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this hiker staying with the Bear Vault

Sigh … Rocky Mountain National Park now requires Bear Canisters.

More and more Parks will be doing it in future. Best get used to hiking with one. …

Last summer I saw a bear vault with a night light attached so hikers could find it in the dark. Good idea.

bear-vault-bv500
details – Amazon

2 lb 9oz Bear Vault.

Despite the weight, I think I’ll stick with mine instead of buying an Ursack.

Here’s another happy camper:

… I found that the vault slipped in quite nicely to the top portion of my 60 liter pack. It was also great to have a waterproof container to put dry clothes in (in a zip-lock bag so they didn’t absorb food smell). Towards the end of longer trips its nice to have a waterproof place to put all of our garbage.

Around camp they are a godsend. I’ve used the vaults as stools, chairs, cutting boards, tables, water jugs, and hammers. Just having a flat surface in camp is a treat. Another handy feature is that they are transparent. You can see what you’re reaching in for. Other cannisters I’ve used are a solid plastic and you have to fish everything out/around to find what you’re looking for.

Now I know what you’re thinking. How can you do a good review of a bear cannister without having it attacked by bears? I’m way ahead of you.

While camping this summer by Lake Colden in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks my BearVaults were put to the test. For those who don’t know, this area is notorious for its black bears. We placed our BearVaults a fair distance from our camp site. In the middle of the night I woke up to hear smashing sounds coming from the direction of our vaults. Thuds came from the vaults smashing into the soil. Loud bangs from the vaults hitting each other and hitting the fallen trees that we had placed them beside. For a good hour these sounds drifted over to our campsite. Then they stopped. In the morning I found the BearVaults 10-15 feet from where I had left them. They were dirty, one had a small scratch on it, but other wise they were intact and the food within in them untouched. …

silverorange stuff – BearVault Bear Canister Review

Fisher_BearVault

audiocast – Wildebeat – The Story of Bear Cans, part 2

Calipidder posted a terrific comparative review of all the available systems.

(via Two-Heel Drive)

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do you understand Cap and Trade?

Not exactly hiking, but an important issue for all of us who want protection for the great outdoors.

Hank Green, the EcoGeek explains Cap and Trade in 3:30sec.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

( via Treehugger – Cap and Trade Explained in Under Four Minutes (Video)

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Best hiking gear brands: Tom’s faves

Always a hot topic with hikers.

Tom Mangan got the raves flying the other day:

Who do I like? Vasque and Keen for shoes/boots. Gregory Mountain Products for backpacks. REI for backpacking tents. Columbia for pants. Wigwam for socks. MSR for stoves. …

Click through and read the details. Especially the COMMENTS on Two-Heel Drive – Best hiking gear brands: my faves

My current multi-day hiking gear is posted here – best hike editor – gear 2007. Little has changed since then.

I’ve switched to the new Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress.

I like MSR, Granite Gear, JetBoil … but am not loyal to particular brands, in general.

Granite-Gear

My favourite gear shop is Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. MEC is like REI in the States … only much better.

If you own children you might want to check out Outside San Diego’s Kids Gear in the Outdoors post.

It was inspired by: Kids and the Outdoors: 10 Tips from the Gear Junkie on REI.

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Canadian National Park fees frozen


I’ve long complained that Parks Canada Fees are too high.

Some good news:

National park gate fees … are being frozen in a bid to entice cash-strapped Canadians to visit more often.

A two-year fee freeze at national parks and historic sites, described as”some of the most magnificent and fascinating places to visit in the world,” was announced Saturday by Environment Minister Jim Prentice.

“In this time of global economic recession, our government is doing what it can to encourage Canadians to enjoy these places,” said Prentice. “For many families, every dollar counts.” …

Individual rates for 2008 will stay in place until April 1, 2011. For the travel trade, the 2009 rates now in effect will be frozen until April 1, 2012.

“This important economic decision will help make Canada’s best vacation destinations more affordable to Canadians, and will help make our parks more attractive worldwide,” Prentice said. …

The move comes in time for the unveiling of Parks Canada’s new national advertising campaign, designed to encourage Canadians to plan vacations to visit parks and sites. …

Calgary Herald

kids-on-glacier
jocorvera/PINDUTERO – The Columbia Icefield – larger version

Annual Pass entry to 27 participating National Parks

Adult – $67.70
Senior – $57.90
Youth – $33.30
Family/Group – $136.40

National Parks of Canada

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best hiking clothing system

Frank in Oz is an expert Australian hiker. He’s co-author, with wife Sue, of Hiking the Overland Track – the downloadable book.

Frank wears mostly Mountain Designs togs. That’s an Aussie company, their gear not easily available in North America.

For warm weather:

hiking_clothing

For a particularly foul, wet adventure in Tasmania:

hiking_clothing_warm

Click through to Frank’s excellent site for much, much more:

Our Hiking Blog – Best hiking clothes for a multi day hike – ideas, tips and suggestions

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Ray’s recommended hikes

Ray Richardson from Phoenix took the time to send us some of his best hikes not yet added to our list of the best hikes in North Ameria.

Thanks Ray.

USA SOUTHWEST:
Havasupai
Rainbow Bridge
Escalante Route
Peralta Trail
West Fork of Oak Creek
West Clear Creek

USA ROCKY MOUNTAINS:
Chicago Basin
Mogollon Baldy

I’ve started by researching the Havasupai Trail. It leads to Navajo Falls, Havasupai Falls and Mooney Falls.

WOW.

Looks great. But I hear it’s a bit touristy.

Waterfall
The Adventure Life – much bigger version of Havasupai (Havasu) Falls

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hiking in New Zealand

We named New Zealand the best hiking region in the World.

When researching where to tramp Down Under, start with our list of the best hikes in Australasia.

Next, browse the excellent New Zealand Tramper website.

tramper-new-zealand-coastline

It’s sprawling, chock full of information. Use the SEARCH function on specific topics. For example, Stewart Island Kiwi.

You don’t need to be a member to use the main site.

kiwi
Kiwi photo source

Check it out – New Zealand Tramper – home page

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Coast to Coast Walk: St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay

I don’t know much about this adventure. But the weather is a worry.

coasttocoast-map
map source

… The walk from St Bees Head in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay on Yorkshire’s east coast is now one of the most popular long-distance walks in Britain. At 178 miles (300km) long, the trail can be easily walked within a two-week holiday period. The route is based on permitted rights of way and minimises the amount of road walking. …

marsh-guidebook

A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay by Terry Marsh – Amazon

Consider also the Wainwrights pictorial guide and Stedman’s guidebook.

Walking Englishman – trip report

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is the Ursack truly bear proof?

I’ve been considering the Ursack system for protecting food from bears.

above_tree-ursack
more photos

Those who try Ursack seem to like the product. But it’s not currently approved for use in the Sierras.

I currently use a 2 lb 9oz Bear Vault. It’s great.

bear-vault-bv500
details – Amazon

… On the other hand, the Ursack V27 that holds almost as much food weighs only 7.5oz. (Recommended is to use a small Brillo pad squeezed under the opening to protect your yummies from mice and insects.)

Calipidder posted a terrific comparative review of all the available systems.

(via Two-Heel Drive)