Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
If I had the cash, I’d definitely sign on for this guided adventure led by Jamie McGuinness.
Highlights
+ Upper Mustang
+ stunning, otherworldly scenery
+ remote, little trekked route
+ magical Dolpo
+ a landscape photographer’s paradise
+ REAL exploration!Sept 25 – Nov 5, 2011
Watch Jamie’s HIGHLIGHT photos from the 2010 edition of this trek.
details on project-himalaya.com
Cool.
At some fuzzy time in the near future you’ll be able to shift gears on a bike merely by thinking UP or DOWN in your bike helmet.
Click PLAY or watch the (painfully) Toyota sponsored video on YouTube.
What uses of this technology could we dream up for coaching?
(via Mashable – Bicycle Of The Future Shifts Gears Via Brain Waves)
by site editor Rick McCharles
7:45am at the Ranger Station in Leavenworth, Washington, one group permit for the prized Enchantments was available by lottery of everyone standing in front of the door.
Never having lost a lottery in the past, I was confident the hiking Gods would smile on me once again.
They didn’t.
… but another group of losers explained that the Snow Lake camping permit is possibly just as good. Even better, I think, for a solo hiker with only one vehicle. It’s more scenic (overall) than the Aasgard Pass route anyway, I’m told.
I got the single available Snow Lake permit ($5/day) without a fight.
… so, I’ll hike in 6.5 miles to camp at Snow Lake, gaining 4100 feet. Then day hike the Enchantments Sunday, tenting again at Snow Lake. Exiting Monday.
The weather looks perfect. The itinerary perfect.
The Enchantments is an area comprising an upper and a lower basin, the lakes and tarns contained within them, and the peaks of the Stuart Range bounding the basins. The area is located entirely within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Leavenworth, Washington in the United States. The Enchantments is regarded as
one ofthe most spectacular locations in the Cascade Range. …
ACR ResQLink is world’s smallest personal locator beacon
ACR Electronics has released ResQLink, which it claims is the world’s smallest 406 MHz personal locator beacon. The ResQLink’s small and light waterproof package can be held in one hand and clocks in at less than four inches tall and 4.6 ounces in weight. …
… The monthly service also allows you to send a check-in message to specified contacts via email or text message, without emergency activation. However, no monthly service fee is required for emergency use.
After receiving FCC approval this summer, the ResQLink is now available and retails for $325 (without optional subscription service).
Click PLAY or watch a promo from OR Salt Lake City on YouTube.
Fedak has grave concerns regarding the SPOT devices. Will this be any better do you think?
Treehugger posted a list of U.S. state parks set to be closed. And more that are threatened:
… The United States is home to 6,624 state parks and has an annual attendance of over 700 million. Yet state parks are being threatened by budget cuts and economic downturn. …
… the U.S. now has 41,725 miles of trail, 207,063 campsites, and 7,161 cabins and lodges across the state park system. …
Treehugger – The 100+ State Parks Facing Closure – Is Your Favorite Park on the List? [Updated]
U.S. governments do not have enough money to run them. What are the alternatives?
Privatization?
Would you become a “friend of ______ State Park” and volunteer your time?
Leave a comment if you have an opinion.
(via Daily Hiker)
Richard Tulloch:
I’m sorry, Tasmania, Swiss Alps, New Zealand and even you, Himalayas. You’ve each just been knocked down one place in my ‘world’s most spectacular hiking destination’ list.
Five days tramping around the ‘Deserted Inlets’ of Iceland’s east coast have shot it to number one in the rankings for scenery, challenging terrain within safe limits and ‘having the place to yourself-ness’. …
read more – ICELAND – hiking with vikings
My hiking guidebook didn’t even mention that part of Iceland. No wonder they had it to themselves.
Richard was a guest of Fifty Degrees North:
Trip Name: Hiking at the End of the World
5 days
Strenuous
Price from: AU$1280
I used (and very much appreciated) a set of Z-Poles the other day. Dave Adlard let me try them out.
Long a critic of hiking canes, I think I’m finally won over to getting a set.
Backpacker calls this version the “best carbon poles we’ve ever tested“.
