Mountains, Climbing et alii

Charity Walk

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:39:36 GMT

This weekend, I'm taking part in trailwalker 2008 a 100km (62 mile) sponsored walk in aid of oxfam and the Ghurka welfare trust.
I'm part of a team of 4, and we're hoping to finish inside the time limit of 30 hours, but probably well outside the record time of 10 hours! Please sponsor me if you can - you can give online at our team page. Please help!

Trailwalker

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:45:17 GMT

In a couple of weeks, I'm hoping to take part in Trailwalker 2008. Our aim is to walk 100km (62 miles) in 30 hours or less. It;s in aid of Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare trust. We have a team sponsorship page where you can donate. Our target is 2000 pounds, and we've a ways to go yet. please donate as much as you can.

Great Sand Dunes National Park - Alamosa, CO

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:28:39 GMT

Last weekend Tanya and I traveled on a Colorado adventure [thanks to my amazing American Airlines travel voucher]. We pulled in roughly 850 miles and visited two different National Parks on my 'to-do' list, all while suffering from high-altitude sickness and non-sleepage. Our first stop was the Great Sand Dunes National Park, containing North America's tallest sand dunes. I think their tag line should be 'the fastest sand carrying winds in North America' or 'don't exfoliate your skin before you come here park'. Enjoy the pics!

About: Great Sand Dunes National Park

View Gallery
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park located in the easternmost parts of Alamosa County and Saguache County, Colorado, United States. Originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was created by an act of the United States Congress on September 13, 2004. The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising about 750 feet (230 m) from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, covering about 19,000 acres. They are likely 12,000 years old.

Let' s go trekking somewhere

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:00:18 GMT

HI! I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I love mountaineering, trekking and camping. Most of my hike has been in The Andes and the highest mountain I climbed is the Lanin ( a volcano) 3,900 mts. I try to do
some local hikes to train in "Sierra de la Ventana" and "Tandilia" some old hills in my province. I' ve never did trekking or hiking overseas; I mean Europe or Other country .

I usually go trekking or hiking with a big backpack because I love camping; I do not mean taking with me technical equipment; just the necessary to survive :) cook, sleep and wash.

I am planning go to Europe and travel along it with my backpack. Visit famous mountains and places. I love forests too and knowing aborigines from different parts of the world.

I would say I love adventure. While in the mountains I feel I am what I am; a soul, something ephemeral. I respect nature; it surprises me every walking minute; I feel I need nothing there but I cannot get conscious about that while I am in a city. I use to query myself about what is that the human being all over the world is looking for.

My daughter told me about this site. I used to join sites where you know people but it did not accomplished
my desires of finding people to share my feelings. I joined this community because i would like to share experiences, get some advice, and why not invite trekkers to come and visit Argentina, specially "los Andes" range.

I wonder if anyone here has been in Argentina or live in Argentina, has climbed the "Aconcagua" yet or want to do it.

Well, I wrote my profile in Spanish but I speak English too. In fact I am a teacher of English and I teach in state schools to 10 - 17 years old children.

Last year I took a group of adolescents to "Bariloche" and made them hike and climb, it was a fascinating experience although I was not alone at all!!!!!
They loved doing that and want to go again this year and I loved teaching them that there s another Earth/world, different from the city.

Intro Post

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:42:43 GMT

1 Where do you live ? Where do you go hiking, which mountain ranges do you know ?
I live in Vancouver, BC. I try to do as much local hikes around North Vancouver/West Vancouver/Howe Sound as possible but have to say I haven't ventured out too far. Been trekking mostly overseas -- Nepal twice (Annapurna & Everest/Gokyo Region), Peru Inca Trail, Pakistan along the Baltoro Glacier/K2, and the gorgeous national parks in Utah/Arizona -- Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon. Would love to see more though...

2 When do you go in the mountains, with what kind of equipment ?
I'm a minimalist... and since just a hiker so don't typically bring a lot of technical equipment with me. Am trying to get started on climbing/mountaineering so the backpack will likely get heavier =)

3 What is your favorite work of art, book, photograph, etc, related to mountains ?
Everything photographic espcially black/white or something against the blue sky (no, doesn' t have to be Ansel Adam).

4 Would you say that when in the mountains, you lead a different lifestyle, in a broad sense - way of acting, thinking, feeling - ? Would you define it ? Do you feel "different" while in the mountains ? In what way ?
Hmm.. I feel more 'human'?

5 Why did you join this community ? How did you find it ? What would you like to be discussed or shared here ?
just trying it out.

6 Have you got some good tips, experiences, words of wisdom, story to share with fellow mountaineers ? Some ideas for hiking destinations ?
Not at this point...
But was wondering -- anyone been up to Mount Ararat yet?

