Hiker Blog

Filed under: Hiking, Food and Drink, Hotels

Los Angeles is hot in every definition of the word.

Sometimes when it is too hot, however, one must escape the heat by seeking refuge in the hottest place around - be it a club, bar or spa.

Avital Binshtock, writing for the LA Times, recently contemplated the Angeleno quest to cool off in hip venues and has come up with three suggestions for the rich people of the city, and three suggestions for the rest of us poor mopes.

Overheated rich people, for example, can seek refuge in various spas that offer "cold plunges" - a dip into a 50 degree pool that really invigorates the soul, if it doesn't kill you first (Spa Montag in Laguna Beach or Rancho Valencia Spa at Rancho Santa Fe). Or, they can head on over to Nic's in Beverly Hills where a walk in vodka freezer will both cool them down and warm them up at the same time.

Binshtock's suggestions for the less affluent include a 6-mile hike to the Santa Paula Canyon Falls where cold swimming holes await the adventurous outdoorsman. Or, drop a few bucks and visit one of the city's numerous ice rinks. A real treat, according to Binshtock is the Ice Castle located at Lake Arrowhead.

My favorite way to escape the heat is to go swimming. I can join the huddled masses and do this for free in the ocean, or I can check out one of LA's swank hotels and indulge in whatever trendy poolside bar is all the rage now. The Standard in downtown LA is always a good bet.

Related: Los Angeles destination guide

Filed under: Hiking, Photos, Camping, Ecotourism

Float plane fishing in Alaska has always sounded like a prohibitively expensive proposition to me.

Having just returned from my first time doing so, I can now definitively state just how wrong I was.

Sure, float plane fishing can indeed be VERY expensive, costing hundreds of dollars a day with private guides and First Class service. But there are much cheaper, do-it-yourself options available. The one my friends and I slapped together, for example, cost a mere $50 per day, making our "prohibitively expensive" vacation one of the most affordable I've been on in a long while. And, one of the most enjoyable.

It would have been a great trip no matter where we went because it was with a group of friends I've known since junior high school, no wives or girlfriends allowed. No one really knew what to expect, however; only two of us had ever been to Alaska before (click here to see the 17-part series from last year) and only one was enough of a fisherman to actually own his own rod. Nonetheless, the trip turned out to be the perfect Alaskan experience; bears, bald eagles, fresh salmon, and jaw-dropping scenery. And, great friends, of course.

Organizing such an excursion for a group of half-fisherman, Alaska neophytes, certainly took a bit of planning but the return on the investment was priceless.

The following is a detailed guide for preparing a similar trip yourself. If you've never fished or spent time in the outdoors, however, I wouldn't recommend this option; you'll definitely need a guide, some handholding, and plenty of money to spend. But if you do have rudimentary outdoor skills and are ready to tackle the Alaska wilderness on your own, please read on.

Ketchikan

We settled on the Ketchikan area because it's the fastest way in and out of Alaska. My $540 Alaska Airline flight left Los Angeles at 6:15 in the morning and would have arrived in Ketchikan at 11:30 a.m. had it not been delayed four hours in Seattle. Thankfully we had decided to spend our first night in the city; otherwise we would have missed our charter flight out to the wilderness.

Spending a day in Ketchikan also allowed us to pick up supplies, eat a hearty meal, acclimate to the wonders of Alaska, and stay the night in an old bordello.

Although there are cheaper places to stay in Ketchikan, we opted for the historic New York Hotel. The main part of the hotel is on busy Stedman Street, but the two-level suite we booked for $240 was located 50 yards away, literally hanging over a picturesque river of spawning salmon (above).

This is the historic Creek Street area, a gangplank-connected row of turn-of-the-century buildings that served as the red light district up until prostitution was made illegal in 1953. Today, it's overrun with t-shirt stores and souvenir shops but still remains a wonderfully beautiful location within walking distance of all the best restaurants, bars, and stores in Ketchikan.

The Charter Plane

If you're not careful, the wrong charter company can set you back quite a bit of money. On the other hand, finding the cheapest crop duster to fly you into the wilds of Alaska is probably not a good idea either.

After plenty of online research and numerous telephone calls, we eventually settled on Alaska Seaplane Tours. The company had some of the more affordable rates and was very pleasant on the phone during the off-season when we were planning the trip. We ended up chartering their entire fleet for all seven of us; a five passenger DeHavilland Beaver and a two passenger Cessna 185.

