Category: health & safety

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trekking Annapurna 2010

One of our top 10 hikes in the world, Annapurna in Nepal, has had some negative press in the media:

… It is a shame, then, that by 2012 a road will have been built on this path, destroying this experience and, according to many, placing the last nail in the coffin of what was once the greatest trek on earth. …

NY Times

hmm …

Are these reports of doom and gloom true?

Andrew Ostrowski sends us some notes from last year:

Oct 2010 when we hiked independently (no guides/porters, 10 kg pack plus water, total ~12 kg/person) the combined Circuit and Sanctuary trek in 21 days, hikers age 58 and 62 years old couple with average hiking experience in Canadian Rockies

electricity or back up system was available in all places, cell phones everywhere and carried by most guides/porters and others in case of emergency, expensive internet is readily available at almost all stops at Annapurna Circuit

padlocks and blankets were always provided

free medical high altitude clinic is daily offered at 3:00 PM in Manang in high season

there was no snow in the first week of Oct 2010 and temperature at Thorung La was around zero when we passed it around 11 AM

trekking independently is very easy, providing you do your homework/planning ahead of time

excellent maps are readily available everywhere, very difficult to get lost on the main trail, trails/lodges were busy

used cost effective UV light for water treatment every day with good results

you can take micro bus(Toyota/Nissan van) from Kathmandu bus station to Besisahar trail head (350 Rupees) and further down on the jeep (500 Rupees) if you wish

you can plan and see the whole trek on Google Earth, GPS tracks are easy to find on the web and plot on Google Earth and hundreds of pictures taken every 100 m are also shown

all gear (poles, back pack, jacket, sleeping bag) except hiking boots was rented in Kathmandu and is readily available from dozens of places, total cost for two person/23 days was 8320 Rupees($110) , all gear survived with no problems

daily cost on the trek for two persons (food + room) was 30 to 35 dollars, with no alcohol drinks, can be more if you order most expensive dishes/drinks

flying back 1/2 hr from Pokhara to Kathmandu is definitely worth ~$60 dollars ticket price vs seven hrs on the bus on busy and poor road

had no high altitude sickness problems, with acclimatization as recommended by guidebook only fatique/slow speed while passing Thorung La, we had to slow down and take 2 diamox pills each to speed up hike at critical ascent

overall great experience with no health or any other problems, lost few lbs

Rumours we’ve heard …

… Although people still circumvent the system, trekkers are now required to hire at least one Nepali staff member (a porter or guide) per group. …

… are not true.

Andrew never heard of any such regulation in 2010. They hiked independently. And they loved the adventure, independently.

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bear trashes plane

From 2009.

… When bush pilot Luke Miller, 28, made an overnight stop at a friend’s hunting lodge in Southwest Alaska … he had no way to know that a large and very dedicated menace would, under cover of night, chew and claw his plane to shreds. …

Alaska Dispatch – An appetite for revenge

Yikes.

more photos

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remind me never to hike with Skurka

Andrew Skurka is the world’s greatest hiker, famed already for his 6,875mi Great Western Loop.

That was nothing compared to his most recent achievement.

The Adventure Blog:

…his 4679 mile (7530km) Alaska-Yukon Expedition set a new standard for all others to follow.

The route passed through some of the most remote places in the U.S. and Canada, crossing eight national parks and several mountain ranges in the process. As is typical, Andrew went alone and spent 176 days on the trail hiking, skiing, and rafting his way through the unforgiving wilderness.

Now, his full story is finally being told in the pages of National Geographic Magazine, which will feature Skruka’s adventure in the March issue that will be hitting newsstands soon. …

It was harsh.

Nat Geo already has the article online – Alaska Yukon Trek

more photos

Check the cool interactive map.

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Yukon – Slims River to Kaskawulsh Glacier

Phil Armitage posted an excellent trip report of their 2010 adventures on the Slims West trail, 64km (40mi) return.

Here’s their view from Canada Creek campsite:

… From the campsite at Canada Creek it’s 19km (12 miles) roundtrip, with 1200 meters (3,900 feet) of climbing, to the summit of Observation Mountain.

That doesn’t sound like a particularly strenuous day hike, but there’s Canada Creek to cross (twice, with the second crossing likely be harder than the one on the way out, as the water level rises during the day) and no trail for most of that distance.

