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Grizzly Lake, Tombstone Mountains, Yukon

Hike Bike Travel:

If you’re looking for world-class mountain scenery, in an area that doesn’t get a lot of attention, then head to the Tombstone Mountain Range in the Yukon Territory. Starting at KM 58.5 on the Dempster Highway, the three to five day backpacking trip takes you first to Grizzly Lake, and then to Divide and Talus Lakes. It’s a wild, desolate, truly memorable landscape. …

The landscape though, is extraordinary – and I can safely say like nowhere else you’ve seen. 

Try to arrange your trip for  late August when the boreal forest and alpine meadows combine to deliver a rainbow of fall colours. But go prepared for cold temperatures and snow. I had both. …

Tombstone-backpacking-and-Dawson-City-008hsrs

Tombstone-backpacking-and-Dawson-City-053hsrs

A Hike to Grizzly Lake in the Tombstone Mountains

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Caminito del Rey – opens Feb 2015

Caminito del Rey footpath, Garganta del Chorro, El Chorro, Spain

The notorious Caminito del Rey footpath, known as one of the world’s scariest hiking routes, is opening to the public again after a multi-million euro restoration.

Skirting the Garganta del Chorro gorge, the original metre-wide white-knuckle path contoured across the sheer rock-face on a ledge 100m above the ground. Initially built in 1905 and traversed by King Alfonso XIII in 1921 (hence the name ‘Path of the King’), the path had fallen into severe disrepair by the late 1990s, finally closing following the tragic deaths of five walkers.

Fifteen years later, the route is reopening, allowing access again to one of Spain’s most spectacular walking trails. No longer the preserve of professional climbers and adrenaline-seekers, the damaged path has been fixed and reinforced, while a new handrail provides further support. The views however, continue to take your breath away.

Lonely Planet – The world’s hottest new travel experiences for 2015

Click PLAY or watch a scramble on the OLD route on YouTube.

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Luxury Mount Everest Base Camp Trek

Freya Render:

… Although I love hiking, I also love comfort so I started searching on-line for an “Everest Luxury Trek” and found the Yeti Mountain Homes, a group of luxury lodges located on the classic trekking route in the Khumbu area. I contacted them and as from that moment I was blown away by the Yeti Mountain Home experience … a lovely lady called Pasang patiently and very professionally answered all my questions and created a customized itinerary for us. …

Unfortunately there are no Yeti Mountain Homes (yet) all the way up till Everest Base Camp but Pasang made sure that we had the best possible accommodation in every place. …

Luxury Mount Everest Base Camp Trek 2014 (Yeti Mountain lodges)

YMH Monjo Bathroom

Everest Base CampOur Everest information page.

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Long Range Traverse, Gros Morne

Gros Morne National Park is a world heritage site located on the west coast of Newfoundland. …

Gros Morne is a member of the Long Range Mountains, an outlying range of the Appalachian Mountains, stretching the length of the island’s west coast. …

Hiking the trails is a popular activity at Gros Morne. There are about 20 marked day trip trails, exploring coastal and interior areas of the park. …

The interior of the park can also be accessed, notably through the multi-day Long Range Traverse between Western Brook Pond and Gros Morne Mountain. …

Leigh McAdam:

Before you even get a whiff of the Long Range Traverse, the premier backpacking trail on Canada’s east coast, you must pass a serious navigation test and get a full orientation by staff at the Gros Morne National Park Visitor Center.

The navigation test is nothing to sneeze at. You must understand declination and know how to take a compass bearing from the map. Although you can take along a GPS, and it might help in foggy situations, it’s your map and compass skills that are of utmost importance. It’s the only place in Canada that I am aware of that requires you to pass a navigation test. I guess what happened in the past, is too many backpackers set out, only to get lost – as there is no marked trail – and ended up needing a rescue.

