I’ve been following former elite gymnasts Matt and Anderson as they launched a hiking YouTube channel.
Click PLAY or watch a year 1 wrap-up on YouTube.
To see more click over to their website EpicTripAdventures.com for VIDEOS and HIKING BOOKLETS.
When I was first getting into serious hiking one of my gurus was Chris Townsend.
And he’s still one of my gurus today.
Understated. Informative. Interesting.
He hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1982 averaging only 15 miles a day with the heavy equipment of that era.
In 2015 Chris published his account of that trip. I highly recommend it.
related – Keith Foskett – Chris Townsend Interview
I rated this trip journal 2/5 on Amazon.
Not enough hiking detail. Too much on the weird, strained relationship of Mud and Bug.
By the end I mostly felt sorry for Mud who seemed to be simply dealing with PTSD with marijuana and thru-hiking.
He might have been better off hiking alone.
It was the first north to south trip report I’d read. Sounds much more difficult than the usual south to north.
If you are vegan or vegetarian you might be interested. Both tried to observe a vegan diet on the trail.
• 22km round trip to Elfin Lakes campground (600m gain) + Gargoyles side trip
• LOTS of snow at the end of July
• be prepared for very wet trails
• BUGGY !
• registration online or by phone required to stay overnight
From the start I had problems. First finding the trailhead out of Squamish, B.C. – street signage is not all that clear. I asked different mountain bikers to find the right gravel road.
Elfin Lakes is popular. The parking lot was full. I squeezed my rent-a-car in on the side of the approach.
The first 5km to Red Heather Meadows campground is a road.
You share most of this trail with mountain bikers. And chipmunks.
Breaking out of the trees first vista is impressive Diamond Head. Actually, that’s Atwell Peak. Many make the same mistake I did.
We’d enjoyed dry sunny weather for weeks at this point. Still many parts of the trail were wet with snow melt. Some sections have been improved.
On a hot day like this, walking snow fields was fun.
I’d read the hike was on Paul Ridge. True. But it’s not a ridge walk. Normally you are on one side of the ridge or the other, not the top.
Elfin Lakes campground. A beautiful scene.
You can sleep in a large shelter or tent on one of these side slope platforms.
Elfin Lakes are not lakes, they are meltwater ponds. One for drinking water. One for … swimming.
Earlier in the week a mouse had somehow gotten into my Ursack food bag while up on the line, so I switched to a dry bag.
I enjoyed a siesta in my tent (escaping the voracious bugs) and was sluggish getting going for the recommended side trip to the Gargoyles.
Here’s the trail from Camp leading to the Gargoyles. More interesting but wetter than the Elfin Lakes approach.
Climbing up to the Pass was easy but long. Snow conditions good, you simply walked in footprints or kicked in your own steps.
Looking over to the other side.
A trail runner came down recommending I scramble the Gargoyles.
Instead I listened to my audiobook and relaxed.
The next 3 hikers arrived keen to climb. One had been here before. I climbed up the first Gargoyle to take some photos. Wow.
Suddenly inspired I scrambled the ridge myself to the end to get to this view – scenery reminding me of the Himalayas.
That’s the 11.5km trail continuing to the new Rampart Ponds Campground (Mamquam Lake Campground is permanently closed).
Tempting.
See all my high resolution photos.
Guidebook – 103 Hikes in Southwestern British Columbia
Candace Rose Rardon:
… while it was tempting to spend weeks getting lost in Istanbul, or exploring the dramatic rocky landscapes of Cappadocia, I eventually decided to devote my time in the country to a 350km (217 mi) trek. Solo.
When I set out for the journey from Istanbul, I had a sleeping bag, tent, and cooking essentials in my backpack, and was fully prepared to camp on all 22 nights of a cultural walking route called the Evliya Çelebi Way, which is named after a 17th-century Ottoman traveller and writer.
What actually transpired along the trail was a different story. In the end, I pitched my tent just four nights.
On the remaining nights, I was invited into the homes of more than a dozen Turkish families in the rural region of Anatolia, who always offered me a couch or bed to sleep on, a place at their round silver dinner tray, and endless cups of steaming tea, or çay. …
LOST AND FOUND: TURKEY AND THE ART OF HOSPITALITY
Here’s the guidebook — The Evliya Celebi Way
I enjoyed Keith Foskett’s PCT and Appalachian Trail books so couldn’t resist when offered this book for free. (Kindle edition)
In this book he shares a collection of trips, thoughts and observations from his award-winning blog. From the extremes of the New Mexico wilderness to his beloved South Downs in England, he observes the world with clarity, hope, daydreams and humour.
With tales of local history, the changing of the seasons, facing death and pursuing his chosen path, this is a glimpse into one man’s unfaltering passion to follow his dreams.
His local favourite 100 mile hike. The micro-adventure he discovered connecting paths around his village. His failed attempt on the Continental Divide Trail.
Foskett explains why we hike as well as any author.
I enjoyed Keith Foskett’s Appalachian Trail book so much I downloaded his earlier memoir on the PCT.
This one is good too. Both humorous and introspective. The real deal.
Washington and Oregon are the highlights. He and two other last Englishmen were the last 3 hikers to make it to the Canadian border that year.
I’m continuing on to another of his books — Travelled Far: A Collection Of Hiking Adventures — available free from the author.
