Adirondack Park, New York

Mt Jo: [August 2003] Mt Jo is located within the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks—an area with more than 40 peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation. Reaching the 2,876 foot summit of Mt Jo is accomplished via an easy 2.5 mile loop trail, which can be hiked either clockwise or counter-clockwise. We chose to hike counter-clockwise—up the Short Trail and down the Long Trail—both trails are accessed via the Indian Pass trailhead, which is located near the parking lot for the High Peaks Information Center. Once you have parked your car, walk back towards the lot’s entrance booth—look for the trail signed Mt Jo and Indian Pass. As you begin your hike to the summit, you will walk past a Nature Museum and the shores of Heart Lake, reaching the Mt Jo trail register within a few minutes. From the register, begin a moderate climb through the forest to the start of two routes to the summit—the left fork for the Long Trail and the right fork for the Short Trail. The Short Trail is steeper, but you get to the summit faster—it only took us 30 minutes, allowing you to enjoy the payoff of your effort sooner. Just below the summit, the trail requires a moderate scramble up a few boulders—after conquering the scramble you find yourself on the rocky summit of Mt Jo. Your reward for climbing 700 feet up a rocky trail are magnificent views of the Adirondacks—there stretched out before you are views of some of the High Peaks, namely, Algonquin, Colden, and Marcy (the high point of New York). You will also see the waters of Heart Lake shimmering below you in the forest. After enjoying the great views, climb back down the rocks to the trail junction with the Long Trail—descend via this rocky, root-bound trail thereby completing this easy loop with big views.

NBH Tip: The summit of Mt Jo is an ideal place for a picnic on a warm summer day—so pack up your snackies and head for the top! Remember to wear sturdy shoes, the trail is rocky and there is a little bit of bouldering required just below the summit.

High Falls Gorge, New York

High Falls Gorge: [August 2003] Ancient Adirondack rock and the Ausable River join forces at High Falls Gorge to create a fascinating spectacle of nature. Unfortunately, you must pay $9.00 in order to see this wonder for yourself. Steel bridges and a hiking path give the visitor access to several different viewpoints along the gorge, and a pamphlet is provided with your entry fee that acts as a map and tour guide to the area. The self-guiding brochure points out many highlights of the area, including a Mature Climax Forest, area geology, and the formation of potholes. But, of course, the best part of the hike is the 700 feet of waterfalls that are blasting their way through the gorge. For the best view of this phenomenon, make your way along the steel platforms, which hang precariously from the sheer cliff face, to the lower bridge—from this bridge you get great views of the Main Falls (with its 125 foot drop), Grand Flume, Mini Falls, and Rainbow Falls.

The Beehive Loop: [August 2003] The Beehive Trail is not for those afraid of heights, nor for those weak of heart or limb, but you can’t beat this 1.8 mile loop for breath-taking, cliff-hanging views, and when I say cliff-hanging I mean that literally! With the help of steel rungs, and strategically placed steel grating, the hiker can scale this beehive-shaped mountain for an adrenaline fueled adventure. The Beehive, a 520 foot pink granite dome overlooking Sand Beach, is a popular hike in Acadia National Park. The hike starts out gently enough, climbing gradually up a boulder strewn trail—eventually, at the 0.2 mile marker, you reach a fork in the trail, from here take a right to climb the sheer cliff face. You will know you are on the right trail when you see the sign that reads: “Caution: Trail steep with Exposed Cliffs and Steel Rungs,” which emphasizes the danger associated with this climb. From this point, turn right and follow the cairns and blue blazes as you make your way toward the Beehive—almost immediately you will start your climb—get ready! Your first test will be a steel bridge, much like a cattle grate, that you must walk over as you peer down the side of the cliff. The views just get better the higher you go, but if you aren’t too afraid of heights to look from here, you can see Sand Beach far below. Your next obstacle to overcome will be to climb up the iron rungs, using them as both hand and footholds—these can be intimidating, but they are a blast to climb! If you just take your time, and carefully climb, you will be at the top in no time—you are now 0.5 miles into the hike and you can safely take in the summit panorama without feeling like you are going to fall off the edge. Indeed, the views from the summit are excellent—along with Sand Beach, you can see Frenchman Bay and the Porcupine Islands, also visible are Champlain Mountain and Cadillac Mountain—take it all in as you bask in the Maine sun. If you are really adventurous you can return the way you came, or you can just continue on the loop towards The Bowl—a gorgeous lake worth a visit. The Bowl is reached at the 1 mile marker and at this beautiful location wildlife and superb scenery abound—frogs can be seen lounging on lily pads, and beaver dams dot the landscape. Rest at the lake for awhile, and then pick up the Bowl Trail to head back to the Sand Beach Parking Lot for a total hike of 1.8 miles.

