On the Appalachian Trail up to Blood Mountain

Living in Atlanta, I am blessed to be within 1.5-2.5 hrs of really phenomenal mountain hiking. While we have many nature trails within the city itself and around I-285 (our ring road), the majesty of the south Appalachians is within easy reach. And so was Blood Mountain.

This fall, I left home with a hiking buddy at 1:30PM and got started on the route around 3:30PM. We had picked starting on the Appalachian Trail’s Neels Gap as the route to climb Blood Mountain (4,458 ft in elevation). Blood Mountain is on the Appalachian Trail proper.

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The skies and the trees welcome us to north Georgia

Luckily for the avid hiker, there are several trails to go up Blood Mountain from either side: Neels Gap, Freedom Trail, Slaughter Creek. I had hiked it up via Freedom Trail a few years ago. However, we could not park at Neels Gap but a quarter of a mile away, there was another trailhead: Byron Reese Trail.

Headed up Blood Mountain via Byron Reese Trail

Byron Reese was about 0.7 mi away from connecting with the Appalachian Trail (and the entry point coming from Freedom Trail). From there up to the summit it would be about 1.6 mi each way by my estimation.

Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
The trailhead started with this – it bode well!

The trail up was moderate in terms of terrain with many roots, stones and rocks, and segments that were relatively smooth. The rocks often were purposefully laid steps. There were also larger masses of stone (granite perhaps?). Thankfully, though the larger masses of stone and the rocks were wet that day, they were not slippery (unless they had moss on them which not many did in October).

The white mark on the tree is specific to the Appalachian Trail
Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
Spectacular!
Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
We met a local

While the terrain was moderate to me as an experienced hiker, there was certainly enough inclines to be challenging enough for the short distance. It may be a harder trail for someone newer at hiking.

As one approaches the summit, there is an initial clearing offering a phenomenal view south to much lower mountains and hills. Clearly, Blood Mountain is higher than all visible terrain looking south.

Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
At the first clearing – better view that from the summit!

Atop Blood Mountain!

But, that is not the summit. The terrain is granite stone interspersed with vegetation. As one follows the trail, it becomes very narrow and surrounded by tall bushes. One wonders if one already summited. However, all of a sudden, you see the rear of the shelter available to Appalachian Trail hikers right at the summit.

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The shelter and my hiking buddy on Blood Mountain

Climb up the large rocks right by the shelter for more good views, though far from a 360 degree view.

Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
View from the summit
Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
At the summit’s top rock

We want down the same route we had gone up (vs. continuing on the Appalachian Trail down to Slaughter Creek. It started lightly raining on the way down and we even had small pellets of ice. It was a great wrap-up to a shorter (4.6 mi total) but awesome hike surrounded by the perfect scenery that fall provides at this time of year!

Blood Mountain, Appalachian trail, hiking in north Georgia, fall foliage, nature, hiking near Atlanta
Picture perfect colors from the summit

Day 2 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit Hike

Having survived the first day of a 6-hike circuit – and the longest hike of the 6 -, it was time to get going on Day 2 for the next challenge: getting to Spiterstulen by climbing Glittertind mountain (vs. skirting it and going around it).

Tallest mountains in Norway and northern Europe

Glittertind is not only the second tallest mountain in Norway but in all of northern Europe. Glittertind stands at 2,452 m / 8,045 ft. The tallest mountain is nearby: Galdhøpiggen. It stands a modest 17 m / 56 ft taller than Glittertind. The height of these mountains is a little higher if you include the glaciers atop. For example, Glittertind, back in 2008, stood at 2,465 m counting the glacier.

Heading up Glittertind

We started the morning early with breakfast at 7:30AM and a departure from Glitterheim at 8:40AM. Though Glittertind stands at 2,452 m, Glitterheim itself is location at around 1,400 M above sea level. So we sort of had a head start in terms of the climb. Small mercies!

Glitterheim turisthytte, cabin in Jotunheimen, hiking in Norway, trekking, senderismo en Noruega, Norge, norvege
Leaving Glitterheim behind

The climb to the summit was about 3.8 miles. The first mile would ascend 425 ft. The second mile would go another 500 ft. Finally, the third mile would go another 450 ft. The final bit to the top would take us up approximately another 300 ft. I cannot recall for certain but it feels the last 1.5 mile was a pure rock walk. Steep and painfully slow to navigate stepping over all those rocks

rock fields, challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen
Norway may be also called Rocks ‘R Us
Glittertind, rock field in Jotunheimen, senderismo en Noruega, trekking i Norge, Norway hike, Spiterstulen,  Glitterheim
Can you still spot me in the rock field? Fun times

Atop Glittertind and all that snow

Within the last hour of the climb, it started to snow. Visibility decreased but we could still see where we were and where we were headed.

Glittertind, rock field in Jotunheimen, senderismo en Noruega, trekking i Norge, Norway hike, Spiterstulen,  Glitterheim
Can you see me now?
rock fields, challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen. snow
I could still see my friend (red oval above) so all was good.

Good thing because right by the summit there was a cliff we could not see… (see image below from AllTrails). Good thing that snowpack at the top was rock solid!

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This screenshot right after the summit
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rock fields, challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen
At THE summit

Descending not always fun and games

Once we were done resting at the summit, we began the descent. For a little bit, we were still on the glacier / snowpack. We did not have any special attachments on our hiking boots. I just made sure I stepped where someone else had stepped before me, hoping the snow had compacted all it was going to compact thanks to the prior person. Oh, and that I was not going to step on snow that was sitting on top of a crevice or gap of some sort!

You can visualize in this AllTrails’ trail preview how sharp a descent this was (it began around mile 4.1, soon after leaving the summit ridge.

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steep descent, challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen
What it looked like in real life

Eventually, after left the summit ridge, the terrain was free of snow and the snow stopped falling. Back to our normal steep-descent-with-lots-of-rocks-and-scree. It was the usual very focused walk to avoid a nasty and painful fall.

steep descent, challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen
Just too awe-inspiring to not post another photo!
ilivetotravel, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega

The challenging, steep descent from Glittertind is over

After the steep descent, we entered the area that you see in the picture above. We followed a stream for a bit on still-rocky terrain for a bit.

norvege, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega
The descent is over!!
challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen

We then went up a little bit and rounded some mountain to a trail that would eventually parallel the private road leading to Spiterstulen. I so badly wanted to just get to that road and walk on a flat, smooth surface! But, it was not to be until the very end, close up to Spiterstulen. To add insult to injury, after we got on the road and approached the lodge, we had a slight uphill. Really…. 🙂

Regardless, my buddy and I were very happy hikers by the time we got to Spiterstulen!

challenging hiking terrain, trekking in Norway, senderismo en Noruega, Jotunheimen, Den Norske Forening, DNT, Glittertind, Glitterheim, Spiterstulen, ilivetotravel

How to end a hard hike

Thankfully, Spiterstulen was ready for us! From a refreshing cold beer to a great meal to a great space in the room and the large lounging room – Spiterstulen was great.

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Spiterstulen from the outside
ilivetotravel, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega
ilivetotravel, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega

Our room was actually in a cabin and we enjoyed a private bathroom (with heated floor!), a small living room area and a great view from the room’s window. Perfect spot to chill and re-charge.

ilivetotravel, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega

The meal started with salmon on a piece of bread (that could have been the entrée!). Then Norwegian meatballs with veggies, chased by diced watermelon topped with vanilla ice cream. All good!

foodporn, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega

Norway’s beauty is infinite!

I am writing all this post-facto, a couple of weeks after returning home. The majesty of the landscapes of Norway are, maybe not unique, but definitely spectacular. Just a view like below, after a nice meal and a beer (or two), are enough to make one be in awe of God’s creation…

ilivetotravel, Spiterstulen turisthytte, lodging in Jotunheimen, cabin in Jotunheimen, Lomb beer, Norge, senderismo en Noruega

Check out Day 1 (Gjendesheim to Glitterheim)

Or, read on to Day 3 (Spiterstulen to Leirvassbu)

Day 1 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit Hike

Day 1 of the 6-day circuit hike in Jotunheimen National Park began in the Gjendesheim “turisthytte”, where we had arrived the prior day to get an early start on day 1. “Hytte” means cabin in Norwegian and these are the lodgings anyone doing the park will be staying at – unless you camp. I will use “lodge” going forward though not every place we stayed felt “lodgy”. Most, but not all, lodges are run by “DNT” (Den Norske Turistforening), an association that maintains runs trails and cabins in Norway (thank you!).

In any case here is how day 1 of my circuit hike in Jotunheimen went!

DNT, den norske turistforening, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking
Red “T”s mark the way!

Our approach to Jotunheimen National Park

As I mentioned in my Jotunheimen NP hike overview post, Gjendesheim became the logical starting point for our hike. It was right off route 51 and offered easy access to hiking trails and long-term parking.

