hiking - ilivetotravel's travel log

Hike to an Inn in North Georgia

19 September 2016 by Raul 2 Comments

If you are a casual reader of this blog, you will know that I enjoy hiking near and far from my home. One of the “near” hikes on my list to check out was the hike to the Hike Inn in north Georgia. The Hike Inn can only be accessed by hiking to it hence the name (actually, it’s full name is Len Foote Hike Inn). There is a service road leading to it but, as the name implies, it is for service, not for guests. Guests need to do the 5 hour hike in and out.

The trail begins atop Amicalola Falls (about 1.5 hrs/70-mile drive from Atlanta) – a destination to check out onto itself with other trails and a phenomenally tall set of staircases if you want to walk from the bottom of the falls to the top. On this day, we drove to the top of the falls where we would leave our vehicles.

Amicalola, falls, Hike Inn, Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photos

The top of Amicalola Falls – awesome place!

Amicalola, falls, Hike Inn, Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo, trailhead

The start of the Hike Inn trail

The Hike Inn is in high demand so you need to book it in advance. It is well worth it. The hike is not super strenuous and you are rewarded by a magnificent place to stay.

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photos

Amazing detail of nature

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo

Along the trail

Our arrival at the Hike Inn!

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo, sky

The view from the Hike Inn – magnificent

The accommodations are basic (bunk beds) and you can get private rooms. The bathrooms and showers are shared but they are actually quite clean and nice (especially when compared with how basic the rooms are). The toilets actually do not flush but, instead, deposit the waste (nice wording, huh?) somewhere below where it is taken advantage of through processes that they staff will happily explain if you decide to take them up on the tour of the facility (it is actually worth doing).

Hallway by the rooms

Bath house building

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo, toilet

There are rules for the toilet

Actually, everything about the place is about taking care of the environment. The inn offers dining service with support of volunteers who get to stay for free for their service. The Hike Inn politely stresses the importance of not wasting food (only serve yourself what you need) and actually tracks clean plates’ count at the end of a meal. The food is delicious and the dining area is an open space where you can meet other hikers. Really neat.

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo, lodge

Dining area

Georgia, Atlanta, hike inn, hiking, outddors, nature, photo, menu

Menu of the day

Chart showing how well diners have done

After dinner (or before), you can sit and relax in any number of places around the inn. One of my favorites is the upper porch looking east-ish – I love me a good rocking chair with a view! You can also go for short walks around. Right in that upper porch area is a game room where people can congregate and play games or read a book.

The living/game room

The best part of it all is sunrise. If you wake up early enough (and I recommend it!), go down to the sitting area below and face east. Bring a blanket. And then enjoy a majestic sunrise if the weather cooperates. It is the perfect way to end the stay before starting back on the trail down. Next time I go, I think I may stay two nights to really enjoy the place and its surroundings! I leave you with a series of photos from the amazing sunrise I witnessed!

Save

Filed Under: Georgia, Hiking, North Georgia, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: Amicalola Falls, Hike Inn, hiking, hiking in Georgia, hiking near Atlanta, nature, outdoors, sunrise hikes

Chattahoochee River Hikes: Vickery Creek Trail in Roswell

23 May 2016 by Raul Leave a Comment

Right by old town Roswell, a few miles outside of Atlanta‘s “perimeter” (an interstate highway that rings the city), is the Vickery Creek Trail. There are about 7 miles worth of trails in this pocket of nature in the middle of Roswell. A portion of the trails are near the creek (also named Big Creek) which hits the Chattahoochee River right by the entrance to the parking lot I used to hit the trailhead. This area is also part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, a collection of parks along the river which crosses Atlanta from the NE to the SW (sort of!).

The trail offers moderate hiking, with some fairly flat portions and a few climbs that I would guess are not too strenuous to the average person. The trails are well marked (the blue square spray painted on trees) and well signed so one can make one’s way around pretty easily. Because of the time of the year, what seemed to me to be mountain azaleas were in bloom (pinkish flowers).
What is cool about this trail is seeing the two waterfalls created by a small and a large dam. The area around the larger waterfall is not large and one has to watch one’s step but it is a pretty spot.

There are also a covered bridge and a large span bridge further down which facilitate cross the creek to other trailheads and parking areas. Whether you are here in Atlanta to go up to the mountains or just visiting the city, this trail is one of many easy to visit and yet offering a unique hiking experience!

Filed Under: Georgia, Hiking, North Georgia, US & Canada Tagged With: Atlanta, Georgia, hiking, hiking in Georgia, nature, outdoors, Roswell, trails near Atlanta, where to hike near Atlanta

Hiking in Nepal: To My Turning Point – Deboche (Day 4)

11 April 2016 by Raul Leave a Comment

After a restful and relaxing day in Namche Bazaar, it was time to hit the “road” on the trail to Everest Base Camp for the last leg of my trek before turning back. As I explained in an earlier post, I was shy a few days in my vacation bank so I would not be going all the way to Everest Base Camp on this trek, much to my chagrin. This day, day 4 of the trek, would take me past colorful and charming Tengboche with its beautiful monastery to super tiny Deboche. This day of hiking would take me to the highest altitude I would reach in this trek, a hundred or so meters under 4,000 m (or some hundred feet or two under 13,000 ft.), nothing terribly high in comparison to my climb of Kilimanjaro a couple of years before.

This day would start by us climbing up and out of the half bowl that is Namche Bazaar, past the interesting local history museums, and the great viewing point I described on the day 3 post. And we could also see in the distance the two hanging bridges we had crossed on our way to Namche Bazaar.

Nepal, Everest, Lhotse, ilivetotravel, monument,Himalayas, Everest, EBC, mountains, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Looking back at the spot from day 3 from here we saw Everest

Nepal, Everest Base Camp, trail Tengboche, ilivetotravel, Himalayas, Everest, EBC, mountains, photo, Samsung Galaxy, hanging bridges

The hanging bridges that were so much fun to walk across

Then we skirted the side of some mountains on a beautiful and changing trail that offered us a new and closer view of Mt. Everest and Mt. Lhotse than the prior day’s. We walked past a stupa or chorten honoring the sherpas of Everest which, besides being a beautiful memorial to these individuals, made for a great foreground to the photo of Mounts Everest and Lhotse that I show below. A photo which, by the way, also shows my favorite mountain, Ama Dablam, on the right. This specific view may be the most beautiful view point of my entire trek. Surreal to the max!

Stupa, chorten, sherpa, Himalayas, Nepal, EBC, trail, Everest, Tibetan, design, colorful, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Samsung Galaxy

Headed towards the stupa with the best backdrop of the trek!

Stupa, chorten, sherpa, Himalayas, Nepal, EBC, trail, Everest, Tibetan, design, colorful, Samsung Galaxy

Detail of the stupa honoring the sherpas, looking like a Himalayan wedding cake

Beautiful and colorful detail of the stupa

Later on we had the best view on this trail of my favorite mountain in the area: Ama Dablam. It looks like it is a person (a mother, perhaps?) with two extended arms covered by flowing robes, welcoming the trekker. Pretty darn majestic.

