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!

Erik Weihenmayer Climbs Alpamayo

Alpamayo is a 19,511 foot tall, snow capped peak in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range of the Peruvian Andes. It is a very prominent peak in the area, and is widely considered one of the most beautiful peaks in the world. It was for all of those reasons, and more, that Erik Weihenmayer and his climbing partner Eric Alexander, recently made the trip to Peru to attempt the mountain. 


Erik shared the details of the climb on his blog, which included some great photos of the trip and the video below. The trip involved a 2-day trek to BC, which is located at 14,500 feet, and establishing an intermediary camp at 16,000 feet before going to the summit. The two men had to work in rain and snow, and some technical portions of the climb, but eventually they stood on top. The story of their climb is a good one though, with lots of challenges to overcome along the way.


This climb marks the first blind ascent of the mountain. As many of you know, Erik is the first person to climb Everest without the use of his sight, and has since added the rest of the Seven Summits, including Carstenz Pyramid. He's also scaled El Cap in Yosemite and Mt. Kenya in Africa, amongst plenty of other peaks. 

7 Scary Hikes Caught On Video

Travel blog Gadling.com, for which I'm a contributor, has a great post up today of 7 of the craziest, most dangerous hikes in the world. Each of the hikes on the list features some common denominators, namely they mix in a bit of altitude with a trail that is a bit on the dangerous side. But describing them wouldn't do them much justice, so thankfully, each of them is caught on video, so we understand exactly why they earned the moniker of "crazy".

A few of the hikes we've talked about here before, such as the El Caminito del Rey and Mount Hua in China. Others were completely new, but well deserving of making the list. One of the videos is embedded below so you have an idea of the level of scary we're talking about here. This one is from the top of Winay Picchu, a peak that actually looks down on Peru's famous Machu Picchu. The views look stunning, but watch that last step...

Inca Trail Shut Down Thru March

A few weeks back there was a story about how 1300 tourists were trapped at Machu Picchu following massive flooding in the area that destroyed the railway into the ancient mountain top fortress. At the time, we were told that more than 40 landslides covering the tracks and that it was damaged in multiple locations, which was preventing the famous tourist train from reaching those trapped on site.

Yesterday, I wrote an update on the situation for Gadling.com with news that the train is set to resume operation within the next three weeks, which is ahead of the eight weeks that were originally projected. Meanwhile, an alternate back route is being opened allowing travelers to visit Machu Picchu, although it requires a five hour car ride to get to the area.

Of course, many of us would prefer to make the hike to the monument via the famous Inca Trail, a four day trek through the Andes that culminates with a sunrise march into Machu Picchu. Traditionally, the trail is closed in February for repairs and maintenance, which means the current closure of the train is not effecting anyone who is currently out on that ancient road. But now we have word, via Detour Destinations Travel Blog, that the closure of the trail will extend through March thanks to the flooding in the area. The Instituto Nacional de Cultura, the agency in charge of the trail, is refunding all trail permits, and encouraging those planning on making the hike to seek alternative trekking options within the country.

This has to be really depressing news for anyone who had been planning on going to Peru to hike the Inca Trail next month. By most accounts, it is an amazing experience, and well worth the hike. I just hope that everyone who had plans will find alternatives that live up to their expectations.

Walking The Amazon Update: Ed and Cho into Manaus

It's been far too long since we checked in on the Walking the Amazon expedition. You may recall, this is the unbelievably ambitious project in which British adventurer Ed Stafford, along with his companion Cho Sanchez Rivera, are attempting to walk the entire length of the Amazon River, something that has never been accomplished before. When they've finished this herculean task, they'll have covered more than 4000 miles through thick, oppressive jungle, often referred to as The Green Hell.

Ed and Cho have recently reached the Brazilian city of Manaus, which is the largest city along the Amazon. With more than 1.8 million people, this is a town where they can rest, recuperate, and resupply before returning to the wild. Considering the long days and weeks the pair have spent slogging through the rainforest, it had to have been quite a shock to see an actual large, thriving metropolis for the first time in months. Most of the other settlements they've come across while trekking have been mostly very small villages, although there are occasionally towns of decent size along the river.

According to their most recent blog post, Manaus was indeed a bit overwhelming. Ed writes:

Cho and I wanted a place to recover and rest before our last push to the Atlantic - but Manaus isn’t that place for us. The prices are over double that outside the city limits and the industrial sprawl (now electronics assembly) is dirty and hectic.

Because of this, he and Cho have hopped a bus to another near by town, which is smaller and much slower paced. They'll spend some time there repairing their rubber boats, used to ford streams and rivers, while they regain their strength and prepare to make the final push towards the Atlantic Ocean, which is roughly 900 miles away yet.

At this point, Ed has spent 667 days on this journey, having begun on April 2nd, 2008. I know that the original plan was to end sometime early this year, but the boys have been running a bit behind schedule, and the journey ahead of them will not be an easy one. I suspect they'll be out on the trail for awhile yet.

