks.com

Sno-Parks offer a wonderful FREE summertime camping experience.

2010-03-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

This blog is a staging area for our top rated Sno-Park videos. Sno-Parks.com has visited and rated many National Forest Sno-parks throughout the Western United States. Our favorite top rated Sno-parks were video recorded to better give our readers an idea of how underutilized these overlooked resources are.

For detailed information about our rated Sno-parks including facilities, activities, photos and GPS co-ordinates; go to Sno-parks.com.

We hope you will enjoy your Sno-park camping experience and remember; if you PACK IT IN - PACK IT OUT! This will keep the area clean and the fees to a minimum.

RV_Maverick
mike@sno-parks.com