Category: alpine

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hill walking the Glendorragha Horseshoe, Ireland

to Hell or Connacht

The Act for the Settlement of Ireland imposed penalties including death and land confiscation … (after) the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In Ireland they remember Cromwell. They still recall him declaring that Catholic Irish landowners must go, “to Hell or to Connacht“, west of the River Shannon. Whether he said it, or not.

Today rough Connacht has fantastic hill walking. The weather is a challenge.

Click PLAY or watch one man’s Horseshoe on YouTube.

A 7-hour hike of The Glendorragha Horseshoe, in the Nephin Beg mountain range of County Mayo, West of Ireland. At 698 m, Birreencorragh is the highest point of the Horseshoe.

My man Mike, who grew up in the region, wants 8-10hrs for that a nearby route, the Binnlettery/Glencoaghan Horseshoe in the twelve Binns or Beanna Beola area. He declares his Horseshoe the “best day hike in Ireland”.

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John Muir Trail by night

James Vlahos in National Geographic:

… It’s midnight when I emerge from the forest atop a plateau beneath an infinite canopy of blackness and stars. The terrain ahead glows under the moon as if lit from within. Moving slowly, I cross a meadow and pass clusters of wizened mountain hemlocks. To the right something glimmers white, drawing me magnetically. Soon I stand transfixed by reflected moonlight that sweeps across an alpine lake to the base of a snowy massif. A light breeze drops to nothing, ripples in the lake go still, and the light coalesces into the single dot of the moon, the water around the reflection so placid that it reveals the pinpricks of stars.

This view at Island Pass in California’s High Sierra is sublime and rarely witnessed, too, though not for lack of hiker traffic. Every summer hundreds of people follow the route I’m hiking the John Muir Trail (JMT), which runs for 211 glorious miles from the base of Half Dome in the Yosemite Valley to the top of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48. En route are a dozen major passes, alpine lakes photographed by Ansel Adams, and granite whipped skyward like the surface of a giant lemon meringue pie. The trail is well loved—too well loved, if you value unbroken solitude in the wilderness. But almost nobody sees Island Pass like this, when scenery that’s merely pretty during the day becomes downright magical at night.

I’ve made moonlit hikes before, out-and-back walks of only a few miles. Those jaunts were so memorable that I was inspired this past summer to tackle the entire JMT that way. My plan was to sync my movements to the rise and set of the moon, which would typically encompass late afternoon, dusk, and several hours of moonlit night. …

read more – Star Trek: Yosemite to the Moon

Check our besthike JOHN MUIR TRAIL information page.

(via The Goat)

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climbing Croagh Patrick, Ireland

The most popular mountain on the island, perhaps 100,000 attempt the summit each year. St Patrick offers Holy Water at the trailhead.

Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig), nicknamed the Reek, is a 764 metres (2,507 ft) tall mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland.

It is 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. On “Reek Sunday“, the last Sunday in July every year, over 15,000 pilgrims climb it (some barefoot) …

Saint Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit of Croagh Patrick for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there. Popular legend says that at the end of Patrick’s 40-day fast, he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. …

This small chapel dates back to 1905.

St. Paddy camped here. I left a Summit Stone as a token of respect for his good works.

Because many amateur, under dressed non-hikers make the pilgrimage, there are more incidents on this peak than any other on the Emerald Isle.

I was in good hands, guided by Mike from the Mayo Mountain Rescue Team.

More photos from our day hike.

The other big celebrity attraction of the remote, rugged region is John Wayne. He filmed The Quiet Man (1952) here. Cong’s gorgeous Ashford Castle, featured in the film, is the centre of the tourist hub bub.

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hiking Skaftafell, Iceland

Plan B.

Since I could not get into Landmannalaugar, I opted for the next best thing.

Skaftafell National Park was a national park…

It’s now part of Vatnajökull National Park, the largest in Europe.

