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Rightfoot
11-28-2011, 10:09
Just curious... If you could hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment, where would you go? Any specific reason? I am working on the IAT for the later part of 2012.

Regards,
Rightfoot

DavidNH
11-28-2011, 10:13
anywhere in the world? no regard to finances?

First choice.. hike to Everest Basecamp or beyond.

First more realistic choice? Alaska near base of Mt Mckinley

second choice: the Alps

New England wouldn't even be on my list!

DavidNH

Cookerhiker
11-28-2011, 10:32
First choice: Norway - up the spine of the country along the fiords.

Second choice: New Zealand

Kerosene
11-28-2011, 10:40
My first choice would be tramping the South Island of New Zealand.
Second choice would be the Dolomites, then the Swiss Alps, and then perhaps the Carpathian Mountains in Slovakia (my ancestral homeland that I've never visited).
Not sure where I'd rank Machu Picchu, but that has to be on the list also! So many places, so little time before my body gives out on me.

Mike2012
11-28-2011, 11:28
months and months all over the Alps.

After that:
maybe around Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England.
maybe Sweden & Norway.
the Olympics were fun so them again.
and finally back to New England and nearby Canada.

Sometime in there I'd want to work in some long distance canoe trails like the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Boundary Waters Canoe Area and canoe tramping around the lakes and rivers of Maine.

upstream
11-28-2011, 13:21
Afganastan, because I have wanted to ever since I read Michener's Caravans

trippclark
11-28-2011, 13:30
Just curious... If you could hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment, where would you go? Any specific reason? I am working on the IAT for the later part of 2012.

Regards,
Rightfoot

There are lots of tempting destinations out there, but after 11 years of section hikes I am just over 1300 miles "in" on the Appalachian Trail, so if by some magical way I could be able to "hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment," I would probably take the first 8 - 10 weeks to finish up the A.T. I would rather finish what I have started than tackle something new -- even if that something new may be more exotic or otherwise attractive.

Ktaadn
11-28-2011, 13:38
Everest and anywhere else in the Himalayas. I consider backpacking to be training for mountaineering.

lunatic
11-28-2011, 13:55
I think a loop of the French GR10 and Spanish GR11 through the Pyrenees would be nice.

Slo-go'en
11-28-2011, 14:09
Though there are so many interesting places to see in the world, I'd be happy just to see more of what is here in the US of A.

Shutterbug
11-28-2011, 15:03
Just curious... If you could hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment, where would you go? Any specific reason? I am working on the IAT for the later part of 2012.

Regards,
Rightfoot

I have hiked a lot of the places mentioned (Alps, New Zealand, Australia, Eastern Europe, and Alaska) but the three places that draw me back over and over again are the Grand Canyon, the Wonderland Trail and the 100 Mile Wilderness. Anyone who has not done the hike to Supai, should have it high on their list.

I have neglected South America, so the Inca Trail is at the top of my list.

Odd Man Out
11-28-2011, 16:00
So many choices - priorities change from week to week.

1. The Great Himalaya Trail - Everest Base Camp and so much more. Check out their web page. The Zoomify maps are awesome. http://www.thegreathimalayatrail.org/

2. Kilimanjaro - Here is another very well done web page. Get there before the glacier melts. http://www.teamkilimanjaro.com/

3. K2/Gondogoro La Trek with a side trip by jeep to see the Hunza, Kalash and Nanga Parbat. - http://www.kjti.co.uk/

4. Trek from Ngorogoro Crater to Lake Eyasi with the Masai and spend a week with the Hadzabe - http://www.safaritourstanzania.com/

5. The Dingle Way - (like the AT, with pubs! - Slainte) http://www.dingleway.net/

6. The Pamir Moutains - because I have a friend in Khorog and it is so remote you can have half of Tajikistan to yourself. http://www.pamirs.org/trekking.htm

Links are not an endorsements of any specific company. But I have found these web pages to be particularly informative for someone like me who travels vicariously via the internet.

