besthike.com

December 10, 2007

gear – Down vs. Synthetic Guide

You know the Sierra Trading Post (love that retro name) as a good supplier of overstock and closeout outdoor gear. They also post information for hikers. For example: Down vs. Synthetic Guide

Quick Guide to Down

Pros

* Is warmer than synthetic insulation ounce for ounce. …
* Retains its shape and loft and, with proper care, can last a lifetime. …
* Wicks body moisture and allows it to evaporate. …
* Is highly compressible and lightweight. …

Cons

* Loses its insulating properties when wet and is slow to dry. …
* Requires special cleaning. …
* May contain allergens. …
* Costs a pretty penny. …

If you, like me, are already decided on the Down vs Synthetic issue (buy the highest fill down you can afford) it’s still well worth checking out something new:

I saw that article linked from the very attractive Sierra Trading Post blog. We’ve linked to their blog under BLOGS in the right hand navigation as it includes much more than the usual buy-my-latest-greatest-gear promos. (e.g. Writer Raises Wild-Born Coyote in Wyoming)

December 10, 2007

gift idea: American Hiking Society Membership

Consider giving a fellow hiker or backpacker a gift membership in the American Hiking Society. A $30, one-year membership includes subscriptions to American Hiker and Backpacker magazines, along with other member benefits.

Holiday Gift Idea: American Hiking Society Membership – Trailspace.com

That’s the basic individual membership. There are many other options.

December 10, 2007

Banff Festivals – good not great

After 5-days at the Banff Mountain Festivals 2007, here’s my FINAL review:

This was my first trip to Banff for the festivals.

THE GOOD:

bringing together so many outdoors enthusiasts

Banff and the Rocky Mountains

food available on site

sponsors, especially National Geographic and New Balance

“reading rooms” for previewing the books

TV monitors showing the performances for those without tickets

no bottled water on site (reduced environmental impact)

enthusiastic volunteers

=====

THE BAD:

Banff Centre is a surprisingly poor venue

events are widely scattered across campus

trade show spaces too small and scattered

theatres are not great

confusing website

confusing schedule of events

Small gripe: I could walk in and out of movies when I wanted. Except Sunday morning when suddenly I was not allowed in after the first movie had started.

My biggest complaint, though, is too much focus on mountaineering at the expense of all other Mountain activities. If you are not interested in climbing, don’t bother coming. That’s the message I get, as a hiker.

That’s amusing since the Canadian Rockies are infamous for dangerous rock climbing. The infamous “rotten Rockies”. Most of the world’s best climbers don’t come here â€” except for a holiday at the Banff Festival.

For Books, 2007 was not a banner year. The movies were better, I thought.

I’m not sure the Banff Centre could ever host a great festival. The venue is limited.

My advice is that you attend, instead, the superb World Tour. Or the Radical Reels tour. Check out the award winning books and award winning movies on-line. No need to spend the time and money to come to Banff.

The Kendal Mountain Festivals in the UK looks better to me at first glance.

Ask anyone else who travelled to Banff, you’ll get a more positive review, I think. I may be too critical.

Banff Mountain Festivals 2007 – official website

December 9, 2007

top Western American BLM hikes

American Hiking Society posted a list of under appreciated hikes. Under appreciated because they are not in “Parks”, but are regulated by the Bureau of Land Management.

Many BLM lands are unique and wild, offering exceptional views, few people, and a rare opportunity to experience the “wild west” in the same way the pioneers did hundreds of years ago. But, because many of these fantastic landscapes aren’t very well known, it’s hard to find information about exceptional hikes on BLM lands. To encourage people to enjoy and steward trails on BLM lands, American Hiking Society launched a search in summer 2007 for the “Best BLM Hikes” in the west.

Winning hikes feature midnight sun, knee-deep wildflowers, petroglyphs and the opportunity to experience traditional western lifestyles. Best yet, most of these hikes are part of a new system of BLM lands known as the National Landscape Conservation System â€“ 26 million acres of the best places to experience the history and wild beauty of the west.

Learn more about American Hiking’s work to protect and promote the Conservation System.

… some of the hidden treasures of the west.

Hike: Virgin Peak Hike (Nevada)

Hike: Continental Divide Trail

Hike: Cow Creek Wilderness Hike (Montana)

Hike: Little Blitzen Gorge Hike (Oregon)

Hike: Fisher Towers Hike (Utah)

Hike: Lost Coast Trail (California)

Hike: Kingston Range Wilderness Hike (California)

Hike: Lovell Canyon, AKA “Anniversary Narrows” (Nevada)

Hike: Calico Tank Hike (Nevada)

Hike: White Rock Loop Hike (Nevada)

Hike: Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail (Alaska)

Hike: Paria Canyon (Arizona, Utah)

Hike: Mill Creek Canyon Trail (Utah)

Hike: Main Wash Hike (Nevada)

American Hiking Society

Only those in bold are specifically included on our list of the best hikes in North America. I’ve got some research to do on the others.

