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Coyote Buttes – The Wave

Bill has a website dedicated to one of our best hikes in the world, The Wave on the Utah / Arizona border:

… There are two great photographic locations in Coyote Buttes North (The Wave and The Second Wave) and numerous minor ones including Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch and the Grotto, the Hooters, The Alcove, Sand Cove, and Fatali’s Boneyard.

The Wave is best photographed midday so as to minimize the extensive shadows, the other areas listed above are best photographed mid-late afternoon. …

Due to the fragile nature of this natural resource, it’s very difficult to get a hiking permit.

Bill’s site offers this advice:

… Your chances are better if you’re going alone, or in December – February. If you do not win the lottery I suggest you get one for Coyote Buttes South, or go to the White Pocket which is east of Coyote Buttes South.

I know of one person who was lost overnight in Coyote Buttes South, so use a GPS, mark the trailhead, and stay with your party. While a two wheel drive vehicle is adequate for the North Buttes, four wheel drive is required for the South due to deep sand. …

read more on TheWave.info

Bill adds this bit of news:

The upcoming 2012 Disney film “John Carter” was shot in the area across Wahweap Creek near the town of Bigwater. Other locations include Canyonlands and Factory Butte (near Capitol Reef). A 3D movie. The arid region will stand in for Mars.

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Juan de Fuca Trail threatened

Krista hiked the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail this summer. Loved it.

But there’s a big debate in progress between those who want to protect the Trail … and a proposed housing development by Marine Trail Holdings.

Search Google News for “Juan de Fuca Trail” for the latest update.

Another public hearing will take place in Sept 2011. You can weigh in with your opinion by mail:

Marine Trail Public Hearing
c/o Juan de Fuca Area Planning
PO Box 238
Sooke BC V
9Z 0S9

Or email CRD Board Chair G.Young gyoung@victoria.ca
copy: jdfinfo@crd.bc.ca

Also, you could ask Christy Clark, Premier of BC, to buy the land … premier@gov.bc.ca

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42 day trek Dolpo, Mustang, Nepal $5550

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

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shift bike gears with your brain

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)

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hiking the Enchantments today

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.

Gnome Tarn

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 of the most spectacular locations in the Cascade Range. …

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ACR ResQLink personal locator beacon

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).

read more on Trailspace

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?

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100+ State Parks to be closed

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)

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Iceland – hiking the East coast

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

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Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z-Poles

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)

$149.95 USD

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Sierra Crest Route, California

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

read more

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.