The total round trip cost for the flight (20 minutes each way) was a modest $800 for both planes; just $114 per person. The pilots were professional and yet hilarious at the same time. They picked us up at our hotel in Ketchikan, drove us to their dock, loaded up the plane in moments flat, and then took to the air-all within a 30 minute time span. The whole time they were making jokes, having fun, and otherwise entertaining us.

My only complaint was some poor communication leading up to the trip. They were difficult to get a hold of during their busy summer season and never responded to emails regarding pickup times and weight limits. Otherwise, they were a great, lucky find and I highly recommend them.

The flight itself was a joy. I've never been in a float plane before and was rather surprised at the smooth take off and landing. Water is so much better than tarmac! The planes also fly rather low and provide wonderful opportunities to check out the surrounding mountains and lakes. Even if you're not heading out to the wilderness, this would be a great sight seeing tour.

The Gear

Packing for a float plane trip is similar to packing for camping; everything you might need must be packed in advance because the nearest civilization is miles away.

The Alaska Seaplane Tours Lake Trip Rental Package was a huge help. The following items were packed into the plane and flown out with us for just an additional $89:

2 fold chairs
1 Coleman - double burner propane cook stove
1 back-up single burner propane stove
1 week's propane supply
2 Therma-rest sleep pads
1 cooler for food
Necessary cook utensils
1 cook pot
1 fry pan
1 dish bowl
1 weeks plates/bowls
1 6hp two stroke Yamaha outboard
1 Coleman Propane Lantern
1 week's mixed two-stroke engine fuel
Lifejackets

Fishing equipment was a bit more of a challenge. Only one of us had a decent pole. The guys at Alaska Seaplane Tours threw in three extra rods to help us out, but they were a little banged up and, as we would find out, strung with line that was too light to catch salmon. Luckily, we also rented poles from Alaskan Aquamarine for $10 per day. For an additional $10 they delivered the poles directly to the float plane dock and then picked them up again at the end of the trip.

We did, however, have to spend some time buying lures and other fishing equipment. The best place in Ketchikan to do so is the Tongass Trading Company located right on the docks. They've got a tremendous amount of fishing supplies and some very knowledgeable staff to point city-slicker neophytes like us in the right direction.
Lastly, each of us needed to buy a fishing license. It's easy to do so in Ketchikan, but an even easier option is online here.

The Cabin

The US Forest Service maintains a number of cabins throughout Alaska. They are simple, Spartan structures that provide shelter, warmth, and not a whole lot more. The most important thing, however, is that they are very cheap. Our cabin was just $35 a night.

It came equipped with two wooden-plank bunk beds, the bottom of which was wide enough to sleep two each. That's just barely room for six people. We had one extra person which meant we took turns sleeping on the floor of the cabin. With enough bed pads, it was actually quite comfortable.

The interior also had a small table, some shelf space for cooking supplies, and a wood burning stove. The stove wasn't very practical for cooking but it did a great job of warming up the cabin. We did most of our cooking on a camp stove outside or wrapped up in foil and placed on the embers of an outdoor fire ring. Next time, I think we'll bring a small grill to place over the embers.

The cabin also had an exterior outhouse as well as a completely loaded woodshed. Best of all, nearly every US Forest Service cabin in the areas comes equipped with a small skiff.

The cabin was awfully small for seven people but served its purpose well. I was a little disappointed, however, that there was no roof over the front porch. It rains a lot in this part of Alaska and this is where we spent most of our time in the evenings. Thankfully someone brought a rain tarp which we strung up.

One word of advice in booking a cabin; try to do so six months in advance. This is when the Forest Service opens up the reservations and the more popular cabins can disappear very quickly when this happens.

Tomorrow: Affordable Float Plane Fishing in Alaska Part 2

For a gallery of more Alaska photographs from this trip, click here

Filed under: Hiking, Photos, Camping, Ecotourism

Float plane fishing in Alaska has always sounded like a prohibitively expensive proposition to me.

Having just returned from my first time doing so, I can now definitively state just how wrong I was.

Sure, float plane fishing can indeed be VERY expensive, costing hundreds of dollars a day with private guides and First Class service. But there are much cheaper, do-it-yourself options available. The one my friends and I slapped together, for example, cost a mere $50 per day, making our "prohibitively expensive" vacation one of the most affordable I've been on in a long while. And, one of the most enjoyable.

