Archive for the 'Hiking and backpacking' Category

The longest high altitude trail in the world set to open next year

Now that you have 104 newly opened peaks in Kashmir to ascend this summer, you’ll be happy to know your 2011 trekking adventures will be equally, if not more exciting. Next February, The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) will open, stretching 2,800 miles and crossing through five countries: Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Pakistan.

For thru-hikers, the trek is estimated to require 150 days to complete and depending on which route you take, you could be trekking over 4,500km. However, if you don’t have 5 months to dedicate to hiking the full Himalaya mountain range, the GHT will be sectioned off into nine shorter segments, each taking between 18-35 days to finish.

If you think you’d like to be one of the first few people to access the trail, the adventure trail company ‘World Expeditions’ is organizing the inaugural trip for Feb. 15th, 2011. You may chose the entire 150 day journey or one of the smaller sections.

Some of our most popular packs, like the Z55, are purchased for thru-hikes like the AT and the Pacific Crest Trail, so if you’re looking for a pack to handle 150 days or 30 days on the Great Himilaya Trail, well, we hope you know where to look.

Via The Adventure Blog

Published
by
Lauren
 on March 3, 2010
 in Hiking and backpacking, Hiking resources and Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Four new glaciers found in the ‘cursed’ mountains of Albania

As a result of years of regional turmoil and unrest, few have explored the ‘cursed’ Prokletije mountains of Albania. Since the dying of tensions over the last decade, Drs Philip Huges, Jeff Blackford and PhD student Rose Wilkinson recently traveled to the widely undocumented region to research features carved into the landscape by past glaciers and unknowingly stumbled upon the real thing.

Their expedition led to the discovery of four glaciers, all previously unknown to geologists, glaciologists and researchers. Given the latitude, researchers were surprised to find the glaciers at such an unusually low altitude of roughly 6,500 feet. But due to the high amount of snowfall per year and cool temperatures, these glaciers have been able to survive.

The discovery was documented in the December 2009 issue of Arctic, Antartic, and Alpine Research and a full scholarly paper will be released later this year.

Along with putting the Prokletije region on the map for researchers, the discovery also put the mountainous region on the map for backpackers and adventure travelers looking to explore relatively untouched territory.

Via Gadling blog

Published
by
Lauren
 on February 10, 2010
 in Adventure travel, Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 0 Comments

World Atlas? There’s now an app for that

As if smartphones didn’t already put the world at your finger tips, now you can download National Geographic’s own World Atlas application for $1.99.

The National Geographic World Atlas app contains seven levels of high resolution cartography provided by National Geographic as well an additional seven layers of maps by Microsoft Bing, which enables you to zoom close enough to see your home.

As with a bound atlas, you will find up-to-date country-specific information including, flags and facts, which contain geographic and socioeconomic data at the touch of your finger. Not to mention, you can bookmark and annotate your favorite places, use the iPhone’s built in GPS to locate your current position on the map, and add pictures from your photo library.

You may also download and save National Geographic maps to use when internet access is unavailable.

So, whether you’re traveling the world, backpacking or simply wanting to learn more about the world, this app seems to fit the bill and your pocket.

Via The Adventure Blog

Published
by
Lauren
 on January 28, 2010
 in Adventure travel, Gregory world, Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 0 Comments

Don’t wait to refuel after exercise

You burn about 300-500 calories an hour backpacking, 400-600 skiing, and 450-1,000 running (according to Livestrong’s fitness & exercise directory), depending on weight and intensity. So in order to increase your fitness potential, replacing energy lost after exercise is key.

While most understand pre-workout nutrition, many who participate in moderate to strenuous exercise tend to refrain from refueling until hunger strikes. This, however, is damaging to your body’s recovery process. Here’s why:

Phot via Runner’s World

During exercise, your body depletes your store of a carbohydrate called Glycogen found in your muscles and liver. After exercise, your body will begin to restore glycogen levels, but without consuming carbs, your body will enter a catabolic state and break down the protein in your muscle tissue instead. Some might think your body will break down fat after a workout; however, your body will only turn to your fat stores when protein reserves are low.

