Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
One day soon you may be able to hike to Shipton’s Arch, the world’s highest. Almost as high as the Empire State Building at 366m (1200ft).
This wonder of the world was rediscovered in 2000 when National Geographic published Journey to Shipton’s Lost Arch.
It’s also known as also known as Pierced Rock (Uyghur) and Hole in Heaven (Chinese).
One of National Geographic’s World’s Best New Adventures, this is a dream trip for a hiker / mountaineer / skier.
The legendary Ptarmigan Traverse begins at Cascade Pass in the shadow of North Cascades National Park’s 8,065-foot (2,458-meter) Johannesburg Mountain and traces nearly 25 miles (40 kilometers) of the Cascades Crest, cutting across ridges and cirques to the north side of 10,541-foot (321-meter) Glacier Peak, in the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area. It’s the kind of iconic route that experienced Cascades mountaineers have been tackling unguided ever since the area’s Ptarmigan Climbing Club established it in 1938.
Next May, Seattle-based Mountain Madness will guide a tour that makes this North American classic accessible to beginning ski mountaineers. …
“The trip is equivalent to the Haute Route in the Alps, but in a wilderness setting,” says Mark Gunlogson, president of Mountain Madness. “It’s beautiful.”
Washington: Conquering a Cascades Classic
(via The Adventure Blog)
bodiak filmed a pumpfight between his Pur filter and his hiking buddy’s MSR.
The MSR won.
Just for fun click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.
When Katadyn (Pur) saw this clip they sent bodiak a free Guide Pro, their fastest pump, for a rematch. (Yet to be filmed)
Seemed I could jump down on top of the tourist boat on the river below.
En route to Paria Canyon, I took the short walk from highway US89 to dangle my feet off the cliffs of Horseshoe Bend, surely one of the most incredible vistas in the world.
This oxbow in the Colorado River is just downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, a few miles from the tourist centre of Page, Arizona.
larger version – TrekEarth
I love the Colorado Plateau in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. It’s arguably the best hiking region in the world.
The Navajo Generating Station is a coal-fired powerplant on the doorstep of Page, Arizona. The three 236m chimneys loom over the “most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest” — Antelope Canyon.
What a shame!
Disclosure — I live in Alberta which is a heavy coal-burning part of the world. But we hide our plants away from tourist sites.
On my one shot at Taranaki, we were turned back due to weather. Later in the day it cleared up completely. Timing is everything in New Zealand.
We tried climbing the distinct volcano.
Perhaps we should have done instead the hike around the mountain. Mountain Zone published a good trip report article:
The mountain is perfect—a beautiful cone, distinctive from all angles. Seen from many miles inland as a stunning silhouette, seen from the roaming eye of a satellite camera as a dark areola on a sea of cultivation, it’s a mountain we all know something about.
Around Taranaki – Hiking New Zealand’s Sleeping Giant
It’s the photogenic mountain used in the Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai.
Most of the great New Zealand hikes are on the South Island. But Taranaki, like Tongariro, are on the North. The circumnavigation is 55km (34mi).
(via The Adventure Blog)
I’d just switched from a 2.5cm Therm-a-rest to a 7cm thick ExPed — then saw the AeroBed Sport All Terrain Raised Bed – Full Size. That’s 48cm (19in) of dream cushion!
Nah, it’s too decadent even for me.
(via Gadling)
A great inspiration to me personally, author Eric Newby led a grand adventurous life.
On World Hum’s list of the top 30 travel books of all time, Newby’s “A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush ranked No. 17.
It is a brilliant book. I often reflect back on his hillarious account of crossing paths with the ultimate adventurer Wilfred Thesiger who he joins in the great adventure beyond. Thesiger died in 2003.
That is the big hazard with a hike through Paria Canyon on the Utah – Arizona border.
Just organizing for Paria, I’m going end of October as there is a lower risk of flash flood.
Yikes!
I just learned that Utah suffered a massive rain storm already this season. Two hikers survived flooding on the Escalante river to post a fantastic trip report and photos.
(via Backcountry blog and Adventure blog)
We just added the 165mi (266km) Tahoe Rim Trail to our list of the best hikes in the world.
After listening to an excellent “podcast” about the trek from Wildebeat.net, we were convinced it was worthy.
Listen to details on the TRT 25th Anniversary hike:
If you do not listen to audiocasts you can read a transcript instead.
No need to do the entire circuit. It is easy to section hike.
Click on the thumbnail map to see a large map of this adventure.
More information from the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.
besthike.com 