Tag Archives: Hiking

Adventure, Travel, Videos, Views, Wilderness

Hiking Tours: Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

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Harmen Hoek Films (December 22, 2023) – In November 2023, I hiked the O-trek (including the W-trek) in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile in southern Patagonia.

Video timeline: 0:00 Puerto Natales 0:50 Mirador Base Las Torres (1st time) 3:40 Day 1 – Glacier and Camp Dickson 10:06 Day 2 – Glacier and Camp Los Perros 13:46 Exploring the Puma Glacier 15:45 Day 3 – Glacier Grey and Paso John Garner 21:08 Day 4 – Storm to Mirador Británico 24:35 Day 5 – Sunrise at Mirador Base Las Torres 26:38 Outro with photos

Day 1: I traveled by bus from Puerto Natales, entered the park at Laguna Amarga, and set up camp at Las Torres. I hiked to Mirador Base Las Torres, covering 23 kilometers.

Day 2: I trekked 39 kilometers to Campamento Dickson, passing Rio Paine, Campamento Seron, and Lago Paine, with the glacier Dickson in the distance.

Day 3: I covered 25 kilometers through a stunning forest to Los Perros, passing the Perros Glacier, and did a day-hike to the Puma Glacier on a non-maintained trail.

Day 4: The day started with a climb to the Paso John Garner pass in snow. At top I got a mesmerizing view of the white expanse of Grey Glacier. I followed the trail along the glacier to Campamento Grey, then to Paine Grande campground.

Day 5: despite the rain, I covered 43 kilometers. I hiked up to Mirador Británico and back to Central via Camping Francés and Refugio Los Cuernos.

Day 6, I woke up at 2:30 am and climbed to Mirador Base Las Torres, completing the final 20 kilometers of my 182-kilometer journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Patagonia.

Adventure, Travel, Videos, Views

Adventure Hiking: The Kjeragbolten In Norway

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Amazing Places on Our Planet (December 8, 2023) – The Kjeragbolten hike is one of the most spectacular hikes in the world, featuring a remarkable boulder wedged high above a famous fjord. Kjeragbolten is located in southern Norway near the town of Lysebotn,

Travel, Videos, Views

Travel: Hiking Besseggen Ridge In Southern Norway

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Amazing Places on Our Planet (November 10, 2023) – Besseggen Ridge is considered one of the best hikes in Scandinavia. It is situated in the Jotunheimen National Park in Norway. This epic trail runs between lakes of different colors and heights above sea level. It takes 6-8 hours to complete this challenging hike.

The Besseggen mountain ridge is forged by Thor, and one of the most known places in “The Home of the Giants” and Jotunheimen National Park. The unique aspects of this hike is the view across the ridge. The spectacular view is made from the two lakes the Gjende lake with the distinct green color, one the one side of the ridge and 400 meter above on the other side we find Bessvatnet with its blue color typical of other lakes.

The colors from Gjende is a result from glacier runoff containing clay and rock flour. Looking down towards Memurubu one can see the nearby river Muru coloring the water with a light colored runoff.

Travel, Videos, Views

Hiking In Italy: Vajolet Towers In The Dolomites

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The Flying Dutchman (October 8, 2023) – In Pera di Fassa, there is the little valley station of the two-tier Vajolet chairlift, taking us to the meadows of Pian Pecei (1,800 m). This is the starting point of the Vajolet Towers hike.

The gently rising Via delle leggende (legend’s trail) takes us to the hamlet of Gardeccia at almost 2,000 m asl. The route takes us deeper into the Valle di Vajolet, across the rocks of the Dolomites, up to the Rifugio Vajolet and the nearby Preuss mountain hut (2,210 m). Now we are directly at the famous Vajolet pinnacles, the rock towers that make up the striking shilouette of the Catinaccio mountain range. From here you can walk to the Rifugio Re Alberto or the Rifugio Passo Principe mountain huts.

Due to the changing weather situation we decide to do a shorter tour, the panoramic trail, stretching at the foot of the Larsec pinnacles on the east side of the valley, ending at Gardeccia. There are some slippery and steep point along this trail, but in general it is rather easy for those who are experienced mountianeers. The view ranges to the southern Catinaccio mountain range, from the Vajolet pinncales to the Croda di Vaél. After the way down to Gardeccia via the Via delle Leggende, we take the chairlift that takes us back to the Val di Fassa.

Cities, Tourism, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

South America Travel: A Hike Up Mount Roraima

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DW Travel (June 24, 2023) – Keen for some adventure on the shared border region of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana? Join DW’s Joel Dullroy on his seven-day hike up the fabled Mount Roraima.

Braving cold, cramps, and exhaustion, he’s rewarded with a breathtaking experience in the great outdoors, amidst an out-of-this-world landscape. Is It all worth it in the end? Take a look for yourself!

Mount Roraima is the highest of the Pakaraima chain of tepuis or plateaux in South America. It is located at the junction of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. A characteristic large flat-topped mountain surrounded by cliffs 400 to 1,000 meters high.

