This time he’s down under hiking a new coastal route:
… I’ve warmed up for this long backcountry journey on two of Tasmania’s other famous East Coast routes, the Bay of Fires and the Freycinet Peninsula. What’s most amazing is how wildly different in character all three hikes have been. Now, nearing the end of my two week sojourn down here, I’m a little panicked about the prospect of having to leave. Tasmania is a phenomenal place to hike, uncrowded and aggressively scenic. Just as winter sets in for North America and Europe, hiking season is just beginning here. And even after a full couple of weeks on the trail, I feel I’ve only gotten my feet wet. …
Peter is editor of GreatOutdoors.com, and gives advice on how to hike Tasmania in his trip report:
Tom Mangan recommends a new book on the Pacific Crest Trail in his Mercury News review.
I’m intrigued by the 10-year-old Scrambler, Mary, youngest yet to complete the PCT.
… you may want to pick up “Zero Days” just to marvel at how a mom, dad and daughter avoid driving themselves batty after week upon week in the outdoors.
Among the book’s parenting lessons: Never forget your child is a child, but never let her think you’re treating her like one. Don’t hand her more than she can handle, but let her prove she can handle even more. …
Mother and father took extra care to keep her safe, but they also insisted Mary was a full partner in the team, pulling her weight with camp chores and even carrying extra weight when Barbara needed to lighten her load because of foot and leg pain.
By the time they got to Washington state, Mary was a seasoned trail veteran, joining the debates over which trail to take and which water supply to avoid. And, finally, her stern determination to finish the hike propelled her dad to find a safe route to the Canadian border when the high trails were snowed in.
“Zero Days” is a straightforward account full of outdoorsy details most relevant to those captivated by the idea of trekking the PCT, but there is a moral for the non-hiking masses: If you give your kids the opportunity to amaze you, generally they will.
At the Banff Mountain Festival I bumped in Chris Hopkins, a friend I hadn’t seen for 17-years.
Turns out he and his wife are managing beautiful Simpson’s Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, 40km north of Lake Louise on the Banff – Jasper highway.
Unlike many of the tourist highlights of the Canadian Rockies, winter is their favourite season. When I told Chris I was a hiker, he spoke of great trails out of the lodge. But that the cross country and backcountry skiing was even better.
I’d love to tour of all the Rocky Mountain lodges. This would be high on my list.
Stop summer or winter. The red roof, the blue lake, the green trees. This would be a terrific place to film your movie.
It’s official. As confirmed by Inside Tourism, Issue 665, 2 November 2007.
The internationally-famous Tongariro Crossing is being renamed the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – to reflect how dangerous the 18.5 km trek can be.
About 65,000 people are said to complete the walk each year although last year it claimed two lives and several people were caught out by hypothermia this year. The name has been chosen by DOC, TNZ, TIA, the Ministry of Tourism and Police. Guiding is not allowed on the trek but DOC is considering permitting professional guides.
Bear Grylls is back with a new one-hour special and the second season of MAN VS. WILD, airing Fridays at 9 PM (ET/PT) beginning November 9. Bear travels to the Himalayas for BEAR’S MISSION EVEREST, where this past spring he attempted to fulfill a dream to fly a powered paraglider higher than Everest …
They are expecting good ratings for Bear Grylls and Discovery Channel.
The controversy from last season — claims that some of his stunts were exaggerated or faked — will bring in more viewers.
Discovery Channel has promised to be completely transparent this season. (Film editors will not lead viewers to believe Bear is on a desert island when he is actually sleeping in a motel in Hawaii.)
Bear is the real thing. He climbed Everest at age-23. He’s a true survivalist. No question.
But his show is more about sensationalizing the outdoors. Not about informing the general public.
I can’t help cheering for the “other guy”. Survivorman — Les Stroud. I have a lot more respect for Les, a man who goes out for a week at a time, no cameraman or support crew.
My advice to hikers is to watch Survivorman instead.
Looks to me Bear has a life jacket on under his shirt. But how many people have followed his example and tried to float down a river using only a pack as a raft? What happens when one of those people drowns?
How accountable are Grylls and Discovery Channel?
As for myself, I boycott Man vs. Wild. Getting TV ratings this way is too dangerous.
When I said I want to hike Afghanistan, I didn’t mean I wanted to join the MILITARY to get a free trip there.
Stars and Stripes posted a photo series on “Afghan hiking”.
Troops of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade got an eyeful of scenery walking down a mountain in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. Many of the men ran out of the water along the way and began cramping up.
