From San Candido to the trailhead and finally taking your first steps on AV4, what I’ve recommended in this post is a pseudo-“day 0” with just 90min of hiking that will perfectly set you up for trek to come. Rather than spending the night in San Candido before starting AV4 (I begrudgingl[...]
The final day of AV2 is plenty long enough, but overall pleasant and with views of yet another spectacular National Park, Dolomiti Brunello. Soak in the final kilometres of this epic route before finishing in Croce d’Aune, a tiny town just outside of Feltre. You’ve made it!! This comprehensi[...]
After a few cruisey ones, today is a slightly longer day, with the initial climb up to Passo Comedon presenting the greatest obstacle. Still, it’s not overly difficult and certainly remains enjoyable until the very end, dropping you into the meadows of Rifugio Boz and impossibly close to the end[...]
Climbing gently out of the forest into a spectacular landscape of lush meadows and misty Dolomite pillars, today marks a distinct change of scenery from the first 2/3rds of AV2. Gone are the arid lunarscapes and high-altitude peaks, but so are the bustling mountain passes, leaving you to enjoy the[...]
Today is an interesting contrast, with truly spectacular views from both the trail and via ferrata routes in the morning, followed by an absolutely miserable 1,300m descent that will traumatise even keen hikers. Enjoy the highs and power through the lows— by all accounts, it’s a memorable se[...]
From the lunar landscapes of Cima Rosetta to the striking tower of Cima Canali, the Palo di San Martino are on full show today as you journey towards Rifugio Pradidali. There are several sections of cable along the standard AV2 route, as well as a quick side summit to enjoy, making this another exc[...]
Following what may have been a large day yesterday, day 8 is short and undemanding as it journeys through the Pale di San Martino to charming Rifugio Mulaz. Aside from a few short trails you might wish to scamper up, there isn’t much in the way of extension or side-trips, so enjoy a relaxing[...]
Today’s recommended route features a wonderful via ferrata just out the door of Rifugio Castiglioni Marmolada and an onward journey to Passo San Pellegrino, more or less the halfway point of AV2! As discussed in my post for Day 5, there are several variations available that might influence h[...]
Drop from the highest point on AV2 to the shores of Lago di Fedaia beneath Marmolada, the tallest mountain in the Dolomites, enjoying spectacular views and flower-filled meadows en route. The day has a wonderfully scenic lunch spot and an exciting alternative to the busy trail, but isn’t overly d[...]
Following the traditional AV2 route, day 4 is very short and not terribly remarkable, but there’s a wonderful addition that might just change that— Piz Boè. Rather than stopping in the midst of the barren, lunar landscape of Rifugio Boè, ascend further to the summit of Boè and[...]
Day 3 is where via ferrata along AV2 really take centre stage, with three excellent climbs possible throughout the day. Even if you aren’t tackling my “adventure route” on your own hike, you’ll still have some unavoidable via ferrata cables today and may just find that it’s more fun than[...]
The second day on AV2 is incredibly scenic and features some of the best views in Parco Nazionale Puez-Odle within the first couple hours. If you’re looking to add a bit of extra adventure, there are also 3 short side trips and a great via ferrata easily incorporated into the day’s itinerary![...]
The first day of Alta Via 2 is one of the longer stages of the trail— although not overly demanding, it racks up nearly 20km with an easy via ferrata taking you up your first summit. It's an excellent introduction of what's to come over the next two weeks on AV2! This comprehensive guide to Da[...]
There's a common fantasy among vanlifers about opening your doors to a private sandy beach and running into crystal clear water while colourful fish leap around you and a local man cracks open a fresh coconut. It's the kind of easy living that has made vanlife into the instagram sensation it is now[...]
Hi friends & fellow adventurers! I am incredibly humbled to have reached 1 million lifetime views on this blog, a milestone I wouldn't have even imagined possible a few years ago. Thank you to EVERY person who's read, shared, or comment on my posts-- it's a wonderful feeling to know that my[...]
Every year, more than one billion monarch butterflies make the 5,000km journey from Canada to Mexico, arriving into high-elevation forests just outside of Mexico City to "overwinter" in near-constant sunshine. The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is a pocket of true magic amongst the sacred[...]
From experiencing the absolute best of Mexican hospitality and witnessing one of the most incredible natural phenomenon in North America to ending up in hospital, this was simultaneously the best and worst week we’ve had in Mexico so far. What we've been up to this week Departing San M[...]
We wrapped up several wonderful weeks in Jalisco by visiting the state capital and Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara, which was far more delightful than we’d imagined. The end of the week brought even more excitement as we headed inland to Guanajuato, getting farther off the tourist tra[...]
Just off the East Cape of Baja California Sur, Cabo Pulmo National Park protects a 70-sq-km area within the Sea of Cortez, famously described by French explorer Jaques Cousteau as the "World's Aquarium". What may seem like hyperbole is actually the most fitting description available for Cabo Pulmo[...]
Coming fresh from a year of vanlife in the American West, we were convinced that Baja would present a big change to our usual boondocking and free camping— we expected mostly paid campgrounds and crowded RV Parks, and even fretted about how we'd find clean drinking water or fuel in between towns.[...]