Sunday, 21 March 2010
How to walk, Hike along the great wall of China
When visiting the Great Wall of China, clothing is an important consideration. The Great Wall is an amazing achievement, one of the most impressive in the history of humanity. For that reason, those individuals who visit the Great Wall will likely want to spend a great deal of time walking and enjoying the extensive foot paths. To do so, the proper clothing and footwear are absolutely necessary or the experience could be marred by an uncomfortable day in possibly harsh weather conditions.
Clothing for the Great Wall of China
Much of the Great Wall, especially those sections that are most magnificent and well built are built among the mountain passes. These were military structures and for that reason, were built out of necessity not comfort. For that reason, you should wear the appropriate clothing. Assuming you visit the Great Wall during the summer, you should bring light clothing, suitable for hiking and walking in the mountains. Heavier clothing will only make your hike more difficult.
Also, your clothing should be suitably waterproof and wind-resistant as weather conditions in the mountains can be at times highly unpredictable and harsh. You will want clothing that breathes easily, but is not too thin, so that you do not sweat profusely and can remain comfortable while walking.
Footwear for the Great Wall of China
Every route of the Great Wall is slightly different and requires a different approach to foot protection. Primarily, it's important to note that you should not wear new shoes into the mountainous routes as your feet will likely swell because of the altitude. If you need new hiking shoes, wear them a few times before visiting the Great Wall to break them in. You should always wear some form of hiking boot or waterproof shoes to ensure proper ankle support and traction while walking the sometimes steep paths on the Wall. Be prepared for extensive walking.
Because of the risk of blisters, you should wear thick socks. It is true that cotton socks are at first more comfortable and work better to keep your feet dry by absorbing sweat, but their lack of support will cause you pain in the long run.
Preparation is Key
When preparing to visit any outdoor location in which you might be forced to walk great distances or spend a good deal of time climbing, you should be prepared for the possible outcomes. Carry with you a small bag with extra clothing in case of severe weather and whatever you might need if your feet become blistered. You clothing might seem like a small matter amongst the enormity of visiting the Great Wall, but without the right preparation, you will find it hard to properly enjoy your trip.
Travelling to the Great Wall of China? Show China the REAL reason for the Great Wall's construction. For comic Great Wall t-shirts and gifts, check out: [http://www.toomanyrabbits.com]
Natalie Stephan lives on the south coast of Sydney is the creator of the Happy Vibe Gift Shop that originated with a comic design of the Great Wall of China inspired by a popular Australian telecommunications TV commercial. Natalie also has a mailing list which offers subscribers free information about many topics relating to personal development, meditation, and creating lasting happiness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Stephan
Clothing for the Great Wall of China
Much of the Great Wall, especially those sections that are most magnificent and well built are built among the mountain passes. These were military structures and for that reason, were built out of necessity not comfort. For that reason, you should wear the appropriate clothing. Assuming you visit the Great Wall during the summer, you should bring light clothing, suitable for hiking and walking in the mountains. Heavier clothing will only make your hike more difficult.
Also, your clothing should be suitably waterproof and wind-resistant as weather conditions in the mountains can be at times highly unpredictable and harsh. You will want clothing that breathes easily, but is not too thin, so that you do not sweat profusely and can remain comfortable while walking.
Footwear for the Great Wall of China
Every route of the Great Wall is slightly different and requires a different approach to foot protection. Primarily, it's important to note that you should not wear new shoes into the mountainous routes as your feet will likely swell because of the altitude. If you need new hiking shoes, wear them a few times before visiting the Great Wall to break them in. You should always wear some form of hiking boot or waterproof shoes to ensure proper ankle support and traction while walking the sometimes steep paths on the Wall. Be prepared for extensive walking.
Because of the risk of blisters, you should wear thick socks. It is true that cotton socks are at first more comfortable and work better to keep your feet dry by absorbing sweat, but their lack of support will cause you pain in the long run.
