Category: food

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North Coast Trail – day 2

Sept 2012 trip report by site editor Rick McCharles


» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★
Skinner Nahwitti Stretch to Cape Sutil

Skinner Creek – photo via Coast & Kayak

New day. More MUD.

It IS possible to hike along the beach from Skinner Creek to Nahwitti River at low tide. (Start a couple of hours before low tide, if you can.)

Another day. Another BEAR.

Stumbling out of the trees at this beach — there was a bear. Studiously ignoring me.

I quietly scrambled atop this rocky outcropping. No bear could get up there.

I read my book. And then left a Summit Stone in a crack on top. 🙂

Many feel the Nahwitti Stretch is even more difficult than day 1 Shushartie Overland, but I liked it much better. There’s plenty of variety. Plenty of entertainment.

For example, the Nahwitti River Cable Car.

Now that’s FUN. I did not see any sign of spawning salmon, however. Perhaps it’s too early in the season.

FUN too are the longest stairs on the Trail — “Long Leg Hill”.

Hikers praise aloud those who built these, let me tell you. 🙂

The West Coast Trail has ladders. The NCT stairs. Many.

And ropes. … Have I mentioned the ropes, as yet?

So far as I saw, there’s only one truly impassable headland on the official North Coast Trail — at km 43.2.

Late, I arrived at high tide, and was obliged to lie down for a nap.

At some point later the girls arrived, needing to wait as well. They were more than mildly surprised when I popped up out-of-nowhere from my sleep.

As we found out the following day, the girls never actually made it to Sutil that night. Due to knee pain and failing light, they decided to wild camp in one of the pocket coves just short of Sutil, having to “hang” their food from bears, wolves and (perhaps) hyenas. 🙂

If the ladies had known in advance they were too late to get through, they could have stopped at Nahwitti River campsite.

The tent platforms on the NCT are fantastic. If it’s raining, you definitely try to set-up on these.

On arriving at the beautiful big beach at Sutil, I was astonished to find 3 kayaks and 4 kayakers, just dropped by the water taxi, starting a 2wk adventure. (I wished I’d come in with them to start hiking here.)

It was a birthday party. I felt obliged to finish off the leftovers from their heavy dinner. And to drink their heavy wine. And warm myself at their friendly fire.

As dusk fell we sipped wine, … and wondered whatever happened to the girls.

No search party was launched.

more photos


» day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | ★ recommendations ★

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to Stove or not to Stove …

Hendrik Morkel waxes philosophic on a most practical matter:

… I’m convinced that it is on average lighter to go with an UL stove and dehydrated food, as I reckon it will be tastier and give more (mental) energy. …

Hiking in Finland – Food for Thought: Stoveless backpacking

I like that conclusion. I normally have 2-3 hot coffees in the morning, a cold lunch — and a big hot meal after dark.

My stove of preference is still the MSR Reactor.

Should I go to something lighter? 🙂

Hendrik links to these related posts:

• Going stoveless / Hiking no-cook PART II (PCT)

• TrailSavvy – Alternative Menu Planning (Stove-less)

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Andalucian International Walking Festival

I’m seeing a trend to hiking festivals where you can learn about local culture. This new event in Spain includes: Olive Harvest & Virgin Oil Production, Andalucian Cookery Classes, Pottery, Bodega Wine Tasting Tour, Oil Painting and several more.

February 26 – March 4, 2012
Malaga Airport, Spain

The White Mountain Village of El Burgo plays hosts to the first Andalucian International Walking & Cultural Festival.

Guided walks will explore the surrounding olive groves and beyond to the stunning Nature Park of Sierra de las Nieves. Take part in a wide variety of activities as well as colourful local fiestas including Andalucia Day and the celebration of Carnaval.

The whole thing is an invention of a company, Frontier Holidays. Looks like fun to me.

details

While you’re in Andalucia, be sure to stop by the blue Smurf village of Júzcar.

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first hike Hong Kong

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Arriving at my hostel after midnight, I was pleased to meet local hiker Michael Edesess at 8:30am next morning.

He explained that hiking Hong Kong usually meant a short subway trip, a shorter walk through a modern shopping mall … and directly on to the trail!

Well signed. Well maintained. Super popular tracks.

… This must be the best major city in the world for getting on a trail quickly and easily.

Michael clearly had a destination in mind …

And here it is.

We finished at Groucho’s on Stanley beach for Michael’s favourite Belgian brew and a burger.

This is urban hiking!

more photos from our day hike

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Camp 4 Bearier 700 canister

A prototype unit just shown at the Outdoor Retailers show in Vegas Salt Lake City.

… The Bearier 700 is two polycarbonate halves (production models will likely be a translucent color) that can be carried separately while hiking.

Backpackers can split them up between hikers, or carry the halves separately in or on their packs, for easier access and packing while hiking …

… at less than 2 lbs, if the Bearier 700 passes the National Park Service’s bear test, it could be a contender for the lightest canister, space-to-weight. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

You could see these on the market as early as May 2011.

