Musings
Last Adventurer
#preservethegood

As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” 

#preservethegood
Hiking, State Parks
Last Adventurer
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.

Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

Great Walks

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Top 3 Day Hikes in Chamonix

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Top 3 Day Hikes in Chamonix

Chamonix, France is one of the top adventure tourism destinations not just in Europe, but around the world as well. Located in the Southeast of France, the town is located in a valley that is bordered by high mountains. The northern spur of mountains features Mount Blanc, the highest peak in western Europe; and the south spur of mountains features an a number of equally impressive peaks. The town itself is a gateway to a number of activities that vary depending on the time of year, but include skiing, mountaineering, rock climbing, and mountain biking. However, it is important to note that the region has a number of things to do that are accessible to even the casual traveler.

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Fern Canyon

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Fern Canyon

One of the top ten hikes in California is not in Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Death Valley National Park, nor Joshua Tree National Park. Nor is this hike secreted away in any of the other National Monuments located in California. It is also not located in a park of the state that is easily accessible, nor well known to the rest of the United States, nor to a majority of Californians.

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Gear Review: TETON Sports ComfortLite Pillow

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Gear Review: TETON Sports ComfortLite Pillow

Disclaimer: as part of my co-hosting duties on In Ice Axe We Trust, I was provided a free Comfortlite Pillow from TETON Sports. On the recent IIAWT expedition to Death Valley, I tried it out. I liked it so much, I decided to write up this promotional bit that you’ll find below. If it doesn’t convince you to get one, I don’t know what will.

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Tonga Quarry to Torrent Bay, Coast Track

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Tonga Quarry to Torrent Bay, Coast Track

The best part about backpacking the Coast Track is the stunning sunrises. While there are many differences between day-hiking the coast track and backpacking the Coast Track, the main difference is that as a day hiker, the odds of you seeing the sunrise – or sunset are slim. However, if you are backpacking, you will see sunrises, sunsets, and everything in between – including some stunning nighttime skies.

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Awaroa to Tonga Quarry, Coast Track

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Awaroa to Tonga Quarry, Coast Track

The decision to tramp the Coast Track is easy; it has world class beaches, stunning forests, and sea-side scenery. What is not easy, however, is deciding how long to spend on the track and deciding which direction you head on the track. If you’re an international traveler like me, or have limited vacation days, the sad reality is that you might not have the time to backpack the whole track. The first time I was in Abel Tasman, I took three days to hike part of the Track from North to South, and this is my day-by-day guide of that backpack, which covers about three-quarters of the total track, along with a side trip into the interior portion of the park. A couple of years later, I went back and hiked the top quarter portion of the track; and enjoyed it as well, but in terms of a great multi-day trip, the one I am about to describe is hard to beat for backpackers.

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Coast Track, Abel Tasman National Park

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Coast Track, Abel Tasman National Park

The Coast Track is a hiking trail that extends from Wainui Bay to Marahau in Abel Tasman National Park. The trail is 55.2 kilometers long (for Americans, that’s 34.29 miles long, so we’ll round up, and call it 33.3 miles total distance), and it can be hiked and or backpacked from North (Wainui Bay) to South (Marahau) and South (Marahau) to North (Wainui Bay). This trail, or as New Zealanders call it, “track”, covers a variety of stunning terrain, from forested areas, to estuaries, to golden sand beaches, along the shores of the Tasman Sea.  It is considered one of New Zealand’s “great walks”, meaning that while it can be hiked piecemeal in a series of day hikes, it can also covered, and is best appreciated in a one-to-four day backpack trip (which New Zealanders call “tramping”). The best time to go on this great walk along the Coast is during Spring and Summer in New Zealand, which is from October to March.