NBH Tip: This trail requires good physical condition and should be avoided by anyone uncomfortable with exposure and heights, although if I made it just about anyone can! You can also bag the peak of Gorham Mountain by just adding a few more miles to your trek—good luck and enjoy the Beehive.

 

Chugach State Park, Alaska

Flattop Mountain: [July 2004] Awesome views, an easily accessible trail, and the most visited mountaintop in Alaska are just a few of the reasons to hike this trail. At 3 miles roundtrip this mountain can easily be climbed in just a few hours, for locals who run the trail just for exercise the feat can be accomplished in less than 30 minutes! We timed in at 45 minutes. You will gain 1,350 feet along your route, mostly along a wide dirt path, but sometimes climbing steps and/or tackling rocky switchbacks. To reach the summit you must do some class III scrambling, so take care. The last pitch is very steep and has a bit of exposure, so take your time if you are afraid of heights. The trail to Flattop, a largely flat summit on the edge of the Chugach Range, offers fantastic views of Cook Inlet, the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska and Aleutian ranges, the Chugach Mountains, and Anchorage. It is also, apparently, a good place for paragliding. There was a guy on the summit the day we climbed who was desperately fighting the wind in an attempt to launch from the top; it was really interesting to watch. When you reach the 3,550 foot summit be sure to wander all around the area to take in all the views from every angle. Pick and I reached the summit before Dar, who appeared to have given up on the steep climb, but to our surprise she stuck it out and made it to the summit in good time. The three of us explored the windy summit for several minutes, watching the paraglider catching the wind gusts in his sail, until the chill of the air forced our descent. On our way back down the trail we caught a glimpse of a moose grazing in the bushes. It is amazing that such a wonderful trail exists right next to a large city. If you are visiting Anchorage, be sure to give this trail a try!

NBH Tip: We climbed Flattop in July and took full advantage of the long summer days of Alaska, our hike didn’t even begin until 9:00pm and it was still daylight when we finished our climb. Climbing to Flattop involves hiking a portion of the Blueberry Loop Trail, a trail that encircles Blueberry Hill, to hike the entire loop take one route on the way up and descend along the opposite side, thereby completing the circle. If you have time, the experienced hiker can continue past Flattop Mountain to the descriptively named Peak 2 (3,658ft) and Peak 3 (4,111ft).

 

Matanuska Glacier: [July 2004] The Matanuska Glacier is a large ice flow, 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at the terminus, averaging about 2 miles in width—Matanuska is also a valley glacier, meaning it exists on a valley floor. To access the glacier you must pay $8 at the Glacier Park Resort, and then you can drive to within 400ft of the ice. When you reach the glacier, at first glance you will think you are looking at dirt, or ash, but if you look closely you will notice that you are in fact seeing ice covered in silt. All around you the glacier is alive, and you can hear it creaking and see it melting into gray silty pools at the terminal moraine. A trail of sorts, marked with orange cones, leads from the parking lot past towering chunks of ice (seracs), out onto the face of the glacier—it will take about 10 to 15 minutes to hike the 0.5 mile to the face, and then it is just a matter of exploring the area. At this point, there are no more trail markers and you are free to explore wherever you wish—but remember, hiking around on the glacier’s face is a dangerous activity—large chunks of the glacier can calve off at anytime and crevasses up to several hundred feet deep can be a lethal threat. Therefore, it is pertinent that you have experience crossing glaciers before you venture out onto risky territory—if you don’t have this expertise, consider hiring a guide or keep your distance. (You will have to sign a release at Glacier Park Resort attesting to the fact that this is inherently a dangerous activity and that they are not liable for your actions.) At any rate, the views are fantastic near the face of Matanuska, and it is possible to get up close views of the ice flow without being roped to a guide. One of the most striking aspects of any glacier, and Matanuska is no exception, is the deep blue color of certain sections of ice—the blue color tells you this ice is highly compacted. In addition to great views of the glacier, those who venture out far enough will be treated to views of a small lake.

