Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.
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NEW – Snowies Alpine Walk, Australia

Opened Dec. 3, 2024.

Snowies Alpine Walk is a 56km multi-day walk in Kosciuszko National Park that proves there’s more to the Snowies than skiing. You’ll climb Australia’s highest mountain, wander through wildflower meadows and walk through glacier-carved landscapes and snow gum forests.

Available December through April.

Location: Thredbo-Perisher area of Kosciuszko National Park

Gateway towns: Jindabyne

Regional airport: Snowy Mountains Airport, Cooma

Driving distance: 5.5 hours from Sydney, 3 hours from Canberra

It looks great.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Details.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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BestHike – Skógafoss Waterfall Way, Iceland

One of our BEST VIDEOS.

Perhaps 25 waterfalls and spectacular canyons in series.

I can’t recall better anywhere else in the world.

Trail starts at massive Skógafoss and continues 8km (5 miles). The views just as good on the way back.

I waited about 5 days for a good weather window. Hiked the Waterfall Way twice, up-and-down, over 3 days.

I wanted the trail as empty of people as possible. And to catch the sun low in the sky.

Trip Report

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Hiking Wonderwall & Wonderland, UAE

If you get to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, consider heading out to the Western Hajar Mountains, which run alongside the border with Oman.

Perhaps the BEST hike / scramble is Wonderwall & Wonderland.

Others include:

  • White Wadi
  • Jabal Jais southside
  • Leopard Canyon

Add on abseiling, if you sign on with Adventurati guides.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Durston X-Dome 1+ Tent

In 2024, the cool gear brand is Durston out of the Canadian Rockies.

They sell direct — saving you money that would normally be kept by the retailer.

For example, their Kakwa 55 backpack is much less expensive than comparable top end packs.

Durston has long had some of the best trekking pole supported tents. As I don’t use trekking poles, I wasn’t much paying attention.

The X-Dome 1+ (just now shipping late 2024) is Durston’s first free standing tent.

A loyal MSR Hubba fan, here’s WHY I might be soon switching to Durston.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. The MSR tent poles are much weaker.

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Winter Hiking Along the River

I grew up in Calgary, Canada, very close to Glenmore Park and the Weaselhead Flats Natural Environment Park. Lucky me.

We had record snow fall for the end of November. And a cold snap which froze the Elbow River.

I loaded up the backpack and headed out to enjoy the snow.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Have you Hiked in the NUDE?

I’ve done it only once — on a dare.

I was on the John Muir Trail in California.

Camping in a remote spot — far from any other people — I took off for about 45 minutes wearing only my hiking shoes.

Nude hiking, also known as naked walking or freehiking, is a sub-category of the modern form of social nudity. More popular in Europe than anywhere else.

Personally, I didn’t particularly enjoy hiking naked. And have not yet been tempted to try it again.

But if you want to know more, there’s an article on Planet Nude that explains the benefits:

Freehiking through a watched world



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Visit British Columbia

For a hiker, B.C. is an ideal holiday destination.

  • Whistler
  • Garibaldi Provincial Park
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Vancouver
  • Okanagan Valley
  • Yoho National Park
  • Kootenay National Park
  • Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
  • Vancouver Island
  • Gulf Islands
  • Squamish
  • Wells Gray Provincial Park
  • Mount Robson Provincial Park
  • Mt. Revelstoke National Park

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.