Ama Dablam, Everest trail, hiking, Nepal, Himalayas, mountain, peak, Everest Base Camp, majestic, Samsung Galaxy

Majestic and grandiose Ama Dablam

Of course, as we did every day a couple of times, we stopped for tea at a tea house. Mint tea or lemon tea – I could never decide which was my favorite. Sometimes one, sometimes the other. Both the tea and the rest were most welcome but also the time to soak in the landscape around us, the charming architecture of the local buildings simple yet full of color, and just to sit and chat with fellow trekkers while soaking some sun. A great way to recharge batteries and engrave the sights into my memory bank…

tea house, Himalayas, Nepal, Everest, EBC, Tibetan, architecture, tea, break ,trekkig, hike, Samsung Galaxy

I loved admiring typical Tibetan architecture during tea time and while walking the trail

Lemon tea, anyone? One or two glasses…

Typical outdoor area of a tea house with the universal plastic white chairs

The team guides and our lead guide discussed whether to make the push for Tengboche (which involved a serious climb) to have lunch there, or to stop short of the climb to have lunch and rest beforehand. They decided that we would eat lunch before the climb. I was torn. On the one hand, the sooner we got to Tengboche, the sooner the hardest part of the day would be behind us and then lunch would feel more lackadaisical (I am all for NOT procrastinating). I also would not be doing the hardest part of the hike on a full stomach if we had kept going before having lunch… But, on the other hand, it would delay eating lunch by a good bit. So, I didn’t mind whichever way they decided – I trusted they knew best what made the most sense for us as a group based on how we were doing – and perhaps other factors (weather?). In hindsight, having seen Tengboche, I think the spot by the water where we stopped for lunch was perfect for rest and recovery prior to the climb.

Nepal, Himalayas, Everest, base camp, EBC, food, Khumbu, Samsung Galaxy

Part of our lunch – soup and rice!

Nepal, Himalayas, Everest, base camp, EBC, Khumbu, Samsung Galaxy

Toilet in a very scenic place at lunch (you can thank me later for not putting a photo of the inside…)

Overall, that day we would cover about 4 miles (6.5 km) and we were expected to be on the trail for about 6.5 hours. The most exciting part of the day was when we came to the top of a slope to find ourselves on fairly flat ground looking at the Tibetan Tengboche Monastery through the foggy afternoon. It was not only a beautiful sight but very surreal. We walked up the steps hoping someone would come meet us and let us enter it as it looked totally dead to the world. And, sure enough, someone came to open the doors and invited us in.

Tengboche, monastery, Himalayas, Nepal, Tibetan, color, Samsung Galaxy

Entrance to the monastery (more pix on the next post)

Lots of color and detail

We entered the main prayer room but no photos allowed – and I respect that

You better follow these rules – especially no kiss!

Once we left the monastery, a short walk down from it, we stopped at a tea/coffee house (what else, of course!) before embarking on the short last hour (or less) to our stopping point for the night in Deboche. With the hardest part of the hike for the day over, it was very enjoyable to kick back and sip away! Ahh…

Once we got to Deboche, the teahouse was one of the sparsest, most austere of the teahouses I stayed at or visited in this trek. Being that we were at a higher altitude, it was colder too. The teahouse only had one tiny stove in the center of the dining/living room (as do most teahouses) which was not irradiating as much heat as most of us wished it had. I definitely stayed dressed more warmly, even through dinner, as I tried to keep by body heat in me. We sat around the room with tissues close at hand to dry our noses (a common condition at this altitude and climate) – and drank hot tea until it was time for dinner and the eventual turndown for the night, always a welcome moment to catch our rest!

Deboche, trail, teahouse, tea house, Himalayas, Everest, base camp, Nepal,EBC

View towards the trail from our room in Deboche – very rustic spot

The rooms were basic but who needs more? Except heat…

Deboche, trail, teahouse, tea house, Himalayas, Everest, base camp, Nepal,EBC, dung, stove

Yeah… heating was very limited and crowds formed around the stove

The evening was nothing short of frigid, frankly. There were two toilet rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. But the one upstairs was a Western toilet with a tank that would not fill – so not flushable without a bucket of water. I found it more effort to flush it so, in the middle of the night, I would walk down the very steep staircase to the non-Western toilet room, though by doing so I had to walk further in the cold of the night and not only freeze but also wake up a little more because the journey took longer… The little journey was all indoors but, trust me, it was FRIGID; not sure there was much of a difference between inside and outside when it came to temperature. Thank goodness, I had the right sleepwear and, more importantly, the right sleeping bag to get back into a re-warm up!!

Deboche, trail, teahouse, tea house, Himalayas, Everest, base camp, Nepal,EBC, Olympus

Yeah, that’s our ice-covered window in the morning… Yes, it was THAT cold.

The next day, my direction would change: a few of us would be turning back to return to Lukla for the flight back to Kathmandu as our time on the trail to Everest Base Camp would end at Deboche… The next morning, as we got ready to leave, it was very hard to leave the rest of the group with whom we had spent the first few days on the hike (and the days before working to help build a school in the village of Kumari). It was a great group of people motivated by the desired to improve the lives of children in Nepal, and who enjoy travel, exploring, and the great outdoors. That next morning (day 5) we packed up, had breakfast, and went outside ready to go our separate ways. We posed for one picture which ended up, unfortunately, somewhat blurry and the five of us (one of these being our great guide, Chandra) began our journey back to Lukla to catch out flight to Kathmandu thus starting the end of our time on the amazing Everest Base Camp trail… While I did not go to Everest Base Camp, I got to experience the best of Nepal: the people, the architecture, the views and that was all well worth it.

Want to start at the beginning of this trek? Here is day 1. Want to know what else I did on this trip other than the hike on Everest Base Camp, check our work to build a school in Kumari here.

Pin this beautiful image to your board!

nepal deboche, tengboche to deboche, everest base camp trail

The view on the way to Deboche via Tengboche: Mount Everest!

Filed Under: Asia, Hiking, Nepal, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, Ama Dablam, base camp, Deboche, Everest, going from Tengboche to Deboche, hiking, hiking to Deboche, Himalayas, monastery, mountains, nature, Nepal, outdoors, Tengboche, trekking

Hiking in Nepal: Namche Bazaar and a View of Everest (Day 3)

4 April 2016 by Raul 9 Comments

After the grueling climb to Namche Bazaar, it was REALLY nice to arrive at the Khumbu Lodge for a two-night stay as an acclimatization day for the group headed to Everest Base Camp. I liked the Khumbu Lodge as it had all the amenities I “longed for” (sounds so dramatic!) and the staff and service were great. I think the group as a whole liked it a lot. Good start to our time in Namche! (No, I did not get a free stay or perks for writing this. I, like my companions, really liked this lodge!)

Nepal, Namche Bazaar, Himalayas, Everest, EBC, town, mountains, photo, Samsung Galaxy

The Khumbu Lodge in the center of the photo

We sat in the dining room catching up on Internet-based things and rested before showering and getting ready for dinner. I loved the almost 270 degree view from the dining room and the spaciousness of the room.

Namche Bazaar from the dining room

Namche Bazaar is the most sizable town on the route to Everest Base Camp. It is nestled on the side of a mountain, carved on its sides sort of auditorium style. Its alleys are covered with steps and unevenness so one better pay attention – no smooth sidewalk in sight! (I exaggerate perhaps just a little…). Of course, it is loaded with souvenir shops but also all the practical places needed for life as a local and as a trekker (drug stores, food markets, coffee shops, etc.).

A typical ‘street’ in Namche Bazaar

Nepal, Namche Bazaar, Himalayas, Everest, EBC, town, mountains, photo, Samsung Galaxy, ilivetotravel

View over Namche Bazaar

Our schedule had us doing a short hike on the morning on day 3 to a point at the edge of the town, high up, with a fantastic view of Mt. Everest in the distance with Lhotse next to it (the world’s fourth tallest mountain). We spent a good bit of time on photos and just enjoying the beautiful spot and sunny day. The short hike was steep so it was a good warmup for day 4 when we would exit past that same point. There was a small museum at the top of the climb that was well worth the time to check out and learn more about the area.

