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WOW – Aurland Lookout, Norway

Somehow I stumbled on to some photos by Todd Saunders (one of the architects) and they really took me by surprise. This unique destination opened 2006 and I had not heard of it until now.

At first glance I thought this was the Grand Canyon Skywalk we’ve written about before, but this is much cooler, I think.

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It’s the Aurland Lookout in Aurland, Norway. True Scandinavian design — think IKEA tourism, with a dash of Tony Hawk thrown in.

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The design makes it seem as if you can fall right off if you continue walking to the end, but in reality a sheet of plate glass protects would-be daredevils from sliding off the edge into the woods.

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Amazing Views of Norway at the Aurland Lookout – Gadling – Justin Glow – more photos

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new website for Trail Divas

We are building this site to help other women have the confidence to be outside. It can be confusing getting into hiking and backpacking. Many books, websites and gear are aimed at men, with women getting the dregs. Yet, out on the trails, women are becoming stronger in numbers every year. We want to show other women that you can love the dirt, find some peace and maybe, just maybe get your kids out there with you.

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What are Trail Divas?

If you use RSS, you need to resubscribe to be notified of new posts.

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trekking the Sinai, Egypt

Mohamed Mabrouk recommends one of his favourite hikes:

ALGALT is a beautiful pool up the mountains in Sinai passing through some of the most beautiful wadis between Sinai mountains. Licensed Bedouin guides (obligatory by St Katherine Protectorate) and Cameleers (porters there carry with their camels) are professional and punctual.

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The trail is just beautiful that I wonder why not many around the world are jumping on it when it has all the necessary facilities and hikers attractions. Perhaps Red Sea diving towns such as Sharm and Dahab are overshadowing it.

I am sending two photos from the Circuit that starts and ends in St Katherine’s town (WHS by UNESCO) where the Byzantine Monastery is situated.

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I hate to admit it. I went to Dahab in the 1990s. Did the standard overnight camel-into-the-desert adventure. And did not hike.

Next time …

I like Mohamed’s email tag line too:

I might sound like a crazy dreamer but.. only crazy dreamers can come up with ideas like the Egyptian pyramids!

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video – Kintaro Walks Japan

Not much of a thru-hiking story, none the less I recommend this light-hearted, comic adventure.

Kintaro Walks Japan is a documentary film produced and directed by Tyler MacNiven. It is an account of MacNiven’s journey walking and backpacking the entire length of Japan from KyÅ«shÅ« to Hokkaidō, more than 2000 miles in 145 days.

MacNiven cited three reasons for the journey. On his first trip to Japan in 2002, he fell in love with the country. It was on this trip that a friend nicknamed him “Kintaro,” which means “Golden Boy,” because of his blond hair. Occasionally accompanying him on the trip was his girlfriend, Ayumi Meegan, whose father, George Meegan, completed the longest unbroken walk in recorded history – a nearly 7 year sojourn from the southern tip of Argentina to the northern tip of Alaska. Inspired by their story, MacNiven conceived of the task after learning that his father, whose parents were foreign missionaries, was born in an unknown location in Hokkaidō. Armed with a desire to impress Ayumi and find his father’s birthplace, as well as an interest in Japanese culture, MacNiven set sail to Japan. …

Kintaro Walks Japan – Wikipedia

You can watch the movie for free on Google Video (67min). Or buy it on Tyler’s official website .

Here’s a very short sample …

Kintaro Walks Japan

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Kintaro Walks Japan – official website

(via Jaman)

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custom made sleeping bag – Kluane Mountaineering

I really should get a new bag. Perhaps -5C.

Ewen from Outdoor Video Magazine recommends a Canadian company, Kluane.

He describes his good experience getting them to make him a custom down jacket.

As for their sleeping bags:

Kluane built its reputation on the quality of its sleeping bags and Kluane down sleeping bags are, we believe, the finest obtainable anywhere. No other sleeping bag offers all the design and construction features found on Kluane bags.

