Day Hikes

Canada: High Note Trail, Whistler

Published December 2017 by Trevor. Updated February 2021.

Strike a High Note on this amazing trail in Whistler – wildfire smoke aside. On this particular September day, smoke from the devastating wildfires emanating from parts of B.C. lingered in the valley below.

Somewhat smokey view out to a Cheakamus Lake

While this affected visibility up top, it still didn’t detract from some great scenic views of Cheakamus Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park, the odd Marmot sighting, and gondola ride from Whistler village.

This intermediate trail requires that you take the Whistler Gondola and Peak Chairlift to the trailhead, which begins at the top of Whistler Mountain.

The views were breathtaking as soon as you board the gondola for the High Note Trail. The Peak Express chairlift opens at 11am, although it can open earlier in peak season and you can ride both ways (i.e. you can hike the loop clockwise).

The trail starts from the top of Whistler Mountain and wraps around, offering up incredible, mountaintop views before descending through the alpine area back to the Whistler Gondola.

The track also crosses rocky alpine areas

One of the recommendations was to undertake the High Note Trail in an anti-clockwise direction. The views were better plus the terrain easier to navigate around with clear sign post markings along the trail. There were a couple of tricky sections to clamber over with a rope chain which provided for sturdier footings.

The trail circles back towards the top of Whistler Chairlift

Onwards and upwards!

Trevor

Insights

Whistler Village (base) is situated at 650m (2,100 ft).
Take the Peak Express Gondola.

A variety of views awaits you around the circuit trail

The High Note Trail takes around 3 1/2 – 4 hours to complete, 9.5km with an elevation gain of around 300m – start at the base of Whistler Village.
The Peak Express chairlift has a height restriction and does not allow riders under 1m (40″), including any small children in carriers.

Beware that there are some tricky parts of the trail, but if you take it slow and watch your footing you should be fine.
Check the weather forecast before heading up. A useful app to download is the official Whistler Blackcomb Live App, which provides you with updated information on hiking trails, weather and lift status.
For more stories on Canada read our posts on Banff National Park and the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Mountains.

Canada: Beware the Grizzlies – Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass, Banff National Park

Published November 2017 by Trevor. Updated February 2021.

In this post:

Introduction
Grizzly Bears
The hike
Insights

Introduction

Beware the Grizzlies! Welcome to Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass.

Spectacular – surrounded by mountains in the Valley of the 10 Peaks

Around 45 minutes out of Banff, we discovered a great hike in the Banff National Park, Alberta – Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass.

Grizzly Bears

We were all set to go, when we came upon the sign on the National Park’s Notice Board – ‘warning, there have been sightings of a mother Grizzly and her cub in the area. Strongly recommend hiking in groups of four or more people.’

Lucky for us, it was the Memorial Day holiday long weekend so teaming up with extra hikers was not a problem. Plus we carried bear spray – all reassuring of course in the event of encountering said Grizzly. Either that, or I would just proffer up a friendly ‘G’day’ and see where that led.

Beautiful colours of the glacial Moraine Lake

The hike

The hike up from the trail head of Moraine Lake is a steady up.

There’s a nice clearing at the top of the pass, which permits views of the peaks around you (the Valley of the 10 Peaks).

Panoramic view of the Valley of the 10 Peaks

The trail dips back into the larches for a bit then clears the treeline at the base of Sentinel Pass. We did the hike in early September so the larches hadn’t turned yellow as yet, but have been reassured that when they do turn in late September, it’s an awesome sight.

Minestimma Lakes, looking up towards a series of switchbacks to Sentinel Pass

In the flats before Sentinel Pass there are a couple of pretty reflective pools (called Minestimma Lakes). The switchbacks to Sentinel Pass rise around 150m (500 ft) above the lakes, with Mt. Temple rising above.

Onwards and upwards!