Nepal, Everest, Lhotse, ilivetotravel, monument,Himalayas, Everest, EBC, mountains, photo, Samsung Galaxy, Ama Dablam

At the monument honoring Sherpa Tenzing Norgay

Everest on the left and Lhotse on the right

Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam on the right

Coming back down we made a stop at another local private museum, the Sherpa Culture Museum, at a place where Sir Edmund Hillary had camped on his way up and that he later visited a few times when a hotel was established. It had a neat collection of household items from the region and also a short movie as well as a souvenir shop (the other one was a public museum with no shop).

Sherpa Museum, Namche Bazaar, Nepal, EBC, Everest, trekking, Himalayas

Ticket to the Sherpa Culture Museum

Map on the Sherpa Museum ticket

Sherpa Culture Museum

Namche Bazaar, architecture, design, Tibetan, window, colorful, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Typical Tibetan design in a window at Namche Bazaar

dung, Himalayas, Everest, trekking, photo, museum

Yep, this is the real thing. Good for burning in a stove…

Later that day, I was thrilled to discover Hermann Bakery where I ate a nice pastry and enjoyed a latte. Plus, we got to used a very fast Internet connection (that I could also tap from my hotel room!) which always makes me happy.

This last photo will be the image of Namche Bazaar that sticks with me forever – a gorgeous spot in the Himalayas!

View from the lodge’s dining room

————————————————

Read on: Day 4 – To my turning point: Deboche

Filed Under: Asia, Hiking, Nepal Tagged With: base camp, Everest, Everest Base Camp route, hiking, Himalayas, Khumbu Lodge, Namche Bazaar, Nepal, trek, trekking

2015 – A Year in Review

22 December 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

2015 is almost over and it is time for the year in review which, I think, is an exercise not just in writing but in re-living the many blessings the year bestowed on me. Here it goes and share with me some of the travels in your 2015!

In the city of brotherly love – Philadelphia, USA

My first trip of the year was to Philadelphia where family and friends live. It is a place I love to visit though I do not get to do so often. I welcome the opportunity whenever it comes though as I greatly enjoy spending time with my aunt and uncle who make me feel so at home whenever I go. Though I got to see many, I did not get to see all my relatives nor all my friends which was a bummer – but good reason to go back! As usual, my uncle likes to show me around places historical to both country and family. I had not visited Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell since the early 90s and I enjoyed my visit there. We also went to Valley Forge which had a special look since it was winter-time (and was also very cold!).

Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, freedom, history, travel, photo, Samsung Galaxy, sunset

Liberty Bell with Independence Hall behind it

Independence Hall, winter, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, freedom, history, travel, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Independence Hall across the mall

Valley Forge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, history, independence, battle, travel, Olympus, photo

Valley Forge in winter – reminder of the cost of our freedom

Now, those places are not where the family history comes from 🙂 instead this building served as their home right after they moved up there from Miami.

Philadelphia, Italian neighborhood, history, Pennsylvania, townhouse, rowhouse, architecture, Samsung Galaxy, photo, travel

House where my parents and relatives lived

My first hike of the year – Blood Mountain, Georgia, USA

My first hike of the year was a training hike as I was going on a trek to Patagonia with Trekking for Kids. My friend Phil who also enjoys hiking and I decided to do a hike near Blood Mountain that ended up -accidentally- in a climb of Blood Mountain. While it was unplanned, it was a fortunate ‘accident’ as it all ended well and we enjoyed great vistas and trails.

Freeman Trail, Appalachian Trail, Georgia, photo, hiking, winter, outdoors

Entering Freeman Trail from the Appalachian Trail

Jarrard Gap, Appalachian Trail, Georgia, photo, hiking, winter, outdoors

Along Jarrard Gap, the start of our hike

An amazing metropolis – Buenos Aires, Argentina

The orphanage work related to my trek to Patagonia was going to take place on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina. So I knew I was going to be spending time in this great city – and more importantly, eating the best beef in the world paired with great wine! I enjoyed walking about town and having nice meals with my fellow trekkers (some which I knew already and some which I met there).

beef, food, foodie, foodporn, Buenos Aires, Argentina, delicious, photo, Olympus, parrillada

The parrillada at Campo Bravo

dessert, postre, Cabaña Las Lilas, chocolate, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina, food, foodie, foodporn, Samsung Galaxy

Don’t forget dessert: this beauty courtesy of Cabaña Las Lilas

But the best part was meeting the children and staff of the two homes we worked with on our projects which included repairing a very leaky roof and damaged walls and furniture. Much as I loved spending time in BB.AA., this work was the highlight of my time there!

Buenos Aires, Argentina, zoo, Trekking for Kids, service, painting, chairs,photo

Painting new furniture with the kids was an adventure onto itself!

Buenos Aires, Hogar La Teresa, Argentina, service, Trekking for Kids

These kids were hard workers and also great with the soccer ball!

Buenos Aires, Argentina, zoo, Trekking for Kids, service, photo

At Temaiken, Buenos Aires’ zoo

Back in time – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

When planning my Buenos Aires travel, I decided to add an extra day to cross the river by ferry and spend half a day exploring a town that was a good throwback to the colonial period of the region: Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. I sold three other trekkers on doing this short trip with me and we had a great time walking the streets of this easy-going town. I highly recommend making the crossing if you ever have time in Buenos Aires!

vintage car, vintage auto, Uruguay, Colonia, Sacramento, travel, photo, Samsung Galaxy, Austin, blue, living museum

One of the MANY vintage vehicles in town – an Austin

Colonia, Sacramento, Uruguay, colonial, UNESCO, World Heritage, Places to See, travel, photo, basilica, church

Basilica del Sagrado Sacramento

My favorite spot on Earth – Chile’s Patagonia

As I wrote earlier this year, I loved Patagonia when I first visited the Perito Moreno glacier and Chile‘s amazing Patagonia in 2010. I’d always hoped I could return some day and that did happen… in 2015, much sooner than I’d ever thought possible. I returned to hike around Fitz Roy in Argentina, re-visit the Perito Moreno glacier, and then trek through the Torres del Paine National Park – which I had not done in 2010. And it was a rewarding effort for sure with great vistas and a glacier hike to boot. Memorable is not a good enough word for the experience. And, secretly, I hope I get to return a second time for my third visit!! (click on the hyperlinks above to see more photos from each of the visits)

Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo

Grey glacier, where we hiked

Fitz Roy, Argentina, Patagonia, hiking, trail, trekking, mountains, outdoors, Olympus

On the trail to Fitz Roy

Torres del Paine, Chile, Patagonia, mountains, peaks, massif, outdoors, trekking, hiking, adventure, Olympus, landscape

The Torres del Paine massif

The great northwest – Portland, Oregon

Thanks to work, I spent five days in Portland, Oregon. I had never been to Oregon so it was cool that I got to go there. I arrived at mid-day on a Sunday and decided to take a walking tour of Portland as it would be the most effective way to see the highlights of the town while enjoying the great weather.

Portland, Oregon, northwest, travel, city, tourism, Samsung Galaxy, photo, streetscape, green

Portland street

Mercifully, daylight went on late so I got to take advantage of it to take a drive along the Columbia River to see the waterfalls that dot the riverside. I also got to enjoy dinners in establishments along either side of the river which was a phenomenal day to end the workday.

Family, friends and food fest (4 F’s) – Spain, olé!

Friends of mine were going to hike the Camino de Santiago, a hike I did in 2014. I thought it would be cool to combine my wish to meet relatives I had not met who live in the outskirts of Santiago with my friends’ arrival in Santiago de Compostela. My grandmother has two surviving cousins she never met in person who live in Bastavales. I had met one of them last year when I finished the Camino walk but I had not met the other. So I met María and her son, grandkids and great-grandkids for the first time and enjoyed their warmth and sharing special memories and photos of the family. I also visited time with Flora, the cousin I had met last year. It was really cool.

