LOVE the AT, but I also need something more adventurous? Recommendations?

[ShelterLeopard]

So, I am absolutely PSYCHED for my upcoming thru of the AT. But, it honestly isn't as adventurous as it could be. I mean, everyone does it, it is extremely well blazed, you can't get lost (well, not really), it is pretty safe, there are towns every couple of days, etc...

Let me rephrase this- the AT is a huge adventure, giving up your fixed life in society and enduring the mental and physical difficulties. But, you do give up one society for another. Which, I don't mind. I know it will be very hard sometimes. But after the AT, I need a more adventurous adventure. Do you know what I mean?

Now I know, I may be getting ahead of myself. Hike the AT before making plans, ShLep. True. But I like to have ideas floating around in my head, taking root and making my mind itch.

After I finish the AT, I will be applying to college. And I figured, while I'm waiting to find out where I get in, I might as well do an adventure for a month or two.

Any suggestions for a real (hiking, no rock climbing for now) adventure?
I mean, I thought of doing a section of the PCT, and I eventually will- same goes for the CDT. But is that mcuh more of an adventure? I also am thinking about doing the LT in January. But I need slightly less travelled paths. Alaska, weird somewhat obscure hikes in Canada. Snow. (I need snow, snow is pretty much a requirement for my adventure) Could be a week to a month plus. I need to go somewhere OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE. Just realized that. And I figured, after the AT would be the perfect time, I'll have been done for about 4 months, and have finished college applications, etc...

So, recommend anything! Less well known trails in America, trails Canada, Europe, etc...

[ShelterLeopard]

January/February/March. Depending on when all my applications are in.

[Two Speed]

Why constrain yourself to hiking? Lots of colleges have student rec programs, try a bunch of different things at minimal cost.

[ShelterLeopard]

Yeah, but this is BEFORE college. And I love hiking. I love kayaking too, but would rather do that with a couple people, and not in January.

[ShelterLeopard]

I'd actually be up for anything on foot. So, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are in as well.

But no biking or water sports (I'll do those in the summer. Maybe bike Nova Scotia?)

[Two Speed]

Just throwing an idea out there.

[scope]

Rocky Mountain National Park has some good trails that aren't on the map. I'm sure Mags could direct you to some. I think a lot of it would be CDT type of stuff. But, for instance, I've always wanted to go explore the Gorge Lakes on the south side of Forest Canyon ever since I saw them from Trail Ridge Rd. I've done some of the standard trails nearby which aren't much different from the AT in terms of hiking - except better scenery and less oxygen - but this one is something that is off the beaten path enough I think to give you what you're looking for, although its not unknown - in fact, there is a backcountry campsite nearby even though there is no official trail to it on the park map.

[white_russian]

I am not understanding your time line. You are going to hike this next year correct. If you successfully accomplish your goals you will be done in the fall then you want something to do in the spring semester while you apply to college? Why not apply in the fall for the spring semester?

Aside from that you will meet a bunch of people on the AT to give you ideas of fun stuff to do. I wouldn't worry about it now. Just read some Jon Krakauer to tide you over until you get on the trail (I used to think all that junk teachers told you about reading taking you on journeys was BS until I got the adventure itch).

[The Weasel]

January - March time frames for hiking leave out a lot of places. With that in mind, however, assuming that budget is not a major factor:

1) Chilkoot Trail, Alaskan Panhandle. 33 miles. Mostly straight up, or feels that way. Difficult in Winter with extreme winter skills necessary.

2) Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp. Expensive, bureaucratically cumbersome (Visas, etc), extreme altitude.

3) Canoe Missinabie Provincial Park down to James Bay, about 200 miles. Best done in mid-Spring. Extreme wilderness, about 100 portages, major bear (possibly including polar in James Bay area) and moose populations.

4) Continue the AT from Springer along the IAT into Canada. Few do it, far less social, wilder.

5) Mt Whitney, California, starting 50 miles south. Week trip, people on trail, permit easy/not requried if you start that far off, summit the highest point in the Lower 48.
5). Not possible in Winter or until late spring. About a week trip.

TW

[ShelterLeopard]

You're probably right Russian, and I considered the spring semester thing, but I'm not sure. Kinda want to make the most out of my time off, then I'll really hunker down in college and make the most out of the education. (Yeah, not itch to hike or do anything adventurous during college. Probably doing things before will just make it worse.)

So to clarify the "timeline": February 2010- July/August 2010, thru hiking the AT. September- November 2010, college applications. December- March, waiting. (Or is it April?)

I may end up doing some non-hiking adventures as well, like I may up and go to Russia for a couple weeks...

[humunuku]

High Sierra route

[The Weasel]

Good location in Winter:

Channel Islands (California) National Park. Base camp one of the remoter islands (accessible by small ferry). Few people. Thousands of seals/pinnipeds. Often whales. Millions of birds. Remote.

TW

[ShelterLeopard]

1) Chilkoot Trail, Alaskan Panhandle. 33 miles. Mostly straight up, or feels that way. Difficult in Winter with extreme winter skills necessary.

I like the sound of this... (Don't worry though, not going into extreme winter with snow boots and naïveté, I'll learn the necessary skills)

2) Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp. Expensive, bureaucratically cumbersome (Visas, etc), extreme altitude.

Mmm... not so much my thing. Thought about the Matterhorn though.

3) Canoe Missinabie Provincial Park down to James Bay, about 200 miles. Best done in mid-Spring. Extreme wilderness, about 100 portages, major bear (possibly including polar in James Bay area) and moose populations.

Could be cool- I'm usually more into kayaking, but canoeing is good too.

4) Continue the AT from Springer along the IAT into Canada. Few do it, far less social, wilder.
Definitely considered this, but I would leave the trail and then come back after a while.

5) Mt Whitney, California, starting 50 miles south. Week trip, people on trail, permit easy/not requried if you start that far off, summit the highest point in the Lower 48.
5). Not possible in Winter or until late spring. About a week trip.


Good suggestions Weasel- thanks.
Cost does play into this a bit- so, we'll see...
Also considered the Ice Age Scenic.

[Snowleopard]

The Weasel has some neat ideas, but kind of extreme for Jan-March.
If you're going to do any serious winter activities, you need some experience or training. Take courses at ADK or AMC.
http://www.adk.org/programs/programs.aspx
http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/explorations/multiday/category.cfm
I've taken the AMC winter mountaineering course and it's excellent but they've gotten expensive! Some of the AMC chapters give courses that are very good (Boston had a good winter camping course, Worcester had an excellent winter hiking course, NH chapter has courses, check out the chapters near you).

If you're doing winter stuff out west or a few places in the Northeast, learn about AVALANCHE SAFETY!!!

Snowshoe or ski the Northville Lake Placid Trail in the ADK (don't do it alone).
Go to the Tugg Hill Plateau in the NY Snow belt and xc ski http://www.uxcski.com/

Go trekking in Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia or just travel South America on the cheap.

If you end up starting later, the IAT from Katahdin to Gaspe would be pretty interesting.

[Snowleopard]

I may end up doing some non-hiking adventures as well, like I may up and go to Russia for a couple weeks...
Hiking/trekking in Russia and the former Soviet Union can be great. Karelia would be neat and relatively accessible.
I've trekked in Kyrgyzstan and it was great but expensive.
Siberia would be fantastic, but probably expensive (see the movie Dersu Uzala)
(On youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQDZ1ExrtEw, but get the DVD).

Don't forget that in college you have looong vacations.

[ShelterLeopard]

Snowleopard- some really good ideas there, thanks!

And I was definitely planning on a winter safety course. Not that stupid :D . Wouldn't just go out and hope for the best. I was thinking Tom Brown or Nols, but it seems like Tom Brown is more into wilderness living and tracking than safety in more extreme winter conditions. Somehow I didn't realize that the AMC would have winter courses- brilliant, thanks!

And we have a family friend who is an Avalanche specialist, I figured he might be able to direct me to a good course if I do decide to do something like that, but I think that may be more of an adventure than I'm really capable of, and I definitely wouldn't do something like that alone!

I'm looking more for things I can do solo. Right now I'm thinking that the AMC winter course and a January/February thru of the LT would be pretty good.

Never considered S. America... that's another thing I don't think I would do alone (at my age and level of experience)

Thanks!

[ShelterLeopard]

Hiking/trekking in Russia and the former Soviet Union can be great. Karelia would be neat and relatively accessible.
I've trekked in Kyrgyzstan and it was great but expensive.
Siberia would be fantastic, but probably expensive (see the movie Dersu Uzala)
(On youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQDZ1ExrtEw, but get the DVD).

