Hiking

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles INTRODUCTION The John Muir Trail in California is our #2 hike in the world. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Though I’d hiked almost every segment over the years, this was my first time hiking over 200 miles continually. There are hundreds of excellent JMT Trip Reports online. For example, I enjoyed Jai’s joyful photo journal from Aug 11-30, 2021. Rather than post a detailed day-by-day account, here I’ll simply recount some of my own HIGHLIGHTS. If this page is too long 😀 … watch highlights of my trip in less than 5 minutes. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. FIRE & DROUGHT Jai’s group finished one day before Forest Fire closures were announced. We were lucky too. Aug 7 – 24, 2021. No closures. Haziest day was Aug 23rd near Whitney. Climate change will — in future — increasingly make thru hikes of the…

I did the WCT twice. This is my final gear list after learning some hard lessons on the first week. Note it’s very electronics heavy as one of my main goals was to make video tutorials for this very challenging adventure. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles. Day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | gear | video Day 6 – June 14, 2021Km 65 to Port Renfrew I awoke in the morning wondering whether my injured leg could get me out in time for the 3:30 ferry across the Gordon river. I had…

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles. Day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Day 4 – June 12, 2021Cribs to Cullite My good camera died permanently 💀 the previous day. So I have fewer photos from the last 3 days. Cribs is unique. I…

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles. Day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Day 1 – June 9, 2021Bamfield to Michigan The West Coast Trail Express delivers clean hikers to the Visitor Centre at Pachena Bay close to Bamfield. Private logging roads from Lake Cowichan…

A frameless backpack is a core element of any ultralightweight backpacking strategy. Since the beginning of the 2000s, they’ve been my backpack model of choice for the majority of hiking trips that I’ve done. The following article contains a rundown of why you should consider using a frameless backpack, addresses some of the most…

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles. click for larger version I’d previously hiked two other sections of the (roughly) 180km Sunshine Coast Trail: Sarah Point to Manzanita hut (2015) Mowat Bay to Lois Main (2016) Pestered by wasps and other biting insects on those two earlier trips, I deliberately returned late season. No bugs. This…

The Stubai High Trail (“Stubaier Höhenweg” in German) is one of the most beautiful treks in the Austrian Alps. Linking together eight characterful mountain huts, this horseshoe-shaped route around the Stubai Valley oscillates between breathtaking passes and enchanting valleys, while affording hikers non-stop views of serrated peaks, shimmering lakes, and magnificent glaciers.  I walked…

As many of my US readers will be aware, the Labor Day sales are now in full swing. This represents a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about during the pandemic. Over the past week, I’ve been scanning the net for the best hiking and backpacking…

From the late 1980s through to the end of the 1990s, I exclusively used hiking boots on all of my backpacking trips. They were waterproof, durable, grippy on slippery surfaces, and provided protection and stability for my feet and ankles. At the time, it was what (almost) everyone used for extended excursions into the…

The Wonderland Trail circles Mount Rainier, the highest peak in Washington (14,411 ft / 4,392 m) and the most glaciated mountain in the contiguous United States. During its 93 mile (150 km) course, it passes through a diverse collection of ecosystems ranging from temperate rainforests to subalpine meadows to alpine tundra, and includes a…

Ticks are about as popular as Auntie Mabel’s fruitcake at Christmas time. These sneaky bloodsuckers can carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and alongside mosquitos are at the top of the vector class when it comes to disease transmission. Unfortunately, they are here to stay, and with peak season in the northern hemisphere currently in…

The Cascadia is Brooks’ signature trail running shoe. A well-cushioned, neutral support shoe with reliable traction, I’ve hiked in every version of the Cascadia since the 3rd edition was released in 2008. Over the years Brooks has made a lot of design tweaks to their much-loved trail stalwart  – some good, others not so…

As many of my US readers will be aware, the REI Anniversary Sale is now underway. This is a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about while stuck indoors during the lockdown. Up until May 25, all REI members can save 20% on one full-price item…

