Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
Cabin fever is beginning to set in. On your 4.30 am walks around the neighbourhood streets, you’ve started carrying a potty trowel. Upon returning home, you’re eating your morning cereal out of a reconstituted Talenti Ice Cream jar, and during Read More …
Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is the sixth smallest country in the world. Famous for its private banks and castles, this tiny Alpine principality is also home to a classic hiking trail by the name of the Liechtenstein Panoramaweg Read More …
Are you tired of compromising on campsites, trail diet, and the pace at which you hike? Here are fourteen reasons you might consider giving friends and significant others the flick, and instead team up with a donkey on your next Read More …
The end of 2019 saw the release of Wanderlust USA, my third book with gestalten publications. In a nutshell, it’s a 320-page coffee table book that features 30 terrific hikes from around the United States. Among the eclectic collection are Read More …
Overall I was happy with my gear selections for the Long Crossing. During the seven day trip we encountered inclement weather over the last day or two, but for the most part conditions were excellent. Nighttime temps at some of Read More …
Just off the coast of northern Norway in the Arctic Circle lies a legendary archipelago by the name of Lofoten. A combination of deep fjords, windswept beaches, jagged peaks and picture-postcard villages, its staggering beauty has long been celebrated in Read More …
“Nine out of ten people who visit the outdoors are uninformed about Leave No Trace and minimizing their impacts.” ~ Ben Lawhon, Education Director LNT Center for Outdoor Ethics Leave No Trace (LNT) principles are like the golden rules of Read More …
Six years ago I put together a whimsical list of 10 songs about walking; or more specifically tunes that included “walk“, “walkin‘” or “walking” in their respective titles. On my recent trip to the Alps, I jotted down a bunch Read More …
In August, 2017, I hiked an approximately 600 km (373 mi) route across Bolivia’s Altiplano region. An otherworldly landscape of salt flats, volcanoes, fantastical rock formations and coloured lakes, to the best of my knowledge it was the first time Read More …
Located in northeastern Italy, the Dolomites are one of Europe’s most dramatic mountain ranges. A combination of serrated limestone peaks, sheer cliffs, shimmering alpine lakes and deep, narrow valleys, they have long been a magnet for geologists, travellers and outdoor Read More …
As another decade draws to a close, I look back with an appreciative smile. Over the past ten years my journeys taken me from the snow-capped peaks of Peru to the Aurora Borealis of Arctic Norway, and from the pristine Read More …
Cicerone Press and I have a few different things in common. We are both partial to experiencing the natural world on foot. We are both passionate about inspiring and enabling others to do the same. And we both turned 50 Read More …
Since 2014, I’ve used three different pairs of Patagonia Baggies (both the 5″ and 7″ models), all of which are still going strong at the time of writing. During this period, I’ve covered more than 5,000 hiking miles (8,047 km) Read More …
Food represents the most commonly fantasised about subject that occupies a long distance hiker’s mind. Yep, even more than that other one. That being the case, it stands to reason that no matter whether you are a gourmet, spartan or Read More …
The Altiplano Traverse is an approximately 600 km (372 mi) backcountry route across Bolivia’s Altiplano region. A singular landscape of salt flats, volcanoes, fantastical rock formations and coloured lakes, I completed the journey over 16 days in August, 2017. My Read More …
In August, 2017, I hiked an approximately 600 km (373 mi) route across Bolivia’s Altiplano region. An otherworldly landscape of salt flats, volcanoes, fantastical rock formations and coloured lakes, it was a trip that had been bouncing around my noggin Read More …
The Salar de Uyuni is the earth’s largest salt flat. Situated in the southwest corner of Bolivia’s Altiplano, it measures a staggering 12,106 sq km (4,674 sq mi); more than 20 times bigger than Death Valley. It is an otherworldly Read More …
As many of my US readers will be aware, it’s Members Rewards time at REI. That means that in addition to the release of the annual dividend earlier this month, from March 22 to April 8, they are offering members Read More …
When it comes to thru-hiking its important to have a sleeping bag (or quilt) that meets both your individual needs, as well as the dictates of the environment/s into which you are venturing. The challenge is finding a model that Read More …
There is no universal blueprint as to how you should backpack. We all have our own motivations, needs and levels of experience. That being said, one thing upon which everyone can agree is that hiking is substantially easier and more Read More …