besthike.com - the blog

There’s a move under way in the U.S. Senate to have Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne reverse the National Park Service’s ban against the public carrying concealed weapons in the national parks. …
National Parks Traveler
The president of the Association of National Park Rangers responded that Kempthorne’s rationale is “hypocritical in some cases and just plain […]

WildeBeat audio journal did a great piece this Fall on the problems of off road vehicles in the Utah desert.

This wild places program examines the problems of trying to designate new wilderness areas in the central Utah desert. If it gets overrun by off road vehicles, can it still become new wilderness?
This story was […]

by Rick McCharles, editor
I was a minor contributor to a gorgeous new National Geographic coffee table book.

Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips
One chapter describes Adventures on Foot. I helped write the Paria Canyon hike description.

My own 2006 trip report was used as a reference.
Though any experienced hiker will […]

Rick is expert on one of the World’s great scrambles, the author of One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome.
His opinion has been much in demand as 3 people died in 2007.

original - flickr - tjk
Rick points out that an estimated 50,000 climb it every year. And no one has ever fallen using the cables until […]

Just finished an excellent book, Himalaya by Michael Palin of Monty Python fame.
Palin is far better known now for his adventure travel documentaries on BBC TV. In fact, this book is the companion to Himalaya, the TV series available on DVD (2004).
Instead of reading the book, I bought it on Audible.com (about US$12) as Palin […]

UPDATE: Steve Sergeant posted a terrific Wildebeat audiocast on this last year - The Poop on Mount Whitney

Pack out what you pack in.
This is the age-old outdoor rule. And here, taking this decree to the extreme, is a good friend of mine who recently climbed Mt. Whitney in California.
I’ll let you guess what he’s packing […]

I have been quite happy with my Jetboil stove, after learning the quirks.
Last year Ryan Jordan on the Backpacking Light Magazine podcast did a detailed review of the Jetboil and two copycat competitors.

When you next comparison shop for a new camping stove, be sure to include those three on your list.
“Backpacking Light Trends (Audio […]

My favourite hiking author is Chris Townsend. But I’ve not yet read his 1990 solo Yukon adventure, a route never duplicated. Or again attempted.

The next day, I found that walking into this mountain sanctuary was like walking into paradise.
As befits the way of a pilgrim, the going was rough, leading gradually through dense […]

I’m often embarrassed to admit I do.
But look at this. Crow is up front with her electronic dependence.

For the upcoming PCT trip I’m bringing the iriver T10 2gb MP3 player with fm radio. It weighs 1.7 ounces 48 grams without battery. It has a little clip to clip it on to anything or clip […]

Recommended - A great audio podcast was posted by BackpackingLight.com.
Scott Williamson is best known for his thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail. He has walked the trail nine times in its entirety, including a Yo-Yo from Mexico to Canada and back - twice.
… topics from his 191-day Yo-Yo of the PCT in 2006, including the […]