… surface is about 40 m (130 ft) above the level of the sea.
It is surrounded by a higher cliff which prevents it from emptying fully into the ocean, the waterfall Bøsdalafossur being the outlet.
The greater height of the cliffs on either side of Bøsdalafossur can give the illusion from certain perspectives that the lake is higher above sea level than it is.
The waterfall vista is great. But personally I liked even better walking the Trælanípan cliff — aka the ‘Slave Cliff’. Supposedly where slaves were pushed to their deaths.
There are many, many birds nesting on those vertical sides.
Now that Nepal required you hire a guide for almost all high altitude treks, Peru might offer the easiest logistics for similar independent adventures.
Of many great options in Peru, we like the Ausangate Circuit best. You can side trip to the Rainbow mountain, if you like. And nearby Red Valley. AND Red Lake.
Megs from Wisconsin has traveled over 70 nations. Here’s how she trekked Ausangate independently.
Mileage: Around 45 Miles, depending on route
Difficulty: Extremely Difficult
The Ausangate trek without a guide is extremely difficult due to the trail’s remoteness, altitude, and being unmarked. Additionally, the weight of carrying all your gear and food for at least 5 days
This high-altitude trek in Peru never dips below 14,150 feet (4,000m)
The weather can change fast at this altitude and there are risks associated with doing the trek guided or not. NEVER HIKE ALONE
Duration: 5 – 7 Days
The most popular time to hike Ausangate is between the months of April to October. Peru has two main seasons, dry and rainy. In general, dry season is from May to October, while rainy season is from November until April. …
The altitude of the Ausangate trek is insane. Remember, this trek never drops below 14,000 feet!
Many of the passes are grueling and top out at over 16,000 feet. The mountains are Apus, or Gods, to the Indigenous, so go in with the mindset of respecting them. By the way, the mighty mountain of Ausangate is a staggering 20,945 feet (6,384 m).
The National Park Foundation (NPF) today announced a historic $100 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
This transformative grant — the largest ever received by NPF and the largest grant benefitting national parks — celebrates a pivotal moment in safeguarding the future of America’s treasured national parks. …
Lilly Endowment’s grant will serve as a catalyst to scale and accelerate NPF’s impact. Working together with the National Park Service and park partners, NPF will allocate the funds to four key priority areas:
Inspire the Next Generation of Park Stewards: Creating opportunities for youth and young adults that will foster a deeper understanding of history, appreciation for environmental stewardship, and connection with our natural world.
Conserve and Preserve Threatened Parks and Wildlife: Addressing critical initiatives that will ensure the health and longevity of the fragile ecosystems and diverse species that call our national parks home.
Ensure a World-Class Visitor Experience: Securing a future where national parks can accommodate unprecedented growth and leverage new technology, while remaining accessible and awe-inspiring for all visitors.
Tell a More Complete Story of America: Delivering a more comprehensive historical narrative, including the experiences of communities whose voices and contributions have not been fully told as a part of the American story. …
To learn more about the National Park Foundation’s mission and donate today, visit nationalparks.org.
The best way to travel the 500km of roads over 17 islands is by personal vehicle. This gives you the flexibility to go when the weather forecast looks … better. 😀
Otherwise you are limited by the infrequent public buses and ferries. AND ferries often don’t run when it’s too windy.
On the other hand, with a motor vehicle, you pay a fee for every undersea tunnel you drive through, and any ferry you need to take. It adds up quickly.
I went with gravel bike — but was too cowardly to cycle through most of the many narrow tunnels. It is allowed, however. Locals told me they don’t mind bikes in tunnels.
I did cycle 2 of them.
It’s easy to put your bike under the bus — and I did it every day.
BUT the buses run infrequently, especially on weekends and holidays. There are very few locals on them, only a few cheapskate tourists.
If you like coastal scenery, there is no place on the Faroe Islands more than 5km from the seas.
I had a bike shop in the capital do a tune-up and replaced the chain. Bike ran great — until the new chain broke. It was Sunday and there was no bus service. I had to hitchhike with my disabled transport.
Note: A number of the most famous hikes on the Faroe Islands cross privately owned land and have expensive fees. Similar attractions in Norway and Iceland are free.
There are campgrounds, but I’d recommend booking a roof over your head. I had an inexpensive room in a Vestmanna guesthouse, happy to be warm and dry my clothing every night.
Vestmanna
The Faroe Islands are great. But logistics are challenging. Book as many days as possible.
I generally followed Hahnenkamm – Seidlalm – Ganslernalm on AllTrails. But diverged a number of times if any other trail heading downhill looked more interesting.
The Seidlalm reservoirs were a highlight, slightly off that route.