As I've said before, this expedition continually boggles my mind. It's such a massive undertaking, it's hard to not be impressed with the sense of exploration and adventure. I hope the last long leg of the journey goes well for both Ed and Cho.

Tourists Stranded At Machu Picchu

Tourists visiting Machu Picchu in Peru have had a little surprise today, as torrential rainfalls in the region have caused massive flooding and landslides, stranding the travelers in the ancient Incan city. According to this story from the Guardian, the train that shuttles visitors to the site has been blocked by more than 40 landslides, effectively cutting it off for the foreseeable future. Rescue operations are underway however, with plans to airlift the more than 1500 people who have been stranded there for the past two days.

Located high in the Andes, Machu Picchu is one of the top tourist destinations in the entire country of Peru, with travelers flocking to it from around the globe. There are two ways of getting into the mountaintop fortress, either taking the 70 mile train ride or hiking for four days along the Inca Trail. Most take the train, although the trail has become increasingly popular with adventure travelers over the past ten years.

According to the story, ten helicopters have been designated to the rescue effort. There are conflicting reports however as to whether or not those efforts have actually gotten underway. Reportedly, the travelers have moved to a nearby hotel, which is booked solid of course. It is also being reported that food and water is now in short supply as well.

Talk about getting more adventure from your vacation than you were hoping for. It seems that everyone is okay at the moment, although two local residence lost their life in the mudslides. Lets hope they can evacuate the visitors in short order and everyone gets out safe and sound.

Retouching The Void With Simon Yates

Here's another great opportunity to go trekking with a climbing legend. It seems that Simon Yates, of Touching the Void fame, is leading a trek back to Siula Grande, the mountain that made his, and Joe Simpson's story famous.

U.K. adventure travel company World Expeditions has put together a 19-day trekking expedition along the Huayhuash Circuit which will be guided by Simon himself. Along with the usual highlights of this trek, which includes Inca ruins, a visit to Huaraz and Lima, as well as 13-days of hiking in the Andes, trekkers will have the opportunity to visit base camp on Siula Grande.

This is a rare opportunity for mountaineers, both active and armchair, to get a first hand account of one of the most legendary climbing stories of the past three decades. Simon will obviously have some amazing insights into what happened there. I'm sure the journey will be an emotional one, as Simon has not trekked through the region since 1985, when the events of the book took place, although I'm pretty sure he was back on the mountain when the film was being made.

There will be two treks held this fall, and the first one, running from Sept. 4-22 has already sold out. As of this writing however, there are still some slots open on the second trip, which will take place from Sept. 25 - Oct. 13. So, if you want to make one of the best treks in the world, while getting a first hand account of a legendary story from one of the men who were there, be sure to sign up quickly.

Kayaking The Last Unexplored Tributary of the Amazon

Another great story from online magazine WideWorld today about a trip of British kayakers who traveled to Peru this summer to run the rapids on the last unexplored tributary of the Amazon River.

Paddlers John ‘Spike’ Green, Pete Caterall and Adam Harmer all work at the National Whitewater Centre in Wales. They traveled to the Andes, where they were joined by a local guide named Paul Cripps. Paul lives in Cusco, and knows the region very well, and it was he who first discovered that the Rio Concevidayoc had yet to be fully navigated and explored. With that in mind, the team set out to make the first descent of that river.

According to the description by WideWorld, the Andean terrain through which the Concevidayoc runs is wild and inhospitable. The river's path runs through deep mountain gorges and is often covered under a dense jungle canopy. Add in a very steep gradient, which creates crazy whitewater rapids, and you have all the ingredients you need for a kayaking adventure. Judging from the rest of the story, an adventure is just what they received. Early on, the rapids were rated in the Class III-IV range, but quickly turned into IV-V and beyond. As if that wasn't enough, the rapids were nearly constant, and there were few places to take out, and get a survey of what was ahead.

All in all, it sounds like this was quite a trip, and it's not often that you get to explore completely new territory. This team had that chance, and it was as wild as you can imagine.

Was Machu Picchu Ever Lost?

Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, has long been considered one of the greatest archeological finds of the 20th Century. Back in 1911, explorer Hiram Bingham claimed to have discovered the fabled city high in the Peruvian Andes, and over time he helped excavate the ruins and bring them to international prominence. But now a debate is raging amongst historians and archeologists on whether or not Bingham actually was the first to find the city and even if the mountain fortress was ever lost at all.

This story by the New York Times, has the whole scoop on the debate, but basically it boils down to this. There are now some historians that believe that German explorer Augusto R. Berns actually raided Machu Picchu way back in 1860's. Berns purchased land in the area, and built a sawmill on them, and then proceeded to raise funds to set up expeditions to raid Incan ruins, allegedly with the blessing of the Peruvian government.

If that wasn't enough, there is also evidence of other adventurers visiting the site as early as 1874, with marking on maps and notes in journals. There are those who believe that the city was not over grown by the jungle yet, and saw a number of visitors come and go long before Bingham ever set foot in Peru.