(via Two-Heel Drive)

Coyote Gulch

Bonus BLM hike courtesy of the Gambolin Man:

Hike: Harris Wash / Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch / Escalante River (Utah)

December 8, 2007

discover new Hiking Blogs

Jamie hosts a very neat database of hiking blogs:

I set up this blog as a unique way to browse through and discover new hiking, backpacking, trail running, and trekking related blogs. You can rate the quality of each blog listed on this site. The top 20 rated blogs are listed under the Top 20 Category.

Hiking Blogs

Yours is a resource we will use often. The geographical categories are brilliant. Thanks Jamie.

We’ve subscribed. And added a link to Hiking blogs under BLOGS in the right hand navigation. And started browsing and rating your many sites.

(via Aushiker)

December 8, 2007

toughest long distance walk in the British Isles

So says the Ramblers Association.

Cape Wrath Trail is a hiking route that runs through the Scottish Highlands and along the west coast of Scotland.

It is approximately 200 miles in length and is considered to be one of the most challenging long distance walks in the UK.

The trek gained prominence via a 1996 book by Dave Paterson entitled The Cape Wrath Trail. This was followed in 1999 by a separate publication (North to the Cape: A trek from Fort William to Cape Wrath) by Denis Brook and Phil Hinchliffe.

In both versions the trail begins in Fort William and ends at Cape Wrath lighthouse on the northwest tip of the Scottish mainland. It connects with the West Highland Way and parts of it also follow the Great Glen Way to Inverness.

These guidebooks estimate an experienced hiker should be able to traverse the entire route in less than 20 days. However the two sets of authors detail slightly different routes and stages for hikers to follow.

Officially the trail is not endorsed by Scottish Natural Heritage and it is not waymarked or signposted. Facilities along the trail are also minimal and it covers some of the remotest parts of mainland Britain. …

Cape Wrath Trail – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check a superb trip report by Colm Ennis.

North to the Cape (Cicerone Guide)

A Walk Through the Highlands of Scotland: DISCOVERING THE CAPE WRATH TRAIL. A JOURNEY OF 200 MILES FOLLOWING SCOTLANDS ANCIENT FOOTPATH FROM FORT WILLIAM TO CAPE WRATH

We’ve added Cape Wrath to our list of the best hikes in Europe.

December 7, 2007

hiking the Big O – Lake Okeechobee, Florida

I recall questioning Florida hiking guru Sandra Friend when she insisted we include Okeechobee on our list of the best hikes in North America.

Over 110mi long. Circling the second largest freshwater lake entirely inside the United States. It sounded a little … flat.

OK. I’m convinced after reading her recent trip report.

Why Sandra loves the Big O:

… Hiking this section of the Florida Trail introduced me to a part of Florida I previously knew little about, and to a lake Iâ€™d only ever seen in the distance from the dike at John Stretch Park. I watched anglers putter into the locks with a boatful of catfish, and duck hunters slide their fast boats past with nary a duck on board. I learned the rhythm of the sugar cane harvest, and could spot white pelicans soaring over the endless blue. I learned the calls of the blue-winged teal and the smooth-billed ani, and discovered that sandhill cranes like to hang out around lone cattle. And I discovered that I liked being away from the normal flow of life for nine days, rising before sunrise to catch the colorful morning glow from every conceivable angle. Sure, thereâ€™s no shade. And itâ€™s flat, except when you have to go down the dike. But itâ€™s a different take on Florida, a quiet refuge from the humming cities on either coastâ€”and youâ€™ll never lack for fresh water to filter. …

Read Sandra’s trip report – Florida Hikes! | The Best of Hiking in Florida | Hike, Day, Big, Lake, Trail

Florida Hikes is a quality site. Sandra a terrific writer.

The Big O is an ideal destination when most of the rest of the North American hikes are frozen.

Sandra has many Florida hiking guidebooks on Amazon.

December 7, 2007

Photo Contest Winners – National Wildlife Magazine

In case you missed seeing these photos linked via Two-Heel Drive, here’s another shout out.

THE SUBMISSIONS to the 37th annual photo contest were remarkable, not only for sheer volumeâ€”nearly 16,000 imagesâ€”but for geographic breadth. Our winning photographers hail from Texas, California, New York and Tennessee, among other states, but also from India, Poland and the United Kingdom.

One of the winning pics by Carol Goldstein

Reflection Lake in Alaskaâ€™s Denali National Park

Photo Contest Winners – National Wildlife Magazine

I finally got to Denali this past summer, but â€” as usual â€” the highest peak in North America was clouded over during my visit. So I must return.

December 6, 2007

National Geographic Photography Winners

When I saw the Adventure Blog had submitted photos to National Geographic, I thought … why not me too?

I’ll make a New Year’s Resolution to submit my best photos to contests in 2008.

If only I could come up with something like this contest winner:

About 10 years ago I saw a monkey in India admiring himself with a stolen hand mirror. But had no camera at the time.

National Geographic has announced the winners of this year’s photography contest and has begun displaying the winners and honorable mentions online. …

As you would expect, there are some stunning images here, each of which will be published in the January issue of National Geographic. Sadly, none of my entries made the cut, and after seeing some of these shots I can see why. Of course, with 148,203 photos entered, I can’t imagine trying to whittle it down to these few. It must have been an incredibly tough job. …

The Adventure Blog: National Geographic Announce Photography Winners