health & safety – Page 74

June 18, 2009January 15, 2010

Must Have iPhone App for Hikers

Wow.

The Best iPhone 3.0 Beta app award at the Apple Design Awards last week is for trekkers.

Rave review … at least if you hike in certain parts of the U.S.A.:

… I haven’t used the application on a hike yet, but the mapping content on the application is very rich, and you can see what the surface of the terrain looks like. The drawbacks are you can’t zoom in as far as the iPhone Google Earth application lets you, and it doesn’t use the iPhone’s auto-tilt function to move to another part of the map like Google Earth does.

AccuTerra lets you share your outdoor experiences with others via Facebook and email. You can post a link of your trek to your Facebook profile or email a link to family and friends that includes the route you traveled and pictures you took along the way. …

Intermap created AccuTerra to fill the void of the modern-day GPS: off-road mapping. Though GPS does a “wonderful job on the road,” acknowledged Thomas, it’s not as useful “once you get to the end of the pavement.” The application also has a library of maps of U.S. national state parks and forests for each state. It had an extensive list of popular hiking and biking trails in the Bay Area, including my favorites, Alum Rock Park and Rancho San Antonio County Park. …

GigaOm – For Hikers, Bikers & Trekkers, Accuterra a Must Have iPhone App

You can get a better idea of how it works on the official mobile AccuTerra website.

Or watch a short introduction video on YouTube.

honeymoon on the Annapurna Circuit

Backpacker associate editor Shannon Davis and his wife Emily decided on an outdoor adventure to celebrate their nuptials.

They chose one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

The blissful couple at 17,768-foot Thorung La in Nepal.

… The 128-mile horseshoe-shaped route circles Nepal’s heaven-high Annapurna range, and it’s been hailed as the holy grail of trekking since it was first opened to foreigners in the early 1980s. Travel writers and hikers everywhere gush about the trail …

Season
October is the most popular, thanks to reliably pleasant weather (80°F and humid at 2,000 feet; 20°F and dry at 17,000 feet) and clear skies. …

Map and Books
The best trail guide is Annapurna Trekking Map and Complete Guide, by Partha S. Banerjee (Milestone Guidebooks, $10); it can be found at every bookstore in Kathmandu. Use Trails Illustrated map Annapurna #3003 (natgeomaps.com, $17) and Nepal (Lonely Planet, $25) for pre-trip planning.

Permit
Every trekker needs a permit ($25), but no reservations are necessary. Just pick one up in Kathmandu at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project office on Tridevi Marg (open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily). ntnc.org.np/trekking.php

Trailhead
The trek starts in Besisahar (catch a bus at Kathmandu’s Gongabu Bus Park; they leave regularly) and ends in Pokhara (return on a Greenline Tours bus, greenline.com.np).

Cost (Less Airfare & Rental Car) DIY: Less than $500 // Guided: $1,000-$1,499

Cheap and Easy

Annapurna’s teahouses beat the huts on other classic treks in terms of convenience, cost, and local color. Teahouses charge about $12 per day for a room and meals, and they’re never more than three hours apart, making is easy to keep a flexible itinerary. But that’s not to say there aren’t rules. Here are six: Choose a teahouse before 3 p.m. to beat large guided groups to the nicest places; choose a smaller one for better meal service; take showers immediately after arriving (most hot water is solar heated); order breakfast before going to bed to speed your morning departure; and bring a padlock for your room and a ground pad for the beds, which may be foam, straw, or just blankets.

read the trip report – THE PERFECT CIRCLE: HIKING THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

A follow-up article is equally informative – HIKING THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT: Q&A WITH SHANNON DAVIS

Want to organize a trip for yourself?

Check our Annapurna information page.

June 10, 2009June 10, 2009

more bears in the Canadian Rockies?

A few weeks ago – on my first day of mountain biking in the Rockies – I nearly rode into a big black bear on the main trail at Canmore Nordic Centre.

In 2009 are there more bears in the Rockies? Closer to people?

Or am I simply hearing about more bears? And more cougar encounters?

trailex.org tracks encounters and information about trail safety in the Bow Valley (from Banff to Bragg Creek).

That site was set up by the husband of Isabelle Dube who was killed by a grizzly near Canmore.

… Dube, 36, was jogging with two friends when they ran into a grizzly. She scrambled up a tree, but the bear chased after her and mauled the young mother, leading to her death.

She was the first person to be killed by a bear in Alberta since 1998. Since then, two more Albertans have been killed.

Robin Kochorek, a 31-year-old Calgarian, was killed by a male grizzly last July as she was mountain biking on a trail in the Panorama area near Invermere, B.C.

