Category: health & safety

Posted on

NEW – GR 20 Corsica

We’ve posted a new information page on the GR 20 in Corsica, France.

I hiked the more difficult, rugged northern half in 2011.

Europe’s toughest trek250px-Corse_in_France.svg

… The trail (conceived by Michel Fabrikant back in 1970) is long (even if you walk half of it) and tough. Don’t underestimate it! You need to be fit, well trained but most of all you must be highly motivated. …

 

The path is basic: i.e. there actually is no real path underfoot for 98% of the time. So much that on many occasions if you don’t see the next waymark or cairn you won’t know where to go. Seriously. In addition to that forget the flat path you’re probably used to; most of the time you’ll walk on rugged and tormented terrain, rocks, stones galore, granite slabs … you get the idea. Get used to it. …

 

The huts are basic. If we leave out the minor exceptions of the decent buildings at Haut Asco and Castel de Verghio, the huts are small rudimentary (some of them) bergerie-style buildings with small suffocating dormitories …

My advice instead is to bring your own tent. …

AT A GLANCE

  • corsicamorenkop one of the best treks in the world
  • 180km
  • 15 days (many hike only half)
  • 19,000m of ascent and descent
  • sleep in tents or mountain huts (refuges or gîtes)
  • hiking permit not required. Reservations for the refuges recommended.
  • located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the Italian island of Sardinia

GR_20_map

read more – BestHike GR 20 information page

Posted on

Crypt Lake trail

Highly recommended. 🙂

We had a terrific adventure.

The Crypt Lake Trail is one of the premium hikes in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is accessed by a dedicated ferry service operating from the Waterton Park Townsite. …

Voted “Canada’s Best Hike” in 1981 …

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The crux comes at the top.

… ledge is about 50 cm wide, and continues over to a steel ladder and access to the tunnel. For nearly 100 ft you crawl through a natural mountain tunnel before arriving at the cable traverse. This section of the hike involves a scramble along a sheer cliff, with the assistance of a steel cable. …

The hike is a total of 17.2 km round trip, with a gradual 2,300-foot elevation gain. …

full resolution photos

Posted on

best hammock shelter ever?

Looks like it to me.

The Nubé (new-bay) is more than just a hammock shelter, it’s a safe haven for you and your gear wherever you are.

With it’s patent pending 3 in 1 system the Nubé is the most complete hammock shelter ever produced.

The Nubé protects you from torrential down pours, pesky insects, and keeps your gear elevated and protected …

The Nubé is designed to be compatible with any camping hammock …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Nubé Weight (no stakes): 2 lbs (0.90 kg)

Total Weight (with stakes): 2.24 lbs (1.01 kg)

kickstarter – Nubé the Perfected Hammock Shelter
by Sierra Madre Research
– Richard G. Rhett Jr.

This should be available next year. They’ve already raised more than triple the money needed to start production. 🙂

related – How to Set-Up the Nubé (VIDEO)

Posted on

Grizzly Bear eats Black Bear

Banff’s Sundance Canyon trail has reopened after a grizzly bear ate a black bear in the popular hiking area west of Calgary earlier this month.

Griz

“Bear 122 is the largest, most dominant grizzly bear on the landscape,” the park official said. “Last fall, I would estimate his weight at 650 to 700 pounds, which is enormous for the Rocky Mountains — about as big as grizzly bears get around here.”

Michel said the black bear was likely a fifth the size of the grizzly. …

read more – Grizzly bear eats black bear in Banff

Thanks Peter.

I’m hoping to get out to the Rockies over the next week.

Posted on

North Coast Trail 2013

scenes from the trail has a detailed trip report on the new North Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. These ladies found it easier than I did. 🙂

scenes

Distance: 59.5 km (including about 16 km which is part of the Cape Scott track).

Recommended number of days: for average parties 5.5-7, for fast and very fit parties 3.5-5.

Location: Near Port Hardy, BC. Part of Cape Scott Provincial Park.

Logistics: A water taxi is necessary to get to the starting point at Shushartie Bay. The North Coast Trail Shuttle offers a water taxi from Port Hardy and a pick up at the Cape Scott trailhead (about 60 km from Port Hardy).

Bookings: At this stage, it isn’t necessary to book the track. You should book your shuttle/boat in advance. You must also pay a back country fee to BC Parks of $10 per person, per night.

