long hikes – Page 42 – besthike.com

April 10, 2008

hiker and builder – Ron Strickland

Ron Strickland has a site dedicated to long distance trails and the National Trails System in the USA.

He’s authored a number of books including:

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRAIL GUIDE

SHANK’S MARE: A COMPENDIUM OF REMARKABLE WALKS

I’ve been writing about hiking since around 1999. Ron’s done more. And for somewhat longer than that.

Ron Strickland began to create the 1200-mile Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) in 1970. Seven years later he founded the non-profit Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) to locate, develop, maintain, and protect the Trail. He described its Continental Divide-to-Pacific Ocean route in The Pacific Northwest Trail Guide.

His current project is the creation of the transcontinental Sea-To-Sea Route.

He is excited about C2C’s (1) vast scale, (2) proximity to record numbers of potential hikers, and (3) potential to transform Americaâ€™s National Trails System. He says, “Hikers know that initially a proposed long walk can seem overwhelmingly difficult. But the wiser heads among them realize that even the longest journey is accomplished one step at a time. So, too, the Sea-To-Sea Route at first glance may seem like an impossible dream. But in 2007, having already convinced many skeptics, I know that I am on the right path and that this project is the perfect way for many hikers `to give back to the trail'” …

Keep up the good fight, Ron!

And congratulations on your March 2007 wedding to Christine Hartmann. There’s hope for us old bachelor hikers yet.

… married him even though she’d been winter hiking with him on the Appalachian Trail and knew what she was getting into.

It’s a great story. To learn more, start with Ron’s Biography.

March 20, 2008

cost of trekking in Bhutan increasing

Bad news for me.

I’ve been waiting on Bhutan to open up for independent trekking. Planning on being one of the first to get a hiking permit.

It was Rogier Gruys of BluePeak.net who first got me interested in hiking Bhutan.

original – BluePeak on flickr – more photos

Now Kira Salak penned a wonderful Snowman Trek trip report / article for National Geographic.

A small excerpt:

… Then I saw the tiny fortress, Lingshi Dzong, sitting on a hilltop before the great audience of the Himalaya. I stopped. For some reason I never quite understood, I sat down and wept. Maybe it had something to do with the starkness of the distances, with the dramatic vying of sunlight and storm. Or perhaps it was subtler, harder to explain. As if, in that ancient dzongâ€”that speck of human proclamation sitting before the indifferent valleys and rise of the Himalayaâ€”it was my own voice calling out into the void. I found myself making an appeal of grief about my brother, who’d had his own history, his stories. What would happen to them now? Where do theyâ€”where do any of our storiesâ€”go? …

Lingshi Dzong – larger version – flickr – reddoggirl01

read the entire lengthy, intense travelogue – Trekking Bhutan’s Higher Planes

VISITING BHUTAN: Though there is no cap on the number of annual visitors, the Bhutanese government charges at least $200 a day for any in-country travel, and all tourists must book trips with one of 77 government-approved outfitters. Once you’re there, a guide accompanies you at all times.

National Geographic Bhutan Adventure Guide

In her article, Kira Salak states that she’s heard price will double in the near future. Go from $200 to $400 / day.

Leave a comment if you can confirm that rumour.

(via The Adventure Blog)

trekking in Bhutan

Snowman Trek, Bhutan

March 19, 2008

hiking the John Muir Trail in 2008?

I’ve been section hiking it for the past three years. Can I get there once again?

And I’ve got friends planning to honeymoon hike this coming summer.

If you are considering it yourself, check out this great new resource. It’s a virtual JMT hike via photo pages.

screenshot sample

Click through to the start page. And follow the links. Within 5min you’ll have a good overview of our #2 hike in the World.

If that’s too low tech for you, there is a .kmz file you can load into Google Earth for a fly over.

The site is called Hiking the John Muir Trail, a great starting point. It’s very professionally put together.

Mt. Whitney at sunrise from above 12,000′

Leave a comment if you plan on hiking the Sierras in California this year.

besthike information page – John Muir Trail

March 8, 2008

Earth Expedition – 18,000mi hike

Sponsored by Kelty, Daren Wendell starts today on a really, really, really LONG walk.

Mix 11 languages, 18,000 miles, 7 years, 3 continents, 17 times zones, 14 countries, 36 million steps, one man, a backpack and a dream and you get The Earth Expedition. A mans dream to walk the worlds continents on nothing but two feet.

Why The Earth Expedition?

The inevitable “cause” is the global water crisis.

(via The Goat)

December 22, 2007

honeymoon on the John Muir Trail

Just learned that contributor Dave Hayley (who organized our Tombstone, Yukon hike last summer) is proposing to honeymoon on the JMT.

The ideal wedding present:

Jeff Alt convinced his wife (Beth), a woman raised with the belief that vacations include hot showers, beaches, and warm beds, to chuck her domesticated amenities and â€œTake a Hikeâ€ to help her overcome the loss of her brother.

