Category: photos

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Bikini Wars: fishing babes

Position statement

bikini2.jpgFor the record, this blog decries what some are calling the Bikini Wars.

Trash talking blog posts used as an excuse to highlight photos of pretty girls with fish.

Indeed, I concur with Trout Underground that those bloggers are merely “traffic-hungry smut peddlers”.

Bikini Wars: The Final Battle – The Trout Underground

The Besthike blog will never stoop to those kind of tactics.

(… let me know if I am out-to-lunch on this. Perhaps scantily clad fish with girls should be a priority.)

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photos – John Fedak

I met John at the bloggers meetup at Mt. Shasta.

He’s a blogger — Interesting to Cows (to opine is bovine) — but photography is his forte.

This is one of John’s favourite photos; near the summit of Tenaya Peak. He loves Yosemite.

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see more of John’s favourite photos

John lists over 8500 in his photo archives! Check them out.

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photos – Shasta bloggers meetup

It was an honour to hook-up with some of the top outdoor bloggers on the www, drink excellent wine and enjoy the lovely trails around Mt. Shasta, CA.

The highlight was the excellent campsite gourmet Thai meal prepared by Russ, the Wine Hiker.

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78 more photos on Flickr

Check the trip photojournal posted by Tom Magnan on Two-Heel Drive.

We are already talking about a second annual meetup, perhaps in conjunction with Appalachian Trail Days, May 18-19-20 2007 in Damascus, Virginia.

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Banff Mountain Film Festival – world tour

These outdoor films shows are always fantastic. They present full features and “highlights” events — both are excellent.

Check the Banff Centre website for a showing in your region: Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour schedule.

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Banff Mountain Photography Competition winner – Andrew Querner of Canmore, Canada, awarded 2006 Grand Prize for his photo Cirque of the Unclimbables.

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wooden water pipes?

Have you heard of such a thing?

Wood being used as a material to construct water “pipes”.

We saw these still used by the rustic Lake O’Hara Lodge high in the Canadian Rockies. It’s wonderful they have not yet been replaced by plastic.

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more photos of this hike on Flickr

A week later I saw similar pipes in Parksville, BC on Vancouver Island — but in a museum. They were no longer being used.

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Craig Heritage Park

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the changing of the Alpine Larch

Though I’ve lived most of my life in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies, I had never made the trip to see the season end changing of the Larch to golden yellow — one of the great natural displays in nature.

Until this Fall.

Friends had won a lottery for exclusive use of the Elizabeth Parker Alpine Hut close to Lake O’Hara. This is one of the very best spots in the world to see the changing of the colours. On the very best weekend of the year.

I tagged along as a guest, staying in the campground. And felt as if I won the lottery!

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more photos of this hike on Flickr

The Alpine Larch is a fascinating tree which helps hikers determine altitude. It grows only between 1800-2400m (6000-8000ft) in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho, Montana, British Columbia & Alberta — normally the highest trees on the mountain.

The needles are as soft as fur, lovely to the touch.

details on how to organize a hike to O’Hara – besthike.com

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best mountain photographs of 2006

Wapiti (elk) during the rut.

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Note: click the thumbnails on the left of this page to see the other winning pictures: National Geographic News Photo Gallery: Best Mountain Photographs of 2006 Announced

(via The Adventure Blog – 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition)

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Towers of Paine – best trek in the world?

Many proclaim the Torres del Paine Circuit in Chile the best hiking destination in the world — and we are hard pressed to argue.

It is unique & gorgeous in every way.

  • 100km (62mi) Paine Circuit
  • shorter, easier 5-day alternative called “the W”
  • astonishing, jagged mountainscape
  • fantastic glacier views but no risk of altitude sickness
  • accommodates all levels of hiking ability & experience
  • easy to hike independently
  • no need to speak Spanish, though it helps

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    larger version of this fantastic photo – Baly

    More details on the Paine Circuit.