besthike.com

June 20, 2007

looking for a hiking kayak?

FirstLightÂ® is advertised here as the world’s lightest folding kayak.

Weight is a far more important factor to me than seaworthiness. I want to hike in, paddle out. That kind of trip.

Weighing a mere 17.6 and 19.8 lbs, these amazing touring kayaks are incredibly light, yet fully seaworthy. Fast and lively, they allow excellent paddling speed & tracking.

FirstLightÂ®-380: 23â€x12â€™6â€, 17.6 lbs., 238 lbs. capacity
$3095

FirstLightÂ®-420: 23â€x13â€™9â€, 19.8 lbs., 253 lbs. capacity
$2895

Inflatable Kayaks, Canoes, Folding Kayak, Boat – Taiga Works, Vancouver, Canada

Leave a comment if you have any opinion on this product. Or know where I can get a used one for closer to $1000.

June 19, 2007

photos – Tibet and Xinjiang, China

Our list of the best hikes in China is weak for a number of good reasons.

Researching hiking in remote Xinjiang Province, I came across the website of a top notch photographer.

Jian Shuo Wang from Shanghai posted details on a popular hike to Kanas, China’s deepest freshwater lake.

Lake Kanas lies near the Altai mountains, an imposing range where China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan meet.

map – Shangrila Adventure

Weather is the determining factor here. Best window for hiking is late September – mid-October. It’s high altitude.

Though horse trekking is far more popular than walking in this culture, I want to hike.

Just a small taste of his photos from that trip.

81 years old woman in Riwa

Xiannairi, the holy mountain.
photos Â© Copyright 2002 Jian Shuo Wang. All rights reserved.

See many more from this trip on his personal website.

Even better, I think, is a related collection by Bian Ka.

And more terrific captures by Maphis Cheng.

It’s well worth the time clicking through some of these photo pages.

China and Tibet are HUGE. The hiking possibilities boggle the mind.

June 18, 2007

Parunuweap Canyon – Zion

The independent Zion National Park website has added an attractive blog.

This endorsement by Bo for a slot canyon walk caught my eye:

Parunuweap Canyon “is my favorite hike of all times. After hiking just about everything in Zion and nearby and doing this one several times using different ways in and out, I can say without a doubt that Parunuweap is my favorite hike!”

High praise.

So much so that we’ve added Parunuweap to our list of the best hikes in North America.

I would recommend this hike to anyone who is fit!

Parunuweap Canyon Â« Zion National Park blog

Parunuweap, the ~~south~~ East fork of the Virgin river, is far, far less visited than much more famous Zion Narrows off the North fork.

Zion National Park – Wikipedia

larger version on flickr – WillsCreek

UPDATE:

Several hikers have written to say that access is not allowed for Parunuweap. Too bad.

UPDATE: Check the comments. Tim states: Actually, youâ€™re allowed in through a technical route called â€œfat manâ€™s misery.â€ The only reason the east fork is inaccessible is because of private land ownership on either side.

June 17, 2007

Canada’s newest National Park – Torngat Mountains

My mind’s turning increasingly “north” as weather improves here in Canada.

We have such a short hiking season, every day is precious.

Rogier of Bluepeak.net alerted me to Torngat in Labrador, Quebec.

Canadian Geographic of May/June 2007 …

The article includes an online in-depth backgrounder. This is definitely a must-visit park, if one can manage the polar bears, who seem to be as thick as rabbits in the park.

I see Labrador as one of Canadaâ€™s hottest new destinations – Iâ€™ll have to find a way to get there.

Bluepeak: Travel, tourism and photography Â» Torngat Mountains National Park

That article describes a kayak tour.

But there is unusual, challenging climbing and hiking, as well. A number of outfitters can arrange a trip there.

The Torngat Mountains are entirely above the Arctic tree-line so there’s nothing to obstruct your views. (Or block the cold wind.)

Rainbow above Cirque Mountain – Hazen Russell, Iapetus Ocean Expeditions (1982)

More photos from that collection.

Torngat Mountains – Wikipedia

June 16, 2007

GONE HIKING …

Website editor Rick McCharles is kayak hiking off Bamfield, British Columbia. Back on-line June 21st.

June 16, 2007

Salt Creek hike, Utah renamed ‘Paradise Creek’

The best guidebook for Canyonlands was written by Bill Schneider.

Somehow, “Salt Creek” seems to describe a dry, harsh, and unpleasant place when quite the opposite is true. Upper Salt Creek is definitely one of the most delightful places in the Canyonlands region, and it deserves a name like “Paradise Creek”.