I might add that it is a good starting point for those only wanting to do a 1- or 2-day hike as it has a ferry to two other lodges on the Lake Gjende from which one can hike back to Gjendesheim (or, the reverse, hike to the one or both of the lodges and then just return by ferry). So a good option for those not wanting to do the circuit but still see amazing landscapes.

Our route on the trail

We approached Gjendesheim from the north having started our drive at Bergen. Of course, we could have come from the south but we were going to do that region after the Jotunheimen hike so we wanted to explore other territory. For example, this allowed us to visit Lom, cruise the Geirangerfjord and stay at Geiranger with its beautiful setting hillside facing the fjord.

Starting the Jotunheimen NP hike at Gjendesheim

We arrived in Gjendesheim the night before. Our car was left at the long-term parking with anything we didn’t need for the next 7 days. The lodge, right by the ferry dock, consists of a couple of main buildings and a couple smaller ones.

Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, hiking, Norway, norge
The main building

We stayed in the second largest building, basically a dormitory, where we shared a room with a bunk bed and nothing else. Toilets and showers were shared by everyone. The main building is where the dining room, common living space, and reception were located. It also may have had rooms but I did not explore. That building had toilets and showers in the basement so I assume it did have rooms upstairs.

Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, hiking, Norway, norge

The common living space was small but offered great views of Lake Gjende as the sun set.

Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, hiking, Norway, norge

Dinner started with a delicious pumpkin soup and the main was a lamb stew that was also pretty good (in retrospection, there were no bad meals on the circuit and a couple of spectacular ones later in the circuit). Dessert was rhubarb-something, not sure how to describe it! It is worth noting that while there is no menu to order from – you eat what is served – lodges are very accommodating to vegan/vegetarian diets.

Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, hiking, Norway, norge, lamb stew

Hiking from Gjendesheim to Glittenheim – 1st half

Alright, so on to the actual hike for the day! Starting a circuit hike pretty cold with a 22.5 km/14 mi route was a bit intimidating. Legs would not be yet fully awake, technique for harder terrain not fresh, etc. We started at 8:30AM taking the trailhead right across from the cabin. The trail started with a 600 ft elevation gain in the first mile so definitely not the easiest of starts. It was not a bad start though. It was good to be finally on the circuit! That first mile took us 46 mins.

Lake Gjende, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking
From the 1st mile looking down at Lake Gjende and the ferry dock

The second mile was kinder only gaining about 400 ft. And the third less about 275 ft. So it was an aggressive start that quickly mellowed. By mile 5, our average was 33 mins/mi so we clearly gained speed as the elevation gain eased. That was good as not only I was coming in “cold” (being the first day of the hike) but also first day with the 18-lb backpack on me.

In this segment we passed the end of Lake Bessvatnet and then hit Lake Russvatnet which we would alongside for about 1.5 miles (from mile 4.8 to 6.4) before heading up to reach high mountain terrain after mile 7.5.

Hiking from Gjendesheim to Glittenheim – 2nd half

So the second half of the hike began! From mile 7.5 to mile 11 was my favorite stretch of this day. I just really like wide open, high mountain terrain, allowing the eye to see far. Of course, it helped that uphills were few and smaller. We saw a handful of hikers but that was about it; that was more than we saw in the first half!

Lake Gjende, DNT, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking, senderismo Noruega
Nice part of the trail

The final 3 miles were a mix of flat and downhill. The approach to Glittenheim, for someone who had already walked 12 miles or so, felt brutal: the cabin is right across from you but you can’t cross the water/river there -> you have to walk alongside it for a bit before the bridge to cross it. It felt eternal (it wasn’t) due to being tired and ready to get the boots and backpack off!

How difficult was the terrain from Gjendesheim to Glitterheim?

It is worth mentioning that there were definitely challenging parts to this trail. Plenty of water and mud due to recent rains requiring water crossings, stepping over stones to avoid walking in the water.

Jotunheimen National Park, DNT, Den Norske Forening, hiking in Norway, Norge trekking, Noruega senderismo
This IS the trail! A common occurrence

This required minding not only finding the next stone to step on but also ensuring not slipping or that the stone would move once you stepped on it. Muddy spots were handled similarly but I hated those more. There were plenty of these and rock fields to maneuver over (not around!). It took focus and, at the end of the day, my neck and shoulders were very stiff and needing a massage.

Rock field!
Lake Gjende, DNT, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking, senderismo Noruega
Rocks everywhere – fun challenge but tiring!

The trail also included 3 bridges got larger water crossings, including the one at the end.

Lake Gjende, DNT, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking, senderismo Noruega
One of the bridges on the trail

And the temperature?

My hike was in late August/early September. Skies that day were a little overcast. Temperature-wise, though I started with a jacket, eventually I took it off and my wool baselayer shirt was sufficient. I did wear glove liners; it wasn’t cold enough for real gloves but the liners provided just the right amount of protection against the cold and the wind, while allowing to use fingers more normally. Other than that, nothing of note to report.

The Glitterheim lodge

I couldn’t have been more elated to arrive at Glittenheim. Though not the best of the lodges, it was heaven after a day 1 of 14 miles! There were two large buildings, much as at Gjendesheim.

This time we stayed in the main building on the second story. Our room again was a bunk bed room with no toilet or shower. The hallway did have a bathroom sink which helped with brushing teeth and filling water bottles. The showers and the toilets, though, were in the basement. In the middle of the night, going down two floors, with very sore knees after a 14-mile hike, using a spiral staircase while half asleep, was not my idea of fun. On top of that, lights would not turn on downstairs as, I guess, generators were turned off. I was thankful I had taken my phone for no good reason – the flashlight feature came in handy!

The common living area was nice with a massive fireplace and great views. The dining room, as usual, was communal tables which is nice to meet some other folks, hear where they are from, hear their hiking plans, etc. That night we sat with a young couple from Israel (whom we would see just about at every lodge during the circuit) and another young couple from the Ukraine (living in Poland).

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Glittenheim common spaces

Dinner was buffet-style. The first dish was spinach soup and the entrée a beef stew with potatoes as the side. (If you have not gotten this from describing the food at both lodges… there is no menu. You eat of what is being served!) The dessert was very interesting. It was some form of rhubarb jelly over which one poured something akin to milk. I was hesitant at first but found it delicious!

After dinner we enjoyed beers at the common living space before going upstairs to ready things for the next day and get some good, well-earned rest!

Lake Gjende, DNT, Gjendesheim, turisthytte, Jotunheimen, Norway, nature, Norge, Noruega, hiking, trekking, senderismo Noruega, Russvatnet
A beautiful route

On to Day 2 – Glittenheim to Spiterstulen via Glittentind!

Or, go to read the overview of the circuit at Jotunheimen NP.

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A Few Great Hikes in Acadia National Park

When it comes to beautiful places, I don’t mind repeat visits. This month, I was fortunate enough to return to Acadia National Park in Maine. In my first visit, I did some hiking but also explored more of Maine in the vicinity, such as the town of Belfast. This time, I was able to do more great hikes in Acadia than in the first trip as that was the focus of the trip.

St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks, Acadia Mountain, outdoors in Maine

What makes for a great hike

For me, there is no one ideal hike. In this trip over a half dozen or so hikes, what I loved the most was that most trails offered some level of uniqueness. Be it the spectacular views of the ocean and islands, or the challenge of rock-running, or the ravine option on a downhill, or the ladders & ropes on another, the variety that Acadia offers was quite surprising and welcome.

Also, what makes a hike great is reading about the options beforehand to help narrow things down. I use the AllTrails app (this is not a sponsored post!). I find its features super cool: visualizing the trail, elevation views, tracking moving vs total time, etc. It is also very easy to use.

So heading into a hike, I may not know what will be unique and surprising, but I feel it helps me pick hikes I will like, and how to do them. For example, do I want to do a loop clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Finally, a great hike also is made so by following your preference on going solo, hiking with a bud, or hiking a group. I prefer hiking with a friend as it allows for quality time and an alternative to endless selfies! And certainly, someone to goof off with along the way! Fun times.

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Cuban Usain Bolt – and, for once, nature imitates art!
usain bolt in maine, hiker in maine, acadia hiking, stud in maine
hiking in acadia, pushups in maine, hiker stud, blue steel pose in maine
My “Blue Steel” look and trying to push the rock away with my pushup! (didn’t work!)

In no particular order, here are some of the great hikes in Acadia that I enjoyed in this trip (in no particular order).

