Hiking: November 2009 Archives

Yesterday GearJunkie published an interview with attorney and blogger Sara Lingafelter (RockClimberGirl.com), who just returned from the Nepal-Tibet border, where she attempted to climb Mount Pumori. The most remarkable part: she’d never climbed more than 10,000 feet before.

“There were two ‘hardest things’ for me. One was sitting at base camp, listening to the guys up on the mountain on the radio say their goodnights, and then listening to avalanches and rock falls all night (Nuptse was really active while we were up there). I worried until I heard the “all clear” in the morning. Most of us had really vivid, usually terrible, dreams while we were at altitude.”

While athletic footwear sales are down 2.4 percent from a year ago, hiking boot sales are up almost ten percent. “Why? Hiking boots are popular with young adults and during a recession, folks are more likely to go on a camping trip or a day-trip hike in the White Mountains than spend big bucks on a fancy vacation, said Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry analyst.” From The Boston Globe.

“Never have I been more tempted to kick a polar bear and see what happens. I’m sure there are a few pairs out there already, amateury ones where you rest your feets on habaneros, but these are freaking official.” Mark Lorenz writes about the new Columbia Bugathermo hiking boots on Manolith.com.

I have a good friend who hikes many “technical’ trails in his sandals, and while my 200-plus-pound frame may put a bit too much compression on flimsy soles, there are many others who find sandals just fine for medium-difficulty hikes. Steven Regenold talks about three different sandal-style hiking footwear offerings currently on the market. “Sole’s high-end Platinums are hands down most comfortable. They also look the best, in my opinion, with a handsome design appropriate in the outdoors or for patio dining.”

In The New York Times, Alex Frew McMillan talks about the best hiking escapes from the concrete of Hong Kong, including those in the New Territories, north of the Kowloon hills. “They are home to most of Hong Kong’s country parks — the equivalent of national parks for the territory — which became a special administrative region of China in 1997. There are 23 country parks in all, covering about 38 percent of the entire territory.”

According to Paste Magazine, Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire”) will direct a new movie about the ordeal of Aron Ralston, who amputated his arm to free himself from a large boulder that rolled onto him as he climbed in the Utah mountains. “Christian Colson will produce and Simon Beaufoy is in talks to write the script. 127 Hours will be made by Fox Searchlight, and U.K.’s The Guardian reports that the film will begin shooting early 2010 and released later in the year.”

Ralston recently endorsed a proposal to prohibit extractive development in Forest Service and BLM lands.

Calum Macintyre, a 16-year-old Scot, has become the youngest person to reach the top of Ama Dablam in the Himalayas. His dad credits cross-country skiing and mountain biking with helping his son build the strength to ascend the highly technical mountain. “Calum said: ‘I am delighted to have reached the summit. The last 50 metres or so will stay with me always. The climb was a massive physical challenge for me with exposed and difficult climbing. There were times when I did not think I was going to make it but I pushed on and finally reached the summit with fantastic views of Everest and many other peaks.’” David Ross in the Scotland Herald.

A Wyoming attorney is proposing legislation that would require backcountry permit holders to carry bear spray. “[Teton county attorney Todd] Weichman also cited two studies that show bear spray is more effective than bullets at preventing injury to humans during a bear attack. One such study, conducted by Brigham Young University professor Thomas Smith, showed that bear spray stopped aggressive bruins 92 percent of the time, while firearms worked 67 percent of the time.” Cory Hatch in the Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Jack Wiggins, a University of South Carolina graduate, says that the scariest animals on the Appalachian Trail are people. But that didn’t keep he and buddy James Simons from experiencing plenty of “trail magic” before completing this year’s 2,178-mile hike. “Wiggins said he was wondering if he was going to have enough food to make it to the next town. He said he was sure he was going to have to go at least a day without food. But when he got to the top of a mountain, Wiggins came across two people day hiking who offered him a sandwich.” Julie Campbell in the Orangeburg, South Carolina Times and Democrat.

Eagle scout Scott Mason recently received a bill for $25,734.65 from the state of New Hampshire as a result of requiring rescue from Mount Washington last April. “‘If it had happened in Colorado, he would have been applauded for being able to survive for three days,’ said Paul ‘Woody’ Woodward, president of Colorado’s Alpine Rescue Team. ‘New Hampshire is way out on their own on this one.’” From the Associated Press.