Don't forget that in college you have looong vacations.

True about vacations being long, thank goodness.

And I'm thinking of doing the trans-siberian train trip as well. (The non tourist version from Vladivostock- Irkutsk/Baikal- Moscow- Sain Petersburg) I have family in Saint Petersburg, and it would be nice to end there.

It would be neat to hike in Russia, but we'll see... Russia is one of those slightly "whoa, what on earth is goind on" places sometimes. I've been in several really weird situations there that I do not care to repeat.

[WinterWarlock]

Hit the Adirondacks and/or Catskills and knock out their peak lists..the ADK46 and Catskill3500 lists. It isn't climbing, just mountain hiking/peak-bagging...you could also do the Whites in NH.

[The Solemates]

Hit the Adirondacks and/or Catskills and knock out their peak lists..the ADK46 and Catskill3500 lists. It isn't climbing, just mountain hiking/peak-bagging...you could also do the Whites in NH.

for that matter, there are plenty of lists...

http://www.peakbagger.com/listindx.aspx

and this became our adventure after the AT.

[Mags]

I'm sure Mags could direct you to some.


All my best hikes in CO have been off-trail... esp in RMNP.

I did the Gorge Lake hike one day. Simply awesome. Alas, I forgot my camera memory card that day. Doh! :)

[RGB]

I'm currently a sophomore at Appalachian State, and let me tell you. Scratch the adventure itch as much as possible before you start college. I find it really hard sometimes to go on multi-day trips now that I'm in the cycle. I live off-campus now so I have to spend the summer working to cover living costs after my scholarship runs out for the year. I really wish I got into hiking earlier because now I have to think about the AT day and night until the summer after senior year. So I envy you. I know the AT isn't really stuck back deep within a wilderness that you won't see a soul for weeks, but is there really anywhere like that left in America? I wish you well on your thru-hike, and I'm sure it will satisfy you.

[ShelterLeopard]

Thanks very much walkin' dude- I think your'e right. Even though there are long breaks, the finance part is the major one that likes to stamp on your dreams. And the fact that you're in school "mode". (Though that is a good reason to DO a hike, even a short one...)

You don't know Bryan Doppel, do you? Also a sophomore at Appalachian State.

[mweinstone]

you need to climb shlep. climb above to the lofty peaks. blow this downtown campout woman! you go girl!im gonna start you off easy. climb mt gannet the higest peak in wyoming. its easy. then go nuts. climb all the peaks in the wind rivers.now you will be very old and need a rest. im feelin your a hot chocolate granny not tea. lol.

[ShelterLeopard]

Nice Matthewski- sounds good!

I'll go to the highest peak on the highest mountain and be looking at the world.

[mudhead]

Hike with MS. That would be an adventure for you.

[ShelterLeopard]

I have, and will again in Jan.!

[Spokes]

Well, the year before my AT thru I did a self supported bicycle ride the country- from Yorktown, VA to Astoria, OR. That was a cool. Met some really nice people along the way.

You could work for a traveling circus, or a Renaissance Festival, or kayak down the Mississippi River. Heck, why not learn to make wire name jewelry and sell it out the back of a van as you travel around?

Lots of options........

[Gray Blazer]

you need to climb shlep. climb above to the lofty peaks. blow this downtown campout woman! you go girl!im gonna start you off easy. climb mt gannet the higest peak in wyoming. its easy. then go nuts. climb all the peaks in the wind rivers.now you will be very old and need a rest. im feelin your a hot chocolate granny not tea. lol.
Wind Rivers are my favorites. Look out for grizzlies!

[Montana AT05]

Good questions. The AT is really an adventure, and is a special thing when you looks at it versus the rest of the world. A wonderful concept and we're fortunate to have it.

But you are right to keep your mind "outside the box". The AT is a predefined adventure...and increasingly subject to rules of those who hiked it before.

Consider the Great Divide in Canada (think of it as an northern extension of the CDT) though I doubt it is doable in winter.

Consider a bike in the Southern States during the winter months. The deep south is interesting...you could see a lot and experience much.

Consider a canoe trip or a hybrid hike and bike trip. Map your own routes, pick a theme if you want, like capital cities, or favorite author birthplaces, or wineries in California.

Also, check out www.andrewskurka.com

He designs his own hikes, he defines his own parameters and they have all been recent enough to not be stained by rules and regulations of how it's done.

[winger]

There are about a 1,000 miles of trails in Yellowstone.

[buff_jeff]

Damn, somebody's got some serious money.

Honestly, after 4-6 months of hiking you're probably not going to want to hike for a while. Why not just travel to a country you haven't been to before and see where you end up?

If you really want to do another long distance hike, buy some good topographic mapping software and piece together a trek.

[buff_jeff]

Also, check out www.andrewskurka.com (http://www.andrewskurka.com)

He designs his own hikes, he defines his own parameters and they have all been recent enough to not be stained by rules and regulations of how it's done.

WOAH! Did you see his Alaska route? That looks epic!

http://www.andrewskurka.com/assets/home/gayl_route_map.jpg

[LIhikers]

How about a 5 day dog sled camping trip in northern Minnesota in winter time.
Check out http://www.dogsledding.com/ The terrain is VERY different than the AT ands the temperatures went well below zero when my wife and I did it. Plenty of ice and snow for someone who enjoys winter.

[DapperD]

So, I am absolutely PSYCHED for my upcoming thru of the AT. But, it honestly isn't as adventurous as it could be. I mean, everyone does it, it is extremely well blazed, you can't get lost (well, not really), it is pretty safe, there are towns every couple of days, etc...

Let me rephrase this- the AT is a huge adventure, giving up your fixed life in society and enduring the mental and physical difficulties. But, you do give up one society for another. Which, I don't mind. I know it will be very hard sometimes. But after the AT, I need a more adventurous adventure. Do you know what I mean?

Now I know, I may be getting ahead of myself. Hike the AT before making plans, ShLep. True. But I like to have ideas floating around in my head, taking root and making my mind itch.

After I finish the AT, I will be applying to college. And I figured, while I'm waiting to find out where I get in, I might as well do an adventure for a month or two.

Any suggestions for a real (hiking, no rock climbing for now) adventure?
I mean, I thought of doing a section of the PCT, and I eventually will- same goes for the CDT. But is that mcuh more of an adventure? I also am thinking about doing the LT in January. But I need slightly less travelled paths. Alaska, weird somewhat obscure hikes in Canada. Snow. (I need snow, snow is pretty much a requirement for my adventure) Could be a week to a month plus. I need to go somewhere OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE. Just realized that. And I figured, after the AT would be the perfect time, I'll have been done for about 4 months, and have finished college applications, etc...

So, recommend anything! Less well known trails in America, trails Canada, Europe, etc... Join an organized trek to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the world's tallest walkable mountain. At 19336 feet, you travel through 5 different climatic zones to reach the summit, the roof of Africa.

[buff_jeff]

Join an organized trek to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the world's tallest walkable mountain. At 19336 feet, you travel through 5 different climatic zones to reach the summit, the roof of Africa.

Yeah, but that's only about 15 days and an organized trek will cost at least $3,500. Plus, you have to get airfare, which will be at least another $1,000.

I plan on doing that one day...but the money just isn't there right now. :D

[DapperD]

Join an organized trek to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the world's tallest walkable mountain. At 19336 feet, you travel through 5 different climatic zones to reach the summit, the roof of Africa.Just want to add make sure you are in good health, and very fit:D.

[drifters quest]

Well... you can kayak the San Juan islands.
Since you love the snow you can always go on a snowshoeing trip.

[DapperD]

Yeah, but that's only about 15 days and an organized trek will cost at least $3,500. Plus, you have to get airfare, which will be at least another $1,000.

I plan on doing that one day...but the money just isn't there right now. :DI think I read a story about it awhile back in Men's Health magazine. They were showing what was involved, and were saying that it's one of the safer mountains to climb, however not completely safe, but basically like a long walk/climb over mountainous terrain. Looked like it would be great, but, like most things, costs some good dough to accomplish.

[A-Train]

Shlep,

I would wait until after your AT hike to make any major plans for another similar adventure.

For one thing, you might end up hating the outdoors (OK, that probably isn't gonna happen, but I've met plenty of thru-hikers who claimed they were never gonna hike again) and you might be mentally burned out a few months later.