Preparation is Key
When preparing to visit any outdoor location in which you might be forced to walk great distances or spend a good deal of time climbing, you should be prepared for the possible outcomes. Carry with you a small bag with extra clothing in case of severe weather and whatever you might need if your feet become blistered. You clothing might seem like a small matter amongst the enormity of visiting the Great Wall, but without the right preparation, you will find it hard to properly enjoy your trip.
Travelling to the Great Wall of China? Show China the REAL reason for the Great Wall's construction. For comic Great Wall t-shirts and gifts, check out: [http://www.toomanyrabbits.com]
Natalie Stephan lives on the south coast of Sydney is the creator of the Happy Vibe Gift Shop that originated with a comic design of the Great Wall of China inspired by a popular Australian telecommunications TV commercial. Natalie also has a mailing list which offers subscribers free information about many topics relating to personal development, meditation, and creating lasting happiness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Stephan
Saturday, 20 March 2010
5 Top Hiking and Rambling Locations in the World
Any hiker will tell you that the trail makes the experience. Hiking along the most beautiful and challenging trails are the hiking hobbyist's dream. One of the benefits of hiking is that there are many countries, states, and islands that cater to the hiker through beautifully unique trails. Where do you want to go for your next hiking trip? This guide lists the top five places for hiking that will challenge even the most experienced hiker. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, these hiking trails can bring an appreciation towards nature's beauty.
Breakneck Ridge Trail
Breakneck Ridge is located in New York along the Hudson River. The mountain trail is part of the Appalachian Mountains, so it's filled with lush, green forests and rivers. The mountain has several peeks and plateaus to choose for your hiking destination. The highest summit for experienced hikers is 1,260 feet. To begin, most hikers choose the white route up the western side of the mountain. The steep, rocky climb to the summit gives a challenging hike with breathtaking views of the forest and rivers below it.
Glacier Gorge
Glacier Gorge is filled with multiple hiking trails for beginners and experts. Its location in the Rocky Mountains National Park makes it perfect for all kinds of scenery including rivers, lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and animals. Choose from hiking trails from all directions around the scenic gorge. Beginner trails are available at low levels that are relatively short. The trails are perfect for family and small children. If you consider yourself up for the challenge of a more expert level, Glacier Gorge offers demanding hiking trails that require excellent physical fitness and acclimation to high levels.
Appalachian Trail: The Pinnacle
Located in Humberg, Pennsylvania, The Pinnacle trail is also a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The trail gives views of scenic mountains and rivers along the way. Not far from the Pinnacle Trail is the Hamburg Dam for a breathtaking view of mother nature and technology tied into one. Weather can be mostly rainy and humid, which allows a more advanced hike for those who like the challenge of fighting the elements.
Mount Whitney
Hiking the trails at Mount Whitney will bring you to the highest peak in the United States. Located in California, Mount Whitney leaves the hiker with an accomplishment that few are able to make. Great physical condition and the ability to acclimate to high altitudes of approximately 15,000 feet are a must for this trail. The trail is well worth the challenge. Scenic Rocky Mountain views and a visit to Consultation Lake give the hiker an enjoyable and memorable trip.
Conundrum Hot Springs
Nestled in Colorado's most underdeveloped wilderness, Conundrum Hot Springs is the place for hikers and other visitors to view mother nature's most unique watery springs. The pools are scattered around the trail and their temperatures vary with the hottest being 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The trail is perfect for photos and awe inspiring memories. The unique hot pools surrounded by winter snow gives the sight seer an impressive view of nature's characteristic style.
For more information, visit [http://www.onhiking.tv]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Drew_Barring
Friday, 19 March 2010
How to hike the Haute Route (high route) in Europe
With thousands of miles of trails crisscrossing the Alps as they arc through France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and Slovenia, you could easily spend a lifetime hiking here. But the Haute Route, linking Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland, delivers more scenic splendour in one achievable trek than any other. It takes you through some of the highest hikeable terrain in Europe, passes beneath ten of the Alps' twelve highest peaks and connects the tallest, Mont Blanc (4808m), with the Matterhorn (4478m). Weaving through pine forests sprinkled with wild mushrooms and berries, you'll frequently emerge onto grassy slopes where herders graze their cows, goats and sheep throughout the summer.