Skaftafell is renowned in Iceland for its agreeable climate and the sunny days in summer, uncommon in the south of Iceland. …

Three days, two nights.

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Backpacker – top 10 CLASSIC hikes

A pretty good list.

The Perfect Circle: Hiking the Annapurna Circuit

Chile’s Torres del Paine Circuit

Corsica’s GR 20

Peru’s Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Italy’s Alta Via 1

New Zealand’s Milford Track

England’s Pennine Way

Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro

Everest Base Camp, Tibet

Tour du Mont Blanc

Backpacker

Compare that line-up with our own top 10.

I’m headed for the GR20 myself this summer. Independently.

Europe’s toughest trek. That’s the reputation of the GR 20–the relentlessly rugged Grand Randonnée (Great Walk) that traverses 112 miles across Corsica, a Mediterranean island off the southern coast of France. This roller coaster of uneven pink granite will make you sweat, scramble, and curse as you grunt up 35,000 total vertical feet. …

Or go guided with Tour Aventure (tour-aventure.com), the only trekking company in Corsica with English-speaking guides. No permits required.

Backpacker

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climbing Bear Mountain, Arizona

trip report by besthike editor Rick McCharles

Length: 2.5 miles one way
Rating: Strenuous
Season: All year
Hiking time: 4 1/2 hours round trip

Pass required to park at trailhead

After checking with the Rangers in the Sedona Visitor Centre, very quickly I settled on Bear Mountain as my first hike in the region.

LOVED it.

But the weather was unsettled. I feared lightning (check a trip report by Justin Wright – Hiking In A Lightning Storm) but, happily, I only got a few drops of rain.

In good weather I’d call it a challenging hike due to elevation, but certainly no scramble. On the other hand, some hikers have had to be rescued. And one medic was killed by a chopper blade during evacuation. Heat emergency is the greatest danger as there’s very little shade.

Happily, I had a cool day.

via Sedona Hiking Trails

larger image

I left a Summit Stone in a tree. (PHOTO)

more photos from this day hike

official hike website

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Hiking Kananaskis, Alberta CA

Guest post via Greg Lynch of Scenic Travel Canada:

Hiking in Kananaskis (Alberta, Canada)

Tucked in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada, are a collection of provincial parks that few international hikers ever experience. Kananaskis Country is an uncrowded wilderness area one hour west of Calgary, the gateway to the Canadian Rockies. Adventure-seekers looking for a lesser known mountain paradise can get their high-altitude thrills in Alberta’s unspoiled backyard.

Millions of visitors unwittingly pass K-Country on their way to the more popular Banff National Park says Greg Lynch, an avid hiker & adventure seeker with Scenic Travel Canada. Outdoor-lovers can hike, bike, kayak and canoe over hundreds of miles in undeveloped territory in the Front Range.î

There are plenty of things to do in Kananaskis Country, Alberta including:


  • Take a road trip from Calgary on the highest paved highway in Canada. Highway 40 is open from June 15 to December 1 and winds through the pristine wilderness along the Highwood Pass. From your vehicle, youíll get mile panoramic views of snowy peaks and endless valleys.

  • In spring, prior to the opening of Highway 40 to traffic, many cyclists enjoy the open road all to themselves as they ride 95 kilometers from end-to-end. The best time to go is one month prior to opening (June 15). Any earlier, the road is still covered with snow.

  • Take a mountain bike excursion to the Alberta-BC border. Carnarvon Lake is a small turquoise lake along the Continental Divide. You’ll follow an old logging road, ford rivers, scale a rock-wall and even take a chilly dip in the cold, colourful water.

  • Saunter around Upper & Lower Kananaskis Lake and enjoy a classic Canadian mountain scene. A small boat launch is available for anglers, kayakers & canoeists. Hiking trails wind around the shore and deep into the surrounding canyons. You may recognize this picturesque location from movies such as X-Men & Brokeback Mountain.

