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Mountain Hardware Scrambler day pack

I’m giving a mixed review to my new $55 day pack:

Weighing only 10 ounces, the ultra-lightweight Mountain Hardwear Scrambler is the perfect approach bag to stash in your pack. Ergonomic S-curve shoulder straps and a removable EVA back panel make the Scrambler comfortable for peak ascents and long day hikes.

Details

* Removable EVA pack panel adds structure to the pack …
* Self-healing, silicon-coated 100D Cordura …
* Front bungee web for external storage and load compression …
* Top access with draw cord closure
* Doubles as sleeping bag stuff sack

scrambler.jpg

larger image and details on WinterFix

Pros: Weight, size, appearance. I really like the look. (Mine is black.)

For day hiking, actually, it is perfect for me. But for trail running or scrambling, it is too unstable without a hip belt. While running, anything near the top of the pack shifts left and right too much. The straps loosen too easily under vibration. And the position of adjustment buckles rub against my biceps at times.

Other reviews: Trailspace

Durability is a real question mark. It may not last long if I use if I continue to use it for trail running.

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Kaapoko tunnel hike, Kauai, Hawaii

A local recommended an excellent, unique — but extreme — hiking adventure:

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Get used to the mud. Most of the time, it’s easier just to go right through the middle while looking for submerged rocks and logs. If you do have hiking boots, it’s best to avoid overtopping them.

Maybe too extreme, or too dirty, for me.

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What’s reassuring is that the 0.9 mile-long (1.5 km) tunnel is perfectly straight and you can see the light at the other end the whole way. It takes 20-30 minutes to reach that light. When you get there it is like a door onto another world.

details: Kaapoko Tunnel Hike (part 1) – A Kauai Blog

It’s called Secret Tunnel to the North Shore in the The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook

There are actually a second. And a third tunnel. Rarely visited. Difficult to find.

details: Kaapoko Tunnel Hike (part 2)

Thanks to Andy Kass for posting these trip reports.

I think I’ll go lie on the beach instead.

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best hike south coast Kauai, Hawaii

The Maha’ulepu Coast.

haula_beach.jpgAs the last accessible undeveloped coastline on the south shore of Kauai, Maha`ulepu is a quiet retreat, a place to get away from the crowds at popular resort beaches. …

The area is also a remote retreat for resident and visitor alike to be awed and inspired by its beauty and rich past. The scenic splendor of Maha`ulepu, natural and undeveloped, includes majestic Ha`upu Mountain over-looking the fertile valley, the dramatic coastal headlands, the intimate bays and long sandy beaches. …

Best Places Hawaii

We spent 2 days exploring, hiking and trail running the Maha’ulepu Coast with and without kids. Fantastic!

We started here, only steps away from a luxury resort:

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The coastline is endlessly fascinating, but slightly dangerous. You would not want to fall on the jagged lava.

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The biggest highlight was seeing two rare monk seals close up. They love to lounge and sleep on the beach — just like obese tourists.

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The hike ends here:

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Unless you ignore these signs, as local fishermen do.

Browse about 70 photos on flickr to see more of the Maha’ulepu Coast.

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Forbes Traveler – best day hikes USA

Several of my favourite bloggers picked up on a story in Forbes Traveler magazine.

It’s not comprehensive review, rather a few picks from well respected experts. (Those in bold are also on our list of best hikes in North America. )

  • Mt. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine
  • Kennecott District, Wrangell St Elias National Park, Alaska
  • Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples, Florida
  • Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia

  • Lost Coast, King Range National Conservation Area, Northern California
  • Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
  • Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness, White River National Forest, Colorado (info)
  • Mt. St Helens, Oregon
  • Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kaua’i, Hawaii
  • Coyote Gulch, Escalante Subdistrict, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah

    • details with photos – Spectacular Day Hikes – Jon Brooks – Forbes Traveler

    The wildlife at Corkscrew Swamp, choice of Jeffrey Hunter of the American Hiking Society, looks fascinating.

    limpkin.jpg
    Limpkin (Aragua itis — Family: Aramidae) – original – flickr – leppyone

    more interesting photos of the swamp on flickr

    I’m hiking the Na Pali Coast myself this week.

