… the Trump administration has filled the parks department with anti-public land sycophants …
… The change began within 24 hours of the inauguration when Donald Trump complained that the NPS was reporting smaller crowds on the National Mall than Obama had drawn. Perhaps this is when the NPS wound up on the list of transgressors. Soon the interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, attempted to double the entrance fees, rescinded climate policies and moved seasoned senior national park superintendents around to force their retirements. …
… if you want to drill, mine and exploit the public estate for the benefit of the industry, the last thing you want is a popular and respected agency’s voice raising alarms on behalf of conservation and historic preservation. …
It is clear that this administration cannot be trusted with the keys to the vault of our most precious places that define us as a nation, such as Mount Rushmore or Yosemite national park. …
When this nightmare ends, and we begin to rebuild, we suggest it is time for Congress to consider making the National Park Service an independent institution, more akin to the Smithsonian, and no longer subject to the vicissitudes of a hostile political agenda
Cam Honan’s Wanderlust hiking books
The world’s most travelled hiker, Cam Honan, has 3 coffee table books in the series.
Ideal inspiration for future hikes, click through to check them out:
Wanderlust: A Hiker’s Companion (2017)
The Hidden Tracks: Wanderlust – Hiking Adventures off the Beaten Path (2018)
Wanderlust USA (2019)
Click PLAY or watch a TV feature featuring Cam on YouTube.
Darn Tough socks – a review
Over the years I hadn’t found a favourite hiking sock.
Halfway Anywhere loves Darn Tough getting about 700 miles out of each pair.
I finally bought a pair online and wore them 5 days in a row in fairly dry alpine conditions hiking near Whistler B.C.
- 65% Merino Wool, 31% Nylon, 4% Lycra Spandex
They’re my new hiking sock. Felt great. Held up very well. And only smelled a bit after 5 days.
I got two new pair for Christmas 2019.
related – Halfway Anywhere review
10 Best Hikes in the World – Adventure Brothers
Hank and Brian Leukart pick their favourites including:
- John Muir Trail, USA
- Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls, Iceland
- Everest Base Camp, Nepal
- Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim, USA
- Camino De Santiago, Spain
- West Coast Trail, Canada
- Torres del Paine Circuit, Chile
- Denali National Park, Alaska
- Joshua Tree, USA
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Paul Magnanti – BEST HIKES of the decade
Paul Magnanti has hiked the Triple Crown (AT, PCT, CDT).
Here are his favourite outdoor adventures of the past 10 years:
2011 – High and Lonesome Loop, Indian Peaks Wildnerness
2014 – Hovenweep National Monument
2015 – Wild Rivers Recreation Area
2017 – Walking Across Southern Utah
2019 – Northern New Mexico Loop
Cam Honan – fave HIKES of the decade
There’s nobody I link to more than Cam Honan of TheHikingLIfe.com.
So far as I know, he’s the most travelled hiker in the world.
Cam “Swami” Honan:
Over the past ten years my journeys taken me from the snow-capped peaks of Peru to the Aurora Borealis of Arctic Norway, and from the pristine wilderness of Southwest Tasmania to the longest journey of my hiking life, an 18 month, 14,342 mile (23,081 km) peregrination through the backcountry of North America.
… Without further ado, here are some of my hiking highlights from 2010 to 2019 (in no particular order):
1. Southwest Tasmania Traverse (Australia, 2016)
2. Cordillera Blanca Traverse (Peru, 2014)
3. Copper Canyon Traverse (Mexico, 2013)
4. Long Crossing of the Lofoten Islands (Norway, 2018)
5. Sangre de Cristo Traverse (USA, 2016)
6. Cocuy Circuit (Colombia, 2015)
7. Altiplano Traverse (Bolivia, 2017)
8. Badlands Traverse (USA, 2016)
9. Cordillera Real Traverse (Bolivia, 2017)
10. 12 Long Walks (USA & Canada, 2011/12)
Here are some of my other favourite rambles from the past decade:
- Five Passes Route (New Zealand, 2010).
- Larapinta Trail (Australia, 2010)
- Lowest To Highest Route (USA, 2014)
- Beartooth Mountains Route (USA, 2016)
- Wind River High Route (USA, 2016)
- Cape Wrath Trail (Scotland, 2017)
- Alta Via 2 (Italy, 2019)
- Stubai Horseshoe (Austria, 2019 – trip report still to come)
- Triglav High Route (Slovenia, 2019 – trip report still to come)
Click through for details on This Hiking Life.
My 10 Favourite Hikes of the 2010’s
SHOULD we hike Pakistan?
Since 2013 I’ve been recommending hikers boycott Pakistan after terrorists killed 11 at Nanga Parbat Base Camp.
The U.S. State Department advises against travel due to terrorism.
On the other hand, I’m inspired by Eva zu Beck, a Polish travel vlogger, who spent many months there. She thinks it could be the next Nepal for trekkers.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I’m talking to the Epic about their trips in 2020.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Happy New Year from BestHike.com
Jeff “Legend” Garmire 23,000 miles in 10 years
Legend is one of 17.3 million adults in the United States who have experienced a depressive episode. He hikes to get into a positive frame of mind.
He’s only the second hiker (after Skurka) to complete the Great Western Loop, a 7,000-mile route that covers portions of the Pacific Crest, Pacific Northwest, Continental Divide, Grand Enchantment, and Arizona Trails. It took him 208 days and 15 hours.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
PeakFinder AR app
On my recent trip to Nepal I really enjoyed the FREE PeakFinder app.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
ViewRanger Skyline is similar.
besthike.com 