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consider doing the JMT Northbound

Only 2% of applicants get permits for the John Muir Trail, one of our top 10 hikes in the world, southbound.

Odds are better in the other (more difficult) direction.

This superb trip report is recommended for your planning.

Brown Gal Trekker:

I completed my solo thru hike of JMT’s entire length of 210 miles plus 11 miles climb up from Whitney Portal starting from Whitney on July 29, 2018 and ending in Yosemite Valley on August 21, 2018, a day ahead of my schedule …

JMT northbound wasn’t the original intention. The start supposedly had to occur in Yosemite heading southbound and ending with the highest passes like most thru hikers do. Many proclaim southbound route trains you best for the harder climbs and higher altitudes. And yet northbound JMT took shape due to the permit limitations. Hence, northbound became the journey.

… Whitney greeted me on the 2nd day. Forrester pass at 13000 feet came in on day 4. Kearsarge at 11750 feet came the next day. I hauled 40 pounds all the while. …

The regular SOBO permits can be obtained solely through a lottery.  You can apply 170 days prior to the start date of your choosing.  Application form must be completed and faxed.  For the SOBO permit, you must fill out your starting and ending dates plus your trailheads of preference. The instructions are straightforward but the chances of getting a permit are rather slim.  You can learn more about applying via this website.

Because we weren’t the lucky 2% who scored a SOBO permit, we ended up taking our chances on the unclaimed permits going NOBO via Whitney Portal.   If you wish to go for overnight Whitney permits from the start, the application usually starts in February. See details on how to apply for Whitney overnight permit lottery here. We searched for permits on May 1st, when the unclaimed permits were released. These permits can be booked via Recreation.gov. To learn more, go to this site.

In applying for the permits, you will need to guesstimate your itinerary.  The most important part is the entry date and entry point. In our case, we were seeking to secure the overnight Whitney permit for our desired date. When you get to Lone Pine, CA, make sure to stop by the Eastern Sierra Park office to pick up your permit. …

 

If interested in doing the John Muir Trail yourself, check our JMT information page.

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Pacific Rim Traverse in British Columbia

Most everyone who visits Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island walks Long Beach.

It’s a classic.

MB Guiding posted a way to turn it into a 2 day hike.

We planned our hikes to coincide with very low morning tides. Thousands of anemones and hundreds of starfish in remote tide pools and hidden sea caves! A highlight was stopping for a break at South Beach and having two whales join us within 100 m of the coastline. The Pacific Rim Traverse is a great introduction to coastal hiking and camping. Prepare for a bigger adventure like the West Coast Trail …

Pacific Rim Traverse – Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

I’ve done most of that myself day hiking. Tenting at Green Point Campground.

Consider going during the winter. It might be cool and stormy, but you’ll have the beach mostly to yourself.

 

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we need more diversity in outdoor sport

My favourite gear shop — Mountain Equipment Co-op — got called out by one of their members.

She was right.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

To their credit, MEC responded. Here’s their CEO:

Do white people dominate the outdoors?

Let that question sink in for a moment. If you consider every advertisement you’ve ever seen for skiing, hiking, climbing and camping, you might think that’s the case.

… White athletes hold the spotlight in advertising, while the diversity that exists and continues to grow in outdoor spaces isn’t represented in the images we produce and promote. The truth is that we haven’t represented the diversity of Canadians or of our 5 million members.
We’ve let our members down.

We can’t move forward until we acknowledge our past. Historically, the models we’ve used in our catalogues and campaigns and on mec.ca have been predominantly white. And this imagery has perpetuated the vastly incorrect notion that people of colour in Canada don’t ski, hike, climb or camp.

This letter is about recognizing the role we’ve played in underrepresenting people of colour in the outdoors, and committing to change. It’s not OK.

As CEO of MEC, I promise that moving forward, we will make sure we’re inspiring and representing the diverse community that already exists in the outdoors.

This initiative isn’t about patting ourselves on the back. It’s also not about me, another straight white male with a voice in the outdoor industry. This is a conscious decision to change, and to challenge our industry partners to do the same. We know we’ve been part of the problem, and we’re committed to learning from our mistakes and changing the way we represent the outdoor community.

Outside is for everyone. It’s time we acted like it.

Check their new Diversity page. I’m proud to be a member and loyal customer of MEC.

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Canada’s 24,000 km Great Trail is complete

The longest network of recreational trails in the entire world. …

It is exclusively designated for recreational purposes and only allows bikes, hikers and horseback riders in the summer and in the winter it is used for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. …

MTL Blog

This evolved out of the Trans Canada Trail. It’s been rebranded the Great Trail.

Nobody has done the entire thing. Yet.

thegreattrail.ca

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“Route of Parks” in Chile – #FakeNews

Lonely Planet got it wrong. Vogue got it wrong. Other sites, as well.

The new marketing campaign by the Chilean government called “Route of Parks” is not a hiking trail. It’s a series of roads with occasional trails. And other outdoor adventure options along the way.

I’m hoping to bikepack part in 2019.

Click PLAY or watch the official video on YouTube.

Rough Guides got it right.

It’s a work in progress. Ultimately MIGHT be 1,500 miles long.

It’s one of the great conservation stories of all time: Last month Chile President Michelle Bachelet and American philanthropist and conservationist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins pledged to expand Chile’s national park system by just over 10 million acres—an area larger than Switzerland. …

National Geographic

If you are looking for a long thru hike in Patagonia, check the Greater Patagonian Trail route. It does not connect in any way with the Route of Parks because that’s a road. 😀

Thanks Jan Dudeck for the heads-up on this.

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Vintgar Gorge, Slovenia

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles.

The Vintgar Gorge  or Bled Gorge is a 1.6-kilometer (0.99 mi) gorge in northwestern Slovenia four kilometers northwest of Bled. …

The sheer canyon walls are 50 to 100 meters (160 to 330 ft) high …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. The boardwalks make it easy.

You can do a half day hiking circuit from Bled. But I was riding with a tourist agent from Belgium who was doing research on the area. She had a rent-a-car.

In October near end of day, it wasn’t particularly crowded. Nor was Bled During July and August you may have trouble finding a place to park. And all accommodation can get booked out.

The water is so clear you can watch fish waiting on food to drift down.

We caught a terrific sunset after finishing our hike.

related – trip report – Ultimate Guide to Visiting Vintgar Gorge in Slovenia

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870-mile Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path (Welsh: Llwybr Arfordir Cymru) is a long-distance footpathwhich follows, or runs close to, the majority of the coastline of Wales.

It opened on 5 May 2012, and offers a 870-mile (1,400 km) walking route from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, in the south to near Chester, in the north. …

The idea was developed from a desire to build on the economic success of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path. …

The whole path is accessible to walkers and, where practical, some sections are suitable for cyclists, families with pushchairs, people with restricted mobility, and horse riders. …

The Wales Coast Path is not a National Trail …

You can continue on Offa’s Dyke Path if you want to make a circuit. Guidebook author Paddy Dillon did just that while writing the book.

Read his 2015 article on the experience.

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unreal Tasmanian Winter Traverse

One of the toughest journeys on foot … ever.

Louis-Phillipe Loncke …. This was an epic journey that left him exhausted, pushed to his limits, and 15 kg (33 pounds) lighter than when he set off.

The video below is from a new report aired in Australia that caught up with the Belgian adventurer just as he was crossing the finish line, providing some insights into what this journey was like. …

Adventure Blog

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.