Witch Hole and Pond Carriage

At 7.8 miles or so but little elevation gain, this trail qualifies as moderate. This trail is near Hulls Cove by the Park Headquarters. It passes small ponds along the route and it is a smooth trail good for hikers, regular bikers, and strollers. The choice to do this trail on day 1 was that it was supposed to rain and I thought it would be better to avoid rocky trails. I certainly was not going to let rain keep me from hiking but also wanted to be sensible!

witch hole hike, waterfall in maine, hiking in maine, acadia national park
witch hole hike, waterfall in maine, hiking in maine, acadia national park
witch hole hike, waterfall in maine, hiking in maine, acadia national park

St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountains

In researching these two mountains, I learned there was an easy way to build a loop hike that hit both and covered 4.5 miles or so. Neither mountain gets beyond 700 ft in elevation but, together, they are considered a moderate hike as the terrain is not smooth.

Acadia Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine
St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks

For those who may not want to go up a mountain twice in one loop, the Man O War trail allows a way to return to the trailhead off route 102.

St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks
St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks

We felt the counterclockwise direction turned out to be better once we had finished the hike. St. Sauveur Mountain was good but the views from Acadia Mountain were better. In addition, the uphill and downhill on Acadia Mountain were a lot of fun, and a great way to finish the loop hike! A lot of stones/rocks to run up (or down) added a neat challenge to the hike.

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Come again? Am I running up that??!!
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acadia mountain summit, views from acadia, hikers in maine, two guys hiking

Pemetic Mountain

This 5-mile hike starts at the restaurant on Jordan Pond in very flat terrain at the pond’s edge. A little more trafficked due to the popularity (and ease?) of the pond trail but, quickly, the trail to Pemetic veers off and then it was not as crowded (though we did run into people along the way).

Pemetic Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine, adonis in maine
Pemetic Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine, hikers in maine, two guys hiking
Pemetic Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine

A neat surprise on this one, on the downhill, was to go down the regular path OR to go down a ravine with the aid of two ladders. A no-brainer for this daring hiking duo: ravine!

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, trails with ladders, ravine
Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, trails with ladders, ravine, Pemetic Mountain trail

A good bit of the downhill was rocky of the more painful kind: not the large rocks to jump your way through but the ones that, even if being careful, is very inviting to a twisted ankle.

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, rocky trail in Acadia, Pemetic Mountain trail
Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, rocky trail in Acadia, Pemetic Mountain trail

The hike ends up skirting the Bubbles (North and South) and you could decide to go up one or both of them. We skirted them and ran into a beautiful forested area. This was a very cool hike.

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, forest in Maine, palette of green, Pemetic Mountain trail

Bernard Mountain

On the last day of the trip, we had to squeeze one final hike. We wanted to do some other things later in the day before heading to Bangor to be by the airport for the 6AM flight the next day. We had hiked in that part of Mount Desert Island earlier and wanted to drive around that part of the island so Bernard Mountain was the choice.

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bernard mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, nature in maine, forest in maine

It was a beautiful and very quiet hike. We saw only one person as we started the climb. It was very green and not much of a view at the top but what made it a gem was all the vegetation. A rolling mist near the summit was a treat!

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Art in nature – love the lines and curves
bernard mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, hikers in maine, two guys hiking
lobster roll, Maine, hiking in Acadia
THIS was reward – it made me VERY happy!

What to know about visiting Acadia National Park

Acadia is one of the top visited national parks in the United States and it earns that through the beauty of the scenery combined with the good food (lobster, anyone?!). One word of caution: at peak season, the place can be a madhouse of traffic and cars. I could see the buildup in early June but, for example, it was still easy to find parking along Ocean Path Trail (the one-way road along the coast). Two years ago, when I went at peak time, it was nearly impossible to find a parking spot along the road. So, if at all possible, avoid peak season to maximize the ease of enjoying the place.

Another key thing to do that I did on my first visit but not on this one is to go see the sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain. As the suggestion alludes to, it is an early start day… You can drive up to the summit (I think it is a 3-mi drive) and just sit up there on the rocks awaiting the earliest sunrise in the eastern seaboard. Be mindful though: you need to have pre-purchased a pass to get to this spot at sunrise. It is a HIGHLY popular thing to do and there is only so much parking up there. You must either buy it months in advance OR check at 10AM two days before the day you want to go. Thankfully, the pass is $6 so it will not break the bank. Now, of course, check the weather the night before lest you wake up to go and the sky is overcast!

I have been blessed to visit twice and hope I can visit again and enjoy Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park some more!

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Checking out Cloudland Canyon State Park

On a very cold fall morning (actually, late morning as it was 11:45AM) I started what would be a super cool hike in Cloudland Canyon State Park in NW Georgia. NW as in the true corner of Georgia where it meets Alabama and Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau. A friend selected this state park, two hours’ drive away from Atlanta, for our Sunday hike. Excellent choice!

The state park offers several trails but the most epic one is the one that allows the hiker to properly appreciate the Cloudland Canyon: the West Rim Loop Trail. Oh, and worth noting the park offers fishing, horseback riding trails, picnicking and the like. For those not hard-core hikers, the Overlook Trail offers a way to see some of the beauty.

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness
Approaching the trails from the parking lot

The West Rim Loop Trail

The trail actually starts with an in-and-out section that is about 1-mile+ long that crosses Daniel Creek. It is worth noting (and expressing gratitude!) that this state park is so well prepared for us hikers. It has excellent, readable signage (Iowa State University is a sponsor or supporter of these – thank you!) and very reliable trail markers (yellow for the West Rim Loop Trail).

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta.  Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter.
Yellow marks the way!

Also, there are many well-prepared lookouts, many with very good and sturdy railings, and some vantage points just left open as nature set them up!

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness
One of the many vantage points
There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta.  Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter.

At the end of it (35 minutes later), it meets up with the loop part of the trail, about a 2-mile hike reaching about 1,900 ft altitude. We completely guesses which way to go once we got to the loop and we opted to go left.

Good choice. Though it starts with a long uphill, the left side offered a great view over a plain-like area and a town that I believe was Trenton, Georgia. At some point, the loop hit a rocky promontory sort halfway through and then the trail turned to face to east rim and rockface of the Cloudland Canyon.

Checking out rock formations

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta.

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness
cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness

Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter.

hiking, rock formations, north Georgia, nature, outdoors, ilivetotravel
Not my home but in a bind…

The walls of a grand canyon

Wow! What a spectacular and long canyon-face! Certainly that was the part to see after passing the mid-point of the loop! One is rewarded with many lookouts (in-and-out very short trails) to enjoy the view.

cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking
cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking
cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking
cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking

Overall, the West Rim Loop Trail is 5 miles long. It took us 3 hours with the stops we made on the lookouts, random photos and snack/water breaks. There were other hikers but far from “crowded”.

One neat thing is that there are yurts and cabins in this trail. I think it would be awesome to do an overnight or two and see the scenery at different times of day.

Oh, and there’s more! Waterfalls!

Once we finished the trail, we went to see Cherokee Falls which is near the entrance to the trail. It is a spectacular climb down stairs (with the subsequent climb back up!) to get to it. The path that is not a staircase is much easier to handle!

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness

One passes a MASSIVE boulder hanging over the trail (with a bench under it).

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness
Don’t linger long under it!

The waterfall setting is well worth the trouble as were those at Panther Creek, another rewarding hike to a waterfall in north Georgia. My knees were a little sore when we finished the loop trail but, boy, did I make the right choice going down to see the waterfalls! The roundtrip to see the waterfall was a mile. Another mile roundtrip would have taken us to a downstream waterfall, Hemlock Falls. But, at 6 miles and my knees, I was glad to leave that for a future visit!

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness
This is the reward – a spectacular spot!

If I were to return, besides trying to stay overnight at a yurt or cabin, I would certainly do it a little earlier in the fall because the color change of the trees would only add another level of spectacular to what is already a spectacular setting!

Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: Lagazuoi

After spending a great night at Rifugio Kostner, who could be blamed for not wanting to leave such a cool spot? But, that is the trekking life, not staying in one spot.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi
Red arrow points to our destination: Lagazuoi

Destination: Lagazuoi

So off we went to get to Lagazuoi, a mountain known as much for WW I history as for its beautiful setting. Lagazuoi sits at 9,301 ft – 2,835m, a short 18 kms from Cortina d’Ampezzo. The mountain had many tunnels dug by both sides (Italians and Austrians) as a way to protect themselves and/or try to surprise the opponent. All this land was part of the Austrian Empire until Italy attacked it early in WW I. You can read a little more about it here.

Starting the hike; bye Pordoi

We began the day with a great breakfast as is to be expected in these mountain rifugios (photo on my prior day’s post). Then, for the sake of getting to our next rifugio before sunset, took a little shortcut to come down from Pordoi: we took the chair lift down. Personally, saving a downhill is kindness to my knees so no complaints. And, like the day before, an easy start to a long day is nice.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, R. Kostner
Headed up to the chair lift.
sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, rifugio Kostner
One final look back at R. Kostner (middle left)

A different trail ahead

The start of the actual hike was very different than the rocky / pebbly trails of the prior day. I don’t know the technical terms for the landscape but low grasses and lots of green ruled the start of the day.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, Lagazuoi, Kostner
Beautiful trails
sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia
Time for a break and absorb the views!