It would have been a great trip no matter where we went because it was with a group of friends I've known since junior high school, no wives or girlfriends allowed. No one really knew what to expect, however; only two of us had ever been to Alaska before (click here to see the 17-part series from last year) and only one was enough of a fisherman to actually own his own rod. Nonetheless, the trip turned out to be the perfect Alaskan experience; bears, bald eagles, fresh salmon, and jaw-dropping scenery. And, great friends, of course.

Organizing such an excursion for a group of half-fisherman, Alaska neophytes, certainly took a bit of planning but the return on the investment was priceless.

The following is a detailed guide for preparing a similar trip yourself. If you've never fished or spent time in the outdoors, however, I wouldn't recommend this option; you'll definitely need a guide, some handholding, and plenty of money to spend. But if you do have rudimentary outdoor skills and are ready to tackle the Alaska wilderness on your own, please read on.

Ketchikan

We settled on the Ketchikan area because it's the fastest way in and out of Alaska. My $540 Alaska Airline flight left Los Angeles at 6:15 in the morning and would have arrived in Ketchikan at 11:30 a.m. had it not been delayed four hours in Seattle. Thankfully we had decided to spend our first night in the city; otherwise we would have missed our charter flight out to the wilderness.

Spending a day in Ketchikan also allowed us to pick up supplies, eat a hearty meal, acclimate to the wonders of Alaska, and stay the night in an old bordello.

Although there are cheaper places to stay in Ketchikan, we opted for the historic New York Hotel. The main part of the hotel is on busy Stedman Street, but the two-level suite we booked for $240 was located 50 yards away, literally hanging over a picturesque river of spawning salmon (above).

This is the historic Creek Street area, a gangplank-connected row of turn-of-the-century buildings that served as the red light district up until prostitution was made illegal in 1953. Today, it's overrun with t-shirt stores and souvenir shops but still remains a wonderfully beautiful location within walking distance of all the best restaurants, bars, and stores in Ketchikan.

The Charter Plane

If you're not careful, the wrong charter company can set you back quite a bit of money. On the other hand, finding the cheapest crop duster to fly you into the wilds of Alaska is probably not a good idea either.

After plenty of online research and numerous telephone calls, we eventually settled on Alaska Seaplane Tours. The company had some of the more affordable rates and was very pleasant on the phone during the off-season when we were planning the trip. We ended up chartering their entire fleet for all seven of us; a five passenger DeHavilland Beaver and a two passenger Cessna 185.

The total round trip cost for the flight (20 minutes each way) was a modest $800 for both planes; just $114 per person. The pilots were professional and yet hilarious at the same time. They picked us up at our hotel in Ketchikan, drove us to their dock, loaded up the plane in moments flat, and then took to the air-all within a 30 minute time span. The whole time they were making jokes, having fun, and otherwise entertaining us.

My only complaint was some poor communication leading up to the trip. They were difficult to get a hold of during their busy summer season and never responded to emails regarding pickup times and weight limits. Otherwise, they were a great, lucky find and I highly recommend them.

The flight itself was a joy. I've never been in a float plane before and was rather surprised at the smooth take off and landing. Water is so much better than tarmac! The planes also fly rather low and provide wonderful opportunities to check out the surrounding mountains and lakes. Even if you're not heading out to the wilderness, this would be a great sight seeing tour.

The Gear

Packing for a float plane trip is similar to packing for camping; everything you might need must be packed in advance because the nearest civilization is miles away.

The Alaska Seaplane Tours Lake Trip Rental Package was a huge help. The following items were packed into the plane and flown out with us for just an additional $89:

2 fold chairs
1 Coleman - double burner propane cook stove
1 back-up single burner propane stove
1 week's propane supply
2 Therma-rest sleep pads
1 cooler for food
Necessary cook utensils
1 cook pot
1 fry pan
1 dish bowl
1 weeks plates/bowls
1 6hp two stroke Yamaha outboard
1 Coleman Propane Lantern
1 week's mixed two-stroke engine fuel
Lifejackets

Fishing equipment was a bit more of a challenge. Only one of us had a decent pole. The guys at Alaska Seaplane Tours threw in three extra rods to help us out, but they were a little banged up and, as we would find out, strung with line that was too light to catch salmon. Luckily, we also rented poles from Alaskan Aquamarine for $10 per day. For an additional $10 they delivered the poles directly to the float plane dock and then picked them up again at the end of the trip.