I would wait and see and evaluate how your mind and body feels when you are done. Maybe your adventure will come in another form like writing a book, traveling to a distant land or getting involved in a volunteer project.

That is the beauty of a 2000 mile walk; you just don't quite know what it will open you up to. The possibilities are endless.

[Blissful]

I think you are getting the cart before the horse.

Why don't you come back in Sept and let us know if the AT was an adventure or not????

One thing at a time...

It's fine to "talk" of an adventure. Quite another when you are hip deep in it, like spending an unexpected night trapped in a cold windy shelter with no food and you are cold as ice and have to walk around the shelter for hours to stay warm.

[buff_jeff]

I think I read a story about it awhile back in Men's Health magazine. They were showing what was involved, and were saying that it's one of the safer mountains to climb, however not completely safe, but basically like a long walk/climb over mountainous terrain. Looked like it would be great, but, like most things, costs some good dough to accomplish.

Yeah, it's a non-technical climb but the high altitude makes what is ostensibly a straight-forward hike pretty difficult. Hopefully I can save the dough and do it one day!

[ShelterLeopard]

Thanks everyone, so many good ideas! It all sounds so good. We'll see what my life and mentality are after my thru (cart before the horse blissful), but I bet I will still want to do another, less defined "adventure".

Definitely thinking of doing a lot of winter camping though.

[Montana AT05]

Winter camping can be fun...but also boring. Sun goes down early, you will be too cold to sit around long...you'll spend a lot of time in the sleeping bag and reading in the tent sounds good but your hands will freeze fast. Be VERY aware of temperatures, skin exposure and frost bite patterns. It sneaks up on you.

Eat well as your body exerts a greater effort in snow than in any other condition. Hydrate too.

On the plus side, everywhere you look you can make a nice level camp site. Pay special attention to creating a comfortable area where you will sleep...the packed snow will become near ice by the morning.

Water is not an issue as you can melt snow (and yes it takes alot of snow to equal a pot of water).

It's generally pretty bright outside at night thanks to reflections off the snow.

It's very quiet, no noisy campers nearby.

If you pick a full moon night to camp out, you can oftentimes walk around at night without a head lamp. It helps to keep you busy and warm to move around.

I think the funniest moment for me on a winter trip is when my friend woke me by accident by saying "dammit I have to pee" as he walked outside of our lean-to (we constructed fallen branch lean-to's with tarps and odds and ends).

When he came back to the lean-to, he paused, I saw a flash of light, and then he said, "oh hell!" and I asked, "what?"

He responded, "You don't want to know"
I said, "Yes, I do. What?"
He said, "It's only 10 PM"

I groaned. It felt like I had been in my sleeping bag for 11 hours already...and we had all night and morning to go...

[Reid]

5) Mt Whitney, California, starting 50 miles south. Week trip, people on trail, permit easy/not requried if you start that far off, summit the highest point in the Lower 48.
5). Not possible in Winter or until late spring. About a week trip.

TW

A whole week? Is that including getting there and back? I heard there was another route up there that was more steep and not as touristy...

[Reid]

oh, I overlooked the 50 miles south part

[Reid]

I'd say the cascades in the dead of winter

[sbhikes]

Sounds like you are looking less for adventure and more for how to impress people with how awesome you are. Hike the AT and then see where it leads you. You'll have the confidence then to devise your own adventures without needing the approval or input or adulation of others.

[The Weasel]

Nice Matthewski- sounds good!

I'll go to the highest peak on the highest mountain and be looking at the world.

As I said, Mt Whitney. :rolleyes:

TW

[The Weasel]

A whole week? Is that including getting there and back? I heard there was another route up there that was more steep and not as touristy...

Reid:

You can go to the Base Camp, stay overnight, and summit the next day. That's also a massive way to encourage SERIOUS altitude sickness, since Lone Pine (nearest town by the freeway) is about 3,000 feet, base camp is 8,000 or so, and Whitney is like 14,000. It's also miserable to get permits in season.

Starting 30-50 miles south is pretty easy, and the PCT goes close to Whitney. You can summit if you start that far out (check the current ruels) and taking 4-6 days to get close can build up your resistance to altitude sickness (people DIE from that, suddenly, even powerful hikers). then you take 1 day to top out, and recover that night in the base camp. Then home. Call it a week, 5 days min.

That's my plan for next summer. Been studying that hill for a few years now, and this is the time.

TW

[Reid]

Reid:

You can go to the Base Camp, stay overnight, and summit the next day. That's also a massive way to encourage SERIOUS altitude sickness, since Lone Pine (nearest town by the freeway) is about 3,000 feet, base camp is 8,000 or so, and Whitney is like 14,000. It's also miserable to get permits in season.

Starting 30-50 miles south is pretty easy, and the PCT goes close to Whitney. You can summit if you start that far out (check the current ruels) and taking 4-6 days to get close can build up your resistance to altitude sickness (people DIE from that, suddenly, even powerful hikers). then you take 1 day to top out, and recover that night in the base camp. Then home. Call it a week, 5 days min.

That's my plan for next summer. Been studying that hill for a few years now, and this is the time.

TW

That makes sense, I've never been above about 9 - 10,000. I often forget about that. I am planning a trip to mt.whitney myself in the coming years. I'm pumped about doing the John Muir trail too but things have to fall into place first for that to happen.

[DrRichardCranium]

you could try my former hobby: skydiving.
that's pretty adventurous.

great people, too.

[ShelterLeopard]

Sounds like you are looking less for adventure and more for how to impress people with how awesome you are. Hike the AT and then see where it leads you. You'll have the confidence then to devise your own adventures without needing the approval or input or adulation of others.

No, I'm not. I'm looking for something that I've always wanted to do. I couldn't give a ***** how many people know or care what I'm doing. No one here knows me, so why would I want to impress them? I figured, people here seem to be adventurous, why don't I ask them for advice?

Just because someone says "Hey, I think I'd like to do something a little more unusal" doesn't mean they're an elitist show off.

Why would you assume that?

[ShelterLeopard]

I've always thought skydiving would be cool, but that's not the kind of thing I mean. Maybe I will do it some day though.

[Montana AT05]

Shelter, ignore sbhikes. Her assumptions have more to do with herself than with you. You will find this attitude up and down the AT. Many hikers these days are more interested in conformity than adventure. I made the mistake in 2008 of sharing my idea with a bike ride and a non-traditional PCT hike with other PCT hikers, the majority of them acted with hostility and started to invoke the purity routine. Something I now overtly confront when I see it. It has no place on trail.

When I was 19, I was overseas, learning a language and having adventures. I am glad I did...I am glad I asked myself what is out there to do and experience--just like you are doing. Had I not, I would have walked ahead on someone's well-defined path that was may have been good for them, but perhaps not good for me. Instead, I've continued to have adventures, not all of which worked out, and my life is far from charmed. But it is good, warts and all.

So keep looking--in the meantime, the AT is a daunting task for most, it may also be for you. It's a mental challenge more often than a physical one. Developing a goal to pull you through it, to feel what it is like to complete a thing, will be key.

Ignore the carrion crow along the way.

Oh, and skydiving scares me to death...no way not for me. Wow to those to do it! I;d rather plod along, one foot at a time, or one bicycle wheel revolution after another.

[ShelterLeopard]

Thanks, Montana. Seriously, very encouraging and helpful post.

And I too, am a fan of "adventure by plodding". Sky diving sounds cool, but I think I prefer to (for the most part) keep my feet on the ground a plod away.

[Old Grouse]

Oh, to be 19 and independently wealthy! Go, ShLep!

[ShelterLeopard]

Thanks grouse! (Not so sure about the "wealthy" bit... Independently not living in a cradboard box. There! :D )

[Wise Old Owl]

SL =you might want to connect to a passworded area of Backpacker which provides this kind of detailed information.

[Mags]

Winter camping can be fun...but also boring. Sun goes down early, you will be too cold to sit around long...

That's why I rarely do it anymore. I was reminded of it this past Thanksgiving week in Utah. It was not a CO winter (perhaps below 10F or so..plenty cold though!)..but those 13 hr bag nights killed me.


At least in CO I can build a snow cave (or igloo like I did once!) and have it toasty warm (relatively)..but well, there are still 13+ hr bag nights. :)
(I must admit, the sunrises and sunsets were glorious).


