Category: health & safety

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Running Stairs for Fitness

For me the best physical preparation for multi-day hiking is … hiking. 😀

On arrival at the trailhead, start with shorter, easier days. Work up to your normal pace. Progressively.

Off-season I cycle and run. 

BEST of all for me, however, is running stairs. I have done sets of 10 with a day pack in the past, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

In Calgary, I often ran the stairs at nearby Glenmore Park.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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TOP 10 ➙ Overland Track, Tasmania

The Overland Track in Tasmania is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute introduction on YouTube.

Overland Track

The best & most famous walk in Australia.

Overland

AT A GLANCE

  • surreal, unique Tasmanian vistas
  • pretty lakes, tarns and waterfalls
  • exiting by ferry it’s minimum 62km (38.5mi) carrying a pack plus many possible sidetrips without a pack.
    • Elevation Gain: +4,793 ft / 1,461 m
      Elevation Loss: -5,160 ft / 1,573 m
  • 8000-9000 walkers / year in the past
    • 60 walkers start / day 2018 in high season
    • Oct 1 – May 31 Overland Track Pass reservations online
  • access by public transportation
  • easy-moderate hiking IF the weather cooperates
  • add challenging sidetrip peak scrambles if the weather is good
  • Nov – early May best months
  • possible to hike year round (snow travel during the winter)
  • 7-nights recommended. Start Ronny Creek. Finish Cynthia Bay.

Read more on our Overland Information page.

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$24 ➙ Gaia GPS Premium and Outside+

I’ve had a free Gaia account since 2018 — but have used, instead, a paid AllTrails account as it seemed to be better in my home region.

But with Gaia Premium and an Outside+ bundle at 60% off, I’ll compare these two hiking apps again for the coming year.

I’ll download both for offline use, and compare.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Madonna di Campiglio, Italy – 5 Lakes Hike

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I’d hiked out of Madonna di Campiglio in 2009. Loved it.

The Dolomites are one of our top 10 hiking regions of the world..

Mid-June 2023 I returned, wanting — this time — to do some of the famed via ferrata routes there.

Sadly, the cablecars going up high had not started yet. In fact, Madonna di Campiglio doesn’t really get going 100% for summer hiking until the end of June.

Instead, I did the most popular lower level day hike as it was the best available the one day I ended up staying.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I followed this route recommended on AllTrails:

5 Laghi: Ritort – Lambin – Gelato – Serodoli – Nambino

(AKA Giro dei cinque laghi)

This shorter (less expensive) Spinale cable car was running up from town. You loop 5 lakes in about 4-5 hours.

  • 11.91 km
  • 795 m elevation gain
  • starts at Mountain station 5 lakes 2065 m
  • medium difficulty due to rocky footing
Madonna di Campiglio

LAKES !

When the sun comes out, it’s lovely and warm in the Dolomites.

BUT both times I’ve hiked here, I’ve had afternoon rain almost every day — and sometimes lightning storms. Be prepared for bad weather.

I actually opted to hike all the way down past a sixth lake ( Nambino) — but would recommend the cable car both ways instead.

The hike was better than expected. A good workout with the next lake to look forward to around every corner.

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NEW VIDEOS – Laugavegur Trail, Iceland

I’m happy my edit shows the MAGIC and CHALLENGES of Iceland’s best volcanic hike in just 4 minutes.

Laugavegur Trail

I did it twice in September.

Trip report.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

A few hours after I posted that video, one of my favourite hiking vloggers — Harmen Hoek — posted his own.

He was there a few weeks before me. In August.

Harmen hiked in the opposite direction. And added the spectacular Fimmvörðuháls hike.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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#2 day hike – Zion Narrows, Utah USA

One of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

Best slot canyon hike in the world.

  • in Utah’s Zion National Park
  • 16 miles (25 km) from Chamberlain’s Ranch to Temple of Sinawava in the Park
  • June through October best months
  • usually closed from mid-March to mid-May due to spring snowmelt and runoff
  • in places chasm up to 1,968 ft deep and 20 ft wide
  • about a 1500 ft descent
  • walk in water up to half the time
  • 9 – 13 hours. Confirm the time of the last shuttle out of the park!
  • a long, tiring day or you can camp overnight. Be aware that there are only 12 campsites available and they book quickly. Start as early as possible if you are doing it in a day.
  • Permit is required

World → North America → S.W. USA  → Utah → Zion Narrows

Water walking shoes recommended.

For details click over to our Zion Narrows information page.

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Iceland ➙ Laugevagur Trail YOYO – day 0

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Sept. 12, 2023

Hiking Interior Iceland.

Fantastic. But challenging. You need to be organized.

Do your research well in advance.

Click PLAY or watch my hike on YouTube. (4min)

After this page, check out TMB Complete Guide to the Laugavegur Trail.

I was probably making a mistake going so late in the season. Laugevagur could shut down any time after Sept. 11th due to weather.

All agree that Laugavegur is the best hike in Iceland. It’s fairly close to Reykjavik. There are a number of transportation options to get to the trailheads.

Cost

For me as a tourist, Iceland has been by far the most expensive nation. And I’ve been to over 90 nations.

Bring. Money. $$$$$

You probably don’t need any Icelandic currency as they accept credit card almost everywhere. The notable exception is local buses that only take cash or payment by their own app.

Food & Fuel

Knowing that food is expensive and limited in variety, I brought quite a bit of camping grub with me on the plane.

I bought the rest in Reykjavik. And bought a small canister of very expenisve fuel.

Of course there are hundreds of partial containers at the trailheads, but I didn’t want to risk not having fuel.

Fuel canisters left behind at Langidalur, Sept. 2023

Transportation

Deciding on this adventure last minute, I was excited to do it late in the season when there would be fewer hikers. Of course, bad weather is a greater risk.

What I didn’t realize until arrival is that bus service to the trailheads started shutting down Sept. 11, 2023.

Last bus to Landmannalaugar was Sept. 11, 2023.

Buses to Þórsmörk (Thórsmörk) ended Sept. 15, 2023.

There are 3 main bus companies:

I decided to take the Reykjavik Excursions bus to Þórsmörk on Sept 13.

I’d YOYO the Laugavegur — hiking it both ways back to my starting point. Then continue over the Fimmvörðuháls pass to Skógar on the coastal highway. From there it would be easy to find transportation back to Reykjavík.

I’d done Landmannalaugar to Skógar, August 2018, so knew what I was facing.

Navigation

I did carry a paper map as back-up, but mostly used the free Maps.me app offline whenever I wanted to check that I was on track. It’s excellent for Laugevagur and most major hikes worldwide.

The one time I really needed Maps.me was coming in to camp in the dark with headlamp. It’s very easy to get confused when you can’t see the next post in the distance.

Electronics

There’s no access to power on the trail. In order to keep your devices working, bring enough power bank batteries. I brought two 20000mah batteries on my hike.

Be sure to carefully store your electronics in waterproof ways. It’s difficult to keep the rain out.