NEW Venture 30 Goal Zero Phone and Tablet Recharger

I’ve been waiting for the technology to get light enough. Durable enough. Reasonably priced enough.

Has my time finally come?

CES 2015 First Look

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d pair that with a Nomad 7. Should be enough juice for everything I’d want to do on any long hike.

8.8oz (.25kg) Venture 30 Recharger $99.99

12.8oz (.36kg) Nomad 7 Solar Panel $79.99
____

1.35 pounds (.61kg) $180 total

Leave a comment if you have an opinion on this.

the frameless LAUFBURSCHE huckePACK

I use a frameless Granite Gear Virga. And was keen to see how this backpack packs.

Hendrik Morkel:

… a very comfortable pack to carry, with everything in place.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Hendrik edits the excellent Hiking in Finland blog.

Read his LAUFBURSCHE huckePACK Review. (2011)

Sawback Trail – Banff to Lake Louise

Sawback Trail:

74 km; elevation gain: 734 m

This trip takes you over three spectacular mountain passes. The trail traverses a good portion of Banff National Park, linking the town of Banff with the hamlet of Lake Louise.

Trailheads are located at Mt. Norquay ski area and the Fish Creek trailhead. Portions of this area are frequented by commercially guided horse trips. There are many camping options–a possible 7-day itinerary is provided here.

… Gem Trek recreational map:Banff and Mount Assiniboine …

Sawback

Like most people, I’ve only rarely hiked the east side of the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park. All the famous hikes are on the west side.

My next big hike there will be Sawback. You can do it without a vehicle as there’s good public transport to and from Banff and Lake Louise.

Mt Edith
Mt Edith

Barbara Martin did 11 days in this area in 2009.

Ascent for Alzheimer’s

Kilimanjaro.

Since 1998, the Ascent for Alzheimer’s has seen over 180 committed Canadians go on a journey to hike to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. These dedicated participants fundraise to contribute to research for a cure and to help ensure that those impacted by dementia have access to support services and education resources. …

Introducing the 2015 Ascent for Alzheimer’s Team

Ascent for Alzheimers

(via Dsd Stones)

Lichter and Forry – 1st winter PCT

Shawn “Pepper” Forry and Justin “Trauma” Lichter trudged up a muddy hillside during a desert downpour to reach the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The two men had just completed what’s thought to be the first documented, wintertime through-hike of the iconic, 2,650-mile footpath from Canada to Mexico. …

During the early stages of the trip in Washington and Oregon they traveled on snowshoes. When they reached the Truckee area they switched to skis and spent about 400 miles “survival skiing” over and around rocks, brush and ice. For the latter part of the trip they wore lightweight hiking boots. ..

The joyous, muddy end of an epic Pacific Crest journey`

lava-fields-pct

… Before this trip, the two combined had more than 55,000 miles of trail hiking experience in seven different countries.

Their bond is one forged by years of hiking and establishing new routes together: in 2007, they established a precursor to the 850-mile Te Araroa trail in the Southern Alps of New Zealand; in 2008, they became some of the first people to traverse the 850-mile Hayduke Trail in the Grand Canyon; in 2011, they traversed the Himalayan Mountains from the eastern Nepal border to the India-Pakistan border; and, in 2013, they completed the High Sierra Ski Traverse from Sonora Pass to Mammoth Lakes, California.

You get the idea: These guys are tough. …

Outside Online – First-Ever Winter Thru-Hike of the PCT

Thanks Fedak.

new Kilimanjaro route – 9 days

Adventure Blogger Kraig Becker:

… When selecting the route for the Climb for Valor, the team at Tusker Trail decided that they wanted to do something a little different. The idea was to give the climbers on our team a complete unique look at the mountain, along a route that is seldom hiked. We began by entering Kilimanjaro National Park at the Londorossi Gate and proceeding up the traditional Lemosho Route along the western flanks of the mountain. …

On Day three we began to divert from the Lemosho Route at last and ventured out onto the all-but abandoned Northern Circuit of the mountain. At this point, we left all other teams behind and had the trail completely to ourselves. …

Kilimanjaro 2015: The Route

Crater Camp 5700 meters (18,700 ft)
Crater Camp 5700 meters (18,700 ft)

Eden To Addo Great Corridor Hike

South Africa, Sept 3-23, 2015

400KM. 20 days. US$2060 donation.

Click PLAY or watch the 2014 hike promo on Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/93256738

OUR VISION:

To link three mega-reserves, namely the Garden Route National Park, The Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve and the Addo Elephant National Park by means of natural corridors to protect and restore the integrity of bio-diversity and eco-system functioning. …

map

maps

I’ve hiked the Otter Trail on the Garden Route and visited Addo Elephant Park. It would be terrific to connect the two on foot.

Click over to edentoaddo.co.za E2A corridor page for more information.