Kerosene
11-28-2011, 16:05
There are lots of tempting destinations out there, but after 11 years of section hikes I am just over 1300 miles "in" on the Appalachian Trail, so if by some magical way I could be able to "hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment," I would probably take the first 8 - 10 weeks to finish up the A.T. I would rather finish what I have started than tackle something new -- even if that something new may be more exotic or otherwise attractive.This is why I haven't tackled any other long-distance trails over the past decade. I've got about 350 miles to go until I start on another trail (probably the JMT).

skinewmexico
11-28-2011, 17:36
I'd go to the Via Alpina. Or the Himalayas.

sbhikes
11-28-2011, 19:08
Hike any trail in the world without issues surrounding finances and employment? I would figure out a trail that connected all the trails and get started on that for the rest of my life.

hikerboy57
11-28-2011, 19:27
teton traverse. theres just something about the tetons.too much left in this country to see without having to leave the good ol us of a

hikerboy57
11-28-2011, 19:28
the only exception for me might be patagonia

rocketsocks
11-28-2011, 21:32
Any Mt.on the Moon.......as long as were wishin'

bobqzzi
11-28-2011, 21:57
Right along the Iran/Iraq border; after all, what could go wrong?

P-Train
11-28-2011, 22:17
I just came back from the Inca Trail from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu in Peru a couple of weeks ago. I'd do that trek every day it's so beautiful. Other than that somewhere in the Himalayas.

BigHodag
11-28-2011, 22:49
1) AT thru hike

2) Anapurna Circuit (http://wikitravel.org/en/Annapurna_Circuit), Nepal

3) Milford Track (http://wikitravel.org/en/Milford_Track), New Zealand

4) Machu Pichu, Peru

5) Camino de Santiago (http://caminodesantiagoguide.org/), France/Spain

6) PCT

stranger
11-28-2011, 23:21
New Zealand, hands down...you just have to see it to believe it, I didn't leave for 7 years, and I'm just taking a little break from it right now for a few years! Australia ain't too shabby either once you get past the 'things that can kill you' fear. Swiss Alps are f'ing amazing, most of the American West is great, there really is so much in this world.

atmilkman
11-28-2011, 23:41
One trail comprised of many. (KER) to (FT) to (ALR) to (PT) to (BMT) to (AT) to (SIA/IAT) Yah Right. In my dreams. But it doesn't hurt to dream. They're cheap. Not like this hike. But one never knows. The last step begins with the first. And doesn't everything start with a dream or a vision?

Mountain Mike
11-29-2011, 00:24
Give me a credit card # & I'll start hiking & rating them for you! High Sierra has to be dest I have been on so far but so much on the lists mentioned above is on my bucket list!

Bianchi Veloce
11-29-2011, 10:56
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu because the Peruvian people of the Andes have a beautiful spirit and aura about them.

Snowleopard
11-29-2011, 17:15
So many choices - priorities change from week to week.

6. The Pamir Moutains - because I have a friend in Khorog and it is so remote you can have half of Tajikistan to yourself. http://www.pamirs.org/trekking.htm

Links are not an endorsements of any specific company. But I have found these web pages to be particularly informative for someone like me who travels vicariously via the internet.
Nice links Odd Man Out. The Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan were pretty amazing; the Pamirs are even higher and more isolated. My guide had been on an expedition in Kyrgyzstan near the Chinese border for a month without seeing other people. I suspect the Chinese side is even more interesting.


I just came back from the Inca Trail from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu in Peru a couple of weeks ago. I'd do that trek every day it's so beautiful. Other than that somewhere in the Himalayas.


The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu because the Peruvian people of the Andes have a beautiful spirit and aura about them.
Peru is the most beautiful place I've ever been, especially the Cordillera Blanca; I've read that the Cordillera Huayhash might be even better. The Peruvians I met were lots of fun, friendly and hospitable.

I'd like to visit:
The Tien Shan in Sinkiang and the high plateaus in Sinkiang.
Some of the mountains in Antarctica; if I were a lot younger I'd like to trek to the south pole.
Greenland.
Himalayas.

More feasible:
The IAT in Newfoundland.
The JMT.
North Cascades.

t_ryfek
11-30-2011, 17:00
I recently watched an inspiring documentary... it was 2 men who walked through the amazon rain forest from ocean to ocean... not on a specific trail or anything... just through the forest... I would love to have accomplished a feat like that...

McPick
11-30-2011, 20:27
I think a loop of the French GR10 and Spanish GR11 through the Pyrenees would be nice.

