besthike.com

January 17, 2008

guided hikes in Israel

Israel Hiking offers guided walks “stressing landscapes, nature and historic sites.”

Sounds like a great way to visit the Holy Land.

… Israel is not a big country, but the range of landscapes is diverse. You can experience steep mountains, the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee, the Judean Desert, the Arava and the Negev, and of course, Jerusalem. The stories of the bible and the antiquities from various periods can be seen wherever you go. We will do our utmost to produce a trip filled with experiences that you will talk about long after you return home. …

Our guides are English speakers, who are certified guides and have experience in the regions of the trip. If you are interested in a tour in a language other than English, we will make every effort to find a guide who speaks the language and masters the professional terms so that you will be able to enjoy the trip.

About

I greatly enjoyed hiking in the Sinai and even more so in Jordan. But I’ve never been to Israel myself.

The first trip that jumps out at me is a 7-day section of the much longer Israel National Trail:

From Tel Hay to Meron on the The Israel National Trail crosses Israel from the very north to Eilat through the Countryâ€˜s principal, most beautiful sites. …

The hike ends at the Amoud River as it approaches Lake Kinnereth. From there, we will travel by car to the youth hostel on Lake Kinnereth.

The difficulty level of the hike on the Israel National Trail is medium. …

Full price: 600 Euro. See the map.

Makhtesh Ramon (Ramon Crater) – Wikipedia

Other more difficult treks that appeal are Ramon Crater to the Arava valley and the Eilat Hike from Timnah.

I assume security is not much of an issue when hiking in Israel. But it might be a good idea for a first time visitor to go with experts and learn the ropes.

homepage –hikes and trecks in israel

Leave a message if you know more about hiking in Israel.

January 16, 2008

new danger in the woods: Electric Bear Fence

Does Rocky Thompson make this stuff up?

(This can’t be for real.)

On his blog:

… Try to remember thereâ€™s an electrified fence right outside your tent when you get up in the middle of the night to take a piss. If a can of Bear Spray doesnâ€™t offer the protection youâ€™re looking for, then you might try lugging some fencing and batteries into the backcountry. The Bear Shock outfit weighs 3.7 pounds with batteries, and stretches around a 30 x 30ft area.

The website claims the batteries will last five weeks and blast someone with 6000 volts of electricity if touched. I say â€œsomeoneâ€ and not â€œsome bearâ€ since itâ€™s much more likely youâ€™ll walk into it than anything else.

Backcountry.com: The Goat Â» Blog Archive Â» Portable Electric Bear Fence to Encircle Your Campsite

more photos – Bear Shock

January 16, 2008

Prevent Ankle Sprains on the Trail

My chronic ankle sprain has not hindered in years, but I’m considering specific trail running shoes in future.

From the Sierra Trading Post blog:

An Ounce (or Two) of Prevention

So hereâ€™s the damage control. If you have a weak or dysfunctional ankle, you can reduce the likelihood of injury, and re-injury, by taping, bracing, stretching and strengthening the joint in question. If youâ€™re planning on taping your ankles, see a physical therapist or an athletic trainer who can show you how.

Ankle braces are easily found in your local drug store and can effectively fortify vulnerable joints.

Another ankle-saving consideration is in selecting the proper shoes. Jason McGrath, USATF Level 2 Track Coach, decorated ultra trail runner, and shoe expert suggests trail-specific shoes that are neutral and low to the ground. Most running shoes suitable for pavement are well cushioned; however, a thick midsole means that your feet are farther from the ground, causing less stability and increasing the probability of rolling an ankle. McGrath also warns strongly wearing â€œstabilityâ€ shoes, common on the road-shoe market. These shoes contain medial posting, or a separate material lining the instep that prevents overpronation of the foot. When running on uneven terrain these shoes place more stress on the physiologically weaker lateral (outside) portion of the ankle, making it more likely to roll. In the meantime, you will also want to add ankle strength and flexibility exercises to your workout regimen.

Trailrunner Mag: Prevent Ankle Sprains on the Trail

January 15, 2008

scramble Shop Creek slot canyon – Arkansas

Just subscribed to an excellent blog:

A Little Closer to Heaven

One trip was inspired by this photo:

… A slot canyon in Arkansas?

Thatâ€™s what I thought too until I came across this beautiful picture taken by Tim Ernst a few months back. I had to know where it was and check it out for myself. So I shot Tim Ernst an email askingâ€¦and to my surpriseâ€¦he answered! I immediately called one of my friends up and told him we have to give this place a visit.

