Hiking with Andrew Skurka: Thru-Hiking the John Muir Trail in 7 Days (Video)

This video feels like a hiking reality show (luckily the only annoying buzzing sounds come from mosquitoes, not Kardashians). Exhilaration. Exhaustion. Bugs. Sock issues. Witness a seven-day hike of the entire 224-mile John Muir Trail from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney. Hiking guru Andrew Skurka guides Gerry Morton, President and CEO of EnergyFirst, an industry leading natural products company that is home to the world's best tasting, highest quality all natural protein shakes. They keep it fast and light, Skurka's style. But nothing is fast enough to keep away the bugs.

Andrew has a new hiking/backpacking book, The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide, out this month from Nat Geo Books. We've already been reading. It's comprehensive and full of hard-won tips that Andrew was kind of enough to share from his 30,000+ miles of hiking. You can pre-order a copy here (and Andrew will sign it!). 

Trail Running Video: Founders of the Upchuck 50K on Making a New Cult Classic

Upchuck 50K Trail Race from Rock/Creek on Vimeo.

By Andrew Kornylak, The Blind Monkey

The Upchuck 50K is one of the toughest trail races in the country, and in just a few years has become a cult classic, and a sought-after hardman notch in the belt. It tackles some of the most wild and technical terrain in the Cumberlands. Race entires are limited, with an admission process. And race day is bare bones—no sponsors, minimal aid stations, just “you, alone in the woods.”

As with most things, it's best to spend some time with a subject, which in this case was both the trail runners and the woods itself. Rather than shoot any race footage at all, I gathered some stories and shot some interviews with some of the racers and founders of the Upchuck, then spent a few days along the trail with friend and photography student Jake Wheeler shooting black and white photography and some video of the course. It’s a different kind of race that attracts a wild and quirky crowd. Let me know what you think.

See more photos of the Upchuck 50K here.

Best Adventure Destinations for 2012

Our list is out: Each of these ten best adventure destinations for 2012 has new access, be it new parks, trails, hotels, crazy weather patterns, or cosmic events. Combined, it's enough to make a well-traveled world feel full of new frontiers again.

And the best adventure destinations are...

Skiing + Snowboarding Mammoth Mountain, California
Rafting the Bruneau and Jarbidge Rivers, Idaho
Mountain Biking Bosnia and Herzegovina
Snorkeling the Ningaloo Coast, Australia
Surfing Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico
Exploring Maya Culture, Belize
Climbing Mustagata, China
Hiking Newfoundland, Canada
Canoeing the Susquehanna River Water Trail, Allegheny Mountains, Pennsylvania
Kayak Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Get Trip Details >>

Photograph courtesy Jay Graham, Rancho Pescadero


 

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

By Kate Siber

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Eskers, kames, and potholes are a few of the trippy things you might see on Wisconsin’s 1,000-mile-long Ice Age Trail. (Translation: the elongated ridges, small marshes, and teardrop-shaped hills that the last continental ice shelf left behind.) And one section of it, in the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, is located just 53 miles north of Milwaukee.

Get Hiking: Tick off an out-and-back on any part of the state forest’s 31 miles of trail—the scenery is similar between sections—to see a glimpse of the vestiges of prehistoric America.

Après Hike: On the way back to Milwaukee, stop at Cafe Sourette in West Bend. Chef Jodi Janisse whips up a seasonal farm-to-table menu with items such as rhubarb-brie crostini and rabbit-and-morel pasta with local mascarpone.

More Info: Kettle Moraine State Forest North (dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/kmn) and Cafe Sourette (cafe-soeurette.com)

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Photograph by RWP/Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Los Angeles, California

By Kate Siber

Sandstone Peak

Hollywood’s star power easily mesmerizes most of Los Angeles’s visitors, which is good news for hikers. For a big city, trails can be relatively unfrequented, and with a dramatic seaside locale, several mountain ranges, and canyons, L.A. has a surprising menu of scenic hikes, like those in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, about 40 miles from downtown.

Get Hiking: One must-do hike, the six-mile Mishe Mokwa loop, climbs 1,400 vertical feet to the top of Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, where hikers gaze over the Pacific Coast, the Channel Islands, and the sparkle of Los Angeles far below.

Après Hike: Heading straight south on Yerba Buena Road, you’ll eventually dead-end at the beach. After a cool-off dip, sidle up to Neptune’s Net, a beloved local joint that has served Pacific oysters, lobster, and other seafood to surfers since 1958.

More Info: Santa Catalina Mountains National Recreation Area (http://nps.gov/samo) and Neptune’s Net (neptunesnet.com)

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Photograph by Tim Hauf

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Boston, Massachusetts

 By Kate Siber 

Middlesex Fells Reservation

From downtown Boston, it takes approximately 16 minutes to drive to Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2,500-acre swath of hills, ponds, meadows, wetlands, and hemlock groves. Though located only nine miles north of the city, it can feel a planet away, particularly the southeast corner, free of the dog walkers and stroller pushers ubiquitous in most urban parks.

