Posts

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WildernessTrekking.com – Asia

Mick Bromley of Wilderness Trekking confirms that the Annapurna Circuit is no longer one of the best treks in the world:

… You can rent a jeep all the way to Muktinath on the West side, and much of the East is road bed. Still there is magic to be found and the environs of Manang are still stunning, but just not fair to recommend this anymore. …

Here’s a list of hikes Mick organizes, all better than Annapurna:

Top Ten Treks

Sacred Tsum Valley – Nepal
Classic Manaslu Circuit – Nepal
Everest Base Camp – Nepal
Dolpo Traverse – Nepal
Mythical Nar & Phu – Nepal
Mount Kailas Kora – Tibet
Remote Zanskar Traverse – India
Markha Valley – India
Wild Lunana – Bhutan
Phubjikha Festivals – Bhutan

details – wildernesstrekking.com

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Gramicci loves the Outdoors

Gramicci was title sponsor of our Adventure Race in 2011 — Expedition Idaho.

This is a shout out for their prewashed, comfortable clothing line. A relaxed look and fit. Almost retro, it will never go out of style.

Click through to see their TREKKING clothing.

Mike Graham founded Gramicci in Southern California. Their gear has that vibe.

Support Gramicci.

ExPed Idaho and World Champion 2011 Jacky Boisset of Team Thule
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Attempt on Mt Anne, Tasmania

Frank (Our Hiking Blog) recommended a fascinating Sydney-based site called Sons of the Desert – a bushwalking blog

They post gorgeous BIG photos.

click to see full size originals

They got “lucky” with the notorious weather. Except for the wind. Tasmanian wind can destroy tents. And Maytag them.

Here’s how they tried to hold down one.

This is a great read – An Attempt on the Mt Anne Circuit, posted Jan. 2012.

If you like that, check their South Coast Track trip report.

Gawd. I still remember that mud.

… Yet I’m still planning a trip to Australia for Sept / October. Can hardly wait.

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lost on Mt Benson, BC

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

The top of Mt. Benson (1019 Mtrs) in Nanaimo gives great views of the Straight of Georgia, the Coast Mountains and the surrounding mountains behind Mt. Benson. There are many routes up Mt. Benson …

Trail Peak

On a sunny February day I decided to trail run Benson, my first time up the super popular peak.

Since there was no tourist information office en route to one of the trailheads, Westwood Lake, I reckoned I’d wing it.

A hike this popular must have good trail signage.

… Right?

If there is, I never found it.

At full jog I plunged into one of the many trails leading UP.

Turns out that mountain is covered with mountain biking trails.

It’s amazing to me how much work kids are willing to put into these illegal courses.

Those trails all looped or dead ended. I was eventually forced back to the lake. And finished the pretty circuit.

more photos

I’ll be a little more careful with the trip-planning next time I try Benson. 🙂

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kayak hike Baja

Diana Vann on Seattle Backpackers Magazine:

If winter’s chill finds you longing for summer’s sunny days, consider a trip south of the border to Baja. Greatly reduced temperatures make winter a far more pleasant time to hike at most Baja locations than summer. Autumn and spring are good times to hike there, too. It’s also a great place for enjoying a combination of outdoor activities.

I’ve discovered that my own favorite Baja combination adventure is kayaking and camping along the Sea of Cortez, stopping to hike and to snorkel at various locations along the way. …

Camping on Isla Danzante ©Diana Vann

Adventuring through Baja – Hiking and Paddling

That’s part 1 of a 3 part series.

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“A Life Ascending” – the movie

Megan Michelson:

On January 20, 2003, seven people were killed in a class 3 avalanche on a peak called La Traviata near Selkirk Mountain Experience, a backcountry hut and guiding operation outside Revelstoke, BC. The guide that day was SME owner and lead guide, Ruedi Beglinger, a Switzerland native with the highest level of mountain guiding certification and decades of experience. Until that day in 2003, SME had never had a serious injury or death during its then 18 years in business. …

… a new feature-length documentary called ”A Life Ascending” about the life and family of guide Ruedi Beglinger has been released on the film festival circuit. It recently won the audience choice award at Colorado’s Docuwest Film Festival …

ESPN

The DVD goes on sale Feb. 28th.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

A Life Ascending

social media – Facebook | @alifeascending

I’ve subscribed to the blog, too.

RIP Rob and Mark Glaser, friends of mine killed by avalanche in 2011.

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Charles Dickens was a walker

Sports Illustrated:

Charles Dickens, an avid walker, logged 20 miles a day

Dickens was from childhood an avid, even compulsive, walker. …

Scarcely a day went by that Dickens didn’t flee his desk and take to the streets of London and its suburbs. …

(his) passion for walking did not diminish with age. He was 55 when he began the second of his tours of America, in 1867, and despite a dizzying schedule of 76 readings in about 150 days ranging from Washington to Buffalo to Portland, Maine, he still made time to walk daily. …

Frisky As The Dickens (1988)

Come and follow his follow his trails to discover the locations of Great Expectations, David Copperfield en de Pickwick Papers. Tour 1 will take place 10-15 June 2012 Including one day of the Medway Dickens Festival Price: € 295

(via Kottke)

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conceiving a Great Plains Trail

Steve Myers:

The ultimate goal is to establish, develop, maintain, preserve and promote a long distance, public, non-motorized trail running north/south through the short grass prairies of the Great Plains of North America

… a trail that runs from Canada’s Grassland National Park on the U.S./ Canada border to the summit of Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.

The trail will allow for hiking, horseback riding, and in most areas, mountain biking. …

About

I subscribed to Steve’s semi-official blog – The Great Plains Trail

Kurt Repanshek likes the concept: National Parks Traveler – Consider A Foot Path From Canada To Texas Through The Great Plains

I like the idea, too. Having lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for 10yrs, I know the bleak beauty of the prairies.

(via Hiking in Glacier – Making a case for the Great Plains Trail)

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Barefooting the Ozette, Washington

Barefoot Jake doesn’t always go barefoot. On this weekend adventure out of Ozette Lake he wore his Luna ATS Huaraches and Vibram Five Finger KSO.

This terrain and climate is ideal for minimal footwear.

… over 90% Board Walk made up of new, old and really old planks that have been in place for probably longer than I have been born. Figured this would be a perfect opportunity to to break in my Luna ATS Huaraches further. Felt great to let the feet air out …

Evocative photos. Check them out here – Weekend of Barefooting the Ozette

That post caught my eye linked from Hiking in Finland as I’d been to Ozette myself last week.