Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.
Posted on

kayak hike Baja

Diana Vann on Seattle Backpackers Magazine:

If winter’s chill finds you longing for summer’s sunny days, consider a trip south of the border to Baja. Greatly reduced temperatures make winter a far more pleasant time to hike at most Baja locations than summer. Autumn and spring are good times to hike there, too. It’s also a great place for enjoying a combination of outdoor activities.

I’ve discovered that my own favorite Baja combination adventure is kayaking and camping along the Sea of Cortez, stopping to hike and to snorkel at various locations along the way. …

Camping on Isla Danzante ©Diana Vann

Adventuring through Baja – Hiking and Paddling

That’s part 1 of a 3 part series.

Posted on

“A Life Ascending” – the movie

Megan Michelson:

On January 20, 2003, seven people were killed in a class 3 avalanche on a peak called La Traviata near Selkirk Mountain Experience, a backcountry hut and guiding operation outside Revelstoke, BC. The guide that day was SME owner and lead guide, Ruedi Beglinger, a Switzerland native with the highest level of mountain guiding certification and decades of experience. Until that day in 2003, SME had never had a serious injury or death during its then 18 years in business. …

… a new feature-length documentary called ”A Life Ascending” about the life and family of guide Ruedi Beglinger has been released on the film festival circuit. It recently won the audience choice award at Colorado’s Docuwest Film Festival …

ESPN

The DVD goes on sale Feb. 28th.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

A Life Ascending

social media – Facebook | @alifeascending

I’ve subscribed to the blog, too.

RIP Rob and Mark Glaser, friends of mine killed by avalanche in 2011.

Posted on

Charles Dickens was a walker

Sports Illustrated:

Charles Dickens, an avid walker, logged 20 miles a day

Dickens was from childhood an avid, even compulsive, walker. …

Scarcely a day went by that Dickens didn’t flee his desk and take to the streets of London and its suburbs. …

(his) passion for walking did not diminish with age. He was 55 when he began the second of his tours of America, in 1867, and despite a dizzying schedule of 76 readings in about 150 days ranging from Washington to Buffalo to Portland, Maine, he still made time to walk daily. …

Frisky As The Dickens (1988)

Come and follow his follow his trails to discover the locations of Great Expectations, David Copperfield en de Pickwick Papers. Tour 1 will take place 10-15 June 2012 Including one day of the Medway Dickens Festival Price: € 295

(via Kottke)

Posted on

conceiving a Great Plains Trail

Steve Myers:

The ultimate goal is to establish, develop, maintain, preserve and promote a long distance, public, non-motorized trail running north/south through the short grass prairies of the Great Plains of North America

… a trail that runs from Canada’s Grassland National Park on the U.S./ Canada border to the summit of Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.

The trail will allow for hiking, horseback riding, and in most areas, mountain biking. …

About

I subscribed to Steve’s semi-official blog – The Great Plains Trail

Kurt Repanshek likes the concept: National Parks Traveler – Consider A Foot Path From Canada To Texas Through The Great Plains

I like the idea, too. Having lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for 10yrs, I know the bleak beauty of the prairies.

(via Hiking in Glacier – Making a case for the Great Plains Trail)

Posted on

Barefooting the Ozette, Washington

Barefoot Jake doesn’t always go barefoot. On this weekend adventure out of Ozette Lake he wore his Luna ATS Huaraches and Vibram Five Finger KSO.

This terrain and climate is ideal for minimal footwear.

… over 90% Board Walk made up of new, old and really old planks that have been in place for probably longer than I have been born. Figured this would be a perfect opportunity to to break in my Luna ATS Huaraches further. Felt great to let the feet air out …

Evocative photos. Check them out here – Weekend of Barefooting the Ozette

That post caught my eye linked from Hiking in Finland as I’d been to Ozette myself last week.

Posted on

best travel video – South America

Grant Martin:

… this is maybe the best travel video I’ve seen in the last year. It’s a combination of several things — the narrative is rich and well timed, the landscapes are beautiful and lush — but I think that the most important thing is the way in which it appeals to the traveler. …

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

Voice over by Castulo Guerra is superb.

Thanks Nina and Dana for sharing your trip. And Happy Valentines … 37,000 views today!

That’s from Gadling – A story for tomorrow

Posted on

climbing Ben Nevis, Scotland

Walking the West Highland Way in September 2009, the weather suddenly cleared.

… this was unexpected.

I abandoned that over-rated route, and caught the first bus to Ben Nevis.

What luck. That peak is infamous for foul weather. Yet thousands got to the top clear of clouds that day.

My trip report – Mt Everest of Scotland – Ben Nevis

Some of my photos from that day were used in a Walk Highlands guide page – Ben Nevis by the Mountain Track

Posted on

Unforgettable Walks Before You Die

Unforgettable Walks to Take Before You Die is the fifth title (2008) in an exciting series of books that will help you search out essential sights and experiences around the world.

Photographers and writers Steve Watkins and Clare Jones draw on their years of international travel experience in selecting thirty of the world’s most inspiring, spectacular and beautiful walks, each of which can be done within the space of a two-week break. …

Amazon

… not “hiking guidebooks” but certainly inspirational.

Some of the worlds best walks are included in this volume.

Yellowstone
Tour du Mont Blanc (Alps)
Tiger Leaping Gorge (China)
Amalfi Coast (Italy)
Routeburn (New Zealand)
etc.