It was an awesome place indeed. It starts as a typical creek bed in the woods and after following the creek about half a mile, narrow canyon walls just appear almost like a doorway. We headed into it amidst the horrible smell of a rotting carcass of some animal who probably fell in (most likely an armadillo, those things are so stupid). What we found was something that belongs in Utah or Arizona. But itâ€™s notâ€¦itâ€™s in the middle of the Ozarks. …

Read the rest of this post and click through some of the others – A Little Closer To Heaven Â» Amazing Destinations: Shop Creek Slot Canyon. You will be impressed.

January 14, 2008

revealed – besthike editor LOVES desert off-road vehicles

by Rick McCharles

I was critical of off-road enthusiasts out of Moab, Utah. Clearly they do a lot of damage to the environment.

But I’ve driven off-road myself in Huacachina, Peru. In the highest sand dunes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube:

That’s not me in the video. But we did exactly the same things there as do all tourists.

It was fantastic fun.

But there is a difference. Those vehicles do very little damage to the dunes or to the plant and animal life of the dunes. Next morning after a windy night, you’d never know a human had been there.

I still want to restrict off-road vehicles in the deserts of the SW USA.

besthike editor Rick McCharles

Huacachina, Peru – Wikipedia

(via Think or Thwim)

January 13, 2008

best hiking blog published in French

Vincent edits an excellent, classy hiking blog, publishing in French. It’s called Journal du Trek.

I used Google Translate to read it, and the result is surprisingly good:

For those who like walking, trekking, hiking equipment, shipments to all destinations, travel agencies and the news of the outdoor.

I’ve subscribed in French and will translate just those posts I want to read.

Merci, Vincent!

(The language translation is not much of a problem, but the partial RSS feed is a barrier for this subscriber. I like full feeds.)

January 12, 2008

Mt Lafayette, NH – Bridle Path Loop

At besthike we are western snobs. No doubt about it.

But there really are fantastic hikes east of the Rocky Mountains. For example:

Where: Bridle Loop Path, Mount Lafayette, New Hampshire

What: The nine-mile Bridle Path Loop in New Hampshireâ€™s White Mountains takes in two of the stateâ€™s tallest peaks, Lafayette and Lincoln. I love this particular trail because it rewards you with all the best elements of hiking in the Northeast: an extended traverse along an exposed ridge, a series of roaring waterfalls, and breathtaking views of the Presidentials and Pemigewasset Wilderness all the way to Mount Washington.

…

Hereâ€™s how I described it in the September 2006 edition of my American Adventurer column: â€œThe trail climbs, steeply and steadily, over exposed rocks and up through a forest of beech, birch, and maple to the knifeâ€™s edge of rocks and windswept ledges that is Franconia Ridge â€¦ There you stand, a mile high, with the world spread before you and nothing between you and the next peak but a narrow, undulating ridge. The next mile and a half is all ups and downs, all jagged rocks and tumbled boulders, with every step of the way punctuated by loose rubble, patches of dwarf pines, and vast stretches of hardy alpine scrub.â€

If that doesnâ€™t sound like fun, I donâ€™t know what does. I love hiking!

The Tuesday Traveler # 5: Mount Lafayette, New Hamphire Â« chapter11studios.com

January 11, 2008

The Ordinary Adventurer – recommended hiking book

A review by Jeffrey Hunter convinced me to add a book to my “to read in 2008” list.

Let me start by saying that The Ordinary Adventurer” Hiking Vermont’s Long Trail; A Primer for Baby Adventurers and Other Musings on the Nature of Journey, is no ordinary book. It is a gem!

What makes this book such a fun read is Jan’s ability to capture the subtleties of the hiking experience. As an experienced backpacker, I could totally relate to the mental aspect of Jan’s hike. The frustration that can arise from poor weather, a stiff climb, or from a recalcitrant hiking partner (sorry Clyde). The splendor of being alone in the woods, lost in your thoughts, or listening to the ethereal song of the Hermit Thrush. The joy felt when the sun emerges from behind a cloud, or when a stranger offers you a cold beverage or a much needed ride to town. The satisfaction from realizing that you have accomplished a goal, such as climbing Mt. Mansfield, even though that goal seemed insurmountable only hours earlier.

…

When I finished the book last night, I was saddened to put it down.

Click through to see purchase information:

The Ordinary Adventurer

January 10, 2008

Edmund Hillary dead at 88

Farewell Sir Edmund.

You’ve been a great inspiration to us all.

When I lived in New Zealand we visited a museum housing all of his original mountaineering gear from 1953. He had kept it in his basement for decades.

Those men were tough.

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE (20 July 1919 â€“ 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. On 29 May 1953, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. …

profile piece – Everest legend Edmund Hillary dies – CNN.com