But, that's why I fork over $28 for a hut trip now. ;)

The outdoor person in me loves the backcountry skiing. The Italo-American part of me loves the cooking, the wine and sharing it all with friends. :)

Shlep...adventure does not have to be big per se. "Adventure" can be a multimonth hike...or simply sitting in a field of wildflowers reading a book.

Personally I think there is room for both. Hell, I want BOTH in my life.

Backpacking along the continent was awesome So was introducing someone new to Colorado to the mountains and seeing the delight in someone's eye when they see their first columbine on an easy day hike.

[ShelterLeopard]

SL =you might want to connect to a passworded area of Backpacker which provides this kind of detailed information.

As in the website of Backpacker Magazine?

And you are right Mags- an adventure doesn't have to be long. But I like long trips because I can get into the "swing" of things. If I'm only out for a couple days, I never adjust quite right...

[stranger]

I've always felt that you should really focus on the task in front of you before looking forward. I've been guilty of this before myself and have suffered the consequences. This doesn't mean you are going to, but from what I've seen over the years, the lack of "adventure" along the AT doesn't make it any easier.

I agree the trail is well marked, simple to use, towns are everywhere, etc... And if you are looking for some real physical and logistical challenges there are plenty out West. If you are up to some real gruelling **** check out some long distance trails in Australia, not the popular ones like the Overland Track and Bibbulmun Track, but there are some where you have to bury food cause their ain't towns for 250 miles or more. If something goes wrong you will be utterly alone, etc... If you seek a "hardcore" challenge there are plenty out there.

However, for the time being, I would encourage you to focus on this little 2,100 mile trail, that has an proven, and consistent record of sending nearly 90% of prospective thru-hikers home much earlier than anticipated. Some don't even reach North Carolina, some not even Neels Gap, etc..

Just my two cents...

[Doctari]

My Bucket list, sort of in a loose order;

Thru hike the AT.
Kayak the Ohio & Mississippi rivers to NOLA (boat to the jct on the Ohio, then truck to Miss headwaters & finish in NOLA)
PCT
CDT
I have wanted to hike the Hayduke trail for a few years now. Talk about adventure. http://hayduketrail.org/
Bike across America, been wanting to do that just a few years less than I have wanted to thru the AT. http://www.adventurecycling.org/tours/tourdetail.cfm?t=SC&id=115&p=1&gclid=CMPrk9WO1J4CFQEhDQodwgnXrw
Re-trace the Donner Party route, but in better weather.
Hadrian's wall in Engalnd. Pubs!!
West Highland way, & etc in Scotland. Pubs and SCOTCH!!!! And Haggis!
Can't remember the name, but there is a long trail on the South end of the South Island in New Zealand.
Climb Mt Fuji in Japan.
At least get to the bases of Everest & K2.
Around the world in 80 days, no, I'm serious. Flying not allowed.

The list continues, but maybe you now have an idea or 2, at least to start thinking.

Naturally, if I started tomorrow, it would take me about 40 years to finish. :p Thankfully, you are somewhat younger so have more time. :D

[Montana AT05]

I've always felt that you should really focus on the task in front of you before looking forward. --Stranger

Agreed. I try to do this at work--others try to attend to ten things at once. Better to do one thing well, than ten things poorly.

But like you, I often fail to follow my own advice. In 2008 I had an extensive trip planned. It involved a few long hike intersected by a long bike ride. I didn't complete the trip as I had planned, cutting short the first leg of the hike and extending the bike ride far beyond plans. I was left with a feeling of having failed.

Part of that failure was due to not focusing on the immediate effort--constantly thinking ahead to the next phase and desiring it over the present. I lost mental focus.

Doctari, I like your list, curiously, I was looking at Google Earth yesterday, tracing the Ohio River, wondering if I could canoe or kayak it.

I climbed Mt Fuji, not to the very top but a considerable ways...well, it was more like walking than climbing. It was enjoyable.

I also biked a large part of the Transam path you mentioned, it was a wonderful time. Cycle touring is great. I went from Montana to the Mississippi....I left the "established" trail in Colorado and cycled a northern route of my own making...in order to meet the Katy Trail in Missouri. It's a bike path along the Missouri River. NO CARS! And no hill....

Adventure cycling is up the road from me (which here in Montana means 201 miles but I go there on weekends sometimes, to shop in Missoula and see the sites).

[ki0eh]

If you want to do something no one's yet done, you don't need to travel much further than the A.T., since no one's known to have thru-hiked Great Eastern Trail (http://www.greateasterntrail.net/) - one could argue it's already as complete as the A.T. that Earl Shaffer walked in 1948.

[Montana AT05]

Thanks Ki0eh, that looks really interesting. I like the idea of interlinked trails...and choosing which of the links you want to hike. Combined with bike paths, bike routes, canoe opportunities--could be interesting.

All those small towns along the way, the history, local festivals. Very nice.

Looks like I better buy a lottery ticket because my to-do list is getting long.

[glessed]

So, I am absolutely PSYCHED for my upcoming thru of the AT. But, it honestly isn't as adventurous as it could be. I mean, everyone does it, it is extremely well blazed, you can't get lost (well, not really), it is pretty safe, there are towns every couple of days, etc...

Let me rephrase this- the AT is a huge adventure, giving up your fixed life in society and enduring the mental and physical difficulties. But, you do give up one society for another. Which, I don't mind. I know it will be very hard sometimes. But after the AT, I need a more adventurous adventure. Do you know what I mean?

Now I know, I may be getting ahead of myself. Hike the AT before making plans, ShLep. True. But I like to have ideas floating around in my head, taking root and making my mind itch.

After I finish the AT, I will be applying to college. And I figured, while I'm waiting to find out where I get in, I might as well do an adventure for a month or two.

Any suggestions for a real (hiking, no rock climbing for now) adventure?
I mean, I thought of doing a section of the PCT, and I eventually will- same goes for the CDT. But is that mcuh more of an adventure? I also am thinking about doing the LT in January. But I need slightly less travelled paths. Alaska, weird somewhat obscure hikes in Canada. Snow. (I need snow, snow is pretty much a requirement for my adventure) Could be a week to a month plus. I need to go somewhere OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE. Just realized that. And I figured, after the AT would be the perfect time, I'll have been done for about 4 months, and have finished college applications, etc...

So, recommend anything! Less well known trails in America, trails Canada, Europe, etc...

The Inca Trail in Peru, The Annapura Trail in Nepal, the Peace Corps (After College), Teach English in Europe or Asia (TOEFL is the certificate to obtain). I just got back from volunteering in Croatia. Spent three weeks and spent a total of $600 for travel, food and lodging. I have been to 135 cities in 19 countries. Just some thoughts. Make a list of all the things you want to do then forget about the list for a few years. Focus on what you are doing right now. You will find in 10 years or so (when you find your list) that everything that you wanted to do has pretty much been accomplished.

[Siestita]

LEAVE THE USA

Several people have made suggestions to ShelterLeopard that warm my heart::

Snow Leopard – Go trekking in Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia or just travel South America on the cheap.

Glessed – The Inca Trail in Peru, The Annapura Trail in Nepal, the Peace Corps (After College)…

Bluff Jeff—Why not just travel to a country you haven't been to before and see where you end up? If you really want to do another long distance hike, buy some good topographic mapping software and piece together a trek.


My thoughts -- It is challenging to travel through relatively uncharted and uninhabited wilderness, encountering unanticipated challenges there. It can be equally exciting to learn a foreign language and become accustomed to its culture, and then to trek through the mountains amongst farmers and herders whose life experiences have been very different from one’s own. Siestita

[Siestita]

Over the years I’ve generally found my solo, spontaneously conducted treks thru inhabited parts of backcountry mountain Mexico to be more interesting than my journeys into U.S. forests and wilderness areas.

Many years ago when I was 23, I spent a summer studying Spanish in Central Mexico. I then took a bus trip south to the predominantly Indigenous city of San Cristobal de las Casas. I thought I was being adventurous doing that until I met three French speaking Swiss guys my own age who had taken a more scenic route to San Cristobal. They had purchased horses down in the lowlands and then traveled for a month on trails winding through the mountains of Chiapas, each night purchasing lodging and food for themselves and the horses. They used their rather limited Spanish to communicate with the Native American farmers who provided them with hospitality and information about trails ahead.

Meeting the Swiss travelers opened my eyes to the fact that people possessing time, patience, and a bit of nerve can travel in unconventional ways through places not listed in guidebooks or recorded on maps. A person can develop the capability to undertake that sort of venture gradually, one step at a time..