Trevor

View looking over the top of Sentinel Pass towards Mt. Temple

Insights

To avoid the crowds in summer/early Autumn, weekends or public holidays, ensure you get to the Moraine Lake car park by 8.30am. After this time, parking can be a ‘lottery’ as all available spots tend to fill up quickly.
The hike up to Sentinel Pass is around 12km return from the car park, 730m (2,400 ft) gain – allow between 4.5 – 6 hours return, depending on your fitness.
From the bottom of the flats or reflective pools (called Minestimma Lakes), it’s another 150m up to the top of Sentinel Pass along a series of switchbacks – allow around 45 minutes for this section. Stunning views of the Valley of the 10 Peaks and Mt. Temple from the top are awesome on a clear day.

View over the Valley of the 10 Peaks from the top of Sentinel Pass

Look out for notices on the National Parks board for sightings of Grizzly bears and follow their recommendations for safety.
And don’t forget the bear spray – using it is another whole discussion topic.
for more Canadian hiking adventures read our posts on the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Mountains and the High Note Trail, Whistler

New Zealand: Tongariro Alpine Summer Crossing – A crossing like no other

Published April 2017 by Trevor. Updated August 2020.

Described as one of New Zealand’s greatest day hikes, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing can be a challenging journey, across a remarkable volcanic landscape.

Logistics

Staying in the Tongariro National Park village, we had transport provided at either end.

Requiring a good level of fitness to complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike, you need to cover the distance of around 19.4km (12mi) in 7-8 hours. This includes two challenging climbs, of around an hour each, carrying a day pack.

It’s not just a ‘stroll in the park’, but a serious hike over a mountain.

Highlights

Among the highlights are steaming vents and hot springs, old lava flows, beautiful water-filled craters and stunning views.

On clear days you can see Mount Taranaki in the west, Mount Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom), Kaimanawa Ranges, Lake Taupo and beyond.

Half way! View before going down the screen slope to the lakes

The best views are from the highest point, Red Crater, 1,886m (6,188ft). From here, the track descends steeply to Emerald Lakes and you can see across to the Blue Lake past the Central Crater. The Emerald Lakes’ brilliant colour is caused by minerals leaching from the adjoining thermal area.

Thermals can be seen steaming around the Red Crater and Emerald Lakes.

There is a short but narrow ridge you need to cross to reach Red Crater. In high winds, this can be quite tricky to navigate.

A very steep scree slope also awaits your descent to Emerald Lakes. At Ketetahi Hut, look out for the room where a volcanic rock fell through the roof during the 2012 volcanic eruptions.

After the hut, the trail winds down through scrub and native bush to the carpark

After the hut, there is a lengthy descent back to the car park at Ketetahi Car Park (end of the crossing).

Onwards and upwards!

Trevor

Insights

Plan and book ahead. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike is free, but it’s not a circular track, meaning you’ll need to arrange for someone to drop you off at the beginning and pick you up at the end of the track.
Transport can easily be arranged from Taupo, which serves as a great base for all sorts of North Island adventure activities, or within the Tongariro National Park.
For other transport or accommodation options, check out the Tongariro Crossing website.

Watch the weather. The weather on the Tongariro crossing can change rapidly, so be prepared to change your plans and turn back, especially when visibility is poor and there are strong winds
Check the Tongariro or National Park mountain forecasts

An easy section at the start of the track

If the Department of Conservation (DOC) advises against hiking the Crossing, heed their warnings – https://www.doc.govt.nz
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing can technically be hiked year-round. However, it’s best hiked in the summer months (December-February).
If you do want to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the winter, a guide is recommended.

Take lots of water and snacks. There isn’t anywhere to refill water bottles or buy food.

Cellphone coverage is intermittent and shouldn’t be relied upon in an emergency.

If a volcanic eruption happens, make sure you look up and see which direction the rocks are falling, then run the opposite way!

Volcanic activity on the northern slopes

Chile and Argentina: Great Patagonian Traverse – Glaciers and more glaciers, muchos gracias

Published April 2017 by Trevor. Updated February 2021.

In this post:

Why Patagonia?

