Hiking! Share your hiking stories/pics here.

[borealis]

Hiking is by and large my favourite activity, and I am sure than many of you will agree.


I thought this could be a place to share our favourite hiking pictures and recommendations. Please post your pics, favourite trails ( include elevation gain, distance, etc... If you want)

ETA: all levels welcome! From multi-day excursions to your favourite local after-dinner hikes.

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

Yeah, I'll play!

Here is a pic from the hike up Grandfather Mountain in NC. Highly recommended. Some of the best views in the east coast in my opinion.

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

Yeah, I'll play!

Here is a pic from the hike up Grandfather Mountain in NC. Highly recommended. Some of the best views in the east coast in my opinion.

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

 I love seeing the different varieties of geology, landscapes, flora, and fauna. I recently hiked in the northern reaches of the Appalachians (in the Gaspe peninsula of Quebec), and I loved the rolling, flat-topped mountains. Very different from our "subduction zone" mountains here on the BC coast.

Yeah, same here. I've taken several trips to the Western US and saw the Rockies, Sierras, and Olympic mountains and it was so different. I'm not sure we have anything as striking on the Atlantic coast, but its pretty. The NC mountains are some of my favorite.

Your pictures look great, I've always wanted to visit British Columbia.

[Russ]

Hello from the Pacific Crest Trail
I don't take as many pictures as maybe I should
Here's one from a few months ago, me on some snow

[Papa Mustache]

Look up Google Images for:

Stonedoor, TN
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Virginfalls, TN

All quiet, uncrowded places to hike.

[Papa Mustache]

Visit the Great Smokey Mtns if you want to vacation with thousands of people.

Travel 100 miles in any direction to get some of the same great views and hikes without the hordes of vacationers or the traffic.

[Russ]

Hello from the Pacific Crest Trail
I don't take as many pictures as maybe I should
Here's one from a few months ago, me on some snow

Wow!! I'm curious about the PCT. Which parts did you do?

Most of it
Should get to Washington tomorrow, BC on the 10th or so

[No Name Guy]

Forrester Pass......

The year I thru hiked, I crossed it June 19.  Started April 25.  Hit Manning Park Oct 2.

Sounds like you're going to PCT Days in Cascade Locks Russ.

Anyways...OP, yeah, I'd highly recommend a one way to San Diego, then walking home to BC.  I figure Seattle area is close enough, so I I claim I "walked home".  Makes for a heck of a summer.

Hello from the Pacific Crest Trail
I don't take as many pictures as maybe I should
Here's one from a few months ago, me on some snow

Wow!! I'm curious about the PCT. Which parts did you do?

Most of it
Should get to Washington tomorrow, BC on the 10th or so

[Lagom]

Great thread, and lots of good suggestions. My most spectacular hike of the past 12 months was Angel's Landing at Zion national park. The lighting that day proved difficult for my phone camera to handle, so these pictures don't really do it justice, but here's a few representative shots. Highly recommend the experience (as long as you're not afraid of heights!).

[wenchsenior]

Great thread, and lots of good suggestions. My most spectacular hike of the past 12 months was Angel's Landing at Zion national park. The lighting that day proved difficult for my phone camera to handle, so these pictures don't really do it justice, but here's a few representative shots. Highly recommend the experience (as long as you're not afraid of heights!).

Fantastic! I really want to do that hike!

[Lagom]

Great thread, and lots of good suggestions. My most spectacular hike of the past 12 months was Angel's Landing at Zion national park. The lighting that day proved difficult for my phone camera to handle, so these pictures don't really do it justice, but here's a few representative shots. Highly recommend the experience (as long as you're not afraid of heights!).

These pics are absolutely stunning - thank you!! I have been eyeing that part of the US as a hiking destination for some time now...... (Zion / Grand Canyon / Bryce Canyon / etc...) If you have any other favourite hikes around those parts, I would love to hear about them.

We did a pretty whirlwind tour through Utah, as it was part of a much larger road trip to Chicago, but I will say the other main stop we made was at Capitol Reef Park, and while less awe inspiring than Zion per se in many ways we found it equally, if  not more beautiful. A bit less well known than the big 3, but 100% worth a visit.