If interested, click over to Trailspace for the specifics – Outdoor Retailer: Baffling bears with the Bearier 700

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Jeju Olle hike, Korea day 5

#Jeju #JejuOlle

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Day 4 had been long long, over 30km. In the dark I lucked into finding a perfect tent site, hidden away in a rock niche high above the coast.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

It had previously been used as a meditation retreat.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

Dawn is the most peaceful time of the day. They are not early risers on Jeju.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

Locals live by the “Sam Mu” (“Three Nothings”) – no beggars, no thieves, no gates.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

Here is (by far) my favourite restaurant over 100km – the Two Weeks Coffee Shop.

Two Weeks Coffee Shop

The owner retired from Seoul. Because he and his wife love coffee, they purchased the property to set up a retirement job.

Two Weeks Coffee Shop - bicycle construct

Every Korean can guess why it’s named Two Weeks. … You’ll have to go yourself and ask if you want to know. Bring a book and a laptop. They have free WiFi. You can hang out in their lovely garden.

Two Weeks Coffee Shop

Check the vista from atop the nearby cinder cone.

vista from Two Weeks Coffee Shop

Known as an “oreum” (lateral volcano grown over as a hill or small mountain), the Jeju Olle never bypasses one without making you climb to the top.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

That’s the second largest “city” on Jeju, Seogwipo.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

They have the same huge, colourful web spiders I’ve bumped into many times in Hong Kong.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

I imagine these small, timid feral cats eat the spiders, when they can.

Route 5-6 - Jeju Olle, Korea

I finished at the official Jeju Olle office in Seogwipo, a bit disappointed that I ran out of time to do route 7. Some feel that’s the best of all.

Read more about route 6 on the official website.

See the rest of my route 5-6 photos on flickr.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

_____

Resources if you want to plan a trip for yourself:

Visit Korea – Jeju Olle (also available in many other languages)

JejuOlle.org (also in Japanese, Chinese and Korean)

Wild Junket – Hiking in Korea: Jeju Olle Trail

Though I did not use it, there is a guidebook in English. Look for it on the island or check it out as a PDF linked from this Visit Korea page.

Questions? Suggestions? … Leave a comment.

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my BearVault is stuck

I love my clear plexiglass BearVault, happy to carry the extra weight for the convenience of tossing my food anywhere I like.

But if I tighten the lid enough for the simple plastic clip to “click”, it can be tough to open. Sometimes I need strip down, call on super human strength, and sit on the thing to squish it a little bit oblong.

Turns out that’s normal for this gear. Check this rant from thruhiker Crow:

It was 4am and I was lying in my frosty tent in the Sierras, thinking how splendid a hot beverage would be right now. I was hungry as I hadn’t eaten dinner the night before because I was low on food and one of the ways I ration my food is to skip dinner.

I was thinking: for the same weight as the bear canister I could have brought my stove, pot, fuel canister, and 5 snicker bars. Right now, I could be drinking a hot beverage and eating a snicker bar. That would be good, but instead I have a bear canister.

I reached out of my tent, grabbed my frosty bear canister, tried to open it—it didn’t budge. I straddled it and tried to open it, it wouldn’t turn a bit–it was completely locked up. And that is when I renamed my BearVault 450 bear canister: my “G…

read more – Gear review: BearVault 450 bear canister

I too leave mine as threaded as possible, but not quite locked.

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KFC – Quadruple Down sandwich

I couldn’t resist.

… two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. …

It’s as disgustingly delicious as it looks!

… the sodium content is high — a whopping 1,380 milligrams — more than a half-teaspoon’s worth of salt. For comparison’s sake, the American Heart Association recommends people eat less than 1,500 mg of sodium in an entire day.

Considering the rising consciousness on healthy eating — from rules that will require calorie counts on menus nationwide to Jamie Oliver teaching kids in West Virginia to make better food choices — it was pretty gutsy of KFC to market a product that sandwiches bacon and mayo-based sauce between two pieces of fried chicken.

Still, KFC’s new creation might surprise you a little on the nutritional front. At 540 calories, the Double Down, though not exactly a dieting food, is 90 calories lighter than McDonald’s Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich. …

NPR – The Nutritional Lowdown On KFC’s Double Down


UPDATE – Is it really 540 calories? Or more like 1190 calories?

This crime against humanity will not be sold in Canada. America’s rank as the most obese major nation is safe, for now.

And just in case Wendy’s wants to challenge, KFC has this “sandwich” in the lab …

(via This is why you’re Fat)

You could eat one Quadruple Down, … then set out hiking for the weekend without needing to carry any more food.

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the “PCT Method” – hanging a bear bag

Affectionately known by the lightweight hiking underground as the “PCT Method” (presumably because it was first used by long distance hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail), a bear bag hanging method exists that is lighter, requires less rope, offers the benefits of counterbalancing, is easier to set up, and offers simple and quick hanging and retrieval of your food.

Click PLAY or watch and comment on TheBackpacker.tv.

You can make your own system quite easily by assembling the following components:

* Food storage bag
* 40 feet of hanging rope
* Keychain carabiner
* Small stuff sack for a rock (”rock sack”)
* Pencil-sized twig about 4-6 inches long.

I particularly like the second option shown by Bryan DeLay. Many’s the time I’ve needed that in the past.