NBH Tip: Crampons and ice axes are not necessary to explore the more accessible portions of Matanuska, but if you would like to try your hand at ice climbing, or a glacier traverse, there are several outfitters available for hire—including the company called Matanuska Glacier that is located right at the parking lot. A frequently asked question concerns the blue color of the ice—the reason for the blue color is that the density of the heavily compacted ice allows the entire spectrum of light, except for blue, to be absorbed. The blue light is reflected back, and therefore can be seen by the naked eye.

 

Denali National Park, Alaska

Savage River Loop Trail: [July 2004] The wilderness of Denali National Park makes this trail feel very isolated from the masses—you know the hordes of visitors in Alaska. You will find the trailhead at mile marker 15 on Park Road, this is as far as private vehicles can drive—if you want to get further into the interior you must take a bus. The Savage River Trail is 2.0 miles roundtrip (approximately an hour of hiking) and takes the hiker down into the Savage River Canyon for a taste of Denali’s native plants, animals, and scenic views. Meandering along the entire length of the trail is, of course, the Savage River—the river’s silty gray color is broken only by granite glacier grooved boulders jutting out from the water. On either side of the river, rocky hillsides rise to meet the sky, inviting the agile to try a little scrambling. At the end of the trail, a bridge spans the river allowing for a return journey along the opposite bank.

NBH Tip: On your return journey (west side of the river), hike along the Savage River Bar Trail—a 0.2 mile spur trail, where you can get right to the river’s edge. As you trek down by the river, be sure to take advantage of the benches located along the sand bar where you can sit and enjoy the Alaskan scenery.

 

Alpe di Siusi, Italy

Passeggiata Invernale / Winterwanderweg: (Note: Names are in Italian first, then German) [March 2005] This great little winter walk, amid the spectacular Dolomite Mountains of Italy, lead us along a beautifully groomed snow trail past alpine huts and quaint little restaurants. We began our walk at Alpe di Siusi / Seiser Alm and ended at Rauchhutte near Saltria, in the shadow of the peaks of Gr. Sasso Lungo-Piatto / Lang-Plattkofelgruppe, the Langkofel/Sassolungo group. The peak of Sassopiatto measures in at 2,958 meters, or 9,704 feet, with the highest peak in the group, Sassolungo, towering over the valley at 3,181 meters, or 10,436 feet. Seeing those beautiful mountains covered in snow was a sight we will never forget, and it made us long to return in the summer months when we can attempt to climb Sassopiatto, the only peak in the group where technical climbing skills are not necessary. Our four mile roundtrip walk on the neatly packed, well groomed, snow trails gave us an opportunity to experience a winter wonderland in one of the most significant mountain groups of the dolomites, and it has truly given us a tremendous desire to visit and hike the numerous trails of the Alps range. The scenery is incredible, the people are friendly, and there are mountains to be climbed!

NBH Tip: If you begin your hike at Alpe di Siusi be sure to stop in at the Ritsch-Schwaige Inn for a great regional meal of frankfurters and goulash.

