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Thread: Dream Hike?

  1. #41
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    whoops, deleted

  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by LazyLightning View Post
    I'm currently making one up around New England using many different trails and including all six states. It involves some stretches of road walking but keeping it off roads as much as possible, and making them as scenic and non busy as possible when I could, using dirt roads and small sections of trails that connect streets, small rail trail sections, ect. It pretty much involves some of every long distance hiking trail in New England, including the complete North-South, Monadnock-Sunapee, Cohos, Long Trail... a good portion of the NET, Midstate... lots of CT blue trails and a lot of the AT, mixing up the AT throughout the Whites and with other trails throughout the way. It also involves leaving my house on foot, doing this big awkward loop that crosses itself in the Whites, and returning back home on foot from a different direction. Lots of planning still but it's looking good... if I run into long stretches where theres not much for hiking trails or rail trails I'm going to look into using waterways or even a bicycle route to be able to do this under my own human power, with no use of anything motorized along the way... no idea of the mileage yet but I'm hoping I can stretch it to a early spring-late fall thru hike.
    Hey, did you end up doing this? I'm completely obsessed with the idea of doing a door-to-door loop... a friend and I are brainstorming the "New England Loop Trail." Basically I'm trying to go from Amherst on some portion of the Mohawk (maybe paddling part of the Deerfield?) to the LT to the AT to Sunapee to NET to Robert Frost, which takes me home. I'm stuck on the Deerfield-Charlemont stretch because I don't want to walk Route 2 (way too fast, big trucks), but I'm obsessed with the hikeable parts of the Mohawk Trail, even though it's a mess with washouts and jerk landowners. I also have no idea how to link the Sunapee to the AT. Any suggestions?

  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tender Fire View Post
    . . . I'm stuck on the Deerfield-Charlemont stretch because I don't want to walk Route 2 (way too fast, big trucks), but I'm obsessed with the hikeable parts of the Mohawk Trail, . . . I also have no idea how to link the Sunapee to the AT. Any suggestions?
    Being close to home, how about a friend with a car. Give up on being a purist. Focus your time on the beautiful, "close-to-home" hiking without spoiling your peace of mind with miserable roadside walking. And heck, you have to enter civilization anyway to resupply, so tie a car ride to the resupply(s)?

    Good luck. Have fun!
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  4. #44

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    I started what you describe in June, 1974, age 17, the day after graduating high school in Potomac, MD. I got a ride to Swain's Lock, walked the C&O canal towpath to the AT, turned north up the Weaverton Cliffs, and went all the way to Andover, ME (about 100 days walking). Then while crossing a road I casually put out my thumb as a truck passed. The next day I was back home in MD, somewhat relieved that it was over for then (later I finished the trail). Frankly, it doesn't take long to get "enough", and there are a lot of other things to do in the world besides walk the long green tunnel. I love it, and return often to do favorite sections, but I mean, geez...

  5. #45
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    Huh. Interesting. Well you both bring up good points, and that's helping me clarify what this particular expedition is about for me. I just found Wandermap and that's the tool I've been looking for. I can always bail if I've had enough in Vermont - I have friends along the way from Brattleboro to Burlington.

    It's not so much a nature walk as an exorcism, and these farms and fields that turn into hills that turn into mountains have been good medicine... so maybe it's devotion.

    Anyway, still curious to hear from people who have plotted their own connecting trails or unofficial routes.

  6. #46
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    Glad to see love for some love for international treks. I've researched some extensively.

    I'd start with a coin flip flop hike. Go to HF and flip a coin. Heads north, tails south. When I get to the end, it will be time to go to northern Sweden. Will want to hike some of the Padjelantaleden which branches off the Kungsleden at Kvikjok, first through Sami areas and circumnavigates Sarek NP, a trailess wilderness with Sweden's biggest mountains to traverse. The Kungsleden is by all accounts a bit of a highway, so going off trail in Sarek and the area north of Kebnakaise (Tarfala to Nallo). When done there it may be a good time to get summit Kilimanjaro using an Alternate Lemosho route around the northern circuit and a walking safari in Zambia. Then to Nepal, independent tea house trekking in Khumbu and Solukhumbu regions, especially exploring little trekked areas like South Lhotse face, the ridges by Gokyo lakes 4 and 5, and Bhota Kushi north of Lumda. As it will now be winter in the northern hemisphere I will trek some of the Te Araroa until optimal weather to do a GCNP trek (Hermit to Kaibab, steak at Phantom Ranch, Clear Creek). Once it warms up enough, go to the Pamir Mtns of SE Tajikistan, explore the Wakhan valley and hike up to Lake Zarushkul and over to Bartang Valley, east to Murghab, over Kyzyl Art Pass to Kashgar China and take the Karakorum hwy over Kuhnjerab pass and explore the Hunza district of Pakistan. Maybe I could find a cruise ship to take me back home.

  7. #47

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    There is a bike trail that follows most of 89, If it allows people to walk that should connect Sunapee back to the AT. Don't know how much of it is also on regular roads.

  8. #48
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    Odd Man Out, I’ve hiked around Nepal and the Gokyo Lakes were the best part of the Everest Base Camp circuit. And the Annapurna Circuit was better than EBC. For some reason, Europeans are familiar with the Annapurna Circuit but Americans aren’t. I don’t know why.

