Waymarking on the St. Paul trail in Turkey is nearly complete

by Kraig Becker on

The St. Paul Trail in Turkey is a 300+ mile long trekking route that reputedly follows the same path as the apostle whose name it bares By most accounts he took the path on his first missionary journey to the city of Anatolia and most likely did it without hiking boots. The trail runs from Perge to Yalvac, which is found northeast of Lake Egirdir, and is said to be more wild and remote than Turkey’s better known hiking route, the Lycian Way.

The trail was first opened in 2004, and was designed to be an easy to follow route for independent hikers through remote backcountry. That goal will soon be achieved, as volunteers are nearly finished waymarking the trail, making it easier than ever to navigate the hike from end to end.

Of course, any long distance hiker knows that navigation is only one small part of the trek, and the St. Paul trail offers plenty of challenges beyond finding your way. The trail begins at sea level and rises as high as 7200 feet, as it winds its way into the Anatolian highlands. Two optional side-paths can extend the distances further and altitudes higher, taking backpackers up to nearly 9200 feet, if they are feeling especially adventurous. The path also makes its way past ancient roman ruins, through rocky canyons, and to the shores of serene lakes, mostly untouched by outside visitors.

Indeed, the remoteness of this trek is one of its major draws. Unlike the Lycian Way, there is little to no tourist infrastructure in this part of Turkey, and the villages that St. Paul’s trail wanders through are still getting use to the idea of outsiders dropping by for a visit. Also unlike the Lycian Way, this trail has two starting points, one in Perge, as mentioned, and another further east, along the Pamphylian plain at Aspendos, a site known for its well preserved ancient architecture.

At this time, it is unknown how many people hike the St. Paul each year, but it is certainly not a busy trek. In fact, if you plan on making the journey yourself, be sure to pack your tent, as there are few places to stay along the way, other than in a villagers house. All of that could change however, as the waymarking should complete by the end of April, and the way of St. Paul will be made clear for all.

For a more detailed account of the trek, read this article at Today’s Zaman.

Hiker begins 4700 mile journey around Alaska

by Kraig Becker on

Long distance hiking legend Andrew Skurka is off on another adventure, this time taking on a trek through the Alaskan wilderness that will take seven months to complete, and will cover more than 4700 miles. Dubbed the Alaska-Yukon Expedition, the journey will take Skurka through eight national parks, six in the U.S. and two in Canada, while crossing four mountain ranges, and some of the most remote wilderness found anywhere in North America.

Skurka set out from Kotzebue, Alaska a few days back, and will now travel south to the Iditarod Trail, then east to the Alaskan Range and the Lost Coast. From there, it’s on to the Inside Passage, up the Yukon River to the Ogilive and Richardson Mountains, before eventually turning west, and running the length of the Brooks Range, one of the last great wildernesses on Earth. Finally, he’ll return to Kotzebue, completing the circuit and ending the adventure back where he began.

For now, Skurka will be traveling on skis, but much of the journey will be completed on foot and with the use of a packraft, a small, inflatable boat that he can carry with him. For most people, the thought of covering more than 4700 miles through remote backcountry, under your own power, would seem like an insurmountable challenge, but for Skurka, it is just another long hike to add to his resume. In the past, he has hiked both the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, as well as a route from the Atlantic to the Pacific that covered more than 7700 miles. His 6875 mile Great Western Trails Route a few years back also earned him the title of National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

You’ll be able to follow Skurka’s adventures with weekly updates on the National Geographic Adventure Blog and through his Twitter feed @andrewskurka. If all goes according to plan, he should be finishing up the journey in the early part of October.

Celebrity Kilimanjaro climb documentary comes to MTV

by Kraig Becker on

Back in January we told you about a group of celebrities who were climbing Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of the growing global clean drinking water crisis. The expedition was dubbed the Summit on the Summit, and it included musicians Kenna and Lupe Fiasco, as well as actors Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, and Isabel Lucas, amongst others. The team was quite successful in their efforts, with everyone reaching the top of the 19,340-foot mountain, the tallest in Africa.

The entire expedition was captured on film, and has now been edited down to a 90 minute television program that will air tomorrow night on MTV. Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro is scheduled to begin at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central. The show will follow the team from the foot of the mountain all the way to the top, and should prove to be interesting viewing for anyone who is considering making the trek themselves.

For a preview of the show, check out the trailer below, then set your DVR’s accordingly.