We did, however, have to spend some time buying lures and other fishing equipment. The best place in Ketchikan to do so is the Tongass Trading Company located right on the docks. They've got a tremendous amount of fishing supplies and some very knowledgeable staff to point city-slicker neophytes like us in the right direction.
Lastly, each of us needed to buy a fishing license. It's easy to do so in Ketchikan, but an even easier option is online here.

The Cabin

The US Forest Service maintains a number of cabins throughout Alaska. They are simple, Spartan structures that provide shelter, warmth, and not a whole lot more. The most important thing, however, is that they are very cheap. Our cabin was just $35 a night.

It came equipped with two wooden-plank bunk beds, the bottom of which was wide enough to sleep two each. That's just barely room for six people. We had one extra person which meant we took turns sleeping on the floor of the cabin. With enough bed pads, it was actually quite comfortable.

The interior also had a small table, some shelf space for cooking supplies, and a wood burning stove. The stove wasn't very practical for cooking but it did a great job of warming up the cabin. We did most of our cooking on a camp stove outside or wrapped up in foil and placed on the embers of an outdoor fire ring. Next time, I think we'll bring a small grill to place over the embers.

The cabin also had an exterior outhouse as well as a completely loaded woodshed. Best of all, nearly every US Forest Service cabin in the areas comes equipped with a small skiff.

The cabin was awfully small for seven people but served its purpose well. I was a little disappointed, however, that there was no roof over the front porch. It rains a lot in this part of Alaska and this is where we spent most of our time in the evenings. Thankfully someone brought a rain tarp which we strung up.

One word of advice in booking a cabin; try to do so six months in advance. This is when the Forest Service opens up the reservations and the more popular cabins can disappear very quickly when this happens.

Tomorrow: Affordable Float Plane Fishing in Alaska Part 2

For a gallery of more Alaska photographs from this trip, click here

I'm not sure if it was Labor Day staring me in the face from my calendar or that hint of snow that fell in the high country last week, but I hit the trail last weekend with a sense of urgency, a heavy pack and ... via Aspen Times Weekly

A camping trip is a great way for many families to participate in, especially those families that prefer to pursue an activity without those distractions of everyday life such as traffic, crowds, noise, and the ... via Buzzle.com

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Skiing, Oceania, New Zealand, Hotels

Normally igloos are meant to be surrounded by polar bears and Inuit fishermen drilling holes in pack ice, but that hasn't stopped a few wacky Kiwis from building one half way up an active volcano. Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand's North Island last erupted in 1996 and earlier this year sent a lahar of mud, rocks and water careening down its slopes. Despite the occasional natural interruption, Ruapahu features two popular skifields, and visitors for the upcoming season now have the opportunity to sleep in an authentic igloo.

Visitors will need to be quick because the icy structure will only last until spring kicks in from October. There are already two dining rooms for up to 20 mountain-side diners, and new sleeping quarters are now being added that will house up to nine people.

There's no reviews on Trip Advisor yet, but it's probably just a matter of time.

Story and pic via the New Zealand Herald.

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Skiing, Oceania, New Zealand, Hotels

Normally igloos are meant to be surrounded by polar bears and Inuit fishermen drilling holes in pack ice, but that hasn't stopped a few wacky Kiwis from building one half way up an active volcano. Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand's North Island last erupted in 1996 and earlier this year sent a lahar of mud, rocks and water careening down its slopes. Despite the occasional natural interruption, Ruapahu features two popular skifields, and visitors for the upcoming season now have the opportunity to sleep in an authentic igloo.

Visitors will need to be quick because the icy structure will only last until spring kicks in from October. There are already two dining rooms for up to 20 mountain-side diners, and new sleeping quarters are now being added that will house up to nine people.

There's no reviews on Trip Advisor yet, but it's probably just a matter of time.

Story and pic via the New Zealand Herald.

