Tarahumara Sandal Shoe — GoLite Footwear’s Tara Lite running shoe is said to have been inspired by the Tarahumara tribes of Mexico, a native group known for their distance running skills who wear minimal thong-style sandals.
What makes the GoLite shoe unique is its flat, “zero-drop” heel, flexible sole, and a soft upper. The kicker: Inside the shoe, separating your big toe from the rest, there’s an internal sandal post that keeps your foot from moving too much and helps the flexible shoe fit snug.
The Tara Lite will come in men’s and women’s models for $115.
The Annapurna Sanctuary trek is largely contained within the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), a national park that covers 7,629 square kilometers. Entry into the park requires the purchase of an ACAP Entry Permit. The permit requires an application and two passport photos. It costs about $60 USD and can be obtained in a single day from offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
In addition to this permit, all trekkers in Nepal are now required to register for and obtain a card through the Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS). This new card has replaced the controversial TRC permit introduced in 2006 and is available for free through a trekking agency, the Nepal Tourism Board, or the Trekkers Agencies’ Association of Nepal. The card can be issued in either Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Although people still circumvent the system, trekkers are now required to hire at least one Nepali staff member (a porter or guide) per group.
Many independent travelers are initially upset by this proposition. However, almost everyone who finds a knowledgeable guide from a quality company comes away admitting that it improved the overall trekking experience. …
Independent hiking is still allowed in the Everest region. If you want to go it alone, that’s a big reason to bypass Annapurna and head for Lukla, instead.
Leave a comment if you know more about the mandatory guide regulation. It’s not clearly stated on the official government website.
Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies is the ultimate guide to the 63 best backpacking trips and day-hikes in Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, Mt. Robson, Mt. Assiniboine, Waterton, Kananaskis Country, and Akamina-Kishenina parks. Detailed trailhead and route descriptions, and a colour map for each hike help get you to the trailhead and keep you on route.
The hike descriptions are packed with comprehensive information on history, geology, wildlife, wildflowers, and side-trip options. Colour photographs depict the principal features. Tips on equipment, food, drinking water, backcountry etiquette, minimum impact travel, hiking with children, preparedness, and bear safety round out this indispensable resource. The new edition includes five “new” hikes and a foreword by Robert Bateman.
Since first publication in 1994, this award-winning guidebook has sold 55,000 copies.
Publication date: April 2011
Retail price: $27.95
Orders: Alpine Book Peddlers
alpinebk@aeontech.ca, 866-478-2280
Information: Graeme@mountainvision.ca mountainvision.ca
… I was inspired. The Annapurna Sanctuary is one of the most incredible glacier basins in the world, completely surrounded by huge peaks; Hiunchuli, Modi, Fang, Annapurna 1, Glacier Dome, Gangapurna, Annapurna 3.
These mountains are indescribably impressive. I won’t try.
The gate is guarded by everyone’s favourite peak, Machapuchare (Fishtail).
R E M I B R I D O T
Jimmy Roberts climbed, in 1957, to within 50 metres of the summit but turned back due to the steepness of the final ascent. On his return to Kathmandu he suggested to the Nepalese government that they keep at least this one peak unclimbed, a symbol of the inviolate. No permit has been issued to this day. …
… A detailed route guide and tip list for hiking from Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp.
What follows is the route we took, where we slept and ate along the way, the items we packed, and some general tips for taking on one of the world’s best treks. …
Only one trail leads up to A.B.C., but there are a couple ways to get to that single route (see below). Buy a map once you’re in-country, do a little research, and talk to locals and you’ll easily determine what works best for you. This is what we did:
read more and start planning your own trek to base camp – iTravelMags.com
Annapurna Sanctuary
They hiked post-monsoon, September.
Normally that’s very risky. But last year they got 8 days and 9 nights (9/24-10/2) of sunny weather and unbelievable views. And avoided the crowds.
Mike Kloser, a Vail, Colo., athlete and a former world-champion mountain biker, is something of a god in the sport of adventure racing. As the captain of Team Nike, Kloser dominated AR for years, including multiple world-champ titles and victories at banner events like the Eco Challenge and Primal Quest under his belt.
Last year, Kloser launched a gear company, Out There USA, and he designed a backpack. After years of racing — as well as living a consummate outdoors existence working and training in Colorado — Kloser put his knowledge toward making his company’s AS-1 Pack something of an ultimate multi-sport tool. …
Frazil ice is a collection of loose, randomly oriented needle-shaped ice crystals in water. It resembles slush and has the appearance of being slightly oily when seen on the surface of water.
It sporadically forms in open, turbulent, supercooled water, which means that it usually forms in rivers, lakes and oceans, on clear nights when the weather is colder, and air temperature reaches –6°C or lower. Frazil ice is the first stage in the formation of sea ice. …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. The most amazing bit is seeing the creek STOP flowing at 1min 50sec.
Thank George for sending us the link to this natural phenomenon.
A prototype unit just shown at the Outdoor Retailers show in Vegas Salt Lake City.
… The Bearier 700 is two polycarbonate halves (production models will likely be a translucent color) that can be carried separately while hiking.
Backpackers can split them up between hikers, or carry the halves separately in or on their packs, for easier access and packing while hiking …
… at less than 2 lbs, if the Bearier 700 passes the National Park Service’s bear test, it could be a contender for the lightest canister, space-to-weight. …
Of the 7 excellent films we saw last night, one stood out for originality and attention to detail.
Life Cycles tells a spectacular story of the bike, from its creation to its eventual demise. A visually stunning journey, with thought provoking narration, Life Cycles uses Ultra HD to document the many stories surrounding the mountain bike and its culture. …
besthike.com 