There have been a number of trailers posted for the upcoming documentary Tell it on the Mountain, “tall tales and alluring lore from the Pacific Crest Trail”.
Cliff walk El Camino del Rey (King’s pathway) in Spain.
Originally built in 1901, this walkway now serves as an approach to makinodromo, the famous climbing sector of El Chorro.
… The walkway has now gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. It is one meter (3 ft) in width, and is over 700 feet (200 m) above the river. Nearly all of the path has no handrail. Some parts of the walkway have completely collapsed and have been replaced by a beam and a metallic wire on the wall. Many people have lost their lives on the walkway in recent years. After four people died in two accidents in 1999 and 2000, the local government closed the entrances. However, adventurous tourists still find their way into the walkway.
Truly one of the best hikes in the world. Of many possible options, the best way to hike the cliff edge of the NÄ Pali Coast in Kauai is on this loop.
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Distance: 12.2mi (9.8 without walking the road)
Elevation gain: 3,000ft (914m)
You could start with breakfast at Kokee Lodge in Koke’e State Park. The trailhead is nearby. And parking is secure.
From there the Nuʻalolo Trail 3.75m (6km) takes you to a superb vista of Nuʻalolo Valley.
It’s gorgeous. But the spur out to the “Lolo” Lookout is scary enough that some day hikers opt not to go all the way to the railing.
Rather than backtrack, use any hiking guidebook to find what’s often called the “Cliff Trail” which follows the edge of the DROP over to the next viewpoint. This section is not a scramble, but it is dangerous with no shortage of “exposure”. If raining, you may not want to traverse.
Amazingly, the vista from Awa Awaphui Lookout is even better, the steep-sided Nuʻalolo and Awaʻawapuhi Valleys unique and mesmerizing.
The highlight of the day, for me, was looking DOWN on helicopters in the valleys below.
Timex is sponsoring a contest where you and I can share our stories about why we love the outdoors.
I like the concept: Return to the Outdoors. It flies in the face of statistics I keep hearing about decreasing numbers in the outdoors.
A couple of celebrities inspire:
Conrad Anker is a world renowned mountaineer, big wall climber, author, and conservationist. He shares a vivid memory of one of his earliest outdoor moments and why he is inspired to help conserve the wild places he loves.
Steph Davis is an elite Big Wall climber, author, and conservationalist. She was the first woman to climb the Salathe Wall on El Capitain without equipment. Steph shares a story about one of the wild places she loves.
You’ll see he’s still in the testing phase of the home-made craft. Greg’s trip is scheduled to start in December this year, and is expected to take around 40 days.
He’s considering alternative itineraries, including Canada to Hawaii. Since I’m enjoying the “Garden Isle” of Kaua’i so much right now — my vote is for Hawaii.