great website for hiking Paine, Chile – Vertice Patagonia

From our last post on Paine:

But organizing an independent hiking adventure in that far off part of the world can be frustrating. Management of the Park is convoluted & confusing. Two private companies (Andescape & Fantastico Sur) share responsibilities with the federal government & run the mountain huts (refugios). A third company Vertice Patagonia runs one large Lodge and campground. Pathagone has some role, as well.

Some of these companies have websites, but none are particularly helpful — unless you want to sign on for a guided trek.

planning for The Towers of Paine

Alex von Bischhoffshausen took the time to write and point out that their site — Vertice Patagonia — is never down.

When I went to take another look, I was impressed. So impressed that we are now going to recommend Vertice Patagonia as the first site hikers check when booking on-line.

Published in German and English, it could not be more clear on how hikers can book accommodation. Rates are clearly posted and very competitive.

I’m personally embarrassed because in 2004 I actually toured their immaculate Paine Grande Mountain Lodge and had lunch in their terrific campground facilities. Everything was first class.

Vertice Patagonia rents all the gear you could possibly need to hike Paine. In fact, Vertice Patagonia is all you need to get organized.

My apologies Alex for slighting your fine organization. I have Canadian friends looking to come down for the 2007 season and I will recommend they contact you first.

details on how to get to Paine – besthike.com

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Tors Cove Trail – whale photos

On a section of the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland, Canada, lucky hikers came upon a fantastic scene.

The Humpbacks had trapped a school of capelin against the coast, and were feeding within 50 metres of the shore.

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More photos and a travelogue on Rexton’s blog:Tors Cove Trail « Where the Wind’s Like a Whetted Knife

recommended hiking books

I spend a lot of time checking Amazon, the world’s largest bookstore, especially the user reviews.

If you click through to Amazon.com from this site, we get a small commission, about 4%. This helps pay for the hosting of besthike.

Amazon is happy. We are happy. And you are happy if we get the recommendation right on the best hiking guide. We don’t endorse a book unless we have seen it.

Most amazing about Amazon to me are their low prices. I always check Amazon prices first before cycling over to my local bookstore. If you do not live in the USA, shipping is normally no hassle though Amazon can’t guarantee books won’t be stopped at your border. (It is out of their control.)

Amazon launched a new service where besthike now hosts our own bookstore page.

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hike NAKED – are you crazy?

Seems it’s fairly popular in Germany and the UK.

Steve Gough is the most (in)famous proponent.

In the United Kingdom, Steve Gough, known as The Naked Rambler, received much media coverage for walking naked from Land’s End to John o’Groats in 2003–2004 and again in 2005–2006. He was arrested and imprisoned several times during both his walks. In both 2005 and 2006 the European Alps were crossed naked during a one week hiking (tour), there was little media coverage and no-one was arrested or troubled.

Naked hiking – Wikipedia

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image – Integral Nacktiv

“the most shameful act in the history of mountaineering”

It was the most shameful act in the history of mountaineering: 40 climbers, including a large number of guides and clients from a team offering climbs for profit, stepped over a dying independent mountaineer en route to summit. On their way down from the top, they stopped and video filmed a chat with the fading climber, for an upcoming documentary.

Everest – Mount Everest by climbers, news

when can I get to Moab, Utah?

When I hiked in and around Page, Arizona for a week it seemed every local hiker pointed me towards <a href=”Moab, Utah. I’ve never been.

Moab is 233mi (374km) southeast of Salt Lake City. It’s a tiny town that draws mobs of tourists, mostly visitors of the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

The town is also famed for mountain bikers who come for Slickrock Trail.

I hope to get there for hiking sometime in 2007.

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Delicate Arch

Harvey Manning – dead at 81

The author of dozens of great hiking guides is gone. Rest in peace.

Harvey Manning, an icon of the mountaineering community who helped shape and preserve much of this region’s wilderness, died Sunday at age 81. Manning also wrote dozens of mountaineering and hiking guides, many of which have become classics. Most area outdoors enthusiasts, armchair or otherwise, grew up on one of his “100 Hikes” series of books.

“I feel like one of the great cedars of the North Cascades has fallen,” said Rick McGuire, former president of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society and longtime friend. “It’s hard to sum up a man like Harvey. He was a force of nature.”

Manning, known and beloved for his fearsome directness, was a tireless voice for conserving the forests as well as making them accessible to citizens of the Northwest. …

Harvey Manning, 1925-2006: Author of hiking guides ‘was a force of nature’

The Freedom of the Hills

the hiker’s satellite phone is (almost) here

Today, satellite phone manufacturer Globalstar just announced the GSP-1700, the company’s smallest satphone to date, weighing just 7.1oz (203gm) and 43 percent smaller by volume. In addition, this Qualcomm handset packs an EV-DO modem, so you can get high-speed data access from “virtually anywhere you can see sky,” according to the company’s website. The GSP-1700 also stays loaded for four hours of talk time and 36 hours of standby time on a single charge. We’re not sure on the price of this handset, but given that its predecessor, the GSP-1600 goes for $750 (without a service plan), it’s a safe bet that this one will go for at least that much when it’s released “in the coming months.”

Globalstar GSP-1700 satphone also loaded with EV-DO – Engadget

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book – Lightweight Backpacking and Camping

I signed up with AppalachianTrail.org in anticipation of a trip to Appalachian Trail Days in 2007.

They strongly recommend Lightweight Backpacking and Camping: A Field Guide to Wilderness Equipment, Technique, and Style.

Reading the reader reviews on the Amazon site (always a good idea) comments are somewhat mixed.

But I am IN. It’s added to my “to read” list.

Already a lightweight Backpacker, I’m now simply fine-tuning my kit and food for various hikes. Looks like a perfect resource for me.

A Field Guide to Wilderness Equipment, Technique, and Style (Backpacking Light)

new look for the besthike.com blog

Six months is a long time on the web.

It seems much longer since I launched this blog. I used the default theme in WordPress with a modified header image.

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I updated in early November, 2006 with these objectives:

  • better integration with besthike.com
  • new Google search box includes both blog and besthike.com
  • wider post column (mainly for photos)
  • wider navigation column (to reduce clutter)
  • Subscribe to Comments” so comments can turn into conversation
  • (slightly) better image handling
  • So far I am quite happy with the new theme, based on Cutline.

    It may look a little strange for a few days. Especially if you use the SAFARI browser. I am still working out a few bugs.

    Rick McCharles, editor