    My dream hike is around Gilgit-Baltistan (I saw that others mentioned K2). I don’t know that I’ve ever seen more beautiful pictures and descriptions of anywhere in the world. I travel and hike by myself and I know this isn’t a possibility there. That’s the only thing holding me back.

    Months ago I found a $168 round trip error fare to Tokyo for early March. I was hoping things would be so much better with the pandemic, but they aren’t so I’m not going to be able to use it. I’m disappointed because I was going to hike the Kumano Kodo, the only pilgrimage trek besides the Camino on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It looks breathtaking and I vow I will be able to do this trek with things are better.

  9. #49
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    A few months in Scotland would do the trick for me. West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, a bunch of Monroes and hillwalking and a whole lotta pubs.

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    Months ago I found a $168 round trip error fare to Tokyo for early March.
    Still trying to figure out if that's a Freudian slip, an excellent pun, or just bad phonetic spelling!

  11. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    Odd Man Out, I’ve hiked around Nepal and the Gokyo Lakes were the best part of the Everest Base Camp circuit. And the Annapurna Circuit was better than EBC. For some reason, Europeans are familiar with the Annapurna Circuit but Americans aren’t. I don’t know why.

    My dream hike is around Gilgit-Baltistan (I saw that others mentioned K2). I don’t know that I’ve ever seen more beautiful pictures and descriptions of anywhere in the world. I travel and hike by myself and I know this isn’t a possibility there. That’s the only thing holding me back.
    I certainly know the Anapurna Circuit. It has traditionally been the most popular trek in Nepal, but it has become less popular recently due to road construction that has greatly reduced the roadless part of the trek. They are also building roads below Lukla, but for now you still have a few days hike from the end of the road to Namche.

    One option for independent hiking in Gilgit is to hitchhike up and down the highway and take day liked or overnights up from there. My understanding is that if you don't go too far up the side valleys you are ok. It would be more of a cultural trek, but the mountains are still huge. It's not Concordia, but the base of Rakaposhi is the only place in the world you can take public bus on a paved road to within a few miles of a summit 5 km above you.

  12. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Odd Man Out View Post
    I certainly know the Anapurna Circuit. It has traditionally been the most popular trek in Nepal, but it has become less popular recently due to road construction that has greatly reduced the roadless part of the trek. They are also building roads below Lukla, but for now you still have a few days hike from the end of the road to Namche.

    One option for independent hiking in Gilgit is to hitchhike up and down the highway and take day liked or overnights up from there. My understanding is that if you don't go too far up the side valleys you are ok. It would be more of a cultural trek, but the mountains are still huge. It's not Concordia, but the base of Rakaposhi is the only place in the world you can take public bus on a paved road to within a few miles of a summit 5 km above you.
    I’m a woman and go all over the world by myself, usually to developing countries. Some places are more challenging than others, but that is part of the joy. I know there is tourist infrastructure here so people are probably used to seeing all things, but solo travel and hitchhiking here just gives me pause.

  13. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prov View Post
    I’m a woman and go all over the world by myself, usually to developing countries. Some places are more challenging than others, but that is part of the joy. I know there is tourist infrastructure here so people are probably used to seeing all things, but solo travel and hitchhiking here just gives me pause.
    From what I have read, I don't think independent travel in the Hunza valley poses significant hazards. It is quite distinct from the surrounding areas. Remarkably, you can also safely travel through the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan, although the difference there is that there is zero infrastructure so if you have problems, you are completely on your own, plus you have to enter and exit via Ishkashim. Logistics are a challenge. This part of the world is called visa hell for a reason.

  14. #54
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    At this point in time, my dream hike is...........

    Well just a hike anywhere, anytime. Without Covid-paranoid, politics controversy, race issues...........

    Kinda like it used to be just 12 months ago before all hell broke loose!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Last edited by JNI64; 01-20-2021 at 02:37.

  15. #55
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    Same here...
    Just dreaming of a hike anywhere without having to obeye Corona-rules (or sneak around them, respectively)

  16. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadeye View Post
    A few months in Scotland would do the trick for me. West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, a bunch of Monroes and hillwalking and a whole lotta pubs.
    My wife and I did this 3-4 years ago. We had planned to go from the western Isles east to the coast utilizing a mish-mash of trails but the weather didn't allow us to do a "thru-hike" as we had planned. so we just did a random assortment of trails in north Scotland/the Highlands over the 6 weeks we were there and just sort of drifted around as we saw fit. We went into numerous little towns and villages off the beaten path and had the tome of our lives. I loved my AT thru hike but it is also a hell of a lot of fun to just go each day in the direction you feel like going.

    Highly support and recommend your idea here Deadeye.

  17. #57
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    Scotland is very high on the to-do list. West Highland Way, Islay scotch, a side trip up Ben Nevis, Great Glen Way, small hikes in the Cairngorms, Islay scotch, explore some castles and cities, and Islay scotch. I love international travel for the chance to experience history and culture.

    I’ve done one thru hike and 850 miles in section hikes on the AT and I really believe that the best decision I made was buying all the books that provided the history of the sections I was walking on (most were purchased used, jeez those things are not cheap). I love being out in nature, but learning about Native Americans, settlers, wars, industry, and various history that took place where now there are only trees was amazing.

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