With good weather I did find it an easy day. Starting at the top of the mountain (2000m) and finishing in Kitzbühel (762m), it IS a lot of downhill. 😀
IF headed for Austria, do some research into tourist passes.
For example, many hostels and hotels can give you a FREE tourist card.
Out of Kitzbühel, that means free train and bus travel.
Free transportation over this area.
With that card, next check for deals on lift tickets. Over 3 days. Over 5 days. Etc.
Therefore it’s recommended to go shoulder season, either Spring or Autumn.
Want to trek the Tour du Mont Blanc but don’t have the money to book accomodations along the way or to pay for a guided tour?
Want to hike the TMB this summer and but everything is already booked?
Last summer I hiked the TMB on a last minute whim, with no planning, and no budget. And I still had the time of my life on this bucket-lis hike. So I’ve distilled what I learned into this video to help you make it happen tomorrow.
British Columbia is a fantastic hiking destination. BUT campgrounds and some of the best hiking areas require difficult-to-aquirepermits — most famously, the West Coast Trail.
Juan de Fuca Trail in Juan de Fuca Marine Provincial Park near Port Renfrew (requires backcountry permits)
Wild Side Trail on Flores Island near Tofino (requires a water taxi to reach the trailhead)
Forbidden Plateau Core, Bedwell Lakes, Elk River Trail, and Arnica Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park (All require backcountry permits except Arnica Lake.)
Nootka Trail on Nootka Island near Gold River (requires a water taxi to reach the trailhead)
North Coast Trail, Cape Scott Trail, and San Josef Bay in Cape Scott Provincial Park near Port Hardy (requires backcountry permits, North Coast Trail requires a water taxi to reach the trailhead)
Raft Cove in Raft Cove Provincial Park near Port Hardy (requires backcountry permits)
Carmanah Valley in Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park (requires backcountry permits)
Interior and Eastern B.C.
Trophy Meadows in Wells Gray Provincial Park near Clearwater (requires backcountry permits)
Cathedral Lakes Provincial Park near Keremeos (requires backcountry permits)
Okanagan High Rim Trail near Vernon and Kelowna
Spectrum Lake in Monashee Provincial Park near Cherryville (requires backcountry permits)
Gwillim Lakes in Valhalla Provincial Park near Slocan
Kaslo Lake in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park near Nelson (requires backcountry permits)
Earl Gray Pass in Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park near Kaslo
South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park near Lillooet
Northern B.C.
Hunlen Falls in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park near Bella Coola (requires backcountry permits)
Monkman Memorial Trail in Monkman Provincial Park near Tumbler Ridge
Wokkpash Valley and McDonald Creek in Stone Mountain Provincial Park near Fort Nelson
Mount Edziza in Mount Edziza Provincial Park near Dease Lake
Backcountry permits are not reservations. And they don’t sell out.
The scenery in the Dolomites may be just as good. And there are far, far more stunning jagged peaks in Italy than in all of South America.
click for larger version
Many, many Europeans get out hiking during the Summer. Trails are crowded everywhere throughout the Dolomites and the Alps. There’s a great shared sense of community here.
Instant gratification. You can ride chair lifts up to the very tops of some of these peaks. How convenient is that? Almost anyone can find a best hike for themselves in this range.
WW I history in the Dolomites is sobering. German, Austrian and Italian soldiers were stuck digging tunnels through these mountains through several winters. This was the “Front”. Needless to say, far more young men died from the elements and falls than by fire fights. There are reminders of the Great War everywhere.
Here is the home of via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”). (In fact, our next trip to the Dolomites will be dedicated to doing some of the best of those assisted climbing routes.)
click for larger version
Not everything is perfect in the Dolomites. I prefer the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, overall.
In the Sierras I can put up a tent anywhere I want. Fantastic.
Unfortunately, in the Dolomites you are required to sleep in alpine buildings called Refuges. (Refugios – Italian). Their locations are stunning. Many people love them. But – personally – I prefer my tent over sleeping on the floor. Or in bunk beds.
Happily you can reach almost any place in the Dolomites by day hike. Public transportation in the valleys below is good!
The two regions – the Sierras and the Dolomites – are similar in that everywhere is a best hike.
Rifugio Locatelli – click for larger version
I do like the food and drink at Refugios. Prices are regulated.
The main reason I had not hiked in Europe in 30yrs is cost. Italy can be expensive.
It’s possible to hike on the cheap. Putting up my tent in a campground in Cortina only cost 9€ (US$12.80) / night in 2009. Ryan tells us it’s up to 44€ / night summer 2023!
Bread, chocolate, soft cheese and wine are inexpensive. What more do you need?
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