coastal – Page 12 – besthike.com

August 19, 2022July 17, 2022

Oregon Coast Trail is NOT REALLY a Trail 😀

Forced off the Pacific Crest Trail due to forest fire, Ryan (Kodak) Brown and his partner Ilse Cinnamon Praet decided on Oregon, instead.

The two cofounded Wilderland Media.

It’s more of a ROUTE, not a continuous trail. More than 150 miles (240 km) of the route is on pavement.

Walked in its entirety, linking each trail/beach section, the distance is approximately 425 miles. …
The northern trailhead is at the base of the south jetty of the Columbia River, approximately 4 miles (6 km) north of the campground of Fort Stevens State Park and about 13 miles (21 km) from the city of Astoria.
The trail runs north-south along the entire Oregon Coast, following the shore as closely as practical.
For many portions of the route, it is beach walking, mostly on sand. In populated areas it often follows the nearest street to the shore.
Many parts of the trail leave the beach and take an inland path, usually where land formations make the shoreline impassable, such as at Cape Kiwanda. …
Wikipedia

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

August 17, 2022July 28, 2022

Hiking in Svalbard. … Also, WHERE is Svalbard? 😀

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. North of mainland Europe, it is about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. …
The largest island is Spitsbergen …
The largest settlement is Longyearbyen. …

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

August 14, 2022August 16, 2022

I QUIT the Long Crossing of Lofoten Archipelago, Norway

BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Inspired by Cam Honan’s 2018 adventure, I set out for the Long Crossing – a 160 km (99 mi) hiking route through the spectacular heart of the island chain.

It’s not all that popular yet. In fact, AllTrails doesn’t have it. And it has every trail everywhere.

After one day — 9 hours in perfect weather — I’ve decided to QUIT. That day was too difficult and too dangerous for me carrying a heavy pack.

It LOOKS easy in the photo. But it’s mostly route finding through marshy terrain. Worst was a risky descent clutching a water pipe and safety ropes. Starting up near the top of the waterfall.

This was the Kleppstad to Svolvær leg.

I’d already visited Lofoten on another trip, doing most of the popular day hikes.

I’ll follow the general path of the Long Crossing. But camp low. And climb high with a day pack. Weather will dictate which established day hikes I choose.

I’ll be following recommendations set out in the Rando-Lofoten guidebook by Souyris & Brede:

Hiking the Lofoten islands

Wish me luck. Things tend to #fail in Arctic Norway — usually due to weather.

August 12, 2022

Climbing Segla (Sail) Mountain on Senja Island, Norway

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

The main reason we make the long trip to Senja Island is to climb high and enjoy otherworldly views.

Click PLAY or see Segla mountain and others on the island on YouTube.

Senja is even further north than famed Lofoten archipelago , but is equally spectacular in places.

The jumping off point is remote Fjordgård, not easy to reach by bicycle.

I camped for free along the ocean. A very windy night.

The east side of Segla starts rising gently, whereas the steep cliffs on the west side drop directly into the fjord. The EASY route is still challenging near the top. You’ll be using your hands.

BUT first it’s recommended to do the Hesten hike, rewarding you with the most impressive looks at the peak. 3.7 km return. Hesten is 556m.

Next climb Segla itself, if you have the energy.

Around 4km return. Perhaps 2 hours up, 1 hour down — IF you move steadily. Weather is the main factor. It can switch from sun to rain storm in just a few minutes.

Click PLAY or watch my video highlights MUSIC video 😀 on YouTube.

related – detailed trip report by Worldering Around – Segla, Senja Island – Best View Of The Iconic Mountain From Hesten Hike

June to September are the best months.

August 1, 2022August 1, 2022

Hiking Arctic Norway – Barheia, Lyngen Alps

Trip Report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Click PLAY or watch a #shorts on YouTube.

Barheia is not one of the famous hikes. In fact, I only learned of it from a hiking guidebook I found at a nearby hostel.

MOST day hikes here required a lot of vertical before getting to the great vistas.

Only 350m? Only 1 hour?

Let’s GO.

It’s about 6.8km return from the trailhead — once you find it well above the highway campground.

AND it’s very conveniently located in Svensby, close to the ferry dock. You can easily walk from the ferry.

Most tourists drive right past on their way to the most popular day hike in the area, Blåisvatnet (the Blue Lake). Personally I enjoyed Barheia much better. AND had the summit to myself. The Blue Lake trail is crowded with hikers high season.