The original article was reprinted in American Hiking Society, posted by Jeffrey Hunter:
Yesterday I came across an online article in Stars & Stripes, a paper published for the US Military. The article talked about how hiking can be a regular part of the routine for a member of the US Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade. Of course, hiking in Afghanistan is nothing like hiking in the US. These soldiers not only have to negotiate steep terrain carrying as much as 100 pound! They also run the risk of encountering enemy fire along the way. My hat is off to these brave young men! …
“The filmmaker creates a rich and beautiful canvas on which this story is told,†says jury member Julie Tait. “This is a sensual film with an experimental treatment, a story of life, love and loss.†“It’s sex mixed up with climbing,†adds jury member Pat Morrow.
“Director Sharon Colman has given us a refreshing look at the resilience of the natural world in the face of human impact. She’s creatively delivered a serious subject in a light-hearted and humorous way,†says jury member Rob Frost.
“He has everything,†says jury member Kerrie Long. “He’s young, talented, beautiful and articulate. And yet, this is a gritty story of persistence and determination — he’s always reaching for the route he might not be able to do.â€
“It’s very difficult to deal with the philosophical approach to life in the mountains, and do it visually, not just with words,†says jury member Pat Morrow. “This film does that, with its strong synergy among visuals, narration and dialogue.â€
“We get to know the central character over time, and the film combines precipitous physical locations with insight into the deepest recesses of this athlete’s mind,†says jury member Pat Morrow.
“Mountain culture is not just about folkloric traditions,†says jury member Charlie Buffet. “It’s the way people live and dream their mountain experience. There was a sense of surprise, of playful curiosity, that carried me through this film.â€
“Rarely does Hollywood treat a delicate story with this level of integrity,†says jury member Rob Frost. “We hope that Penn’s work will lead the way for other Hollywood directors, and develop a taste for truth in their audience.â€
“For the Grand Prize, we looked to a film that transcends category,†says jury member Julie Tait. “In giving us fresh insight into a historic event and the cult of hero, Death on Nanga Parbat offers the viewer a depth of experience that underlines the power of the medium. It’s a triumph of substance over style.â€
You and I can catch these videos on the World Tour, starting today. Check the Schedule to see when it’s coming close to you.
One awesome trailer as reward for getting to the end of this post:
King Lines follows Chris Sharma on his search for the planet’s greatest climbs. From South American fantasy boulders to uncharted deep water soloing in Greece to the future of sport climbing at Mt. Clark, Sharma and friends find and climb the most spectacular routes in the world.
The last movie I watched at the Banff Mountain Film Festival was a fitting finale: The Beckoning Silence.
Joe Simpson gives his perspective on the 1936 disaster on the North Face of the Eiger when four young climbers died in public view of Eiger Bird tourists below.
The last, Kurz, perished after hanging on the end of a rope all night with 2 dead partners. Died within metres of the rescue party next morning. A tragedy in every respect.
Simpson’s Touching the Void is my favourite documentary of all time — so I kept my expectations as … realistic as possible.
But The Beckoning Silence is no sequel to Touching the Void. Though it explores similar themes, and is a remarkably parallel story, this is a made-for-TV presentation, not a feature film release.
My review …
The Beckoning Silence is excellent. It’s a must see for anyone interested in the history of mountaineering.
Joe Simpson is the best possible narrator. Articulate, compelling, flawed. He is the highlight.
Joe cannot understand why he lived, and these young men died.
Germany, 2007, 60 minutes
Directed by Jens Hoffmann
“I don’t want to die, I want to live. I’m pretty good at running away, and this is my escape!†This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, accompanying her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career, until it comes to a sudden stop, changing all aspects of her life.
Karina was mad for BASE jumping the first moment she saw it. This movie documents her addiction to extreme sport and the many costs of that addiction.
It explains why extreme athletes are driven step-by-step to more dangerous stunts. She was one of the first 3 women to fly the new wing suits allowing more daring manoeuvres.
In the film she makes one mistake. And walks away. Later she crashes through equipment failure — and miraculously survives.
BASE jumping to most of us is tiny YouTube video highlight clips. This movie is essential if you really want to understand the sport.
Over 110 BASE jumpers have been killed to date. Pro jumpers last an average of 6 years.
I don’t want to do it. But this film makes me much more understanding of those that do.
BASE jumping is a sport involving the use of a parachute to jump from fixed objects. “BASE” is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump:
* Building
* Antenna (an uninhabited tower such as an aerial mast)
* Span (a bridge or arch)
* Earth (a cliff or other natural formation)
His is the greatest hike of all time, all things considered.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Andy will finish his hike on November 3rd at the Grandview Point in the Grand Canyon. He will be coming out of the canyon between noon and 3:00. Probably closer to 3:00. Please come and join us for the celebration. We will be getting together some place in Flagstaff on Saturday evening. Come join the party.
Turns out he and his wife are managing beautiful Simpson’s Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, 40km north of Lake Louise on the Banff – Jasper highway.
besthike.com 