Whoo Hoo.
Neil Woodburn of Gadling.com selected one of the besthike pics as Photo of the Day (11/30/06).
This is a big honour for us. Gadling is our favourite travel blog.
trekking Nahuel Huapi, Argentina
I went back to browse the travelogues of Jeffrey Poznanovic.
After seeing his pics of a 6-day trek through Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, I was tempted to start brushing up on Spanish and shop for airline tickets to South America.
more photos – Jeffrey Poznanovic
We’ve listed the Nahuel Huapi Traverse one of the best hikes in the world.
It’s perhaps the best hike in the superb Argentinian Lake district, a wilderness of granite spires & gorgeous lookouts. The location is perfect, only 20km by bus from the outdoor adventure town of Bariloche.
The Villa Catedral to Puente Lopez route is 36.5km (23mi) plus sidetrips, 5 days, 4 nights recommended. Wind and cold are the biggest challenges.
On a related matter, MyOutdoors.net has added KLM data for some of their hikes.
What’s KLM? (That’s what I said.) It’s a pointer file which takes you a specific place on Google Earth. For example, they post a KLM for a hike of Nahuel Huapi.
This is pretty geeky stuff. To try it out you need a fast computer, high speed internet connection and to download a (free) copy of Google Earth software.
Oh, and lots of time. You might get hooked flying over the Earth checking out future adventures.
photos – Mt. Kailash, Tibet
Just browsed Romana Chapman’s fantastic photos of travels through China, Tibet, Bhutah, Laos, Thailand, Burma, Mongolia and Cambodia.
Wow!
I’ve always wanted to get to Mt. Kailash in Tibet, as they did.
More photos in the Mt. Kailash set.
Or browse all of Romana’s photos on flickr.
Tom Mangan’s photos
Tom Mangan is already the best connected hiking blogger.
Now he’s discovered social networking via photographs on flickr.
What better way to meet people with common interests than by browsing their photos?
Check out Tom’s busybeingborn sets on flickr
great National Park lodges
If I had the cash I’d tour all the great Park hotels of the world. What a trip that would be!
National Park Traveler’s top 10 USA National Park lodges:
1. The Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone.
2. Lake Crescent Lodge, Olympic National Park.
3. Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park.
4. The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yellowstone.
5. Bryce Canyon Lodge cabins.
6. Furnace Creek Inn, Death Valley National Park.
7. Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Yellowstone.
8. Zion Lodge, Zion National Park.
9. Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia National Park.
10. Kalaloch Lodge, Olympic National Park.
The Paradise Inn in Mount Rainier National Park would have made this list if not for being closed while much-needed renovations are completed. It is expected to reopen in 2008.
Some runners-up:
* Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins, Yellowstone
* Grand Canyon Lodge, Grand Canyon
* El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon
* Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier
* National Park Inn, Mount Rainier
* Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton
* Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, Yosemite
* Big Meadows Lodge, Shenandoah
National Parks Traveler: Time to Book Next Summer’s Vacation?
Old Faithful Lodge – by fieldsbh
hiking Silicon Valley, California
There’s a thriving hiking community in the Bay area.
For American Thanksgiving it was a 5:30AM start to catch sunrise from atop Mission Peak.
Check Tom Mangan’s just posted photo trip report:
Two-Heel Drive: November 2006 Archives
sleeping with your mountain bike
When bike hiking, this is not the way to go.
photo source unknown
Thanks Dave!.
Tors Cove Trail – whale photos
On a section of the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland, Canada, lucky hikers came upon a fantastic scene.
The Humpbacks had trapped a school of capelin against the coast, and were feeding within 50 metres of the shore.
More photos and a travelogue on Rexton’s blog:Tors Cove Trail « Where the Wind’s Like a Whetted Knife
best of the Canadian Rockies – Emperor Falls
Of many, many highlights hiking Mt. Robson / Berg Lake in the Rockies, getting a shower under majestic Emperor Falls was most special. I’d actually never heard of these Falls before I hiked Mt. Robson. The are the most impressive in Western Canada, I reckon.
It’s positively dangerous. Get as wet as you want.
A good contest for your group is to see who can get closest to the force of the Falls.
I posted a number of Emperor Falls photos on flickr from our 2003 hike.
Ausangate Circuit – Peru
The Botterills from Calgary, Canada are just back from an October hike around Ausangate — our favourite trek in Peru.
How did they enjoy it?
“The trek was unreal — weather was good — no altitude issues.”
They signed on with Sunrise Peru the cost only $360 for 6 days. ($60 / day / person)
“Guide was great, meals were unreal and made from scratch, and the wrangler and assistant were nice.
I give them 10 out of 10. … I can’t think of anything they could have done better.”
Sunrise Peru provided great service as well on a Lares trek and a 2-day Inca Trail trek.
That’s good enough for besthike.com — we will be recommending Sunrise Peru in future.
Be warned, this trek is high. If you suffer altitude sickness — it is difficult to descend.
But if you like challenge, Ausangate is one of the very best in the world: 70km (43.5mi) plus sidetrips, tent 4-5 nights. Hot springs at the start and finish!