Bastavales, Spain, family, Vilas, genealogy, farm, travel, Galicia

With Maria, my grandmother’s cousin

I then welcomed my friends and their fellow trekkers as they arrived in Santiago at the end of their Camino. It was wonderful seeing them glow in joy as they wrapped their long walk. After they got their Compostela and going to Pilgrim’s Mass, it was time to celebrate with some cañas (beer) and tapas in one of the many beautiful old streets of this phenomenal city. We also took a day trip to Finisterre on the Atlantic coast, a nice place.

beer, tapas, Santiago, Compostela, Galicia, Spain, España, tourism, travel, hiking, Samsung Galaxy

Beer and tapas in Santiago de Compostela

Santiago, Compostela, Galicia, Spain, España, tourism, travel, hiking, Samsung Galaxy

The left side of the Cathedral

Finisterre, Fisterra, Spain, Atlantic Ocean, travel, hiking, trek, Camino, Santiago

With friends Phil and Tommy at Finisterre

The visit with my friends continued in Madrid and, after they left, I got to spend time with madrileños friend of mine, enjoying good drinks, food, and atmosphere around town. It was fun spending more time in Madrid (check out “6 Cool Things to Do in Madrid“!). I love Spain but I loved more the opportunity to be there with friends!

Reuniting with dear friends – California

In late May, dear friends left Atlanta to head to California due to a job opportunity. It was hard to see them go as I spent many a Friday night over ten years hanging out with them pre-kids and after-kids. So, it was great when work offered me the opportunity to go to San Francisco so I could spend the weekend after the conference with them in their home outside of San Jose. They took me to two great Mexican restaurants, one of them right by where they live. I enjoyed a drive down Pebble Beach on the famous 17-mile drive (which I still have to write about!). And we visited the charming coastal town of Carmel – and its impressive mission.

Junipero Serra, Carmel Mission, California, tomb, saint, history, faith, church, travel, photo, Samsung Galaxy, blue, sky, clouds

Glorious skies at the Carmel Mission

California, Pacific Ocean, 17 mile, drive, Pebble Beach, travel, photo, tourism

Waters along the 17-Mile drive

Up-north (WAY up north) – Duluth, Minnesota

Work took me for a brief business trip up north, to a small town 45 mins north of Duluth, Minnesota. Driving along the coast of Lake Superior was very nice and peaceful. We only had one night in Duluth but enjoyed a nice breakfast at a mom-and-pop type of place and dinner at a pub. Of course, being the traveler that I am, never having gone to Wisconsin, and realizing I was just a bridge-crossing, I just had to do it… We had mostly an open morning so, along with a colleague, I drove across the water to a coffee shop I found online in the town of Superior, Wisconsin! A coffee later, we crossed the bridge again and back in Minnesota!

Wisconsin, interstate, I-535, highway, travel

Wisconsin, here we come!

Returning to one my favorites – Chicago, Illinois

I first went to Chicago in a bitterly cold January in 1991 with company for training. And I kept returning over the years mainly in winter. This year I got to go in August for pleasure, after spending a few days in Minnesota for work. I got to enjoy walking everywhere, getting to the lake, which I had never done. I also explored new parts of town thanks to friends (including little gems in terms of eateries). Overall, what I enjoyed most about this trip was a first for me in Chicago: going to a museum! The Art Institute of Chicago was right up my alley as very much an amateur in terms of art. It made it all approachable and enjoyable without overwhelming. I highly recommend it. I look forward to returning to Chicago and having more time to see all the friends who live there (this was practically a day-and-a-half visit) – and explore a new museum or two!

An epic trek to close the year – on the route to Everest Base Camp, Nepal

I was not planning any other hike on 2015 after having done Patagonia earlier in the year. However, I found out that several folks I knew from prior treks were going to do the trek to Everest Base Camp and I started wondering if I could go… I was generally fit even if not well-trained, it was a generally good time to go from a work standpoint, and though I did not have vacation time to be able to go to base camp, the trek offered a shorter itinerary. So, I went for it. I had a great time and was thrilled to having seen the Himalayas, Mt. Everest, and the hamlets and people of the highlands of Nepal. I am still writing about the trek so I will just point you to a couple of the writings: flying into scary Lukla airport to begin the hike, day one of the hike (you can keep going from there to later days), and one of the neat sites I saw in Kathmandu. The best part of the trek was the work done before the trek in the village of Kumari. Check out the work we did with Trekking for Kids here.

Great Boudha Stupa, stupa, prayer wheel, Buddhist, Buddhism, Kathmandu, Nepal, Samsung Galaxy, travel, tourism

The prayer wheels

Kumari, Nuwakot, Nepal, kid, child, school, service, volunteer, Samsung Galaxy, photo, travel

Kids from Kumari

Epilogue to a year that ends…

2015 was an epic year. From great hiking experiences, time with family and friends, new destinations, and good food and drinks, it had it all. I got to step in South America, North America, Asia, and Europe all in one year! However, as the year came to a close, we lost my stepdad, Rubén. It was a bittersweet time as he had been suffering from Alzheimer‘s and his last week was one full of suffering. So his passing offered him rest that we were thankful for, sad as it was to not have him around us any more. Rubén, as my Mom, loved to travel. They traveled across Europe and other places many times. I got to travel with them and my sister and her family in several cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Baltic Sea, as well as explore places like Copenhagen, Panama, and Paris (where they visited me in 1999 when I was living there). Though we will sorely miss him in this final journey he has undertaken, I know I will see again at the final destination. Until then, I will continuing journeying here. Rest in peace, Rubén!

In Panama in 2009

Filed Under: Travel Journal, Year in Review Tagged With: argentina, Blood Mountain, Chicago, Chile, Colonia, Compostela, food, Georgia, hiking, Madrid, Nepal, Oregon, Patagonia, Pebble Beach, Philadelphia, Portland, Santiago, spain, trekking, Trekking for Kids, Uruguay, Wisconsin

Hiking in Nepal: On the Way to Namche Bazaar! (Day 2)

14 December 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

On Day 2, we left our teahouse in the tiny spot of Tok Tok (9,000 ft / 2,800 m) at around 8:45AM to head, following the route to Everest Base Camp, to Namche Bazaar, a rather bigger town than most in the area (actually, THE biggest). This would have us climb over 2,000 ft in the last 2.5 hours of the hike that day, a rather ambitious and challenging effort (except for the super fit and those used to the altitude, perhaps – I fell under neither success category…).

Leaving our spot in Tok Tok, we stood for a group photo as one of the trekkers was not continuing beyond Tok Tok.

Tok Tok, trekkers, Everest Base Camp, Nepal, Himalayas, trekking

Group photo!

Nepal, Himalayas, trekking, hiking, Tok Tok, bridge, river, Everest Base Camp

Our first bridge of the day was right outside the teahouse – watch out for the pack animals!

On the trail to Everest Base Camp…

Soon thereafter, off we went walking on terrain that was becoming familiar to us: rocks, dirt, steps, pack animals, farms, debris from the earthquake, reconstruction, and the river. It is a rugged but peaceful terrain; except when the pack animals come – at that point you make a quick move towards the inside of the trail, not the side facing the steep dropoff! On this day, we would cross the river four times if memory serves me right.

Everest Base Camp, trail,trek, trekking, terrain, hiking, Nepal, Himalayas, outdoors, adventure, Olympus

Steep climbs every day!

