Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Biking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking, Paddling, Scuba diving, Skiing, Surfing

Australia’s tallest external building walk opens January in the Gold Coast

by Jessica Festa on

Adventurous visitors to Australia‘s Gold Coast will be happy to hear about the area’s newest thrill: the SkyPoint Climb. Participants will walk the 298 external stairs of the residential Q1 tower and make their ascent 886 feet above sea level.

The SkyPoint Climb will be Australia’s highest external building walk and will feature the country’s only beachside Observation Deck. With 360 degree views of the city, beaches, and nearby mountains, this is one beautiful adventure.

Afraid of heights? Don’t worry, as climbers are equipped with a harness and static fall arrest line. There is also an inner hand rail and specially trained staff to help deal with any cases of Acrophobia.

Right now, you can purchase tickets for the SkyPoint Climb through their website for January 15, 2012, and on. An adult ticket is $21 while a children’s ticket is $12.50. Family tickets can also be purchased at $54.50.

Lonely Planet releases list of 10 best treks in the world

by Kyle Ellison on

There are more than a handful of reasons why I love hiking as my favorite travel activity.
It’s a great workout, you get to breathe fresh mountain air, and, perhaps the best perk of all,
it’s usually free.

Here at Gadling we are quick to point out epic hikes around the globe, recently highlighting trails such as the newly created Te Araroa in New Zealand and the stunning backcountry of Cantabria, Spain.

Not surprisingly, we’re not the only travel site that is bullish on global hiking. In a nod
to promoting the easiest adventure activity on the planet, Lonely Planet has recently
released their updated list of the ten best treks in the world.

While even attempting to whittle the world down to a mere 10 treks is a daunting task, as someone who has completed a few of these already, I concur with the majority of Lonely Planet’s decisions on this one. Some of the trails making the cut: the Routbourn Track in New Zealand and Pays Dogon in Mali. Some of those perhaps just missing the cut: the W circuit in Chile, the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, or Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Regardless, tackling any trail on this list is a worthwhile way to break a sweat and see some of the most remarkable places on the planet.

Tierra Patagonia hotel and spa opens in Chilean Patagonia

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers who enjoy a little luxury mixed in with their adventure now have a new option when visiting southern Chile. Earlier this week, Tierra Patagonia opened for business, giving visitors a chance to experience the iconic Patagonia wilderness without having to sacrifice on the creature comforts.

Located on the edge of Chile’s famous Torres del Paine National Park, Tierra Patagonia is an all inclusive resort that features 40 rooms, a full featured spa, gourmet meals, and plenty of great Chilean wine. It is the sister hotel to Tierra Atacama, which we told you about awhile back, and as such, visitors can expect a relaxed atmosphere that is well integrated and respectful of the beautiful natural setting that surround it.

When referring to Tierra Patagonia as “all inclusive” that means the adventure is included as well. Guests have access to daily excursions throughout the region, with the hotel’s friendly and knowledgeable guides leading a variety of half- and full-day hikes into the national park. There are also options to explore the Patagonian wilderness on horseback, mountain bike, or by 4×4 as well, providing ample opportunity for visitors to experience one of the last great wildernesses on the planet in all of its glory.

Whether you’re looking for an adventurous, romantic, or relaxed escape, you’ll find everything you need at Tierra Patagonia. Visit the hotel’s website for more information on what to expect and to book your own Patagonian adventure.

New Jersey law now requires helmets on skiers, snowboarders

by Kraig Becker on

If you’re planning on hitting the slopes in the Garden State this winter, you’ll want to take note of this story.

New Jersey is set to begin enforcing a new law this weekend that will require skiers and snowboarders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet while on the slopes. The law was passed last April, and makes the state the first in the nation to require minors to wear protective head gear.

The new law requires parents to ensure that their minor children are wearing helmets at all times, including while they’re on rope tows and lifts, or face a fine. The penalty for a first offense is $25, with each additional infraction setting them back as much as $100. The hope is that this move will make skiing and snowboarding safer activities for young people.

While New Jersey isn’t well known as a ski destination, it does have several resorts, most of which are set to open for the winter season by this holiday weekend. Warmer than normal weather has kept snow away for the most part and hampered efforts to make artificial snow as well. But resorts such as Mountain Creek are optimistic that they’ll be open in time for the Christmas holiday. In preparation for that opening, and this new law, the resort has doubled the number of rental helmets that it has on hand.

The question is, would a law requiring helmets actually catch-on in states that are more well known as ski destinations, such as Colorado or Utah? California governor Jerry Brown has already vetoed such a law, but did so out of concern for more and more authority being handed over from parents to the state. He did say that he appreciated the value of wearing a helmet however, but inferred that it wasn’t the state’s duty to mandate it.

Considering more and more people are wearing helmets while on the slopes already, I don’t think such a law would be met with much opposition. Much like wearing a seat belt while driving these days, it just makes good sense to wear a helmet as well. It’ll be interesting to see if other states follow New Jersey’s lead or if they’ll take California’s approach and put the onus back on the parents.

A Headlamp is a Travel Essential

by Pam Mandel on

Scenario 1: Sure, there’s a campfire, but it’s not enough to let you see what’s on your plate. You’re alternating between a fork and a flashlight. That’s no way to enjoy your ramen.

Scenario 2: Digging through your bag for your earplugs when your tent mate has shattered your sleep with her snoring takes both hands.

Scenario 3: That budget hotel is on generator power, and that goes off at 10am. It’s 3am, it’s as dark as the inside of an elephant, and you have to pee.

You need a headlamp. I’ve tested a few of these and I’ve settled on a favorite, Petzl’s Zipka Plus 2. Here’s what I like about it.

The Zipka has a spring-loaded retractable cord rather than a typical elasticized webbing headband. It’s super compact right from the get-go because the design has cleverly eliminated the strap. I like that you can strap it to your hand or your arm or whatever – tent pole, beer can… if it’s the circumference of your melon, you can put the lamp around it and it will stay put. Win.

Next up? There’s a red light mode. That snoring camp buddy? You don’t have to paste her with high wattage while you’re rooting around in your bag. You’re not a jerk. This is a really nice feature I didn’t know I wanted, and now, I think it should be standard. The red light is just, well, it’s more polite, so it’s great for dorm rooms, too, or any situation where low light is a better choice.

There’s a blinky mode, too, so if you’re striving to be seen (say you’re using it as a bike light), you can set the blinker to go off in either red or white light. It’s really bright when it’s blinking in the full power white light mode, if they’re within visible range (a maximum of 35 meters, according to Petzl) your crew will find you. When it’s blinking in red light mode, it’s not as bright, but it’s still useful for making yourself seen by those around you.

You can use the white light in two modes — full and “economy”. In economy mode,the light is plenty bright for reading and, according to the specs, the light will last for up to 140 hours. That’s a good long time.

Finally, if you’d like to attach the light to something, Petzl has an adapter kit that allows you to mount the light in bunch of different scenarios, including to a standard elasticized headband.

As I mentioned, I have a few headlamps (including the Irix, that Gadling Gear Guy Kraig Becker reviewed here) but this one is my favorite. It’s tiny, it’s bright, it has more features than I thought a headlamp could possibly need — and I like all of them. Mine lives in my travel bag now, I don’t head out on a trip without it.