Damn, I miss going on a long good hike. This winter has been depressing.
I resceduled my Havasupai permits for November this year. I still have flight coupons for KLM and American Airlines so I still might do this trip this year. It will probably be my last big overseas trip. There are plenty of interesting places, mountains and hikes within Europe that I have never done and I really want to stop all non essential flying.
I've done tons of hikes in the past few years, as well as some mountaineering.
This was a recent short, easy hike I did with a dozen or so friends - an evening/night hike to enjoy the fall colors at sunset, at a popular overlook on the Appalachian Trail:
20221024_173604.jpg
20221024_180631.jpg
20221024_180658.jpg
311440182_10222023816084066_8121516218527025127_n.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Anyone else been out there in the out-there?
Regards,
Duncan
"Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak
Dunkin those are absolutely stunning photos! I’ve got to get out there. Only place I’ve managed in the last few years is Catoctin park. Your pics remind me of that a little bit - especially chimney rock, but I haven’t been to Annapolis rocks.
Catoctin park / Cunningham Falls / etc. are practically in my back yard. Great hiking out there. I'd urge you to try Annapolis Rocks some time - it's by far the best overlook in the region. There are short and longer hikes to get there - let me know if you need details, or I'm sure Alltrails.com has maps.
Regards,
Duncan
I was on Mt. Rainier last month. But mountaineering and hiking aren't the same thing. I'm hoping to get summit Mt. Shasta in the next year or 2.
Regards,
Duncan
While I wouldn't call myself an avid hiker, the wife and I have been doing some hiking the last year or some while fulltiming it in our motorhome. We've hiked Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Red Rocks early in the year and we are currently finishing up in Zion National Park. We were wanting to take in Bryce Canyon but the weather is not cooperating. I'd post pics but I'm on my phone and don't know how.
Nice pictures, Chris!
I love Annapolis Rocks. It's a short out 'n back hike (with only 1 medium hill) - though I often hike there from the Washington Monument or from the South Mountain Inn.
We were there at (probably) the perfect time for the colors. It was a cloudy, gloomy day and the view was dull, then the sun broke through the clouds for just a few minutes to give us that brilliant orange display.
Regards,
Duncan
I've been to Great Falls several times - though not recently.
There's a hike I'm thinking of doing next April that will take me right past Great Falls: It's a one-day 100km (62 mile) hike from Washington, DC to Harpers Ferry, WV, along the tow path. You start at 3:00am, and have to finish by midnight.
My mind says "Yeah, let's to it".
My legs are saying "Nooo - please don't!"
Regards,
Duncan
I didn't post anything about a climb I did a few months ago:
Mount Rainier - a technical climb : crampons, ice axes, helmets, rope teams, etc., crossing snowfields and glaciers and 200ft deep crevasses ... and some of the most stunning scenery.
I went up with my son, and we trained hard for this climb for a very long time. Could have summited - should have summited - but ... see the picture story below
(Click to enlarge)
6:00am - my son chillin' out before the climb
Rainier_01.jpg
Every Rainier climber takes this picture - the start of the climb with John Muir quotes.
Rainier_02.jpg
Back view of me 45 lbs is f***ing heavy!
Rainier_03.jpg
Selfie taken during one of the (few!) rest stops on the first part of the climb.
Rainier_04.jpg
Me 2nd from the front, one foot (only just) in front of the other...
Rainier_05.jpg
Regards,
Duncan
Part 2:
And then it started getting really difficult!
Rainier_06.jpg
Climbing through the night...
Rainier_07.jpg
And this is how it ended.
A few thousand feet below the summit my son had a medical emergency and they had to get him off the mountain - stat! Of course I went down with him, which ended our climb. This was him, in the ambulance, before we got him to the ER.
Rainier_99.jpg
He's okay now but we're both devastated that years of training and planning, tons of logistics, and thousands of dollars ended up with us not reaching the summit.
Maybe next year...
Last edited by Duncan Glenday; 11-27-2022 at 12:25 PM.
Regards,
Duncan
I've been to Nepal before. I did a 4 week trek through Dolpo in 2008, which is an extremely remote high altitude area. Very different from what I did this year.
Everest bc and Annapurna circuit are the most popular treks. Not entirely without reason but I always try to avoid the crowds when I am hiking. Thats why I chose Manaslu circuit . Its similar to Annapurna but with a only quarter of the tourists.
Bookmarks