"There is a danger in relying too much on gear"

Whether it's a weekend at a state park drive-in camp site or a 20-mile trek along the Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail, outdoor adventures are getting new looks. via PittsburghLIVE.com

Filed under: Hiking, Festivals and Events, Stories, Transportation, Airports

Brett's post on famous people you've come across in your travels reminded me of other traveling coincidences. It's neat to see famous people for sure, but what about the people who aren't so famous? What about the people from other parts of your life who show up in places where you least expect to see them? This is another aspect about travel that facinates me. Does the universe just put us at the same time on the same corner of the world with someone from another part of our life, far from where we normally reside, for a reason--or is this just luck? Some people say it's just luck. Others say there is something greater purpose at work. Regardless, I've run into people where I didn't expect to see them for perhaps no other reason than it gives me a thrill. Often I didn't find out the connection without a conversation between us first.

Here are my stories: One New Year's Eve I was shivering in the cold at Times Square waiting for the ball to drop. I heard "Jamie!" called out in a loud voice. It was one of my close high school friends who I hadn't seen for a few years. We just happened to be on the same block.

Years later when I was crossing the street at Grand Central Station, also in New York, I heard, "Ms. Rhein!!" When I turned around to see who called my name, I saw one of my former 11th grade American Lit. students who I taught when I lived in Singapore.

Another time when I was on a ferry going from Le Havre, France to Ireland I saw a young woman wearing a Penn State sweatshirt. I asked her if she went to Penn State. She said she was from State College. After I told her I had lived in State College when I was in the 4th and 5th grade we found out that we had gone to the same elementary school. Turns out her brother was the cutest boy in my class.

When I was trekking in Nepal there was a woman at one of our stops who looked familiar for some reason. It turns out she was also teaching internationally. After a few more conversation details, I remembered talking with her in a hotel bathroom in San Diego at a teachers' hiring fair. She was in the bathroom to change out of her interview garb into more comfortable clothing.

And once when I was traveling from Albuquerque to Cincinnati on my way to a family gathering at a horserace at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, I changed planes in St. Louis. As I was traveling on the moving sidewalk, I heard some call my name. It was my cousin who lived in Pennsylvania at the time. He was heading to Texas, but had plans to be in Kentucky later that week.

I'm not sure if the universe is any better because of these happenstance meetings, but they do make me smile when I think of them. If you run across someone who looks familiar, it never hurts to start asking questions. (This photo, thanks to phototo penguin on Flickr is of the corner where the ball drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve.)

Filed under: Hiking, Festivals and Events, Stories, Transportation, Airports

Brett's post on famous people you've come across in your travels reminded me of other traveling coincidences. It's neat to see famous people for sure, but what about the people who aren't so famous? What about the people from other parts of your life who show up in places where you least expect to see them? This is another aspect about travel that facinates me. Does the universe just put us at the same time on the same corner of the world with someone from another part of our life, far from where we normally reside, for a reason--or is this just luck? Some people say it's just luck. Others say there is something greater purpose at work. Regardless, I've run into people where I didn't expect to see them for perhaps no other reason than it gives me a thrill. Often I didn't find out the connection without a conversation between us first.

Here are my stories: One New Year's Eve I was shivering in the cold at Times Square waiting for the ball to drop. I heard "Jamie!" called out in a loud voice. It was one of my close high school friends who I hadn't seen for a few years. We just happened to be on the same block.

Years later when I was crossing the street at Grand Central Station, also in New York, I heard, "Ms. Rhein!!" When I turned around to see who called my name, I saw one of my former 11th grade American Lit. students who I taught when I lived in Singapore.

Another time when I was on a ferry going from Le Havre, France to Ireland I saw a young woman wearing a Penn State sweatshirt. I asked her if she went to Penn State. She said she was from State College. After I told her I had lived in State College when I was in the 4th and 5th grade we found out that we had gone to the same elementary school. Turns out her brother was the cutest boy in my class.

When I was trekking in Nepal there was a woman at one of our stops who looked familiar for some reason. It turns out she was also teaching internationally. After a few more conversation details, I remembered talking with her in a hotel bathroom in San Diego at a teachers' hiring fair. She was in the bathroom to change out of her interview garb into more comfortable clothing.

And once when I was traveling from Albuquerque to Cincinnati on my way to a family gathering at a horserace at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, I changed planes in St. Louis. As I was traveling on the moving sidewalk, I heard some call my name. It was my cousin who lived in Pennsylvania at the time. He was heading to Texas, but had plans to be in Kentucky later that week.

I'm not sure if the universe is any better because of these happenstance meetings, but they do make me smile when I think of them. If you run across someone who looks familiar, it never hurts to start asking questions. (This photo, thanks to phototo penguin on Flickr is of the corner where the ball drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve.)