Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
What does it take to climb the highest peak outside Asia independently?
It took the Pfluegl brothers 2 years of passion, dedication and commitment.
It cost them about US$5000 each.
But how did they feel on summit day?
Pfluegl brothers Dec. 27th, 2006
To “climb” Aconcagua they trekked 22 days, 70km (43mi) return with pack weights of up to 42kg (92lbs)!
For details positively Teutonic, check the trip report by Manfred Pfluegl.
More information on trekking (not climbing) Aconcagua. – besthike.com
One of the best hikes in the Canadian Rockies is Berg Lake / Mt. Robson.
Of many highlights, getting a shower under majestic Emperor Falls is special. I’d actually never heard of these Falls before I hiked Mt. Robson. The are the most impressive Falls in Western Canada.
Heli-hiking is the best way to do Robson. A chopper is available twice a week to deliver you to Berg Lake. From there you want 3 days to explore the high alpine and another day to walk out.
Olivier George – Berg Lake from the Mumm Basin trail – Wikipedia
The new Mel Gibson movie Apocalypto (2006) brought public attention to the Mayan ruins of El Mirador in Guatemala close to the Mexican border.
The 5-6 day hike to the fabled ruins of El Mirador is one of the best hikes in the world — we think.
National Geographic illustration of the original Mayan city
Our one attempt to get there, independently, we postponed. It’s a tough slog reports Ben Brazil:
Spider monkeys had hurled branches at us from treetops. Clouds of mosquitoes dogged our every step with the mechanical persistence of zombies. Although the jungle had wowed me with its ecological diversity, it had mainly stung me, sucked my blood and dehydrated me.
source – L.A. Times
For now we recommend you sign on with trekking company:
Trekking to El Mirador is a no-frills experience that demands toughness and good physical condition. You’ll need a guide and at least five days, round-trip — six to see the Nakbé ruins, which are on a different trail. Expect long days (six to 10 hours of walking). Pricier tours may offer a combination of walking and horseback riding.
Maya Expeditions … The American-run company offers seven- to 10-day treks costing $625-$1,085 per person with a four-person minimum. …
Martsam Travel … has five-day treks for $350 per person or seven-day treks for $460 per person for groups of four. English-speaking guide is extra. It also arranges guided, one-day helicopter trips to El Mirador, which cost $1,420 for up to four people if a helicopter is available in Flores. Often the helicopter must come from Guatemala City, raising the cost dramatically.
Many travel agencies in Flores sell cut-rate trips. Be careful: Some have sent clients without sufficient food or water, and service may be surly or worse.
source – L.A. Times
Read the full L.A. Times article – Atop the world of the Maya
Images from an entertaining 2003 trip report by Dave Howard in the Waterbury Observer.
tarantula
You could spend weeks hiking just slot canyons in this area.
The best site to get inspired is AmericanSouthWest.net .
Few places on Earth have such beauty and mystique on an intimate scale as the delicately scupltured and coloured slot canyons of the American Southwest. There are thousands of scenic canyons in this region but most are relatively wide and often descend in steps through rock layers of differing hardness; in contrast, slot canyons have vertical walls and may be hundreds of feet deep but only a few feet wide.
Most slot canyons are remote, hidden and difficult to reach and explore, but this only adds to their appeal; one can get a good idea from a photograph, but this is no substitute for visiting in person. The canyons tend to be dry for most of the year but receive occasional flash floods of great force, most frequently during the late summer months. It is these sudden torrents of water, carrying logs, stones and other debris that have been cutting through the relatively soft rock for millions of years, resulting in a great variety of colourful rock shapes and forms.
In general, true slot canyons are found only on the many rivers and their tributaries that ultimately flow into Lake Powell, in Utah. There are three main drainage systems; various creeks that cross Navajo land south of the lake in Arizona, branches of the Paria River to the west, and branches of the Escalante and other rivers to the north.
Slot Canyons of the American Southwest
Our highly subjective top 10 for 2006. These are the trekking adventures we feel most likely to “change your life”.
If you have any opinion (especially if you can recommend a better hike than any of these) leave a comment at the bottom of this post. In fact, we would happily post your own Top 10.
UPDATE: The “California is the Center of the Outdoor Universe” crowd want John Muir Trail to be #1. (They hint at a bias towards Canadian hikes because besthike is based out of Canadia.)
Turk (a.k.a. – Ryan Miles) of ekho.info posed an important question on the Around the Campfire forum:
… when it comes to flashlights and headlamps. Wide beams, focused beams, 9 bajillion lumens, tactical lights, every color of the rainbow LED etc etc.
So here is my question. Seriously… what is everyone doing that they need so much light?
I am not against headlamps by any means. But really do you need one unless you are on trail after sun down? Or big powerful flashlights for that matter?
All I have ever used is a maglite solitare, pelican L1 and photon freedom micro. Its plenty of light for me.
So. This is not a slam to anybody with a big powerful light. But convince me, educate me if you will, explain to me … what exactly you do with that light, and what aspects of hiking life does it make better?
Whats the deal with Light? – Around the Campfire
In my defence, Turk, I do like a bright light for reading in the tent. In fact, I’ve been known to wear 2 headlamps! My eyes are not as good as they once were.
Starting tomorrow, December 16th, besthike.com will post our list of the very best hikes in the world starting with #10.
We’ll reveal one each day culminating Christmas morning with the #1 hike on Earth.
The good news is that some of the old horses trotted out on lists like these will be missing. Do NOT expect to see: Inca Trail, Peru, or Milford Track, New Zealand.
It’s not yet on our list of the best hikes in the world. But … someday.
Hiking in China we still do not recommended … unless you speak Mandarin.
Of course you can sign on with dozens of different hiking tours of the Great Wall. But what if you really want to hike independently?
The Rucksack guide is your best bet.
Starting December 16th besthike.com will post our list of the very best hikes in the world starting with #10.
We’ll reveal one each day culminating Christmas morning with the #1 hike on Earth.
That’s it. Our Christmas present to regular readers.
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
besthike.com 