Munro Film Production Footage from James Urquhart on Vimeo.
More info on climbing the Munros in Scotland
All Articles: hiking
January 06, 2012Climbing the Munros in Scotland
November 02, 2011Climbing Mount Fuji – A Short Trip to Another World
It’s two a.m. when a man’s voice announces wakeup throughout the mountain hut. One by one, the sardine-squeezed sleeping bags begin to wiggle and unzip. Headlamps turn on and people start shuffling.
Outside, we hear the sound of wind and rain beating against the thin walls of the mountain hut. My neighbour is discouraged. She complains that she couldn’t sleep last night. The altitude air is too thin, the hut too cold and too noisy with snorers. A quick peak through the window reveals that the darkness outside is windy, rainy and freezing cold. There will be no sunrise, she decides, and she goes back to sleep vanquished.
Read more about hiking up Mount Fuji
October 20, 2011Yakushima: Island of Mystical Japanese Wilderness
In most people’s minds, Japan invokes images of crowded supermetropolises bustling with jam-packed subways, neon-drenched electronic districts and futuristic travel systems. Indeed, Japan has a highly urbanized population and some of the world’s largest cities. To visit Japan during the August high season, when the whole country grinds to a halt for the annual Obon vacation, is to suffer the stifling heat of this country’s hottest month in the suffocating pressure of the summer crowds. Or so goes popular wisdom.
But as large as Japan’s 128 million strong population may be, most of it is concentrated in a small portion of the country, leaving vast mountainous areas wild and untouched by urbanism. A prime example is Yakushima.
July 26, 2011Bar Harbour, Hiking and Micro-brews: Holidays for the Weary
I am one of those people who don't take holidays, and yet complains about that very fact constantly to anyone whithin earshot. Mostly because I don't like leaving my shop behind, but also because I enjoy complaining. My business partners told me they had had enough and so it was decided for me- holidays before I implode into an intergalactic ball of nothingness.
Like all good holidays I decided to travel with my good friend's wife. In the heat of the midday sun we placed Montreal firmly in our rearview mirror. Being a rare breed of flying peacock, Lara and I need to spread our wings, and to do so we decided to head down to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. About flying peacocks, you need to know they are indecisive. During our heated debates about party invitations, and well on our way to beautiful New Hampshire we had an about-face and realized that the soothing waters of Maine would do our fragile souls some (more) profound healing.
Read on about Mark's holidays by clicking here
April 04, 2011Hiking Shoe Buyer’s Guide – Altipedia
April 03, 2011Hiking Boot Buyer’s Guide – Altipedia
April 03, 2011Bottes de randonnée – Guide d’achat Altipedia
April 02, 2011Sizing: finding the right fit for your hiking boots and shoes
April 01, 2011Trail Running Shoe Buyer’s Guide – Altipedia
March 22, 2011Blue Creek to Three Slides: Jasper National Park: The long way through
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But sometimes even the toughest boots give up at some time. Reflections on leather boots.
Click here to read more about the trek through Jasper National Park
February 08, 20115 Million Steps or so – Tips, Q & A with a Thru-hiker
Christian "The Crusher" Letendre is back from his hike through the Appalachian Trail. We caught up with him to talk about his experience. And what happened to his beard.
Click here to get his thoughts and impressions on hiking the Appalachian Trail
February 04, 2011Cold Feet? Ha! Try Cold and Wet! – Jasper National Park: The long way through
Jakob and Mona, although they've got loads of hiking experience, encounter a new problem. They also decide to make an MVP of the day.
Click here to read about the long way through Jasper National Park
January 24, 2011Sheldon to Welbourne – Jasper National Park: The long way through – Day III
3rd day. Sheldon Inn Campground to Welbourne– 25 km – Start 8:10 – Finish 17:10
I did tell you that I keep my promises, right?! And here we go: this day had a lot of what you can expect on a hike. The good moments and the bad moments.
One of the bad moments definitely was the rain during the night. We packed the stuff and planned to have breakfast later at the waterfall. I had to strap the fly sheet on the outside of my backpack – with no chance of drying during the day. It hadn’t looked like the weather was going to be better. We left the camp and were curious of what we will see today. The first major highlight was the Snake Indian Falls. And I can tell you. It is absolutely magnificent.