Details from our just posted information page:

* in the Needles section of the National Park
* walk in the wash of a broad canyon
* sometimes strenuous hiking
* 24.2mi (39km) Upper Salt Creek from Cathedral Butte to Peakaboo, plus sidetrips
* minimum 3 days for the normal route
* most hikers will want to do a number of (essential) sidetrips, some more challenging
* many more excellent shorter hikes in this region
* the only easy way to do our recommended route is with two vehicles
* worst months are June – Aug when average highs of 104F (40C) can strike down even fit hikers
* open year round, best months are in the Spring and Fall

more Salt Creek photos – Joel Duenow

WHY WE LIKE THIS HIKE

… The highlight for many is lovely Angel Arch. (1mi sidetrip)

* more arches: Wedding Ring, Fish-eye, Kirk and Natural.
* stream flows through much of the canyon, year round! (a rarity in this region)
* wildlifeâ€”mule deer, coyote, bobcat, cougar
* rock art and ruins
* it’s difficult to get lost as you follow the creek.

Greg Smith, the wildergeek, “wild camped”. But read his comments on the flickr photo page for this pic:

Seems you can no longer legally camp at this spot. Too bad.

Check carefully with the Rangers. Some wild camping is allowed, with restrictions.

Everything you need to know to organize your hike: Upper Salt Creek in Utah is one of the best hikes in the world.

June 15, 2007

best view, best hike – Yosemite

Chris is blogging his trip from Kansas City to the outdoor centre of the universe, California.

He loved Yosemite.

… all I can say is “wow”.

But dear ol’ Jimmy put it much better when he said, “This place is amazing…It’s like your walking in a picture” which is true, cause Yosemite IS the place where all landscape pictures are taken. …

My Favorite Hike and My Favorite View

My Favorite view is from where I stood in the above picture looking down 3000 feet into Yosemite Valley. …

As for My Favorite Hike, and I do mean my favorite hike of ALL time, it was suppose to be a leisurely walk to the Cathedral Lakes cause this was the end of the week and by this time Jim and I were hurting more places than we care to think.

So we thought we could handle the relatively flat walk to these picturesque lakes. We did managed to stick to the trail all the way to the gorgeous lakes but once we reached our destination and saw those tall, commanding, pointy little peaks we just could not resist a shot at the top.

So we hiked along the ridge … and had some incredible views of Cathedrals lake on one side and Bud Lake on the other. Shortly we reached the base of the peak from which reaching the summit look quite doable so we hike on up as rain clouds gathered over head and scrambled within 50 feet of the pointy little summit …

I would say that that 360degree view was second only to Yosemite Valley in its incredibleness.

The Tulumne meadows in front Cathedral and Bud lakes to the sides and Yosemite Valley way off behind me all add up to the best hike I’ve ever enjoyed. Not even to mention that it was off trail which makes it better 🙂

Hike Bike Climb: Yo Semite Nation Park

June 14, 2007

PCT – Mountain Hardwear Sponsorship?

Just so you know, Mountain Hardwear, if you kit me out completely, I’ll be happy to do the PCT and report back on the extended field test.

From the Mountain Hardwear blog:

Our industry professionals have compiled a list of recommended gear which should get you through the Pacific Crest Trail in high spirits. …

* Sleeping Bag/Bivy
* Tent
* Baselayer
* Shells
* Backpacks
* Gaiters
What gear should I bring on the Pacific Crest Trail?

If they deny me that sponsorship, I’ll need to try their Mission Project Challenge (video). Post my trip report on their Mission Project blog.

How do you like my chances?

June 13, 2007

wicked outdoorsy: How green is YOUR backpack?

Wicked Outdoorsy – right again:

More and more, I’m beginning to realize that Treehugger is the green-zine equivalent of a politician on the stump.

Regardless of the good intent, regardless of the question, the answer is about an hour too long and meanders down a winding yellow road through fields of poppies.

Oh Toto. My eyes … sleepy …. so sleepy.

wicked outdoorsy: How green is YOUR backpack?

I’d love to cancel my RSS subscription to Treehugger.com â€” it’s too “shotgun”.

Can anyone recommend an environmental blog with more “balance”? One less preachy?

June 13, 2007

unlikely survival on the West Coast Trail

About one in a hundred hikers are evacuated off the WCT on Vancovuer Island in British Colombia. It’s difficult and dangerous.

But this is the strangest WCT evacuation story I’ve heard yet.

Disaster struck the group when they tried to cross a deep surge channel in the sandstone early in the day. …

Peterson’s father, Neil, a veteran hiker, had looked at the width of the surge channel and instructed the others to get their ropes out of their backpacks.

Taking off their packs probably saved their lives.

“The packs would have dragged you down immediately,” said Neil, 63.

As they pulled out their ropes, there was no sign anything was amiss. “There was no water in the area and it was close to low tide,” he said.

Seconds later they were thrashing around in the churning water, buffeted by huge pieces of driftwood.

Death by rogue wave. Death trying to cross a surge channel. Those are old stories on the West Coast.

The amazing part (one I still can’t picture) is that the hikers were left stranded in a “hole”. I assume in the surge channel and surrounded by washed-up logs.

One of their group had crossed the surge channel successfully. He â€” eventually â€” was able to call in the American Coast Guard helicopter. They all survived.

Photograph by : John McKay, Times Colonist