Don Allan Peters, 51, a father of two daughters, was mauled to death by a grizzly last November while he was hunting about 150 kilometres northwest of Calgary. …

Fatal Bear Attacks Spur Tracking Site in Canadian Rockies

Calvin Coolidge, Horace Albright, and others encounter some Yellowstone bears.

photo source – National Parks Traveler – It’s a Bear! Everybody Get Behind the Ranger!!

Having grown up in bear country, I still sleep well in a tent in the Rockies. I really don’t worry about them.

Cougars are a greater danger. But those encounters much rarer.

My prediction: there will soon be a public backlash against bears near people areas in the Canadian Rockies.

UPDATE: 60-year-old trail runner, Thomas Nerison, of Kalispell, Montana, narrowly avoided serious damage when he was bitten by a Grizzly in Glacier National Park last Sunday.

June 5, 2009June 3, 2009

hiking Fall Canyon, Death Valley, California

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.

12mi return

I was the only one on the Trail June 2nd.

Most hikers feel it is too hot in June to do valley hikes safely.

Actually, 100 degrees in the shade and zero humidity is not all that uncomfortable. I took plenty of water. And I love these slot canyons.

Fall Canyon is one of many colorful ravines in the hills surrounding Death Valley in California; shaped by occasional flash floods that flow from the higher mountains beyond, the canyon is remote and little-visited; deep and moderately narrow for many miles, with occasional shaded, cave-like passageways of great beauty. Some of these narrow, twisting sections are enclosed by smooth granitic walls with an unusual bluish tint. As with most other Southwest canyons, the rocks are layered, but quite differently to the orderly slot canyons of Utah – here the strata are multi-colored, buckled, twisted and eroded, the result of ancient geological forces. Fall Canyon is easily reached and offers a perfect wilderness experience, though it should be avoided during the summer months when the weather becomes too extreme.

more photos

The highlight comes 2.8mi in when you reach this 20ft wall.

Actually, you’d be crazy to scale this wall without ropes.

Instead look for cairns on the right hand side of the cliff. They lead up to a relatively easy path up and over the obstacle.

The next half mile is the best section.

Location: Fall Canyon is located in the Grapevine Mountains, towards the less-traveled north end of Death Valley National Park. It is close to Titus Canyon, another colorful ravine that is popular because of the rough one-way track that extends through it – this is a 4WD route …

The American Southwest

I left my pack behind (carrying only water) before the cliff. My thinking in hanging it was to keep out scorpions and snakes.

3592041819_953b27a962

In fact I did see one golden snake further up the canyon. And several chuckwallas.

May 30, 2009

where to hike in Death Valley?

Perhaps Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes?

dunes

Gary Hayes – larger version

Death Valley unfortunately lived up to its name earlier this week, when an Ohio hiker failed to return from a day trip in the park.

On Tuesday morning, May 19, employees at Death Valley National Park received a report of an overdue hiker in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stove Pipe Wells Village. The dunes in that area rise nearly 100 feet above the surrounding desert. …

National Parks Traveler

I’ll be careful.

May 27, 2009May 27, 2009

scrambling Lady MacDonald, Canmore, Alberta

I was looking for a good first hike of the season. And a chance to test my full set of gear.

My original plan of scrambling Ha Ling, then wild camping, was abandoned after I heard about a better option from local hiker Kelly Mock.

In fact, I walked out Kelly’s front door directly to the trailhead and up the mountain to this gorgeous vista.

teahouse-view

… Just above the treeline you’ll find a large helicopter landing pad, a steel ramp for paragliders, and the remains of a teahouse that was being constructed but is now abandoned. A gazebo just to the east of the teahouse sits on the edge of a large cliff. The views from here are spectacular. A number of hikers end their hike here as it’s already been a hard push to get this far, and the scree slope above can be daunting for non-scramblers. …

TrailPeak – Mount Lady MacDonald

Actually, it’s an easy and popular hike straight up to the ill fated teahouse. Most do not go higher as it’s recommended you have mountaineering skills on the ridge.

That’s not far wrong. The slippery scree takes you up to a knife edge ridge with killer views into the Cougar Creek drainage. In summer it’s merely daunting.

Lady-MacDonald
flickr – Marc Shandro – larger version

In the Spring it’s hairier. It looks like you might fall right through the melting cornice at spots.

MacDonald-in-April
flickr – iHeartDimSum – larger version

I stopped when I got to the snow.

Lady MacDonald is a terrific option for fit hikers. Each in your group can stop where they want. Most will relax at the teahouse or the gazebo until the adventurous return from the ridge.

This is a good hike with dogs. Don’t let them chase after the resident mountain sheep.

