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Hikers are on top of the world. Literally! And although not all aspire to ascend Europe's Mount Elbrus, Africa's Kilimanjaro, or South America's Aconcagua, the psychological and physical challenges of hiking propel legions of trekkers over the river and through the woods. Outfitting the hiker should present little challenge for gift givers that do their homework. Does the hiker favor long or short treks? Trail or off-trail hiking? Is the hiking combined with other such activities as camping, skiing, or climbing?

See also: gifts for campers

Arrange for a hiking adventure. A travel agent can help you plan for trekking the Amazon or climbing the Swiss Alps. Helpful people at a sporting goods store can tell you about hiking in the area.

Give a treadmill, stair climber, cross-country ski machine, or other exercise equipment to keep the trekker in shape between hikes.

Outfit a backpack with all the necessities for the perfect picnic: stemware, utensils, dishes, a cutting board, a tablecloth, napkins. For a romantic touch, add candle holders, candles, and a book of poetry.

A hand-held global positioning system would help the hiker stay on course.

Give a first-aid kit to the trailblazer. Even if your hiker is not particularly accident prone, potential perils lie around every corner of the back country.

Give gifts of hiking gear and accessories: custom packs, binoculars, hiking boots and insoles, portable water filters, cook sets and trail food, bear-resistant food containers, weather monitors, barometers, altimeters, trekking poles, protective eye wear, emergency flares, radio transmitters, or two-way radios.

A Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar would make a very nice gift for the backpacking music lover. View various models at www.mguitar.com. Call 800/247-6931 to order.

Arrange for a gift membership in the National Parks and Conservation Association. Phone: 800/628-7275. Internet: www.npca.org.

Present Perfect: Unforgettable Gifts for Every Occasion is filled with gift ideas for backpackers and hikers and everyone else on your gift list. In addition, you get tips on gifting etiquette, shopping, wrapping, special presentations, and much, much more. To order the book, click here.

NEW!  To start shopping for gifts right now, click here.

Have any gift ideas for backpackers and hikers you'd like to share?