Many spots offered a view back to Pordoi (and Rifugio Kostner, if I zoom into the photo). It is a neat way to see where we’d been. Later, we would be offered another, even better viewpoint to watch the sun set.

sunrise, mountains, Dolomites, hiking, Italy, Italia, rifugio Kostner
R. Kostner marked by the red circle

OK, some rocks

We still encountered rocky terrain but no massive downhill covered with scree. But the paths, hugging the rock walls, were simply enjoyable.

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking,
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, technical hiking
A few steps and rope were involved here but not too technical

Approaching Lagazuoi Mountain

We concluded the hike by approaching the Funivia Lagazuoi which would take us to the feet of our next lodging: Rifugio Lagazuoi.

My feet were pretty beat and I was in need of taking my boots off. When we reached the top, we still had a steep hill to climb but, guess what? That just made the big beer I got that much more savory!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, cable car
The view down from the ride; and the rifugio almost at hand…

Majestic views of the Dolomites

Lagazuoi also offered an outdoor deck with majestic views. This rifugio was bigger than the last one and the one from day 1. Many more rooms, a larger deck, and a much larger dining area. Our floor only had 2 showers for a large number of rooms so we took a number and just let each other know when their number was getting close to not lose the spot. Thankfully, no lack of hot water!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, rifugio in the dolomites
Part of the deck; my room was one of those balconies
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset
We would reach the top of the mountain on the right to watch the sun set

Just a little more hiking at sunset

But the one thing that set this rifugio aside was fantastic vantage point to watch the sunset a short up-hill walk away. The sun would set over the Pordoi massif where we had hiked and stayed the day/night before.

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset
Looking back to the rifugio on the way to the spot
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset
And now further away – what a setting!!!
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset
At the top – what a beautiful spot
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset
The cross and the background made for a great photo!
And now posing the in the other direction! I look tired…
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, clouds, cloudporn,
This photo almost looks eerie… what do you see? I see an old woman’s head & hair
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, sky, skyporn, yellow sky
A fellow trekker just soaking it all in…
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset

It was a peaceful place and it was well worth the walk up to the spot, despite tired feet. I am sure you will agree after seeing the sunset pics.

Oh, wait, but the food…

Yes, the food was really good. The double-carb first plate was absolutely perfect. The main dish was a little less impressive but the dessert made up for it!

dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, food, pasta, risotto
First dish
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, sunset, food, main entree
The main entree
dolomites, hiking in italy, lagazuoi, trekking, apple strudel in Italy, dessert, sweets, foodporn
Perfect picture to end this post!

Stay tuned for the final posts about this trek in the Dolomites!

A Phenomenal Spot to Chill in the Dolomites

The third day of my hike in the Dolomites had me being driven from the Sasso Lungo area to a cable car (funivia) leading to Sass Pordoi. It is a nice way to ease into a hiking day to start with a short drive as, unbeknownst to me, this day was not going to be an easy one! But the whole day was full of experiences and views I would not trade as we made our way from Sass Pordoi (9,343 ft – 2,848m) to the Rifugio (Hütte) Kostner (8,366 ft – 2,550 m) at the Sella Group (east of the Langkofel, north of the Marmolada). Hiking and -then- chilling in the Dolomites is for me!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors
Here we are at the 25th switchback out of so many (I stopped looking)

The grandeur of the Dolomites

The views from the cable car exit point at Sass Pordio were fantastic. It was 41F (5C) when we got up there around 9:40AM but, with those views, who cares!

Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sass Pordoi, funivia, terrazza delle dolomite
The entrace to the funivia and the board at the top
Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors
Look at that! The grandeur!!
Dolomites, hiking, Italia, Italy, travel, outdoors, Sasso Lungo, massif, funivia Sass Pordoi
Behind me, the Sasso Lungo massif where I stayed the prior night, Facing me, the sun.

The back trail to Rifugio Kostner

We walked a short distance and we got to a small rifugio (Forcella Pordoi). It was too early in the day’s hike for a stop so I knew we would continue along the nice trail ahead. Looking to the right, flanked by two large stone massifs was a path down that I assumed would be a black slope in the winter if not a double diamond. And then I learned that was the path we were going to continue one.

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner
The gap through which we would descend…

I t was quite the sight… Ahead was a snaky path down over scree that required a lot of skill (we were reminded of the technique to handle the terrain). I can’t recall how long it took us to make it all the way down but I “mastered” the technique after like 10 mins when I decided I needed to pass those who had not quite mastered it yet as watching people take mis-steps sort of put me on edge and I was risking a solid slip-n-fall. I ended up catching up with two of my fellow hikers in the lead and we got a nice break while we waited for the rest of the gang to make it down to the lowest point we would hit, before hanging a left.

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner
The gap and the descent; gets steeper as you look up to the right.

Rocks-n-Slopes ‘R Us

Right when we made the left, we hit a very rocky path along route 626. It would be on-and-off rocky / boulder-y which was a little scarier than the downhill scree as a fall would be potentially more painful / risky. I walked with good care and had a couple of almost-falls that felt painful on my left arm as I suddenly swung my hiking pole to prevent the falls. Those brusque movements contributed to a partial tear on my rotator cuff as I would learn weeks after the hike. But, no pain, beyond a fleeting moment, those couple of times or during the remaining part of the trek, thankfully…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
The rocky path
Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, route 626
Route 626 shows the way! Still rocky
Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Looking towards the Marmolada and a key part of the WWI frontlines
Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
When it was not rocky, it was steep!
Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Look at the leg span and that guy is over 6 ft tall!
The path closely followed the massif wall. Finally, we were a tad more than an hr away!

We seemed to be hugging a large massif. At some point we ran into WWI barbed wire. This whole region was engaged in WWI skirmishes and battles on-and-off for three solid years; the highest altitude battle site of that scale. More died due to particularly bitter winters or due to avalanches… There were a few mountains that were partially blown-up for tactical reasons during those years. The next day we would stay atop one of those…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Barbed wire

In any case, at some point, we turned a “corner” and off in the distance we could see our rifugio for the night. It seemed so close… yet, it would take another hour to reach it. So close, yet so far…

Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
The red oval marks the spot – can you see the rifugio??
Forcella Pordoi, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
A close-up. Do you see it now??

Perfect spot for chilling in the Dolomites

But what a reward for our efforts! Rifugio Kostner was my favorite of all the rifugios and that is saying a lot because I liked all. It is run by the Agreiter family and you can tell by looking at the staff that most are related. They were not the typical loud, smiley, friendly Italian but were very service-oriented and ran the place ship-shape; my kind of place! It was neat to see them take their dinner together after they cleaned up from our dinner.

Aaaaaahhh!!!
sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
The dining room

It had a great outdoor deck to enjoy the views after finishing the hike, a generous piece of their apple strudel loaded with real cream, and some vino (we discovered Lagrein wine during this trip – it became one of my favorites).

 Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, Veneto
Enjoying the deck and the sun!
apple strudel, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
That was DELICIOUS and DECADENT. All this hiking

Seeing that piece of strudel and the cream you may understand why after days and days of hiking I did not lose a pound of weight (thankfully, neither did I gain).

Lagrein wine, Sella Group, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Nice Lagrein wine
wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Hard to beat!

Sunset & sunrise in the Dolomites

The views were magnificent in broad daylight, sunset or sunrise as the pics below will show (though they will not do justice).

wine, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada, sunset
Sun setting behind the massif
sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Looking across to the next day’s path at sunset
sunset, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Continuing the view; and in the red circle, our next rifugio! Yikes.
sunrise, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Sunrise the next morning – just stunning

Food at Rifugio Kostner

Of course, the meal deserved its own homage through this small collage – as did the breakfast…

dinner at rifugio, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Everything was outstanding!
breakfast, Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Perfect to start a hiking day!
 Sella Group massif, Dolomites, hiking, trekking, Rifugio Kostner, Marmolada
Departing view. Such a cool place!

Want to read more about my hike in the Dolomites. Check out:

  • Day 1 – Rosengarten Massif
  • Day 2 – Sassolungo Massif

Hiking to the Sassolungo, an Impressive Massif in the Dolomites

On day 2 of my hike in the Dolomites, we left the Rosengarten to reach the Sassolungo, an impressive massif in the western Dolomites. Mt. Sassolungo (also known as Langkofel in German, or Saslonch in the local language) is the tallest peak in the massif at around 10,400 ft (3,180 m). Mt. Sasso Piatto (Plattkofel or Sas Piat) is another famous peak in the group of five peaks. Sassolungo seems to lord over the valley below and was the backdrop to the rifugio I would stay that night.

impressive massif, Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking,
The Sassolungo

The day started with departing Rifugio Passo Principe. From the rifugio’s deck, while I was waiting for the group to leave, I noticed along that along the peaks next to us, there were trails that were pretty steep and rocky. I could not believe when I spotted a couple of hikers far along that trail on a zig-zaggy uphill. But then, it completely shocked me when I was told that we were going on that trail ourselves! This is the western flank of the Catinaccio d’Antermoia.

