Category: coastal

Kalalau Trail is one of the best hikes in the world.

Along the Nā Pali Coast of the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii, it’s paradise.

source – kalalautrail.com

Kalalau Trail – website

But there’s trouble in paradise. Illegal squatters.

You can do the 11mi difficult trail in 4-8hrs.

But some stay in the valley for days, weeks, even years.

… access is controlled in the cause of conservation. A limited number of permits are issued for camping in Kalalau Valley every year. In spite of the efforts of the state of HawaiÊ»i, many people illegally hike the trail and even live in Kalalau Valley.

These long-term campers are suspected, by some, to cause serious harm to the ecological balance of the valley by their waste and propagation of introduced species.

Kalalau Trail – Wikipedia

David Lurk posted a lengthy, entertaining Kalalau trip report — mostly detailing the colourful characters he met along the way.

He wants to go back. But next time for 3 weeks!

Hiking Kauai, the Garden Isle – Amazon

Rick McCharles

Most serious hikers who travel to Tasmania hike the Overland Track as training for the far more rigorous South Coast Track.

That adventure on the southern most shore of Tasmania takes even fast hikers 7 days, 6 nights after flying into the Melaleuca airstrip trailhead. It’s 83km (51mi) to exit at Cockle Creek through the world’s largest temperate wilderness.

Me – I ran out of time.

Instead of doing the entire South Coast Track, I spent only 4 days, 3 nights enjoying the southern beaches out of Cockle Creek.

South Cape Rivulet campsite

I’ve seen tea stained water before, but never as dark as the water of south coast Tasmania. (It’s quite safe to drink.)

The only hassles on this section were biting flies and the odd very deep mud pool. (I almost lost my shoe knee deep at one point.)

I enjoyed the beach sunsets best of all.

Though it looks lovely, be aware that “there are no huts or people living along the track so you will need a tent. There are no fires allowed along most of the coast. You will need to carry your own fuel stove. Lastly and most important – there are no food resupply points between the two ends of the track. You must carry all your own food for the entire trip and also carry out your rubbish. There are no hut wardens …”

John Chapman – guidebook author on the South Coast Track

whale statue at Cockle Creek

More annotated photos of the South Coast Track out of Cockle Creek

Final word. One veteran hiker told me that the similar Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea was “more difficult by half” than the South Coast Track. On the other hand, in PNG you can have porters carry your pack.

The trail we named “best hike in the world” usually opens May 1. As this is the 100 year anniversary of founding, celebrations were planned. But the WCT opening may be delayed — a suspension bridge is missing and two cable-car crossings are out.

The West Coast Trail is one of North America’s best-known and most challenging wilderness treks, but the storm has left it impassible, at least until repair work can be done.

An estimated 2,000 trees are down in the park, one footbridge has been destroyed and three of the five hand-operated cable cars that allow hikers to pass over streams and ravines are out of service.

“It was unbelievable,” Mr. Brand said, recalling the Dec. 11 storm. “We had trees coming down everywhere. The sea was like a giant washing machine. . . . I think the problem was not just the wind, but the gusts. It went from 60 knots to 100 knots in a microsecond.”

STORM DAMAGE: B.C.’s trail of destruction – Globe and Mail

Happily, the Canadian federal government said it will pay for part of the cleanup.

West Coast Trail – besthike information page