besthike.com - the blog

Thanks Dave Adlard. This freaks me out.
Cliff walk El Camino del Rey (King’s pathway) in Spain.

Originally built in 1901, this walkway now serves as an approach to makinodromo, the famous climbing sector of El Chorro.

… The walkway has now gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. It […]

Tom Mangan’s Two-Heel Drive is the most popular hiking blog on the Google.
But does Tom Mangan actually carry Tom Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Day Hiking the Bay Area on the trail?
I’ve assembled my version of the 10 things I need for a happy hike in the Bay Area, where the notable absence of such […]

Most do only the 4mi return from the trailhead at stunning Ke’e Beach through to Hanakapiai Beach (one drowning / year). This is the glorious, but dangerous, Na Pali coast.
Serious hikers definitely want to overnight on the Kalalau Trail, the best hike in Hawaii. The highlight of my 3wks on Kauai.
I was there […]

Often included on lists of “best hikes in the world” — deservedly — is the Kalalau Trail on Kauai. It’s widely considered the best hike in Hawaii.
Many non-hiking tourists get a taste of the Kalalau by doing the challenging first 2mi (3.2km) from the trailhead at Ke’e Beach through to gorgeous Hanakapiai Beach.

Ke’e […]

A local recommended an excellent, unique — but extreme — hiking adventure:

Get used to the mud. Most of the time, it’s easier just to go right through the middle while looking for submerged rocks and logs. If you do have hiking boots, it’s best to avoid overtopping them.
Maybe too extreme, or too dirty, for me. […]

April Fools ??
Demetri Coupounas, the president and co-founder of GoLite, is heading out on the Appalachian Trail attempting to break the World Alpine Style Backpacking Distance record — 620mi.
… He won’t exactly be “Going Light” however, as his total pack weight will be 127 pounds according to this post over at the Outside Blog where […]

There are manuals on “how to build trails”.
I wish the guys who built Canyon Trail on Kauai, Hawaii had read one.
Have you seen this “danger” on the hiking trail in the past?

The spikes are used to hold the step logs in place. Works great … until the rains come.

Here the kids were simulating […]

Tornado, Rockwell Pass, Sequoia National Park, California, July 7, 2004.
Elevation at Rockwell Pass: ~11,600 feet. Base of tornado at ground level probably at least at 12,000 feet.

Scott Newton, 2004

Scott Newton, 2004

details and more photos
We had hail and lightning on the John Muir trail in 2007 at very high elevations. But certainly nothing like […]

From National Park Traveler:
Grand Teton National Park … beginning this Saturday, March 15, all backpackers camping below 10,000 feet in the park’s backcountry will be required to use approved, portable bear-proof canisters for food storage—except at certain designated backcountry campsites where food storage facilities are provided.
Although food canisters are not required for areas above […]

Bad news for me.
I’ve been waiting on Bhutan to open up for independent trekking. Planning on being one of the first to get a hiking permit.
It was Rogier Gruys of BluePeak.net who first got me interested in hiking Bhutan.

original - BluePeak on flickr - more photos
Now Kira Salak penned a wonderful […]