Hiking

If you’re looking for a challenging hike with beautiful views of Lake Michigan, South Manitou Island, and North Manitou Island, then Sleeping Bear Point Trail in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is for you. This trail was chosen the #1 Hike-to-View in all the national parks in the National Geographic book, The 10 Best of Everything National Parks. The trailhead begins in the parking area at the end of Sleeping Bear Dunes Road off of M-209, just west of Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum. The narrow trail immediately brings the hiker to the dune environment where the endangered Piping Plover nests. Information signs tell the tale of how few of these birds are left and warn against disturbing them. Stay on the trail through this area. Not far beyond the nesting area is what’s called the Ghost Forest. It’s an eerie place where bare, weathered tree trunks jut up like spikes from the beige pebble filled sand.  Deer and bird tracks can be seen crisscrossing the dunes and from the looks of it, they have just as hard a time making it through the soft sand. Even the slightest changes in topography makes the sand slip down onto, over, and into your shoes making every step that much more difficult. These sandy dunes are constantly shifting, so, a number of the blue topped posts marking the passage are buried or have fallen down, leaving hikers to find their own way through some areas. This trail is considered strenuous. A combination of cold winds coming off the lake and the hot sun shining through clear skies can make your nose run and your armpits sweat at the same time. The tops of dunes can be very windy. Exposed skin will feel like it’s getting sand blasted. Nature can be harsh up there, but the panoramic view of Lake Michigan’s blue-green hued water makes it all worth while. These vantage points are great for seeing the islands, the lighthouse, and barges moving through the passage.  And even though it’s only 2.8 miles long, ripples on the wind-blown sands have a way of deceiving the eyes. Looking upon a short distance may actually appear to be a long way and vice versa. The light blue color painted on the tops of the trail marker posts matches the blue of the water near the shore. This color grows into a darker blue as the water gets deeper farther away from shore. Bees had built a hive in the sand at the base of one of the trail marker posts when we walked the trail. Be careful not to disturb them and walk around the area if you happen upon them too. There’s nowhere to hide if they decide to come after you. Near the end of the loop trail, is a forested area where the sandy trail surface quickly changes to smoothed stones that were deposited by a glacier long ago. This shaded area with gently rolling terrain is a stark contrast to the shifting, sinking, sandy environment that the majority of the trail offers and is a welcome ending to a very nice hike. If you make it to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, this hike is not to be missed. Related posts: How to choose the best sleeping bag Bear Grylls Injured in Antarctica Jacket + Tent + Sleeping Bag = JakPak

Tomorrow night, May 23rd, will be another "Full Moon Hike" in Cades Cove of the Great Smoky Mountains.This is an excellent opportunity to take a stroll in Cades Cove under the light of a full moon. If interested, visitors should meet at the Orientation Shelter near the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road. The hike will take place from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM.The park asks that you wear good walking shoes, bring water and a flashlight. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The event is subject to cancellation due to hazardous weather. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

by site editor Rick McCharles 1956 Winter Olympics host Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, is the jumping off mountain town for visitors arriving to enjoy a region of jagged mountain spires, far more striking than the Alps. Sleep in Cortina, then catch an early bus to the trails. Of many great options, the best panorama for lunch just might be from the Nuvolau mountain hut (Refugio) built 1883, first in the Dolomites. It’s impossibly located on the very top of a 2600 meter (8530 foot) cliff. To get there you need the hiker’s shuttle bus to drop you at passo Falzarego on the SR 48. At least six different paths of varying difficulty get you to Nuvolau. Look first at Alpine Trail #439 via the Rifugio Cinque Torri (5 Towers). The Refugio offers 26 cramped beds. But with bus access this convenient, it’s best to day hike out of Cortina. (There have been many complaints from those sleeping at Nuvolau.) Bring your own gourmet Italian food and drink from town. Or order from the hut menu. Nuvolau is only open during the hiking season, June 15 to September 30. August is busiest. That’s when Italians holiday. The Dolomites are one of our top 10 hiking regions in the world. The crazies at sram somehow got up there with their mountain bikes! _____ Related: Do your shopping at Cooperativa di Cortina, founded 1893. But count your change. The ladies at the till were shortchanging foreign tourists last time we were there. If you are flying in, book the direct Cortina Express bus from Venice’s main airport, Marco Polo. Trip Advisor Cortina d’Ampezzo gives up-to-date recommendations for hotels in all price ranges. Cheapest is tenting.