Consider the following: Hot cutting (we use heat to cut our material so the seams will not fray); 1.9 oz. ripstop nylon (not as light as others, but it will last a long time)

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800 loft Canadian white goose down; heavy duty YKK delrin two-way zips; nylon tricot baffles (again, not as light as others, but we have never had a returned product because of baffle failure); heavy double zipper baffles, channel block baffle and differential cut (except Inner, Summerthought and rectangular bags) and hidden stitching (there are only two exposed seams in the whole bag).

Sleeping Bags – Kluane

I will be up at their home base in Edmonton in a couple of weeks to check them out.

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5 walking regions in Italy

ENRICO FORTE – Top 5 Trekking – Hiking spots of Italy on Newsvine.

The title is a little over-the-top, but it did give me some leads on hikes in Italy I had not heard of before:

1) Liguria

2) Lombardy

3) Trentino Trentino-Alto Adige

4) Veneto

5) Emilia Romagna

Friends just returned my Italia and it is near the top of my person must-hike list of destinations.

Certainly Alta Via 1 tops my list. That’s 150km hut-to-hut, the classic Dolomite high route.

Treks in the Dolomites: Alta Vie 1 and 2 (Cicerone Mountain Walking) – Amazon

Alta Vie 1 and 2 (Cicerone Mountain Walking)

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new wheelchair record on Kilimanjaro

Well 4WheelBob …

k-wheels03.jpgAre you up to challenge Bern Goosen’s new record

Bern Goosen of South Africa reached the summit of Kilimanjaro – and in doing so, smashed his own record for the fastest ascent of the mountain in a wheelchair.

Mr Goosen – who has now reached Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, twice, and remains the only man to conquer the mountain in a wheelchair – used the Rongai Route for his record attempt, covering a total distance of approximately 27.1km (16.8 miles) and gaining 3885m (12,746 feet) from the Rongai gate (sitting at 2010m, or 6595 feet above sea level), near the border with Kenya, to the summit known as Uhuru Peak (5895m, 19,341 feet) – the highest point on the |African continent.

… Amongst the other trekkers was Neil Stephenson, who lost his leg in a shark attack in his native South Africa a few years previously. Stephenson also made it to the summit.

WORLD RECORD FOR KILIMANJARO WHEELCHAIR CLIMB SMASHED! – Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

What about, instead, one of those South American volcanoes we talked about, Bob? Perhaps Misti. (5822m (19,101ft)

photo – Climbing Kilimanjaro

(via Get Outdoors)

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the secret is out – Duncan Knob, Virginia

I just happened on to Stephen Braunlich’s blog. One of his passions is the Outdoors.

He tipped me off to a hike I had not yet heard about.

… Duncan Knob is one of the best trails that I’ve hiked in Virginia, hands down; it’s certainly the best that I’ve hiked in the Shenandoah. It has all the right elements: ready supplies of water, isolation, great views, and accessibility for my Camry. It was hiked with friends this past Saturday.

In many respects the Knob is the same as that other mountain across the valley, Old Rag. It features some great rock scrambling, and leads to good exposure looking out across the forest. The comparison falls short in one major way, however: Old Rag is filled with people every weekend. …

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StephenBraunlich.com » Great Trails You’ve Never Heard Of: Duncan Knob

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Outdoorzy – press release

Outdoorzy.com released a benefits package today to its members. …

… four key benefits for members. (Membership is free)

• Moosejaw.com is offering 15% off outdoor gear and clothing on their site and 5% off sale items for Outdoorzy members.

• Island Outpost offers Outdoorzy members a free night at Jake’s in Jamaica if they book four nights. Jake’s is a bohemian resort on the south coast of the island with plenty of outdoor activities. From mountain biking to yoga, they have it all.

• Wend Magazine is offering Outdoorzy member $3 off a subscription. Wend is a new outdoor sports and adventure travel magazine that is getting rave reviews in the outdoor community.

• ImOutdoorsHosting.com is offering their very robust web hosting plan for just $4.95/mo (normally $6.95). Whether a member needs a blog or an ecommerce store, they cater to the outdoor industry.

Outdoorzy will also be releasing more benefits in the weeks and months to come.

Social Network for Active Outdoor Lifestyle Announces Benefits to Members – press release

Outdoorzy – home page

Outdoorzy press information