So, in order to  protect your muscles and help your body recover from used energy, most experts generally agree that it’s best to eat within 45 minutes of completing your workout. Martica Heaner at MSN Health and Fitness calls the 45 minute period the ‘metabolic window’ when ‘enzymes that replenish muscle carbs are at their highest levels,’ and ‘insulin, which rebuild protein stores, is at peak levels.’ Calories consumed during this window will go to rebuilding rather than fat storage.

Within the 45 minute window, look to ingest both carbs and lean proteins, but stay away from fat as it will slow digestion of the needed proteins and carbs.  One quick option for recovery is skim milk. Milk, or even low-fat chocolate milk, will replenish glycogen stores with its rich mix of carbohydrates and help repair muscles with protein. Plus, your body can digest it quickly giving you nutrients faster.

Milk also provides a great alternative to eating if you’re one of those people who can’t bear to look at food after strenuous activity. Whey protein is another option for those food adverse when recovering and is easy for your body to break down as well.

Below is a list of refuel foods to pack in your Gregory pack when your on the go:

  • Oranges
  • Trail mix
  • Beef jerky with crackers
  • Peanut butter on bread, an English muffin or apple
  • Nutrition bars
  • Bananas
  • Bagel with cream cheese and jelly
  • Dried fruit
  • cheese and crackers or hummus and crackers
  • Sports drinks

Published
by
Steph
 on January 18, 2010
 in Hiking and backpacking, Hiking resources and How to...
. 0 Comments

Own the full National Geographic collection for $200

The eerily personal ‘Afghan Girl‘ photo, published in March 2002, is arguably one of the most well-known photos of all time and is testament to National Geographic’s permanence in the publishing world. Its permanence is not only a result of some of the highest-quality photojournalism in the world, but also a validation of its content about scenery, history, and the most distant corners of the world.

Since its first issue in 1988, just nine months after the National Geographic Society was founded, the magazine has stayed true to its historical message ‘to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world’s cultural, historical, and natural resources.’ Today, National Geographic is offering every single issue published in the last 120 years on an external hard drive for $200. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Steph
 on January 13, 2010
 in Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 0 Comments

104 newly opened peaks in Kashmir

Kashmir holds some of the most breathtaking high alpine terrain in the world, but do to its location between two warring nations, the region has unfortunately been closed to backpackers and mountaineers- until now.

The Indian government recently announced that it would begin allowing access to the previously restricted region of Kashmir and Jammu. Although the region has been a source of conflict between India and Pakistan for years, tensions have eased in the area and many are hoping unrestricted access will lead to not only economic, but political gains as well.

104 new mountain peaks have been removed from the restricted list and opened up to mountaineers for the first time. Only 10 climbing expeditions have explored the region thus far due to conflict, so the majority of the peaks open have yet to be climbed. Most of the peaks reach 22,000 feet including Saser Kangri I, II, and III.

While this is exciting news for anyone looking to accomplish a first ascent, the region will also be open to adventure travelers and backpackers looking to take in some of scenery previously closed to tourists. So, if you happen to plan a first ascent or decide to backpack through the region this summer, take your Gregory pack and post your pictures our Good Life page! Continue reading >>

Published
by
Steph
 on January 11, 2010
 in Adventure travel, Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 1 Comment

New thru-hike to add to the list: Rim of Africa

A major conservation effort in South Africa is underway with the construction of a 650km trail set to open in October 2010. What does this mean for you? You have one more hike to add to your life list.This trail constitutes the first true, long distance, hike on the continent of Africa. You may be well aware of The Appalachian trail, The Continental Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail, but what about the trails beyond U.S. boarders? Here’s a quick run down…

  1. Camino de Santiago, Spain - 500km
  2. Sendero de Chile, Chile - 9700km (not yet completed)
  3. And now, Rim of Africa, South Africa - 650km

The new Rim of Africa trail will follow a natural route that stretches from the West Coast of the country to the Outeniqua Mountains. The trail routes through both nature preserves and private lands seldom visited by outsiders. The full trail will take roughly 48 days to complete, but you will be able to access the the trail in four different stages. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Lauren
 on December 17, 2009
 in Adventure travel, Gregory Goes There, Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 0 Comments

Did you know today is International Mountain Day?

