Best Hike's Top Ten Hiking Towns Worldwide: #2 and #1

With the holidays hitting at the end of last week, I didn't have the opportunity to post Best Hike's picks for the final two spots on its Top Ten Hiking Towns in the World. In the run up to Christmas, site editor Rick McCharles has been posting his selection of favorite towns to serve as a base camp for some of the top trekking destinations around the globe, and he completed that list on Christmas Day announcing his top choice.

But before we reveal what the number one hiking town is, we have to take a look at number 2. That honor goes to Huaraz, Peru, which is described as a "trekker's paradise" thanks to its proximity to the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra mountain ranges, not to mention Cordillera Huayhuash, which Rick says is for the hardcore trekker. He also says that despite the regional population reaching 100,000 people, the town still feels like a remote mountain village. He also gives it points for not having an airport, thanks in part because all the tourists fly to Cusco and leave this corner of the Andes alone.

Finally, the number one hiking town on the Best Hike list is Queenstown, New Zealand, which is described as the Adventure Capital of the World. Queenstown has a little something to offer any outdoor enthusiast, including hiking and trekking of course, but also skiing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, bungee jumping, and more. The town of 10,000 people offers access to the excellent Routeburn and Kepler Tracks, as well as the Milford Track, which is largely considered to be amongst the best hiking trails anywhere in the world.

So, there you have it, the list i snow complete. With 2011 just a few days away, it's time to start planning a visit to one or more of these towns. It seems you can't go wrong with any of them. Thanks to Rick for sharing his considerable expertise with all of us. Great list!

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Caught On Video

The New Zealand's Tongariro Alpine Crossing is widely considered to be one of the best hikes in the world. While just 19.5km (12.1 miles) in length, it offers plenty of remote, stark beauty in it's unique geological features that includes volcanic landscapes and tremendous views of the surrounding countryside. The video below captures the essences and highlights of the trail in just under three minutes, which will be plenty of time to convince you that you should make the hike for yourself.

Thanks to the Best Hike Blog for sharing the video.

From London to New Zealand via Jetski!

Kiwi adventurer Jeremy Burfoot has started a 32,000km (19,883 mile) journey that will see him go from London to New Zealand, entirely on a jetski. The 51-year old airline pilot got underway yesterday outside the Parliament Building on the River Thames, and will now spend as much as 12-hours a day on the back of his machine, until the voyage is complete.

Making the journey to raise awareness of the fight against cancer, Burfoot will now travel through the waterways of Europe, passing through the Suez Canal, and around the Arabian Peninsula, then down the coast of India before heading out across the open ocean to Australia. Once he hits Oz, he'll once again hug the coast, before zipping over to his homeland, and eventually ending in Auckland. He says that he expects to face severe weather, sharks, and pirates, in addition to mechanical problems, on his journey, which he hopes to complete by November. 

Burfoot is no stranger to long distance journeys by jetski. Back in 2005 he also circumnavigated New Zealand on one of the small watercraft. But this is a completely different level of adventure, and he'll be tested to the limits over the next few months as he makes what could be a record setting journey by jetski.

This past weekend, while in the Florida Keys, I had the pleasure of riding a Waverunner on two very separate and distinct rides. Both of those were a great deal of fun, and the jetskis that I rode were fast, powerful, and easy to maneuver. But the were also tiring to ride and got a little wild in the rougher waters, at times causing you to skip across waves like a flat stone on a pond. I can say that it was way too much fun to explore the Keys on one of these machines, but after two days of riding, my body was feeling it. I can't imagine what this guy will feel like after weeks of 12 hours of day riding. 

That said, this still sounds like a cool way to go! :)

Couples Therapy Via Adventure Racing

Now here's a story more than one couple I know can relate to. Men's Journal has posted a great article about a married couple who elected to take part in the Speight's Coast-to-Coast, a multi-sport race held annually in New Zealand. The race is more than 243km (150 miles) in length, and includes three stages. The race kicks off with a 140km road cycle, followed by a 36km run through the mountains, and finally a 67km long kayak stage to finish the day.

For Brad Wieners and his wife Mary, the race represented an opportunity to break out of their mundane existence, which included 50+ hour work weeks, kids, commutes, and everything else that comes along with the daily grind. They were once a young, dynamic and adventurous couple who had gotten bogged down with the usual things life throws our way. To break out of that rut, they decided to do the Coast to Coast as a relay team, and began training for the race.