While you are daydreaming about future adventures, Shelter Leopard, read “The People’s Guide to Backpacking, Boating, and Camping in Mexico” by Carl Franz. Published in 1981, that classic travel narrative/how-to-do-it book is available cheaply from used book sellers listed by amazon.com .

Some of Franz’s advice is outdated. For example, knowing how to skin and cook iguanas is no longer helpful because they are now endangered in much of Mexico. The book’s travel philosophy remains timely though, and its stories are gripping. Siestita.

[ShelterLeopard]

Wow, thanks siestita and glessed- very good ideas. I do have a lot of foreign countries on my "list", some of which I've already visited, but never alone, some of which I've never visited. I also definitely thought about the peacecorps, and I did at one point think about teaching English in Chechnya. I'll look up that book, and my list has been started. Thanks!

[The Weasel]

Wow, thanks siestita and glessed- very good ideas. I do have a lot of foreign countries on my "list", some of which I've already visited, but never alone, some of which I've never visited. I also definitely thought about the peacecorps, and I did at one point think about teaching English in Chechnya. I'll look up that book, and my list has been started. Thanks!

This is NOT a good time for Anglos to hike in Mexico or much of Central America, at least without a local guide, and, in most places, not even then.

As for the Peace Corps, the 'kumbaya in the jungle' days are gone. My kids have done rural Ethiopia and China. In Ethiopia they had electricity and shared water taps; in China, their kitchen had a dishwasher and their guest bedroom had Internet.

Even then, there will be ice-skating on Lake Hades before the PC sends volunteers to teach anything in Chechnya. No PCVs in that part of Russia. Egad.

TW

[ShelterLeopard]

This is NOT a good time for Anglos to hike in Mexico or much of Central America, at least without a local guide, and, in most places, not even then.

As for the Peace Corps, the 'kumbaya in the jungle' days are gone. My kids have done rural Ethiopia and China. In Ethiopia they had electricity and shared water taps; in China, their kitchen had a dishwasher and their guest bedroom had Internet.

Even then, there will be ice-skating on Lake Hades before the PC sends volunteers to teach anything in Chechnya. No PCVs in that part of Russia. Egad.

TW

I wouldn't go into Mexico without a guide- single young caucasian female who obviosly speaks no Spanish? Um.. not such a good idea. (I'd consider it with a group though)

I wouldn't expect "kumbaya in the jungle"- besides, I hate kumbaya. I have always wanted to go to Chechnya, though my whole Russian family pretty much flipped at that idea. And I do know that the PC doesn't send people to Chechnya (too big a risk, something like that. Or a lost cause?), but a couple other groups do. But who the heck knows how shifty those groups are?

I'm really not so keen on the peace corps anyway, I'd like to go see those areas, but they seem to not take any committment under 18 months, and rarely without a college degree, and who knows what my plans'll be after college?

[The Weasel]

I wouldn't go into Mexico without a guide- single young caucasian female who obviosly speaks no Spanish? Um.. not such a good idea. (I'd consider it with a group though)


It's not being a "single young caucasian female who doesn't speak Spanish." They have a lot of those there (and most Mexicans would consider themselve Caucasian, by the way). It's being an Anglo in the outback. Just not a good idea to hike there right now.


I wouldn't expect "kumbaya in the jungle"- besides, I hate kumbaya. I have always wanted to go to Chechnya, though my whole Russian family pretty much flipped at that idea. And I do know that the PC doesn't se?nd people to Chechnya (too big a risk, something like that. Or a lost cause?), but a couple other groups do. But who the heck knows how shifty those groups are?

Chechnya isn't an independent country, and is (forcibly, at least) a part of the Russian Federation. Post-Soviet Russia used to have some PCVs, but no longer does, having expelled them some years ago.


I'm really not so keen on the peace corps anyway, I'd like to go see those areas, but they seem to not take any committment under 18 months, and rarely without a college degree, and who knows what my plans'll be after college?

Peace Corps requires 2 years of service, plus a couple months of training. Volunteers are often taken without college degrees if they have desireable skills (e.g., masons, master carpenters, other skilled trades) and for many skills other than English-teaching (e.g. micro-lending, economic development, forestry).

It's known as 'the hardest job you'll ever love.'

TW

[ShelterLeopard]

I actually know a bit about the PC, and I know about why they no longer have volunteers in Chechnya (a Russian friend of mine told me all about it), and about the conditions in Chechnya now. I thought I read 18 months, maybe it was actually 28? And, as I don't have those skills, I figured college for me first! And, I'd want to finish college first anway.

And I'll take your word on Mexico- I know almost nothing about the conditions and attitude there right now.

[pjbarr]

shelterleopard:

considering hiking in hawaii - mainly oahu and kauai. i spent a week on oahu in late november and since i returned, i've been obsessed with reading about more trails, peaks, ridges, etc. this is a dramatic shift from the nightly reading about the AT on message boards, books, and the mileage guide on my bedside table. i've almost abandoned reading about the AT now, strangely.

Hiking on Oahu was unreal. People too often overuse the term "knife-edge ridge". I did too, until knowing what I know now. Their trails go over crumbling rocky ridges as wide as only your single boot length-wise - not two boots at the same time. And the drops are completely vertical. Not slopes, but sheer cliffs. It really opened my eyes to more dramatic hiking. These razor thin ridges then reach outcroppings and small cliffs themselves, and you either climb them carefully unsupported, or use the sketchy ropes and cables previous hikers have installed to pull yourself up. and by ropes and cables, I don't mean trail crew installed lines. I mean rubber garden hoses, electrical extension cords, phone cords, chains, etc. All that look incredibly unreliable, but it's your only option.

The island trails certainly expanded my comfort level. Almost all of their ridge trails are ungraded. The views are out of this world. The exhilaration is beyond description. The scenery (jagged mountains dropping directly into turquoise ocean with waterfalls coming down the cliffs everywhere) is mind boggling. Oahu gets overlooked because it is the most populated Hawaiian island, but just get away from Honolulu and Waikiki and its just amazing.

For a trail adventure, look into the Koolau Summit Trail (KST) - a crest trail constructed back in the 1930s by the CCC over most of the crest of the Koolau mountain range - a range that is disturbingly jagged and scary to look at its peaks and dikes up close. Trail couldn't be constructed in many places because it was too steep or there were insurmountable cliffs, but people have come along and found routes and installed homemade cables. The word is that only a handful of people have ever done the entire crest. It would be an amazing adventure, one never absent of life-ending danger. i'd love to spend a few weeks just on oahu doing portions of it, and other trails and peak

i can tell you more about hiking on hawaii when we're on the AT. it seems like we will be starting from springer within close proximity, so hopefully we'll run into each other this winter.

[buff_jeff]

shelterleopard:

considering hiking in hawaii - mainly oahu and kauai. i spent a week on oahu in late november and since i returned, i've been obsessed with reading about more trails, peaks, ridges, etc. this is a dramatic shift from the nightly reading about the AT on message boards, books, and the mileage guide on my bedside table. i've almost abandoned reading about the AT now, strangely.

Hiking on Oahu was unreal. People too often overuse the term "knife-edge ridge". I did too, until knowing what I know now. Their trails go over crumbling rocky ridges as wide as only your single boot length-wise - not two boots at the same time. And the drops are completely vertical. Not slopes, but sheer cliffs. It really opened my eyes to more dramatic hiking. These razor thin ridges then reach outcroppings and small cliffs themselves, and you either climb them carefully unsupported, or use the sketchy ropes and cables previous hikers have installed to pull yourself up. and by ropes and cables, I don't mean trail crew installed lines. I mean rubber garden hoses, electrical extension cords, phone cords, chains, etc. All that look incredibly unreliable, but it's your only option.

The island trails certainly expanded my comfort level. Almost all of their ridge trails are ungraded. The views are out of this world. The exhilaration is beyond description. The scenery (jagged mountains dropping directly into turquoise ocean with waterfalls coming down the cliffs everywhere) is mind boggling. Oahu gets overlooked because it is the most populated Hawaiian island, but just get away from Honolulu and Waikiki and its just amazing.