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe, impressive massif
Can you see the trail? It ends at the top right of the photo.

We took trail 584 to head towards the Antermoia Pass. The trail was challenging but, actually, it was a lot of fun to take the challenge and get through it successfully (a few slips included but no falls for me!).

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe, impressive massif
Looking back towards the rifugio

We got to the Antermoia Pass (Pas de Antermoa) at close to 9,100 ft (2,770 m). It was a great feeling to reach it and pause for a moment to absorb the view of peaks close and far.

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, ilivetotravel, hiker

Soon thereafter we began a downhill that led us to different terrain. I don’t know how to describe it, really. Maybe the photo can convey this better…

antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy
Headed towards Antermoia Lake

The trail would become flat and we would pass Lake Antermoia and Rifugio Antermoia (where we would stop for a short break).

antermoia lake, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy
Antermoia Lake
rifugio antermoia, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe
Rifugio Antermoia
rifugio antermoa, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe
The path we took from R. Principe to R. Antermoia

From there we walked along beautiful terrain along 578 to Val Duron. Eventually we got our first glimpse of Mt. Marmolada which holds the only glacier in the Dolomites. We would see this mountain from different angles over the next few days.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking,
antermoia pass, dolomites, trekking, hiking, italy, rifugio principe, marmolata
The tallest mountain is the Marmolada, with the glacier not too visible from this angle

Somewhere there we switched to 532 to stop for a nice lunch at Baita Lino Brach restaurant where many dishes were polenta base. The polenta was pretty bland but that is only to be expected of polenta. In any case, it was a very nice place to stop and eat outdoors.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, baita lino brach, val duron

After lunch, we walked down a flat path up until a point where a ride waited to take us to Campitello di Fassa (Campiedel) where we would take a lift from Campitello di Fassa to Col Rodela (at 2,484m). Campitello di Fassa is a small town about 70 km from Trento where most people speak Ladino, a unique language of these mountain valleys.

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, cable car
Campitello from the cable car
Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia

From Col Rodela we would finish our hiking day along trail 557 and Passo Sella to arrive at our lodging for the night: Rifugio Carlo Valentini, a very nice place!

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, paraglider
One of like 30 paragliders flying above Campitello
Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia
Sasso Piatto (L) and Sasso Lungo (R) from the rifugio

I greatly enjoyed my meal of spaetzle and pork tenderloin, right after a delicious and humongous salad (the photo shows also my breakfast the next day).

Sassolungo, Dolomites, Langkofel, hiking, trekking, campitello di fassa, funivia, trentino cuisine, food in northern italy
My two meals at the rifugio

We started the day at 8:30 AM and finished around 5 PM, covering around 8 miles. The meal above (and the wine I enjoyed) set me up well for a good night’s rest!


Missed day 1? Click here to see how the trek started in the Rosengarten (“Rose Garden”) massif.

Or move head to day 3 where we reached Rifugio Kostner over some of the more challenging terrain of the trek.

Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the Rosengarten

My first day of hiking presented a neat challenge in the Dolomites taking us from Carezza / Karersee to Rifugio Passo Principe (Grasleitenpasshütte). There we would spend the night after traversing the iconic Rosengarten Massif, near Bolzano, Italy. The massif contains several peaks with its highest elevation being at 9,849 ft (3,002 m).

The trek started with our early AM departure from Trento, where we had spent a few days performing service projects with Trekking for Kids, to Carezza / Karersee where we would catch a ski lift (the Paolina lift) to the start of our trail.

Hiking route in the Rosengarten

The trails we followed were: 539 (from exiting the lift to the Christomannos Monument) to 549 (to Rifugo di Vael) to 541 (to Rifugio Vajolet) and then, finally, to trail 584 on to Rifugio Principe at Passo Principe. I could not show it as well in one single map so here I broke up the day’s hike into two maps.

Started on the lift on the bottom left and made our way upwards…
Starting from the bottom we ended at the top of the blue line

Where to stay: rifugios!

By the way, rifugios are mountain inns or lodges that offer basic accommodations and can provide dinner and breakfast for an additional cost – which I may add, is well worth it.

Some rifugios offer double rooms, some offer group rooms, and some offer both. Also, they may offer shower facilities with some of the places having very basic ones and charging a euro for a few minutes for their use, and some having very nice rooms and bathrooms.

However basic they can be (or not), I have to say all my meals were phenomenal and I will share those along the way in these posts!

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, lodging in the Dolomites
Dining area is cozy – and now Covid-ready
speck, german food, rifugio food
My dinner: speck with fried eggs on a bed of potatoes!

At Rifugio Principe (re-built/renovated around 2008), our group of 15 split into two group rooms of eight people each. The setup was not the typical bunk beds but four mattresses laid side-by-side: one set on the floor and one set above those. It was hard to sleep with so many people around but a little harder being so close to each other. Our room was the “outside” room which was supposed to be colder but was actually warm enough (they provide you some serious blankets but I actually did not use them and, instead, just used the sleeping bag liner I had brought with me and warm clothing).

rifugio principe, passo principe, hiking in the dolomites, lodging in the dolomites
Facing the “outside” room from the sun deck

The landscape & views around the Rosengarten Massif

Trekking Dolomites, chair lift in Italy
It starts with a chair lift!
Rosengarten, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy
The best shot I have of the Rosengarten has me semi-posing…
Christomannos Monument, hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
The Christomannos Monument
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
Beautiful trails; flat for this little stretch…

Uphill and Downhill ‘R Us

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
Slight ascent but still beautiful!
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
Sometimes the trails were the ones below and others up by the peaks!
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
The trails got steep and rocky at places – massive uphills on this day!
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
Always good to hike with friends! I think these were The Beatles
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
And those massive uphills became massive downhills…
This must be after conquering an uphill due to my smile!
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
One serious downhill (but no scree on this one, mercifully)
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
And back on up. You get the drift.
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif
Despite the uphill ahead, the view was spectacular!

Let’s get technical

This day did offer a surprise: needing to cross a small section via steel cable. While it looked scarier than it actually was, I still paid attention to where every one of my 4 extremities was at every moment!

The ladders or cables were pretty new and sturdy. Some of the fighting in World War I took place around the Dolomites and, back then, cruder ladders and cables were used by the soldiers to move around – grateful things have improved since then (and are more peaceful!).

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike
From the top: Going down the rope-assisted path
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike
From the middle: The steel cable was well anchored and the “rope” pretty thick
From the bottom: The drop was not too big – but glad no one had a mis-step!

A mirage or our rifugio?

Well, along the way, it is not uncommon to pass rifugios which are not our destination. Normally OK as it means we are taking a break. But not always… Sometimes you pass them like passing ships at sea… After a long, long climb, the rifugio on the photo below would have been a GREAT stop. However, and thankfully unbeknownst to me, we had a lot longer to go so a leisurely stop would have place our arrival at our rifugio at dark… So on we went with more uphill terrain as you can appreciate from the picture… No matter how tired I got, the view was always magnificent!

hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike
Rifugio Vajolet
hiking Dolomites, trekking, Italy, Rosengarten massif, technical hike
This was the uphill BEFORE that rifugio we didn’t stop at 🙂

End of day 1 hike at Rifugio Principe

Rifugio Principe, Passo Principe, Hiking Dolomites, trekking Dolomites, Rosengarten massif
This one was OUR rifugio for the night!! Happy to arrive! (Photo credit: K. Sundin)

We covered around 7.5 miles after a mid-morning start and around 6 hours of hiking. The group took a little longer than expected, likely the change in altitude from where we had woken up (Trento, at slightly more than 600 ft elevation) to where we ended (at around 8,600 ft). But, I for one was ecstatic about finishing what was a hard last 2 hours of that day’s hike!


Read about day 2, its tricky start and getting to the Sassolungo!

How to Explore Crater Lake National Park

Oregon is known for many great landscapes from its magnificent coast to the Cascade Mountains, to the Willamette Valley, to the Columbia River Gorge, etc. But one of its most spectacular sights has to be Crater Lake.

Crater Lake, since 1902 part of Crater Lake National Park, serves as witness to the incredible story of earth’s forces at work. Mount Mazama, the original volcano on that site, blew up about 7,700 years ago. The top of the volcano collapsed inward after all the contents spewed out (non-technical terms!) and created a caldera that has filled up with water since then from rain and snow melt.