Yeah, they've been on my radar since the lady Brits (AT 2006) told me about them while sitting around a campfire somewhere in VA.

kembe
12-01-2011, 13:21
Lovely chance to think about this.The Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan to Tajikistan (read Mock and O'Neill)Northeast Pakistan (if they could ever set up anything close to the popular treks in Nepal in those remote but stunning areas ...)Ladakh to Tibet on the pilgrim/trader route (Colin Thubron did it, wrote about it)Atlas Mountains (don't forget Africa!)Southern ChileYemenSouthern Qinghai, ChinaAlps/Dolomites/pilgrimage trails in EuropeCan't think of a single Russian trail ...

88BlueGT
12-01-2011, 14:27
First, just want to say that I love the open ended questions. It's good to see other peoples passions and dreams, it helps create my own and offers suggestions and options that one may have not known about. So kudo's to the OP.

I have not hiked in to many places (AT-PA, AT-NJ, AT-NY, John Muir Trail (small section)). One place that I did get the opportunity to go last year was Argentina. Just FLYING over the Andes was an amazing experience, I could not imagine getting the opportunity to hike through some of it.

So yea, if I had one place to spend some time (without getting too specific) it would be in somewhere in South America (Argentina - maybe Patagonia, Chile) 14536

Tennessee Viking
12-01-2011, 14:43
I would hike all 4 of Scotlands long trails.

Odd Man Out
12-01-2011, 14:51
Can't think of a single Russian trail ...

How about to valley of the glaciers in Kamchatka?

singing wind
12-01-2011, 22:17
1. Te Araroa - New Zealand. 3,040 km of bliss and wonderful people. Officially opening tomorrow 3 Dec. in Wellington. Great trail! New Zealand is 1 of a kind.

2. finish the bloomin' AT!

Hike on and enjoy! :)

canoehead
12-01-2011, 22:47
14540
Andes Mts in Ecuador along Volcano Alley.

Datto
12-05-2011, 23:39
New Zealand is one of the most spectacularly gorgeous places I've ever been in the world. I'd choose to go back there again. Beautiful surroundings, friendly people, immaculately clean.

I was fortunate to have spent several months there hiking the Great Walks (Milford, Heaphy, Routeburn and the like) and some of the lesser known but equally beautiful hiking trails (such as those on the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch). A fantastic experience -- very inexpensive for me since at the time the exchange rate was so advantages for the American dollar. I'd come to New Zealand from The Cook Islands and left New Zealand to spend some time on the beaches of Kauai. Then off to Scotland and hiking the West Highland Way (friendly people in Scotland too) after a section hike into Trail Days.

Not a bad way to spend some time. Pleasant memories of those adventures.

Datto

m_factor
12-06-2011, 03:30
First an observation... If you've got time (months), it can cost less to fly round trip to some far flung third and developing world locations and trek there than it would to stay in the US. Not all are cheap, of course.

So, trekking in Mustang would rank up there. I've wanted to go back to Nepal but would prefer the lesser traveled and more remote area than returning to the Annapurnas. Even better, trekking in Bhutan and seeing firsthand how their Gross National Happiness measures are working - especially in a region of the world with so little outside influence. Going back to Torres del Paine uninjured and earlier in the season would be nice. Trekking the many ecological zones of Kilimanjaro is a long standing goal, not to mention getting me out on the trail in my seventh continent but getting into the mountains of Rwanda, Uganda, or the DRC to see mountain gorillas could unseat Kili. Then again, I haven't done much in Europe since the mid '90s because it got so expensive so maybe I should put a few Great Routes on the list. And I missed out on the Bibbulmun when I was in Australia.

I could go on and on... So many trails, so little time!

Most of my trip reports (http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor/reports.html) are online.

Snowleopard
12-06-2011, 17:48
Lovely chance to think about this.The Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan to Tajikistan (read Mock and O'Neill)Northeast Pakistan (if they could ever set up anything close to the popular treks in Nepal in those remote but stunning areas ...)Ladakh to Tibet on the pilgrim/trader route (Colin Thubron did it, wrote about it)Atlas Mountains (don't forget Africa!)Southern ChileYemenSouthern Qinghai, ChinaAlps/Dolomites/pilgrimage trails in EuropeCan't think of a single Russian trail ...
Very nice list, kembe! There are many treks in Russia and the former Soviet Union. The Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan) has a lot of shorter hikes that could be linked. I've seen fantastic pictures from treks in Kamchatka, the Altai Mountains, the area near Finland (I forget its name).

