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Every tourist loves charming Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.
We did not have time to hike Kachemak Bay State Park but I would love to go back one day. A water taxi can get you there quickly.
One of the largest coastal parks in the United States, Kachemak Bay State Park offers […]

We enjoyed the short Portage Pass Trail day hike out of Whittier.
Hiking author Dean Littlepage:
… A half-day or overnight hike to Portage Pass, Portage Lake, and an overlook of Portage Glacier.
Portage Pass is a beautiful spot in its own right, and this hike is also the easiest way to get a good view […]

I was determined to trek rugged Wrangell-St. Elias in the summer of 2007. But which hike to chose?
The National Park website has a number of recommendations for hikes in Wrangell-St. Elias. (PDF files are linked from that page)
I was tempted by the Sanford-Dadina Plateau “Volcanic Traverse” — but did not have the 4-8 days needed. […]

I loved the Lost City Trek — Ciudad Perdida — when I was there in 1997. It’s a steep climb up a lost jungle city.
Ten years later the adventure is much safer as Brian Rudert reports:
Just did the hike in 4 days/3nights …
The trail is safe, very safe – with a large Colombian military […]

Is this another crackpot GOAT blog speculation?
Perhaps not.
Check the original post for links to the encounters mentioned:

The Aspen Times, in Colorado’s top resort town, calls this summer “The Killing Fields,” because so many local black bears have gotten into trouble and been killed. The story has powerful photos of bears being “euthanized” or driven […]

What makes a hike a “best ever”?
Kimberly explains why her Great Wall of China day was her best hike ever:

Because it was the sunniest day.
Because the challenge was to reach the Great Wall at the ridge of the mountain, and we made it.
Because the view was spectacular.
Because it was HARD. My quads were quivering three […]

We include relatively few day hikes on our list of the best hikes in the World.
For more, check out the excellent OneDayHikes.com list. Here’s a sample of their overview page:

Aiguilles Traverse, Chamonix, France
Take the Grand Balcon Nord, beneath the serrated cliffs and pinnacles of the Aiguilles, to an awe-inspiring view of the Mer de Glace.
Aira […]

Site editor Rick McCharles gone hiking. Back on-line August 13th.
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Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus, Araliaceae) is a large shrub native to the Pacific Northwest coastal forests of North America. Also known as Devil’s Walking Stick, it grows to 1-1.5 m tall normally, however instances exist of it reaching in excess of 5m in rainforest gullies, with the erect stems covered in short, stout spines. …

The […]

First MAPS:

In a huge and wild park such as Wrangell-St. Elias, you can never have too many maps
National Geographic - Trails Illustrated has produced a 1:375,000 (1 inch = 6 miles) scale map of Wrangell-St. Elias that is a great tool for initial trip planning.
It is waterproof, tear resistant, and covers the entire park, […]