Another interesting side note is that the roads in southern Utah are bananas. We accidentally took a 3 hour detour through that part of the state by making a wrong turn. There are hundred mile+ stretches with no signs of life whatsoever, but the scenery was probably the most amazing I've seen along a highway. It's not a place you would normally drive during most road trips (it's way off the path to the most famous parks), but I would recommend it if you want something new to explore.

[Glenstache]

Too many to sift through. Here's a handful from a trip through Goat Rocks Wilderness in WA a few weeks ago. Sounds like Russ will be passing through this section of the PCT there right about now, as a nice coincidence.

[Glenstache]

And also goats, fittingly above a spot called Goat Lake. Who doesn't like goats?

[snogirl]

Most of my hiking is VT/NH/NY/ME and northern Canada in 4 seasons.

Owl's Head Lookout, Groton State Forest, Groton, VT 8/3/16



Camel's Hump, Duxbury, VT April 2016 after a very mild winter.  Usually the snow pack would require ice spikes and/or snow shoes.


 
Gaspe Bay Pennisula Quebec March 2016




Perce

[Papa Mustache]

I adore this thread...

[snogirl]

 
Gaspe Bay Pennisula Quebec March 2016
...
Perce

Weird! I was just there about 6 weeks ago - did you go to Īle Bonaventure? Great hike around the island.
1st pic- Forillon Nat'l park
2nd pic - view of Roche Perce from Īle Bonaventure

No I didn't go there.  Love your pictures.
In Winter, I work as a photographer for a guy who guides in Quebec. 
I'm now working on a summer gig too doing the same thing.
My room & board, travel expenses, and tips from his customers.
It isn't really about the money for me now anyway since I retired from the Army in 2007.
I cannot wait to go back.

[Papa Mustache]

A weekend on Cumberland Island, GA.

Lots of walking, some wildlife (including a mama boar and little ones), lots of history, etc.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

A weekend on Cumberland Island, GA.

Lots of walking, some wildlife (including a mama boar and little ones), lots of history, etc.

I coulda thrown a rock and hit you. I live on the north end of Amelia Island, right beside Fort Clinch.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

Two weeks ago, I was hiking in the Columbia River Gorge near Portland, Oregon. Lots of waterfalls, and some good views as well.

Overlooking the Columbia River at sunrise:


Triple Falls:


Ponytail Falls:

[Northwestie]

The backyard of Seattle - Cascades.  If you are going uphill might as well bring the skis or the board late October - July.

[human]

EDIT - uh woops on the size!
Not sure if this will work but Tongoriro New Zealand:



Mount Cook from Mueller Hut:

[human]

Gardiner Pass Torres del Paine:



Mirador de los Torres:



Cerro Torre:

[human]

Snogirl! I'm headed to the Gaspe in late September and then to Newfoundland. The photo from the Gaspe peninsula is what trail exactly?

[human]

Visit the Great Smokey Mtns if you want to vacation with thousands of people.

Travel 100 miles in any direction to get some of the same great views and hikes without the hordes of vacationers or the traffic.

I was on a camping roadtrip to  Alaska & the Yukon several years ago, and was struck by 2 things:


1. Denali Nat'l Park in Alaska was incredibly crowded - huge asphalt-covered parking lots, full of luxury RVS and families trying desperately to snap a picture of the mountain. Needless to say, we didn't linger long.

2. Meanwhile, Kluane Nat'l Park, nearby in the Yukon was almost completely deserted - we  literally saw one other couple at the campground there. In July. Mind you, this was in about 2004.... not sure what it is like now. Google "Kluane." It's amazingly beautiful & we are hoping to go there again next summer.

I know which one I would prefer! :)

I stayed in a management unit in Denali National Park in 2013, was supposed to be three days but the last day was fog all morning and afternoon so I went back to the road and bused out. I was shocked by the amount of lodges/hotels in the area and tons of buses and people at the visitor centre. It was nuts! Kluane was beautiful in 2013 when I went, I hiked slims river west but the river is dry no as the glacial melt has diverted course.

You need to visit the Tombstones!

Kluane Kuskawulsh:



Tombstones:





Ughh ok enough hijacking. Thanks for all the photos now I want to head out on a long hike . . .

[human]

Thanks for starting the thread! Thanks for the tips on the east coast, we will be visiting Gros Morne but won't have time for over night trips.

I've cut down a lot of spending this year. If include pension contributions I'm pushing 60% savings maybe more, but my travel expenses are 30% of my spending!

