health & safety – Page 94

February 21, 2007

Snowman Trek, Bhutan

Rogier Gruys is an expert on the West Coast Trail in Canada, the hike we rated #1 in the world. Rogier’s BluePeak Travel Photography pics of the WCT are still the best we’ve ever seen.

But Rogier likes the Snowman Trek even better.

Very few have ever done that long Himalayan trek (minimum 19 days) due to high cost (US$200 / day) and high risk.

The Snowman trek is the most difficult trek in Bhutan because one has to walk and camp at high altitude for nearly three weeks. As long as one has no problems with the high altitude and the weather is good, it is not a particularly difficult trek. But, if something were to happen along the way, someone would have to carry you down to the nearest house, or try to find a telephone to get a helicopter from Thimphu. Both are often several days’ walk. Initially, many people planned and wanted to go with us on the trek, but in the end they all bailed out and only two of us went.

Snowman trek description, Bhutan

BluePeak photo – high resolution version – flickr

Rogier recommends the Cicerone guidebook. It’s essential advanced reading for anyone considering trekking in Bhutan.

Bhutan: A Trekker’s Guide (Cicerone)

February 20, 2007

books on ultralight Backpacking

The two most popular books on Amazon.com right now are:

1) The Ultralight Backpacker : The Complete Guide to Simplicity and Comfort on the Trail, Ryel Kestenbaum, 2001

2) Lighten Up!: A Complete Handbook for Light and Ultralight Backpacking (Falcon Guide), Don Ladigin, 2005

Of the two, I prefer the Ladigin as it is more accessible to beginners, friendlier in format and … weighs only 8oz. (It’s published by Falcon, a company we often criticize on this site. Good job with this book.)

Lighten Up!: A Complete Handbook for Light and Ultralight Backpacking (Falcon Guide)

In Australia I was surprised to see the vast majority of hikers with heavy, traditional (out-of-date) gear. The lightweight movement clearly has not reached Down Under.

Experienced ultralight hikers will find more of interest on-line. But the inexpensive Ladigin book would be an ideal gift for any hiker you know who could easily reduce the size of their base pack weight.

February 15, 2007

best bear-proof food container?

There are a number of bear canisters on the market. Be aware that the list of “approved” canisters changes. For the latest information on bear canisters approved by the National Park Service</a.

For tips on how to pack your canister, read The Care and Feeding of Your Bear Canister by Tom Reynolds.

Pacific Crest Trail Association – Bears

Cramming 18 pounds of food into a canister may, at first, seem impossible. However, following these instructions and a little planning and patience will accomplish the task.

source – Tom Reynolds

I am most interested in the â€œUrsackâ€, myself. (I could have used one in Australia to keep out pesky possums.)

January 11, 2007

there’s no such thing as quicksand – right?

It’s just a movie invention.

That’s what I thought until I stumbled into quicksand in Paria Canyon, Utah.

It sucked.

I had no problem getting out. Moving slowly, trying to float. But cattle regularly get trapped and die in the American canyon country.

More information:

Quicksand – wikipedia

Quicksand – How Stuff Works

January 9, 2007

2006 Photo Contest Winners @ National Geographic Traveler

Agh.

This photo freaks me out.

John Dranchak, Long Beach, California

It was a Merit Prize winner in the most recent National Geographic contest chosen from 15,000 entries.

John Dranchakâ€”until recently, an aerospace engineer in Long Beach, Californiaâ€”took this image in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, where he was traveling with friends. Dranchak says the guide is holding onto his friend’s belt to keep him from falling into the water.

“I was afraid to go down there and stand in that crevasse,” he says. “I walked up to the top of the ridge, and I thought, ‘This is just gorgeous.’ The colors of the image caught my eye.”

2006 Photo Contest Winners @ National Geographic Traveler

See the rest of the winning photos.

(via Adventure Blog)

January 5, 2007

trekking to Everest – recommended

Baxter Gillespie is just back from 3 weeks walking to a trekking peak in the Himalayas.

Yes he encountered the Maoist rebels.

Yes he still recommends Nepal.

In fact, Baxter is planning to return next season to bag another peak.

…

Our plan was to carry all our own equipment but to hire a guide and stay in the guest houses for the three week trip to the 18,192′ summit of Kala Pataar which overlooks Everest Base Camp.

