Tagged: usa travel

10 Mountain Driving Tips

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An open mountain road beckons: Colorado National Parks Highway.

Mountain travelers worldwide take summer mountain road trips every year.

They may choose car hire and guided tours like the new Colorado tour with UK travel company Bon Voyage Travel and Tours.

Or mountain travelers may go on independent tours of mountain places like California’s Sierra High-Pass Country.

This stunning region is known for its soaring granite peaks, clear blue lakes, charming small towns and scenic roads in the High Sierra.

Heading north to Bear Valley, mountain adventurers will enjoy Lake Alpine and dozens of lakes for exploring, hiking, mountain biking, climbing and kayaking.

On California’s Highway 89, the drive around Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe is considered one of the most scenic drives in the United States.

Are you planning a summer mountain road trip? Here are 10 Mountain Driving Tips:

  1. Choose a SUV for safer mountain travel.
  2. Pack a survival bag with blanket, candle, matches, energy bars, water, flashlight, flares, booster cables and shovel.
  3. Plan your route ahead by checking out mountain weather websites to avoid bad weather and road conditions.
  4. Prepare for navigation with GPS, maps and compass.
  5. Take a car charger for your mobile phone.
  6. Tell friends and family your mountain destination, itinerary and arrivals/departures.
  7. Bring bear spray and a whistle for potential wildlife encounters.
  8. Fill up your gas tank and keep an eye on your fuel gauge.
  9. For high mountain travel, carry a set of tire chains for snow.
  10. Mountain weather changes frequently so wear mountain boots and have mountain clothing handy.

Image courtesy of Colorado Tourism Office.

This is a Guest Post.

Top Mountain Movies

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Cold. Photo via Mountainfilm.

Mountainfilm wrote this guest post on top film picks at this year’s festival.

Next week, Mountainfilm will kick off its 33rd annual festival in Telluride, Colorado, May 27-30, 2011.

Started in 1979, Mountainfilm in Telluride is one of America’s longest-running film festivals.

Through the years, in and out of trends and fads, the festival has always been best described by one unchanging word: inspiring. Far more than any other adjective, that’s how festival audiences describe their experience.

This year, the festival boasts a solid list of films, many focused on mountain-inspired themes. Here are two of our top picks:

Cold trailer.  Video via Mountainfilm.

Cold

Ascending an 8,000-meter peak is never easy. In winter, with temperatures plummeting to 30 below and colder and with snowstorms raging, it is nearly unthinkable.

In fact, of the seventeen efforts to ascend an 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan in winter only one has been successful. That winter ascent of Gasherbrum II by Simone Moro, Denis Urubko and Cory Richards is the subject of Cold.

Filmed by Richards and written from his perspective, this is a very personal and frank portrayal of the risks and rigors of high-altitude mountaineering, in this case intensified by the choice of calendar date—fully three months ahead of the standard Himalayan season.

There’s crazy; and then there’s cold crazy. Moro, Urubko and Richards clearly pitch their tents in the latter camp. Of the three, only Richards—the first American to ever achieve an 8,000-meter winter ascent anywhere—seems concerned by the madness.

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Towers of the Ennedi. Photo via Mountainfilm.

Towers of the Ennedi

Renan Ozturk heads to the remote and sun-flattened landscape of the Ennedi Desert in northeastern Chad.

It’s a hot, sand-scoured and unfriendly place, but from its vast belly rise clusters of spires, towers and rock formations that are breathtakingly lovely.

In Towers of the Ennedi, Ozturk and veteran climber Mark Synnott—known more for his far-flung adventures than his technical accomplishments—bring young climbing stars Alex Honnold and James Pearson to the Ennedi to explore its untouched landscapes.

Together, Synnott, Honnold and Pearson endure a long, bumpy drive across the sand flats of a godforsaken country to reach an incredible destination: gardens of towers filled with graceful fingers of rock, bottle-shaped formations and lithe arches. With its stark and poetic footage of camels and rock, as well as jarring images of unpleasant travels, this film shows that sometimes you can have just as many adventures trying to reach your destination as you can have once you get there.

Towers of the Ennedi trailer. Video courtesy via Mountainfilm.

Check out the full film list here. And if you can’t make it to Telluride, see if the films will be coming to you with Mountainfilm World Tour.

This is a Guest Post.

A Mountain Road Trip

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National Parks Highway.

Colorado is a stunning summer mountain road trip destination.

The Rocky Mountain state has 54 mountain peaks topping 14,000 feet, natural hot springs, four major rivers, lakes and reservoirs and nine national parks and monuments.

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National Parks Mesa Verde.

UK travel company Bon Voyage Travel and Tours has created a new 13-day guided tour of Colorado.

Arriving in Denver, the mile high city, guests have an evening of culture and dining and shopping before they head to ski resort town Aspen in the Elk Mountains.

In the summer, Aspen offers many summer activities including jeep tours, hiking, biking and art galleries and boutiques.

