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with Fedak in Tuolumne Canyon

16.5 miles and 2700 foot gain down into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River.

… For three miles, the Tuolumne River curves lazily through meadows like a time-lapse video of a cat on a sunny windowsill. Then it perks up and dashes over a series of cascades and waterfalls, terminating at Glen Aulin …

Yosemite Hikes – Glen Aulin (Tuolumne Falls & White Cascade)

John Fedak, resident of the Sierra Nevada mountains for the Summer season, led me on this, one of his favourite hikes.

Here’s John’s photo trip report of our day — LeConte Falls 2012.

We rendezvoused at Lembert Dome trailhead on the Tioga Road. This was the shortest winter snow closure for Tioga on record, by the way.

Tuolumne Meadows

On a Saturday in July the trail was busy. We even shared the bridge with these beasts.

In the Spring, it’s great for waterfalls. Later in the season, popular for swimming.

Thank you kindly for sharing this trail, John. It was a terrific day.

Fedak is one of the original hiking photo bloggers. He has thousands of annotated photos from his many, many adventures.

Check those out at Fedak.net

More of my own pics from this glorious day are posted on Flickr.

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Skerwink Trail, Newfloundland

A hiker named “Walker” recommends this short coastal hike in gorgeous Newfoundland:

… 5.8 km moderate trail that skirts the edge of ocean-side cliffs towering to 300 feet above the water. Beats most of the southern stretches of the East Coast Trail hands down. Trail head in Trinity East or Rexport (5 minute drive from 300+ year old Trinity). …

photos

What’s a Skerwink?

A shearwater. “Skerwink” is a local name for this pelagic seabird species, which lives offshore (they’re also known as “hagdowns,” in Newfoundland). It is highly unlikely that you will see a shearwater when you hike the trail. Many shearwaters do breed on the island of Newfoundland but only in a few places, and they return to their nests only at night. But do keep your eye open for other birds and wildlife!

FAQs

TheSkerwinkTrail.com

It gets great reviews on Trip Advisor, too.

More NFLD hikes.

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hiking Big Pine Lakes CA

The trailhead is out of Big Pine, California, in the eastern Sierras.

Temple Crag – Big Pine Lakes CA

Starting at high elevation, you have many good choices of Big Pine Canyon Trails including South Fork Trail, Baker Creek Trail, North Fork Trail to Palisade Glacier.

But I chose to do a lollypop loop of the Lakes.

First, Second, Third, Fourth. With a short detour up to Fifth Lake.

Then looped back via Black Lake, the prettiest section of all.

That was at least 10mi. At least 3000ft of elevation gain.

This area is very popular with fishermen. Rock climbers. And overnight (permit required) backpackers. It’s a bit long for day hikers.

Dudes ride this trail.

Lesson learned = try to get off the trail downhill. Otherwise the beasts fear you may fall down on top of them.

lunch rock

Look for the cabin originally built by actor Lon Chaney. 🙂

The best web page I found on the trip is posted by American S.W.

If it’s scorching hot in the valley, this is a good choice, the trail surprisingly shaded for a hike so high up.

Recommended. No permit nor fee required for day hikers.

trailhead

see more of my photos from this day hike

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Kearsarge Pass – SUCCESS

June 1st, 2009 I was denied this Pass in California. Snow was still too deep on the trail.

July 7th, 2012 it was a dream.

Here’s the view looking over the top over into Kings Canyon National Park.

I left a Summit Stone in this rock formation, a short scramble from Kearsarge.


Onion Valley to Kearsarge is one of the most popular day hikes in the Eastern Sierra. You can start high, driving up to over 9000ft.

Gorgeous climate. Perfect weather day-after-day. No bugs. Excellent footing. The Eastern Sierra truly is one of the best hiking destinations in the world. 🙂

See my full resolution photos from this day hike on flickr.

details and logistics – Natural Born Hikers:

Kearsarge Pass
Kings Canyon National Park, California

Trail Type – Out and back

Trailhead Elevation – 9,212 ft

Top Elevation – 11,760 ft

Elevation Gain – 2,548 ft

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Barry on Summit Stones …

DSD:

I call these “Summit Stones“….. After gathering these small rocks for many years, while out on adventures, I now splash a bit of paint on them and give them back… The musings here are simply about the wonders of adventure and inspiration. It’s all about the importance of giving back and passing forward…..

Barry pays respect to DSD, the philosopher / artist who sends both of us — and many others — Summit Stones. And her good causes:

There is a poignant website, anonymously authored by DSD, called Summit Stones and Adventure Musings. …

On her blog, DSD has developed an extensive list of websites beneath the heading ‘Giving Back and Passing Forward’. (right hand navigation of her home page)

Each of the links in her list is worthy of your time. Some are well-established organizations like World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) , and World Wildlife Fund – Canada. …

Hiking With Barry – Wilderness Adventure – Paying Forward and Giving Back

Follow DSD’s blog – Summit Stones & Adventure Musings…By DSD

And Barry, too. 🙂

I’ll be leaving a Summit Stone in a place of natural beauty today. A highlight of my hike.

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trekking Huayhuash, Peru

by site editor Rick McCharles

MY best hike was a guided 11 day adventure in the little known Huayhuash Circuit in 2004.

Here are a few of our photos.

Far better are these photos and videos from a September 2011 guided tour. (May is the best month, so this is a little off season.)

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

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Nootka Trail 2011

Nootka on the northleft of Vancouver Island is like the West Coast Trail. But unofficial. And wilder.

Esperanza Ministries does a youth adventure program every year for 3 weeks (one week hiking the Nootka Trail, another week camping at Ferrier Point and another week canoeing back to Esperanza).

Click PLAY or watch 2011 highlights on YouTube. Both hilarious and inspiring.

I’m looking at the North Coast Trail, another WCT alternative, sometime last 2wks of August.

Esperanza.ca is their website. A good source of information for your own trip to wild Nootka island.

Thanks to the Boy family for the link.