Deer 139 – mule deer documentary

Deer 139 (Tour Edit) was one of the films selected for the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019-20.

Very entertaining.

“Three women follow the 137km migration path of a scruffy, pregnant mule deer doe and in the process, learn to see the world differently.”

Hopelessly overloaded, much of the entertainment is watching their misadventures en route in Wyoming.

Deer 139 knows how to migrate. These ladies … not so much.  😀

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

hiking the Chinese Wall, Montana

I’ve always wanted to see the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

I’m planning on hiking and climbing it June 2020.

It’s a thousand foot high cliff of limestone that stretches unbroken for 12 miles between Haystack Mountain and Larch Hill Pass.

Click through to read a trip report: A Hike to the Chinese Wall – Ear Mountain Photography

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of our best hikes in the North American Rockies

 

Documentary – Into the Canyon

Premiered February 2019.

VERY entertaining.

You might be able to find it on the National Geographic Channel.

In 2016 filmmaker/photographer Pete McBride and writer Kevin Fedarko set out on a 750-mile journey on foot through the entire length of the Grand Canyon.

From the outset, the challenge was far more than they bargained for. More people have stood on the moon than have completed a continuous through hike of the Canyon.

… But their quest was more than just an endurance test – it was also a way to draw attention to the unprecedented threats facing one of our most revered landscapes. …

Uranium mines, tourist development, maintaining indigenous flora and fauna. Native peoples are interviewed thoughout.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

History of climbing K2

In advance of a trek to K2 Base Camp and Gondogoro Pass, I’m doing some reading about those insane alpinists that dare to climb the second highest peak in the world.

So much tragedy.

The 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition finally succeeded in ascending to the summit of K2 via the Abruzzi Spur on 31 July 1954. …

… 23 years after the Italian expedition, Ichiro Yoshizawa led the second successful ascent, with Ashraf Aman as the first native Pakistani climber. …

The third ascent of K2 was in 1978, via a new route, … by an American team led by James Whittaker …

I recommend K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain. (2010) by Ed Viesturs.

Ed’s the Mount Rainier alpine guide who went on to become the most accomplished American high altitude climber.

Cautious and lucky, Ed survived 30+ expeditions to the world’s highest peaks. And he’s climbed Rainier over 200 times.

Great Himalaya Trail vlog

In 2019 David Brophy and Mathilde Godbout spent 5 months trekking the Great Himalaya Trail.

David plans to post videos on YouTube, 125 episodes – one for each day, one day at a time. Subscribe to his channel if you’d like to see how it went.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Since then David has been adventuring in Antarctica.

Makalu Base Camp … independently

I’m researching a possible independent trek to Makalu Base Camp, Nepal for November 2020, the 5th highest mountain in the world. (8,485m)

Makalu Base Camp

Since 2016 at least there have been simple teahouses and meals of dal bhat all the way up.

I’d carry a tent and food, as well, just in case.

Not many hikers are choosing this destination in Nepal yet. And very few are doing it independently, so far.

Click PLAY or watch a video by guides Mountain Kingdom on YouTube.

Check our Makalu Base Camp information page.

HIKE the Dragon’s Back, Hong Kong

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles (2011)

The Dragon’s Back is more than a hike, it’s a “tourist attraction”.

The Dragon’s Back (Traditional Chinese: 龍脊) is a ridge in southeastern Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, between Wan Cham Shan and Shek O Peak. It lies within the Shek O Country Park. In 2004 the Dragon’s Back Trail was selected by TIMEasia as the best urban hiking trail.

See reviews on Trip Adviser.

trail signboard

Despite all that popularity, I loved it.

Who wouldn’t love a ridge walk on a tropical island?

Many start up the Hong Kong tram and hike down to Big Wave Bay, but I followed the longer and more difficult 8.5km route recommended in The Inside Guide to Hikes and Walks in Hong Kong, a free publication from Hong Kong Tourism.

If you get to Hong Kong, the Dragon’s Back is a must hike.

Friends, loved ones and unloved who don’t want to go can wait at the finish, Big Wave Bay Beach.

see more photos from my day hike

related – Hiking the World trip report  (2016)

best hiking gear on the PCT 2019

Mac posted his 7th annual survey — this year 846 Pacific Crest Trail hikers were interviewed.

The Altra Lone Peak was the most popular shoe on the PCT this year – used by nearly a third of PCT hikers. It’s a zero-drop shoe and, on average, hikers who completed the trail used 4.65 pairs – nearly $600 in shoes (at full retail price).

On the other hand, there were plenty of complaints about Lone Peaks.

Personally, I prefer sturdier Merrell Moabs.

FAVORITE PCT GEAR

MOST COMMON PCT GEAR

Read more:

The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey

GUEST POSTS on BestHike.com

By site editor Rick McCharles

Every week I decline requests for sponsored posts. Those are mostly advertisements that look like a regular post.

But we do post guest articles.

So, if you’d like to summit something to this site, here are our guidelines for submissions:

What Content Do We Want?

  • Information of interest to independent hikers.
  • Things that are NEW. DIFFERENT. ORIGINAL.
  • Insider information not available elsewhere.
  • Hikes in parts of the world not well covered on the internet now: Africa, China, Russia, etc.
  • Technology / Apps being used by hikers

The more succinct, the better. But include visuals: graphics, photos, videos.

Send an email to RickMcCharles (a) gmail.

Include the following:

Your hiking history. Any links you’d like included.

If your post is simply to sell some hiking gear, it’s not likely it will be posted on this site.

There’s no payment or remuneration of any kind. This site now runs ad free.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2020

I attended the 3rd Annual (Gainesville FL hosted) Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF).

It was hosted by The Florida Trail Association.  Good people.

For this outdoor screening, we chose a unique program of environmental and adventure films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty. They also show the challenges facing our planet and the communities working to protect it.

It was clear to me too that diversity was important in the selection of the 14 films.

Hillary Van Dyke & Angie Riviere of Outdoor Afro were there, for example.

Hilarious stories of how African Americans are greeted on the trail.  😀

 Please white folks: “Just say HI.”  

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

The 1400+ mile Florida Trail is mostly maintained and improved by volunteers. YOU could join a work crew. Sign up here:

floridatrail.org/volunteer/