Blind hiker intends to conquer the Appalachian Trail

by Kraig Becker on

A 44-year old Minnesota man named Mike Hanson will set out tomorrow to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, which is of course always a major undertaking for any hiker. But in Hanson’s case, it is an even more formidable challenge considering he has been blind since birth, and will navigate all 2174 miles of the AT through the use of a GPS device.

The Appalachian Trail is considered one of the true classic long distance treks by backpackers the world over. Running from Maine to Georgia, while crossing through New Hampshire, Vermont, and a dozen other states, the Trail offers everything from steep mountain passes to beautiful open meadows and gorgeous alpine valleys, complete with rushing rivers. By all accounts, it is an amazingly scenic hike from end-to-end. Of course, none of that will matter to Mike, who won’t see any of those backcountry vistas while he makes the hike.

Hanson will use a special GPS device that connects to his cellphone, and he hits the trail with it already programmed with all of his waypoints, including sources of water, campsites, shelters, and more. With all of that data in place, he’ll be able to hike confidently knowing where he is in relation to those places at any time. To make things even easier, the device will actually talk to him in a computer generated voice, keeping him updated on his progress. A high capacity 32-hour battery will help keep the GPS powered at all times.Mike says he intends to average about 15 miles per day, which means it should take him approximately seven months to reach Mount Katahdin’s Baxter Peak, the trail head for the AT in Maine. He will also stop in a town once a week in order to restock his food supply and pick up any gear items that he might possibly need.

The blind hiker won’t be alone on this trek however, as he’ll be accompanied by filmmaker Gary Steffens, who will document the entire hike. Steffens says that he won’t do any of the navigating along the way, and that he’ll simply follow Hanson up the trail, capturing every moment of the hike.

Mike says that he is making this journey to prove that the visually impaired are still able to lead full, independent lives and are far more capable than many people believe. If successful, he will become the first blind man to make the trek by navigating it himself. You can find out more about Mike on his website and follow his progress on his Facebook page.

Before you go, be sure to check out Gadling’s Travel Talk TV!

New epic trekking route set to open in the Himalaya in 2011

by Kraig Becker on

Have you already conquered the world’s top treks? Already hiked the Inca Trail, made the trek to Everest Base Camp, and scaled Kilimanjaro? Do the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails seem passe? Then get ready for a new long distance trekking route set to open in the Himalaya next year, that will challenge even the heartiest of backpackers with its distance and altitude.

Known at the Great Himalaya Trail, this new route will run approximately 2800 miles through some of the most remote and stunningly beautiful locations on the planet. The snow capped peaks of the Himalaya will tower above hikers as they pass through Bhutan, Tibet, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, on a route that will be an epic undertaking from beginning to end.

The trail will begin in Namche Barwa in Tibet and extend all the way to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan. It is estimated that it will take roughly 150 days to hike the GHT from end to end, although it will also be broken up into seven sections, which can be completed in 18 to 35 days depending on which segment a trekker elects to do. Much of the route will be inaccessible by road, but will instead pass through remote villages that will allow for resupply, while giving backpackers a chance to immerse themselves in the unique and fascinating local cultures.

Distance isn’t the only consideration for those looking to complete the GHT. Altitude will be an ever present challenge, with the trail climbing through high passes and along mountain routes in excess of 18,000 feet. Weather will also be a constant threat, with the chance of heavy snow a possibility at nearly any time of the year, and a freak blizzard could potentially close the route for a number of days. Political relations between the nations through which the trail passes are, at times, a bit tenuous as well, meaning that the route could be shut down along disputed borders.

To date, only the route through Nepal is complete, although work continues in each of the other countries in an effort to be ready by February 15 of next year, when the first trek, led by adventure travel company World Expeditions will get underway. Those interested in joining the inaugural trek can book the entire route or one of the seven subsections now, although space is limited and demand is expected to be high. Trekking the route independently is being discouraged at the moment due to the number of permits and visas that are required.

For Nepal, the Great Himalaya Trail is an opportunity to expand the options for adventure travelers who already visit the country in droves. But for the other four countries along the Great Himalaya Trail, the new trekking route gives them a chance to begin to tap more fully into the growing adventure travel market that has, for the most part, eluded them. With the travel industry looking to rebound this year, the hope is that in 2011, long distance trekkers will be ready to take on this new route, and bolster their struggling economies in the process.