Hiking Information Online

Hiking Information Online is a website I just stumbled upon.

It looks somewhat similar in mission to our site, besthike.com.

Hiking and trekking information online is designed to provide information for hikers about some of the worlds best hikes. You will find hiking and trekking information catering for both hiking beginners and serious hikers alike. These hikes can range from easy short hikes carrying a day pack up to hikes that can last for sixteen days carrying everything that you need.

We will provide all the information that you need to plan your hikes all in one convenient location. There are also links to online hiking stores to fully outfit yourself with all of the hiking gear that you will need to complete your hike. …

Hiking-info-online

home page – Hiking Information Online

My first impression was, “This is lame.”

But upon actually clicking through to some of the hike pages, for example: Hiking the Tongariro Northern Circuit, I was impressed with the accuracy of the content.

Not bad.

It’s clear to me the editor has not actually hiked these trips, but rather does research from afar. I was tipped off by this photo on their West Coast Trail page, clearly taken nowhere near the WCT.

NOT the West Coast Trail
NOT the West Coast Trail

The site has potential. I’ll definitely be tracking it as they add new hikes. Obviously they need to start linking to additional information on each hike page.

dreaming of hiking Iceland …

I tried and failed to find a very inexpensive flight from Eastern Canada to Iceland. Unfortunately it’s very high season there.

This evocative music video inspired me.

The music reminds many of Arcade Fire from Canada.

But this is sigur rós, a rock band from Iceland.

glósóli, shot in iceland in august 2005. the video is directed by icelanders arni & kinski and features a cast of icelandic children. …

read an interview with the video’s cinematographer Chris Soos – takk… glósóli video

great Jasper National Park photos

I have friends planning on hiking the Berg Lake Trail, Mount Robson in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies.

We last did that excellent adventure in 2003.

Good luck gang!

Mt. Robson - click for larger version
Mt. Robson - click for larger version

Tom Mangan linked to a terrific photo article on Amazing Adventure Around the World.

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

Mount Katahdin - Northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail
Mount Katahdin - Northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail

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.

photo by c0lin_bates
photo by c0lin_bates

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.

book

… 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. …

Grand Canyon a challenge for hikers of every level

If you plan to hike there, be prepared (tips).

heat-kills-sign

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!

flickr - Jeff Milner- click for larger version
flickr - Jeff Milner- click for larger version

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.

click for larger version
click for larger version

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.

Mountain Quest Adventures

photo posted by eir@si - click for larger size
photo posted by eir@si - click for larger size

Check our stub best hike information page for more.