After the UN named 2002 the International Year of Mountains, the decision was made to declare December 11th International Mountain Day from 2003 onwards to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life. The day also focuses on highlighting opportunities and constraints in mountain development and building partnerships that will bring positive change to the world’s mountains and highlands.

The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day is ‘Disaster Risk Management in Mountains,’ recognizing the hazardous nature of living in the mountains due to the threat of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, avalanches, landslides and floods.

The meaning of the symbol for the day is as follows: three equilateral triangles representing mountains, the blue on the first ‘mountain’ representing snow and ice, the orange on the second representing mineral resources, and the green on the right representing crops.

While the day is considered a global observance and not a public holiday, use it as an excuse to escape work a little early and celebrate the mountains in whatever way you can. We know we will!

Other Holidays or reasons to celebrate today:

Hanukkah Begins at Sunset

National Noodle Ring Day- no information found on this, big suprise!

UNICEF Anniversary

Published
by
Lauren
 on December 11, 2009
 in Adventure travel, Events and Hiking and backpacking
. 0 Comments

Blind Adventurer aims to complete the Pacific Crest Trail

The majority of the things we take for granted are the ones, that if taken away, we would miss the most. And for those who enjoy the outdoors, losing the ability to see would be one one of those things.

At 35, Trevor Thomas went blind. For 30+ years, Trevor had been an avid outdoorsman, whose passions included skiing, running, and mountain biking. But after losing his sight to a rare eye disease, these pursuits no longer seemed possible.

However, after attending a motivational speech by Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Everest, Trevor resolved that the activities he could do, he would do extremely well. And in just five years, he’s accomplished just that. Trevor has become the first blind person to successfully complete an unassisted thru-hike of the 2,1755 mile Appalachian Trail- all with the help of his Gregory Z55. He’s also managed to summit, Mt. Mitchell, the tallest peak on the East Coast, as well as Mt. Evans and Longs Peak in Colorado.

Recently, Trevor has joined forces with Team Farsight in hopes of completing the 2800 mile Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. Their attempt in 2010 will mark the first time a handicapped person will lead their team along the 2800 mile journey. Trevor will also be the first blind person to complete the journey beginning to end. To aid Trevor, Gregory will be sending him a Z65 built with Gregory’s new 2010 redesign of the JetStream LTS suspension system.

Beyond his accomplishments, Trevor fills his time with rock climbing, long distance hiking, and adventure racing. See an interview with him on Blue Ridge Outdoors’ website.

Published
by
Lauren
 on November 10, 2009
 in Adventure travel, Athletes, Hiking and backpacking and Sponsorships
. 1 Comment

The how-to department, for that year when you have the year off

As backpackers, arguably one of the most committed things you can do is a thru-hike of one of the biggies - the Appalachian, Pacific Crest or Continental Divide. So how do you plan for months on the trail?

Trailspace, an online forum of backpackers and other outdoor users that specializes in user reviews of gear, outdoor news and other outdoor-related info, just posted the first of four articles on how to think about taking on a thru-hike. 

Anyway, if the first installment is any indication - lots of practical info from experienced through-hikers - the series should be a useful primer on how to pull off such an endeavor.

Lots of interesting tidbits too. For instance, more than a thousand people attempt the AT each year; one in four make it. On the opposite coast, only 300 or so a year attempt the PCT, but nearly two-thirds finish. The CDT is apparently upping the ante enough that statistics are even hard to come by.

Keep an eye peeled over at Trailspace for the next installment.

Published
by
Dave
 on October 26, 2009
 in Hiking and backpacking and Hiking resources
. 0 Comments