Everest Base Camp, trek, trekking, terrain, hiking, Nepal, Himalayas, outdoors, adventure, Olympus

Pack animals: these were carrying a very light load

Typical stop for trekkers

Entering the Sagarmatha National Park

Later that morning, we officially entered the Sagarmatha National Park (which is the park where Mt. Everest sits) via the Jorsalle gate (which is right outside of Monju on the way to Jorsalle). There was signage offering good advice for trekkers in dealing with acute mountain sickness (there are always those who are unprepared…). More importantly we passed a traditional kani gate which incorporates prayer wheels and colorful paintings on the walls and ceilings. This gate marks our entrance in the sacred valley of the Sherpa (a term that refers to an ethnic group, not a job, as we learned…): the Khumbu. I loved the rules suggested to those who enter the valley (see photo).

kani gate, Jorsalle gate, Sagarmatha, National Park, Nepal, Everest Base Camp, tradition, Buddhist, sacred valley, Khumbu

The kani gate marking the entrance to the sacred valley

Sagarmatha, Kani gate, Jorsalle, Nepal, Himalayas, Buddhist painting, art, color, photo, travel, Olympus

Ceiling painting

Wall painting and the ever-present prayer wheels at the kani gate

Acute mountain sickness, Nepal, Sagarmatha, warning sign

Warnings about acute mountain sickness

Sagarmatha, National Park, Nepal, kani gate, Jorsalle, park rules, travel

Follow these rules!

Breaks from the trail: tea and food

While the actual walk is rewarding despite the challenging parts, one of my favorite moments is when we stop 🙂 Yes, it is about getting a break from the effort. But it is also about the camaraderie over that cup of tea, lemon or mint with the latter being my favorite. As we all have different paces, non-walking time is when we get to share with those we don’t keep up pace with (or those who can’t slow down easily!). After tackling the first mile (which was not a walk in the park), we made a restroom stop at Benkar but did not even sit- this was not our morning break for tea.

Brief stop to use the ‘facilities’ and take a snack out

Resuming our hike with a nice downhill

So we trudged along and, after we entered the Sagarmatha NP, we later hit our morning break at Monju (or Monzo) at a place that I would stop at on the way back to Lukla. The outdoor terrace was very spacious and comfortable (perhaps because we were the only ‘crowd’ there) and the temperature was great so we enjoyed sitting in the terrace sipping our tea!

Everest Base Camp, trail, route, Monju, Monzo, Nepal, Himalayas, Trekking for Kids, travel, outdoors, adventure, Olympus

Tea time in Monju!

And then we proceeded to Jorsalle where, not 30 minutes later, we would have lunch outdoors by the river at a teahouse there. It was a great stopping point right by the trail (as most are). It was a good break before the final push, and I mean PUSH, to Namche Bazaar – we would be starting a serious vertical climb over a rather short horizontal distance. Heaven help me! We left our lunch ‘resting place’ at around 1 PM.

Jorsalle, Khumbu, Nepal, Himalayas, Everest Base Camp, trekking, trail, Dudh Koshi, river

Approaching Jorsalle, our lunch ‘town’

Lunch time in the sun!

Bridges crossing the Dudh Kosi River

Before I get to the monster climb… This day was made fun by the many bridges low and high, short and long we would cross. If you are not a fan of suspension bridges, this may not be your favorite day but the most important thing to mind are the pack animals, not the height of the bridges! Here are some images from the “day in bridges.”

bridge, Nepal, Dudh Koshi, river, Everest Base Camp, route, Olympus, travel, outdoors, trekking, hiking, Khumbu, Sagarmatha

Pack animals have right of way – if you are smart!

Lovely scenery from the bridge’s vantage point

One of the smaller bridges we dealt with

Beautiful spot (notice the prayer flags)!

Loved walking this close to the Dudh Koshi River

And then we got to this… (the bottom bridge is closed now)

And we are about to walk across the highest one!

View down from the highest suspension bridge

And our awesome endpoint: Namche Bazaar

The route to Everest Base Camp is not a steady uphill. No place ever is (even Mt. Kilimanjaro has its downhills as you climb) but this was as much going down as you have gone up in many stretches.

In fact, this day, on a 5.3-mile (8.5 km) route, our net climb was around 2,300 ft (about 800 m) – we climbed much more (upwards of 4,000 ft) and descended a good bit. But after lunch what we faced was mostly a severe uphill, especially after the last suspension bridge (the highest one). And the trail was very rugged to boot. Hard stuff. I didn’t know how I could finish it. And remember, we were climbing to our end point at over 11,300 ft (3,400 m) so the thin air was having an impact (as a reference point, once in Namche Bazaar, we would be at 67% oxygen level vs. sea level!!). I had to stop every now and then just to catch my breath especially after a stretch where the ‘steps’ (rocks) were higher. Not knowing how much more I really had was both a blessing and a curse. Certainly I would not want to know how much more most of the way but maybe during the last 30 minutes I would have wanted to know that Namche was THAT close.

With the incredible climb at the end, Namche Bazaar could not have come sooner. So, it was awesome when we rounded a corner about 2.5 hours after lunch and we saw this town incredibly nested in what looked like mother nature’s own amphitheater: Namche Bazaar! It was a photo op moment for sure and we had earned the rest day coming up on Day 3!

Namche Bazaar, Nepal, Everest Base Camp, trail, route, Himalayas, trekking, hiking, outdoors, adventure

I shall name this photo: “The first time I saw sweet Namche”

The moment I stopped when I rounded the corner – best moment ever!

My trek roommate and I celebrating we had survived

——————————————————————————————

Check out other related posts!

Filed Under: Asia, Hiking, Himalayas, Nepal Tagged With: base camp, Everest, Everest Base Camp route, hiking, Himalayas, Khumbu, Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Nepal, Tok Tok, trek, trekking

Hiking in Nepal: Lukla to Tok Tok (Day 1)

4 December 2015 by Raul 2 Comments

My trek in the Himalayas followed the route to Everest Base Camp. I only had two weeks’ vacation so I was short one week to make it all the way to “EBC” since my visit to Nepal included an extra number of days to help in the re-building of a school that was destroyed during the April 2015 earthquake in the village of Kumari. It was a great trip and I did not want to miss seeing Mount Everest in person. Making that decision was not the hardest part, figuring out what I need to take was! (Read here for how I packed for the trek!)

However, I went on this trek with Trekking for Kids because I knew some of the folks going and it was not a bad time to be away from work (is there ever a good time??). So my trek was going to be from Lukla to Deboche, past the Tengboche monastery. As it turned out, that ended up being a good choice since my stepfather died back home the day before I left Nepal for home. But, before that turn of events, I was already glad I had chosen to not go all the way.

Day 1 took us from Lukla (2,860 metres (9,383 ft)) to Tok Tok (2,760 metres (9,o55 ft)). While an overall descent, there were plenty of climbs and descents along the way!

Nepal, Himalaya, route, Tok Tok, Lukla, map, trekking, Everest trek, adventure

Our starting point and ending point for day 1

Starting the trek: getting to Lukla

Starting the trek in Lukla required first getting to Lukla. As I shared in an earlier post, either one does a local bus and then a few days’ hike to get to Lukla or one flies into one of the “most dangerous” airports in the world: Lukla (LUA). I did the latter for a couple of good reasons: that was what was pre-planned by Trekking for Kids and I didn’t have enough vacation time anyway!

You can read the details in the earlier post but the short of it is: I made it to Lukla alive and without too much suffering 🙂

Lukla, Nepal, airport, runway, travel, adventure, Samsung Galaxy

The Lukla airport – a very short and dramatic runway!

Getting the trek going: leaving Lukla

After we landed in Lukla, getting our bags was a piece of cake (the airport is tiny, after all). From there to our breakfast stop (at a hotel we would return to at the end of the trek) was a very short walk (Lukla is tiny, after all). We got there and, as we had left Kathmandu at the literal crack of dawn, we proceeded to have some breakfast before heading out. Our guides had to sort our things with the porters we were picking up in Lukla so we had ample time. I can’t really recall what I had but nothing too heavy as we were leaving for a few hours’ hike.Everyone was itching to go and, when we finally did, I think we had a little bit of adrenaline flowing! Close to leaving Lukla, we came to our first gate and prayer wheels and the backdrop was phenomenal in the deep blue sky ahead. It was a sign of the great day ahead!

