health & safety – Page 72

September 9, 2009September 2, 2009

hike Chalamain gap and the Lairig Ghru, Scotland

Love these Scottish place names!

This lesser known hike turned out to be my personal favourite in Scotland.

An energetic walk over a low pass into one of the wildest and most spectacular glens in Scotland …

the Lairig Ghru is widely regarded as the finest mountain pass in Scotland. …

Traditionally, people walked the full 28mi (45km) from Aviemore to Braemar … The walk described here is a day’s outing from just south of Glenmore, through dramatic Chalamain Gap and up to the top of Lairig Ghru then back to Coylumbridge through Rothiemurchus pine woods.

14mi (22.5km)

Lonely Planet Walking in Scotland

Actually, I only did this hike because I was turned back on my attempt to climb Ben Macdui.

The weather alternated between storm and sunshine.

Here was the prettiest purple heather I saw anywhere in Scotland.

But what I most liked about this hike was that I was not much bothered by midges at my two pretty tent camps.

more photos from this hike

September 8, 2009September 2, 2009

attempt to climb Ben Macdui FAIL

The midges of Glen Nevis convinced me to quit the western highlands. And forego the western islands. (sob)

Furious scrutiny of my guide book led me to decide, instead, on the Cairngorms. Perhaps a climb of the second highest mountain in Scotland, Ben Macdui (1309m).

That would make me a right Munro bagger … since I’d already stolled up Ben Nevis with my hands in my pockets.

Scottish hill walking parlance:

• Munros = 3000ft+
• Corbetts = 2500ft+
• Grahams = 2000ft+

Lonely Planet Hiking in Scotland recommends a route they call Cairn Gorm High Circuit … with a side trip climb to the top of Ben Macdui.

The basic circuit is 7.5mi (12km). The much more difficult scramble to the summit is 5mi (8km) return.

Here’s the easier Cairngorm summit. On a good day.

I was first up to the summit of Cairn Gorm. Dense cloud. Howling winds. … What a contrast from Ben Nevis!

I could only barely see the highest cairn.

Weather is everything in Scotland. I was forced to descend to the controversial new funicular complex. It wasn’t open yet for the day. I had to sweet talk one of the employees in order to be allowed entrance.

Ben Macdui will have to wait.

At the bottom I asked the Ranger (the first National Park Ranger I’d seen in Europe) the wind speed. He confidently estimated 50-60 MPH.

The only higher winds I’d experienced were at Paine in Patagonia, the day backpack covers blew off and flew away like Helium balloons. And the unforgettable day I attempted Mt St Helen in Washington State. I was crawling boulder to boulder on that one. Could not stand up.

The Ranger was not at all interested. At that spot was recorded the “greatest British wind speed 150 knots (170 mph or 274 kmh) on 20 March 1986”.

Here’s how it was blowing for me after I descended down into just a lively breeze.

Click PLAY or watch me hiking Scotland on YouTube.

Midges were not a problem!

September 7, 2009September 1, 2009

Mt Everest of Scotland – Ben Nevis

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Ben Nevis (1344m) is the highest mountain in Britain, the trailhead near sea level.

Over 100,000 attempt it every year making it perhaps the most climbed “famous” summit in the world.

Needless to say, many of those have hardly any walking experience.

I was there on one of the finest days of the year. Thousands of people made the top. Some in Crocs. Tiny children in thin coats. Extended families. Elderly couples. They were very, very lucky.

The top of the big Ben is cloud shrouded 6 days out of every 7. But not today.

At the summit it was cold and windy. I felt I was the only one on top with warm enough clothing. (3 under layers, full hooded down jacket, Gortex shell)

The temperature is normally 9C (48F) colder at the top than the base. Not counting wind chill.

Via the standard tourist route, the Pony Track:

9mi (14.5km)

I went for speed making it up in just over 2hrs, walking. Nobody passed me on the climb, not even the trail runners who walked up, ran down.

Each year a race up-and-down is held in September.

1hr 25min 34sec (mens record)

1hr 43min 25sec (ladies record)

See my 30 photos of this most excellent climb.

September 5, 2009September 1, 2009

not so Bravehearted in Scotland – MIDGES

by site editor Rick McCharles

Most who have never visited Scotland mainly know the country because of the 1995 Academy-award winning historical action-drama film produced and directed by Mel Gibson, Braveheart.

Mel-Braveheart

Scotland was right irked at the time when Mel and crew decided to move most of the movie shoot to … Ireland.

… Ireland had won by offering a whole basket of measures, including use of the Irish army as extras in battle scenes …

That’s the official story. But a Scottish bus driver who was working during some of the Scottish shoot told me that Mel and the crew could not work outdoors in Scotland … because of MIDGES.

What are MIDGES ??

Click PLAY or watch Scotland’s most ferocious predator on YouTube.

There’s even a Scottish Midge Forecast website.

map

By a terrible coincidence, most of the best hiking in Scotland is in Midge country, the rugged highlands and islands.

For example, one story out of LP Walking in Scotland from the best coastal hike, Cape Wrath:

… We lit the stove for a brew but, within a minute, were reduced to futile, flailing anguish as the black clouds of voracious insects swarmed upon us – even into our mouths. …”

I finally decided to give up on Scotland hiking while attempting the excellent Ring of Steall loop. At the trailhead I saw many of the Scot hikers coming off the trail with mosquito net hats. As you’ll see in the video, I did not have one with me.

Click PLAY or watch me on YouTube.

I’m not Bravehearted enough to face the midges.

They aren’t as bad as the sand flies of western South Island New Zealand, but they are too much for me.

