Location: Surprise Canyon in Panamint Valley Length: Roughly 10 miles out-and-back; factor in another 2-4 if exploring the town Duration: 7-12 hours depending on pace and how long you wish to explore the town Intensity: Strenuous with 4,000 feet of elevation gain and loss Death Valley is an inhospitable place, and its neighboring valley, Panamint, is no more appealing. With temperatures that can hover upwards of 100° F from May to October and a dry…
What area of the world contains 10 of the 15 climatic zones of the world? Better yet, what island has both tropical and temperate rain forests, hot, arid landscapes and even periglacial climates? Hawaii. But not Hawaii the state–Hawaii the island, more commonly referred to as the Big Island. Earlier this month, Nick and I spent 8 days traversing the Big Island by foot and by Jeep Wrangler. It’s difficult to pick a favorite activity, let alone a favorite…
Day Four: 17.5km-0 (Tscowis to finish at Pachena Bay) “I can’t believe they’re right there! Have you seen them before?” Nick and I stood on the torn shoreline of the West Coast Trail, roughly 15 kilometers from Bamfield, the closest town to the start (or in our case, the end) of the West Coast Trail. The morning had been cool and cloudy, but we felt relaxed, especially because we knew that in just a few…
Day Three: 42km-17.5 (Cribs Creek to Tsocowis) It was bound to happen. We just didn’t expect it to be this petty. “I thought we decided we were going to mix it up,” I said as I traipsed down the umpteenth ladder of the WCT, literally balancing the two poles and the cumbersome weight on my pack with my desire to finish this portion of the hike. “You said you didn’t care,” Nick said, exasperated at…
Day Two: 62-42km (Camper Cove to Cribs Creek) By morning the sky had cleared and rain was no longer a concern. Still, our tent was damp from the night as we folded away the various parts into the tent’s pack. Nick boiled water for oatmeal and yerba mate as I changed into warm gear, thinking that the temperatures would remain cool since the first half of today’s hike would be inland. As soon as we started hiking,…
I don’t know when I first heard about the West Coast Trail, the 75km trail that winds its way along the southwestern stretch of Vancouver Island. Having grown up in Crescent Beach, B.C. roughly one hour outside of Vancouver City proper and twenty minutes to the Tsawassen ferry terminal that leads to Vancouver Island, it was something I figured I would one day do. I didn’t personally know anyone who had backpacked the trail, but…