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Hiking Israel: The Arbel Cliffs

July 31, 2008 at 1:00 PM | 0 Comments

One of Israel's most scenic attractions, the Arbel Cliffs, rise 400 meters above the Sea of Galilee in the northern part of the country. The steep climb up to the highest peak--Mount Arbel--is worth it for the panoramic views of the countryside below.

And like most places in this country, there's some history when you get to the top. The Arbel Fortress, an ancient three-story castle, is carved into the face of the mountain and features a maze of connecting cliffs and caverns.

Check out Mount Arbel now, before part of it is turned into--and we're not kidding--a golf course.

Related Stories:
· Israel Parks Authority [Official Site]
· Hiking Israel: Hezekiah Tunnel [Jaunted]
· Hiking Isreal: Masada [Jaunted]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Hiking Israel: Hezekiah Tunnel

July 30, 2008 at 1:30 PM | 0 Comments

Israel's most claustrophobic hiking trail, Hezekiah's Tunnel is an ancient narrow path below the City of David in Jerusalem. Built in 701 BC, the tunnel was constructed as an aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem residents while the city was under siege by the Assyrians.

Today, visitors can hike through the S-shaped tunnel, also called Warren's Shaft, after explorer Charles Warren, who discovered the tunnel in 1867.

Crouching below the stone ceiling while wading through the water in the complete dark, it's hard to imagine how the 1,750-foot tunnel was even completed 2,700 years ago, let alone used as a functioning aqueduct. You can bring a flashlight, but it's more fun to use your hands as a guide and do it in the dark.

Related Stories:
· City of David [Official Site]
· Israel Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Hiking Israel: Masada

July 29, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Israel packs deserts, mountains, volcanoes, canyons and seas into an area the size of New Jersey, which makes for some pretty spectacular hiking. And the country's most popular route is the trip up Masada, the isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert.

One of the most important sites in ancient Jewish history, the barren desert mesa is the site where a band of Jewish rebels made their last stand against Roman warriors in the first century AD. The 2,000-year-old ruins at the top of the plateau are the main draw for history and religion buffs, while the 1,800-foot climb and view overlooking the Dead Sea attract a wide array of tourists.

The problem with visiting this mountain in the middle of the desert, of course, is the intensity of the sun, which is why many summertime visitors choose to hike up before dawn, catching the sunrise and beating the heat. If that still sounds like too much, there's always the cable car to the top.

Related Stories:
· Masada National Park [Official Site]
· Oh Lord, What a Hike [Jaunted]
· Israel Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

Summer Vacation with an Edge: Oh Lord, What a Hike

July 2, 2008 at 12:46 PM | 2 Comments

Ever wished for divine intervention amidst a particularly hard climb? Such invocation isn't required to hike a new path following the footsteps of Jesus Christ in Israel; on holy land all bets are off.

The 65-kilometer Jesus Trail in northern Israel takes hikers to New Testament landmarks from Nazareth to the Mount of the Beatitudes and the Jordan River over four hot days. What gives this the edge is not only the desert heat but also the schlepping: Organizers suggest carrying 5 liters of water per person, per day.

Follow the Jesus Trail by yourself with GPS directions or use one of the suggested tour guides.

Related Stories:
· Suggested Itinerary [Jesus Trail]
· Windsurfing Where Jesus Walked [Forbes]
· Swimsuit Issue Travel: Is '08 The Year For Israel? [Jaunted]
· Summer Vacations with an Edge coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: B & R Folsom]

Where Was Jessica Bruinsma Hiking?

June 23, 2008 at 5:34 PM | 0 Comments


Jessica Bruinsma got lost in the Bavarian Alps a few days ago and then fell 16 feet onto a rocky overhang. Rescue workers scouring the mountains near Berchtesgaden, Germany couldn't find her and were likely losing hope. But Bruinsma had the brains to attach her bra to a supply line she'd stumbled upon--and notify some lumberjacks that she was nearby.

Only hours after Bruinsma sent the slinky signal, rescuers helicoptered in to pick her up. She's headed back to her hometown of Colorado Springs in a few weeks--where her family promises to throw her a bra-laden welcome home party.

Related Stories:
· Colorado Hiker Uses Sports Bra to Send SOS [RMN]
· Sports Bra Saves US Hiker in German Alps [AP, via Google]
· Jessica Bruinsma [Facebook]
· Google Maps/Where Was... coverage [Jaunted]

Summer Vacations With An Edge: Climbing the Grand Tetons

June 5, 2008 at 4:00 PM | 0 Comments

Jackson Hole is famous for being the adopted home of VP Dick Cheney, being on the fringe of Wyoming and not having a home for sale for less a couple million. While these three facts may deter some, it's also a mecca for American climbers and average people who want to be guided to the top of the Grand Teton, one of North America's coveted mountains.

Lucky for those with little or no climbing experience, Exum Mountain Guides has been in business in the Jackson Hole area for 79 years, offering more expertise and successful summits of the Grand than anyone else. This isn't for the faint of heart or those inspired from watching those Everest reality shows. If you decide to tackle this in your lifetime it's time to take out your polishing cloth and get those cojones their shiniest.

Trips up the Grand can be arranged in private or group trips, and the Exum guides are always mindful of your skill level, safety being their top priority.

Related Stories:
· Exum Mountain Guides [Official Site]
· Climbing coverage [Jaunted]
· Summer Vacations with an Edge coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Adam Dale]

Active Travel: National Trails Day

May 28, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Instead of filling up the car for your next trip, spend that gas money on an expensive pair of hiking boots and head outside for National Trails Day on June 7.