Over the past several years, rangers from Blue Ridge Parkway and officers from the US Forest Service have discovered evidence of active gem mining and mineral collection at numerous locations along the parkway, and on adjacent USFS lands. The two agencies coordinated efforts to monitor the locations, in part with surveillance equipment. On October 13, 2012, rangers saw a man mining one of the sites and identified him as Christopher Barrett, of Asheville, North Carolina. Over the next few months, two other men – Elliott Shope and Thomas Hill, also from Asheville – were also found mining. All were arrested and charged with illegal removal of mineral resources. On February 26th, Barrett and Shope appeared in court and were fined $1,200 each for removing mineral resources; on April 30th, Hill appeared in court and was fined $500 for removing mineral resources. The investigation continues. The convicted men said that gems and minerals, particularly kyanite, are being traded and sold at local gem markets and are used in jewelry production. NPS Digest also recently published a report that a man was arrested for harvesting galax along the Parkway.Last fall, rangers on several occasions saw a silver Toyota Camry in areas along the parkway known for illegal galax harvesting. An inspection of the vehicle led to the discovery of twist ties and other items used in galax harvesting. On November 17th, rangers saw the same vehicle on the parkway and contacted the driver. He was found to have 4,140 galax leaves in his possession. The man also had been cited previously for commercially harvesting galax by the US Forest Service. On April 30th, he pleaded guilty to possession of galax and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

Unforgettable trekking in one of the most beautiful areas of Tibet. A pilgrimage between two holy sites. Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery. Ganden AT A GLANCE one of the most popular treks in Tibet 4-5 days best months April – October tenting is required independent hiking is illegal, though some foreigners do it anyway Ganden Monastery 4,300m to Samye 3540m  is a traditional pilgrimage route you’ll suffer many hassles traveling in totalitarian China read more on our new Ganden to Samye information page We’ve updated (and moved) that page. It’s been 15 years since we’ve done it. Leave a comment if you know of a more recent trip report.

So you want to be the next Ansel Adams? Well, me too. I’m certainly not going to guarantee that these tips will get you to an Adams status, but I bet you will see some improvement after using them. Photography, just like anything else, takes practice. It takes practice to get to know your camera, to understand your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings, and to develop an eye on how to frame a shot. I am by no means an expert, and I still have a lot to learn, but I do know that these tips will set you in the right direction. So, first things first: 1. Get that camera out! It seems simple but sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do! You can’t take any pictures if your camera is hidden safely away in its camera bag. Break that thing out… all the time. Going for a hike? Take your camera. Just taking a walk? Take your camera. Skiing? Take the darn camera. Once your out there make sure your camera is somewhere within reach… like around your neck. Is it the most comfortable thing ever? Maybe not. But I can guarantee that you will take more pictures with your camera in your hands instead of in a bag. 2. Take way too many pictures. Be that person. You know what person I’m talking about. The one in the group who is taking a million and one photos; the one that everyone likes to complain about, but then they’re secretly excited to see their pictures pop up on Facebook. Yea that person. Sometimes you have to take 100 photos to get 1 that you really like, which is all the more reason to take more photos. Not only are you more likely to get a good one out of the batch, but you’re also getting more practice. And don’t worry about being annoying–they’re going to love your pictures later. 3. Focus on something. Having a focal point in a picture is usually more appealing to the eye. Before you take your picture, figure out what you find most appealing about that shot. Why are you taking this picture in the first place; what attracted you to it? Then, once you’ve figured out what is the most interesting part of the photo, focus on it! When you are intentional about finding a focal point, it will show in your picture. 4. Don’t forget the details. When you’re outdoors, it may be easy to get lost in the big picture. Panoramas that extend into forever, mountains that seem to create waves from the earth, waterfalls that drop from the Heavens–yea all of those things are great and photo-worthy, but so are the little things. The mushrooms growing out of the stump, or the flowers blooming from the trees can hold just as much beauty as the mountaintop views. Don’t forget the little guys when you’re out and about. I find that they usually create some of the most beautiful pictures! 5. Have fun! Seriously, have fun! Don’t beat yourself up about becoming the next big thing. Just enjoy capturing the beauty of the outdoors. When you take that pressure off of yourself, that’s usually when the magic happens! So get out there and take a picture of a flower or something. I bet it will be the best flower picture I’ve ever seen. Related posts: Outdoor tips: Hiking during hunting season Free Canon Photography Classes in National Parks Photo of the Day: Tips for Getting Your Photos Featured

