Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
Sunday night. Perhaps Monday night, as well.
I’ll check with locals before deciding on the best trails this early in the season.
My preliminary plan is to scramble Ha Ling as I’ve never been up there before.
flickr – larger version
I’m looking for first hand advice on the lastest, greatest hike on Vancouver Island, B.C.
The North Coast Trail has been on our list of best hikes in North America since before it opened officially in 2008.
Nathan Derksen hiked it in 2004 – trip report
one of Nathan’s excellent photos – larger version
… The 43.1 km trail in Cape Scott Provincial Park runs along beaches and in forest around the northern tip of Vancouver Island from Shushartie Bay to Nissen Bight. At Nissen Bight it links up with an existing 15 km trail which leads to the trailhead at San Josef River[1]. The total distance for hikers between the trailheads is 61 km. The trail is in a wilderness area and hikers may see deer, elk, black bears, cougars, wolves, sea birds, seals, sea lions, grey whales and sea otters. …
It’s often compared with the famed, nearby West Coast Trail.
I have already contacted the 3 main trailhead transportation companies as I won’t have a personal vehicle.
Cape Scott Water Taxi
Box 580 Port Hardy B.C. V0N 2P0
Phone (250) 949-6541
Toll Free: 1-800-246-0093
info@capescottwatertaxi.ca
capescottwatertaxi.caCatala Charters Jim & Cathy Witton
Box 526 Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0
Phone/Fax (250) 949-7560;
Toll Free 1-800-515-5511
catalacharters@hotmail.com
northcoasttrailwatertaxi.comNorth Coast Trail Shuttle
Box 977 Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0
Phone: 250-949-6888 Cel 250-230-1994
shuttle2@telus.net
northcoasttrailshuttle.com
Leave a comment if you have recommendations for me.
I’ve criticized Bear Grylls in the past.
But it’s with mixed feelings that I link to this mocking News article:
The Scout law begins with a solemn declaration that ‘A Scout is to be trusted’.
So one might expect the figurehead of Britain’s 450,000 Scouts to be one of the most trustworthy men in the country.
But the woggle of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the youth movement, must be spinning in his grave at the news that his latest successor as Chief Scout is TV presenter Bear Grylls – whose survival programmes were rumbled for containing faked scenes. …
Mail Online – Scouts pick TV’s action man faker Bear Grylls as their chief
In the real world, Grylls is likely to inspire the Scouts. And build that wonderful program.
I wish him luck.
… Perhaps Ray Mears would have been a better choice, though.
This is 800lb Brutus with his buddy Casey Anderson.
source – picture is unrelated
See the entire fascinating story of their relationship in an LA Times video – Meet Casey Anderson — and his best friend, an 800-pound bear
Unsurprisingly, Anderson does not like to be compared with “Grizzly Man”, Timothy Treadwell, who was killed in 2003 by a Griz. Or two.
According to the Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, the ten essentials of HIKING are:
1. Map
2. Compass (optionally supplemented with a GPS receiver)
3. Sunglasses and sunscreen
4. Extra food and water
5. Extra clothes
6. Headlamp/flashlight
7. First aid kit
8. Fire starter
9. Matches
10. Knife
There are many variations on the “essentials”, of course, many combining matches and fire starter, many adding “shelter”.
Personally, I refer to a much more practical list. One put together by Tom Mangan for day hiking in reasonable weather:
Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking
1 – A water supply
2 – A reliable map
3 – Comfortable socks
4 – Comfortable shoes
5 – Underwear that doesn’t chafe
6 – Something to keep crud out of your shoes
7 – Nylon hiking pants
8 – Something to block the sun
9 – Nourishment
10 – The Real 10 essentialsTwo-Heel Drive – Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking
Leave a comment if you have any ESSENTIALS for day hiking that are not listed.
Angel’s Landing is one of our best day hikes in North America.
National Parks Traveler points us to an unique feature on the government website for Zion National Park in Utah.
Whether you want to relive a previous trip up Angels Landing, or you’ve never hiked there and want to get an idea of what it’s like, this virtual tour is the way to go. It offers a taste of the wonders of Zion—the sounds of birds calling and the soothing sound of the Virgin River, the sights of pink-hued sandstone cliffs at sunrise and the grand view from the summit.
You control your experience within our virtual tour with videos, pictures, and sounds. All these options come with a price, however—large file size. High-speed Internet access is recommended for viewing the full version of our virtual tour, which may take some time to download. You will also need to have a plug-in installed on your computer — Flash Player. We hope you enjoy your virtual visit to Zion National Park. …
Click through to eHike Angel’s Landing
flickr – Jess J – larger original
Want to plan a trip to Utah?
Check our besthike information page – Angel’s Landing
related post – should we close Angel’s Landing in Zion?
It wasn’t included on Backpacker Magazine’s list of America’s 10 Most Dangerous Hikes, but should have been.
We are tinkering with the font size and a few other bits of CSS code on the site.
Testing. Testing. …
Have you ever heard of hiking in Lebanon?
Is it safe?
What is the Lebanon Mountain trail?
The Lebanon Mountain trail is the first long distance hiking trail in Lebanon and the Arab world (www.lebanontrail.org). It extends 440km. from Qbaiyat in the north to Marjeyoun in the south. It traverses 75 towns and villages at altitudes from 600m to 1900m. The LMT showcases the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon’s mountains.
The Lebanon Mountain Trail Association organized the first complete thru-walk of the LMT during the month of April 2009. The core group of 7 hikers explored history and culture, as well as the natural beauty of Lebanon.
They blogged the journey, an interesting read with plenty of photos.
official trail website – lebanontrail.org
Time Magazine posted a short video on this Adventure.
This could be the start of something much bigger in the Middle East. Just as soon as Peace breaks out there.
Only about 500 people have completed the Bibbulmun Track, nearly 1000kms (620mi) from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia.
One of those is Dave Tomlinson who posted his 2007 trip report on Our Hiking Blog.
… When I reflect on the entire time I spent hiking the track, I think the first few days were the toughest of all. There is nothing quite like the challenge of carrying a heavy pack over difficult terrain in 40 degree heat. Although the track goes through eight towns, the first one is ten days from Perth. So, my pack was very heavy with supplies and I was stiff and sore during those initial stages. But as I progressed, my muscles began to get attuned to what was expected, my pack gradually lightened and things became easier. …
… Amazingly, I completed the whole distance without even a blister. Apart from some general soreness when I first started, I didn’t have any problems at all. There wasn’t a single day when I didn’t wake up and feel excited by what I was doing. Even on the most physically demanding days I embraced the challenge and never felt any doubt about reaching Albany in good health. The weather was generally very good and my Goretex jacket was often nothing more than my pillow at night. I only had rain on four days in the entire seven weeks. …
To learn more about this amazing tramp, here are the most important links:
» The Bibbulmun Track – a long distance hike – Trip Report – Part One
» Bibbulman Track – Southern Section – Trip Report – Part Two
» official website – Bibbulmun Track
An author of Lonely Planet Taiwan, Robert Scott Kelly also edits a blog called PASHAN HIKING THE MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS, RIVERS AND JUNGLES OF TAIWAN.
Taiwan offers more hikes, on more varied terrain, within one compact region, than almost anywhere else in the world.
In 2005 Robert and a friend climbed Snow Mountain (Xueshan, 雪山) and posted a detailed trip report on the standard 3-day hike.
I was particularly interested to read about his startling a bear.
Bears in Taiwan?
Yes, a few Asian Black Bears survive there.
I’m definitely planning on hiking Taiwan one day.
It’s a good read – Snow Mountain (Xueshan, 雪山)
besthike.com 