As you might expect, not everything went as planned. Brad even managed to lose his wedding ring while taking a training course on kayaking. A rather ominous sign it would seem. But the couple stuck with their training and went through with their plan, and this article tells their tale in an often humorous fashion. The story bounces back and fourth between their planning and training, and the various stages of the race, which took place back in February of this year.

In the end, the couple manages to bond over the training and the race, and add a little adventure back into their life in the process. It's a fun read, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend adventure racing for a couple that is in need of counseling, it seems to have worked for this pair.

The 7-in-7 Challenge: Hiking New Zealand's Great Walks in a Week!

National Geographic Adventure tipped me off to this story earlier today when they posted it to their Adventure Blog. It seems that New Zealander Malcolm Law, an adventurer and ultrarunner, will attempt to complete seven of the country's "Great Walks" in just seven days, in an effort to raise money for Leukemia research. If all goes as planned, he'll cover 223 miles over the course of a very busy week.

Law covers the basics of his plan on his 7-in-7 website, which begins with the very apt tag line "It's going to hurt!". The challenge will get underway on November 29th, when he'll take on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk, a 26.5 mile trail that typically takes 3-4 days to complete. From there, it is on to the Tongariro Northern Circuit, which is 25.4 miles of mountain trail, before moving on to the Abel Tasman Coast Track (32.2 miles), the Heaphy Track (48.7 miles), Routeburn Track (20 miles), the Milford Track (33.2 miles), and finally ending at the 37.3 mile Kepler Challenge, a mountain run that is a yearly competition in Kiwi-land.

In order to accomplish his goal, Malcolm will be assisted by a team of support crew, that will help arrange rides to and from each of the daily routes, as they are spread out in different parts of New Zealand. Each day he'll also be joined by a fresh group of support runners that will help pace him as he goes. If successful, Law's website says that this will be the equivalent of running 9 off road marathons, while climbing Mt. Cook twice, in just seven days time.

In all, New Zealand has nine great walks, and the seven that Malcolm will attempt all fall on the mainland. The other two include the Rakiura Track, a 22.3 mile trek through Stewart Island, and the Whanganui Journey, which is a 90 mile kayaking route, and not a "great walk" at all.

For more information on the 7-in-7 Challenge, head over to the official website, where you'll find a bio of Malcolm, who is 49 by the way. You'll also find info on his support runners and ground crew, as well as ways that you can get involved with the challenge too by either joining him on the trail or donating to the cause.

Good luck Malcolm!

Ten Unknown Treks

Backpacker.com has put together an excellent list of ten undiscovered treks, scouring the globe to find the best long distance hiking trails that have yet to come up on the radar for most backpackers.

The list has a little something for everyone, and offers great suggestions on five continents, including several in Europe, Australia, South America, Asia and Africa. Some of the great trails making the list include the Pyrenees Traverse in France, which offers great backcountry hiking all day with comfortable and quaint inns to stay in each night. Heading to Nepal you'll find the Rolwaling to Khumbu circuit, a 20-day hike that offers a fraction of the hikers in the Khumbu Valley, while still staying the shadow of Everest itself, and travel to Ethiopia to trek the Simien Mountains, which offer an 8 day, 86-mile route that blends culture, wildlife and amazing scenery in one.

The article says that you should get to these treks before everyone else does. They're still off the beaten path (pun fully intended!) for the vast majority and as such, you'll likely have the trail to yourself, at least for now. That'll probably change now that Backpacker has tipped us all off, but regardless, these each look like amazing treks.

My friend Colm, who I did Kilimanjaro with a few years back, did the Simien trek i Ethiopia last year, and had nothing but great things to say about the experience. From the sounds of things, it lives up to Backpacker's description and then some. While Kili has become all the rage, and the Atlas Mountains in Morocco continue to draw hikers, the Simians remain a bit of a mystery, still untamed and wild. Go quickly!

Hikers On Mt. Cook Rescued!

A quick update today on those hikers caught in the storm on Mt. Cook that I mentioned yesterday. Jo Adams, who first alerted me to this story, posted another article this morning, with the word that all six of the Australians on the mountain were successfully evacuated from the mountain.