The Haute Route, or "high route", was pioneered on an 1861 expedition to establish a trail from Chamonix to Zermatt over a series of glacier passes in the Pennine Alps, the sub-range that forms much of the border between Switzerland and Italy. Today the route is both a popular spring ski-mountaineering tour and a 180-kilometre summer trek known as the "Walker's Haute Route". The trek requires no technical mountaineering skills, avoids the high glacier crossings and is well suited to healthy hikers who can walk for twelve to fourteen days while gaining nearly 14,000m in total elevation. The journey links remote alpine hamlets with wild corries and high meadow, crossing eleven passes along the way.
A network of huts offers hikers simple accommodation, hearty meals and even the occasional hot shower. You'll hike for days without having to carry a tent, sleeping bag, stove or food. But while eschewing the very thought of a cable lift or a cosy chalet hotel is certainly an option for the purist, it is not obligatory. You'll have plenty of flexibility along the way and you'll likely exercise options such as these on your first rain day.
Although the Haute Route is bidirectional, most hikers start in Chamonix since that's how the guide books are written; this also puts the morning sun at hikers' backs as they ascend the steepest mountain slopes and passes. From the base of France's Mont Blanc you'll make a quick ascent past the aguilles, the dramatic needles that shine in front of Mont Blanc's snowy dome, to a refuge at Col de Balme, the pass at the unmarked border of France and Switzerland. The remainder of the Haute Route lies in Switzerland, and though Mont Blanc will be behind you, a string of equally illustrious peaks awaits.
Considering the concentration of ski lifts, runs and utility roads in the area, the Haute Route does an admirable job of avoiding them, especially along the forest path between the deep valley village of Le Châble and the lofty Cabane de Mont Fort mountain hut, which smoothly skirts the immense Verbier resort. The path brings you to a rugged, mountainous stretch where the three-peaked Grand Combin massif crowns the southern skyline and where your chances of seeing ibex and chamois are excellent. Both species are happiest on remote alpine slopes, where the chamois, a goat-like bovid, can ascend 1000m in fifteen minutes - something you'd be hard-pressed to do in three hours.
As you pass beneath the snout of a once-giant glacier that filled the rocky bowl known as the Grand Desert, observe the clear evidence of glacial retreat, as you traverse a rubbly and barren moraine long covered in glacial ice. The next day, take a relaxing morning stroll along the western shore of Lac des Dix, the snaking reservoir behind the Grande Dixence Dam before an hour of boulder-hopping to rocky Riedmatten Pass, the toughest on the route. Descending the Forcletta Pass into the quiet valley of the Turtmanntal, you'll begin to hear new greetings from people you encounter, from "bonjour" to "guten tag" or the Switzerdeutsch "grüezi". Gruben, the first German-speaking waypoint, is a seasonal hamlet where, gazing across a meadow at a distant object, you'll be unsure whether you're seeing a horse or an exceptionally large European red deer.
A steep ascent to the Augstbordpass, used as a trade route since medieval times, leads to a sweeping view of the last valley, the Mattertal, but the ultimate prize of the Haute Route is still a day away. Finally, as you climb slowly out of the valley to Zermatt, you'll be blessed with the mesmerizing sight of the legendary Matterhorn - the perfect ending to a magnificent alpine trek. It's easy to see why the Haute Route remains the most popular and rewarding of all the long distance swiss alps tours.
Greg Witt is one of the most popular and respected guides working in the Alps today. He is an adventure guide and author and lives the adventures he writes about. His explorations have taken him to every corner of the globe. He has guided mountaineering expeditions in the Alps and Andes and paddled wild rivers in the Americas. He has dropped teams into golden slot canyons, trudged through deep jungles in Africa, Central America, and Asia, and guided archaeological expeditions across the parched Arabian Peninsula.
He is the author of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City (Menasha Ridge Press) and Ultimate Adventures: A Rough Guide to Adventure Travel.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Witt
Thursday, 18 March 2010
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