Although Mt. St. Helens is known by those outside the state
of Washington as the place where Mother Nature exploded in volcanic fury all those years ago, locals know the area as
one of the finest Meccas for mountain biking around. Mountain Biking Magazine
has a piece on the amazing
single-track riding that is available for fat-tire fans looking for some vigorous riding among the debris and rebirth
of St. Helens. While many of the old trails there are still closed off because of eruption concerns, others like the
Lewis River Trail are open and inviting. If you’re planning a bike trip to Mt. St. Helen’s check the
Forest Service site for updates on
where you can ride, hike and camp.
Hiking the CA Cascades
Another nice article on
what the rains have wrought here in the Golden State. Hikers are blessed with some amazing opportunities right now. The
waterfalls in places like Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz
County are gushing, making hiking and photo opportunities some of the best in recent memory. The
article highlights some of
the fine hikes to take to reach and see the falls in all their cateractful splendor. And for Yosemite fans, the
falls in the valley are equally
magnificent.
Getting Your Boot to Fit Right
Have you ever purchased a shoe in the store realizing two hikes and six blistering sores later that
you may have picked the wrong foot gear? I know, I know, I’ve been a
victim too. This is something that has to have happened to everyone at some time in their hiking
adventures. And later they will stress over and over again how important it is to treat your feet right on
those lengthy hikes.
There are several factors that cause these unnecessary sore feet (coughs – choosing style over comfort), but
Backpacker online suggests many of us lack
the knowledge of proper footwear fitting. Kindly enough they’ve also provided a guide starting first with the
anatomy of the foot, boot and also socks. Wish there was something like that when I went to school, but there are
also many practical tips and ways to modify an already not so hot boot fit.
America’s Toughest Hikes
Here’s a quick little list found in
the Chicago
Tribune (originally found in Backpacker mag online)
on some of America’s hardest day hike’s. I figured there was no point in
not sharing the list with the folks here, so if you’re looking to hit some trails and work up a massive sweat see
if any of these are in your neck of the woods.
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Timberline Trail, Oregon
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Pemi Loop, White Mountains, N.H.
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Great Range Traverse, Adirondacks, N.Y.
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Windom Peak, Colorado
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Cactus to Clouds Trail, CA
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Great Smoky Mountains End-to-End, TN/N.C.
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Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim, AZ
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Enchantment Lakes Traverse, WA
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Paintbrush Canyon-Cascade Canyon Loop, WY
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Bigelow Range Traverse, ME
Switzerland’s Top Adventures
I haven’t posted very often here about Switzerland. Sure, it’s small…a wee country, as a Mike Meyer’s character
might put it…but for outdoor and adventure buffs, it’s a bit of a Valhalla. Skiers love Switzerland, parapenters dig
it’s jagged peaks which they soar over, and even bunjee jumpers find gravitational satisfaction from it’s bridges.
That’s a couple suggestions for things to do there, and now
here is a list of lots more…20 to be precise. Twenty Swiss-based adventures from ballooning in
Chateau d’Oex, to hiking the Bernese Oberland, and strolling the Glaciers at Jungfraujoch. The list goes on,
check it out.