May 20, 2009May 11, 2009

10 essentials for day hiking

According to the Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, the ten essentials of HIKING are:

1. Map
2. Compass (optionally supplemented with a GPS receiver)
3. Sunglasses and sunscreen
4. Extra food and water
5. Extra clothes
6. Headlamp/flashlight
7. First aid kit
8. Fire starter
9. Matches
10. Knife

Wikipedia

There are many variations on the “essentials”, of course, many combining matches and fire starter, many adding “shelter”.

Personally, I refer to a much more practical list. One put together by Tom Mangan for day hiking in reasonable weather:

Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking

1 – A water supply
2 – A reliable map
3 – Comfortable socks
4 – Comfortable shoes
5 – Underwear that doesn’t chafe
6 – Something to keep crud out of your shoes
7 – Nylon hiking pants
8 – Something to block the sun
9 – Nourishment
10 – The Real 10 essentials

Two-Heel Drive – Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking

Leave a comment if you have any ESSENTIALS for day hiking that are not listed.

May 19, 2009May 18, 2009

hike Angel’s Landing online

Angel’s Landing is one of our best day hikes in North America.

National Parks Traveler points us to an unique feature on the government website for Zion National Park in Utah.

Whether you want to relive a previous trip up Angels Landing, or you’ve never hiked there and want to get an idea of what it’s like, this virtual tour is the way to go. It offers a taste of the wonders of Zion—the sounds of birds calling and the soothing sound of the Virgin River, the sights of pink-hued sandstone cliffs at sunrise and the grand view from the summit.

You control your experience within our virtual tour with videos, pictures, and sounds. All these options come with a price, however—large file size. High-speed Internet access is recommended for viewing the full version of our virtual tour, which may take some time to download. You will also need to have a plug-in installed on your computer — Flash Player. We hope you enjoy your virtual visit to Zion National Park. …

Click through to eHike Angel’s Landing

wiggles
flickr – Jess J – larger original

Want to plan a trip to Utah?

Check our besthike information page – Angel’s Landing

It wasn’t included on Backpacker Magazine’s list of America’s 10 Most Dangerous Hikes, but should have been.

May 18, 2009May 18, 2009

Trekking The Lebanon Mountain Trail

Have you ever heard of hiking in Lebanon?

Is it safe?

What is the Lebanon Mountain trail?

The Lebanon Mountain trail is the first long distance hiking trail in Lebanon and the Arab world (www.lebanontrail.org). It extends 440km. from Qbaiyat in the north to Marjeyoun in the south. It traverses 75 towns and villages at altitudes from 600m to 1900m. The LMT showcases the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon’s mountains.

The Lebanon Mountain Trail Association organized the first complete thru-walk of the LMT during the month of April 2009. The core group of 7 hikers explored history and culture, as well as the natural beauty of Lebanon.

Lebanon-hikers

They blogged the journey, an interesting read with plenty of photos.

header-trekking-Lebanon

TrekkingLebanon.com

official trail website – lebanontrail.org

Time Magazine posted a short video on this Adventure.

This could be the start of something much bigger in the Middle East. Just as soon as Peace breaks out there.

May 15, 2009May 14, 2009

this hiker staying with the Bear Vault

Sigh … Rocky Mountain National Park now requires Bear Canisters.

More and more Parks will be doing it in future. Best get used to hiking with one. …

Last summer I saw a bear vault with a night light attached so hikers could find it in the dark. Good idea.

bear-vault-bv500
details – Amazon

2 lb 9oz Bear Vault.

Despite the weight, I think I’ll stick with mine instead of buying an Ursack.

Here’s another happy camper:

… I found that the vault slipped in quite nicely to the top portion of my 60 liter pack. It was also great to have a waterproof container to put dry clothes in (in a zip-lock bag so they didn’t absorb food smell). Towards the end of longer trips its nice to have a waterproof place to put all of our garbage.

Around camp they are a godsend. I’ve used the vaults as stools, chairs, cutting boards, tables, water jugs, and hammers. Just having a flat surface in camp is a treat. Another handy feature is that they are transparent. You can see what you’re reaching in for. Other cannisters I’ve used are a solid plastic and you have to fish everything out/around to find what you’re looking for.

Now I know what you’re thinking. How can you do a good review of a bear cannister without having it attacked by bears? I’m way ahead of you.

While camping this summer by Lake Colden in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks my BearVaults were put to the test. For those who don’t know, this area is notorious for its black bears. We placed our BearVaults a fair distance from our camp site. In the middle of the night I woke up to hear smashing sounds coming from the direction of our vaults. Thuds came from the vaults smashing into the soil. Loud bangs from the vaults hitting each other and hitting the fallen trees that we had placed them beside. For a good hour these sounds drifted over to our campsite. Then they stopped. In the morning I found the BearVaults 10-15 feet from where I had left them. They were dirty, one had a small scratch on it, but other wise they were intact and the food within in them untouched. …

silverorange stuff – BearVault Bear Canister Review