The summer days are long at these high latitudes but still, don’t underestimate the time required. Most of the parties we met found the hike to be harder and longer than they had anticipated. …

read more – hiking the slims river west trail to the kaskawulsh glacier overlook on observation mountain

Their photos are STUNNING.

… On my trip I never made it past the first creek crossing.

Route finding is tricky. You might need gills to cross some streams in flood. And know that there’s been at least one hiker killed by bear there. Parks Canada shuts it down when the bears are sighted.

Phil recommends special footwear for the water and mud.

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800-pound grizzly named Brutus

I’ve linked to Casey Anderson before. But this is the best video I’ve seen yet.

800-pound grizzly bear Brutus is the curious best friend to renowned naturalist Casey Anderson, who has raised him since birth. Together, they’ve set out on a yearlong mission to chronicle the lives of Yellowstone’s vulnerable grizzly bears.

National Geographic TV – Expedition Grizzly

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Many predict that Brutus will one day kill him. … Could happen.

(via Trend Hunter)

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Don’t Tase me, Bear

A $2000 piece of hiking gear.

The Wildlife TASER electronic control device is a revolutionary new multi-shot ECD that can engage multiple targets, and deliver a calibrated Neuro Muscular Incapacitation (NMI) pulse from up to 35 feet away.

The Range Adjusted Dual Laser System increases effectiveness, while providing a more humane means of animal control for wildlife. These devices have been proven effective for wildlife and are available today for wildlife managers, field biologists and zoo caretakers.

taser.com

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):

… calls the X3W inhumane

Tasers cause uncontrollable muscle contractions and overwhelming pain. Humans and animals on the receiving end have died as a result of the shock. For these reasons, the National Animal Control Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association both recommend against their use. Aggressive methods should be explored only if one’s life is truly in danger.

In extreme nuisance wildlife cases, large wild animals (without young) can be live-trapped and relocated. …

read more – ABC 15

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do orthotics work?

My old biomechanics professor, Benno M. Nigg at the University of Calgary, says … not necessarily:

His overall conclusion: Shoe inserts or orthotics may be helpful as a short-term solution, preventing injuries in some athletes. But it is not clear how to make inserts that work. The idea that they are supposed to correct mechanical-alignment problems does not hold up. …

NY Times – Close Look at Orthotics Raises a Welter of Doubts

He’s about to release a new book titled Biomechanics of Sport Shoes.

Of course many people swear by them, including this guy.

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surviving a 1,000ft fall

A climber who fell 1,000ft (305m) down a mountain and survived was found by his rescuers standing up reading a map.

Adam Potter, 36, lost his footing at the summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor near Ben Nevis and plummeted down the near-vertical eastern slope.

Lt Tim Barker, from the helicopter rescue crew, said: “It seemed impossible… he must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell.” …

read more – BBC – Climber found reading map after 1,000ft fall

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Annapurna now requires guides

As a follow-up to last week’s post on Trekking the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal

David DeFranza writes something new to me:

Permits, Porters and Guides

The Annapurna Sanctuary trek is largely contained within the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), a national park that covers 7,629 square kilometers. Entry into the park requires the purchase of an ACAP Entry Permit. The permit requires an application and two passport photos. It costs about $60 USD and can be obtained in a single day from offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

In addition to this permit, all trekkers in Nepal are now required to register for and obtain a card through the Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS). This new card has replaced the controversial TRC permit introduced in 2006 and is available for free through a trekking agency, the Nepal Tourism Board, or the Trekkers Agencies’ Association of Nepal. The card can be issued in either Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Although people still circumvent the system, trekkers are now required to hire at least one Nepali staff member (a porter or guide) per group.

Many independent travelers are initially upset by this proposition. However, almost everyone who finds a knowledgeable guide from a quality company comes away admitting that it improved the overall trekking experience. …

read more – Matador – Trekking the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal

Independent hiking is still allowed in the Everest region. If you want to go it alone, that’s a big reason to bypass Annapurna and head for Lukla, instead.

Leave a comment if you know more about the mandatory guide regulation. It’s not clearly stated on the official government website.

Here’s an independent 2008 Circuit trip report – No Guide, No Problem! – The Annapurna Circuit