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7 of the World’s Best Hikes

7-of-the-world’s-best-hikes

Dientes Circuit, Chile 

Chinese Wall, Montana 

Laugavegur Trail, Iceland 

Rockwall, British Columbia

Jomolhari Loop, Bhutan 

John Muir Trail, California 

Pinhoti Trail, Alabama & Georgia  

Outside 

I’m planning on the Chinese Wall in Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana myself. June 2020.

Start about 85 miles west of Great Falls, at the South Fork Sun River Trailhead, and hike 23 miles northwest. You’ll climb along the Continental Divide and spot elks, moose, and mountain goats along the way. Once you reach White River Pass, at the southern end of the wall, you’ll find a choice of multiple routes, including an eight-mile trail along the wall that ends at a lookout called Larch Hill Pass.

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hiking the Chinese Wall, Montana

hiking-the-chinese-wall,-montana

I’ve always wanted to see the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

I’m planning on hiking and climbing it June 2020.

It’s a thousand foot high cliff of limestone that stretches unbroken for 12 miles between Haystack Mountain and Larch Hill Pass.

Click through to read a trip report: A Hike to the Chinese Wall – Ear Mountain Photography

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of our best hikes in the North American Rockies

 

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Deer 139 – mule deer documentary

deer-139-–-mule-deer-documentary

Deer 139 (Tour Edit) was one of the films selected for the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019-20.

Very entertaining.

“Three women follow the 137km migration path of a scruffy, pregnant mule deer doe and in the process, learn to see the world differently.”

Hopelessly overloaded, much of the entertainment is watching their misadventures en route in Wyoming.

Deer 139 knows how to migrate. These ladies … not so much.  ?

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

“Embark on an adventure : mount kilimanjaro trek welcome to the ultimate adventure seeker’s paradise – mount kilimanjaro !.”
— www.wildsafari-tanzania.com

“Hiking and camping victoria falls to masai mara tour byoutdoorlife december 25, 2025 what are journey tours ?.”
— outdoorlife.blog

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Documentary – Into the Canyon

documentary-–-into-the-canyon

Premiered February 2019.

VERY entertaining.

You might be able to find it on the National Geographic Channel.

In 2016 filmmaker/photographer Pete McBride and writer Kevin Fedarko set out on a 750-mile journey on foot through the entire length of the Grand Canyon.

From the outset, the challenge was far more than they bargained for. More people have stood on the moon than have completed a continuous through hike of the Canyon.

… But their quest was more than just an endurance test – it was also a way to draw attention to the unprecedented threats facing one of our most revered landscapes. …

Uranium mines, tourist development, maintaining indigenous flora and fauna. Native peoples are interviewed thoughout.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

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History of climbing K2

history-of-climbing-k2

In advance of a trek to K2 Base Camp and Gondogoro Pass, I’m doing some reading about those insane alpinists that dare to climb the second highest peak in the world.

So much tragedy.

The 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition finally succeeded in ascending to the summit of K2 via the Abruzzi Spur on 31 July 1954. …

… 23 years after the Italian expedition, Ichiro Yoshizawa led the second successful ascent, with Ashraf Aman as the first native Pakistani climber. …

The third ascent of K2 was in 1978, via a new route, … by an American team led by James Whittaker …

I recommend K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain. (2010) by Ed Viesturs.

Ed’s the Mount Rainier alpine guide who went on to become the most accomplished American high altitude climber.

Cautious and lucky, Ed survived 30 expeditions to the world’s highest peaks. And he’s climbed Rainier over 200 times.

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plan a trip to the Dolomites

plan-a-trip-to-the-dolomites

One of our top 10 hiking regions of the world.

The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for skiing in the winter months, mountain climbing, hiking and climbing in the summer.

map-of-DolomitesAT A GLANCE

  • a wonderful region mostly in Italy
  • Italian: Dolomiti; German: Dolomiten
  • limestone geology results in fascinating shapes and colour
  • named a UNESCO World Heritage site
  • highest peak Marmolada 3,343m
  • convenient airports include Venice, Munich, Milan, Innsbruck, Verona
  • easy access to trails of all all levels of ability and experience
  • very good tourist infrastructure
  • convenient, efficient public transport. Buses & trains run on time.
  • best weather for hiking mid-June to early October
3 Peaks (Tre Cime, Drei Zinnen)
3 Peaks (Tre Cime, Drei Zinnen)

Check our Dolomites information page.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Adventure Blog)

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Great Himalaya Trail vlog

great-himalaya-trail-vlog

In 2019 David Brophy and Mathilde Godbout spent 5 months trekking the Great Himalaya Trail.

David plans to post videos on YouTube, 125 episodes – one for each day, one day at a time. Subscribe to his channel if you’d like to see how it went.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Since then David has been adventuring in Antarctica.

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hiking Kamchatka, Russia

hiking-kamchatka,-russia

There are certainly fantastic treks and volcano climbs on Kamchatka Peninsula.

Climbing Koryaksky (3456m) close to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is quite doable, for example.

You can find a number of trekking guides with Google.

But are they reliable?

It’s possible to hike Kamchatka independently.

But we’ve not yet talked to anyone who’s hiked there. (Leave a comment below this post if you have more information on Kamchatka.)

In the meantime, check some photos from Dark Roast Blend:

Wilderness without bounds, in a typical Russian style.

There is a place in the world so remote and so wildly beautiful, that very few decide to go there and those who do, carry the enchantment for the rest of their lives. Land of towering volcanos and magnificient Pacific coastline, as boundless and pristine as the Canadian North, but far less known and definitely less travelled. Life is harsh there, and ghosts of communist past are never too far behind.

With the exclusive permission of “Kamtravel” – Kamchatka photography site, we give you some examples of its exhilarating terrain:

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski lies in the shadow of Avacha volcano

Dark Roasted Blend: Kamchatka – Magnificient Russian Far East

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best hiking gear on the PCT 2019

best-hiking-gear-on-the-pct-2019

Mac posted his 7th annual survey — this year 846 Pacific Crest Trail hikers were interviewed.

The Altra Lone Peak was the most popular shoe on the PCT this year – used by nearly a third of PCT hikers. It’s a zero-drop shoe and, on average, hikers who completed the trail used 4.65 pairs – nearly $600 in shoes (at full retail price).

On the other hand, there were plenty of complaints about Lone Peaks.

Personally, I prefer sturdier Merrell Moabs.

FAVORITE PCT GEAR

MOST COMMON PCT GEAR

Read more:

The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey

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HIKE the Dragon’s Back, Hong Kong

hike-the-dragon’s-back,-hong-kong

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles (2011)

The Dragon’s Back is more than a hike, it’s a “tourist attraction”.

The Dragon’s Back (Traditional Chinese: 龍脊) is a ridge in southeastern Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, between Wan Cham Shan and Shek O Peak. It lies within the Shek O Country Park. In 2004 the Dragon’s Back Trail was selected by TIMEasia as the best urban hiking trail.

See reviews on Trip Adviser.

trail signboard

Despite all that popularity, I loved it.

Who wouldn’t love a ridge walk on a tropical island?

Many start up the Hong Kong tram and hike down to Big Wave Bay, but I followed the longer and more difficult 8.5km route recommended in The Inside Guide to Hikes and Walks in Hong Kong, a free publication from Hong Kong Tourism.

If you get to Hong Kong, the Dragon’s Back is a must hike.

Friends, loved ones and unloved who don’t want to go can wait at the finish, Big Wave Bay Beach.

see more photos from my day hike

related – Hiking the World trip report  (2016)