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Tongariro Northern Circuit in 10.5hrs

Craig Stanton from New Zealand is preparing to start the Pacific Crest Trail in April. He’s got a great website — PCT2007.org — and looks very organized.

Looks like Craig will be ready for the PCT. He blazed through one of our top 10 hikes.

Yesterday I completed the challenge I was unable to finish last week.

Under perfect skies I hiked, and at some points ran, the Tongariro Northern Circuit in one day.

Less than 10.5 hours actually, and I’m pretty pleased with that because usually it is billed as 3-4 days … (read more)

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Kalalau Trail, Hawaii – trouble in paradise

Kalalau Trail is one of the best hikes in the world.

Along the Nā Pali Coast of the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii, it’s paradise.

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source – kalalautrail.com

Kalalau Trail – website

But there’s trouble in paradise. Illegal squatters.

You can do the 11mi difficult trail in 4-8hrs.

But some stay in the valley for days, weeks, even years.

… access is controlled in the cause of conservation. A limited number of permits are issued for camping in Kalalau Valley every year. In spite of the efforts of the state of HawaiÊ»i, many people illegally hike the trail and even live in Kalalau Valley.

These long-term campers are suspected, by some, to cause serious harm to the ecological balance of the valley by their waste and propagation of introduced species.

Kalalau Trail – Wikipedia

David Lurk posted a lengthy, entertaining Kalalau trip report — mostly detailing the colourful characters he met along the way.

He wants to go back. But next time for 3 weeks!

Hiking Kauai, the Garden Isle

Hiking Kauai, the Garden Isle – Amazon

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Canada’s best outdoor towns

Chris Benway runs Cafe Andino, the hub of hiking activities in Huaraz, Peru. And he’s the man behind La Cima Logistics, the recommended top end guiding company in town.

I always recall Chris telling me that … if he had not settled in Huaraz, he would have chosen Canmore, Alberta.

… published in Explore, March 2007. The winners:

Rossland, BC
Gold River, BC
Jasper, AB
Dauphin, MB
Parry Sound, ON
Whitehorse, YT
Baie-Saint-Paul, PQ
Sussex, NB
Cornerbrook, NL
Lunenburg, NS

In my opinion, missing are: Canmore AB, Squamish BC, and Tofino/Ucluelet BC. These are all famous for their outdoor activities.

Bluepeak: Canada’s best outdoor towns

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Canmore – by ginnia

Canmore – Wikipedia

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Tasmania, the Forgotten Island

This is the best introduction to Tasmania I’ve seen on-line. Superb photos!

It includes a hike on Freycinet Peninsula, one of the best hikes in the world.

Numerous walks are possible at Freycinet National Park, from one full day to a three to four day circuit, introducing each time more of the marvelous granite of the Hazards mountains which domineer the place.

I try to think of what place they remind me of, looking at the shape and color of the rocks, smelling the spiky shrubs on the trails. Corsica or some of the American West Coast mountain ranges come to my mind. And New Zealand of course.

Tasmania, the Forgotten Island — Tasmanie, l’île oubliée by La Tartine Gourmande

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Scott Williamson Yo-Yo-ing the PCT, twice

Recommended – A great audio podcast was posted by BackpackingLight.com.

Scott Williamson is best known for his thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail. He has walked the trail nine times in its entirety, including a Yo-Yo from Mexico to Canada and back – twice.

… topics from his 191-day Yo-Yo of the PCT in 2006, including the psychological challenge of touching the Canadian border and having to turn around and go back; on-trail surgery for septic blood poisoning; the use of ultralight footwear (by Inov8) for long-distance hiking; and more.

Scott is featured in an upcoming film about long distance hiking on the PCT entitled Tell It On the Mountain.

Podcast: Scott Williamson and Yo-Yo-ing the Pacific Crest Trail @ Backpacking Light

That same page hosts a trailer of the soon-to-be-released film.

movie – Tell It On The Mountain (official website)

Scott Williamson – official website

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Scott and his new bride will be doing the PCT the summer of 2007. Congratulations and good luck!

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documentary – Ken Burns – The National Parks

Do you have any old home movies of National Parks in the USA?

Ken Burns wants to talk to you.

