Hiker Stocking Stuffers

In the spirit of making your last-minute holiday shopping a little easier, we've come up with five great stocking stuffers for the hikers on your list.

Give the gift of go! Energy gels, available in any number of brand and flavors, are useful stocking stuffers. These tiny packets of liquifed power are great for winter sports, when a quick shot of calories can help you stay warm or to reach the next ridge. My personal favorite is the Honey Stingers chocolate goo.

For the caf-fiend in your life, look no further than instant coffee. Head to the markets in Seattle's International District to find Vinacafe's three-in-one sachets that put coffee, cream, and sugar into convenient individual packages. Starbucks' Via, those slick little tubes of coffee, taste remarkably like a cup of coffee shop coffee wherever you are. For a less pricey, but no less caffeinated option, Nescafe now sells boxes of 20 instant coffee tubes in a variety of flavors.

There's something inherently funny about stuffing a stocking with stockings, right? We're firm believers in proper socks. And what hiker new or old doesn't need a new pair of hiking socks? Teko, Smartwool, Thor-lo are three quality sock brands, and many others make great socks, too.

Whether you pick up an indivdual copy, or better yet, give a year's subscription, Washington Trails magazine, offers practical information and plenty of inspiration to venture into scenic wild places. We have a Gift Membership Package that includes Craig Romano's Winter Hikes Western Washington Deck with an annual membership to WTA.

Looking for an environmental good-deed to fill that stocking? You could plant ten trees in a National Forest. Every time you hike in a National Forest, you could be passing by the seedlings you planted.

Whatever you end up giving as gifts or stuffing in stockings, we hope you'll have a chance to head out on a great hike, too. Happy winter!