Sponsored by The American Hiking Society, the day seeks to share the fun of hiking with newbies through gear demonstrations, workshops and educational exhibits. The group has put together an interactive map, so you can easily figure out what's going on near you. Just a quick look reveals new trails to explore, dedications and events and opportunities to volunteer to improve your favorite trail.

Even if you're not that into hiking, the day is sponsored by a bunch of outdoorsy companies, so you can probably score some free swag just for showing up!

Related Stories:
· National Trails Day [Official Site]
· Active Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Nicholas_T]

Switzerland by Bike. Or Foot. Or Canoe.

May 7, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

We already credit the Swiss with being quite good at a range of things: Army knives, watches, chocolate and banks. Turns out we can add something else to the list: an impressive network of hiking, cycling, skating and canoeing paths perfectly signposted for us to use, as part of the SwitzerlandMobility project.

Apparently all of these trails and paths have been around for ages, but now that they've got them properly interconnected and have standardized the signage, there's no stopping us, whichever method of getting around we choose.

Hikers can choose from almost 4,000 miles of paths, cyclists from nearly 5,300 miles and even mountain-bikers get over 2,000 miles of signposted Swiss beauty. Those clever Swiss have even tied in public transport routes to help us get to and from these trails. No excuse for staying still in Switzerland now.

Related Stories:
· Switzerland Mobility [Official Site]
· Switzerland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Donnie Ray]

National Park Travel: Maine's Acadia Reopens

April 14, 2008 at 3:05 PM | 1 Comment

Hibernation time is over! Maine's Acadia National Park reopens its central Park Loop Road tomorrow for the official season. The road, built by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. as a set of carriage trails criss-crossing the preserve, takes visitors throughout the park, which is located primarily on Mount Desert Island.

The only national park in New England is heavily traveled during the summer months but it's a great place to hike in spring, before the hordes arrive. Use of a camp site is just ten dollars a night.

Need some gear and driving up? Swing by the 24-hour L.L. Bean store in Freeport.

Related Stories:
· Acadia National Park [Official Site]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]
· Spring Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: dbking]

Hiking a Trail with No Official Map

April 3, 2008 at 11:00 AM | 0 Comments

There are hikes, and then there are hikes. Anyone looking to take on the Continental Divide Trail is interested in the latter variety--and is also probably a little nuts. The entire route stretches nearly 3,100 miles, following the Rocky Mountains from Montana down to New Mexico. And there are two catches: over 1,000 miles of the trail are incomplete, and the whole thing has no official map.

But with winter thawing out, the folks over at Backpacker magazine might be looking to finally change that. Last year editor-in-chief Jonathan Dorn called on readers to help map the CDT and got an outpouring of almost 3,000 applications to volunteer. Three hundred were chosen and grouped into teams, and they tracked their progress on the CDT Project blog.

By the end of September the teams had defined over 2,000 miles of the trail, and Backpacker's map editor Kris Wagner left off saying he planned to pick the project back up after the snow melted. We haven't heard anything since, but we'll be keeping an eye out--and maybe doing some training. The CDT Alliance says a thru-hike takes about six months--if you average 17 miles a day!

Related Stories:
· Continental Divide Trail Alliance [Official Site]
· Best Damn Weekend Ever: Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness [Backpacker]
· Hiking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bgautrea]

Snap Guidebook Review: Lonely Planet's New National Parks Series

April 2, 2008 at 3:25 PM | 0 Comments

Lonely Planet has just relaunched its series of national parks guides and the publisher sent over a couple for us to check out. We're not the biggest fans of LP books in general, but the sheer number of titles can certainly be helpful. (Who else sells chapters on Eritrea?)

There are four new guides to the national parks, and you'll get info on multiple parks in all but one of them. The books are designed specifically for the parks, with itineraries and activities based around what's inside the gates rather than in surrounding towns--though some of that info is there too.

What stood out to us is the cool "Hiking" section. Each book has a couple dozen different trails listed. After a header with the basics (distance, elevation change, etc.), a long description of the walk and what you might see follows. Totally handy, and given the fact that the new books are compact and light, you'll actually want to tote 'em along on the trail.

Related Stories:
· Lonely Planet A La Carte [Jaunted]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

Hiking Along the Dragon's Back

March 19, 2008 at 12:15 PM | 0 Comments

Hong Kong is probably best known for quick food and kung fu--not getting dusty and swigging from Nalgene bottles. But with 40 percent of the area protected as parks, hikes in the lush hills outside the city are popular for locals and tourists alike and offer stunning views of the island that shouldn't be missed.

The Dragon's Back trail is one of the better-known among Hong Kongers. This trek along a spine of hills high above the city affords a surreal break from the bustling metropolis below with vistas of outlying islands and the quiet village of Shek O.

The trailhead is accessible via local transport, and you can make this walk as short as you like. If you want to make a proper journey of it, though, it'll take you a good part of a day.

Walking, obviously, is free. You can pick up a trail map from any tourism office, or buy a guidebook from a local book shop. But if you're inclined to go with a professional guide, Walk Hong Kong is a licensed tour operator that can take you along various trails in the region with rates running from $60 to $100 depending on the route.

Related Stories:
· Experience Hong Kong: Hiking [Fodors]
· Walk Hong Kong [Official Site]
· Hiking coverage [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Mat Booth]

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