Confusingly, there’s a trailhead sign close to the campground on the highway. But the start is actually higher up the mountain, well above the campers.

Once there, you can’t get lost as it’s blazed red. Useful when the snow falls.

related – Wild Planet trip report

July 26, 2022September 16, 2022

Climbing Fløya, out of Tromsø, Norway

I flew to Tromsø to begin a long bikepacking tour of the west coast.

Sadly, SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) accepted money from me ➙ then didn’t deliver my bicycle and gear to Norway. It sat untouched at Heathrow airport for days. 🤨

Airlines should not offer flights if they don’t have what they need to deliver.

On the upside, there is excellent hiking out of Tromsø.

Click PLAY or see highlights on YouTube.

Tromsø is 350 kilometres (217 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. The summer sun doesn’t set until July 27th. I was there July 24th.

At 69°, it is north of Reykjavík, for example.

On my only other hiking trip to Norway I made it as far north as the Lofoten Islands, but not to Tromsø.

I climbed over 1200 stone steps built by Nepalese starting 2016. In Norwegian, they are called the Sherpatrappa.

Most people stop at the restaurant atop the cable car. There’s an excellent view from the deck and atop a nearby rock cliff.

But if you continue UP look for a climbing hut known as Steinbøhytta. You can sleep there for free.

This day there were a number of reindeer grazing. They seemed unperturbed by hikers — but this big male reacted badly when encountering my backpack unexpectedly. Perhaps it looked something like a carnivore in the rocks.

You can drive or take a bus to the start. But many simply walk across the bridge from town, visiting the Arctic Cathedral on the way.

If you get to remote Tromsø, don’t miss this vista.

I took the Sherpa stairs back down. But there are alternative trails descending.

AllTrails recommends a loop they call Sherpatrappa and Dalbergstien.

July 17, 2022July 16, 2022

Hiking Moorecroft Park, Vancouver Island

My favourite place to fly a drone close to Nanaimo is Moorecroft Regional Park.

It’s gorgeous, yet very little known or visited.

A former youth camp, it was purchased 2011 from the BC Conference of the United Church of Canada and is now managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

It is on AllTrails.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

If you get the chance, you won’t regret visiting Moorecroft.

July 7, 2022July 4, 2022

ʔapsčiik t̓ašii Trail, Vancouver Island

Yep. That is the official name.

It’s prounounced ups-cheek ta-shee.

It a wonderful part of the world.

In the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve between Tofino and Ucluelet.

Close — as the crow flies — to famed West Coast Trail.

ʔapsčiik t̓ašii means “going the right direction on the path.”

It can also be translated to “do the right thing and speak truthfully“.

TOFINO — Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and Parks Canada joined this week in welcoming visitors to use a new multi-use pathway at the Combers Beach trailhead in the Pacific Rim National Parks Reserve.
The path, which extends around 25 kilometres, traverses through the traditional territories of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ, on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
It is the result of nearly $51 million in federal funding and offers visitors and locals an opportunity to explore the region’s lush rainforests by bike or foot. …
Times Colonist

Official web page.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

June 29, 2022June 28, 2022

Rain in Spain – Camino Finisterre

Pilgrims who walk or cycle to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral on the Camino de Santiago celebrate — then decide whether to continue on to Finisterre on the coast. That name is from the Latin for “end of the earth“.

That’s an additional 88.9 km (54 miles) by the most popular route.

This N.W. corner of Spain — Galicia — is the rainiest.

The Stingy Nomads had one of their worst, and best, hiking days while on the Camino Finisterre.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Weather was bad when I reached Santiago on my 6 day cycling adventure from León, Spain .

I’m happy I cycled rather than walked. There is a lot of pavement. 😀

I decided to sign up for a very inexpensive (25€) all day van tour offered through my accommodation, the excellent Albergue Seminario Menor:

A Costa da Morte – Finisterre

Noia
Muros
Carnota
Corcubión
Finisterre

A few photos from my trip:

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June 23, 2022June 13, 2022

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, Vancouver Island

The most famous hiking adventure in Canada is the West Coast Trail out of Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island.

Port Renfrew is also the trailhead for the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail — yet no reservation is required. It’s the best back-up plan if you can’t get a reservation for the WCT.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.