Over the course of the trip our guide, Depak, became a great friend and ambassador to his mountain world.

The Nepali people were very open and taught us much about their culture. The scenery was overwhelming. Even after seeing photos of the Himalayas for years, I was awed by the magnitude when viewing them in person. …

The trip turned out to be a fantastic experience. We had incredible adventures from snake charmers in Kathmandu to dealing with Maoist rebels on the trail and bargaining with Tibetan traders in the town of Namche City. We are completely hooked on traveling in Nepal and are now planning a more technical climbing trip back for next Fall.

If you are even contemplating going to Nepal, do it. I’ll see you there next year!

Backcountry Blog: Nepal Trek – A Journey to Everest

January 2, 2007

video – Huayhuash Circuit trek in Peru

by Rick McCharles, editor

When we named our top 10 hikes in the world, #11 was the Huayhuash Circuit.

Personally, it’s been my most dramatic, inspiring hiking adventure, of all.

While there my camcorder / camera broke half way around the 11-day trip. The tape was somewhat damaged, as well.

Happily, I’ve salvaged a few clips. (Featured are our pack horses and fantastic mule driver who spent his days worrying about getting us back alive.)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Interested?

WHY WE LOVE HUAYHUASH

* PERU, all things considered, offers the best alpine hiking in the world

* the remote, forbidding Huayhuash range was made famous when Joe Simpson & Simon Yates climbed Siula Grande in 1985. The book & film Touching the Void were both hits.

* getting high at Punta Coyoc pass 5490m (18,012ft) !!

* Peruâ€™s second highest summit, Yerupaja (6634m)

* non-stop vistas â€” entire Circuit is above treeline

* intensely glaciated, intensely beautiful

* condors and other wild birds

* fantastic natural hotsprings half way round the Circuit

* limited road access, few people

* travel in Peru for as little as US$20 / day

* a trip with pack animals is good value

* lifetime experience you will never forget

CONSIDERATIONS

Huayhuash is dangerous. Hikers have died there. This is arguably the best hike in the world but is appropriate only for robust, experienced high altitude trekkers.

The greatest danger is altitude sickness. We hired horses instead of mules so we could evacuate by horse, if necessary.

Huayhuash Circuit in Peru – besthike information page

December 28, 2006

Nootka Trail trip report

Paul Talbot had some excitement:

I woke up to find a steaming pile of purple bear crap no more than 2 feet from where I had been sleepingâ€¦.I can only assume that my snoring had put him off coming into our tent!

ClubTread.com – Nootka Trail Hiking Adventure

This is one of their many excellent photos. Low tide sunrise at Skuna Bay.

Nootka is a coastal hike of 35km (22mi), completely unregulated and, therefore, problematic. It’s on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island.

Nootka Trail – besthike

December 26, 2006

hikers rescued by calling 911

Note to self – “remind everyone to bring along their mobile phones”

The 34-year-old had gone hiking on Dec. 24 in East Sooke Regional Park, about 25 kilometres west of Victoria. After losing his way in the heavily wooded area, he called the 911 emergency number on his cellphone. …

The hunt failed to turn up the hiker overnight but searchers continued in the morning and found him at 9:20 a.m. on Dec. 25.
…

It’s not the only time in the past week that a dying cellphone has been used by someone to facilitate a rescue in British Columbia.

A man trapped by trees in Vancouver’s Stanley Park during recent storms remembered he had a cellphone in his backpack and called rescuers. He had been trapped for six days.

B.C. hiker rescued after 911 call on dying cellphone

(via Hiking News)

December 26, 2006

best hike in the world NOT on our top 10 is …

The Huayhuash Circuit, Peru

Huayhuash is the best hike this blogger has ever done.

To include it in the top 10, however, is to promote it too lightly.

It’s remote and forbidding. This is where Joe Simpson & Simon Yates climbed Siula Grande in 1985. The book & film Touching the Void were based on that disastrous misadventure.

You need high alpine experience and an excellent guide. People get in trouble in the Huayhuash.

The Circuit is a minimum 140km (87mi) plus numerous sidetrips.

We spent 11 days with horses carrying our gear. A fantastic experience.

Don’t even think of booking a ticket to Peru without first checking with the experts on the Huayhuash. Start with La Cima Logistics, based in Huaraz, Peru. Then check Peaks and Places.