Girls, girls, girls! Trapper’s Cabin getaway

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There’s no guarantee that this retreat will become home to the latest in the Where the Boys Aren’t series, but Trapper’s Cabin on Beaver Creek Mountain does offer the ladies a chance to disappear for a while and enjoy relative seclusion and a bit of relaxation. This four-bedroom, four-bathroom villa is 9,500 feet in the sky, surrounded by nature and designed for high-touch service.

Trapper’s Cabin is a log cabin … that happens to come with a hot tub, steam shower, pool table and professional kitchen. In-room spa services are available, as well, along with the efforts of a personal chef. Skiing, snowshoeing and hiking are not far from the front door.

So, could you imagine taking off with the ladies for a destination like this? Conceive of having your body rubbed down by a skilled spa therapist before soaking in the hot tub … while boyfriends and husbands and kids are trapped in the real world? Trapper’s Cabin starts at $599 a night, which I find shockingly low.

Photo of the Day (8.2.09)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

People talk about the sky being “bigger” out West, and I think after seeing this photo, I understand why. As you might notice on the sign, Flickr user Syggiti took this shot at the Continental Divide in Colorado. The towering clouds hover above a vast cluster of moutains, lending a sense of space and huge size. Meanwhile the tiny green flecks of pine trees and dabs of cool snow add some visual intrigue. It’s positively postcard-worthy – nice work.

Have any travel photos of your own you’d like to share? Why not add them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Australian wilderness survivor story gets a soap opera style twist

by Scott Carmichael on

What was supposed to be a story of personal endurance and an amazing rescue, has slowly turned into a nasty family battle revolving around a lot of money.

When 19 year old backpacker Jamie Neale was found after 12 days in the Australian wild, the photos showing Mr. Neale reunited with his father probably brought a huge smile to the millions of people following the story.

The whole thing has now turned into a battle of the words (and cash) between Mr. Neale and his dad. According to one story, his dad left Australia and headed back to the UK just 19 hours after his son was rescued. The reason? A $200,000 interview he had arranged. His second TV appearance netted just under $100,000, half of which was promised to go to the various rescue operations that participated in the search.

The other side of the story paints a different picture – that side claims Mr. Neale is the bad guy, and that he is the one refusing to donate the $50,000 to the rescuers. To give the whole thing an even bigger soap opera appeal, Mr. Neale claims his dad actually walked out on the family when he was three.

UK outdoors specialists are now questioning the whole incident, and have doubts about the story Jamie told the press. I’m not sure we’ll ever get to the bottom of the story – and that is probably for the best, as there is obviously more to it than meets the eye.

Eight dead in Japanese mountain climbing accident

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Eight older hikers turned up dead, so the Japanese police executed a raid on Amuse-Travel Co. They suspected the tour organizer of negligence, as the mostly sixtysomething crowd met an untimely end thanks to hypothermia on Mount Tomuraushi on Hokkaido. Another old hiker died alone on the same mountain at around the same time, with a tenth on a different mountain on Hokkaido. The police haven’t made any arrests.

Since the group was found scattered around the mountain, the police believe that the group was not being escorted properly.

But, it appears they weren’t dressed appropriately for the weather on Mount Tomuraushi. They had donned only thin rain jackets for 46-degree temperatures, strong winds and rain. One of the survivors, Michiyuki Kameda, recalled having to push through muddy waters in nasty weather, but he had heavier clothing.

Mountain climbing has become increasingly popular among the older folks as a way to stay healthy, but it appears many aren’t aware of the safety risks. More than 60 percent of the 281 people who died mountain climbing in Japan last year were at least 55 years old.

Photo of the Day (7-15-09)

by Jamie Rhein on

Monday, when we passed through Moab, Utah as part of our Great American Road Trip 2009 from New Mexico to Montana and back, I was hoping to snap such a shot of the glorious scenery. In my dreams. Teewinot, however, took this one near Moab. The view is looking towards Fisher Towers and La Sal Mountains. “sigh” Everyone needs to drive through Utah. It’s simply stunning.

If you have any stunning shots, send them our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool. One might be chosen as a Photo of the Day.