The second stage of my Japan Alps Traverse covered the Chuo Alps (中アルプス) - aka the Central Alps. Our trek through the Chuo Alps Lasted only about 24 hours as this is the shortest of the three ranges comprising the Japanese Alps. We entered the Chuo Alps via the Fukushima A Course (福島Aコース) in the
Thrupack Summit Bum Review
I was first introduced to the Thrupack Summit Bum at the end of my Continental Divide Trail thru-hike and it's a real shame I hadn't known about it beforehand. It was as if I had just finished digging an enormous hole (you know, for a body or something) with my hands and along comes some asshole
Why the CDT Is Better Than the PCT
The Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail are both long-distance hiking trail connecting the Mexican and Canadian borders of the United States. Every year, a class of hopeful thru-hikers sets out on (what is many times) a once-in-a-lifetime journey with the hopes of completing the
Why the PCT Is Better Than the CDT
The Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail are largely regarded as two of the greatest long-distance hiking trails in the world. Hiking one of these trails requires a huge amount of time and dedication; time and dedication that many people will only be able to accommodate once (if
Guide to Hiking the Mount Anne Circuit in Tasmania
The Mount Anne Circuit is named for the 4,669 ft / 1,423 m Mount Anne - the highest peak in Tasmania's Southwest National Park. I would expect the Mount Anne Circuit to circumnavigate Mount Anne (hence the circuit bit), but this track does no such thing. A more appropriate name may be the "Mount
Japan Traverse in Photos: The Kita Alps (北アルプス)
My traverse of the Japanese Alps began at the eastern edge of Toyama Bay (富山湾) in Niigata Prefecture (新潟県). From the coast, my hiking party of two Kiwis and I headed up the northernmost ridgeline in the Kita Alps (北アルプス) - aka the Northern Alps. The trip began with nearly a week of nonstop rain as
Japan Alps Spreadsheet: Peaks, Huts, & Distances
I don't know that I would say I love data, but I do love being organized and data is one of those things that can be organized nicely. Maybe it's because of that that I spent way too long creating a spreadsheet listing all of the peaks, passes, huts, and trailheads of my Japan Alps Traverse (this
Japan Alps Traverse Map, Itinerary, and GPS Track
The route I would take through across the Japanese Alps was unsure at best before starting this traverse, but I managed to stick to my original plan (if you could call it that) fairly closely. Having now completed the traverse, I am sharing my day-by-day itinerary, statistics, and maps to help those
Guide to Hiking Federation Peak in Tasmania
Federation Peak is a remote peak in Tasmania's Eastern Arthur Range. The 4,180 ft / 1,274 m summit is accessible via Farmhouse Creek to the east or the via the Western Arthurs to the west. A full traverse of the Arthur Range and exit via Scotts Peak Dam is possible via Federation Peak (or "Feddy" as