Crater Lake, Mount Scott, hiking Crater Lake, Oregon, outdoors, nature. exploring Oregon
View towards the west from Mt. Scott

The lake is between 4.5-6 miles across and about 1,943 ft deep. It is considered the deepest lake in North America. And another bit of trivia: it holds almost 5 TRILLION gallons of water. Lots of H2O.

Though no streams flow out of this lake, the water level remains fairly constant because water does seep out or gets absorbed. The water has very little in terms of sediment flowing in (again, no streams feeding it) which helps give it its unique color. It is an intense, beautiful, entrancing blue.

Do the Crater Lake rim drive!

Today, one can drive all around the rim of the lake, a 33-mile drive, dotted with stopping points offerings great views all around the volcano’s caldera. Well, one can as long as it is between mid-October and June as the road closes the rest of the year due to snow… There are two entrances to the park, one approaching the park from the south via route 62, and another from the north.

Crater Lake National Park map, Oregon, national park service, hiking in Crater Lake, overlooks in Crater Lake
In red ovals, some of the places mentioned

We came in through the southern entrance which is where Park Headquarters and the Visitor Center are located. This southern shore of the lake hosts the Rim Village with an overlook, café, and Crater Lake Lodge (which was closed during my visit thanks to Covid).

Let me share with you the places I explored in my visit along this great drive and let you decide which offered the best views of this incredible lake. Hopefully these suggestions will help you plan your own visit!

Phantom Ship Overlook

We did the rim drive counterclockwise. Starting from the southern entrance in this direction, the first part of the drive is a long of windy road with no views of the lake for the most part but still a beautiful ride. Sometimes the curves do not have guardrails so mind your driving!

But soon, than changes and the rest of the rim drive is mostly just going around the edge of the crater. That means lots of great places to stop to admire the beauty of the lake and see it from another angle.

The first stop we made was at the Phantom Ship Overlook. There are a couple of stops you can make before this one (Sun Notch which offers a nice direct view down to Phantom Ship, and Dutton Cliff) but we decided to make Phantom Ship Overlook our first stop. Phantom Ship is a tiny island on the southern side of the lake – quite photogenic, especially with the trees on the edge of the lookout framing the view nicely.

Phantom Ship, island in Crater Lake, hiking in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park
Phantom Ship, island in Crater Lake, hiking in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park

After the Phantom Ship Overlook come a couple of small stops: Pumice Castle and Cloudcap Overlook (which looks straight due west onto Wizard Island in the opposite side of the lake). Nice, brief stops and – as usual – with views that do not disappoint.

Mt. Scott: The highest point at Crater Lake

There are a few mountains or peaks rising out of the area around the rim at Crater Lake. Mount Scott offers the tallest point around Crater Lake, and is a great hike taking you to 8,929 ft. The hike is about 4.5 miles round-trip.

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon, trails in Crater Lake
Mount Scott, tallest point in Crater Lake, hiking in Crater Lake
Cleetwood Cove, Mt. Scott hike,  Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
Nice zig-zags!

Though steep (the elevation gain is 1,200 ft), it is a beautiful path and doable without gear (though I always carry my hiking pole to ensure my knee is not pounded too much!).

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon, trails in Crater Lake
Nice day with clear views!

It is a neat hike and one gets rewarded with a nice short walk at the top with many spots for photo opps while making one’s way to the peak itself.

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon
I think the lake is that way. Or the other… No Columbus here!

And the peak area is not a bad place to eat your lunch while soaking in the views!

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon, trails in Crater Lake
Taking a break for the view!
Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon, trails in Crater Lake
Brought my family with me, as usual 🙂

Skell Head Overlook

After getting off Mt. Scott, a good stop to follow is the Skell Head Overlook.

Skell Head overlook, Grotto Cove, Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking
Grotto Cove on the right and towards Cleetwood Cove (not visible here)

Plenty of parking and space to – once again – soak the views of the lake and have some photos snapped (always better than a selfie!).

Skell Head overlook, Grotto Cove, Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking

Cleetwood Cove Trail – swim in the lake!

For those wanting to jump in the water, there is only one spot where it is legal to jump into the lake. And it requires a steep 1.1-mile down hike (with the corresponding 1.1-mile steep hike back up…) so it may not be for everyone. If it is up for you, know that the elevation difference is 700 ft. This is what the hike looks like:

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim, hike map
The vertical line at the top is walking across the parking lot!

It is worth noting this is one of the best parking areas on this northern and eastern parts of the rim. Two structures at either end of the large parking lot offer restroom facilities though be ready for the basic type of restrooms… Plenty of parking for a busy August day so that certainly was well-thought out for this most popular stop on Crater Lake’s rim road.

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
The trail is mostly shaded but not always

Once down there, there is no sand beach. Just lots of rocks to climb over and then to walk on to get into the full water. There is one spot down there from where it is allowed to jump into the water and save the rock walking (well, you have to do those to get out of the water). I suggest wearing water shoes as the rocks under water can be slippery but you may feel safer with your naked feet.

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
Beautiful water colors – and lots of rocks
Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
The beautiful water lies… it’s coooold!

In mid-August the water just completely freezing so not sure how it feels at the beginning or the end of the season, though I imagine it likely does not change much… I waited for my buddy to try the water before I went in. I sloooowly made my way in…

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim

I went in but there was a strong current right by the rocks so I stayed in the water on the rocks. “Stayed” is a generous term equivalent to no more than 10 seconds. But I got my hair wet! Then, I laid back on those warm rocks to cool and dry off. Very nice!

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
“Raul on the rocks”

Of course, the hike up was work but I didn’t carry much with me save water and a couple of other things in the small backpack.

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim
Just. Don’t. Look. Up. While. Going. Up.

Merriam Point

Merriam Point is a small stop as the rim drive continues. It is also the point at which the northern entrance to Crater Lake National Park hits the rim road. It is a good point to look southward toward Wizard Island, which will be much closer on the next stop on the route…

Crater Lake, National Park, Wizard Island, panoramic view, hiking, Oregon hiking, great outdoors
Awesome panorama view of the lake and Wizard Is.
Crater Lake, National Park, Wizard Island, panoramic view, hiking, Oregon hiking, great outdoors
A very short walk to the viewpoint

Watchman Overlook and Watchman Peak

A short drive south of Merriam Point is Watchman Overlook. Watchman Overlook is almost at the westernmost point of the lake and was our final stop that day on the Crater Lake rim drive.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak, Watchman Overlook, rock formation at Crater Lake
View looking left from Watchman Overlook

Watchman Overlook offers a great vantage point to see the lake and Wizard Island. And, for those inclined to tackle a good incline, it also offers a hiking trail up to Watchman Peak.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak
Watchman Peak and the trail as seen from Watchman Overlook

It is a 0.8-mile walk up a steep path but the view is a very nice reward.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak trail
The trail
Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak, hiking Crater Lake
Excellent view of Wizard Island from the peak

After Watchman Overlook, had we had more time that day, we would have gone towards the lodge where a trail goes to the top of Garfield Peak which, at 8,054 ft, is just slightly taller than Watchman Peak. Garfield Peak is on the south edge of the lake so it would have offered a totally different vantage point so you may want to check it out. Of course, you don’t have to climb the peak to see the views north as the Rim Village would offer a similar view but just from rim level.

If you have not gathered yet, I thoroughly enjoyed Crater Lake National Park and all the views and activities that if offers. I have not visited many of our national parks but they are certainly a great treasure and I hope to be planning visits more often than I have before!

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, cobalt blue water
Goodbye, Crater Lake

Glacier Mountain National Park: St. Mary and Virginia Falls

Glacier Mountain National Park in Montana is known as the “Crown of the Continent.”  And it is rightly so called:  it is peaceful, magnificent, and elegant.  One of the funnest hikes in the park is hiking to St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls right by the edge of St. Mary Lake, one of the two main lakes in the most visited part of the park.

St. Mary Lake is on the eastern side of the park, at the eastern end of the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, by the small town of St. Mary.  GTTS Road, as it is colloquially known, is one of the absolute must-dos to enjoy the Glacier Mountain park’s majesty.  Driving along the lake going westward from the park’s main entrance is by itself an enjoyable experience.  As you drive west, the lake will be on your left with majestic mountains as the backdrop – which makes for many great photo opportunities.  There are numerous spots to pull off the road to admire the beauty and/or take pictures (don’t snap and drive!).  Depending on the time of day, the light will be different.  If you have the luxury of seeing it at different times of the day (especially early-early AM or late/late afternoon), do so!  I got to drive GTTS Road both in the mid/late-afternoon and in the early morning, and loved the difference sunrise vs. pre-sunset made in the scenery.

montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

Looking west towards a mid-afternoon cloud-covered sky

Once we got to the western end of the lake (about 10 miles from the park entrance), we pulled in to the parking area to take us to St. Mary Falls.  This parking lot was between the St. Mary Falls shuttle stop and the Sunrift Gorge shuttle stop.  If you are taking the park’s red shuttle, you can start the hike from either of those stops as there are trailheads next to them.