Though we started the hike at over 9,000 ft, we warmed up pretty quickly as the hike progressed. It felt so good! Hamlets in this part of Nepal are charming probably because of the color applied to the window and door frames and we started noticing this early on.

Nepal, Himalayas, house, hamlet, blue, travel, Olympus, trekkers

Approaching a hamlet

Nepal, Himalayas, house, hamlet, blue, travel, Olympus

House along the trek route

We crossed our first hanging bridge on this day (one of two hanging bridges that day). It was not too high (I am not afraid of heights, thankfully) and it was certainly long. We would follow this river all the way to near Namche Bazaar. We also crossed another bridge, a truss one, that day. I noticed that some parts of the route, as it passed through small “hamlets,” were paved with stones while others were dirt paths. It was nice to have the variation in the route – just like it was nice to have all the uphills and downhills mixed.

Nepal, Everest trek, Dhudh Kosi, river, trekking, Olympus

Approaching the Dhudh Kosi River and the hanging bridge

River, Dudh Kosi, Nepal, glacier water, Everest trek, trekking, nature, outdoors

Beautiful waters, courtesy of glacierland!

Buddhist faith along the route

Along the way we passed different-sized prayer wheels and collections of Tibetan tablets (in sanskrit) that are so iconic and that speak to the concreteness of the faith in that region of Asia. I tried to not miss spinning prayer wheels and we certainly made sure we passed the “monuments” on their left as tradition/faith requires.

stupa, Buddhism, sanskrit tablet, stupa, Himalayas, Everest trek, Nepal, travel, outdoors, faith, religion, photo, Olympus

Sanskrit tablets and a stupa

prayer wheel, Buddhism, sanskrit tablet, stupa, Himalayas, Everest trek, Nepal, travel, outdoors, faith, religion, photo, Olympus

A prayer wheel asking to be spun

A hiker has to eat!

Along the way we stopped for lunch at a beautiful spot where the route made a 90-degree angle. The place, the Wind Horse Lodge and Restaurant was a perfect spot, idyllic, for the stop. We sat outside at tables on the small lawn, graced by marigolds along the edges. Until clouds rolled over and it started getting cold. We promptly found tables indoors and the lunch was pretty darn good: fried noodles and rice along with fried mini empanadas (my Latin roots betray me as that is not what they call them there!).

Nepal, Everest trek, food, fried noodles, travel, trekking, teahouse

Lunch!

Ending our hike in Tok Tok

Bellies full and feet rested, we proceeded on our hike. I try on these treks to not study the route we are going to take as I don’t want to be “expecting” the next stop or calculating how much longer we have to go – I want to enjoy the moment though, I admit, at times when I am feeling tired, I start trying to figure out how much longer I have to go 🙂

We arrived at our teahouse in Tok Tok (River View Lodge) and, as usual, it is a great feeling to hear the words “We are here” when we arrive at our resting place for the night! It was a tiny spot nestled between a hill and the river. I wish it had been a tad warmer to stay outside in the evening.

teahouse, room, Everest trek, lodging, Nepal, Himalayas, travel, trekking, travel, Olympus, photo

My room at the teahouse

The dining room (aka, hanging out room) at the teahouse

In the end, it was a spectacular first day trekking in the Himalayas and I slept well that night! I leave you with one of my favorite views from that day!

stupa, Buddhism, stupa, Himalayas, Everest trek, Nepal, travel, outdoors, faith, religion

Just magnificent

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 5

20 July 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

After the fun of day 4 with all the wind and beautiful views of the lakes and the Torres del Paine, the big day finally arrived: no, not because it was the last day of hiking but because it was the day we were trekking up to the lagoon to see the peaks close and personal. But it would all depend on the weather as there could be rain or cloud coverage over the iconic conical (alliteration!) peaks. The morning light showed everything looked good – and majestic!

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Samsung Galaxy, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

View of the top of the range

About an hour later, the light had changed and a rainbow appeared.

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Samsung Galaxy, photo, trekking, travel, rainbow

Rainbow nicely framing the massif

The Refugio Chileno

Trekking from the Refugio Chileno, where we had stayed overnight, back to our exit point at Hotel Las Torres would be about 9 kms. But before starting on that, we would go up to the Mirador Las Torres, about 4 kms away and mostly going up about 380 m to reach the lagoon at around 875 m above sea level. So, in total, this day would be 17 kms worth of distance covered.

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

The main lodge at the refugio (nearest to us, the dining room)

The refugio also offers space for camping, if that’s your thing!

I have not mentioned how the refugios work. They usually have rooms with several bunk beds (stacks of 2 or 3), shared bathroom facilities (with private showers), and communal dining (usually scheduled as not everyone fits at once). I am not saying they are super clean but they were generally better than expected. The meals were acceptable if not good and wine and beer were always available. I gained weight in this 5-day hike!

Getting to the Mirador Las Torres

Alright, back to the hike. The route up was not always a nice path, there were a couple of spots with makeshift wooden bridges to cross small streams. But that all added to the fun of the climb.

bridge, creek, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Rickety bridge…

Another bridge

Enjoyed all these bridges!

Of course, going up was more fun due to the expectation of arriving to the top mirador (viewing point), of getting as close to the Torres as possible. Returning to the Refugio Chileno, by comparison, was slightly less exciting but probably more tranquil.

hiking, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Peaceful trails

creek, hiking, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Roaring waters

tree, hiking, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

A very unique tree

So, while the weather had been iffy in the morning, it improved as the climb up happened. Sadly, we did have some cloud coverage at the top of the towers as you can see in the photos. We heard that they cleared up later – just the nature of the weather down in Patagonia: you never know! Though mildly disappointed, it was still a great feeling to make it up there.

hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

For those who may need coordinates…

The beautiful lagoon and cloud-covered peaks of the Torres del Paines

My roommate Dave and I – ’til the next trek!

And then leaving the Torres del Paine National Park…

Once we returned to the refugio, we did the usual (pit stop, eat something, etc.) and then picked up our stuff and started to make our way out of the park and our phenomenal 5-day hike of the W circuit of the Torres del Paine. The vistas continued to be breathtaking all the way until the end of the hike, pretty much.

Looking along the creek/gorge near the Refugio Chileno

Just beautiful!

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Leaving the gorge area

One final bridge and it is over… 🙁

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Looking back before the final short stretch…

I was on the front group and I ran into the Hotel Las Torres, where the bus was picking us up, to make a pit stop when I spotted the bar. And that’s when I remembered how, upon finishing descent from Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of my fellow trekkers, Len Stanmore, and I grabbed a beer (I wish I could have added “cold” as an adjective but it wasn’t…) to celebrate. So I ordered a beer for me and fellow trekker Paula who was there with me and we celebrated completing the W circuit in proper form!

trekker, beer, hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Done and cheers!

With this, I end the series of the hike in the Torres del Paine National Park. It is as beautiful a landscape as there exists in this planet: the Chilean Patagonia. I have been blessed with seeing it once as more of a tourist (in 2010) and again, fulfilling a wish I had since 2010, of returning to trek the W circuit so I could see everything further up close than in 2010. I am lucky guy indeed.

lagoon, hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

A happy trekker

Go back to day 4 of this Patagonia trek!

