desert – Page 23 – besthike.com

March 30, 2010March 25, 2010

weird, wild Saguaro cactus

I feel lucky to have just finished a driving tour of the exact range of the crazy beautiful Saguaro cactus, definitely one of my favourite flora.

… a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, a small part of Baja California in the San Felipe Desert and an extremely small area of California …

Harming a saguaro in any manner, including cactus plugging, is illegal by state law in Arizona, and when houses or highways are built, special permits must be obtained to move or destroy any saguaro affected. …

Wikipedia

more interesting photos tagged Saguaro

March 26, 2010March 25, 2010

best hikes in Arizona

lucrativetravels.com posted a surprisingly good list:

Wet Beaver Loop
Picacho Peek
Kendrick Mountain
Paria Canyon

We name Paria Canyon the best hike in the entire S.W. USA.

The other three I’m currently researching. … Especially since I’ve just arrived in Arizona. We drove between Tuscon and Phoenix yesterday past impressive Picacho Peak.

Wet Beaver Loop

The Wet Beaver Loop is not a trail that should be hiked by a novice. The trail is a twenty-two mile loop so you should plan on taking a couple of days to complete it. …

Picacho Peak

The Picacho Peak is a hike that that will provide you with the opportunity to admire the Sonora desert. Although the trail is only a seven mile round trip, you need to be aware that much of it is extremely steep and that there are many switchbacks. …

Kendrick Mountain

If Picacho Peak is more than you feel comfortable handling, you might want to consider the Kendrick Mountain hike. This particular hike is 9.2 miles round trip. When you reach the summit you will find a cabin and have an amazing view of Mount Humphreys, Red Mountain, and Sycamore Canyon. On a clear day you will even be able to see the Grand Canyon’s north Rim. …

read more – lucrativetravels.com

March 20, 2010March 20, 2010

hiking Steinbeck Canyon, Baja

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Steinbeck Canyon is the name locals in Loreto use for the most popular hike in the area.

I started at the Puerto Escondido marina. With a bike.

You ride (or walk) from the marina out to main highway #1. There’s the arroyo (watercourse) in the distance just right of the exit road.

The turnoff to the trailhead is unmarked but easy to find. Simply cross directly over Highway #1 and follow the dirt road on the other side.

It’s impressive right from the get go.

It’s actually more of a bouldering scramble than a hike. You’ll be using your hands clambering up, over and under smooth river rocks.

What people like most is the explosion of insect, bird and plant life.

Some of the pools were so clean, when I was there, that I was tempted to swim.

Steinbeck Canyon is one of the best hikes in the Baja. Highly recommended.

See all my photos from a March 2010 scramble.

March 10, 2010March 8, 2010

Baja Adventure

by site editor Rick McCharles

Have you seen the Baja Adventure Book?

The classic has not been updated since 1998, but it was a great inspiration for me. I recall reading it in a library many, many years ago.

I write from Loreto, Baja. Just arrived after a road trip of 3450km (2143mi) over 5 days. I’m here on holiday with my parents, but plan to get out for some serious hiking, biking and kayaking.

If you’ve got advice for me on the best Baja Adventures, please leave a comment.

February 9, 2010February 3, 2010

visit Aloba Arch, Chad

One of the top 10 natural arches in the world, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to travel to see it in Chad.

It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, literally in the middle of nowhere.

But I’d love to see remote Aloba Arch, always included on lists of the Most Incredible Natural Arches On Earth.

January 30, 2010

Copper Canyon Ultramarathon documentary

Often called the “greatest runners in the world”, Mexico’s Raramuri Indians currently wear these sandals handmade from rubber tires.

They are much studied by researchers of the Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear movement.

Living in Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountain range, the Raramuri Indians are some of the best long distance runners in the world, but how far can they run in the face of problems like environmental damage, loss of native lands, and the drug war? An American ultra marathon runner known as Caballo Blanco is fighting to help the Raramuri preserve their culture and tradition of long distance running. The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon is the result.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

January 2, 2010December 28, 2009

hiking Los Nevados, Colombia

Aasmund Godal recently hiked a privately managed region of South America.

Los Nevados (English: snow mountains) is a national park located in the central area of the Colombian Andes.

Less than 150km from Bogotá.

Aasmund drafted a WikiTravel page on Los Nevados to assist those planning for that trip.

Looks great.

November 4, 2009October 24, 2009

best S.W. USA desert peak scrambles

From Branch Whitney of the excellent Hiking Las Vegas blog:

I am not a big fan of the typical desert peaks. Most have boring approaches, crappy rock, and long drives. I do not consider the peaks in Red Rock or Mt. Charleston as desert peaks. The rock there is much different. So I “cherry pick” the desert peaks I do climb. Here’s a list of my favorite:

Mopah and Umpah Points

Eagle Mountain

Moapa Peak

details – My Favorite Desert Peaks

All of the routes to these peaks and another 350 routes are available for members of HikingLasVegas.

October 27, 2009January 27, 2010

The Monkey Wrench Gang – a review

I feel a little sheepish recommending a book glorifying what some would call industrial terrorists.

But I do.

Amazon.com Review:

Ed Abbey called The Monkey Wrench Gang, his 1975 novel, a “comic extravaganza.”

Some readers have remarked that the book is more a comic book than a real novel, and it’s true that reading this incendiary call to protect the American wilderness requires more than a little of the old willing suspension of disbelief. The story centers on Vietnam veteran George Washington Hayduke III, who returns to the desert to find his beloved canyons and rivers threatened by industrial development. On a rafting trip down the Colorado River, Hayduke joins forces with feminist saboteur Bonnie Abbzug, wilderness guide Seldom Seen Smith, and billboard torcher Doc Sarvis, M.D., and together they wander off to wage war on the big yellow machines, on dam builders and road builders and strip miners. …
–Gregory McNam

It’s offensive in many ways. But I enjoyed it thoroughly as many, many have before me.

Author Edward Abbey is a hero and inspiration to hikers.

The dangerous 800+mi Hayduke Trail in the American S.W. was named after the lead character.

September 11, 2009September 2, 2009

hike Buckskin Gulch … and Coyote Gulch

Wild Backpacker has a good summary of our favourite hiking destination in the American Southwest:

… Buckskin Gulch is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwest, and while others are narrower, prettier or more challenging to explore, the length and variety of the terrain in the ever changing narrows make it an amazing experience. The narrows extend for nearly 15 miles, with some parts only 10 feet wide. The cliffs grow steadily higher downstream, reaching a height of 500 feet above the streambed at the confluence of Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon. The walls of both canyons are rather dark, as the sun rarely reaches the bottom of the deep canyons. The walls of the gulch still show interesting swirls and curves worn by floods.

Buckskin Gulch and the Paria Canyon, is located in the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area of Southern Utah. Buckskin Gulch is best done at least as a two-day canyoneering and backpacking adventure, although there are day hiking options …

read more – Buckskin Gulch, Paria Canyon, Kanab, Utah

Challenging. And awesome.

But even more extreme is Coyote Gulch in Escalante, Utah.

coyote gulch eagle

… The most challenging part of this hike is the climb out of Coyote Gulch near Jacob Hamblin Arch. The climb involves scrambling up a 100-foot pitch of slick rock that ascends from the canyon floor at an angle close to 45 degrees. A 100-foot length of rope is useful here for raising backpacks. A compass is also useful for the last part of the hike, which involves a 2-mile cross-country walk from the canyon rim back to Jacob Hamblin Trailhead. Sneakers or other wettable shoes are the most practical footwear inside the canyon, as you will frequently be required to cross the stream bed. …

read more on Wild Backpacker