For a trail adventure, look into the Koolau Summit Trail (KST) - a crest trail constructed back in the 1930s by the CCC over most of the crest of the Koolau mountain range - a range that is disturbingly jagged and scary to look at its peaks and dikes up close. Trail couldn't be constructed in many places because it was too steep or there were insurmountable cliffs, but people have come along and found routes and installed homemade cables. The word is that only a handful of people have ever done the entire crest. It would be an amazing adventure, one never absent of life-ending danger. i'd love to spend a few weeks just on oahu doing portions of it, and other trails and peak

i can tell you more about hiking on hawaii when we're on the AT. it seems like we will be starting from springer within close proximity, so hopefully we'll run into each other this winter.

Don't forget Big Island. There's some awesome hiking there. I climbed Mauna Loa and only saw 2 other people in 3 days up and down. I REALLY wanted to hit Kauai, but I didn't have the time.

[Siestita]

Snow Leopard -- You could safely "go into Mexico [or Central or South America]without a guide" doing budget tourism, the activity which Europeans call "backpacking". Lots of solo women travelers, your age and older, do that successfully every day. If you ventured overnight into unpopulated or thinly populated areas, however, you (or the group of which you were a part) would want to have a Spanish speaking guide along.

None of the various ideas presented on this thread are risk free and some which have been proposed incorporate hazards--winter mountaineering, hikes circumventing Alaska, walking on knife edge" ridges, and summitting high Himalayan peaks, for example. It's interesting that the Weasel does not comment on the dangers inherent in those activities but rushes to condemn an entire region, rural Mexico and Central America, as unsafe for Anglo-Americans to visit.

"This is NOT a good time for Anglos to hike in Mexico or much of Central America, at least without a local guide, and, in most places, not even then....It's being an Anglo in the outback. Just not a good idea to hike there right now." The Weasel

I am not sure what Weasel means by "right now". Many people in the United States have long held paranoid views about travel and life in Mexico; those fears are not new but have intensified in recent years in response to drug violence occurring in several border cities.

There are still many places in Mexico and Central America where foreigners can camp, hike, and backpack safely. During December, 2009 I spent three pleasant and very safe weeks traveling in Mexico. Some of that time was spent in cities, places which (as in the USA) tend to be less safe than rural and wooded areas. Outside of the cities most of my time was spent in scenic rural towns in northern Oaxaca, including staying several places that few foreign tourists visit. As is usually the case in rural Mexico, people in those communities were very helpful to me.

Drug violence doesn't pervade all of Mexico, nor has a virulent outbreak of anti-american sentiment suddenly arisen in that country. Besides my late 2009 trip, I've had other safe and enjoyable experiences in Mexico's "outback" (strange word Weasel) in recent years.

In mid-December of 2004 I spent six days trekking through the mountain cloud forests of a UN designated biosphere reserve in Colima state (Sierra Manantlan). I sent one night camped in the forest, another sleeping on the covered porch of a welcoming farm family, and three nights staying in a free campground which friendly local people had built to attract eco-tourists.

In late December 2004, and also in December of 2005, I spent extended periods tenting in a well organized, very secure beachfront campground run by members of a friendly Mexican fishing village-Faro de Bucerias.

In July 2001 I "walked off the map" for nine days into Puebla's spectacular "Sierra Norte", a Nahua speaking area. When I hiked into one remote town at the end of the day a local council of elders decided that I would be permitted to spend the night sleeping on mats placed on the floor of their town hall. I would then be required to leave the area at sunrise the next morning. I understand why those Indians were concerned about my presence there. The only foreigners whom they had previously encountered had been Pentacostal missionaries intend on changing their religion and shattering their communal harmony. In other nearby towns Nahua people gave me food, water, and directions, and at times invited me to stay in their homes. "Trail Magic" is not just an AT phenomena.

Earlier, in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s I had similar experiences hiking other places in Mexico, and also a number of places in Costa Rica. That doesn't mean, of course, that people should not be mindful of risks inherent in trekking. As with AT hiking, perspecitive is required. Posters on another forum (Mexican Travel--Thorn Tree-Lonely Plant) provide good destination and safety advise. For a sense of what Mexican hiking offers see:

http://www.terrain.org/essays/3/harrison.htm

http://www.backyardnature.net/mexbirds/11mazate.htm

http://www.summitpost.org/area/range/171041/mexican-volcanoes.html

Siestita

[sbhikes]

For what it's worth, I did a very non-traditional hike of the PCT and I didn't ask anybody for suggestions. How many PCT hikers shared a drink and a campsite with homeless people? How many started their hike from their front doors? If you want adventure, you have to think it up yourself, otherwise all you get is something someone else has done.

[nox]

If you want a cheap, fairly short get away just pack your bag and some snow shoes and head u to northern PA. It'll only cost you gas to get there since you're from jersey. Loyalsock in the winter would probably be pretty fun!!

[Cookerhiker]

I didn't read this whole thread so perhaps this has already been raised and (a) summarily rejected or (b) taken-into-consideration by you.

What about the Arizona Trail? You want to get out of your comfort zone - try hiking in the extreme dryness of the Southwest where the water availability we find so easily on the AT is a day-to-day challenge. You can experience nights in the 20s and days in the 90s on the same hike within a week of each other.

[Cookerhiker]

.....Peace Corps requires 2 years of service, plus a couple months of training. Volunteers are often taken without college degrees if they have desireable skills (e.g., masons, master carpenters, other skilled trades) and for many skills other than English-teaching (e.g. micro-lending, economic development, forestry).

It's known as 'the hardest job you'll ever love.'

TW

You're understating the Peace Corps Weasel - it's what you say and then some, in fact much, more. So you want to consider the Peace Corps? Then be prepared to:


Be willing, adept, and able to learn foreign languages fluently and these are not your high school languages. These languages will be the only ways you communicate with your clients.
Be very open and adaptable to cutures far different than mainstream or any part of America. Throw your ideas and book-smarts out the window, roll up your sleeves, and open your mind.
Exercise patience and manage your own expectations of what you can accomplish.
Willingly live in absolutely primitive conditions. We ATers think we can do that but the AT and all US backpacking is luxurious compared to conditions in most Peace Corps assignments.
Cast aside any feelings of superiority or smugness emanating from our American standard of living and the attendant attitudes that often follow. The operative word here is Respect. Don't just outwardly show it - feel it.
Remember that more than anything else, you're an ambassador - an ambassador for good works and good will.
All of the techical skills and gifts one can offer which you cite above can be great assets to share and help with people but unless you have the attributes I've cited, your probability for successful and rewarding PC service is limited.

[Snowleopard]

Snow Leopard -- You could safely "go into Mexico [or Central or South America]without a guide" doing budget tourism, the activity which Europeans call "backpacking". Lots of solo women travelers, your age and older, do that successfully every day.

Siestita
I'm Snowleopard, neither young nor female. You intended to refer to ShelterLeopard.

I agree that there are places in Central and South America that are safe to travel.

Here's a snowleopard:
http://snowleopard.org/images/fritzPolkingSmallWildSL
The places where snowleopards live would also be interesting to visit, especially for someone with Russian connections (and language) -- the former Soviet Central Asia and Mongolia. (Also Himalayas).
--Walter (aka Snowleopard)

[Monkeyboy]

http://www.indiastudychannel.com/pictures/gallery/narswa__funny%20monkey%20and%20puppy.jpg

Here's a monkey. We are everywhere. And we like puppies.

[The Weasel]

*** "This is NOT a good time for Anglos to hike in Mexico or much of Central America, at least without a local guide, and, in most places, not even then....It's being an Anglo in the outback. Just not a good idea to hike there right now." The Weasel

I am not sure what Weasel means by "right now". Many people in the United States have long held paranoid views about travel and life in Mexico; those fears are not new but have intensified in recent years in response to drug violence occurring in several border cities. ***

S ---

Your long - and good - post asks a good question of me. I'll try to answer it.

First of all, you're very correct. Mexico is a large country, and large parts of it are very safe, especially areas that tourists, even on modest budgets, go. Not just international tourists, but Mexicans; it's a beautiful country, with glorious people. There is so much to see, and vast parts of it can be seen safely.

That said, what I meant by "right now" is colored by the fact that President Calderon has taken a courageous, but difficult, step to wage war on narcoterrorism in his country. That's led to some parts of the country being extraordinarily dangerous, although in most cases those are in urban areas that few tourists visit; in large part, those areas are places one would stay out of much as one might stay out of dangerous parts of LA, New York, or Detroit.

But there are significant risks in a lot of hiking/backpacing and camping areas that are remote, particularly to Americans, who are sometimes viewed with suspicion that they are part of La Migra or DEA. Remote areas, and not just along borders, are corridors for drug smuggling and other criminal/cartel activities, and Americans (who are often very visibly so) are at greater risk even than the Mexicans who are forced to live under such conditions.

