health & safety – Page 57

July 31, 2011July 31, 2011

Compression socks for hiking

Speed-hiker extraordinaire Jennifer Pharr Davis this weekend set a new overall thru-hike record on the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail. Her time of 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes, is the quickest recorded completion of the iconic East Coast trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. …

Note that she wore compression socks for some of her (average) 50mi days.

Salomon EXO IV Calf — Salomon’s EXO technology supports calf muscles, improving blood flow for better performance and recovery. …

Gear Junkie – Speed Hiker! Pharr Davis sets Record on Appalachian Trail

July 25, 2011July 23, 2011

Venables – Higher Than the Eagle Soars: A Path to Everest

Stephen Venables is one high altitude mountaineer you’ve heard about, since he didn’t die young.

I really enjoyed his 2008 career retrospective – Higher Than the Eagle Soars: A Path to Everest.

It won Best Book — Mountain Literature at the 2007 Banff Mountain Book Festival.

In 1988, Venables became the first Briton to ascend the summit of Mount Everest without bottled oxygen. His ascent, as far as the South Col, was by a new route up the Kangshung Face from Tibet, with just three other climbers, Americans Robert Anderson and Ed Webster, and Canadian Paul Teare.

All four reached the South Col but Teare decided to descend from here, concerned about incipient altitude sickness. The other three continued up the final section of the normal 1953 route, but Anderson and Webster were forced to turn back at the South Summit.

Meanwhile Venables reached the summit alone, at 3.40 pm.[1] Descending late in the day, he decided to bivouac in the open at about 8,600 metres, rather than risk a fall by continuing in the dark. Anderson and Webster spent the night slightly lower in an abandoned Japanese tent. In the morning all three were reunited and continued down to their own tents on the South Col. It took them a further three days to complete an epic retreat down the Kangshung Face. All three climbers suffered some frostbite, with Webster affected worst. …

Venables is a fine writer. A better writer than climber if his autobiography is to be believed.

An early letter of recommendation from one Dr. Buxton:

Dear Sirs,

Stephen Venables shows little aptitude for academic work, so he might as well spend the summer climbing.

He recently injured himself falling off a cliff in Bristol, so I should imagine that some alpine training would be a very good idea.

Yours sincerely,

John Buxton

His life story is one of one underfunded, under-planned, over-enthusiastic misadventure after another. I’m very happy to be a hiker, not a climber after reading the life & death tale of Kangshung.

Venables as a young man hung out at Snell’s Field in Chamonix while his American contemporaries were living on a shoestring budget at Camp 4 in Yosemite.

July 23, 2011July 23, 2011

Nepal – Bringing Progress to PARADISE

The publisher sent me a review copy. Here’s my REVIEW.

In October 2008, climbing expedition leader and attorney, Jeffrey Rasley, led a trek to a village in a remote valley in the Solu region of Nepal named Basa. His group of three adventurers was only the third group of white people ever seen in this village of subsistence farmers. What he found was a people thoroughly unaffected by Western consumer-culture values. They had no running water, electricity, or anything that moves on wheels. Each family lived in a beautiful, hand-chiseled stone house with a flower garden. Beyond what they already had, it seemed all they wanted was education for the children. He helped them finish a school building already in progress, and then they asked for help getting electricity to their village.

Bringing Progress to Paradise describes Rasley’s transformation from adventurer to committed philanthropist.

… offers Rasley’s critical reflection on the tangled relationship between tourists and locals in “exotic” locales and the effect of Western values on some of the most remote locations on earth.

Rasley presents a thoughtful, honest account of his moral struggle with the dilemma. That struggle is framed in the story of a one week guided fund-raising trip to the village in Oct. 2008.

By books end, I’m no more decided than the author on whether or not their good works are a net gain for the village. It has proceeded, in any case. The school was renovated by 2009, two new teachers hired and budget in place for 3yrs. The composting toilet had been delivered (but not installed).

Next step … Electricity and Internet.

As an independent hiker, the plot of the book is a cautionary tale of the many things that can go wrong on a guided Himalayan trek. (In fact, everyone who considers signing on with a group should be required to read this book first.)

The highlight of the trek for me was Chapter 21 – Basa Magnetism. One of the trekkers, Karen, had an intense day, physically and spiritually. It got me thinking about my own tough days in the mountains.

I recommend it. And recommend trading it in a mountain hostel for another outdoor adventure book. 🙂

details on Red Wheel – Bringing Progress to Paradise
What I Got from Giving to a Mountain Village in Nepal

Jeff Rasley
$15.95
238 pages
October 1, 2010

Jeff answers the question: Is Nepal A Safe Place To Visit?

July 3, 2011July 4, 2011

hill walking the Glendorragha Horseshoe, Ireland

to Hell or Connacht

The Act for the Settlement of Ireland imposed penalties including death and land confiscation … (after) the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In Ireland they remember Cromwell. They still recall him declaring that Catholic Irish landowners must go, “to Hell or to Connacht“, west of the River Shannon. Whether he said it, or not.

Today rough Connacht has fantastic hill walking. The weather is a challenge.