Editors’ Choice 2011: Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z-Poles (VIDEO review)
Ben Egan sends a link to an Adventure I’ve not heard of before. It parallels these two great hikes:
• John Muir Trail, 211 miles (340 km), our #2 hike in the world.
• Sierra High Route, 195 miles (314 km), is similar, but higher and harder.
Now check out the Sierra Crest Route as documented by Leonard Daughenbaugh.
If the John Muir Trail is for the masses, Roper’s Sierra High Route is more of a mountaineer’s journey. Your Sierra Crest Route takes it to the next level.
—Bob Rockwell, Author and Sierra Mountaineer
I was definitely impressed with the concept and the research.
—Steve Roper, Author and Sierra Mountaineer
The goal is to stay within a mile of the actual Sierra Crest, most often within a half mile.
Be clear. The SCR is not a “hike”:
Leonard Daughenbaugh:
Since the Crest Route is designed to be a mountaineering rather than a rock climbing route, the last requirement is that there be no individual move on the route that is technically more difficult than class 3.
Based on my evaluations, and, where available, ratings in various climbing and mountaineering guidebooks, all moves on the Route meet this requirement. There are, however, two crossings, “Jones Pass” and “Jones Traverse,” that, because of their exposure and route finding difficulties, travelers might feel are more difficult than class 3. …
Sounds great. But the Sierra High Route already is difficult enough for me.
If you are interested, the only place to get more information is SierraCrestRoute.org.
I’m right now at an organizational meeting for volunteers. I’ll be manning some of the remote locations. Aug. 14-21, 2011.
… This is an expedition where the journey is at least as important as the race, and where all who commit to the challenge emerge as champions.
Over 6 days, co-ed teams of 4 will undertake a 500 – 700 km expedition over some of the most beautiful, epic and challenging terrain on Earth in a unique format!
Racers will use map, compass and their own wits and skills to navigate their way over an unmarked route by mountain biking, rafting, paddling, trekking, orienteering, trail running, using fixed ropes, and maybe a few other surprises through the wild panhandle of northern Idaho. …
details on the home page
We are trying to avoid the problems of last week’s Raid The North Extreme:
… As if the terrain were not challenging enough on its own, the race logistics broke down early in this event, and they never fully recovered. It was disappointing, and it honestly (unfortunately) destroyed the competitive side of this event. With bags of essential gear regularly missing at transition areas, checkpoints often unmanned and unmarked (we searched for hours for some!), the race forced our team and many others to bond together and switch from “racing mode” to full on survival mode more than once. …
We won’t race this flawed event again. But we learned many lessons in the remote B.C. wilderness, and we’re ready, we think, for even bigger challenges ahead. …
Jason MAGNESS of GearJunkie/YogaSlackers – Finished: RTNX Post-Race Report
$189 is the cost of the best all-around adventure pack on the market right now.
I got mine yesterday from Mike Kloser himself. He packed it for me. Adjusted it for me. … And then made me chase him around the mountains of north Idaho for 12hrs continuous to test it.
The pack did great. I’m a wee bit exhausted.
AS-1 REVIEW by Nathan Fa’avae
I have spent in excess of 1000-days in the mountains and back country with a pack on my back, either racing, working or just pure adventure.
The AS-1 is by far the most comfortable and functional and pack I have used, a true testament to technology and innovation.
A major requirement I have is any pack I’m going to carry especially through an epic expedition race, needs to be lightweight yet still robust, the AS-1 meets both those needs.
My favourite aspect of the AS-1 is the 5-course menu of features, exceptionally convenient, multiple and productive functionality.
The AS-1 pack performs at the highest level, right where I aim to be when competing.
I used the AS-1 pack at the 2010 Adventure Racing World Championships, after 104-hours with the pack on my back, after it carried my gear, food and liquid for over 500-miles, I couldn’t fault it.
There are too many features to list. Watch the video on the site if you might be interested in getting one for yourself.
For pure hiking I’ll stick with my minimalist Granite Gear inflatable frame pack, but for any trip requiring “toys”, I’ll be using the AS-1.
besthike.com 