Our plan was to hike 1.2 miles to get to St. Mary Falls (4,560 ft altitude).  Then we would go a little further (an additional 0.7 miles) to reach Virginia Falls which sits higher at around 4,800 ft.  If you are of average fitness, you are likely able to go all the way to Virginia Falls.  If you feel you can handle the climb, you will likely agree that it is worth going that much further and higher to see Virginia Falls.  In the end, it is not a long hike, really.montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

While bears are in their natural habitat anywhere in the park, this particular trail is well-trodden by people so, hopefully, the noise of people talking keeps them from approaching the trail.  Just be on the lookout and carry your bear spray in a spot where you can quickly access it.  There is no better way to keep yourself safe than to be proactive in looking out for your safety!

Hiking to St. Mary Falls

Along the way you can admire mountains that rise upwards of 8,000 ft in altitude (on a trail where your max altitude is about 4,800 ft).  Pay attention to the signage as (from the parking lot we started from) there are a couple of junctions that could take you to different places.

montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

One of the junctions

hiking trail, montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park hiking trail, montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park hiking trail, montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

Once we were far enough along, all of a sudden we saw a river (St. Mary) and then heard the sound of the waterfall.

montana outdoors, st mary falls, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

The bridge is the sign of the destination!

montana outdoors, st mary falls, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

St Mary River downstream from the same-named falls

Pretty soon we saw the wooden bridge placed in front of the waterfalls and, as we turned a bend, got to the bridge so we could see the waterfalls.  The waterfalls has three levels though two of them are the most eye-catching of the trio.

montana outdoors, st mary falls, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

St. Mary Falls

Hiking on to Virginia Falls

Once you are done enjoying St. Mary Falls continue the trail on the other side of the bridge.  The terrain gets a little more difficult to get to Virginia Falls.  We were excited to see a waterfall but realized that was not Virginia Falls. montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park, waterfall

The trail got steeper but, thankfully, the scenery made it all worth it.  I don’t think you have to be an athlete to do this hike as long as you are generally in good health.  Feel free to stop and snap photos – it gives you a little rest and there are definitely a couple of spots where one should step and just soak it all in.

hiking trail, montana outdoors, st mary lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park, ilivetotravel hiking

Can’t pass on snapping a photo in front of the beautiful landscape!

virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

The best spot to do that is actually the foot of Virginia Falls.  But wait.  You will see Virginia Falls from a vantage point where you can appreciate them from a distance.  But that’s not what I am calling the “foot” of the falls.

virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

The first sighting of Virginia Falls

There is a view point a short distance up from that one.  It is worth dealing with the trail which, if it is wet, can be a tad slippery.

virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

Keep on going!

That view offers a flat rocky area with plenty of space to get close enough to the waterfalls – you can feel the spray on you.  It is much more impressive than St. Mary Falls partly for its size but also the setting of the spot.

virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

Amazing!

virginia falls, montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

 

What do you think???  Of the scenery, NOT of my video-ing skills!

This short hike (about 4 miles round trip) can be added to by visiting nearby Baring Falls which requires going almost all the way back and, at one of the aforementioned junctions, make a different turn (unless you park at Sun Point Nature Trail in which case you will pass Baring Falls on your way to St. Mary Falls).  After seeing St. Mary and Virginia Falls, we felt it was unlikely Baring would impress us.  I wish I had seen it just to know for sure but it was time to call it a day!

montana outdoors, st mary lake, sunset over a lake, GTTS road, GMNP, Glacier Mountain National Park

The reward after a nice hike is looking back west across St. Mary Lake as one follows GTTS Road

Gear for Climbing Kilimanjaro | Clothing

Planning my hike of Mount Kilimanjaro and the subsequent safari (check out my visit to Serengeti) in Tanzania was not an easy task.  From every angle, it felt daunting.  How to train, what clothing I would need, what items I needed to bring, what constraints we had with bag weight, and on and on.  It is not easy to sift through all the considerations on the gear for climbing Kilimanjaro, especially the clothing.  Some good work is required!

Research is key in planning your gear for climbing Kilimanjaro

Good research was key and I figured that would be the case from the get-go.  That research took many forms.  Talking to people who have hiked Kili.  Reading blogs or websites about hiking it.  Talking to the great folks at REI. And working through the list and advice given to me by the trek organizer (Trekking for Kids) – which was outstanding.  In the end, I still had many decisions to make on what felt could be important things to add to my packing list for hiking Kilimanjaro and the subsequent safari.  Fortunately, I was well armed with information and advice.

This post is geared to those contemplating climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Or perhaps those just interested in reading about what people wear when they climb Kilimanjaro!  In any case, reaching Kilimanjaro’s peak, Uhuru Peak, is an adventure that requires both cold and hot weather gear. This is so because the mountain has just about every climate zone possible in its 19,340 ft.

I will attempt, as an amateur, to share over a couple of posts what made it to my packing list and how it helped.  This post will focus on clothing (I share in a separate post the key non-clothing items to bring – and why!).  If you are reading this and planning a similar trek, please feel free to leave any questions as comments and I will reply and try to help.  In addition, should you have other suggested items or even better suggestions than mine, please share!  There are more ways to skin a cat than one!

Some details about my gear recommendations

Before I move on to my recommendations for the clothing packing list, a few key items to note:

  • I went on safari after the hike concluded (I highly recommend this!  You are ALREADY there!) so I also include in my packing list things needed for the safari which is mostly regular stuff but just for warm weather.
  • Kili has multiple climate zones ranging from hot to extreme cold – this requires understanding how much of what to bring and your own preferences.
  • I am not laying out all the options possible, especially in clothing, as this post would be five times long and no one would read it, but will share what all the advice led me to choose – happy to answer any questions you may have.
  • I did write about my 7 top items to take on this hike.  It was a high-level view of the question and written before I went on the trip (whereas this one was written with the first-hand knowledge of having completed the trip).  This post will get into more details.

Kilimanjaro, planning, gear, packing, climb, hiking, trekking, Tanzania, mountaineering

Pin it and dream of Kili!

Clothing – Lower Body

Let’s take it from the bottom of the body upwards.

  • Hiking boots – Get good hiking boots AND do your practice hikes using them so you break them in well.  Otherwise you may suffer more during the hike, including dreadful blisters.  Some folks opted for shoes that were more like hiking shoes.  However, I prefer the safety of the ankle support since I am bound to get sloppy when tired.  Sloppiness raises the risk of twisting my ankle and ruining the rest of the hike.  The following are a couple of boots that read well from the product descriptions.  Mine were REI waterproof hiking boots from a long-time ago so no image at Amazon for them.  Study these and their features, and keep in mind that waterproof and comfort reign supreme in terms of choosing boots. Regardless of where you purchase them, make sure you know whether you can try them out and return them if you, once you have tried them out, decide they are not for you.  That’s a great way to be sure to have the right footwear.  Your footwear will be your key ally those days of being on your feet.  (The two shown here represent two different price points to contrast the options.)

Sample 1Merrell Men’s Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot

Sample 2Columbia Men’s North Plains Ii Waterproof Mid Hiking Boot

  • Gaiters – These items help keep mud and scree from doing a number on you by getting into your footwear and becoming a major nuisance.  You will need gaiters during the summit night climb for sure and, more than likely, on the first day if it has rained recently (it had not when we got started, so I did not need them that day).  You do not really need knee-high ones in my opinion; something to cover the possible gap between the bottom of your pants and the top of your boots is sufficient for the one or two times you will use them.  I would say not the most critical of the items but nice to have.
  • Socks – The socks needed for the hike and the ones needed for the safari were of very different kinds.  For the latter, you may not need to be told what to get (anything that helps keep the foot dry is always better than plain cotton but you won’t die if you wear cotton ones; just be more sweaty).  But for the hike, I highly recommend you use a liner to wick moisture away from your feet and then woolen socks over them.  Wetness is a contributing factor (not the main one perhaps) to blisters.  For summit night or other colder days, you will be well advised to have a pair of VERY thick woolen socks.  I was still a little cold in my feet even with the sturdiest of these on summit night – the part of it that I had any awareness…  I understand that our summit night was not the coldest night possible by a bit so, if it can be colder and I was cold with very thick woolen socks, I hate to know how bad it can feel on my feet!
  • Pants
    • A rainproof outer shell was a must to avoid getting soaked if it rained.  However, this outer layer does not need to keep you warm (I used under-layers to handle the cold).  The outer shell is about rain and, also, wind.  I got a hard shell (you can get a soft shell instead if you want).  A key feature I found most helpful are the side long zippers (ankle to hip) that enable you to very quickly put them on (as in, when rain starts all of a sudden…) – a breeze!  Bottom line on these:  windproof and waterproof.
    • When I was not using the outer shell (which was most of the time), I just used my hiking pants as the exterior layer.  I would highly recommend zip-off (convertible) hiking pants for quick adaptability:  if it gets too hot during the day, you don’t have the “do-I-want-to-go-through-the-hassle-of-taking-off-my-boots-to-change-into-shorts?”-type of dilemma…  But it also saved packing both long pants and shorts 🙂  Read through all the details of these and others you may find (all sorts of price points!).  The convertible hiking pants shown don’t need to be anything fancy:  comfortable and with the amount of pockets you feel you want in the right places (and with buttons, Velcro or zippers on them per your preferences).  Basic worked fine for me!