It's an interesting story for sure. Bingham has long been hailed as a great adventurer and explorer for his finds, but many think that the myth was of his own making, and that he told tall tales to enhance his own stature. Hard to believe that anyone in history would ever do that!! Regardless of who actually discovered it, or if it's been accessible all along, Machu Picchu is still an amazing place, and that can not be disputed.

Thanks for the tip on this one GoBlog!

Planet Ice Project Goes To Peru

The Planet Ice Project is the brainchild of writer and photographer James Martin, who has been traveling the planet on a two year journey to chronicle the health of the planet's ice at a variety of locations ranging from the North to South Pole, with stops on Kilimanjaro, the Mountains of the Moon, and more along the way. When the journey is done, Martin will publish a book with thoughts and photographs on his travels.

The next stop on this globe trotting planetary check-up was the Cordillera Blanca mountain range of Peru, where he hoped to capture images of ice above a tropical setting on the Equator. Martin visited the Huascaran National Park near Huaraz back in June, and filed his latest report on his finding over at GreatOutdoors.com.

Spending four days in the region, hiking from the Cashapampa up to 15,600 feet at the Punta Union Pass, he discovered what he was looking for. Ice could be seen on a number of peaks that surrounded his location, giving him a breathtaking view, while still basking in the relatively warm, equatorial sun.

When the Project is complete, it should make for a great coffee table book with stunning photos and interesting stories from around the planet. Martin has visited some remote and legendary places on his journey, and he isn't done yet. If I had one complaint about the Planet Ice Project though, it's that the reports from the field are often too short and too far between.

Paddlers Complete First Descent of Peru's Upper Colca Canyon

Paddling Life has the details on the first descent of Peru's Upper Colca Canyon, which was completed on August 31st, when a team of 8 paddlers emerged from a largely unexplored, 12-mile stretch of the Upper Colca River.

Often called the World's Deepest Canyon, although there are others who lay claim to that distinction, the Colca is more than 3400 meters (11,154 feet) deep. That puts it more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, although the surrounding walls are not nearly as as steep.

The upper portion of that fabled and remote canyon has remained mostly unexplored, until now. According to the article, the team of adventurers were only able to run approximately six of the twelve miles they set out to conquer. Thanks to raging Class V and VI rapids, fast moving, deep water, and a surprising number of water falls, it was very slow going for the intrepid group. The remaining six miles of the canyon was said to drop another 1500 feet, with even bigger water and drops to contend with. All told, the river dropped an average of 250 feet per mile, giving an indication of how crazy the conditions were.

After spending six days in the canyon, the team eventually had to leave the water and trek their way out to civilization. Due to the slow going, the they were low on food and supplies, and decided they had to give up on their plans to run the entire section.

The trip was a big adventure, both on and off the water as well. One of the major accomplishments of the expedition was the discovery of an ancient tomb, pre-dating the Inca civilization, with eight mummies still preserved inside. This discovery made for a very successful journey, with a first ascent and a significant archeological find.

Looks like it was a great trip all around, and some of the team are already planning a return in the future to finish off the remaining section.

Inca Trail Alternatives

The Guardian is reporting today that the Inca Trail is sold out into September, and that the iconic South American hike will not be open to reservations until after that time. The Peruvian Government has instituted some new restrictions on the Trail in order to protect it and the environments through which it runs. In recent years the trail has continued to grow in popularity, and at times has become quite crowded, prompting the action.

Fear not though, as there are some excellent alternative hikes in the Andes that allow you to capture the same spirit of the Inca Trail, albeit with fewer crowds. The article recommends some of these lesser known trails and offers up advice on guide services for the alternative routes as well.

For example, they suggest the Salkantay Trail, which is best known as the "Back Door to Machu Picchu" as it ends at the same lost city as the Inca Trail. The Salkantay weaves it's way in and out of high passes and jungle valleys over the course of its 4 day journey. This trail is the most likely to get crowded next though, as it's the main alternative to the Inca.

Lesser known Andes treks are also provided, such as the Choquequirao, which is a longer trek matching scenery with cultural immersion, or the Cordillera Huayhuash which is located near the city of Huaraz and offers solitude and breath taking scenery as you march one of two routes near the Cordillera Blanca range.

Peru is considered one of the adventure capitals of South America, with it's proximity to the Andes and ancient ruins. Definitely a place worth exploring for a combination of trekking and culture. However, if you have your heart set on the Inca Trail, it sounds like you had better book it further ahead, or plan on going during the off season.

YouTube Video: Hiking The Inca Trail

While checking out the Friday Matinee today over at OutdoorsMagic.com I came across this cool video of a couple hiking the Inca Trail in Peru. The video does a great job of showing what the conditions on the trail are like, and it doesn't hurt that the couple in question have great senses of humor and are fun to listen to.

Today's Friday Matinee has a Peruvian theme to it, as the other videos are also set in that country. There are a couple of nice mountaineering vids centered around the Cordillera Blanca area, with some really great footage. Definitely worth checking out.