Architecture, Books, Homes, Photography, Reviews, Travel

Books: ‘Concrete Jungle – Tropical Architecture And Its Surprising Origins’

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Gestalten Publishing (May 30, 2023) – ‘CONCRETE JUNGLE TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE AND ITS SURPRISING ORIGINS‘  presents some of the most exciting tropical houses and tells the surprising story of lush modernist architecture.

The clash of rational architecture with the organic lushness of tropical vegetation has created some of the most visionary and futuristic buildings we know.

Based on the concepts of Modernist style and Bauhaus aesthetics, tropical countries like Brazil or Mexico have developed their highly unique visions of an international style and an architecture which is both timeless and desirable, which continues to be highly influential around the globe.

In Concrete Jungle we embark on a journey through the works of architects influenced by the tropical modernist style, from Luis Barragán to Paulo Mendes da Rocha, to Marcio Kogan.

Adventure, Travel, Videos, Views

Views: 7 Days Of Hiking & Filming In The Swiss Alps

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Bashir Abu Shakra (May 14, 2023) – Seven days of hiking and filming in the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Alps are one of the three main geographic regions of Switzerland, the other two being the Swiss Plateau and the Jura Mountains.

The portion of the Alps lying within Switzerland is sometimes referred to as the Central Alps, but more commonly known as the Swiss Alps. The Alps cover 65% of Switzerland’s total land mass, making it one of the most mountainous of European countries.

Although the Swiss Alps cover most of Switzerland, it is a lesser populated region of the country, although it is popular among outdoor enthusiasts for hiking and trekking tours. Some of the most popular long-distance treks in Europe lead through the Swiss Alps

Adventure, Books, Photography, Reviews, Travel

New Books: Wanderlust Nordics – May 2023

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Gestalten Publishing (May 2023) – From spectacular fjords in Norway, the arctic tundra and serene forests in Sweden, to a plethora of enchanting lakes in Finland and the Ice Sheet of Greenland —the Nordics offer a breathtaking variety of landscapes and endless options to hike.

Mid-June to late September. Due to the warm currents of the Gulf Stream, the Lofoten Islands experience a relatively mild oceanic climate. Despite it lying at a similar latitude to places such as Alaska and Greenland, average winter and summer temperatures in the archipelago are a comparatively balmy 1°C (33.8°F) and 13°C (55.4°F), respectively. Get more hiking tips with Wanderlust Nordics, a book by gestalten and Cam Honan.

Wanderlust Nordics invites you to boast into this distinctive wilderness with a wide range and appealing mix of trails. This is a book that will have you heading north.

Approximately 80 percent of Greenland is covered by a vast ice sheet. The remaining 20 percent of this ironically named island is a coastal corridor that is mostly ice-free during the summer months. It is here among the sparsely populated bays, inlets, and fjords, that the Arctic Circle Trail (ACT) can be found, a legendary hiking route that traverses the most extensive strip of terra firma in Western Greenland. Discover more in Wanderlust Nordics by gestalten and Cam Honan.

Cam Honan has trekked across 61 countries and six continents, logging over 60,000 mi (96,500 km) in three decades. He has authored four bestselling titles for gestalten—Wanderlust, Wanderlust USA, Wanderlust Himalaya, and The Hidden Tracks. Cam has been described by Backpacker Magazine as “the most travelled hiker on Earth”.

Traverse the World's most beautiful Archipelago with Wanderlust Nordics, a incredible book by Cam Honan.

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Adventure, Ecosystems, Nature, Tourism, Tours, Travel, Views

Costa Rica Views: Hiking In Corcovado National Park

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Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is the backpacking experience of a lifetime. It encompasses the only remaining old growth wet forests on the Pacific coast of Central America, and 13 major ecosystems including lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove swamps, as well as coastal marine and beach habitats.

There is a good chance of spotting some of Costa Rica’s shyest and most endangered inhabitants here; Baird’s Tapirs, Jaguars, Scarlet Macaws, Harpy Eagles, Red-backed squirrel monkeys and White-lipped Peccaries. It is wet, remote and rugged, but the trails are relatively good, and the camping areas near the ranger stations are grassy and well drained.

Adventure, Travel, Videos, Views

Views: Backpacking In The Southern Lofoten Islands

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A 3 day backpacking trip to climb Hermannsdalstinden Pinnacle, the highest mountain in the southern part of Lofoten.

Lofoten, island group, in the Norwegian Sea, northern Norway. Lying off the mainland entirely within the Arctic Circle, the group comprises the southern end of the Lofoten-Vesterålen archipelago and includes five main islands (Austvågøya, Gimsøya, Vestvågøya, Flakstadøya, and Moskenesøya) extending about 70 miles (110 km) from north to south. In addition, there are many small islands and skerries (rocky islets and reefs). The total length of the archipelago is about 110 miles (175 km).

A broad and deep fjord, the Vesterålsfjorden, lies between Lofoten and the mainland. The islands, composed of volcanic rocks (gneiss and granite), are the highly eroded tops of a partially submerged mountain range. The highest peak is Higravtinden (3,760 feet [1,146 metres]) on Austvågøya. North of the Arctic Circle, the islands are washed by the warm North Atlantic Current, which tempers their climate.