Click PLAY or watch one man’s Horseshoe on YouTube.

A 7-hour hike of The Glendorragha Horseshoe, in the Nephin Beg mountain range of County Mayo, West of Ireland. At 698 m, Birreencorragh is the highest point of the Horseshoe.

My man Mike, who grew up in the region, wants 8-10hrs for ~~that~~ a nearby route, the Binnlettery/Glencoaghan Horseshoe in the twelve Binns or Beanna Beola area. He declares his Horseshoe the “best day hike in Ireland”.

June 30, 2011June 24, 2011

climbing Croagh Patrick, Ireland

The most popular mountain on the island, perhaps 100,000 attempt the summit each year. St Patrick offers Holy Water at the trailhead.

Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig), nicknamed the Reek, is a 764 metres (2,507 ft) tall mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland.

It is 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. On “Reek Sunday“, the last Sunday in July every year, over 15,000 pilgrims climb it (some barefoot) …

Saint Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit of Croagh Patrick for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there. Popular legend says that at the end of Patrick’s 40-day fast, he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. …

This small chapel dates back to 1905.

St. Paddy camped here. I left a Summit Stone as a token of respect for his good works.

Because many amateur, under dressed non-hikers make the pilgrimage, there are more incidents on this peak than any other on the Emerald Isle.

I was in good hands, guided by Mike from the Mayo Mountain Rescue Team.

More photos from our day hike.

The other big celebrity attraction of the remote, rugged region is John Wayne. He filmed The Quiet Man (1952) here. Cong’s gorgeous Ashford Castle, featured in the film, is the centre of the tourist hub bub.

June 11, 2011June 10, 2011

Iceland of the midnight sun

This is a graphic representation of the hours of darkness in Reykjavík, Iceland.

The months are represented across the bottom (Jan = I, Dec = XII)

Now in June (VI) there are no hours of darkness. You could golf all night.

Many find it difficult to fall asleep during the night when the sun is shining. In general, visitors and newcomers are most affected. Some natives are also affected, but in general to a lesser degree….

Wikipedia – Midnight sun

I’ve hiked in Alaska, Yukon and Patagonia during long days, but it’s never been this bright at night.

Weird.

June 10, 2011

no go Landmannalaugar

The most famous hike in Iceland opens June 15th. Or 17th. Or 20th. Or later.

It’s been a hard, cold Spring.

I had hoped to do the trek before the official opening, to avoid the hordes. That’s not going to happen.

Today I drove to the campground at Skogar, one of the trailheads. Two young German guys had just come out. There’s still a LOT of snow and mud. It’s not fun.

They convinced me not to go.

… so I’m looking for an alternative backcountry hike, perhaps 75km, over the next few days.

I fly out on the 17th.

May 26, 2011May 24, 2011

climbing Bear Mountain, Arizona

trip report by besthike editor Rick McCharles

Length: 2.5 miles one way
Rating: Strenuous
Season: All year
Hiking time: 4 1/2 hours round trip

Pass required to park at trailhead

After checking with the Rangers in the Sedona Visitor Centre, very quickly I settled on Bear Mountain as my first hike in the region.

LOVED it.

But the weather was unsettled. I feared lightning (check a trip report by Justin Wright – Hiking In A Lightning Storm) but, happily, I only got a few drops of rain.

In good weather I’d call it a challenging hike due to elevation, but certainly no scramble. On the other hand, some hikers have had to be rescued. And one medic was killed by a chopper blade during evacuation. Heat emergency is the greatest danger as there’s very little shade.

Happily, I had a cool day.

larger image

I left a Summit Stone in a tree. (PHOTO)

more photos from this day hike

official hike website

May 23, 2011May 22, 2011

flying to Iceland June 2nd

Should I be worried?

Click PLAY or watch the volcano on YouTube.

Google News search for “Iceland”

May 9, 2011May 6, 2011

climbing Mt Baldy, Los Angeles

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Mount San Antonio, commonly known as Old Baldy or Mt Baldy, at 10,068 ft (3,069 m), is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County. …

Hiking trails access the summit from three sides of the mountain and one route is assisted on summer weekends by the availability of a running ski-area chair lift …

I checked Modern Hiker for details:

– Distance: 10.33 miles
– Elevation Gain: 3950 feet

… Most of the trails are very clearly marked and easy to follow. There are a few places where you might get off the beaten path, but generally you can find your way back with ease. The Devil’s Backbone Trail has a few dangerous spots that deserve extra attention. Do not attempt this trail when there is ice or snow present. A single slip on the Backbone when it’s icy could spell serious trouble …

I was concerned about snow on May 5th, 2011. People have died here.

I was ready to switch to a safer trail, if advised to do so at the Visitor’s Center. … Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the office is currently closed Tue/Wed/Thur. (I arrived on a Thursday. Merde.)

… I decided to climb as high as possible, turning back if unsafe.

The most popular trailhead for those not CHEATING by taking the lift is Manker Flats, Antonio Falls road. It’s relatively easy to get up to Mt. Baldy Ski Resort, (not to be confused with the one in Canada).