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off trail in Iceland

Hank Leukart:

Two brothers search for eternal life in the Icelandic wilderness during what may be the last time in history anyone is able to see all of Iceland’s natural, untouched beauty.

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo. (17min)

 

Because my brother and I live so far apart (he’s in New York; I’m in Los Angeles), we have agreed to reunite once every year, somewhere in the wilderness. We’ve been to Alaska’s Denali, Chilean Patagonia, and even Everest Base Camp, but, for our most recent trip, we set our sights on a hard-to-reach lake in the Icelandic wilderness called Eilísvötn, which, in Icelandic, means “Lake of Eternal Life.” …

Brian and I start by trekking two classic, connected Iceland treks: the Fimmvörðuháls and Laugavegur Trails, the first of which begins at a huge waterfall called Skógafoss on the southern coast.

We feel almost disappointed to be enveloped by the sublime, rolling, green hills and plethora of waterfalls, because it feels like we’re in the most beautiful place in Iceland already — we’re getting a fantastic payoff way too early in our trip. Soon enough, though, as we continue through the snow and glaciers near Fimmvörðuháls Hut, it becomes obvious that there’s no chance Iceland will ever disappoint us no matter where we go. …

Without Baggage – Mission Iceland: A Tale of Two Brothers

Selfoss

I’m researching a possible Aug/Sept 2015 hike. Laugavegur is very, very high on the list of treks I want to do next. 🙂

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researching Fish River Canyon, Namibia

The Fish River Canyon 5 day trek is one of the best in the world.

But it’s very difficult to get a reservation, even a year in advance. I’ve been turned down for all dates in June 2015. 😦

But I may try to show up at the trailhead anyway. Hang out. And look to substitute for a hiker missing from a booked group. (You must have a minimum of 3 people to register, in any case.)

Wish me luck.

- by Daniel Smith
– by Daniel Smith

I’ve put up a draft information page on the Fish River Canyon trek with what I was able to find out online.

Leave a comment if you have any advice.

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hiking Assiniboine, Sunshine, Rockwall

Ross, Jon and Guillermo get together every year for an outdoor adventure. Something they call the annual Pollard Memorial Trip.

hikers

For 2014 it was Mt. Shark trailhead near Canmore, Alberta to Assiniboine, Sunshine meadows, Egypt lake, Ball pass, Flow lake, Rockwall and finally the Ottertail river trail to exit near Field, BC.

Rockwall
Rockwall

gear

Check Ross’s trip report and photos – the shultz gambit – Spray lakes to Field with a leaky tent

Guillermo posted a trip report as well:

The GDT runs as close as possible to the continental Divide (the BC/Alberta border) from the US border adjoining Waterton Park to Kakwa Lake some 1200 km north. …

For this trip we chose to hike a popular and well-travelled section in the middle running through two provincial parks and three national parks. …

I had identified this route as a possible solo hike option, but when both Jon and Ross expressed interest, we attempted it in 2013.That summer saw many trails destroyed by spring flooding and later some portions of the Rockwall were closed due to fires and bear problems. In addition, a worrying knee problem which I misdiagnosed as a torn meniscus forced us to abort our hike on the first day. Our 2014 attempt went much more smoothly …

—guillermobarron – The Great Divide Trail: 150 km from Shark Mtn. to Highway 1

Finally, here are Jon’s black and white photos.

(via Hiking in Finland)

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Theodore Solomons Trail, California

socalhiker:

The Theodore Solomons Trail was designed as an alternative to the more heavily traveled John Muir Trail. Sadly, the trail seems to have largely fallen off the map (so to speak). The last guidebook to the TST was published in 1992, and some of the trails appear to be no longer maintained and difficult to follow.

I’m collecting research on the trail to potentially come up with a viable route …

If you’ve got feedback on the route or suggestions for improving it, leave a comment. If I can come up with a good plan, I may organize a thru-hike in 2016.

Theodore Solomons Trail

Theodore Solomons Trail map

Looks like a terrific long circuit, to me. 🙂

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U.S. long-distance hiking trails

Hiking has gone Hollywood with the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling backpacking memoir Wild – and the Pacific Crest Trail is its real star. If the film inspires you, here are 10 trails that explore the stunning US wilderness

Pacific Crest Trail: California, Oregon and Washington, 2,663 miles

John Muir Trail: California, 210 miles

Continental Divide Trail: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, 3,100 miles

Appalachian Trail: 14 states from Georgia to Maine, 2,185 miles

The Long Trail: Vermont, 272 miles

The Hayduke Trail: Arizona and Utah, 812 miles

The Grand Enchantment Trail: Arizona and New Mexico, 770 miles

The Ozark Highlands Trail: Arkansas, 218 miles

The Ice Age Trail: Wisconsin, 1,200 miles

The Superior Hiking Trail: Minnesota, 296 miles

Guardian – Top 10 long-distance hiking trails in the US

Click through for a brief summary, links and shorter highlights of each.

Grand Enchantment Trail - Photograph: Prisma Bildagentur/Alamy
Grand Enchantment Trail – Photograph: Prisma Bildagentur/Alamy
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Towers of Paine, Chile in winter

Guardian:

Patagonia off season: winter hiking in Torres del Paine

Tourists flock to the Torres del Paine in the southern summer, but our writer finds hiking there in winter brings a different set of snowy rewards

Andrew Gilchrist:

It’s minus five outside. Not great conditions for roughing it. The previous night, in an unheated, near-deserted refuge covered in snow, we had bedded down in extreme-weather sleeping bags, complete with hoods. But tonight, after a thrilling 20-mile hike through some of the finest scenery on the planet, we are warm, dry and, frankly, ecstatic beneath polar blankets in a chic ecodome that feels more penthouse than campsite. Steam rises from our boots as they dry by the log-burning stove and, through the round windows in the curved ceiling, I can pick out what seems like every star in the southern sky.

“This is sublime,” I think, as I ease myself off my furry headboard and pour another glass of velvety Chilean red. “Where is everyone?” …

read more …

Southern Patagonia

Check our Paine Circuit information page.

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bridges built of tree roots

Do you know where the most sustainable foot bridges are? No, not in Germany, Costa Rica or the Nordic states, which are the greenest countries according to the GGEI (Global Green Economy Index) 2014, but in the Meghalaya state of northeastern India. We’ll tell you why.

These suspension bridges are built with a form of tree shaping, and have a lifespan of 500-600 years.

The handmade footways are made from the roots of Ficus elastica trees, grown through betel tree trunks. …

The Khasis still grow new bridges, so when the old ones are vanishing, there will be another spectacular and vivacious footways to get across in the next centuries.

The Place Where Bridges Are Grown Instead of Built

organic footbridge

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carrying furniture on the PCT?

Kolby Kirk is quoted. So this must be true. 🙂

… due to the recent success of the book and movie “Wild”, many hikers have expressed fears that the trail will become overcrowded with Oprah Winfrey fans wearing enormous backpacks and ill-fitting boots with red shoelaces. …

The 2014 hiking season saw a dramatic rise not only in the number of hikers on the PCT, but also in the number of hikers apparently carrying large pieces of furniture.

“There was a couch at Scissors Crossing, and another one outside of Big Bear,” said Renee “SheRa” Patrick, “I can only imagine that they were carried there by hikers and abandoned when they realized that couches are too heavy for a thru-hike. I mean, a section hike, sure. Maybe somewhere in Oregon. But in the desert? It’s crazy.” …

“Wild” Debates About PCT Overcrowding (Part One)

recliner PCT