Top Hiking Locations

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.

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Hiking in Wales - A Quick Guide to Snowdon

At 3560 feet or 1085 metres Yr Wyddfa - better known as Snowdon - is the highest mountain in Wales and one of the most popular hikes in Snowdonia. Many people simply take the mountain railway to the summit and some of those walk down but the hike to the summit is definitely more rewarding than the use of steam power! I have listed a choice of the best walking routes here.

The path from Llanberis is the easiest, there being a wide track all the way and no overly steep or rough ground. The way is long though - 5 miles each way - and will always be busy in holiday periods. This route roughly follows the railway track up the western side of the mountain and you will encounter a large number of people walking down who have caught the train to the summit. You would be justified in a certain amount of smugness as you pass them! Good luck to them though - the train is a great ride.

If you drive along the A 4086 towards Betws y Coed, you will go through the spectacular Pass of Llanberis up to Pen y Pass at 1170 feet. This is the nearest point of access from the road to the summit and several routes leave from here. There is a charge for parking and there's often no room at busy times. The bus which circles the mountain in summer - check local tourist information for times - stops here and will save the frustration of not being able to park as well as allow you to admire the views on the way up.

From Pen y Pass the other 2 popular routes begin. The Pyg Track leaves in roughly a westerly direction from the car park and the Miners Track through the gate at the southern side. These tracks meet up about half way to the summit so it's only their early stages that differ. The Pyg Track is the most direct path to Snowdon and much rougher, gaining height all the way, while the Miners Track is a wide track which meanders past the mountain lake Llyn Llydaw, which is itself hidden from Pen y Pass. I have pushed a child's buggy along the Miners Track as far as Llyn Llydaw so if you want easy access to spectacular views of Snowdon's rugged east face then this is a rewarding but easy walk. Beyond the lake though, it steepens to the mountain tarn of Glaslyn before climbing very rough slopes to rejoin the Pyg Track. The upper sections of both routes climb a series of stone steps to a col between snowdon and Crib y Ddysgl before joining the route from Llanberis up to the summit on the left.

I'll mention the Crib Goch route here as well. It branches off the Pyg Track near where it crosses a small ridge above Pen y Pass. The route ascends the steep slopes of Crib Goch - the prominent pointed peak directly above Pen y Pass - before crossing a narrow and exposed arete followed by steep scrambles up over Crib y Ddysgl to join the previous routes. This route is only for experienced walkers who have a head for heights! Either way it can be dangerous in strong winds or icy conditions.

Now we'll head to the south side of the mountain and 3 much quieter routes; From Bethania just south of Llyn Gwynant on the A498 the Watkin Path climbs past waterfalls into Cwm Llan before making a steep and winding ascent of Snowdon. The path is steep in its upper reaches but is without undue difficulty.

On past Beddgelert on the A4085 and the Rhyd Ddu Path leads from an idyllic valley up through some wild looking country before ascending the ridge called Bwlch Main to the summit. If you follow the crest there's slight exposure here but it's nothing like Crib Goch and you can keep to the path just below it. The other route from this side is the Snowdon Ranger Path which leaves from just behind the Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel just down the valley from Rhyd Ddu. This is again a quiet way to climb Snowdon, leading through open country before ascending a broad ridge to the summit. My own favorite is to go up the Rhyd Ddu path and down the Snowdon Ranger. That way you will avoid the crowds almost all the way and see some of the best scenery in Wales.

Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH - Trekking trails USA

Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NH

The highest mountain in the northeast state of New Hampshire, at 6288 feet, Mt. Washington (or Agiocochook as it was then called) was first climbed in 1642 by Darby Field and two native guides but it wasn't until 1853 that the first summit house was built. A year later, Tip Top House was built, which survies to this day. For the less hardy, the Carriage Road and a 3 mile cog railway were built; feats of engineering which would be deemed difficult even in these modern times! The cog railroad runs to the summit from the west and the road road from the east.

South of the peak is the AMC's Lakes of the Clouds hut. At the base of the east side is the AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitors Center.

The summit is covered with several buildings, including the Sherman Adams Visitor's Center, TV and radio antennas, the Yankee Building and the Mt Washington Observatory.The highest surface wind ever recorded on earth was at the observatory on the summit of Mt. Washington; 231 MPH on April 12, 1934. It is known for having the worst weather in the world, especially bad in the winter. There are many monuments to hikers who've died on the mountain, including one to Lizzie Bourne, who died while trying to walk up to the top, dressed in typical Victorian clothing. During the summer months, there is a cafeteria, museum, payphone, gift shop, and even a post office in operation. In winter, there is no access to any of the buildings. The Observatory is staffed year-round by weather observers.

There have been several hotels on the summit. The original Tip-Top House was a simple stone building with a wooden extension. Later, a fancy wooden hotel was built, directly connected to the Railroad. It burned down and a new simpler hotel was built in the early 1900's. In recent years the wooden extension of the Tip-Top House was removed. You can tour the inside of Tip Top House during the summer months.

On the east side of the mountain are three major ravines;

The Great Gulf, said to be the greatest of the glacial errosion cirques in the Presidential Range, with awe inspiring cliffs!

Tuckerman - which is famous for its late spring skiing.

Huntington - a rock and ice climber's playground.

