Editor Rick McCharles will be offline hiking for a few days.
best hike Nova Scotia – Cape Chignecto?
Today I’m off to hike the Cape Chignecto Trail, in New Scotland (Nova Scotia), Canada. A 51km loop.
It’s oft listed one of the great coastal hikes of the world though it’s not all coastal.
First, I’ve got to get there from Halifax. …
My guidebook:
… The Cape Chignecto Trail is as scenic as the famous West Coast Trail in British Columbia and as challenging as the historic Chilkoot Pass hike in the Yukon. …
If that’s half true I’ll be very, very happy.
Trip report to come.
no job? … go hiking
Happy 4th of July to all our American readers.
And a special shout out to Fedak who’s hiking out the recession.
Three of 4 of our top 10 hiking regions in the world are in the USA.
#1 New Zealand
#2 Southwest USA
#3 The Rockies
#4 Sierra Nevada
National Public Radio has an interesting podcast called – On The Appalachian, Some Hike Off The Recession:
… For Rusty Towery, taking this much time away isn’t difficult at all. Nicknamed “Wheeler,” he was laid off in November from construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar. He sees this as an amazing opportunity.
“I have no major responsibilities yet in life so [I] might as well do something like this while I can, instead of having to wait like the other half of the population on the trail,” he says.
Wheeler is 26 years old. After being laid off last year, he worked a series of odd jobs to save up a little money. He also ran each day to build his endurance. He says his friends were a little jealous the day he left, even joking that they wished they’d been laid off, too. …
click through to see the audio / video presentation – On The Appalachian, Some Hike Off The Recession
more interesting photos tagged Appalachian Trail
farewell M.V. Lady Rose
I recently learned that the M.V. Lady Rose, a heritage vessel, carrying hikers to and from Port Alberni, B.C. is history.
What a shame.
Many’s the West Coast Trail hiker that has enjoyed that rustic ferry Bamfield – Port Alberni.
The M.V. Lady Rose, originally christened “Lady Sylvia” at her 1937 launching, was built by A & J Inglis Limited of Pointhouse Shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland, and was designed by W.D. McLaren of Vancouver. …
Designed for the sheltered coastal waters of British Columbia, this stocky little vessel soon proved capable of much more, becoming the first diesel powered vessel to cross the Atlantic driven by a single propeller. …
The official Lady Rose Marine Services website does not mention that it’s gone.
Sister ship Frances Barkley continues carrying cargo, mail and up to 100 passengers on that route.
Death in the Grand Canyon
The 2001 book Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon details 500 fatalities.
It’s a dangerous place to travel.
Library Journal:
Flagstaff, AZ-based authors Ghiglieri, a biologist who leads river trips in the Grand Canyon and abroad, and Myers (Fateful Journey: Injury and Death on Colorado River Trips in Grand Canyon), a medical doctor who has treated hundreds of Canyon injuries, have compiled a fascinating chronicle of deaths and dangers in Grand Canyon National Park.
The book is arranged by category falls, dehydration, floods, the Colorado River, air crashes, freak accidents, suicides, and murder and at the end of each chapter is a chronological list with names, descriptions, and causes of the accidents. The authors show that most of the deaths, whether of tourists, prospectors, or experienced adventurers, occurred when people failed to pay attention to warning signs or did not use common sense; others are attributed to high testosterone levels.
… Falls, fatigue, extreme temperatures and horseplay at national parks throughout the country lead to nearly 3,600 search-and-rescue operations each year, according to 2007 figures. The park service also responds to 16,000 emergency medical calls a year for anything from abrasions to twisted ankles, heatstroke and cardiac arrest, said Dean Ross, park service branch chief of emergency services in Washington, D.C.
Rangers at the Grand Canyon perform more rescues than at any other park, including 300 helicopter rescues a year, Ross said. …
If you plan to hike there, be prepared (tips).
I got lost and exhausted in similar terrain in 2005, Colca Canyon, in Peru. Eventually I hired a local villager to carry my pack and lead me to a “hotel” in the canyon.
There’s no Search and Rescue in Peru. …
More advice on avoiding heat emergencies by Steve Howe in Backpacker – THE FRYING GAME
Waterton National Park hiking
Happy Canada Day!
When I was a young adult, “hiking” held no appeal to me at all.
One of the first actual hikes I ever did voluntarily was the Bear’s Hump in Waterton National Park, Alberta.
It’s a great adventure for kids, non-hikers and … everyone. What a view!
Waterton Scrambling has a great post on this iconic landmark – Bear’s Hump
That excellent site has a post on another terrific beginner’s hike, Avion Ridge.
Waterton Scrambling – Avion Ridge
Waterton is my favourite National Park in Canada. I’ve been there perhaps 20 times. And I’m looking forward to returning for more.
Other Waterton walks in our list of the best hikes in North America:
• Tamarack Trail
• Crypt Lake
• Carthew/Alderson,Waterton
planning for Kilimanjaro
Kili is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.
A guiding company, Mountain Quest Adventures, posted 10 facts to consider before you climb Kilimanjaro.
1) Safety must be your top concern.
2) Consider staying away from the “tourist” routes.
3) Choose a company who specializes in climbing Kilimanjaro.
4) Select the route that best helps you acclimatize.
5) Choose a trekking company who actually visits your lodgings, knows the staff and approves your menu…
6) Your support team of guides and porters will make or break your trip. Choose wisely.
7) Select a company that hires the best staff, pays them fair wages and supports the local economy.
8) Do NOT rush your ascent…
9) If you are traveling to Africa, a Safari is a “must do.”
10) Get the best climb for your money.
Check our stub best hike information page for more.
Loowit Trail, Mt St. Helens NOT recommended
The Ultralighter does this trail as an annual pilgrimage.
The summary of his 2009 trip report:
You probably don’t want to try the Loowit Trail now. Maybe 2011 or later, if the Forest Service does a bunch of work. Even Lava Canyon is impassable, unless you are very, very bold. So for now it’s the north half of the mountain or the Smith Creek valley, rewarding in their own ways.
He survived his most recent 33mi circuit. But barely.
This trip is no longer an adventure. It is an ordeal.
read the entire trip report
You can still climb Mt St. Helens.
But don’t plan on doing the Circuit until the damaged trail has been improved.
Great American Backyard Campout
Saturday, June 27, 2009. Sleep in a tent in your yard.
Click through to the official website and hover over the map.
Very cool.
Telescope Peak, Death Valley, in April
SummitJunkie posted a good trip report and photos from an April 9, 2009 summit of the best hike in Death Valley, California.
… The views were jaw dropping, perhaps some of the best I had seen on any peak I have ever climbed. You can see forever, there is nothing as high as you are for over a hundred miles. Absolutely amazing!!
I had to take my time with the pictures, my hands were freezing. I was also having problems with my camera, when the batteries get too cold they stop working. I had the same issue on Shasta and Whitney so knew the solution was to put the camera and batteries inside my jacket to keep them at operating temperature. So between switching hands and batteries, it took me 15 minutes to take these summit pictures. …
My own Telescope hike in early June was so easy, it’s hard to believe I was on the same mountain … only a couple of months later.
besthike.com 