2016 was fast approaching on the horizon and a significant milestone for my partner’s birthday looming. So we went researching around for another trekking adventure – and discovered the Great Patagonian Traverse.

Perito Moreno Glacier 80m high, 4km wide

The opening of a new route linking Chile and Argentina offered a traverse of untouched national parks, from the Southern Ice cap to the towers of Torres del Paine. And everything in between.

We have travelled the length and breadth of South America numerous times, and thoroughly enjoyed the people, culture and food (see our post on Colombia for example). So, looking for something different, we picked out this relatively new 15 day trip to enjoy (Great Patagonian Traverse with World Expeditions) – with a mix of estancia homestay and refugios for accommodation.

Where to begin?

We joined the trip in Balmaceda, Chile where it was a chilly 8 degrees celsius – and this was summer. By comparison, it was a balmy 26 degrees celsius in Santiago when we left earlier in the morning, but we were heading south after all – way south.

We had signed up for this supported hike with a small group of eight people – two Italians, one Kiwi and the rest Aussies. The opportunity provided us with a traverse of Patagonia, travelling its length from Coyhaique in the North to Puerto Natales in the South, via Chile and Argentina. The majority was on foot, some by bus, and other by boat via some of the most captivating and untouched national parks in the region.

The journey

Our journey took us via Villa O’Higgins, before joining a boat to cross Lago O’Higgins, with the Southern Patagonian ice field in our midst – the world’s second largest contiguous extrapolar ice field. At about 16,800 sq km, it is second only to southeastern Alaska’s approximately 25,000 sq km St. Elias-Kluane-Malaspina-Eastern Chugach Ice Field.

A recently opened pass between the shores of Lago O’Higgins in Chile and Laguna del Desierto in Argentina offered a unique way to continue the traverse and offered a side to Patagonia rarely seen by other trekkers.

Of course, no trip to Patagonia would be complete without trekking in the Paine National Park.

There we completed the ‘W’ trek and enjoyed forays to the Grey Glacier, up the French Valley and the Ascension Valley before finally ascending to the base of Torres del Paine for one of the most unforgettable mountain views in the world – it’s a long slog of around 1,000m (3,280ft) ascent and decent (7-8 hours return) but well worth it in the end.

Other highlights of the trip included spending New Year’s eve in the quaint hiking and climbing village of El Chalten, Argentina.

Like the locals, we partied hard into the early morning and during the ‘fog’ of alcohol and great company, forgot we had a 5-6 hour hike ahead of us the next day. After a not so early start, lots of water was consumed to rehydrate, suffice to say it was slow going.

Other highlights

A cruise on Lago O’Higgins was another highlight. After getting up close and personal to an iceberg or three that had broken away from the icefield, a couple of the boat crew went off in a Zodiac to chip away some ice. Now what to do with the ice? The only thing you could do of course. Put it in a glass of whiskey – I’m sure that enhanced the age of it somewhat.

Trekking in Patagonia was certainly an experience to remember.

Onwards and upwards!

Trevor

Insights

Pack gaiters and hiking poles. This is especially so for the muddy section that you will hike on foot across the border of Chile into Argentina (around 15km).

Ensure you’ve had your Chile exit stamped in your passport at the small shed just outside Candelario Mancilla.

Learn some Spanish. Don’t make the mistake of saying ‘si’ to everything the Spanish speaking border official says. One person did and was just about to receive an exit stamp instead of an entry one!

At the conclusion of the trip, it’s definitely worthwhile spending an extra day or two in Punta Arenas, gateway to the Antarctic.

Watch out for the local gauchos herding their flock of sheep and guanacos.

Best time to go trekking in Patagonia is January – February. The weather is more stable and you have clear sunny days.

USA: A Millennial’s Guide to Yosemite National Park

Published February 2017 by Cut Lunch Adventures. Updated February 2021.

In this post:

I’m not usually one to rave about hiking. After a series of gruelling Duke of Edinburgh experiences in high school, this taught me repeatedly that cheap boots aren’t worth the scarring blisters. But hiking Yosemite National Park was worth a new experience.