Hafelekarspitze: [March 2005] Hafelekar, at a height of 2269 meters (7444 feet), is a good starting point for several hikes that lead up and along the jagged ridges of the Nordkette, but be prepared—they are neither easy, nor particularly well-marked. This is especially true when everything is completely snow-covered. In fact, the day we rode the lift the snow was coming down pretty good, so we knew our chances of hiking any long distances were questionable, but we still wanted to be able to take in the panoramic views of the hundreds of mountain peaks seen from Nordpark. Hafelekar is reached via a series of lifts that leave from the banks of the Inn River—the first stop is Hungerburg, then Seegrube, and then last, but not least, Hafelekar. It is here that your hiking options, in the right season, are limitless. Our short hike took us along a snowy path in the shadow of the Hafelekarspitze, a beautiful rugged peak rising up to the lofty height of 2334 meters (7657 feet). Even with the snow in the air, it appeared as though you were so close that you could reach out and touch the summit. Despite the wintry conditions we were able to get some nice views of the surrounding peaks of the Stubaital, Oztal, and Zillertal Alps.

NBH Tip: Hafelekar is also the starting point for a fixed rope route, or klettersteig, in which you climb the surrounding mountains using ladders, bridges, and other sorts of death defying apparatus. If you are there in the summer months and you have an adventurous spirit, you might consider undertaking this challenging hike. In fact, we hope to return in the summer and hike this route ourselves some day.

 

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castle-Trails 36/37: [March 2005] Once we arrived in Fussen, Germany, via train from Munich, we boarded a bus that transported us to the starting point for tours of King Ludwig’s II castles, and/or hikes around the Schwangau arca and Pollat Gorge. The village of Hohenschwangau was the starting point for the hikes up to both castles and Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrucke), from which you will have the most stunning views of Neuschwanstein Castle. Our hike took place on a beautiful winter day in March when the ground was covered with a fresh layer of powdery white snow and the sky was glistening in a deep shade of blue. We began our hike at the bus stop near the ticket office for castle tours—from there we walked up the steep road to a trail that leads through a lovely pine forest to Mary’s Bridge. The climb was relatively steep and particularly difficult due to the snow cover, but the scenery was magnificent! Beautiful scenery aside, nothing could prepare us for the view that we were about to see! As we descended down towards Mary’s Bridge our view was blocked by the cliffside, and then we stepped out onto the bridge and could hardly believe our eyes! There, high atop a mountain, sits Neuschwanstein Castle in all its glory. The view looks like it is straight out of a fairytale, and in fact it really is…Neuschwanstein was Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle. After taking in the fantastic view, we returned the way we came to pick up another trail that leads directly to Neuschwanstein, and affords views of Hohenschwangau along the way. We hiked as many trails as possible on that wintry day, including trails to the grounds of both castles, but our favorite was Mary’s Bridge—don’t miss this amazing hike if you are ever in the Bavarian Alps.

NBH Tip: If you don’t want to tour the inside of Neuschwanstein or Hohenschwangau, just skip the ticket office—you don’t need a ticket to hike any of the trails, or enter the grounds of the castles.

Gellért Hegy (Gellért Hill): [March 2005] Gellért Hill, towering 460 feet above the Danube River, offers a great climb and an excellent view of the city of Budapest. This attractive park provides many paved paths that the hiker can use to climb to the top of the hill, once at the top you will not only be provided with excellent views, but you will also get a few lessons in history along the way. The sights on the hill recall individual periods in Hungary’s history, such as the statue of St. Gellert from pagan times, the Citadel at the top from the oppressive Hapsburg Dynasty, and last but not least, the Liberation Monument from the period after World War II. The hike to the top isn’t terribly taxing and just about all paths will eventually lead to the top or a lookout. The observation terraces are where you will find those amazing views of the Danube, the Chain Bridge, the Elizabeth Bridge, the Buda Castle district, and the whole of Pest. Enjoy!

NBH Tip: At the top of Gellért Hill, near the Citadel, there are several vendors lined up ready to sell you souvenirs, and best of all, refreshments—so if you are in need of refreshing after your uphill climb, just head for the Citadel.

