Interesting
Chris Townsend at the finish of the Pacific Northwest Trail
- Sleeping well is very important for morale and your physical condition. If you’re not sleeping well because your mat is too hard or your sleeping bag too cold or too hot make changes when you can, even if it means buying new gear. Don’t suffer unnecessarily.
(Source » Travel + Leisure)
The canyons outside Zion National Park offer incredible hiking, horseback riding, and rock climbing opportunities.
Hermione Hoby, writing for Travel + Leisure »
The air smelled like hot dust and cool pine trees. For a time, the canyon was soundless, except for the click-clacking of our carabiners. Unthinkably far below lay the silvery ribbon of Kolob Creek, a tributary of the Virgin River, which carved the mighty main canyon of Zion.
We paused, halfway or so along our route, to take in one of the hanging gardens, where an overhang of “weeping rock” creates a microclimate—a bright green, mossy efflorescence tucked into the side of the canyon. The occasional tree gave me pause, too: some little specimen asserting itself from the side of the rock face, flourishing against all odds.
Our route ended in a 100-foot vertical ascent that, in a mild fit of masochism, I resolved to climb without stopping. Breathless and triumphant at the top, I then followed Wright out to a terrifying overhang of rock where he encouraged me to lean back and let go.
Explore the mountains and glacial landforms of massive Snowdonia National Park in the northwest of Wales with this 1 hour 20 minute video in 4K by Chris Homer.
Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s nine Great Walks.
UK-based outdoor and clothing equipment brand Montane and Wired for Adventure teamed up to put together a short list of the most remote places to visit in Europe.
Ollie Rooke, writing for Wired For Adventure »
Ushguli – Georgia
While there’s some debate as to whether Georgia resides in Europe or Asia, we simply had to include this small settlement. A collection of tiny villages located at the foot of Shkhara mountain (5,193m), Ushguli sits at 2,100m above sea level and is therefore one of the highest inhabited settlements on the continent, but it’s also one of the most remote. »
Hoy, Orkney – Scotland
Although Hoy is the second largest island in the Orkney archipelago, a small clutch of islands off the coast of Scotland, it’s still tiny by most standards. Despite covering just 55 square miles and housing around 400 people, this diminutive island draws intrepid travellers to its shores with the lure of adventure at the edge of the UK. »
Kirkenes – Norway
Tucked away in the far north-eastern corner of Norway, the small town of Kirkenes lies at the very edge of mainland Europe. Just a few miles from Norway’s only land border with Russia, and 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the area is transformed into an icy wilderness during winter. And it’s this time of year that is best to visit, when travellers can observe two unique natural phenomenon. »
Standing all alone in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands are undoubtedly one of the most remote places in Europe. Made up of 18 major islands and countless smaller ones, the Faroes’ closest neighbours are Scotland and Iceland, both located over 200 miles from its shores. »
Read the whole article on Wired for Adventure »
Springtime in Iran. (Photo by Tom Allen via Adventure.com)
Leon McCarron, writing in Adventure.com, Dec 2017 »
Walking makes us inherently vulnerable; to the elements, our own weaknesses, and the whims of the road. But it also forces us to be open to everything. There’s no escaping every sight, sound and smell. It also encourages strangers to welcome you—for some reason, seeing someone on foot and carrying their life (in that moment, at least) on their back, seems to generate the most amazing acts of kindness.
Over a Mongolian winter, I was brought into a nomadic tent, a ger, in the Gobi Desert and handed a bowl of warm camel’s milk to warm me up. Dinner was prepared and vodka was shared. The unspoken message from my host was, “You’re clearly insane, but I’ll happily help you out.”
In the Middle East, often perceived as the most dangerous part of our planet, I’ve conversely found the people to be among the friendliest anywhere. On a hike from Jerusalem to Mount Sinai, I moved north through the West Bank, each day punctuated by offers of tea, or food, or with places to stay each night.
Primus is offering to send users needed parts to repair their Primus stove, for free. They are doing their part to keep stoves out of landfills and to remind users that they can fix things when they break.
The past few decades have introduced a throw-away culture that was strongly influenced by consumerism and the thought that products should be disposable. With the current state of the environment, more people than ever have shown interest in sustainable brands/products and are interested in maintaining and repairing their belongings when they wear out. We never subscribed to this trend and have instead ensured the opportunity to service and maintain our stoves since 1892!
While human life expectancy has increased drastically the past 100 years, life expectancy of the products around us appear to decrease. We know that between 55% and 65% of greenhouse emissions come from the handling of material, resources and products from cradle to grave. By extending the life of our products, it has a substantial positive impact on the climate and environment.
© 2024 Downshift
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
