Not solo.
Not silent.
Plenty of awesome drone footage.
Perhaps the most amazing hike in the world. Kraig did 11 days with 5 guys who are subscribers to his channel.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Cycling Vancouver Island
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
My favourite month in Canada is September.
Weather is still good. Yet the tourists have mostly headed home.
I’d always wondered if it was possible to cycle logging roads — then bushwhack to the trailhead of Della Falls on Great Central Lake.
As expected, it’s nearly impossible. I never made it. 😀
But I’d wanted to do a gear check on my old Ghost touring bike in any case. Della Falls was an excuse to get out into the wilderness.
The only official campsite in the area is Lowry Lake. Very nice. But I passed by too early in the day. So ended up wild camping 2 nights.
Logging is horrible on Vancouver Island. Very few people see the vast swaths of clearcut hidden away from pavement.
BUT they certainly make the island wilderness accessible for anyone on a good bike.
I ended up camping 2 nights. The first on a sand bar in the Ash river. There are more bears than people in this part of the island. I thought I’d keep myself well clear of any animal trails.
The second night I pitched on a quiet lake where I’d stayed twice in the past.
My meandering route ended up looking something like this.
Vancouver Island is fantastic.
All Patagonia Profits to Saving the Planet
Yvon Chouinard:
“As of now, Earth is our only shareholder,” the company announced. “ALL profits, in perpetuity, will go to our mission to ‘save our home planet’.” …
Each year, the money Patagonia makes after reinvesting in the business will be distributed to the non-profit to help fight the environmental crisis. …
Chouinard and Patagonia have long been groundbreakers in environmental activism and employee benefits. In its nearly 50 years in operation, the Ventura, California-based company has been known for extensive benefits for employees, including on-site nurseries and afternoons off on good surf days. …
Patagonia’s billionaire owner gives away company to fight climate crisis
#respect
I like Patagonia gear. And I’ll continue to be a loyal customer.
#10 – Overland Track, Australia
Tasmania’s Overland Track is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.
Why?
Our favourite multi-day tramp in Australia. 😎
- surreal, unique Tasmanian vistas
- pretty lakes, tarns and waterfalls
- exiting by ferry, it’s minimum 62km (38.5mi) carrying a pack plus many possible sidetrips without a pack. Elevation Gain: +4,793 ft / 1,461 m
- Elevation Loss: -5,160 ft / 1,573 m
- 8000-9000 walkers / year
- 60 walkers start / day in high season
- Oct 1 – May 31 Overland Track Pass reservations online
- access by public transportation
- easy-moderate hiking IF the weather cooperates
- add challenging sidetrip peak scrambles if the weather is good
- Nov – early May best months
- possible to hike year round (snow travel during the winter)
World → Austalasia → Australia → Overland
Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute preview on YouTube.
For details click over to our Overland Track information page.
Climbing Veggan from Uttakleiv Beach, Lofoten, Norway
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
My best campsite in Norway was at Uttakleiv beach. $20. The only time I paid for camping in a nation where you can camp almost everywhere free.
Early next morning I had to decide whether to climb Veggen or the more popular Mannen.
For no particular reason, I decided on Veggan (“the wall”) which is a bit higher at 489m. Starting early morning, I had the summit to myself.
Like many day hikes in Norway, it’s an unrelenting climb with one good photo stop at lake Vasskarvatnet.
On departing Uttakleiv, I enjoyed the walk along the coast to Haukland beach rather than try to walk through the automobile tunnel.
BONUS ➙ more footage of the beach. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Hiking 226 km on the ROTA VICENTINA, Portugal
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
If interested in planing for Portugal yourself, check Roberto’s TIPS:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The BEST section is the 4 days from Porto Covo to Zambujeira do Mar.
Click PLAY or watch my highlights from those 4 days on YouTube.
Emergency Satellite SOS via iPhone
This new feature is going to save lives.
No service or wifi required.
I’m keen to see how well it works in real life. In different parts of the world.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
BestHike YouTube Channel
Hiking Sandbotnen beach to Ryten Summit, Lofoten, Norway
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
There are a few options for climbing Ryten. And connecting other summits and beaches.
A beautiful day, I opted to start on Sandbotnen Beach, messing around for an hour before finally starting up the super popular Ryten hike.
With side trips that ended up about 12km and 673m elevation gain.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
I stayed at the excellent nearby Lydersen Rorbuer hostel.
It is amazing to see beautiful sand beaches well above the Arctic Circle.
It’s muddy to start, though — for a welcome change in Norway — there are some helpful boardwalks.
Part way up there are some pretty lakes.
Sheep near the top of the mountain.
The weather was typical: sunny, rainy, windy, calm … with threatening lightning. 😀
That’s Kvalvika Beach way down below. I didn’t make the detour but wished I had done so.
Great views from the top.
On the way down, clouds formed in the cooler valleys.
There’s a mountain hut on Ryten.
Of the many famous day hikes I’ve done in the Lofoten archipelago, Ryten is one of my favourites.
related – Earth Trekkers Trip Report
Hiking out of Bodø, Norway
The gateway to the wonderful Lofoten archipelago is the town of Bodø, the end of the train line north.
It’s usually cheaper and easier to fly as the train is a 17 hour overnight journey from Oslo. The town is so compact that you can easily walk from the airport to the train station.
On my two trips to the awesome Lofoten hikes, I’ve spent quite a few days in Bodø — supposedly in transit.
It’s worth wandering the streets of Bodø.
ALSO — there is some hiking available walking from the centre of town.
I went first to Bestefarvarden. An interesting scramble among rocky cliffs overlooking the sea.
The “hike” starts close to this beach, well above the Arctic Circle.
I left a Summit Stone there.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
From there, I walked through an industrial zone to reach the city fortress (redoubt). Small, but interesting. With good views over to Bodø centre.
In addition, many tourists visit Saltstraumen, a small strait with one of the strongest tidal currents in the world.
There’s more to Bodø than only a transit point.
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