Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
… and I’m not.
Most recently he’s walked the Laugavegur trek:
… The trek turned out to be everything that I had hoped, and more. It should be as famous as the Inca Trail; it is certainly as rugged and beautiful, but without the trail of backpackers’ pink toilet paper along the way. …
Yet again I tried to plan for Iceland in the first few weeks of October. Yet again, it didn’t work out.
… one day …
humerous trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
An attempt to be funny:
My original plan was 45km (27.4mi) return to the Glacier. And perhaps on to the Observation Mountain lookout, camping one night at Canada Creek.
I’d read the official Parks Canada description – A’äy (SLIM’S) WEST TRAIL & ROUTE
Arriving at the Tachàl Dhäl (Tachal Dhal) Information Centre, I was surprised to find it already locked up for the season. Nobody in Whitehorse had warned me about that.
Never mind. … Who needs to get updated on local conditions before setting out on a multi-day hike?
Check the trailhead map. And GO.
Amazing. A super highway through the mountains to the toe of Kaskawulsh Glacier. The elevation gain is less than 100m over 22km.
Within an hour I came upon this memorial to a hiker killed by Grizzly in 1996.
Why didn’t someone warn me there were Grizzlies in Kluane National Park?
… Aren’t the males hungry for a meat feed just before hibernation?
Oops. All this flat tundra is pretty soupy. This was the only boardwalk across the marsh.
Why didn’t someone warn me to bring a second pair of footwear for water?
The Autumn scenery was other worldly. I felt lucky to be there on Sept. 11th.
A few hours in I ran into this river crossing:
In the Fall water levels should be very low. … Right?
I backtracked to a ridge and relaxed watching 3 other hikers try to find the best place to cross.
Eventually (tiring of that entertainment) I set up my tent and took an afternoon nap in the bright sunshine.
My Slim’s River hike was over. I wouldn’t make it to the Kaskawulsh Glacier.
Next day I returned to my vehicle early, on to more Yukon adventures.
more photos – hiking Slim’s River West, Yukon (A’äy Chù)
After reading The Adventure Blog – Update On Great Bear Rainforest Expedition I dug in and did some research.
I’m all for developing the Alberta Oil Sands. (I live in Alberta.) But it sounds like this is not the best way to transport it to China.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
… International League of Conservation photographers in the Great Bear Rainforest.
… now threatened by a proposal from Enbridge to bring an oil pipeline from the Tar Sands and supertankers to BC’s wild coast. …
What do you think?
… In a preface to your comments on how you don’t like dirty oil, let us know whether or not you drive a petroleum fueled vehicle.
This version includes more than 30’000 peak names. The application contains a complete topographic model of the USA West including the states:
Arizona
California
Colorado
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
North and South Dakota
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
The also have one for the Alps.
Thanks Don Eckert.
Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon, Canada.
A popular day hike is the scramble from the parking lot at this tower up to one of the Grey Mountain summits overlooking town.
Autumn is the best time, I reckon.
The best guidebook, available from Tourist Information, is “Whitehorse & Area Hikes & Bikes” by Harbour Publishing. It describes the longer, tougher climb on foot from the city. (403m elevation gain, 7km return)
… I drove up.
A free hotel shuttle bus in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Cute. Hiker’s welcome.
2003 Banff Mountain Photography Competition Grand Prize Winner
related – About.com – Fall Foliage: A Journey of Colors around the world
The former hunting ground for the Southern Tutchone peoples is now a No Harvest Zone.
Today, Tachäl Dhäl (Slim’s River) is a popular Dall sheep viewing area. I saw many, many when I was in Kluane in September.
The best hike to shoot these magnificient alpine beasts (with your camera) is … Sheep Mountain. (aka Sheep Creek)
related – Parks Canada – The Dall Sheep of Tachäl Dhäl
Over the next few days I’ll be posting on my recent adventures in the Yukon.
The highlight for me was the amazing Fall colours of the landscape.
more of my colour photos from September 2010
Sunday, Sept 5th Andrew Skurka completed 4,700mi in 7 months via skis, foot, and a packraft.
Congratulations.
CheapTents.com: What part of the Alaska-Yukon route provided the most spectacular scenery?
AS: The Alaska Range was the most majestic, and my route through it was spectacular. The Chugach Range is equally impressive but my route was further away from it. The Brooks Range is a backpackers’ dream, especially Gates of the Arctic National Park in the Fall.
read the interview – Adventurer Andrew Skurka on his latest expedition
(via The Adventure Blog)
besthike.com 