Gerben van der Zwaard and his partner completed the Te Araroa trail just in time before lockdown.
An inspiring recap of their 5 month adventure.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
related – official website
Elina Osborne’s PCT
Very well edited. 16 minutes.
2019 was a big snow year in the Sierras.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Watch more on her YouTube channel.
Bill “One Gallon” Nedderman 50,000 miles
Bill “One Gallon” Nedderman is the the first person ever to complete North America’s big three hiking trails (the PCT, Appalachian Trail, and Continental Divide Trail) four times each.
He’s hiked 50,000 miles. Paddled 44,000 miles. Cycled 64,000 miles.
Camped more than 6,000 nights.
He doesn’t post anything online nor does he keep a hard copy journal.
Read an interview on Adventure Journal.
American thru hikes cancelled for 2020
Mac:
… The Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have all officially requested hikers to postpone or cancel their thru-hikes
… (in related news, the Arizona Trail Association and the Great Divide Trail Association have done the same). …
Your Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hike Is Canceled
You can certainly still day hike. And should be able to plan multi-day hikes.
BUT check camping and resupply options. California State Parks, for example, has closed all campgrounds.
popular gear on the Continental Divide Trail
With “social distancing” being recommended around the world, I’m personally looking at doing even more hiking than usual in 2020.
The objective of social distancing is to reduce the probability of contact between persons carrying an infection, and others who are not infected, so as to minimize disease transmission …
One of the earliest references to social distancing dates to the seventh century BC in the Book of Leviticus, 13:46: “And the leper in whom the plague is…he shall dwell alone; [outside] the camp shall his habitation be.”
Mac annually posts a Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey.
Click through to find out what gear was most popular in 2019.
For example … SHOES:
- Merrell Moab 2 Vent (Hiker Rating: 5/5)
- La Sportiva Wildcat (4.80/5)
- Salomon XA Pro 3D (4.64/5)
- Altra Timp (4.29/5)
- Altra Lone Peak (4.28/5)
I wear various Moab shoes as I find them so much more durable than trail runners. Merrell comes in very wide sizes, as well, which I need due to bunions.
Warren Doyle to Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame
Warren Doyle, of Mountain City, Tennessee, has hiked the entire 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail 18 times, including nine thru-hikes. …
He also led eight group thru-hikes of the AT, seven of which saw a 100 percent completion rate among the hikers. …
The class, which will be formally inducted on Saturday, May 2, during the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet at the Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, also will include Chris Brunton, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; the late Thurston Griggs, of Baltimore, Maryland; and the late Jim Stoltz of Helena, Montana.
Explore the Appalachian Trail in 3D
Kraig Becker:
Listen up trekkers, backpackers, and thru-hikers, Backpacker magazine has a new tool that you might be interested in, particularly if you plan on walking the Appalachian Trail.
The recently launched 3D map of the entire route of this iconic trail puts a host of great information at our fingertips, giving us new ways to explore this amazing path without ever leaving home.
The 3D map, which can be found here, covers the entire 2190 mile (3524 km) length of the AT. …
Documentary – Into the Canyon
Premiered February 2019.
VERY entertaining.
You might be able to find it on the National Geographic Channel.
In 2016 filmmaker/photographer Pete McBride and writer Kevin Fedarko set out on a 750-mile journey on foot through the entire length of the Grand Canyon.
From the outset, the challenge was far more than they bargained for. More people have stood on the moon than have completed a continuous through hike of the Canyon.
… But their quest was more than just an endurance test – it was also a way to draw attention to the unprecedented threats facing one of our most revered landscapes. …
Uranium mines, tourist development, maintaining indigenous flora and fauna. Native peoples are interviewed thoughout.
Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.
Great Himalaya Trail vlog
In 2019 David Brophy and Mathilde Godbout spent 5 months trekking the Great Himalaya Trail.
David plans to post videos on YouTube, 125 episodes – one for each day, one day at a time. Subscribe to his channel if you’d like to see how it went.
Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.
Since then David has been adventuring in Antarctica.
best hiking gear on the PCT 2019
Mac posted his 7th annual survey — this year 846 Pacific Crest Trail hikers were interviewed.
The Altra Lone Peak was the most popular shoe on the PCT this year – used by nearly a third of PCT hikers. It’s a zero-drop shoe and, on average, hikers who completed the trail used 4.65 pairs – nearly $600 in shoes (at full retail price).
On the other hand, there were plenty of complaints about Lone Peaks.
Personally, I prefer sturdier Merrell Moabs.
FAVORITE PCT GEAR
- Backpack: ULA Circuit
- Shelter: MSR Hubba NX
- Sleeping bag: Western Mountaineering Versalite
- Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm
- Insulated jacket: Rab Microlight Alpine Down Jacket
- Shell: Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket
- Stove: SOTO WindMaster
- Water treatment: Sawyer Squeeze
- Trekking poles: Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork
- Ice axe: Black Diamond Raven Pro
- Traction device: Snowline Light Chainsen Crampon
- Bear canister: Bearikade Weekender
- Shoes: HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat
MOST COMMON PCT GEAR
- Backpack: Osprey Exos
- Shelter: Zpacks Duplex
- Sleeping bag: Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20
- Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite
- Insulated jacket: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (Hooded)
- Shell: Outdoor Research Helium II
- Stove: MSR PocketRocket 2
- Water treatment: Sawyer Squeeze
- Trekking poles: Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork
- Ice axe: C.A.M.P. USA Corsa
- Traction device: Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System
- Bear canister: BearVault BV500
- Shoes: Altra Lone Peak
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