Get Hiking: The 3.7-mile Rock Circuit Trail can take over four hours to complete thanks to its rugged forest terrain and steep rocky scrambles. Just when you’ve forgotten your proximity to the city, you’ll top out at Pinnacle Rock, which has views over the Boston skyline and the tree-speckled New England landscape.

Après Hike: Moulton’s Surf and Turf Restaurant, an inexpensive, family-run hole-in-the-wall just a few miles away in Medford, serves up excellent creamy New England clam chowder and fresh local seafood at recession-friendly prices.

More Info: Friends of Middlesex Fells (fells.org) and Moulton’s (moultons.net)

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Photograph by Krista Guenin

 

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Miami, Florida

By Kate Siber

Everglades National Park

Even on the outskirts of the Everglades, the country’s largest subtropical wilderness, there is absolutely no indication that the city of Miami and some seven million people live within an hour of the park. Though only about 59 miles of unpaved trails wind through these 1.4 million acres of primordial swamps, grasslands, and forests, it’s still easy to find people-free spots.

Get Hiking: Try the Long Pine Key Trails, a seven-mile nest of paths through pine forest and saw palmetto, haunted by birds, lumbering alligators, and even the elusive Florida panther.

Après Hike: Just outside the park in Homestead, Florida, stop at the Robert Is Here Fruit Stand, where purveyor Robert Moehling has sold fresh local veggies, honeys, jams, and exotic fruit like mango, papaya, and soursop since 1959. The key-lime milkshake is a must.

More Info: Everglades National Park (nps.gov/ever) and Robert Is Here (robertishere.com)

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Photograph by Kenny Williams, Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Chicago, Illinois

By Kate Siber

Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park, about 50 miles southeast of Chicago, is a sliver of wilderness in the unlikeliest of places: It’s surrounded by one of the heaviest concentrations of industry in the country. “It’s incredibly dramatic for the prairie state,” says Ted Villaire, author of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Chicago. “It feels isolated and remote.”

Get Hiking: Happily, there’s little reminder of nearby urbanity on the 4.5-mile loop (trails two, ten, and nine) that winds through forests, wetlands, and the 200-foot-tall dunes that have formed over millennia.

Après Hike: In nearby Chesterton, Indiana, stop at The Port Drive-In—a local institution since 1953—for chili dogs and homemade root beer floats.

More Info: Indiana Dunes State Park (in.gov/dnr/parklake/2980.htm) and The Port Drive-In (theportdrivein.com)

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Photograph by Alex C. Zaideman

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Austin, Texas

By Kate Siber

Wolf Mountain Trail

For non-Texans, Hill Country comes as a surprise: A verdant rolling landscape of oak-dotted hills and vineyards, it sooner resembles California wine country than the arid Texas of Western lore. Within 45 miles of Austin, hikers can walk through lush forests and past springs at Pedernales Falls State Park.

Get Hiking: The park’s Wolf Mountain Trail is one of the region’s most beloved hikes, winding past fern-lined canyons, the ruins of a settler’s house, beautiful views over the Pedernales River Valley, and finally to the mother of all Hill Country vistas at the peak.

Après Hike: Just west of Pedernales Falls, the stretch of Highway 290 between Johnson City and Fredericksburg is dotted with wineries and farm stands selling fresh peaches and other produce. Stop at Pedernales Cellars, one of the best Hill Country wineries, for tastings of their famed tempranillo. 

More Info: Pedernales Falls State Park (tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/pedernales_falls) and Pedernales Cellars (pedernalescellars.com).

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Photograph by Tim Wright/Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: New York, New York

 

By Kate Siber

Bear Mountain
Despite its distinction as the country’s most populous city, New York has astonishingly good hikes in its midst. Credit the abundance of state parks, the Palisades, and the Hudson River for the area’s most scenic strolls. One rite of passage is Bear Mountain, located 50 miles north of Manhattan on the west bank of the river.

Get Hiking: Despite the weekend crowds, the view from the top of Bear Mountain is worth the 1,100-vertical-foot climb. The four-mile loop on the Appalachian and Major Welch trails leads past a vista of the Hudson River, Iona Island, and the verdant hills of Westchester far below. It’s also the perfect spot to pick out your next hike—perhaps Anthony’s Nose, right across the river.

Après Hike: At Hogan’s Family Diner in nearby Stony Point, New York, the waitresses call you “hon” and “sweetie” while serving up classic, home-cooked diner fare like roast turkey, baby back ribs, lamb chops, and, of course, thick milkshakes.

More Info: Bear Mountain State Park (nysparks.state.ny.us) and Hogan’s Family Diner (+1 845 429 9603). Wild Earth Adventures offers guided hikes in the New York area (wildearthadventures.com).

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Photograph by Tom Bushey