Category: history

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Kuari Pass Trek, India

Of many problematic, imperfect options in the Indian Himalaya (end of October), looks like I will sign on for a guided hike with Red Chilli Adventures out of Rishikesh.

The trek over the Kuari (“doorway“) Pass was the route followed by Shipton and Tilman and other mountaineers en route to the peaks on the Indo-Tibetan border. It is also called the Curzon Trail as the famous former Viceroy of India also traveled this route in 1905.(Some say Curzon abandoned that adventure after being attacked by wild bees.)

Frank Smythe:

“We breasted the slope and halted, silent on the path. No words would express our delight. The Himalayas were arrayed before us in a stupendous arc“. (1931)

Dunagiri from Kuari Pass

Cost is about $600 for this 8 day itinerary – Kuari Pass (PDF)

Because myself and the other client are not acclimatized to altitude, we’ll start low. Climb up to see the second highest mountain in India, Nandi Devi.

We start Oct 18th. Red Chili is the trekking agency in Rishikesh. This is their trek for international visitors.

Trip reports:
• Araib Hasan
• Orange Rucksack

See photos on flickr tagged “Kuari”

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Dientes de Navarino, Patagonia

The most southern hike in the world on the Chilean Isla Navarino leads you off the beaten track and through unspoiled nature and wild landscapes of Tierra del Fuego, far away from civilization.

From Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino we prepare ourselves for this unique hike around the “Dientes de Navarino” – mountain chain. During this hike we will walk through mystical southern beech forests, cross vast snowfields and have an impressive view over the Beagle channel. …

dragon 2

Dates 2013-14
16-nov – 22-nov-2013
13-dic – 19-dic-2013
15-jan – 21-jan-2014
12-feb – 18-feb-2014

Other departure dates on request.

Price per person (Based on double occupancy)
USD 1890.-

read more …

 

Check out Dientes information page.

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50 miles to Petra

An article by Trailblazer’s Tony DaSilva — World’s Best Hikes: Petra Through the Back Door, Jordan — caught my eye.

When I visited Petra in 1994, myself and an Aussie friend followed sheep herders down into the complicated gully system, assuming they would make their way down to water.

We were correct. And called it the “back door” to Petra.

This is a different back door.

details – Dana Reserve to Petra

50 miles, 7 days

… Go with Adventure Jordan, the local company that discovered this 50-mile route through the deserts, mountains, and peaks of Jordan.

Obama visited Petra — through the front door — just the other day.

petra_big

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climbing Croagh Patrick, Ireland

The most popular mountain on the island, perhaps 100,000 attempt the summit each year. St Patrick offers Holy Water at the trailhead.

Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig), nicknamed the Reek, is a 764 metres (2,507 ft) tall mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland.

It is 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Westport, above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. On “Reek Sunday“, the last Sunday in July every year, over 15,000 pilgrims climb it (some barefoot) …

Saint Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit of Croagh Patrick for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there. Popular legend says that at the end of Patrick’s 40-day fast, he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. …

This small chapel dates back to 1905.

St. Paddy camped here. I left a Summit Stone as a token of respect for his good works.

Because many amateur, under dressed non-hikers make the pilgrimage, there are more incidents on this peak than any other on the Emerald Isle.

I was in good hands, guided by Mike from the Mayo Mountain Rescue Team.

More photos from our day hike.

The other big celebrity attraction of the remote, rugged region is John Wayne. He filmed The Quiet Man (1952) here. Cong’s gorgeous Ashford Castle, featured in the film, is the centre of the tourist hub bub.

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Þingvellir National Park, Iceland

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Historical hiking.

… Þingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. It is the site of a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Due to acoustics, historians feel this rift is the most likely spot for people to assemble.

… Parliament or Alþingi was established at Þingvellir in 930 and remained there until 1789. …

It’s speculated that Clan Chieftains from across the island met here regularly for a 2wk Assembly.

I quite enjoyed wandering the area, imagining times past, ancient and modern.

See more photos.

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Chilkoot Trail eGuide

The Chilkoot Trail, which begins on tidewater in Alaska and climbs up over mountains in British Columbia, presents a unique backpacking opportunity, as this is a trail rich with history.

It was the main trail used in the famous Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800′s, one of the biggest rushes the world has ever seen.

An international crowd of literally tens of thousands, fueled by dreams of riches, used the Chilkoot Trail to chase the gold in the Yukon. Most suffered incredible hardship, many never even made it and only a few got rich. Today on the trail you’ll find plenty of reminders of their epic journey.

sample page ...

Download a FREE Trail eGuide from the Hike Bike Travel Free Adventure Guides page. There are plenty more just like this one.

They download as .ZIP files that then need to be opened as PDFs.

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Canadian Rocky Mountain ghost town hike

Barry posted a fascinating trip report on one of his Wilderness Adventures. Though it’s right out my back door, I’d never heard of this ghost town. Nor seen this stove worthy of the Chilkoot Trail.

Bankhead is an Alberta ghost town which existed between 1903 and 1923. On the road to Lake Minnewanka, about 2.5 KM (1.6 miles) north from the TransCanada, Banff Townsite exit, there is a turnout on the right where a short and easy 1.1 KM (0.7 mile) interpretive loop hike through old mine processing ruins is worth the time if you are willing to negotiate the steep stairs in and out of the site. The mine is located on the east base of Cascade Mountain.

… relics of their short existence including old foundations, derelict buildings and the debris of life in those times. …

read more – Hiking with Barry