besthike.com

November 17, 2008

how to hike The Wave

It’s a real pain getting a permit to hike one of the most spectacular geological features in the world.

Some go to EXTREME measures:

… seeing The Wave on a whim is not easy. To maintain the pristine sandstorm formation and prevent overcrowding, The Arizona Bureau of Land Management allows only twenty people access to The Wave per day. The Bureau allows reservations for ten of the slots four months in advance through its website, but the other ten are given out by lottery at 9:00 AM Mountain Time on the morning before the day of the hike. Since we had decided at the last minute to visit The Wave, we had no choice but to try our luck at the lottery, but we knew our long drive would not be able to get us to the Paria Ranger Station in Utah in time. To deal with this problem, we posted an ad on Craigslist before we left and hired a St. George college student to attend the lottery and obtain our permits for us. …

Hank Leukart did manage to visit The Wave on this trip. (I’m not sure exactly how.)

Read his trip report on Without Baggage for the details – The travel gods generously deliver orange, alien taffy.

We’ve linked to this trip report from the besthike Information page for The Wave.

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Does getting a permit sound like too much hassle?

Hire someone to get it for you.

Ray Hendricks is an owner/operator of Just Roughin’ It Adventure Company.

They are an authorized hiking and backpacking guide service for the Grand Canyon National Park as well as the Paria Canyon/ Verimillion Cliffs Area which includes the Wave.

Their Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) numbers for the Grand Canyon are 5600-1007 for Backpacking and 5600-1006 for Day Hiking. For the Paria Canyon/ Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, our Special Recreation Permit (SRP) # is AZ-120-2008-032.

If you want a guided hike, check out JustRoughinIt.com.

November 17, 2008

superb West Coast Trail trip report

Photographer Hank Leukart penned one of the best trip reports I’ve yet seen on our #1 hike in the world …

WEST COAST TRAIL, Vancouver Island, British Columbia â€” After our extraordinary Alaskan backpacking experience this past August, my brother and I had become addicted. For months following the excursion, we daydreamed, researched, and gushed about the possibilities for our next adventure. We considered a number of tempting options, including a Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim hike, a journey along the pristine Lost Coast of California, and even a long trek through remote Patagonia. But then, we read about the Graveyard of the Pacific. …

… When we arrived at the trailhead, Parks Canada gave us and the rest of the “West Coast Trail Class of June 2, 2008” a short presentation about the hike’s dangers. We were warned to use tide tables to time our coastal hiking and avoid being trapped by dangerous swells; we learned that if a helicopter flew overhead dropping tsunami warnings in bottles (seriously!), we would need to immediately drop our backpacks and sprint up towering ladder networks to avoid being swallowed by the sea; we were told to use the cable cars whenever possible to perform river crossings, which made us laugh due to “our extensive river crossing experience”; and we were urged, once again, never to run from a bear (or a wolf or a cougar).

After the park ranger sufficiently scared us, she sold us our trail permits. We donned our 50-pound backpacks (we were arguably overprepared for this trip, with more than two extra days of food and of course, the requisite board games we always take on backpacking trips) and stepped onto the ferry that took us to the beginning of our adventure. …

read the rest on Without Baggage – Brothers tackle dangerous surge channels on the West Coast Trail.

The annotated photos are spectacular!

West Coast Trail: Days 1 – 3 Photography.
West Coast Trail: Days 4 – 5 Photography.
West Coast Trail: Days 6 – 8 Photography.

Congratulations to Hank and his brother. That was some adventure!

I instantly subscribed to Without Baggage. And recommend you do too.

November 17, 2008

hiking Paria Canyon solo

Benjamin Burner stumbled accidentally on to one of the best hikes in the world, Paria Canyon on the Arizona – Utah border. Itâ€™s the best slot canyon hike anywhere.

His photos are excellent. His trip report philosophic:

Advantages of Traveling Alone

Flexibility. This is a nice euphemism for selfishness. Going solo means you set your own pace, your own agenda, meal plan, lodging arrangements etc. In day to day life I find I constantly interact with people who I must accommodate. I need a vacation from this as much as anything.