Currently unsafe (haven't been there myself, add to my list): Most of the Caucasus is gorgeous and dangerous (e.g., Chechnya), there would be fantastic trekking between Tadjikistan and Afghanistan, but you'd need military support.

The only book I know of for Russia is outdated (1994), http://www.amazon.com/Trekking-Russia-Central-Frith-Maier/dp/0898863554/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323207341&sr=8-1

mountainman
12-06-2011, 21:55
Everest and anywhere else in the Himalayas. I consider backpacking to be training for mountaineering.

I agree. When I was younger I went across China and Tiebet to the North Face Of Everest. I then spent 8 days on the East Ronbuck Glacier resting 21,000 feet. The sounds and views and difficulties, seem like a dream now. I fell in love with Tiebet, and the people. I can,t imagine anything short of going to the North or South ploe equaling that.

futureatwalker
12-07-2011, 17:34
For me:


1) John Muir Trail (JMT). I've done 1-2 days of it, but would do almost anything to get back. For a backpacker, Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite is the best place on earth.

2) Swiss Alpine Route. I've done it. It's a 200 or so mile route across Switzerland. You can camp up high, or stay in campgrounds in the village valleys, and eat rosti. The scenery is spectacular.

4dogHiker
12-07-2011, 17:47
Hike to Everest Basecamp and through Patagonia

mesha
07-18-2013, 20:11
I would love to do anything in Antarctica.

My second on the list was greenland. I leave in 5 days!:)

around nepal

After some backpacking in the rainforest in costa rica I have ZERO desire to do a long backpacking trip in the tropical rainforest anywhere.

Dogwood
07-18-2013, 20:21
Europe first connecting a bunch of trails but not leaving out Great Britain. It's more civilized but with touches of remortness and grandeur.

S. America second for the wildness of it plus how many Americans hike there much beyond Patagonia?

New Zealand third. I'd just move there and live on a boat most of the yr and when not hiking go sailing around the world. It's one of the few places where nothing else compares.

N. America has to be right there too but I've seen a good portion of it so I'm being unappreciative of my home continent.

Dogwood
07-18-2013, 20:24
A Great Himalayan Trail thru would be a lofty goal too.

Teacher & Snacktime
07-18-2013, 22:44
The Scottish Highlands

Cookerhiker
07-19-2013, 08:21
First choice: Norway - up the spine of the country along the fiords.

Second choice: New Zealand

Haven't changed my mind on this - these 2 are still at the top of the list but that doesn't mean they're the next ones I take on.

I just returned from 17 days in a place that no one's mentioned but I'm sure you'd all like: Iceland. With the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, tundra festooned with wildflowers, thermal activity, countless waterfalls, alpine lakes, cliffs reaching down to the ocean, it combines aspects of New Zealand, Alaska, Yellowstone, Washington State. And then there's the 24 hour of daylight; we didn't experience any darkness at all for a trip that ran June 25-July 11.

Being a small island, you can't backpack a continuous trail but you can string together several 4-5 day backpacking trips. My GF and I didn't backpack but car-camped every night and day-hiked to waterfalls and lakes. Stealth camping is very easy and perfectly legal so we had some fantastic sites.

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Chif
07-19-2013, 09:01
1) AT thru hike

2) Anapurna Circuit (http://wikitravel.org/en/Annapurna_Circuit), Nepal

3) Milford Track (http://wikitravel.org/en/Milford_Track), New Zealand

4) Machu Pichu, Peru

5) Camino de Santiago (http://caminodesantiagoguide.org/), France/Spain

6) PCT

This is almost exactly my list. Sign me up when the lottery fairy finally arrives.

GSLeader_in_NC
07-19-2013, 11:50
In no particular order: Tour Mt. Blanc (actually, saving for it right now - going in 2015); The Amalfi Coast in Italy; The Annapurna Circuit; The JMT; The Milford Track in New Zealand; The High Inca Trail in Peru; and the Waitukubuli National Trail in Dominica (going to hike part of it in 2016).

