Posts

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Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc Independently

Summer is PACKED.

Therefore it’s recommended to go shoulder season, either Spring or Autumn.

Want to trek the Tour du Mont Blanc but don’t have the money to book accomodations along the way or to pay for a guided tour?

Want to hike the TMB this summer and but everything is already booked?

Last summer I hiked the TMB on a last minute whim, with no planning, and no budget. And I still had the time of my life on this bucket-lis hike. So I’ve distilled what I learned into this video to help you make it happen tomorrow.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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BÆRSkin Tactical Hoodie 3.0

BÆRSkin sent me their latest update of their fantastic hoodie to test for hikers.

It’s an impressive piece of kit. I knew instantly as I looked first at the zippers. High quality.

Typically zippers are the first thing to fail on tents and jackets.

I wore it cycling and hiking on a cool day in the Pacific Northwest under my rain jacket.

I was plenty warm.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Bottom line ➙ this will be the BEST hoodie in your closet.

But — for me — it’s too heavy and bulky for hiking. Instead, I’ll take it car camping and wear it outdoors on windy, cool days in the off season.

Highlights:

  • 12 Secure Pockets
  • Reinforced SAB Zips
  • Long baseball style hood peak to keep wind / rain away from your face. Love it.

Details and more reviews.

Click PLAY or watch a more detailed review on YouTube.

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Columbia OutDry Rain Jacket – a REVIEW

I’ve been wearing Columbia OutDry jackets since they were first released.

AND I bought one for my Dad. 😀

My OutDry makes me feel invincible in wind and rain. The water protection is on the OutSide.

Traditional Gore-Tex inner liner jackets have never worked well for me.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Steven’s opinion.

In another video, Steven compares ALTERNATIVES to Gore-Tex type jackets. Umbrellas. Ponchos. Etc.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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TOP 10 Hiking Towns ➙ Cortina, Italy

You can see weird and wild limestone spires right from town. Convenient, efficient public transport makes for easy access to trails for hikers of all levels of ability.

One of our top 10 hiking towns in the world.

Cortina d’Ampezzo (German: Hayden) is a town and commune in the southern (Dolomitic) Alps …

The city center is located at an altitude of 1,224 m …

Cortina is situated more or less to the center of the Ampezzana valley, encircled nearly completely on four sides by the high Dolomites. …

Population (2008) was 6150.

Shop at La Cooperativa di Cortina for gear and trekking food.

More interesting photos tagged Cortina.

La Baita

Our favourite hike hikes in the Dolomites, to mention just a few, are:

• Bocca di Brenta to Molvena
• Over the Nuvolau
• Sciliar through the Catinaccio
• Tre Cime di Lavaredo Circuit

Check our Dolomites information page.

besthike editor Rick McCharles – Tre Cime

Best months for hiking are mid-June to early October.

Start on our Dolomites information page.

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5 Great DAY HIKES in Morocco

Markus Rosehill picked 5 different kinds of hiking environments in Morocco.

00:00 Intro

00:35 Best Coastal Hike

05:12 Best Summit Hike

13:31 Best Oasis Hike

20:14 Best Sahara Hike

24:43 Best Gorge Hike

Note. The video incorrectly mentions that Mt. Toubkal 4,167 m (13,671 ft) requires a guide. Not so. You can easily do it independently though it’s longer than an easy day hike. And altitude sickness is a big risk.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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TOP 10 day hikes ➙ Puez-Odle, Dolomites, Italy

One of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

  • fantastic vistas of jagged Dolomite peaks
  • family friendly as you can get to elevation with a cablecar
  • 9 miles / 14.5 km with 500 m ascent / 1100 m descent
  • Rifugio Puez is a good destination for lunch or hot drinks
  • extend the walk if you have good weather, time and energy
  • there are many more great hikes nearby

World → Europe → Dolomites → Italy → Puez-Odle Altopiano

photo by Away On The Road

For details click over to our Puez-Odle Altopiano information page.

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Tent Ridge Horseshoe, Alberta Rockies

Ridge walks are very popular on the (dryer) Alberta side of the Rockies.

One of the best is Tent Ridge Horseshoe.

Summer only as there is avalanche risk in winter.

  •  10.1 km loop
  • Elevation gain 810 m

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

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The DRAKENSBERG, South Africa

I’ve hiked the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) escarpment of South Africa only once. Fantastic.

For example, my Giant’s Cup Trail (2 days).

Logistics are easier than you might think.

I travelled solo with Bazbus. Stayed in their recommended hostels.

Not once did I ever feel unsafe traveling there.

Harmen Hoek was there, hiking solo for 8-days in March 2022.

World Wide Hearts traveled and hiked extensively in the Drakensberg. Here’s their advice.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Our favourite hike in southern Africa is not here — but rather on the coast:

Otter Trail