——————- Check out other treks —————–

Save

Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America, Travel Journal Tagged With: Chile, hiking, MIrador Las Torres, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Chileno, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 4

9 July 2015 by Raul 4 Comments

A windy night at Refugio Los Cuernos

I woke up around 7 AM on day 4 after a night thinking the place we were staying at was going to blow away at any moment. On top of that, something right outside our window kept hitting the window on and off throughout the night (we discovered in the morning that the window was perfectly shut and it was making the noise). I am told the gusts we experienced overnight were between 80-100 km/hr! I wanted to go outside to look at the lake as the wind was howling to perhaps take video or a photo – I did but ran back inside! A little later, the skies cleared a little and we were rewarded with a view of the cuernos (towers) of the Torres del Paine graced by a rainbow!

rainbow, Refugio Chileno, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Rainbow over los cuernos

It was still very windy…

The wind along Lake Nordenskjold howled

But, it wasn’t just the refugio! We started our hike and it was windy for a good bit of the first half of the hike along Lake Nordenskjold! We could see white top waves on the surface of the lake.

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The white tops of the lake’s waves

The wind created some beautiful sights

And with a rainbow to boot!

Until we turned a corner around a small peninsula. Then that part of the lake was flat as it could be!

On the top and right of the lake in this photo, you see the wind’s effect. The rest is flat!

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

From then on, nice and flat!

The winds and gusts along the way were so strong that they would throw you off balance. We learned to crouch quickly at the first hint of a gust (or after it hit others first!). I believe one of our guys was lifted up an inch even with his backpack! It was surreal.

Refugio Chileno, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Not even the wind can stop my friend Bridgit!

Maybe a tiny bit scary but, actually, more thrilling than scary (except when it threw me sideways once…). Don’t believe me?

Check out this one minute video I took at the refugio and along the way! (turn down the volume as it is noisy but don’t mute your speakers!)

Despite the winds (constant at around 40-50 km/hr with gusts exceeding that), hiking along the lake was quite a neat experience. It was just beautiful! Lunch was shredded chicken sandwich on bread that was actually “stamped” with the name of the refugio we had left, “Los Cuernos“!

sandwich, bread, Los Cuernos, Torres del Paine, Chile, food, photo

An authentic “Los Cuernos” sandwich!

Past the wind and on to the Campamento Chileno!

The hike (about 15km / 9mi) took us about six hours counting our stops and towards the end got away from the lake and went through some private lands.

Two of my fellow Morocco/Camino trekkers: Always good to see friends!

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

I guess we have to be careful, Mick Jagger may be around!

Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The massif

Plenty of photo opps along the way!

Cool bridge – right before our lunch stop!

The final stretch of the trail heading to the Campamento Chileno was gorgeous, along what I would call a sort of canyon or gorge (but maybe not as narrow as a gorge?) but it had some very steep hills toward the end! I will end this post with photos after we left the shores of the lake and heading inland to our refugio for the night!

Leaving the lake behind

Neat landscape

The canyon or gorge looking towards the Campamento

The canyon or gorge looking towards the lake

—————— More about this trek! ——————

Back to day 3.

And on to the last day: day 5!

——————- Check out other treks —————–

Save

Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America Tagged With: Campamento Chileno, Chile, hiking, Lake Nordenskjold, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Los Cuernos, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 3

29 June 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

Day 3 started with me looking out the window from my room at Refugio Paine Grande to the tents that some slept in. It is incredibly hard to believe anyone could sleep in those with the high winds experienced. But, some did!

Refugio Paine Grande, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

The campsite at Refugio Paine Grande on a wet morning

It was a nice start to the day though it would not remain so for the entire hike that day.

Sun rising…

Looking towards the torres at Refugio Paine Grande

Looking at one wing of the refugio

Headed to the Campamento Italiano and the French Glacier

We left camp around 9:15 AM. Our next meal would happen about 3 hours later…

Skottsberg Lake, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Walking along Skottsberg Lake headed to Campamento Italiano

The main attraction for the day would be to see the valley of the Glaciar Francés (French Glacier). To get there, we would detour from the main route taking us from Refugio Paine Grande to our destination for the night: Refugio Los Cuernos. It would imply a very long day of hiking to the Campamento Británico (British Camp) and back out requiring a steep climb. I was not sure I would have the energy for the very long day that would result from the hike (a total of 15 miles in about 10 hrs) but was not going to miss it if the group went (always a good motivator!). But the weather made the decision for us. Visibility was going to be too low for the trek to the valley to be worth it. However, our leads suggested that we hit the “mirador” spot from which one could, at least, see the glacier. After a lunch stop at the Campamento Italiano (Italian Camp), we left for the mirador, despite slight rain, and it was a nice compromise worth the trouble (about an hour roundtrip – not bad!). We also saw the Paine Grande Glacier above the French Glacier.

Campamento Italiano, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Arriving at the Campamento Italiano

Upon arrival at the Campamento Italiano

ilivetotravel, Glaciar Frances, French glacier, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The view of the French glacier

rocks, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Beautiful smooth rocks

On to Refugio Los Cuernos

The remainder of the hike went smoothly though the weather was not spectacular. It was very muddy at spots and there were a few places were boards had been placed to walk on since it got too muddy. On one of those, I lost my balance as the planks were not quite horizontal and I fell off. Luckily for me, I nailed the landing (2 ft down). Wish there were a video of it! Still we enjoyed the closer views of the torres as we headed to our resting place for the night (and a hot meal!).

And finally… at the Refugio Los Cuernos!

Towards the last part of the hike, we hit Lake Nordenskjold and by 4 PM, we made it to the refugio.

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Welcome to Refugio Los Cuernos!

We enjoyed white fish for dinner, wine and games. I was out like a light before 10:30 PM!

Typical room at the refugio

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Dinner was always a good time to chat!

Outdoors at the refugio – it was very windy!

We were one happy bunch, and not forgetting why we were doing this: for the kids!

nature, outdoors, travel, photo, Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy, Torres del Paine

Trekkers and the supporting crew

——– Read more about the trek ———

Day 1 at Torres del Paine

Day 2 at Torres del Paine

On to day 4 at Torres del Paine!

Hiking around Fitz Roy in Argentina

Save

Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America, Travel Journal Tagged With: Chile, hiking, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Paine Grande, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Photo Essay: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

19 June 2015 by Raul 3 Comments

My friend Bruce T., an outdoorsman and all-around nice guy, is traveling around the Grand Teton National Park (in northwestern Wyoming) with his wife, Sonia, and had sent out a few pictures of the sights he has encountered. I have never been to the park and loved the landscape, wildlife, and color in his pictures. So, I asked him if he would let me share his photos in this blog so you all could see them. So, without further ado, here are the sights of the Grand Teton National Park! Which is your favorite photo??

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, flowers, mountain, travel, hiking, mule deer

A mule deer doe eating in the forest

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, flowers, mountain, travel, hiking, bull elk

A bull elk with horns in velvet grazes in the late spring

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, flowers, mountain, travel, hiking

Flowers grace the foreground of the Grand Tetons

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, mountain, travel, hiking, bull moose

A young bull moose along the Snake River (near Moose Junction visitor center)

Flowers blooming in Grand Teton National Park

Hidden Falls – neat discovery

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, flowers, mountain, travel, hiking, lupine

Lupine blooms in the late spring with the Grand Tetons rising in the background

Storm clouds loom above the Grand Tetons

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, mountain, travel, hiking, rain, storm

A passing storm darkens the skies

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Grand Tetons, outdoor, nature, mountain, travel, hiking, rain

A passing storm drops rain and snow (high elevation)

A passing storm in full force

Scarlet gilia blooming with a great backdrop

Filed Under: US & Canada, Wyoming Tagged With: deer, elk. lupine, flowers, Grand Teton National Park, Grand Tetons, hiking, mountain, nature, outdoor, travel, Wyoming

Hiking the Torres del Paine W Circuit | Patagonia Day 2

18 May 2015 by Raul 13 Comments

After a successful day one in the Torres del Paine National Park, in southern Chile, we were ready to embark on day two. This day would have re-trace our route from day one in reverse to get us to Refugio Paine Grander where we would spend the night. It would be the only trail we would do a round-trip on. However, this day would start with a real treat. It would include a Grey Glacier hike!