[MoneyCat]

Last week, we returned from our wedding anniversary vacation to Maui and we spent a day on a guided hike of the East Maui rainforest. Absolutely beautiful island and great place to hike because there are no predators to worry about (other than locals trying to break into your car) and there's no poison ivy or poison oak.

I jumped off this waterfall. It was glorious.

[snogirl]

Snogirl! I'm headed to the Gaspe in late September and then to Newfoundland. The photo from the Gaspe peninsula is what trail exactly?

Looks like Allsummerlong has got your covered :)

That photo was off a trail above Mont St Pierre.

[Papa Mustache]

http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.abruzzo/Eindex.php

Haven't been for a long, long time but I loved it.

On Google Images: Cummings Falls, Fall Creek Falls, and Burgess Falls. We've hiked those.

[MissNancyPryor]

Tagging to follow, I need to find this next month after my hike of the West Coast Trail!  Hope I get some pictures without rain! 

[Glenstache]

Tagging to follow, I need to find this next month after my hike of the West Coast Trail!  Hope I get some pictures without rain!

West Coast Trail! Hiking envy! That is a serious trail, and should be a blast. Looking forward to the pictures.

[MissNancyPryor]

Tagging to follow, I need to find this next month after my hike of the West Coast Trail!  Hope I get some pictures without rain!

West Coast Trail! Hiking envy! That is a serious trail, and should be a blast. Looking forward to the pictures.

Another hike I hope to do someday... Have done portions of the nearby 3-day Juan de Fuca trail- spectacular!

Have a great trip and if you get a chance, we'd love to see some pics :)

This will be the 2nd time we have done it, we completed it 5 years ago.  We had zero rain in 2011 which it is rare-  I am not sure we will get that lucky this time.  Yes, it is incredible, the bucket list is checked!  Checked twice after next month! 

[citizen24128]

It's nice to see all of the other hikers who are here!

Here are a couple of photos of Crater Lake, from my 2005 PCT hike. I still remember how mind-boggling the view was when I hiked up to the rim of the lake.

[snogirl]

Oh my gosh, I have to get busy and do some traveling to the PNW as well as all the beautiful photos here.

[RosieTR]

St. Mary's Glacier, an hour outside of Denver. Pretty short hike if you only go up to see the lake, but much better and longer if you continue going up to the top of the peak and loop around the lake that way. And I went for a brief swim in the lake at the end, probably the coldest water I've had the pleasure of swimming in!

Props to you! Holy crap I can only put my feet in for 20-30 SECONDS before I can't stand it!

Gonna go up in Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow so will post if the pics are good! I'm not sure how I could whittle my hiking pics down to "a few" pictures so I may as well go with most recent :-)

[SCUBAstache]

I will confess I only lasted a few minutes, but I most definitely fully immersed myself! It was very hard to make myself go under once I started wading in and freezing. There were some teenagers jumping off a rock at the other end, gotta try that next time! Afterward I dried myself off laying on a rock in the sun like a lizard.

[RosieTR]

I will confess I only lasted a few minutes, but I most definitely fully immersed myself! It was very hard to make myself go under once I started wading in and freezing. There were some teenagers jumping off a rock at the other end, gotta try that next time! Afterward I dried myself off laying on a rock in the sun like a lizard.

Still, wow!

[RosieTR]

Gonna go up in Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow so will post if the pics are good! I'm not sure how I could whittle my hiking pics down to "a few" pictures so I may as well go with most recent :-)

From the Continental Divide this morning! Note the small amount of snow...winter is coming!
Y'all have great photos!

[FrugalInTheBigSky]

I'll start: below are some pics from a recent intermediate difficulty hike I did in Yoho National Park, BC. (Rocky Mountains)

Glad to see this post. My last day of work will be Tuesday -- sort of early retirement, a gap year before the to be determined next chapter in my life (but perhaps that is a journal that needs to be written!). My first big trip to celebrate my freedom is to Canada. This October I plan to head up to Yoho and that area for a few weeks of camping and hiking.

[SCUBAstache]

Gonna go up in Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow so will post if the pics are good! I'm not sure how I could whittle my hiking pics down to "a few" pictures so I may as well go with most recent :-)

From the Continental Divide this morning! Note the small amount of snow...winter is coming!
Y'all have great photos!