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    Queen Charlotte Track, New Zealand

    Love in a Tent loved the QCT, posting a detailed trip report:

    … We randomly decided to spend 4 days doing the 3-5 day trip, without having first checked on details like, say, the distance. So we were a little surprised to see that it was 71km long – that’s longer than our 5-day trek on the St. James Walkway! In order to complete it in 4 days, we would have to walk an average of 18km per day. That’s pretty far for us, with full packs on. But we figured it must be such easy terrain that it wouldn’t be a problem. …

    There are five Dept. of Conservation campsites along the track (no huts though), and a few private ones. The track is very popular because there are also a range of other accommodation options, ranging from budget hostels to fancy resorts. So lots of people stay in comfortable rooms with hot showers and restaurant meals while they experience the walkway. One of the other convenient features of the track is that you can arrange to have your pack (or suitcase I suppose) transferred to your next overnight stop by boat, so that you can walk with only a day pack. Both resort-stayers and campers tend to use this service, which makes walking longer distances easier and more pleasant.

    But being gluttons for punishment, we opted to carry our big, heavy packs the whole way. Why? Ostensibly so that we weren’t tied to any specific destination on a given day. But really, I can’t think of any good reason why we did it. If I did the track again, I’d certainly opt for the pack transfer service. It was the same price as the water taxi with no pack transfers, so why the hell not! …

    Love in a Tent

    love-in-a-tent-qct.jpg

    Author Peter Potterfield and local expert Ray Waters hiked it last November:

    … Most people take four days to do this impressive 71 kilometer route up the spine of the peninsula separating Queen Charlotte Sound from Kenepuru Sound, but if you make the long trek out to Punga Cove on day one you can do it in three long days, about 23 kilometers per day. A unique feature of the route is that it’s a bit like trekking in Nepal–you can do it with a day pack, while the boat, and not a yak or a porter, takes the rest of your gear onto the next stop. The light load makes the long days no problem. …

    New Zealand Hikes: The Queen Charlotte Track – Great Outdoors

    potterfield-qct.jpg

    This is a fantastic destination for all levels of experience.

    besthike.com information page – Queen Charlotte Track

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    best hikes in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

    Every time I get to Lost Wages, I spend at least one day at Red Rock. It’s only a few miles from the strip to 197,000 acres of beautiful desert wilderness.

    While most outdoors folk go for the bouldering, you can quickly access great hiking, as well.

    Branch Whitney posted his favourite hikes there:

    Easy Hikes

  • Calico Tank
  • Fern Canyon
  • Las Vegas Overlook

    • Moderate Hikes

  • Juniper Peak
  • Boot Boulder
  • Terrace Canyon

    • Advanced Hikes

  • Bridge Mtn via Ice Box Canyon
  • Mt. Wilson via Cleaver Crack
  • Rainbow Peak without the Ledges

    • It’s Prime Time for Red Rock Canyon! – Hiking Las Vegas blog

    rainbow_peak.jpg
    larger original

    That excellent website content is available to members only. But non-members can still read their blog in advance of a trip to Sin City.

    I am hoping to get there in April, myself.

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    trekking in southern Africa

    On The Adventure Blog, Kraig linked through to a terrific hiking site:

    south-africa-trek.jpg
    screenshot

    Click through to the interactive map on Adventure Zone. You will be impressed with the amount and detail of information on hiking in Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa available.

    My #1 destination in South Africa is the Drakensberg. But clearly there are many, many more great hikes.

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    dangerous spikes on the hiking trail

    There are manuals on “how to build trails”.

    I wish the guys who built Canyon Trail on Kauai, Hawaii had read one.

    Have you seen this “danger” on the hiking trail in the past?

    spike.jpg

    The spikes are used to hold the step logs in place. Works great … until the rains come.

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    Here the kids were simulating a “worst case scenario” injury.

    spike3.jpg

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    pedal across the Atlantic Ocean

    Shout out to my old friend Greg Kolodziejzyk.

    He made a fortune in the early days of the internet selling fonts to Adobe. Went on to more successful business ventures.

    But these days Greg’s passion is extreme adventure. He wants “To conquer the world by human power.”

    He has several sites including these two:

  • Adventures of Greg
  • Pedal the Ocean

    • Here’s a Discovery Channel interview describing Greg’s world record attempt to cross the Atlantic by pedal power.

    Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

    You’ll see he’s still in the testing phase of the home-made craft. Greg’s trip is scheduled to start in December this year, and is expected to take around 40 days.

    He’s considering alternative itineraries, including Canada to Hawaii. Since I’m enjoying the “Garden Isle” of Kaua’i so much right now — my vote is for Hawaii.

    Good luck buddy!

    about Greg Kolodziejzyk

    (via Straight to the Bar)