Good morning from Refugio Grey

As the group was too big to go as one onto the glacier, the group was split into two groups. To my disappointment, I got assigned to the group that was leaving earlier that morning. I like my sleep when I can get it.

I woke up 30 minutes earlier than I needed to, not on purpose. Electricity had not yet been turned on at the refugio at that time in the morning, something I had not known (or stopped to think about) so it took me by surprise – and I had not been ready with my headlamp so I went out of the room in the dark. Off I went, fumbling my way to the restroom down the hall… Fun times!

Crossing the lake to get to Grey Glacier

After we all had breakfast, etc. we left the building to get going on the glacier hike. We broke up into our two groups and off we went to the shores of the glacier. The boat ride was uneventful, very short – around 20 minutes. Getting off the boat was tricky as there was a big gap. We had to jump to a narrow ledge on the rocks that was wet. Happy to report that we had no accidents in either group!

On the moraine

At that point, we had to walk some along the moraine in order to get to the ice proper. It took about 2 hours under a constant drizzle. It made me nervous that the rocks were wet with the soft rain so I probably went slower than my normal. The rock was slate which was surprisingly not slippery but the “doubting Thomas” in me wouldn’t take risks 🙂 I did not get to appreciate how beautiful this part of the hike was was until the return hike back to the boat when I was more awake, it was not raining, and I was riding high after the time on the glacier!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Our group after making it to the edge of the icefield

Give me my crampons and set me off

In any case, we got on the glacier proper and we were excited to get to the spot where we would enter the ice field. At that spot, the gear was waiting for us. A brief presentation showed us how to walk on ice and not die – or something like that. Then, we proceeded to put on the crampons (mine looked like Peary or Amundsen used them over 100 years ago in their epic hikes through ice…), learned to use the ice pick, and climbed onto the ice.

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus, crampons

My crampons – antiques!

Finally on the real Grey Glacier hike

It had stopped raining shortly before getting to the ice. The timing was great so we could enjoy being on the ice and not deal with water falling on us. It did not rain again during the rest of our glacier hike – at least my group which went first. But it rained at the end of the hike of the second group. A good reminder to always be prepared for rain! Fortunately, the sun was out most of the time which made for beautiful pictures.

We greatly enjoyed looking down crevices (I have to admit being a little gun-shy of getting too close to the edge) Also, it was neat to see pools of water on the ice that looked like mirrors. In total, we spent somewhere between an hour and hour-and-a-half on the glacier itself. The hike on Grey glacier was a really neat experience that I would recommend as part of the W Circuit hike. Or, actually, anywhere else in the world you can do a glacier hike!

My friends Mira and Kim – real explorers!

Beautiful colors!

Posing with all my Grey Glacier hike gear on

Trekking along the glacier – so cool!!!

Coming off the ice field onto the moraine under MUCH better weather!

Comparing the Grey glacier hike to my Franz Josef glacier hike in New Zealand

I couldn’t help but compare this glacier hike to my helicopter ride onto the Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand. On the one hand, flying the heli to the glacier saved time so we spent more time on the glacier. Plus just the thrill of flying in a helicopter and enjoying a magnificent approach to the glacier. On the other hand, climbing the moraine at Grey Glacier was a fun experience.

However, I have to say I’d prefer doing Franz Josef over this one as we got to crawl in ice caves and do things like that over there. But I enjoyed the Grey Glacier hike nevertheless because glaciers are amazing. And I was with good friends, out on a beautiful day walking on ice!

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure

Fun at the Franz Josef glacier

A brief stop at Refugio Grey

We made it back to the Refugio Grey after the glacier hike. There we enjoyed some lunch prior to getting going on part two of our day: hiking back to Refugio Paine Grande, where we had landed by boat the day before. The lunch was a delicious plate of spaghetti and meatballs as you can appreciate from the picture below!

spaghetti, Refugio Grey, lunch, Chile, Torres del Paine, trekking

Delicious!

The main hike of day: headed to Refugio Paine Grande

We started off on our hike at 3 PM which felt late. It rained a good bit on the trail that day so I did not take as many pictures as I would usually do. The good news was that the rain was hitting us from behind vs. the front which is way more annoying. Not being able to take photos was not a big disappointment, though, because we were on the same trail we had walked the day before in the other direction to get to Refugio Grey. Things finally cleared up when we were getting to the end of the trail (around 7 PM) which was nice. I got a couple of pictures in anyway to remember the end of the day.

Torres del Paine, Chile, trekking, hiking, South America, Olympus

Not ideal weather but it was not hard rain either…

The weather was beginning to clear up…

My hiking partner that afternoon was Mira. We were thrilled to see the refugio ahead and blue skies!

The end of a fun but long day in Patagonia

Day 2 on the W Circuit was almost one for the books. In spite of the rain, it was a pretty incredible day on good account due to the Grey Glacier hike! And after a great meal (meat with mashed potatoes, red wine and a brownie!), the time to rest came. I gladly climbed on my bed as the wind howled outside – nice to be dry and warm inside!!

My bed was the bottom one!

——– Read more about the trek ———

Day 1 at Torres del Paine

Day 3 at Torres del Paine

Hiking around Fitz Roy in Argentina

Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America, Travel Journal Tagged With: Chile, Grey glacier, grey glacier hike, hiking, Lake Pehoé, Patagonia, Refugio Paine Grande, torres del paine, trekking, W circuit

Please share this post!

Like this:

Please share this post!

Like this:

Please share this post!

Like this:

Please share this post!

Like this:

In the city of brotherly love – Philadelphia, USA

My first hike of the year – Blood Mountain, Georgia, USA

An amazing metropolis – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Back in time – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

My favorite spot on Earth – Chile’s Patagonia

The great northwest – Portland, Oregon

Family, friends and food fest (4 F’s) – Spain, olé!

Reuniting with dear friends – California

Up-north (WAY up north) – Duluth, Minnesota

Returning to one my favorites – Chicago, Illinois

An epic trek to close the year – on the route to Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Epilogue to a year that ends…

Please share this post!

Like this:

On the trail to Everest Base Camp…

Entering the Sagarmatha National Park

Breaks from the trail: tea and food

Bridges crossing the Dudh Kosi River

And our awesome endpoint: Namche Bazaar

Please share this post!

Like this:

Starting the trek: getting to Lukla

Getting the trek going: leaving Lukla

Buddhist faith along the route

A hiker has to eat!

Ending our hike in Tok Tok

Please share this post!

Like this:

The Refugio Chileno

Getting to the Mirador Las Torres

And then leaving the Torres del Paine National Park…

Please share this post!

Like this:

A windy night at Refugio Los Cuernos

The wind along Lake Nordenskjold howled

Past the wind and on to the Campamento Chileno!

Please share this post!

Like this:

Headed to the Campamento Italiano and the French Glacier

On to Refugio Los Cuernos

And finally… at the Refugio Los Cuernos!

Please share this post!

Like this:

Please share this post!

Like this:

Good morning from Refugio Grey

Crossing the lake to get to Grey Glacier

On the moraine

Give me my crampons and set me off

Finally on the real Grey Glacier hike

Comparing the Grey glacier hike to my Franz Josef glacier hike in New Zealand

A brief stop at Refugio Grey

The main hike of day: headed to Refugio Paine Grande

The end of a fun but long day in Patagonia

Please share this post!

Like this:

Subscribe to the Blog!

Search for a destination!

Top 10 Most Popular Posts!

Instagram Images

About ilivetotravel