Located in Canada’s remote Yukon Territory, Kluane National Park and Reserve is home to the country’s highest mountain (Mount Logan – 5,959 m /19,551 ft), one of North America’s densest concentration of grizzly bears, and the largest non-polar icefield in the world. Among its mind-boggling collection of more than 2,000 glaciers, arguably the most…

Hiking downhill is often taken for granted. In the minds of some, it represents the equivalent of “backcountry gravy”; the reward that follows the exertion of a challenging ascent. Yet hiking downhill takes its toll. Twists, slips and tumbles are most likely to happen while descending and no other type of hiking causes more…

Since the early 2000s, I’ve applied ultralight principles to all of my backpacking trips around the globe. From deserts to jungles and from alpine regions to arctic tundra, lightening and simplifying my load has made a significant difference to the overall quality of my wilderness experiences. As a result of these journeys, I’ve learned…

In the southwestern corner of New Zealand’s North Island lies a lonely mountain by the name of Taranaki (aka Egmont). Rising some 2,518 m (8,261 ft) above sea level, it is recognized as one of the world’s most symmetric volcanoes, and its Fujiesque profile exercises a magnet-like pull over those that are fortunate enough…

Are you, your family, your friends, or your romantic partner planning to take a hiking adventure soon? As you likely already know, hiking can be fun and exciting, but it can be dangerous at the same time. Of course, there are a number of different steps that you can take to protect yourself on your…

Are you interested in taking a trip? Whether you want your trip to be alone, with your friends, with your family, or even just with your romantic partner, you will need to find a place to visit, as well as activities to participate in. If you have yet to decide what you would like to…

Are you interested in doing something fun and exciting on a day that you may have off from work or a weekend that you may have no plans? If you are and if you are like many other Americans, there is a good chance that you may be interested in doing something recreational. If you…

Are you interested in going hiking? Whether you would like to spend one day hiking or five days, you will need to find a hiking park to visit and a hiking trail to hike. Although you can choose to go on any hiking trial that you want, you may want to take the time to…

Are you looking for a fun and exciting way to spend a day off that you have or even a whole weekend that you may have free? If you are, have you ever thought about going on a hiking adventure? If you are like many other Americans, there is a good chance that the thought…

Are you interested in going on a fun-filled hiking adventure? If you are, have you already decided which hiking trail that you would like to hike or even just which hiking park you would like to visit? If you have yet to decide on a hiking trail, you may want to start examining all of…

Are you interested in taking a hiking adventure? Whether you want your next hiking adventure to only last a few hours or last as long as a few days, you may want to start thinking about planning your next hiking adventure in advance. Although it is nice to hear that you should plan your next…

Have you ever heard of a hiking club before? While hiking clubs do have different meanings, a hiking club is often used to describe a group of individuals who regularly enjoy hiking, often together in groups. If you are an avid hiker or if you just enjoy going hiking, you may want to think about…

Are you interested in going on a hiking trip? Whether you want your hiking trip to last one day or last as long as one week, you will need to bring along multiple pieces of hiking gear and other hiking supplies. If this is your first time buying gear and other supplies to take with…

Are you interested in going on a hiking adventure? Whether that hiking adventure will last for a few hours or a whole weekend, you will need to choose a hiking trail. When it comes to choosing a hiking trail, you need to remember that you have a number of different options. No matter where in…

Are you interested in taking a trip? Whether you are looking to take a traditional trip with your family or go on a romantic getaway, have you ever thought about going on a hiking adventure? Hiking adventures are nice because they are great for just about everyone, as well as just about any occasion. One…

Are you in the midst of planning a hiking adventure for yourself, a group of your friends, or your family? If you are, have you made a hiking checklist for yourself? If you have yet to make a hiking checklist for yourself, you may want to think about doing so. Hiking checklists are ideal for…