Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
Khopra Ridge (aka Chopra Danda) looks like an ideal first acclimatizing hike for those arriving in Nepal. It can be done guided or independently.
See one guided itinerary from Epic Adventures.
It’s new so carrying a tent as backup for teahouses is recommended for independents.
KimKim independent trip report.
trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
I feel the best hike in Big Bend National Park for most people is one of the South Rim Loop options. You can do those as long day hikes, but I’d recommend one night in a tent on the Rim.
Pick up your camping permit ($12 / night 2017) at the Ranger station near the Chisos Mountain Lodge. There’s a good store for last minute provisions.
The trailhead is right there. I started up the Pinnacles Trail.
Everywhere is scenic up this high. Great vistas in every direction.
A hiker showed me a photo of a bear he’d seen earlier in the morning. Cougar and bear sightings are frequent. They are confined to a small geographic area.
Cougars hunt the Carmen Mountain Whitetail. For the deer it’s either cougars in the National Park or hunters outside the Park.
Are these the Pinnacles?
Weather was good so I opted for the Emory Peak side trip. It’s the highest mountain in the Park.
Emory is dangerous. A teenager fell 450 feet to his death in 1999. Many turn back at the final scramble to the summit.
For me it was FUN getting up.
I left a Summit Stone. Enjoyed the vistas … though it was very windy.
Down climbing is often more difficult. It is here.
Foolishly I’d not really paid any attention to my line on the way up. Several times I had to backtrack on the descent to find the safest route.
I picked up my pack on getting back to the Pinnacles Trail. Then carried on up the Boot Canyon Trail.
I’ve never seen so many Bear Boxes before. As a result, Big Bend has very few problem bears.
It was late in the day. I needed to hurry to get to the South Rim if I wanted to set up my tent in daylight.
There are standing pools of water here. You don’t want to drink from them.
I started with 3.5 litres of liquids.
Big Bend does an excellent job maintaining trails. #respect
At last light I reached the most scenic part of the trip.
Here’s the vista from the S.E. Rim.
In January it was very cold this high. And very windy. I had to cocoon in my sleeping bag to stay warm enough.
I woke early next morning. The weather forecast was for rain. I hurried down over the Laguna Meadows Trail taking only about 2 hours to complete the loop.
Recommended.
related – trip report – Patrick Dearen 2007
trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
Very close to Chisos Basin Campground in Big Bend National Park is the super popular Lost Mine Trail.
On the way up you can look back to the campsite. 
Pretty views non-stop.
Surprisingly large trees.
This is heaven on a nice day.
I left a Summit Stone atop this feature. You’ll need to scramble to find it.
I didn’t spend much time at the end of the ridge. It was too windy.
There is no Lost Mine I’m afraid. That’s an old legend.
But I do highly recommend this hike. Weather permitting.
Hiking Mt. Tyrwhitt is a photographer’s dream! The approach from highway pass takes you through a beautiful larch meadow. This is especially scenic in the fall when the larch trees change to a stunning gold color. As you near the summit a natural rock archway offers a unique scrambling experience …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
David Webb:
… Tucked away at the tip of the Yukon, with its base camp set at 69 degrees north and hundreds of kilometres from the nearest road, only a handful of people will ever visit this park. Untouched by the last Ice Age, it’s a place of unique rock formations, abundant wildlife—we saw muskox, caribou, grizzlies and Dall’s sheep—jaw-dropping mountain vistas, clearwater rivers and vast open tundra. …
And the hiking… wow. There was no point in the five days I spent in Ivvavik where Iwasn’t surrounded by an awesome panorama. From deep gorges carved by a frothy river; to tundra dotted with bright lupins; to multi-coloured slate stabbing from mountaintops like the spines on a dragon’s back; to the midnight sun circling the whole expanse like a halo. It is the most beautiful natural environment I have ever seen. (And I’ve seen a lot.) …
Video Post: Jaw-Dropping Ivvavik National Park
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
Steve Hänsch:
El Chaltén is the trekking capital of Argentina and I spent more than 2 weeks there to do exactly that: hiking.
The Huemul circuit in El Chaltén is a lesser known route for experienced hikers and absolutely worth the efforts as you are able to experience real adventures and see massive ice fields and panoramic views that will blow your mind! …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
related – 2 Drifting Coconuts – Huemul Circuit: Our Best Trek in South America
We’ve added this adventure to our list of Best Hikes in South America.
A short inspirational edit from 2015.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
If you are considering a Nepal hiking adventure in future check our Annapurna information page. Guides are not required.
Yeesh. North Face ultra-runners Mike Foote and Mike Wolfe.
A classic training session for Dave and Jeni is to cycle up to the Chilco trailhead out of Coeur d’Alene. The big push is a relentless 4.2 miles up to the saddle. Some were left gasping.
Next a steep hike up to great views on the summit ridge.
This was Dave’s first real test of his knee since surgery. It survived. 🙂
It’s often windy up here. Today the weather was perfect.
The ride down on gravel I found sketchy. Dave and Jeni are Adventure Racers and found that challenge fairly trivial.
We were 4 hours up and down from Dave’s home. Hot tub and red wine was my reward.
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