Further Considerations: Make sure you consult a tide chart before leaving, and have one with you. There is only one short section that is truly impassable at high tide, but many of the beach sections are much easier at low tide. Also consider that this is an area in which there is a lot of wildlife, particularly wolves and bears. …

read more – scenes from the trail – The North Coast Trail

related – Club Tread – North Coast Trail

Posted on

trekking the Indian Himalaya

by site editor Rick McCharles

We’ve moved and updated our Indian Himalaya introduction page.

If you’ve trekked there, check it for errors and omissions.

india-map

I’m hoping to do some personal research this Autumn.

Fly Dehli to Leh mid-October. Do Ladadh.

If possible, next do at least one trek in the Nandi Devi region.

Third priority is Nepal (my 5th trip) or Sikkim (my 2nd trip).

My preference is to trek independently. Carrying my own pack.

Wish me luck. 🙂

Posted on

How to talk to your daughter about her body

This blog post by Sarah is going NUTS online. Already 700+ comments as I post.

… step one: don’t talk to your daughter about her body, except to teach her how it works.

Don’t say anything if she’s lost weight. Don’t say anything if she’s gained weight.

If you think your daughter’s body looks amazing, don’t say that. Here are some things you can say instead:

“You look so healthy!” is a great one.

Or how about, “you’re looking so strong.”

“I can see how happy you are – you’re glowing.”

read more …

Sarah

Posted on

researching Manaslu Circuit

The Manaslu Trek (or Manaslu Circuit Trek) is a 14-day tea-house trek which circumnavigates the 8th highest peak in the world (8,156 m). …

map

The trek is much easier than it used to be with greatly improved trails along the Budi Gandaki river gorge. In terms of difficulty, it is comparable with the Annapurna Circuit Trek or Everest Base Camp trek. Its highlight is undoubtedly the spectacular unhindered views of Manaslu.

Just over 2,000 people complete the trek per year with more than half visiting in October. This is substantially fewer than visiting Annapurna, Everest or Langtang. There are two main reason for the fewer numbers.

The first reason is that the trek used to require camping, as there were too few tea-houses …

The second reason is that the trek has restricted area status. This means it requires a special permit … that the group have two or more members and that a registered trekking guide accompanies the group.

wikitravel

I’d like the option to trek alone. Therefore, Manaslu is probably out … though I’ll double check if and when I go to Nepal in November.

Some hikers with permits manage to do it independently.

Man

The best website I’ve found is Manaslu Circuit Trek.

Posted on

Alaska swarming in mosquitoes

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… So why is Krause, a student at the University of California, Davis, subjecting himself to these swarms of monstrous, hungry bugs in Alaska?

He’s actually studying how birds react to seasons. In this case, he’s looking at how climate change could affect when spring arrives at the North Slope and how that will affect the birds that migrate there. …

Luckily, this year’s mosquito season might be on its last legs. Alaska.org reports that mosquitoes are “only really an issue for Alaska visitors from the second week in June to the last week in July.

Mother Nature

See how Koby Kirk defended himself from flying vampires with his Buff.

And check midges plastered on Brad “MrFox” White’s vehicle in Oregon. Yeesh.

Posted on

Ladahk trekking research …

I bought two books:


Cicerone Trekking in Ladakh

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Indian Himalaya

Looks fantastic.

Mid-October I’ll fly Delhi Leh 3524 metres (11,562 ft) in Ladahk. Spend some days acclimatizing to altitude.

View_of_Leh_from_Shanti_Stupa

Most likely start with the Markha Valley Trek, carrying my own food, tent and pack.

Any advice for me?

… Leave a comment.

*****

Now the BAD news … 😦

The end of guide books? Lonely Planet lays off one-third of editorial staff

lonelyplanet

Venerable travel guide brand Lonely Planet, which has bounced from owner to owner in recent years, just announced some bad news: They’re slashing staff on three continents and getting rid of much of their content staff. Almost 100 jobs were slashed in Melbourne, Australia alone, and additional layoffs were made at Lonely Planet’s London and Oakland offices. …

Update: According to an email from a Lonely Planet publicist, “Print will continue to be part of the mix” for the company.

END OF AN ERA: LONELY PLANET SLASHES CONTENT JOBS