Distance: 4.8 miles (7.8 km) round trip
Summit elevation: 5,785 ft (1,763 m)
Elevation gain: ~1,500 ft (457 m)
Date: March 16, 2011
Angel's Landing (left of center) from the Grotto in January 2011
Angel's Landing in Zion National Park in southwest Utah is one of the most spectacular hikes in North America. The short trail ascends to the rock formation in the middle of Zion Canyon and has sections were the trail is only a few feet wide while there are 1,500 foot vertical drops on both sides.
The trail up to Refrigerator Canyon
The trail is accessed from the Grotto and follows the Virgin River for the first half mile before rapidly ascending into Refrigerator Canyon, which can have air temperatures ten degrees cooler than the surrounding area. At the upper end of the canyon begins the ascent to Scout Lookout through a series of 21 consecutive switchbacks known as Walter's Wiggles.
The trail from Scout Lookout to Angel's Landing
Scout Lookout can be safely accessed year round, although there will likely be ice on Walter's Wiggles in winter. From here to the summit of Angel's Landing it is very dangerous when snow/ice is present as footing can be slippery even when the rock is dry. This section is narrow with vertical drop offs, steps cut into rocks, and chains to provide handholds. Several fatalities have occurred on this trail.
Looking down Zion Canyon from Angel's Landing
The summit is wider and has space for plenty of people to sit and enjoy red rock canyon. The summit, while far below the canyon rims, has a view that is stunning even on cloudy and windy March day, such as the day I made the hike.
Distance: ~1.6 mi (2.6 km) round trip
Highest elevation: 1,058 ft (322 m)
Elevation gain: 958 ft (292 m)
Date: November 24, 2010
The Precipice is perhaps the best and most challenging trail in Acadia National Park. The trail ascends nearly 1000 feet up the vertical eastern face of Champlain Mountain. I did this hike on a chilly and windy November day when there only a couple other people in the park and none on this trail.
The trail begins at the Precipice trailhead on the Park Loop Road south of Bar Harbor. The trail begins gaining some elevation for a short distance until you reach the bottom of the cliff. Next comes the best part of the hike when you reach ladder rungs inserted into the granite of the cliff. You also have to walk along several narrow exposed cliff edges, only a few of which have railings, in order to reach each following set of ladders.
The views from this trail are fantastic and are well worth it. During my visit the prevailing winds were coming from the w…
Location: northwest of Brownville, Maine
Distance: 7.4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Date: July 30, 2010
The Gulf Hagas is a gorge with 130 foot-high walls in Maine. Over a course of three miles through the gorge the West Branch Pleasant River drops 370 feet. To get to the gorge you have to first stop at Katahdin Iron Works State Park to the south near Silver Lake to obtain a permit before continuing on the well maintained dirt road to the trailhead.
The trialhead is at an elevation just under 700 feet, and after only about 0.2 mi from the trailhead you must wade across the West Branch Pleasant River. In this section the river is wide and calm, and in late July it wasn't much more than one foot deep at the most. After crossing the river the trail passes Pugwash Pond and then through the Hermitage, which is an stand of old-growth trees. The Hermitage includes eastern white pines that are up to 150 feet tall.
It is 0.9 mi from the river crossing until you cross Gulf Hag…
Location: Baku to Qabala, Azerbaijan
Date: May 30, 2014
On my last full day in Azerbaijan, I went on a day trip to Qabala in the north-central part of the country on the southern edge of the Caucasus Mountains. Qabala is the oldest city in the country, and today the city's economy is dependent on tourism.
The trip by bus took about three hours from Baku and began in the desert along the Caspian Sea before gradually climbing into the grasslands and eventually forests and mountains. After passing through the city of Shamakhi, the road narrowed and descended a winding route into a deep valley, across a mostly dry river, and back up the other side. We stopped for lunch at a place along another mostly dry river just outside the east side of Qabala.
After lunch we went to Nohur Lake, a scenic lake at the base of the mountains that had been overrun with kids celebrating their last day of school. By the time we reached Qabala, it was already late afternoon, so we didn't have time to v…
Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, far western Texas
Summit elevation: 8,751 ft (2,667 m)
Distance: 8.4 miles (13.5 km) round trip
Elevation gain: 2,950 ft (899 m)
Class: 1
Date: November 4-5, 2011
Guadalupe Peak at 8,751 feet is the highest point in Texas and located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in far west Texas just south of the New Mexico border and about 100 miles east of El Paso. Guadalupe Peak sits at the southern edge of the Guadalupe Mountains, which is an exposed ancient limestone reef, which has led to the formation of the 116 known caves just to the north in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
The Guadalupe Peak trail begins at the trailhead by the Pine Springs campground and steadily gains elevation for all 4.2 miles to the summit. Water is available at the trailhead, and it is important that you take at least one gallon per person per day with you from this point as there is no water along the trial. The park is in the Chihuahuan Desert, so conditions…
Summit elevation: 12,662 ft (3,859 m)
Distance: 7 miles (11.3 km) round trip
Elevation gain: 5,550 ft (1,692 m)
Class: 3
Date: August 8, 2011
Borah Peak in the Lost River Mountains is the highest point in Idaho and the 11th highest state high point in the United States. The route to the summit is only 3.5 miles one way but gains 5,550 feet making for a very steep ascent. Along the route, Chicken Out Ridge, at over 11,000 feet, is a very difficult class 3 section that will test the nerves of anyone who attempts it. The peak, as well as the rest of the Lost River Mountains are on Salmon-Challis National Forest.
The trailhead is accessed via a dirt road heading east from US route 93 north of Mackay and south of Challis. It is strongly recommended that you begin hiking between 5:00 and 6:00 am depending on your pace in order to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and lightning, which may occur regardless of precipitation. There is a campground at the trailhead, but no water is available at…
I just recently did this hike! It was great, check out my pictures here: https://www.seekadventure.net/d/9-utah-angels-landing-zion-national-park
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