One survey found that 86% of visitors warn their friends not to visit Scotland during the key summer months of July and August. Actually, Scotland is no problem in the summer, so long as you don’t stop moving. The cities are fine. But I’d warn everyone not to hike Scotland between June and September, unless you are much tougher than I.

•midge facts

• How do midges hunt?

August 27, 2009

climbing Kilimanjaro for Crohn’s disease

I have a friend with Crohn’s. It’s a bad disease.

From Jeremy Twigg via email:

… This September, 16-year-old Clinton Shard of Squamish, B.C. is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro as a part of a team of six people led by Crohn’s patient Rob Hill, who is the founder of the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society, or I.D.E.A.S. Both of these adventurers have Crohn’s disease, and have overcome tremendous obstacles in order to be able to take on this challenge.

While they are on their journey, they will be posting updates on Twitter (#roberthillclimb, #weneedideas); blogging, posting photos and videos (IBDAdventures.com); and even answering questions via video from their fans on the web while they are climbing! …

Kili

Check out their IBD Adventures website.

I’ve subscribed to the blog.

Good luck to all.

August 27, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 4

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles: Chamonix to Zermatt: The Walker’s Haute Route. Day 4 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

After the rain storms of the previous day, the dawn at Cabine Dix was clear.

This hut is famous with climbers as it’s a perfect jumping off point for crossing the glacier early morning while the snow is still cold and stable.

I watched the Yellow-billed Choughs, entertaining mountain birds that are found anywhere hikers might picnic.

I love ladders and had long been looking forward to those at the Pas de Chevre.

I dashed across the glacier below the hut. And rushed up to be first over the ladders.

I finished the 3rd ladder much more frightened than when I started at the bottom. These are long and scarifying.

Thank Gods I didn’t try to cross the previous night in the cold and dark.

There’s my goal. The Matterhorn, still many days away.

I was pretty happy making the descent to pretty Arolla, one of those picture postcard swiss villages.

I relaxed by the river for a couple of hours. Then caught a bus across the valley, climbing quickly to Le Sage.

Near a typical high elevation farm I saw an interesting scene. It looked to me like the Swiss helicopter rescue service was doing some training.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Compared with the previous day, my climb over Col du Tsatse 2868m seemed easy.

What a great hiking day!

See the rest of my photos from day 4.

Or start reading from the beginning of this 7-day journey, a valuable resource if you MIGHT want to do the Haute Route yourself.

… on to day 5

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 26, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 3

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 3 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

This turned out to be the most memorable day of many amazing days.

The weather was terrible. All day. Terrible.

The most remote and wild terrain of the entire route.

I was quite happy to finally arrive at Cabane de Prafleuri.

These refuges offer accommodation as well as food. Nice.

I got a chance to dry out. And warm up. Then walked on when the rain slowed.

Very impressive this day was Lac Dix, man made, created by one of the highest dams in the world.

The wildflowers and wildlife this day, were the best of the entire Haute Route. It’s an animal reserve.

In the early evening the weather worsened. Again.

I decided to stay at an alpine hut rather than try to climb out of the valley.

A long, impressive ridge would take me up to Cabine Dix.

That photo I shot the following morning. The night before, in the rain and dark. I thought I’d never get there. It’s very high. Nearly 3000m. Higher than the pass I would cross next day.

Cost for dinner, bunk bed and breakfast was US$65.

The dinner was excellent. The bed very comfortable. The breakfast the worst I had in Europe.

I was the only Anglophone that night. Ordered about like a German soldier.

Overall, I’d rather sleep in my tent and cook my own food.

See the rest of my photos from day 3.

… on to day 4

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 23, 2009

Climbing Ben Nevis Monday

… weather permitting.

Got pounded with rain today. Typical walking weather in Scotland.

August 11, 2009August 3, 2009

BIG in Europe: Nordic Walking

My stand on hiking canes remains unchanged.

I think they’re great for the elderly and infirm.

Just kidding.

I’m astonished at how popular this new activity is in Europe. It’s HUGE compared with North America.

Europe has dedicated Nordic Walking paths.

Nordic walking is defined as fitness walking with specially designed poles. … Hikers with knee pain discovered they could walk more powerfully with a pair of trekking poles, often eliminate or reduce hip, knee, and foot pain, and backpackers found relief from painful backs when using poles. …

Wikipedia

Check out a video tutorial by trekkingpoleguru.

Swedes call it stavgång. In Norway and Denmark it is stavgang. And to the Estonians it is kepikönd.

August 5, 2009August 3, 2009

where is the best hike in Austria?

by site editor Rick McCharles

Though I’ve been hiking in Austria out of Bad Gastein for a week, I’m still not clear where to find the best hikes in this country. More than 60 percent of the nation is mountainous. Seems to me you would enjoy hiking almost anywhere.

A good starting point for someone hiking Austria for the first time, however, is Hohe Tauern, the largest of Austria’s six national parks.

Grossglockner 3,798m (12,460ft) is the highest peak in Austria.

Every Summer, over 1.2 million people drive an expensive toll road to see it.

I wasn’t one of them this Summer.

Instead, I tried to spy the big guy from the top of Kitzsteinhorn. That’s a very popular day trip out of Zell am See.

Kitzsteinhorn

The Alexander Enzinger trail here is often touted a best hike in the area.

The day I rode one of the longest cable cars in the world (50min) the weather turned bleak. And I ran out of time to make it to the top station.

In fact, I must report that it was very ugly at the top of the ski lift. My least favourite place in the Alps, so far.

construction-atop-ski-resort

It was here, too, that 155 people died Nov. 11, 2000 in a tragic railway car tunnel fire.

… enough grim reporting from me …

Check out some gorgeous hiking photos of the area from Adventure4Ever. Everyone else aside from me loves this region.

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