 

Sas Hill Nature Protected Area, Budapest, Hungary

Sas-Hegy (Sas Hill) Nature Protected Area: [March 2005] This 266 meter high dolomite block of rock is set in the heart of Buda and is home to a variety of rare flora and fauna. If you find yourself visiting Budapest, do yourself a favor and get out of the city for a brief respite on the trails of an unparalleled nature protection area in the center of a 2 million strong metropolis. Visitors are permitted to enter in spring and autumn, and with a fair amount of luck might catch a glimpse of the yellow and lilac flowers of the protected iris, or the great pasque flower. You might also see the Hungarian meadow saxifrage, the Buda hare’s tall grass, or the St. Stephens carnation.  All of these plants are considered endemic species in the Carpathian basin. It is fair to say that the Sas Mountain, rising sharply from the Kelenföld plain, is the most significant natural value of Budapest, which to this day has survived the aggressive invasion of the city. The area has retained its unique geological, botanical, zoological, and most significantly its landscape value. The zoological value is worth mentioning as the bull spider, which is recognizable by its four black spots on a red abdomen, is found here and nowhere else in the world. Apart from the rare spiders and other arthropods, many species of reptiles also exist here, such as the snake-eyed skink or Pannonia lizard (Ablepharus kitaibelii), which is considered a rare species and the highly protected large whip snake (Coluber jugularis). As you can imagine, hiking the trails within this park is a great way to appreciate the natural heritage of Hungary.

NBH Tip: We didn’t see any spiders or snakes while we were hiking but be mindful that they exist. Getting to Sas-Hegy can be quite interesting, especially when you just, spur of the moment, jump of the Metro because you see a cool hill to climb! Yeah, we did that…and our map sucked, but we eventually found the entrance, which was closed by the way, but a nice park employee told us to just slip in through a hole in the fence! Right on! But for all you prepared hikers out there, grab a good street map, hop on the Metro and get off at the Buda Orsai stop, or take the Bus to stop 8 or 8A. Don’t forget to take in the wonderful view of the city from the top of the mountain!

 

Mount Evans Scenic Byway, Colorado

Mount Evans: [August 2005] So what if you drive most of the way to this Colorado Fourteener—at least we knew we would bag one 14,000 foot mountain on our Colorado trip—even that became questionable the farther we drove on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway. As we pulled into the parking lot, where the 0.25 mile trail to the summit is located, the rain set in, but that isn’t what almost kept us from reaching the summit—the event that gave us pause was so hair raising that it almost stopped us dead in our tracks. As we stepped on to the 14,264 foot summit we looked around and noticed a girl with long hair, we noticed her because her hair was standing straight up on the top of her head! Then within seconds, our hair was doing the same thing—we knew this meant that a lightning strike was imminent so we began running back down the trail to the safety of our car. Luckily, a strike never occurred, but we have to hold the record for the least time spent on the summit of a mountain.

NBH Tip: Sudden weather changes are common on the alpine tundra, so be prepared for all types of conditions. If caught outside in a lightning storm, retreat to the relative safety of being below treeline or find refuge in a vehicle.

 

Summit Lake and the Chicago Basin Overlook: [August 2005] Summit Lake was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965—mainly because it is an excellent example of a high alpine lake. It lies in a cirque formed by Mount Evans and Mount Spalding, whose rocky ridges and cliffs rise thousands of feet above the lake. The lake is accessed via the Mount Evans Scenic Byway—Summit Lake lies at an elevation of 12,800 feet, and walking on alpine tundra paths around this lake provides the hiker with the opportunity to experience permafrost. Permanently frozen ground, or permafrost, while common to arctic tundra is rare in the alpine tundra. In fact, the Summit Lake Flats are the only known place in the United States where permafrost is found except for Alaska. Also rare are the arctic plants that live here, again one of the few places they are found outside of the Arctic Circle. A myriad of these plants can be seen on a quick walk to the lake, after which you can then take the trail that leads away from the parking lot to the Chicago Basin. This 0.25 mile hike ends with awesome views of towering mountain peaks and sparkling blue lakes.

NBH Tip: Wildlife thrives in this area—look for marmots, bighorn sheep, pika, prairie falcons, and mountain goats, all of which are usually well represented.