In the fall of 2009 PBS will air The National Parks, a major documentary film series produced and directed by Ken Burns and written and produced by Dayton Duncan.

But now they are asking for your help. Their film series is not a travelogue or a “nature” film; it will tell the very powerful, human story of how the parks came into being and what they have meant to Americans for more than a hundred years. It will be filled with major historical figures — from John Muir to Theodore Roosevelt to Ansel Adams — but it will also tell the stories of many lesser-known Americans, from cowboys to immigrant artists, wealthy philanthropists to dirt-poor farmers who turned their passion for a part of the American landscape into crusades for their permanent protection. …

To help them tell this story, they would like to collect home movies of visits to National Parks by families and individuals for possible use in the film. They are looking for home movies from the time period of the 1920s through the 1980s and are most interested in footage of families and tourists in the parks.

National Parks Traveler: Help Ken Burns Chronicle the Parks

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documentary – Wonderland Trail in 24hrs

The Wonderland Trail is one of the best hikes in the world. Circling Mt. Ranier in Washington State normally takes 7 days, 6 nights for experienced hikers.

But in a day?

The Wonderland Project is the name two friends gave their shared goal: To run the Wonderland Trail, circumnavigating Washington’s Mt. Rainier, in a single 24 hour push.

Ultramarathon runners Skye Thompson and Zac West forged their friendship into a critical partnership over two years of training, but things took a bitter turn at mile 60, when one runner was forced to drop out.

In a difficult decision, the other decided to push on alone. Join us in watching the story of their partnership in the face of an immense physical and emotional challenge and their record-breaking attempt at the Wonderland Trail.

The DVD is available at LenticularPictures.com.

Click PLAY or watch it on Google Video.

(via the GreatOutdoors.com TV page.)

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USA loses nuclear material in the Himalayas 1965

This is one of the great stories of the outdoors. And I had never heard of it until today via The Piton.

An award winning new book — An Eye at the Top of the World — details a CIA operation to plant a listening device atop Nandi Devi, one of the highest peaks in the world, in 1965.

That mission was a failure. The device and its nuclear core disappeared!

To get a quick overview of the story, check the trailer for a movie directed by Robert Schaller.

If that peaks your interest, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an excellent article written by CAROL SMITH: Spy Robert Schaller’s life of secrecy, betrayal and regrets.

Seattle PI also posted an excellent, short audio interview and slide show with Schaller.

I think I need to read the book. This is fascinating.

The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War's Most Daring C.I.A. Operation

An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War’s Most Daring C.I.A. Operation

Also recommended is Spies in the Himalayas: Secret Missions and Perilous Climbs by Kohli & Conboy. (2003)

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hike Baffin Island

map_iqaluit.gifBluePeak tipped us to a new adventure in the far North.

Few people think of trekking in the high arctic, but Black Feather now offers a 60km trek through Katannilik Territorial Park on southern Baffin, not far from Iqaluit. There is a surprising abundance of flora, and also lots of wildlife. As a bonus, the trip ends with a country meal hosted by a local family, addding a cultural touch to the trip.

Bluepeak: Trekking in the high arctic

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gear – hiking with kids

Many of our contributors stopped hiking nearly so much … AFTER they had children.

Others find a way to get out into the wild with their kids.

upside-order.jpgIt’s getting easier. Stephen Gilfus let us know of a site catering to little hikers:

Taking your children with you into the backcountry can be an exciting and rewarding adventure for children and parents, alike.

… Most of the widely available products don’t meet the needs of little outdoor adventurers, kids backpacks are like book bags and most sleeping bags are for indoor use.

UpsideOver has worked hard to provide you with the best selection of kids camping gear and camping gear for kids!

You should equip your child with proper hiking footwear, socks like SmartWool, hiking poles for kids, and an appropriate outdoor kids sleeping bag. The quality of the pack for your child is also important. Think about other accessories like kids hiking poles and kids water bottles specifically sized for children.

UpSideOver.com

Actually, they are looking for family gear testers:

… recieve select gear at a fraction of the cost they would normally pay. … A huge discount (15% to 40% ) towards your purchase of the gear you are going to test and review.

Gear Reviews

And we like their impressive list of recommended books for hiking with kids including Best Hikes With Children in Arizona.

Best Hikes With Children in Arizona (Best Hikes with Children)