On the west side, the Ammoonosuc Ravine dominates. Just south of
Lakes of the Clouds, is Mt Monroe, and just north is Mt Clay, with a bit further on, Mt Jefferson.

Hiking trails Mt. Washington Valley

There are many options for hiking to the summit of Mt Washington. The most popular routes start at Pinkham Notch, on the east side of the mountain. Climbing from the east means that you are sheltered from the usual strong winds out of north and west for the majority of the hike. The main route is up the Tuckerman Ravine trail (4.1 miles) which goes straight from Pinkham to the summit.

On the south side of the ravine is the Boott Spur trail (5.4 miles) and the north side has the Lion Head trail (4.5 miles). Both are slightly longer than Tuckerman Ravine but also easier on the knees. The Huntington Ravine trail (5.1 miles) branches off the Tuckerman Ravine trail and climbs the bare slabs of Huntington Ravine. This is probably the most difficult trail
in the White Mountains, and should not be attempt in bad weather or used for descent. From there, people usually take the Alpine Garden trail to Tuckerman Junction and continue to the top from there.

From the west side of the mountain, starting near the Marshfield Station of the Cog Railroad, there are two routes:

The Ammonoosuc Ravine trail (3.9 miles) starts at a parking area just below the Cog parking lot and climbs up the Lakes of the Clouds hut. Hikers continue up on the Crawford Path to the summit.

The Jewel trail (4.6 miles) leaves from the far side of the Cog Railroad parking lot (park at the Ammonoosuc Ravine trailhead) and climbs up to the ridge where it joins the Gulfside trail.

Trailheads.

Pinkham Notch Visitors Center - Take Rt 16 north from North Conway, located about 10 miles north of Jackson. Parking in the main lot does not require a WMNF parking pass, parking in the overflow lots does. There are bathrooms, coin operated showers, food, some gear, and pay phones. Lodging is available with reservations.

Ammonoosuc Ravine - From Rt 302 in Bretton Woods, take the Base
Road 6 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right, just before the Cog Railroad. A WMNF Parking Pass is required.

Before even starting off on your hike, I recommend you take at a look at the Mt. Washington Observatory Daily Weather report
for an up-to-date report from the top. For some simple tips on how to prepare for your trip, please visit our safety tips page below. Althought there are references to UK routes, the basic info still applies!

Have fun, test your stamina but be safe!

Hiking Clothing - The Three Layer System For Cold Weather

Beginner hikers sometimes overlook two simple facts about hiking clothing for warmth. First is that hiking clothing is not primarily designed to keep the cold out but to keep the heat in from the only source of heat i.e. yourself.

Second is that when you are wearing hiking clothing for warmth, you are not trying to be as warm as possible but to reach a thermal equilibrium i.e. a state in which your heat production roughly balances your heat loss so that you remain within your comfort zone whether you are on the move, on the move and sweating, sitting still and sitting still and sweating.

To achieve this thermal equilibrium under changing conditions your hiking clothing has to be versatile. Of course you can make adjustments to your hiking clothing by taking off layers when it gets too hot and putting more on when it gets cold but in most cases it's both inconvenient and impractical.

The hiking clothing you use needs to be able to handle all the different situations, whether on the move or sitting still, at the same time. They need to be able keep the still and dry air to insulate you, keeping you warm and when you're moving allow the vapor of your sweat to pass through and escape to keep you cool.

If your hiking clothing absorbs some of the moisture so that when you sweat heavily it remains damp, they lose the ability to keep you warm as it has lost its ability to hold dry air which acts as an insulating layer and at the same time your body will continue to draw latent heat from your body needed to turn the sweat into vapor.

The result is that you suffer from what is called the after-exercise chill. Experiments have shown that with an absorptive material the chill can last for about two hours but with a non-absorptive material like fibre-pile the chill is negligible.

The Three-Layer Hiking Clothing System

The ability to prevent after-exercise chill so well is what makes the three-layer hiking clothing system so popular. It's a proven way to ensure your comfort outdoors. Each of the three layers have different functions that work together to cope with the different conditions.

The First Layer

Moisture management is the main function of the first layer. Some experts call it the next-to-the skin layer. It keeps you cool in the summer and keeps you warm in winter by keeping you dry.

Made of some sort of polypropylene or other synthetic fabrics, the fabric 'wicks' away the moisture from the skin very rapidly by capillary action dispersing it to the outer surface where it can evaporate.

The Second Layer

The second layer or middle layer of hiking clothing is the insulating layer. Their main function is to trap air, which is a good heat insulator, so you retain warmth.

This layer is made of natural fibers or fleece. Both are reliable in keeping you warm but natural fibers have a more efficient warmth-to-weight ratio and are highly compressible. Its drawback is that it has to be kept dry to maintain its ability to retain warmth.

Hiking clothing made from fleece are lightweight, breathable and insulate even when wet. They also dry faster and the warmth-to-weight ratio is even higher than wool. Fleece is very popular with many experienced backpackers I know of even when it is not as compressible as natural fibers.

The Third Layer

The third layer is the waterproof shell that both acts as a windbreaker and a rain jacket. If the outer layer doesn't do what it's supposed you'll end up losing a lot of heat as the wind and penetrate into the inner layers.

It is usually made of Gore-Tex that also offers breathability. This layer of hiking clothing needs to have proper ventilation or else perspiration can't evaporate but instead condenses on the inside of your shell.

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