Jeff had to spend quite a bit of time convincing Beth that the hike would be romantic, skillfully leaving out some minor details about the journey.

They walked the 218-mile John Muir Trail across Californiaâ€™s Sierra Nevada mountain range as a depression awareness campaign, carrying all their supplies on their backs and sleeping on the ground for weeks on end.

Jeff Alt – Motivational Speaker and Two Time Award Winning Author

A Hike For Mike: An Uplifting Adventure Across the Sierra Nevada for Depression Awareness

Our John Muir Trail information page.

December 22, 2007December 22, 2009

#4 best hiking region in the world is the …

Sierra Nevada

The longest, highest, most diverse mountain range in the continental United States is not the Rockies. It’s the Sierra Nevada range in California.

Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite … everyone loves these mountains.

In the summer of 2007 we met a hiker there who enjoyed 41 days in a row of perfect weather. Where else in the mountains can you get that? (Starting day 42 he had pounding hail and was at risk of death by lightning.)

The range is about the same size as the Alps, 430mi long, 40-80mi wide. It’s all great.

Many come here specifically to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous States. Others come to see astonishing Yosemite Valley. And to scramble Half Dome.

Lower elevation hikes are accessible year-round. The Parks are within easy driving distance of major urban areas and, unusual for the USA, have good public transportation. Kids love this region.

In fact, everyone leaves John Muir’s “Range of Light” elated.

More information on our new Sierra Nevada information page.

Our favourite hike in the Sierra Nevada is the John Muir Trail, our #2 hike in the world. (Every photo of the JMT is a postcard.)

See our JMT Information page.

A good starting point is the somewhat dated Lonely Planet Hiking in the Sierra Nevada – Mock & O’Neil, 2002. There are many other good guidebooks for this region, however.

December 19, 2007

hike through Britain with Daryl May

A 63-year-old American hikes “end-to-end” â€” from Land’s End to John o’Groats â€” and reflects on Britain now and in his youth.

A “typical” thru hike:

928 miles, in 56 days

Average of 16.6 miles per day

March 20 to May 16, 2007

Alone, carrying 23 lb backpack and bellypack

Stayed at B&Bs, inns, and youth hostels

12 blisters, aching shoulders, sore knees, sore ankles, sunburn

Lost 13 lb, grew new muscles

Developed a large hernia

Ended nearly broke

Congratulations Darryl!

Read his trip report – Hike through Britain with Daryl May

December 13, 2007July 4, 2015

Andrew Skurka loves Colorado

In an Outside Magazine interview, Andrew Skurka was quite definite on the best section of his 6,875mi Great Western Loop:

The best section was through Colorado, from the Indian Peaks Wilderness to the South San Juan Wilderness, about 500 miles. No other state can boast as much consistently world-class trail and scenery …

… there is so much alpine walking that I actually was looking forward to getting back in the timber. Also, the elk were in the peak of their rutting season, the aspens were glowing gold, and the trails were essentially empty.

Outside Blog: Archives

When asked if we mortal hikers could repeat his feat …

A more accessible approach might be to hike it over two years, figuring about 150 or 180 days a year, at 20 miles per day, which is a completely doable pace for someone who is reasonably fit, who carries lightweight gear, and who can resist frequent temptations to spend lots of time in civilization.

November 29, 2007

Pacific Northwest Trail 1200mi

Sam Haraldson thru hiked the lesser known Pacific Northwest Trail. (trip report)

On June 21st, 2007 I begin walking at Glacier National Park with intent to move westward roughly 1200 miles reaching my goal of the Pacific Ocean in late August or early September.

On August 20th, 2007 I reached that goal with a lightness in my step and a smile upon my face. Sixty-one glorious days of backpacking through the highlands and lowlands of the Pacific Northwest were an enlightening time for me both physically and mentally.

samh.net – Ultralight Backpacking, Wilderness Trekking, Outdoor Adventure

trip photos – Picasa

The official guidebook for Long Distance and Day Hikers by Ron Strickland:

o Detailed route descriptions of 44 trail segments
o USGS topographic maps
o Mileage charts for at-a-glance planning
o Resource lists for maps and supplies
o Details for mountain bikers and horse-packers
o Information on planning a long-distance trip
o 50 black and white photographs
o Pullout display map of 1200 mile trail

Pacific Northwest Trail Association

(via the new look Two-Heel Drive)

November 20, 2007

Alone across Australia – John Muir

One man and his dog, 128 days and 1553mi (2500km), the first person to walk solo and unassisted across the continent of Australia.

Adventurer of the Year Andrew Skurka just completed 6875mi on his Great Western Loop, but I reckon John Muir’s trek across Australia in 2001, on his fourth attempt, was even tougher.

Mainly because there is no water in most of Australia.

My favourite, the People’s Choice favourite, from the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2005 was the emotional story of Jon Muir and his Jack Russell, Seraphine.

This is a survival epic. The psychology of pushing yourself to the brink.