I have, over the years, visited Mexico often, and have a deep affection for it and its culture. Others in the US don't understand either, sometimes, and others consider wariness and prudence to be unnecessary. I repeat what I said before: Anglos who wish to hike, backpack or camp in Mexico should not do so without local guides or assistance. Whether in the south, the Pacific coast, or the USA/EUM border, there are greater risks right now than there were in the past or, God willing, will be in the future.

TW

[MJN]

not all hiking but you should try hitchin, freighthopping, and hiking around the continent, where ever you feel like going

[Siestita]

:sunWeasel -- Thanks for your helpful reply to my post.

Hopefully some of your many trips to Mexico already have, or will in the future, include backpacking into interesting out-of-the way places. I agree that everyone looks forward to the end of the (mostly urban) narco-wars. In the meantime it is a challenge to educate foreigners new to this subject about Mexico's complexities, encouraging in potential visitors to exercise reasonable caution there without succumbing to hysterical fear.

My guess is that Mexican rural areas which have been dangerous for decades, such as the US border region and Sinaloa's drug producing canyons, will probably remain hazardous for a long time. Fortunately, places like that are only a small part of a vast nation, leaving many other opportunities. CD

[fiddlehead]

January - March time frames for hiking leave out a lot of places. With that in mind, however, assuming that budget is not a major factor:



2) Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp. Expensive, bureaucratically cumbersome (Visas, etc), extreme altitude.



TW

I don't know how you can call this one expensive.
Last time i did it, it was less than $200 and I had a Sherpa along with me. (Ok, i tipped him $50 at the end which put it slightly over $200) And of course airfare to Kathmandu but, just combine the trip into other Himalayan adventures and there's tons of them.

Guesthouses in Kathmandu can be as low as $5 a night and tea house bunks are around a dollar.

I guess it depends how you travel.

[bpitt]

Adventuresome? Out of your comfort zone? Well, come on down to Mississippi or Louisiana and go hog hunting, with just a knife, no gun........you asked for something adventuresome.

[nox]

Originally posted by Fiddlehead
I don't know how you can call this one expensive.
Last time i did it, it was less than $200 and I had a Sherpa along with me. (Ok, i tipped him $50 at the end which put it slightly over $200) And of course airfare to Kathmandu but, just combine the trip into other Himalayan adventures and there's tons of them.


Roundtrip: from $9813
8:30 pm Depart Philadelphia (PHL)
Arrive Kathmandu (KTM) 5:30 pm +2 days Tue 29-Dec
Duration: 34hr 18mn
US Airways 3298
Air India 188
bmi 2652
Qatar Airways 350
Connect in Toronto (YYZ), London (LHR), Doha (DOH)
Preview seat availability Choose this departure
Book this flight now without booking fees! See details That seems pretty expensive to me!!

[ShelterLeopard]

shelterleopard:
considering hiking in hawaii - mainly oahu and kauai. i can tell you more about hiking on hawaii when we're on the AT. it seems like we will be starting from springer within close proximity, so hopefully we'll run into each other this winter.

I think Hawaii would be really cool. I've never been to that part of the world- always felt a pull towards colder places, but have always wanted to go. I will ask you all about it when I see you! Love to hear about it. I've seen some amazing pictures here from hikes in Hawaii.


For what it's worth, I did a very non-traditional hike of the PCT and I didn't ask anybody for suggestions. How many PCT hikers shared a drink and a campsite with homeless people? How many started their hike from their front doors? If you want adventure, you have to think it up yourself, otherwise all you get is something someone else has done.

I have thought up a couple on my own, but I also really love hearing about trips people here have done, and I think that some awesome advice has been given here that has gone on my "list". What exactly made your hike of the PCT so unconventional, anyway? You kinda make it sound like you're the only one who has ever done anything "unconventional" on the PCT.


If you want a cheap, fairly short get away just pack your bag and some snow shoes and head u to northern PA. It'll only cost you gas to get there since you're from jersey. Loyalsock in the winter would probably be pretty fun!!

I would like to do some snowshoeing in the area! I have "authentic" huge wooden snowshoes- I might end up getting some more modern ones. As much as I love mine, they are really heavy.


I don't know how you can call this one expensive.
Last time i did it, it was less than $200 and I had a Sherpa along with me. (Ok, i tipped him $50 at the end which put it slightly over $200) And of course airfare to Kathmandu but, just combine the trip into other Himalayan adventures and there's tons of them.

Guesthouses in Kathmandu can be as low as $5 a night and tea house bunks are around a dollar.

I guess it depends how you travel.

Really? Are you serious? That'd be cool... It only cost you a bit over $200??? Did you go Northeast, or southeast? How long did it take? (Both ways)


Adventuresome? Out of your comfort zone? Well, come on down to Mississippi or Louisiana and go hog hunting, with just a knife, no gun........you asked for something adventuresome.

Ummm.... maybe next time...

[JokerJersey]

That seems pretty expensive to me!!

Well, considering you ran a quote for THIS month...yeah, it was going to be expensive. I just ran one on the same route you did, PHL to KTM, but with a departure date of 3/3/2010, returning on 3/11/2010 and came up with a quote of...


Roundtrip: from $2853 9:15 pm Depart Philadelphia (PHL)
Arrive Kathmandu (KTM) 5:50 pm http://www.expedia.com/eta/tip_icon.gif +2 days Wed 3-Mar
Duration: 33hr 53mn


So, if you plan a couple months out...like most people who were planning a trip to Nepal...you could save almost 7k. Just sayin'.

[buff_jeff]

I've been looking into the Israel National Trail:

http://www.israelnationaltrail.com/

Here's a map:

http://www.israelnationaltrail.com/Portals/22/INT_on_satellite_image.JPG

If all goes well, I'll be doing a 200-300 mile section in the northern part of the country this summer.

[ShelterLeopard]

Also thought this would be interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James

aka Camino De Santiago de Compostela aka The Pilgrim's Trail (in Northern Spain).

http://pnelsoncomposer.com/camino/overview.html

It looks interesting, but I need to find out a bit more about it.

[buff_jeff]

Also thought this would be interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James

aka Camino De Santiago de Compostela aka The Pilgrim's Trail (in Northern Spain).

http://pnelsoncomposer.com/camino/overview.html

It looks interesting, but I need to find out a bit more about it.

My friend just did that. Don't know many details yet but it sounded like he had a great time. He highly recommended it.

Another guy My dad I hiked with on the AT did it twice, and he also highly recommended it, but said that his second time around it had become increasingly "touristy." I do know that it's more of a "village to village" hike or whatever you want to call it. You'll hit towns very frequently, but I think it'd be a great way to see rural Spain.

[ShelterLeopard]

That's exactly what I've heard. I think most people do not sleep outside of the aberges- sounds like you aren't necessarily meant to, but I need to find out about that.

And I have heard also (unfortunately) that it has become touristy. (And I know, it sounds hypocrytical- not like I'm from Northern Spain) But I'd still love to do it.

And don't pack food, no stove, etc... So many villages and restaurants.

[Jack Tarlin]

Heading to work and don't have time to read this whole thread, so maybe this has been said already by someone else:

Shelter Leopard: Hike the Trail first, and THEN worry about how "adventurous" a thru-hike can actually be.

I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised. :D

[Skidsteer]

Hike with MS. That would be an adventure for you.


I have, and will again in Jan.!

You hiked with Minnesota Smith? Really?

Wow, you are adventurous!

[Mags]

You hiked with Minnesota Smith? Really?

Wow, you are adventurous!


Indeed.

His liberal views and progressive attitude towards women and minorities make him a wonderful travel companion from what I understand.

And you'll never lack for toilet paper, too.