Nature. With nature as my sole companion I am free from the distractions of society. I find I experience the beauty and purity of nature not as a spectator but as a participant.

Solitude. It is often only through solitude that I truly know myself. I find these times of solitude necessary for deep introspection.

Independence. I have been blessed with a few great friends who have always been there for me, but I believe it is important for me to survive on my own from time to time. As a man, I use this independence to take risks, test my strength, and assert my silly inner boy. However, regardless of your sex or what independence means to you, I believe the confidence gained from this independence is vital in shaping us and who we will be around others.

Spiritual Growth. Perhaps it is partly because I am religious, but I often feel the presence of god more keenly when I am alone in the wilderness. God speaks to me through the mountains and the trees, and sometimes I only hear it when I am alone and free from distractions.

Read the rest of the post on Burner Photography – Traveling Alone through the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Besthike information page – PARIA CANYON

November 16, 2008

The Great Eastern Trail

From Section Hiker:

I love the Appalachian Trail, but on weekends and in the summer time, it can feel really crowded.

In fact, the ATC estimates that 4 million people hike on the AT each year, and a lot of their trail maintenance and stewardship efforts go toward mitigating their impact on the surrounding environment and other visitorsâ€™ experiences. Repairing overuse damage, building privies, and adding more campsites is necessary to contain an ever increasing number of visitors each year.

So when I learned about the Great Eastern Trail (GET), I was intrigued. Itâ€™s a new 2000 mile, long distance trail that will lie west of the AT and pass through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virgina, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York, linking the Florida Trail to the North Country Trail. …

larger version

click through for more information on this terrific under construction thru hiking adventure – The Great Eastern Trail

It will (eventually) link the Florida National Scenic Trail in the south to the North Country National Scenic Trail in New York.

November 15, 2008

TOP 7 THOUSAND-MILE TREKS

A headline in ALL CAPS ??

Am I CRAZY !!

A list this over-the-top deserves them.

Adventure Journey â€” The Extreme Traveler’s Handbook â€” makes 7 bold picks … DESERVING OF ALL CAPS.

7) Heysen Trail – Cape Jervis to the Parachilna Gorge, South Australia
6) Pacific Northwest Trail – Cape Alava, WA to Glacier National Park
5) Tarifa, Spain to the border of Switzerland
4) Nouakchott, Mauritania to Timbukto, Mali
3) San Carlos de Bariloche to Rio Gallegos, Argentina
2) Jammu > Srinagar > Leh > Shimla, India
1) North-south full traverse of Madagascar

details – TOP 7 THOUSAND-MILE TREKS

Actually, I am quite impressed with their list. It’s gutsy and informed. That walk in Argentina would be FANTASTIC.

I’d like to subscribe to Adventure Journey … but ~~they have no RSS feed~~. Ah ha, Google Reader could not discover an RSS feed … BUT, it’s right there on the top of the page. (if I had only looked.)

Thanks MadMardigan.

November 15, 2008

Survivorman – publish, not perish

… how do you like that headline, Tom?

From the sun-scorched sands of the Kalahari to the snake-infested jungles of the Amazon, Les Stroud has survived it all. Now, the creator, producer, and host of the hit television show Survivorman shares his field-tested expertise and gives you a no-nonsense look at the real world of survival. …

Survivorman.ca

Now he’s an author. I’m adding his new book to my Christmas wish list:

Survive!: Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere – Alive

I’ll add my thanks to the many others who love the reality TV show that Les Stroud did SOLO for three season. That’s impressive.

The first two seasons are available on DVD:

Survivorman

Survivorman: Collection 2

(via The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog)

November 15, 2008

Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca, Peru

When I was there, I was immensely reminded of the Mediterranean.

I’m thinking of South America now as it’s Spring in Patagonia.

Lake Titicaca south of Yampupata

Gorgeous.

The best trip report is found on Photodiary of a Nomad:

Our walk started from the Hostal Imperio del Sol, our accommodation on the island with views across the Isla de la Luna to the snow-capped 6000m plus mountains of the Cordillera Real. This magnificent range, crowned by the 6429m peak of Cerro Jankhouma, was a constant companion on our wanderings up and down the island. …

read more – Lake Titicaca and the Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol is one of our best hikes in South America.