The two women and four men are said to be in good condition, despite their ordeal, and spirits are said to be high. They are still being examined by medical staff, but it seems they weathered the storm just fine. The entire group was pulled off the Metelille Glacier by helicopter earlier today when the search and rescue teams finally got a break in the weather.

Finally, some good news out of the mountains. With the recent happenings on K2, it's nice to see a successful rescue and a happy ending. With any luck, these six will be enjoying a fine meal and a couple of brews in the lodge tonight.

Thanks for the update Jo!

Six People Missing On Mt. Cook

There is a bit of breaking news today about a group of six hikers who are missing on Mt. Cook in New Zealand. They set out to traverse a section of the mountain from Barron Saddle to Mueller Hut and were expected to return sometime today, but a blizzard has struck the area, and the activation of an emergency beacon has search and rescue teams concerned for safety of the hikers.

Earlier today, a helicopter set off in an attempt to reach the location of the emergency beacon, but it was forced to turn back due to the storms. To make matters worse, their are other climbers on the mountain as well, and rescuers were unsure at this time, who had sent out the signal for help.

At this time, SAR teams are hoping for a break in the weather so they can mount a proper rescue attempt, but with heavy snow falling over the past day and a half, conditions on the Mt. Cook have deteriorated substantially. Rescuers now fear avalanches and high winds at high altitude will hamper their efforts moving forward.

Lets keep our fingers crossed for a happy ending to this one. We've had enough problems with losing people in the mountains lately. A big thanks to Jo Adams for sending this my way. She's written a more thorough story for RacingAndSports.com.

Travel Sites: Argentina and New Zealand

I had a pair of websites e-mailed to me today that may be of interest to those planning a trip abroad.

First up, we have the trekking guide over at ArgentinaTravel.com. The main site is focused on providing in depth information for travelers to Argentina, including where to go, what to do, and a lot more. There is even an Argentina Travel Forum to interact with others planning a trip or who have already been there. The Trekking guide has some great information on the best locations to hike and backpack in the South American country, such as The Lake District and Tierra del Fuego, both of which are iconic destinations. So, if you're considering a trip to Argentina, which I hear is a hidden travel gem, then be sure to stop by ArgentinaTravel.com. I have no doubt you'll come away with some great ideas for your travel adventure.

On the other hand, if you're looking to head to what is widely considered the the Adventure Capital of the World, then check out the official New Zealand travel information site where you'll be able to completely plan your entire vacation. You'll find great information on New Zealand itself, including it's history, culture, and more. There are maps and info about the various regions of the country, and a page dedicated to all the outdoor adventures at your disposal. There is even a page dedicated to helping you get to New Zealand and then get around while you're there.

If all of that isn't enough to get you to go, to New Zealand, then check out the cool promo below. it does a great job of conveying all of the amazing outdoor adventures that you can take advantage of while you're there. It'll show you that NZ is more than just "that place where Lord of the Rings was filmed". I've always wanted to visit this amazing country, and watching this video just reminds me why.

New Zealand Says Goodbye To Sir Ed

The entire country of New Zealand said goodbye to one of their most famous sons today, as a state funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary marked the passing of a great explorer and a great humanitarian.

The New Zealand Herald has complete coverage of today's events, including photo, videos, and audio. The church was packed with family, friends, and dignitaries, with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark joining Hillary's children Peter and Sarah, in eulogizing the first Westerner to stand atop Everest. Grandson Sam Mulgrew and Ang Rita Sherpa, Administrative Officer of Hillary's Himalayan Trust, also had the opportunity to speak.

Sir Edmund's passing was mourned not only in New Zealand however, as the people of Nepal joined them in their sorrow. Hillary's humanitarian acts clearly have had a direct impact on the quality of life in Nepal, and his lasting legacy there will go far beyond climbing mountains. Ang Rita Sherpa summed it up best when he said: "His loss to us is bigger and heavier than Mt Everest."

Today we all say goodbye to an amazing man. He was a mountaineer, adventurer, and a trailblazer. But he was also a man of deep integrity, compassion, and a deep desire to make the World a better place. I'd say he succeeded far beyond what anyone would have thought possible, and his indomitable spirit will be missed.