Hiking Prince Edward Island

Everyone loves PEI, one of the Canadian Maritime provinces.

Population only about 165,000.

Nora, Marian, Danny, and Bryson were first to do the NEW Island Walk as a thru hike.

  • 700 km
  • 32 sections
  • one month
  • easy compared with most other thru hikes

A detailed guidebook is available:

Digital: Etsy
Paperback: The Bookmark

I’ve cycled a lot of PEI myself. As it’s quite flat, I’m predicting cycling the Island Walk will be even more popular. Alasdair Veitch cycled it.

Details on theIslandWalk.ca

North or South on the John Muir Trail?

The John Muir Trail in California is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

If southbound — the most popular direction — watch Drew Robinson’s succinct trip report.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

If northbound, I’d recommend Tim Seymour’s detailed video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Risk of Hiking Injury

A survey of more than 700 John Muir Trail thru-hikers gave researchers insight into what makes a hiker more likely to get injured or ill while backpacking. …

First off, the (2018) study didn’t find sex to be a determinant of getting hurt or sick on the trail.

Here are the factors correlating with injury:

  • younger age
  • higher BMI (body mass index)
  • higher BPW (base pack weight)

Surprisingly, older hikers reported fewer adverse events on the JMT.

… Often abbreviated as BMI, body mass index is a measure of the size of the human body, calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms dividing by the square of their height in meters. …

The study’s authors found that base pack weight correlated with an increased risk of illness and injury; the heavier the pack, the greater the likelihood of morbidity.

This Study Predicts Who Is Most Likely to Get Hurt in the Wilderness

I hiked the John Muir Trail myself in 2021 at age-63. And found myself ‘healthiest’ on finishing after 19 days. I got in ‘shape’ by hiking.

2021 – Most Impressive Hike

Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell

When they finished off the PCT at the end of October, Potter and Parell became the 11th and 12th finishers of the Calendar-Year Triple Crown, and at just 21 years old, the youngest to boot. …

Potter and Parell finished all three in a little over 10 months. …

… Potter was a thru-hiking novice before 2021. Parell had only the relatively modest El Camino de Santiago under his belt. …

Twenty-four pairs of shoes and one cavity …

ExplorersWeb

Vermont’s Long Trail

I met Alan Wechsler on the John Muir Trail this past summer. I hiked in parallel with his group, finishing the same day at Whitney Portal.

Alan convinced me to put Vermont’s Long Trail in autumn on my personal life list. He suggested I follow the changing of the leaves starting late September and hiking south.

272 miles (437 km). 70 backcountry campsites.

Details.

Alan is a writer and photographer based in the Northeast. He recently spent a year section-hiking the Long Trail in various seasons. His 73-page narrative describes the challenge and history of the trail, along with the people he met along the way, and is generously illustrated with his photos. Download the e-book here:

 

Vancouver Island Trail – Work in Progress

Formerly called the Vancouver Island Spine Trail (VISpine), the Vancouver Island Trail is planned to end up close to 800km long.

About 95% of the Trail has been located and is defined on the ground well enough to be followed/hiked.

However, much of the route north of Port Alberni is not officially open since gaining the permission and support of several Indigenous Communities is on-going and a number of administrative arrangements (land use agreements, Section 57 approvals etc.) have not yet been completed.

Where the Trail is located across private forest lands, detailed planning and location of the trail has been progressing following completion of a Memorandum of Understanding that reflects the co-operative working relationship between Vancouver Island Trail Association (VITA) and Mosaic Forest Management, the timberland manager for both TimberWest and Island Timberlands. …


The southern section from Victoria to Port Alberni you can do right now. Brendan Sainsbury cycled it. I’ve cycled all of the southern section, as well — and would say it’s better cycling than hiking.

Alex and Sarah hiked the entire island summer 2021. For them it was 40 days of backcountry camping and nights in motels when they hit small towns.

Magpie and her partner hiked it summer 2020 putting together a LONG video trip report. Watch that here.

Crossing Iceland on Foot

Łukasz Supergan posted a terrific summary of options for hiking across Iceland.

I’m looking to do some bike touring and hiking summer 2022. #research

Łukasz did the #4 route (green) in winter, for example.

He recommends we do it in summer.