November 14, 2008

America’s 10 Most Dangerous Hikes

New on Backpacker:

From a slippery Sierra catwalk to a treacherous Hawaiian paradise, we name the country’s 10 most hazardous hikes.

The Maze, UT

Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, AZ

Barr Trail, Pikes Peak, CO

Mt. Washington, NH

Muir Snowfield, Mt. Rainier, WA

Huckleberry Mtn., Apgar Range, MT

Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HI

Buckskin Gulch, UT

Abrams Falls, Great Smoky Mtns., TN

Mist Trail, Half Dome, CA

America’s 10 Most Dangerous Hikes

Buckskin Gulch looked very dangerous, I thought, when I took a sidetrip hike part way in from Paria Canyon. No one has yet died there, though.

The Maze really appeals to me. But rather than do the long, difficult drive to get there … I’m thinking of rafting across the river from the Needles. (I’m not sure that’s actually allowed.)

The Maze is huge and sprawling. It would be difficult to see many of the rarely visited arches in one trip.

Tibbett Arch – NaturalArches.org

November 14, 2008

hiking the GalÃ¡pagos Islands

The GalÃ¡pagos is a protected enclave.

Right?

Actually, 40,000 people live there!

Some of those were lucky enough to join in on a trek to Sierra Negra crater on Isabela Island, the largest of the chain.

From a trip report by Ruth Holliday:

… Looming over the island is Sierra Negra, a vast and active crater volcano. Its last eruption in 2005 churned out enough ash and lava to threaten several species of giant tortoise, not known for their powers of speedy escape.

I am one of 12 volunteers living in this uncanny and exquisite setting. We are mostly British, share a single house and divide into two groups â€“ one helping at the island’s tortoise sanctuary and the other teaching basic English at a local school.

Together, we decide to tackle the trek to the crater. …

Telegraph – The grown-up gapper: trekking the Sierra Negra crater

larger version – flickr – massulo

The caldera of Sierra Negra has a diameter of 10 kilometers and is one of the largest in the world. The crater walls and bottom are covered by low growing plants and only a few small animals inhabit this environment.

more interesting Sierra Negra photos on flickr

November 13, 2008

5 best day hikes in the Alps

As selected by Greg Witt, adventure guide. He is the author of The Rough Guide to Ultimate Adventures 1 .

His adventure travel company, Alpenwild, specializes in hiking, trekking, and photographic adventures in the Alps.

1. HÃ¶henweg HÃ¶hbalmen

Where: Zermatt Length: 11miles/18km Duration: 5-7 hours Zermatt is touristy, to be sure, but within five minutes of the center of town youâ€™re already leaving wildflower-spangled meadows to ascend through larch forests. …

2. Riffelsee to Sunnegga

Where: Zermatt Length: 8 miles/13km Duration: 3-5 hours Once again, the Matterhorn is the showstopper here, but you access the postcard views quickly by taking the cog-wheeled Gornergrat train to Riffelsee, where youâ€™ll have mirror-reflections of the Matterhorn in the small glacial lakes. …

3. Lac de Louvie

Where: Verbier Length: 9 miles/15km Duration: 6-8 hours Make a quick escape from the ski-resort bustle of Verbier by taking the gondola to Les Ruinettes and continuing on a short stroll to the Cabane du Mont Fort for views of the Mont Blanc massif. …

4. The Faulhornweg

Where: Grindelwald (Jungfrau) Length: 9 miles/15km Duration: 6-8 hours For high-level panoramic views of the Jungfrau, the Faulhornweg is a hikerâ€™s dream. …

5. MÃ¼rren

Where: Lauterbrunnen (Jungfrau) Length: 6 miles/10km Duration: 3-4 hours The Lauterbrunnental is the worldâ€™s largest glacial valley (itâ€™s hard to imagine someplace that outshines Yosemite) and itâ€™s ringed by 72 waterfalls, including some of the highest in Europe.

read more – Adventure Travel – About.com