[Snowleopard]

Also thought this would be interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James

aka Camino De Santiago de Compostela aka The Pilgrim's Trail (in Northern Spain).

http://pnelsoncomposer.com/camino/overview.html

It looks interesting, but I need to find out a bit more about it.
I looked into doing the Camino when I went to Spain a couple years ago. My recollection is that in winter most of the hostels (alburgues?) are closed which makes the whole trip harder (camping like on US trails may seldom be possible). In the peak of summer, it is crowded and tourist filled. Maybe you can time it be in between, things open but not huge numbers of tourists. There are lots of web sites about it and at least one forum.
--Walter (aka snowleopard)

[DapperD]

Adventuresome? Out of your comfort zone? Well, come on down to Mississippi or Louisiana and go hog hunting, with just a knife, no gun........you asked for something adventuresome.Or how about that Catfish Hunting/Dipping thing they do down there. Climb in the water and catch them with their bare hands. That will really test your mettle!:D

[drifters quest]

Growing up in Hawaii (15 years) i agree that there are some great areas to hike/backpack over there. I grew up on Maui but I think the islands with a larger span of remote area would be Big Island and Kauai with parts of Oahu. Maui does have beautiful hiking trails as well. You can backpack into the Haleakala crater, which is the dormant volcano I used to live on. There are two parts two the islands, the leeward side and the windward side. The leeward side has a drier climate and generally warmer temperatures and the windward side is known to be more tropical and wetter side. Both areas of the islands offer wonderful backpacking experiences. Some of my fondest memories of Hawaii were camping in La Perouse Bay on Maui which was a large black lava rock field. We used to find areas with trees to camp under, the snorkeling was sensational! One night we even went night diving, talk about an adventure! :) Of course, the leeward side can also give you a great experience. You have to deal with a lot of wet weather (many of these areas rain every morning and every afternoon) but you see a lot of very pretty scenery, waterfalls, and can generally find good natural pools to swim after a long hike to get you hot and sticky. My favorite place in Hawaii (and possibly anywhere else i've been) is Hana, Maui. Absolutely beautiful! With the leeward side you really need to watch out for flash floods when it rains really good.

[fiddlehead]

Originally posted by Fiddlehead

That seems pretty expensive to me!!

Been to Nepal 8 times.
Never spent more than $2k including airfare.
That price is for tourists, not travelers.
If you don't know the difference, then i guess you'll have to pay it.

[fiddlehead]

[QUOTE=ShelterLeopard;933557


Really? Are you serious? That'd be cool... It only cost you a bit over $200??? Did you go Northeast, or southeast? How long did it take? (Both ways)



Ummm.... maybe next time...[/QUOTE]

The best way to see the real Nepal people and culture is to take the bus to Jiri and hike to base camp and Kala Pattar from there.
The bus should cost you less than $20.
Guest houses are usually less than a dollar.

Many people fly into Lukla but that is all touristy and not the real thing. They'll have chocolate cake and coke at the guesthouses and that's nothing like Nepali food.

PM me if you need to know more.

[ShelterLeopard]

Indeed.

His liberal views and progressive attitude towards women and minorities make him a wonderful travel companion from what I understand.

And you'll never lack for toilet paper, too.

No no, Matthewski- (his post was right above, so I thought someone meant him.) I'd love to hike with Minnesota Smith!

[ShelterLeopard]

I looked into doing the Camino when I went to Spain a couple years ago. My recollection is that in winter most of the hostels (alburgues?) are closed which makes the whole trip harder (camping like on US trails may seldom be possible). In the peak of summer, it is crowded and tourist filled. Maybe you can time it be in between, things open but not huge numbers of tourists. There are lots of web sites about it and at least one forum.
--Walter (aka snowleopard)

No, I wouldn't do it in winter (hike from town to town in Switzerland, maybe... sounds so nice) but probably in the early fall/late spring. I have a friend who owns/runs a language school at the western terminus of the path, and I might take a week/two week language course before I go.

[Darwin again]

Need more adventure, try a GIRLFRIEND.

[ShelterLeopard]

Okay, who here wants to be my girlfriend? (Candlelit Korr's pasta dinners...)

[sofaking]

Okay, who here wants to be my girlfriend? (Candlelit Korr's pasta dinners...)

sweet, sweet sapphic love...

[Old Grouse]

Well I must say. you DO seem interesting, ShLep!

[jjohn06]

A thru-hike of the Superior hiking Trail in winter would be pretty wild.

[ShelterLeopard]

sweet, sweet sapphic love...

:D

The message you have entered is too short.

[Mags]

I'd love to hike with Minnesota Smith!


He's a peach... :)

[Trailbender]

Just make sure you practice your survival skills, firestarting with a firesteel, using wet wood in a fire, using a bowdrill, trapping, edible plants, ect. Anyone who spends time in the woods should know at least a minimal amount of this stuff.

[Chaco Taco]

Just make sure you practice your survival skills, firestarting with a firesteel, using wet wood in a fire, using a bowdrill, trapping, edible plants, ect. Anyone who spends time in the woods should know at least a minimal amount of this stuff.

LMFAO:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap

[Two Speed]

Taken a bunch of those courses. What I learned is don't lose the friggin' BIC.

[Chaco Taco]

Just make sure you practice your survival skills, firestarting with a firesteel, using wet wood in a fire, using a bowdrill, trapping, edible plants, ect. Anyone who spends time in the woods should know at least a minimal amount of this stuff.

oand running necked through the woods to scare off locals

[ShelterLeopard]

Oh, I thought people did that to attract the locals...

[The Weasel]

oand running necked through the woods to scare off locals


Oh, I thought people did that to attract the locals...

Which one happens depends a lot on what the locals are like, and what you are like. :-?

TW

[THEmapMAKER]

Here is an adventure for you: the Long Range Traverse or the North Rim Traverse located in Newfoundland, Canada. There is no trail, just a starting point and an ending point. You have to get to the starting point by boat. The rangers won't even give you a permit until you pass a map and compass test. The rangers also make you carry some sort of location device. That way they know where to look when you don't return.

[harryfred]

Do what I did; join the Navy. :banana Although I thnk they might have overstated the adventure part:-?. I did have a good time and some of them I can even remember:D.

[Chaco Taco]

Which one happens depends a lot on what the locals are like, and what you are like. :-?

TW

There is a reason why I got the name Chaco:D

[Chaco Taco]

oand running necked through the woods to scare off locals

Has a little to do with this:sun

[Wombat Farm]

I know what you mean. I have not done a "thru-hike" but have done many section hikes in all but 2 of the states for about 15 years now and although it's cool to know in a day or two (or sometimes many in a row) you'll run into a store or a much appreciated restaurant but sometimes a bit more primative would be nice. I know you said you need snow...but I'm heading to trek around in Ecuador after Xmas this year so I'll let ya know how cool it is. Seems like hiking up and into active volcanos without any knowledge of Spanish in the outback of Ecuador is kind of adventurous. Don't know yet but will find out soon! Plan on just "wingin" it and ending up whereever I end up. I've heard the mountains are awesome down there. This is me leaving my comfort zone! Gotta be done!:banana

[ShelterLeopard]

Well, I need snow for some of the trips, not all. Snow is awesome, but places without snow are of course, awesome as well.

[Zoooma]

Hey Now!

Two suggestions for ya but no links so do the research yourself if you're interested...

Turkey. There's what looks like an interesting trail or two there, a few hundred miles long maybe. Ancient ruins, different culture, definitely something I've considered. I think you can buy a book or two on Amazon.

Canol Heritage Trail. You want an Uber-challenging adventure in North America? This is it!!!! It's in the Yukon mainly, heading east to the Northwest Territories. On this two or 3 week hike, the number of trail towns you can walk into: zero. The number of other hikers you might run into: eh, 2 or 3... maybe. Number of bears you'll see: whew, that'd be A LOT... and none of those wussie black bears, we're talking Grizzly here. This trail for me is the one and only dream trail on my non-existent wish list. I'm not sure how many people could accomplish it. Luckily next to none ever try.

[Pacific Tortuga]

I'm heading to the North Cascade National Park next year. Might stick around them parts for a few year's, we'll see.
Check it out, the PCT snakes through that area. Stehekin, Lake Chelan and surrounding hills with relatively few explorers.

[buff_jeff]

Buy World of Warcraft and join the online sensation.

[ShelterLeopard]

I like it Jeff- WOW and a couple energy drinks...

[Chaco Taco]

I like it Jeff- WOW and a couple energy drinks...
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm311/jwwarren13/chappelle-3.gif

[ShelterLeopard]

HA- I didn't realize that photo moved at first. That's me! (Except he's older, black, male, and has lots of energ- oh wait...)

[bpitt]

Or how about that Catfish Hunting/Dipping thing they do down there. Climb in the water and catch them with their bare hands. That will really test your mettle!:D

Been there, done that. Quite chilling in not knowing if it's a catfish or a snapping turtle about to clamp down on your hand.

[bpitt]

Depending on your faith/religion, try going on a mission trip. That's a real adventure in quite rewarding as well.