Got a bold idea for an expedition? Outside Magazine is willing to give you $10,000 towards your ultimate adventure dream - if you can encourage enough people to vote for your idea. To drop your name into the hat, all you'll need to do is submit a proposal by June 1st. Included with your proposal will be an essay, no longer than 500 words, a photo of yourself, and a video of two minutes or less. Outside editors will then select a handful of finalists and post the videos online so that readers can vote on the winner. Last year the magazine received several hundred applications, while thousands of readers voted in the contest. Last year's winner was Daniel Alvarez, a former corporate lawyer (pictured above) who paddled a sea kayak from Minnesota to Florida. For more information and to enter, please click here. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

I’m pondering a trip to the Indian Himalaya, Oct/Nov 2013. Happily, there’s a great new Cicerone guide published Dec 2012. Known as “Little Tibet” for both its landscape and culture, Ladakh lies at the northern tip of India. The region is bisected by the great River Indus and neighbours Tibet and Kashmir. This quiet corner of the Himalayas has developed a strong trekking culture over recent years for adventurous trekkers. Trekking in this remote, high-altitude region is extremely challenging, as paths are not signed and there are only a limited number of villages. However, its magnificent landscape (a huge area full of limitless trekking possibilities), hospitable people, rich heritage and limited number of tourists make Ladakh an amazing destination. The guide includes background information on local culture, history and religion, as well as all the planning detail you need on crucial aspects such as environmental responsibility, health and safety in the mountains, trekking practicalities and preparation for altitude. Amazon I’ll buy that. And consult these others: Lonely Planet Trekking in the Indian Himalaya – Garry Weare (2009) Trailblazer Trekking in Ladakh – Charlie Loram & Jim Manthorpe (2004) Trekking and Climbing in the Indian Himalaya – Harish Kapadia (2001)

These videos provide great information for hiking and backpacking in Glacier National Park and other wilderness areas. Watch the first video here: Watch the second video here: Related posts: Cinema Sunday: “Glacier National Park: Winter Backcountry Camping” Cinema Sunday: Backcountry Hiking and Backpacking in Yellowstone National Park Cinema Sunday: “The Highline Trail in Glacier National Park”

Every day of the week we feature an excellent user-submitted camping or hiking photo as our Photo of the Day. Just in case you missed one or two from the past week, here are the seven most recent PODs that we’ve published: Trail: 7 Mile, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Be Ck. Trail: Moonlight Trail via Moke Lake, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Taken at Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida. Photo: Melissa Peacock. Helton Creek Falls, Blue Ridge, GA. Photo: kjspurlock. Moonlight Trail, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Taken at Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida. Photo: Melissa Peacock. Related posts: Week in Review: Outdoor PODs Week in Review: Outdoor PODs Week in Review: Outdoor PODs