7 Hum ... something else to say ?

snow

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:30:24 GMT

Some wintery California outdoors shots on Flickr now.

A snow climb on Thunder Mountain, San Gabriel Mountains:

Nordic skiing at Badger Pass, Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada:

An autumn snowfall in the Palisades, Sierra Nevada:

Ron Kay's Guide to Zion National Park

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:25:24 GMT

The beauty and magic of Zion National Park - Southwest Utah
Experience it!!

Routes in Switzerland

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:12:37 GMT

Hello,
I am now planning a trip to Switzerland this summer. What routes and climbs would you recommend?
My experience as a trekker is good, but the climbing experience is moderate - the highest ascend was Galdhoppigen in Norway (2469m). But still I am quite enthusiastic in this, and feel that a can do better and higher.
The main purpose of the trip is photography, so there will be at least 5kg of equipment in the backpack)
I have not used any climbing gear, so technical climbs say Matterhorn are out of the question.)))) Still I will take crampons etc with me just in case.
I will be traveling by car...
Thank you in advance.

Climber in your life? Give Alpinist Mag

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:35:46 GMT

Give the gift of Alpinist this year......
as their warehouse just burned to the ground!!

http://backcountryblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-gift-idea-1-alpinist-magazine.html

really sad.....

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:48:54 GMT

TIBET Тут - http://tober-chell.livejournal.com/44234.html его потрясающий рассказ о Кайлаше.

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 04:31:02 GMT

Hey, sorry to do two posts in a row but if anybody's interested I just posted the journal I kept on my trip from Calgary to Quebec and back again.

<a href="http://aufte88.livejournal.com/1749.html">Valhalla</a>

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 01:44:49 GMT

This is an interesting community. I work in Canmore, Alberta. I get to drive to this every morning, beats the hell out of city driving doesn't it? A taste of the Canadian Rockies.

Angel's Landing Strikes Back

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:38:58 GMT

Not afraid of heights.
I made it this far before really having doubts about making it to the top.

Crossposted to jaguarpaddler

Konigssee, Berchtesgaden, Bavaria

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:50:01 GMT

Konigssee, Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
Along the trail on the way up to the Eiskapelle.

What I wouldn't give to be back there right now.

Crossposted to jaguarpaddler

A beautiful mountain

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:31:14 GMT

Photos from a Sierra Peaks Section trip to the 8th highest mountain in California.

Angel's Landing, Zion National Park

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:55:59 GMT

Angel's Landing Sunrise
Our morning approach to Angel's Landing, Zion National Park.

Cross-posted to jaguarpaddler

Nevada from I-15

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:02:49 GMT

I-15 to Utah
A shot from our rental as we sped along the I-15 just outside of Vegas.

Cross-posted to jaguarpaddler

Mountains near Denver or... hills... near Louisville?

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:54:19 GMT

I'm traveling next month, and have a free day in Louisville, Kentucky, with a chance of another in Denver, Colorado.

Any scenic outdoors places to hike near Louisville? Or am I better off checking out the limestone caves (exotic, since I'm from California)?

Given most of a day in Denver (say, 8am forward), what are my prospects for day hiking a close but tall peak? The reviews make Evans sounds like a zoo, which makes me tempted by Bierstadt... are there any others you'd recommend, or any particular routes?

Distance and elevation are not a problem. I'm comfortable on class 2 rock, and can tolerate class 3 given not *too* much exposure.

St. Kitts, Green Mountain;

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:41:41 GMT

Location: St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis // Google Maps
See the Stock Photo Gallery / See The Rest of the St. Kitts Photos

Santa Cruz Island - Channel Island National Park, CA;

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:23:57 GMT

Location: Channel Islands National Park, CA // Google Maps
See the Fine Art Photo Gallery / See The Rest of the Channel Island Photos

via wikipedia.org;
Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands within the park extend along the southern California coast from Point Conception near Santa Barbara to San Clemente Island, southwest of Los Angeles.

Channel Islands National Park is home to a wide variety of significant natural and cultural resources. It was designated a U.S. National Monument on April 26, 1938 and a National Biosphere Reserve in 1976. It was promoted to a National Park on March 5, 1980.

Over 2,000 species of plants and animals can be found within the park. However only three mammals are endemic to the islands, one of which is the deer mouse. Spotted Skunk and Channel Islands Fox also are endemic. Other animals in the park include Island Scrub Jays, harbor seals, sea lions, island fox, spotted skunk, island night lizard, barn owls, American kestrels, horned larks and meadowlarks and California brown pelican. One hundred and forty-five of these species are unique to the islands and found nowhere else in the world. Marine life ranges from microscopic plankton to the endangered blue whale, the largest animal ever to live on earth. Archeological and cultural resources span a period of more than 10,000 years.

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