Variant no. 2 may be the easiest, but it leads through the roads used by cars, which may be tiresome.

Variant no. 1 is more demanding.

Variant no. 3 is the fastest traverse from all of the options. Going east-west requires more time and planning, and it is combined with bigger difficulties (less roads, more paths and sometimes the wilderness, crossing the rivers, long distances with no water). Choose it, if you are sure of your skills and you can survive far away from people. …

Crossing Iceland. Part 1: the route and preparations

I’m also researching options for bikepacking Iceland.

Proposed NEW thru hike in France

Kevin Ginisty and friends want to officially launch the Hexatrek by summer 2022. In fact, you can join them in the first year.

This 3000 km trail will connect 14 of the most beautiful nationals parks and crossing France from the Vosges to the Pyrenees.

The path follows the highest mountain regions of our hexagon, joining along the way some of the most emblematic summits, natural wonders and wildest places. …

The route has been designed to connect the most beautiful places and maximize wild camp use where it’s allowed.

They are fund-raising for the project. And the documentary.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

10 Adventures podcast

One of my favourite outdoors podcasts is 10 Adventures.

Check it out.

A good starting point is their interview with Jim Kern on how to Save America‘s Outdoors.

… As the founder of the Florida Trail, co founder of the American hiking society, and president of Big City Mountaineers, Jim has led an awe-inspiring life and career that has gone far beyond the scope of just his own adventures, helping at-risk youth by introducing them to the outdoors and inspiring real change. …

EP-246 A LIFE OF CURIOSITY: From Remote Mountains to Inner Exploration – The 10Adventures Podcast

What does a life driven by curiosity really look like? In this episode of the 10Adventures Podcast, we sit down with Martyn Williams, whose extraordinary journey spans remote mountain ranges, Antarctica expeditions, teaching in the Yukon, and deep inner exploration through meditation and human potential work. Martin shares how early experiences walking the hills of Wales sparked a lifelong connection to nature, how curiosity led him into some of the most extreme environments on Earth, and why inner exploration ultimately became just as important as physical adventure. From pioneering expeditions to the South Pole and across Antarctica, to mentoring troubled youth through nature-based learning, to living and training in an Indian ashram, this conversation explores what happens when you keep asking, “What’s next?” This is a wide-ranging, reflective episode about adventure, resilience, simplicity, and learning how to live with less fear — and more meaning. Whether you’re an adventurer, a creative, or someone searching for a calmer and more intentional way of living, this episode offers powerful insights into human potential and the art of exploration — both outer and inner. 🎙️ Listen now and be inspired to ask better questions, take small steps, and follow your curiosity   👉 To learn more, visit: https://martynwilliams.ca/   Check out our 10Adventures survey: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/YMBBrI     About Us 🌍     10Adventures 🌟 was founded with one goal in mind: to make active travel accessible, promoting mental and physical well-being. 🚶‍♀️🚴 Our mission is to eliminate the stress of holiday planning, allowing you to focus on the excitement of your journey. We offer seamless trip coordination, handling accommodations, meals, transfers, and guides 🗺️ through our network of vetted local tour operators in over 80 countries. For those who prefer a lighter load, we arrange luggage transfers, ensuring a stress-free biking or hiking experience. 🧳🌄   Specializing in private and personalized travel experiences, our team 🧑‍💼🌐 is dedicated to tailoring trips to your preferences. We understand that travel is more than just a trip; it's an opportunity to build stronger relationships and create lasting memories. As fellow active travelers, we provide genuine, human support to ensure your journey with 10Adventures is as unique and fulfilling as possible. 🤝✨   To learn more, visit https://www.10adventures.com/ 🌐 Or contact us at https://www.10adventures.com/contact/  
  1. EP-246 A LIFE OF CURIOSITY: From Remote Mountains to Inner Exploration
  2. EP-245 WHICH CAMINO IS RIGHT FOR YOU? A Complete Guide to Europe’s Most Iconic Walks
  3. EP-244 KAYAK THE MANGOKY: Adventure, Danger & Discovery in Madagascar
  4. EP-243 SKI TOURING IN ANTARTICA: How a Cancer Researcher Took the Trip of a Lifetime
  5. EP-242 FROM LOSS TO LEGACY: Julie Weiss and Her 52-Marathon Journey