BestHike #9 – Haute Route in the Alps

The Haute Route, from France to Switzerland, is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute introduction on YouTube.

Haute Route

Chamonix to Zermatt, Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn – in two weeks of mountain travel you will see the greatest collection of 4000 metre peaks in the Alps!

AT A GLANCE

  • also known as the Walker’s High Route
  • Alpine charm: valleys, lakes, glaciers
  • great food, history, culture
  • from Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe (4810m, 15,781ft)
  • to the Matterhorn, the most beautiful peak in the alps
  • 9-15 days
  • 180+kms (112mi)
  • best months June-Sept
  • crosses 11 passes, gains more than 12,000m elevation
  • difficult hiking
Ibex-horns

Read more on our Haute Route information page.

Cam Honan’s most challenging hikes

I’d say Cam Honan is the world’s most accomplished hiker.

He’s done more of the best trails than anyone else — and hiked them everywhere in the world.

Needless to say, Cam has faced some life and death situations in the wilderness:

When things get tough on our (much easier) hikes, Cam’s advice is to stop. Think. And try to process the danger as an objective observer rather than a subjective participant.

Be logical. Not emotional.

Read his full post here:

Subjective Participant or Objective Observer?

Cam Honan descent from San Antionio Pass

Bermuda Graveyard – Drone VIDEO

Working on a longer video for the Bermuda Rail Trail hike, I’ve been posting exerpt clips as YouTube #shorts.

With no indigenous population, Bermuda was discovered in the in the early 1500s.

Only 21 square miles, there are a lot of graveyards.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

What is “Bikepacking”?

Currently planning my adventures for summer 2023, I’m looking at bikepacking Italy and Norway. Faroe Islands and Iceland … if I last that long. Perhaps 2-3 months.

Along the way I’ll be doing the BEST HIKES, of course.

On a private Facebook page a bikepacker asked ChatGPT to define bikepacking. Nailed it.

Here’s my bike for the adventure – the Checkpoint ALR 4.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Ready for bad weather.

Hiking Bermuda in the Winter

BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I’m in Bermuda for about 5 weeks Jan/Feb 2023.

It’s an ideal time of the year for hiking with highs averaging about 70°F (20C). Very little humidity.

Best of all, the beaches are near deserted in the winter. I had this one to myself. Launched the drone.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

#10 day hike – Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey

 Hiking out of the small town of Göreme is one of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

Every traveller dreams of getting to  the the “fairy chimney” rock formations of Cappadocia. Göreme makes an ideal base. 

  • weird and wonderful geology
  • walk out of your Göreme accommodation directly to a trail … or take a taxi to the Rose Valley Panoramic viewpoint (15 minute drive uphill from town). There is a small entry fee.
  • most of these trails will be crowded with walkers
  • see all of the main attractions in one day: Rose Valley Panoramic viewpoint > Rose Valley > Çavuşin > Love Valley > Uchisar Castle > Pigeon Valley > Göreme

World → Asia → Turkey → Göreme

For details click over to our Göreme, Cappadocia information page.

Backpacking Loop in the Uinta Mountains

Chris hikes the Unita mountains in Utah most summers.

Over the years, he’s put together loops to make logistics easier.

In 2017 they did 80 miles as a circuit.

Check his detailed trip report for specifics on where they camped.

Red Castle and Red Castle Lake

related – Uinta Highline Trail – documentary