Click here to read on about Jakob, Mona and Jasper National Park
January 06, 2011Celestine to Sheldon – Jasper National Park: The long way through – Day II
2nd day. Celestine Lake to Sheldon Inn Campground – 22 km – Start 8:20 – Finish 16:00
We got up at 7:30 and enjoyed a wonderful morning, while we packed our stuff and had a nice breakfast. Alex had left already so we were just the two of us. The trail continued on a very unspectacular unused ATV road. We were a little bit disappointed but had hope, ‘cause we will be on the trail for a couple more days. I can tell you this hike is nothing for a hiking gourmet. No view but woods. No hiking trail but an ATV road. No elevation but long flat straight.
Read more about the second day in Jasper National Park
December 24, 2010Trailhead to Celestine – Jasper National Park: The long way through – Day I
1st day. Trailhead parking lot to Celestine Lake. About 8 km.
On our first day, Alex, a guy from Montreal joined us. Mona and I enjoyed the company of Alex very much. Not because he is funny, but he had driven us to the trailhead.
Just kidding.
Read more about the first day in Jasper National Park
December 22, 2010The West Coast Trail – Jean-Yves’ Adventures Part III: My Gear
I hate to disappoint some of you, but I did not complete the trail naked, eating twigs and berries. Here's the gear I used for my West Coast Trail fun.
Read on about the gear Jean-Yves used on the West Coast Trail
December 15, 2010Ideas to Reality – Jasper National Park: The long way through – Intro
Have you smelled the woods, eaten lunch with bears, heard the hauling of wolves lately? If not, come with us on a long distance backcountry hike in Jasper Nationalpark! I promise a true hiking experience. And I keep my promises. Promise. Now that you are in the team I should introduce our small hiking party. We - that is Mona, 28, my girlfriend, just finished university and me, mostly I answer to the name of Jakob, 26. And so far you missed a little bit, because we started our adventure six weeks ago in Denali National Park, Alaska. We hiked, canoed, hitch-hiked and took a ferry on our way to Jasper National Park in Alberta. But now you are here. This is our story.
Read more Jasper National Park: The long way through
December 10, 2010The West Coast Trail – Jean-Yves’ Adventures Part II: My Experience
My Experience
My West Coast Trail (WCT) experience started with as a rather impulsive decision. I had been in Victoria to spend a week sailing in with my friend in the gulf islands (an amazing experience where wildlife –whales, dolphins, seals, otters, bald eagles, wild deer etc… met awe-strikingly beautiful coastal landscapes). Since we’d been anchoring in bays and camping on random islands, I had most of my lightweight gear with me, but I had given up my early hopes to hike the trail for want of time –I had only four days between the planned return from sailing and my flight home. But when we sailed in to Victoria a day early, I quickly did the math and decided that I could do the trail in three days (probably a foolish conclusion), bought a bus ticket and hopped on the trail the next morning.
Read more about Jean-Yves and the West Coast Trail
December 06, 2010The West Coast Trail – Jean-Yves’ Adventures Part I: The set-up
The Set-Up
Stretching 85 kilometers along the west coast of Vancouver Island, the West Coast Trail stands at the edge of the world. Snaking along the jagged contour of a hostile shore where the endless sea batters relentlessly the sharp rocks rising from its depth, this trail literally marks end of land and the western limit of the pangean coast. There are no roads crossing this trail, no village, no service station, just mile after mile of the jaw-dropping rugged beauty of the Pacific Rim National Park.
Originally dubbed the Dominion Life Saving Trail, it was first built in 1907 as a way for rescuers to reach survivors of the far-too-frequent shipwrecks of the treacherous western coast. Hundreds of people have been victimized in the countless wrecks that have marred this coast, the remains of some of which can still be seen from the trail. Today, satellite navigation and modern SAR has rendered the narrow trail obsolete as a lifesaving medium, and it has been recycled as one of Canada’s most beautiful national parks.
Read more about Jean-Yves's overview of the West Coast Trail
November 24, 2010Arc’teryx Beta AR tested by Mélanie
October 16th – As I’m heading to Mont Carcan, in the Mont-Tremblant National Park there is misty rain with winds at about 15km/h, i.e. ideal weather to test my Arc’teryx Women’s Beta AR. Unfortunately, the rain ceased at the beginning of the trail. However, humidity, wind and mud accompanied me throughout the day. By walking at a good pace, I reached the summit in less than two hours. The pitzips allowed me to stay dry the entire day.
En lire plus sur le test de l'Arcteryx Beta AR de Mélanie
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