Gorgeous! Wish I lived out west!

[itchyfeet]

We were hiking in the Dolomites recently. We did a 6 day hike on the AV1 and AV2.

[FrugalInTheBigSky]

How exciting! Where are you headed? Just Yoho or to the other parks nearby as well? It's a bit of a National Park hot spot out there - You have Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay, and also the often overlooked Waterton Lakes - I have been there 2x, and find it to be one of my favourite parks. Banff and Jasper get all the hype, so I prefer to visit the less popular sites :)

Will you be tent camping or RVing? If you were going earlier, I would suggest looking into the Burgess Shale in Yoho - it is a guided hike to a 500 million year old fossil bed site (Cambrian Period). Very interesting, but b/c it is so sensitive, you must go on a guided hike (I believe they only run June-Sept).

Congrats on your Gap Year/"Sort of" ER!!!!
[/quote]
Thanks! I haven't begun to plan a route yet, but I would love more suggestions!! PM me if you'd like. Looking at a used pop up slide in camper so I can make my way despite what could be winter weather.

[Abe]

My wife and I hiked on the Ute trail in Rocky Mountains national park. There were only 2-3 other groups on it the 4 hours we were up there. It is along the ridge road and at 11-12k altitude, and also poorly marked. That deters a lot of people, but the views of the surrounding mountains are spectacular. Will post pictures once I figure out how to get them on here.

[LeRainDrop]

Great thread, and lots of good suggestions. My most spectacular hike of the past 12 months was Angel's Landing at Zion national park.

OMG, I am dying to visit Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon!  I recently got back from a trip to Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota, which involved a fair amount of hiking in each state.  My favorite parts were in Montana, but I really enjoyed it all.  Will pick a few photos to post here soon.

[Russ]

Hello from the Pacific Crest Trail
I don't take as many pictures as maybe I should
Here's one from a few months ago, me on some snow

Wow!! I'm curious about the PCT. Which parts did you do?

Most of it
Should get to Washington tomorrow, BC on the 10th or so

That is AMAZING!!! Would love to hear your thoughts upon completion, if you get a chance.

What do you want to know?

[No Name Guy]

This should look familiar to you Russ.

[Mr. Young Gun]

Haven't seen too many Mt. Washington posts, so here it is!

We started up the Great Gulf Trail (27.5 Miles starting on Madison trail)

Took us 1.5 days up, and 1.5 days down (We went down Tuckerman's Ravine to meet up with the Madison trail)

The photos attached are a picture of The lake in the Sky (at it's shore), The lake in the Sky (at the summit) and the summit tag.

This was part of a summer filled with hiking, as we did all the highest peaks in each New England state (Bear Mt. , Jerimoth Hill, Greylock, Katahdin, Washington, Mansfield, Frissel)

Washington was the final climb, and with 40lb packs on for the 3 day trip, it was indeed the most challenging. The worst part was all the tourists who drive up taking pictures at the summit. We had to wait in a line of 50+ people just to get our well deserved photo(s).

[Northwestie]

Pretty!!  Been up it once ice climbing in January.  Grim, grim, grim.   Looks nicer this time of year.

[Russ]

This should look familiar to you Russ.

Haha where is that
It all looked the same after a while

[Northwestie]

Recent story in our local media about whether hiking trails are becoming too crowded / popular.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/social-media-hiking-1.3755738


I generally avoid hiking on the weekends for that very reason. I don't go out to the mountains to be surrounded by crowds of strangers. Some trails are also getting damaged from too much use & not enough maintenance/funding. There have also been a lot of high profile back-country rescues and even deaths lately, especially of people who were completely unprepared. On the other hand, however, I think the more people getting out and enjoying nature, the better from a conservation standpoint. People need to connect with the wild and natural worlds in order to value it and want to preserve it....

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

Hear ya.   In Seattle - if you want to hike on the I90 Corridor - closest mountains to Seattle, some popular trailhead parking lots fill up and folks start parking on the roads.  That said - folks seem to disperse out well after that.  But I am looking forward to weekday hikes, climbs, and skis.

I've done some hiking/climbing in the Sierra - man, can't seem to get away from people in some areas.

[21runner]

Commenting to follow, some amazing pictures on this thread! Thanks to everyone for posting!