  • Slow down and enjoy a picnic at one of the many family recreation sites such as the Mount Lorette Picnic area. The green-water ponds are stocked with fish to introduce little anglers to the solitude & thrill of fishing.

  • Take a bike tour around the only hotel in the area, which hosted the G8 summit meeting of world leaders in 2003. Paved trails wind through thick forests and along the immaculate Kananaskis River.

      • There are lots of mountain adventures for thrill-seekers just outside of Calgary and Banff, Alberta.. On your next trip to the Canadian Rockies, head off the beaten path and enjoy the undeveloped and wild places of Kananaskis Country.

I’m happy to give K Country this shout out. I post too infrequently on my own backyard. (I live less than an hour away in Calgary.)

… Brokeback Mountain and the G8 Summit site are unlikely tourist attractions, I’ll admit.

One of my favourite EASY cycling adventures, by the way, is to start at high Highwood Pass. And coast on down into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

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Cougar Crest Trail, California

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Visiting Big Bear, California for the first time, I made the obligatory hike up from the Discovery Center.

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 1500 ft

… Breathtaking views (and a climb requiring breath to be taken!!) are “de rigeur” along the Cougar Crest Trail, located north of Big Bear Lake.

The trail, well-marked and generally in good condition, continues two miles (mostly north) until reaching a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail …

On a clear day, the Mojave Desert can be seen in the distance, and the views of San Gorgonio, Holcomb Valley, and (of course) Big Bear Lake are absolutely awesome. …

Local Hikes

When I reached the PCT trail, I met a couple of hikers confused on how to continue up to Bertha Peak.

EveryTrail map and photos.

I posted a few more photos taken with an iPod Touch.

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Suicide Rock, Idyllwild CA

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

In lovely Idyllwild, California, I inquired at the Ranger Station for the best hike in the area.

They recommended Suicide Rock, Deer Springs Trailhead … just a mile away.

6.5 miles round trip
2000 ft elevation gain

Lovely. A relatively easy day hike.

I did see one snake of indeterminate make and model. (A hiker told me that he had seen a Rattler about a year earlier on this same trail.)

more photos

Check Local Hikes for more information.

You can continue to the summit of San Jacinto Peak from that same trailhead.

What is this, by the way?

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climbing Mt Baldy, Los Angeles

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Mount San Antonio, commonly known as Old Baldy or Mt Baldy, at 10,068 ft (3,069 m), is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County. …

Hiking trails access the summit from three sides of the mountain and one route is assisted on summer weekends by the availability of a running ski-area chair lift …

I checked Modern Hiker for details:

– Distance: 10.33 miles
– Elevation Gain: 3950 feet

… Most of the trails are very clearly marked and easy to follow. There are a few places where you might get off the beaten path, but generally you can find your way back with ease. The Devil’s Backbone Trail has a few dangerous spots that deserve extra attention. Do not attempt this trail when there is ice or snow present. A single slip on the Backbone when it’s icy could spell serious trouble …

I was concerned about snow on May 5th, 2011. People have died here.

I was ready to switch to a safer trail, if advised to do so at the Visitor’s Center. … Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the office is currently closed Tue/Wed/Thur. (I arrived on a Thursday. Merde.)

… I decided to climb as high as possible, turning back if unsafe.

The most popular trailhead for those not CHEATING by taking the lift is Manker Flats, Antonio Falls road. It’s relatively easy to get up to Mt. Baldy Ski Resort, (not to be confused with the one in Canada).

The weather was perfect. Very little wind.

The highlight for me, though, were the ridge walk sections. Happily, all clear of snow.

Conditions were safe. I found myself on the summit in 3hrs.

I’m not saying there was no snow. Rather that there was almost no snow in any position of exposure.

I stashed a Summit Stone at 10,064 feet. (PHOTO)

This hike is highly recommended. I loved it.

more photos

A much better trip report than mine is posted on Modern Hiker. 🙂