Odd Man Out
07-19-2013, 12:31
It changes from month to month. Recently, I have become interested in the Tsum Valley.

http://www.parahamsa.com/blog/2011/01/11/tsum-valley-nepals-hidden-valley-of-happiness/
http://www.tsumvalley.org/

mesha
07-19-2013, 12:53
Haven't changed my mind on this - these 2 are still at the top of the list but that doesn't mean they're the next ones I take on.

I just returned from 17 days in a place that no one's mentioned but I'm sure you'd all like: Iceland. With the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, tundra festooned with wildflowers, thermal activity, countless waterfalls, alpine lakes, cliffs reaching down to the ocean, it combines aspects of New Zealand, Alaska, Yellowstone, Washington State. And then there's the 24 hour of daylight; we didn't experience any darkness at all for a trip that ran June 25-July 11.

Being a small island, you can't backpack a continuous trail but you can string together several 4-5 day backpacking trips. My GF and I didn't backpack but car-camped every night and day-hiked to waterfalls and lakes. Stealth camping is very easy and perfectly legal so we had some fantastic sites.

22858228592286022861228622286322864228652286622867 228682286922870

We will have about a week in Iceland on our way back from Greenland. We hope to get some good camping in while there.

Ezra
07-19-2013, 13:05
There's no place like home...AT thru hike; then maybe the Swiss Alps.

Deet Feet
07-19-2013, 15:26
1- AT
2- Via Alpina http://www.viaalpina.com/
3- GR10 http://www.pyreneanway.com/blog/french-pyrenees-gr-10-walk-guide/?lang=en

Snowleopard
07-19-2013, 20:01
Cookerhiker, great pictures of Iceland! I went on a one day jeep tour when I was there and would love to hike there. I think Icelandic Air still lets you do a couple day layover there if you fly to Europe with them; definitely worth considering if you're traveling to Europe. I have seen a couple of blogs of long hikes across Iceland, I think crossing it from north to south.

Do you have a trip report?

Cookerhiker
07-19-2013, 21:26
Cookerhiker, great pictures of Iceland! I went on a one day jeep tour when I was there and would love to hike there. I think Icelandic Air still lets you do a couple day layover there if you fly to Europe with them; definitely worth considering if you're traveling to Europe. I have seen a couple of blogs of long hikes across Iceland, I think crossing it from north to south.

Do you have a trip report?

Thanks and sorry, no trip report. We put a full day every day and I just didn't take the time.

However, my photos are on Facebook set to "Public" meaning you don't even have to be a FB user let alone a friend to view them. I'm loading them one day at a time and have 9 days of the 17 day trip loaded. Each day's album has a paragraph summary which I guess is a de facto trip report.

If you click on this link to the Day 7 & 8 album (https://www.facebook.com/Cookerhiker/media_set?set=a.10200207148730702.1073741860.15116 18293&type=1), you should see it and have access to all my "public" albums - at least I think that's the way FB works.


Edit: sorry, it's not working. I don't understand why because I thought "public" meant "anyone." If you're on FB, copy the link, log on, and paste the link - maybe that will work.

stranger
07-20-2013, 06:16
I moved to New Zealand (from New York) in 2002 and became a permanent resident, I moved to Australia in 2009 and have been in Aussie since, but just bought a house in New Zealand and plan to move back in 2014.

For me, mile for mile...nothing touches the South Island of New Zealand. I'm sure there are better places, but I'll take NZ any day. I'm actually here for the weekend, and every time I touch down here I feel better.

Australia has some amazing trails as well, and far better weather, but there really is no place like New Zealand.

Sevsa
07-20-2013, 11:08
Anywhere in the Himalayas, the ADT and the 88 Temple Pilgrimage on Shikoku.

Feral Bill
07-20-2013, 12:36
Besides northwest North America, where I already am, I'd love to see New Zealand.

Lemni Skate
07-22-2013, 09:04
I think if you add in I don't have to worry about political and crime factors of the area (like being arrested as a spy or being robbed on my ride from airport to trail head), that changes things a lot. I think the Himalayas are first on my list regardless of all of that, but I don't have a desire to do any technical climbing...just "walk ups." I could list destinations for the rest of my life. For some reason I really want to do the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland. I don't know how I got that in my mind.