Hike Bike Travel – Backpacking the Long Range Traverse in Gros Morne NP: Day 1

campsite night 1

Long-Range-Traverse-462hsrs

• Day 2

• Day 3

• Day 4

Long-Range-Traverse-481hsrs

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Cheryl Strayed’s Lost – a review

… based on the memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.

The film stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. …

In 1995, Cheryl Strayed decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, as a way to heal herself, following her divorce, the death of her mother, and years of reckless, destructive behavior. …

The film garnered mostly positive reviews, with much acclaim going to Witherspoon’s physical and mental performance and Vallée’s direction. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 91% approval rating …

wikipedia

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Reese was nominated for a 2015 Golden Globe as Best Actress.

Hikers, especially PCT hikers, are mostly pissed that Strayed has gained so much fame for being so woefully unprepared. She hiked about 1000 miles of the 2,663 mile thru hike.

I must say, however, that I enjoyed the book. And enjoyed the film.

This movie is recommended. 🙂

Though Cheryl Strayed should probably stay far away from real hikers, she’s super happy with how the film turned out.

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NEW – Three Capes Track, Tasmania

The official website says it will open November 2015.

The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service’s largest and most ambitious track project, the Three Capes Track, will be a world class, multi-day walking experience on the Tasman Peninsula along a track up to 82 km in length.

The track will showcase Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy as well as stunning natural features and scenery including dolerite cliffs and ocean views. …

Parks and Wildlife Tasmania

Cape Pillar Peninsula from the Blade (Photo courtesy of Stuart Gibson)
Cape Pillar Peninsula from the Blade
(Photo courtesy of Stuart Gibson)

You can either walk the route independently or sign up for a fully guided experience provided by a commercial operator.

What will set this track apart from the many multi-day hikes in Australia is the standard of public facilities available. The walk will include huts at up to three sites with mattresses and cooking facilities, reducing the amount of things you’ll need to lug in your rucksack. Bye bye camping stove and fuel, tent and sleeping mattress. After trekking past the tallest sea cliffs in Australia and awe-inspiring ocean views, walkers will be snuggling down on a soft bed.

Lonely Planet – The world’s hottest new travel experiences for 2015

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hiking Mineral Ridge, Idaho

ID-courdalene

Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail is a backcountry hiking area near Lake Coeur d’Alene …

Construction began on the trail in 1963 and the area was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1982. There is a self-guided interpretive tour along the 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail.

Summit of Mineral Ridge, 2,400ft (730m). Elevation gain is 600ft (180m).

Minaeral_Ridge_National_Recreation_Trail.-WidePar-00012-Image.WideParimage.1.2

We hiked it January 3rd after a snowstorm. With a 5yr-old. Late in the afternoon, slipping and sliding back to the trailhead in the dark.

Mineral Ridge

A bit more adventurous than usual. 🙂

Here’s a more typical lake view from the ridge.

americantrails.org
americantrails.org

Mineral-Ridge-Idaho-BLM-Area-of-Interest_large

Each winter from November through February a migrating population of up to 150 bald eagles visit the area to feed on spawning Kokanee salmon. An interpretive viewing program is offered annually from Christmas through New Years during peak migration.

We saw two bald eagles. 🙂

official Bureau of Land Management page

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Hike the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan

Kraig Becker linked to a trek I’d not known.

Remote and rugged, the Wakhan Corridor is an almost-legendary strip of land that extends from Afghanistan to China, with Tajikistan bordering to the north, and Pakistan to the south.

Surrounded by the snowcapped peaks of the Hindu Kush, Pamir, and Karakoram mountains, it is a spectacularly beautiful part of the world that remains virtually unknown to the vast majority of outsiders. Populated almost entirely by nomadic herdsmen, the Corridor is a realm of stark beauty, difficult terrain, and some of the most breathtaking landscapes on the entire planet.

Travel through the Wakhan Corridor in 2015 as part of an expedition led by Secret Compass. The trip is 21 days in length, and departs on July 20. …

adventuretravel.about.com – 10 Big Adventures For 2015

Click through to see that and the rest. 🙂

Wakhan