     

Sample Hiking PantsColumbia Boy’s Silver Ridge III Convertible Pants
Sample Outer ShellMarmot Men’s PreCip Full Zip Pant Shell

  • Base layer for the legs – Base layers (long leggings) made from merino wool (the best) are important to stay warm.  This layer, given the material, will also keep odors from building up.  This characteristic makes them re-usable for more than one day. Added benefit:  cut down on what needs to be carried on the flights to/from Africa and by the porters.  You can use polypropylene for this layer but I heard merino wool just performs better.  On summit day, you may need two layers of base layer.  I wore two under the hiking pants and then the hard shell on the outside.  Before the trip, I was consistently told that silk is about the best material to help retain warmth next to the skin.  I was surprised when I heard that.  I just happened to have this pair of silk leggings but, once on Tanzania, our lead guide told me to use the two merino layers I had instead of the silk pair and one merino pair.  It worked well enough for me on summit night!
  • Shorts for safari – I wore shorts during the safari (the zip-off hiking pants and an extra pair) but I also did wear my full hiking pants to better protect me from the sun (and bugs, I suppose).  Of course, shorts will also be things you wear in the evening or when exploring towns.

Clothing – Upper Body

  • Base layer– The upper body layering approach is much like the lower body’s.  I used base layers for the colder days – again merino wool.  (Usually one, but two on summit night!)  For lower altitudes, a regular long sleeve CoolMax type of shirt.  As I went up and things got colder, a wool “close-to-the-skin” layer under the CoolMax worked well.  Wool is ideal for skin-contact as it wicks moisture from your skin preventing many things (one of them: smells!).  I show one example below but there are tons from many brands that fit the needs – and varying budgets 😉  Bottom line: no cotton!

Sampletasc Performance Men’s Elevation Ultrafine Soft Merino Lightweight Long Sleeve Shirt

  • Mid layer – I got a merino wool mid-layer to have for the evenings at camps lower than base camp. On summit night, this layer would separate the skin-hugging base layers and the outer layers I will mention next. Tasc‘s Elevation line (of which I show a base layer item above) also has a 1/4 zip hoodie jacket that also combines merino wool with their signature bamboo fiber which may be a great item.  I didn’t have one with a hoodie so I had to wear the regular ski hat if I was cold enough at camp at night. By the way, I am a fan of Tasc‘s regular bamboo fabric t-shirts so I am curious how this one would work.  The Icebreaker item I show below, has the power of one of the best-known and valued brands in terms of quality of merino wool. Normally that means a higher price point.  But this one seems quite reasonable.  Search around when you click through below as they have other versions of the same type of item with some range in price point.  The SmartWool brand, in my short years of serious hiking, has proven to be a good and reliable one.  So theirs is worth reading more about when selecting a mid layer top.  Be wary of items that will themselves as having wool.  A few years ago I clicked on one and it was mostly polyester and only 11% wool.  Always read the product details!!  Note:  An alternative could be a fleece jacket.  There are pros and cons to wool vs. fleece.  One of the main difference is how each performs in keeping you warm when wet (wool is better) and how quickly they dry (fleece is better).  Since I knew I would have the right layers to keep rain off me, then wool was a no-brainer for me.

Sample Mid Layer 1Icebreaker Merino Descender Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip
Sample Mid Layer 2Smartwool Men’s NTS Mid 250 Full Zip T

    • Outer layers –  On the trek, I had an outer hard shell for rain and wind.  I also carried a synthetic down jacket which was great because it was very compact when packed.  I used the latter in the evenings while at camp on cold nights, And, of course, on summit night.  My outer shell was an Arcteryx jacket very much like the one below. Arcteryx is not a cheap brand (I hunted the jacket until I found it on a great sale!) but reading through the item I show below will give you an idea of the features to look for.  Best I can tell, this one is pretty similar from top to bottom to the one I had (except mine was orange).  To keep in mind for summit night:  I used two merino wool base layers, the merino wool light jacket, the hard shell (for wind, not rain), and the synthetic down jacket – which I was not wearing at the beginning of the ascent but which I wore during breaks and once it got too cold even while moving.  It important to plan these well because summit night will be COLD.

Sample Outer ShellArcteryx Alpha SL Jacket

  • Shirts for safari – I had quick-dry short sleeve shirts that also had side vents – very comfortable in warm weather and preventing odors from building up…
  • Head- and neck- gear –  I used different items to cover my head from the cold and from the sun – both very important.  A typical sun hat to protect against the sun (with a rim) was a very good idea.  A skull cap was one of the items I used in cold weather.  In very windy or in rainy conditions, the hood from the hard shell helped a good deal.  I also had a buff which I used when the skull cap seemed like a little much.  In fact, the buff served many purposes, like loosely hanging around my neck to avoid burning up when in the sun.  I also used it to cover my mouth and nose when it got dusty on the trail or in the safari.  Finally, I brought a balaclava for summit night.  It would offer lots of protection with only a small space open to look out.  I could also just use it around my neck (would keep it warmer than the buff would).  So quite a few options!
  • Outer gloves –  You are going to want some extreme gloves! The gloves should be waterproof because you don’t want gloves getting wet where it is cold.  And some good heavy duty insulation (e.g., PrimaLoft). You will still need liners underneath (you would think an extreme glove would be enough…).  My fingertips were still a little cold on summit night even with the liners.  But that eventually passed as I entered “the zone” (read how summit night unfolded)  You also need to decide on the type: mitt or separate-fingers. For that outer layer of gloves, I chose mitt. Plus:  less “surface” exposed to the outside, so keeps more warmth around your fingers. Minus: Lower usability of your fingers since they cannot move independently.  However, the rationale for mitts was that most of the time, I would be holding hiking poles in my hands during the ascent.  For that, the mitt grip worked. Once I wanted to reach for tissues or take a photo, yes, I would have to take the mitts off but that was not a big deal. Even fingered style gloves may have been too thick for some of these motions.
  • Liners – I only used the extreme gloves summit night but the liners I used a lot on the days and evenings prior to summit night.  Maybe bring two pairs of liners of different thicknesses, or one pair of liners and one pair of lighter gloves.  The Grabber hand warmer thingies that generate some heat can be helpful though they do not always seem to generate the same level of heat at high altitude.  Nevertheless, any heat helps so you may want to bring some.

Clothing – sleep time

OK, do I really think you need help with this?  No and yes.  No, because sleep wear is such a personal comfort thing.  But yes because part of it is slightly counter-intuitive.

When you are sleeping in the super-cold weather sleeping bag at night at the higher altitudes and on colder nights, the less you wear, THE BETTER.  No, no, nothing kinky about that statement.  Simply the interior of the super-cold weather sleeping bag will make you feel your own body heat warming you as it leaves your body.  So the more clothing you wear, the less your body heat will work with the sleeping bag to keep you warm.

Other than that, keep the jackets, pants, etc. close to the sleeping bag.  Because when you wake up in the middle of the night to relieve yourself (and, trust me, you WILL if you are taking Diamox), you will need to put those on because you will not be able to go outside in your “sleepwear”!

ilivetotravel Shira Camp with Mt. Kilimanjaro Olympus camera

A happy if tired hiker by his tent and the roof of Africa!  Wearing the merino wool mid layer and the synthetic down jacket.

Can I help you any more with planning your packing list?

So, this is the run-down of the clothing items I’d include in any packing list for a hike of Kilimanjaro.  The items shared here are the things I obtained and used on the hike (and on the subsequent safari).  I have to say my planning paid off.  These items served me very well.  Others may have different additional suggestions on what to add to the list of things to bring to hike Kili.  I hope they will share those here!

Finally, I hope if you were not considering hiking Kili or were uncertain, check out my other posts on the topic (see below) and know that it is fairly attainable with good training and preparation!

Disclosure:  I am not being paid or in any way compensated by the brands whose wares I discuss in this post.  While I would love to sample their products and review them, that is not the case in this post.  I just want to show good samples of the types of items I’d consider.

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What to wear Kilimanjaro, clothing Kilimanjaro climb, packing list Kilimanjaro, hiking


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