Let’s face it, I’m impulsive and proud. So after very little consideration, I told Jon (my boyfriend) that I was throwing a little Yosemite National Park detour into our laid-back six-week trip of the US. Surprisingly, all it took was tag spamming him in Yosemite photographs on Instagram and he was eventually excited too.

Being young travellers, we had some initial concerns. After booking a Heated Tent in winter, the conversation circled around the whole, ‘where will we charge the GoPro?’ And, ‘will this be exactly like The Revenant?’. Luckily for the bears and their luscious fur, our down jackets were enough to keep us warm at night.

No matter how much research we did, we could NOT find enough information. Especially on the things we deemed vital to us for a Yosemite National Park winter. This included exploring, food and most importantly, free Wi-Fi!

How to get to Yosemite National Park via public transport from San Francisco

Being young Australian tourists and having a fear of driving in anything more severe than rain, we opted for Amtrak to take us safely all the way there – and back. Leaving from Trans Bay Terminal in San Francisco, the bus-train-bus trip takes just under seven hours each way in winter. A great surprise to us was that the final bus drops you at the doorstep to your accommodation – bargain.

Cost

$100AUD per person return (booked November, 2016 at the then current exchange rate).

Accommodation

Budget – Heated Tent at Half Dome Village, but great for the price.

Formerly known as Curry Village, Half Dome is a great place if you want to explore from the moment you step outside your cabin or tent. I don’t deal well with the Sydney winters. So trust me when I say that this tent is WARM. You’ve got communal bathrooms with hot showers within 30 metres of your tent. A handy power point is also provided inside the tent for charging your iPhone or other electronic devices with mediocre battery life.

I feel like I could write a whole post just on the bear lockers, just because we don’t have anything like that in Australia. The bottom line is that if you have anything scented in your bag, such as toiletries and snacks, it’s better to go in the locker than have an unexpected hairy visitor at 3am (I’m not talking about Jon either).

Exploring Yosemite National Park

When you first get to your “village” within Yosemite National Park, you’re provided with a basic hiking map of all the surrounding trails. Keep in mind that in Winter, the sun starts to set at 3:30pm so getting out and about early is so important (hard thing for us young folks).

Jon and I hiked the Mirror Lake trail from our tent, which ended up taking almost six hours, as we were eager to explore beyond the main area. If you want to just follow the trail loop, it’ll take you three hours and is a leisurely hike. If you are coming from another village, the shuttle bus drops you conveniently at the start of the trail (stop #17).

On a whim, we agreed that there was no way we could come all this way without seeing the ‘MacBook desktop background’ in person. El Capitan was everything we hoped for and more. As the free shuttle bus doesn’t run to the El Capitan area, we hopped off the bus near Yosemite Falls (stop #7) and followed the trail all the way down to the majestic rock. We took roughly two hours getting there (the surroundings were beautifully distracting) and had a gourmet picnic under El Capitan consisting of Saltine crackers and Kind bars.

Insights

If you are desperate to climb Half Dome in winter, check the National Parks website for weather updates (https://www.nps.gov). There’s a high chance that the trail will be closed and unfortunately for us, it was.
Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available throughout the Yosemite valley in all communal areas i.e. the lounges and cafeterias. Don’t expect lightning-fast Internet but it’s enough to send a Facebook message to say that a coyote or bear hasn’t eaten you just yet!
Whilst they do serve breakfast at Half Dome, we planned ahead and packed instant oatmeal sachets that we filled with hot water provided. Just remember to pack your own cups and spoons as we learnt the hard way by ‘borrowing’ utensils from the cafeteria every morning.
In winter, there isn’t much in the way of dinner choices at Half Dome. Unless you want to take the free shuttle bus to another village’s restaurant, prepare to have a carb-loaded pizza dinner every night (this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for us).
Keep an ear out for the singing bus driver. Expect to hear a lot of ‘croony’ ballads and American folk songs (he’s pretty versatile, you know).

Briony

Read more about adventures in North America here.