Then the tour heads to Glenwood Springs at the confluence of the Roaming Fork River and the Colorado.  Glenwood Springs is known for the world’s largest hot springs swimming and the Yampah Spa Vapour Caves.

The next stop is Grand Junction, home of Colorado’s fine wines and the National Monument.

Guest can tour the region’s vineyards, sample wines and learn about wine making.

Then they head to the historic town of Telluride, famed for the first bank robbed by Butch Cassidy.

En route to Cortez, they can visit Mesa Verde National Park and learn about the ancient Pueblo people.

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National Parks Garden of the Gods.

A short drive away is the historic mining town of Durango where guests can experience the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge railroad through the Rockies.

The last stop is Colorado Springs and its must-see attraction, the Garden of the Gods where guests can hike, bike, drive or even segway.

A visitor center highlights the area’s geology and cultural history with a HD theatre and 30+ free exhibits.

Back in Denver, guests can sample the latest from the city’s microbreweries and shop at Cherry Creek Outlet Mall.

For more info, visit the Bon Voyage site.

Images courtesy of Colorado T0urism Office.

Escorted Alaska Holidays

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Portage Glacier, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Alaska is an unusual and exciting holiday destination for the more experienced traveler.

An escorted tour can be the best and safest way to get the most out of this wild and beautiful destination.

Alaska holidays offer the scope of glacial landscapes coupled with a kind of old world charm.

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Alaska railroad.  Image courtesy of Alaska Travel Industry Association.

Having won statehood in 1959, Alaska is unmistakably American.

Yet Alaska has its own distinct cultural entity and its inhabitants are fiercely proud of their state and its immense diversity: sounds, channels and inlets; forests; mountain ranges and glaciers to bears, humpback whales, sea lions and the bald eagle.

A perfect getaway for nature lovers and budding photographers alike, the destination has breathtaking panoramas that look like they could have been plucked straight from an old film.

While adventure holidays are an option, there are also plenty of tours that are suited to older travelers, which take in the sights and sounds at a more leisurely pace.

Many of the smaller towns in Alaska have no roads in or out, like the town of Skagway, a popular tour stop-off.   These towns are most easily accessed by sea, making Alaska a perfect cruise destination.

Various Alaska travel operators offer escorted tours which make the most of the state’s regions.

These tours mean that travelers don’t have to worry about details including itinerary, meals, flights, transfers and accommodation.

Each escorted tour is overseen by a tour manager with expert knowledge of  the regions of Alaska, including the South East, where the town of Ketchikan sits, nestled at the base of Deer Mountain.

Tour staff will be on hand for information and assistance, allowing travelers to experience the magic of the place and learn about the history and cultural significance of each place.

Many people who travel to Alaska will want to see the world-famous glaciers and fjords.

Most escorted tours will include the chance to cruise past these natural structures, so close you can hear the ice creak and, if you’re lucky, spot Alaska wildlife along the way; whales, bears, even mountain goats.

There will be plenty of time to stroll through the towns including the characterful town of Skagway, part of gold rush history.

For Alaska escorted tours, all travelers really need to do is turn up with their suitcase.

This is a Sponsored Post.

Photography From The Edge

Outdoor photographer?  If you’re living or traveling in the U.S., then you’ll want to check out From the Edge with Peter Lik on The Weather Channel (TWC).

The half-hour, action adventure nature TV series follows photographer Peter Lik on his quest for the perfect photograph, battling weather in epic U.S. landscapes.

It airs on The Weather Channel on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET.

Australian native Lik is an award-winning and collected fine art photographer, internationally acclaimed for his panoramic landscape photography.

His landscape photography often highlights the impact of weather.

“In “From the Edge with Peter Lik,” Lik reveals the country through a whole new perspective, capturing its diverse climates and natural beauty through his lens,” says The Weather Channel.

In the series episodes, Lik travels to U.S. destinations including Big Island of Hawaii, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Arches National Park and the “Big Sky Country” of Montana.

For iPad users, they can follow the show along with a new iPad app, “From the Edge with Peter Lik from The Weather Channel,” available at the App Store.

The app includes audio-synced and exclusive iPad content for an interactive viewing experience.

On the show’s website – weather.com/fromtheedge – viewers can see featured photos, video and behind-the-scenes footage.

Mobile consumers can access photos, information and video footage under the “Photos & Fun” from the weather.com’s mobile Web.

For more show info, visit the show’s site.

Video courtesy of The Weather Channel.

Spring At Vail Resorts

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Snowshoe fun at Vail.

The North America 2010/2011 ski and snowboard season is ending soon.

In the United States, Vail Ski Resorts at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe, will have fun end-of-season ski events.

Closing dates are coming up at Keystone Resort (April 10); Beaver Creek Resort (April 17) and Vail, Breckenridge, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe (April 24).

For skiers looking for travel deals, a discounted Vail Resort Season Pass is now available for the 2011-2012 winter ski and snowboard season.

Here are some of the Spring 2011 ski events at Vail Resorts:

  • Breckenridge Spring Fever, April 1-24. Fun concerts to spring events are happening in town and on the mountain. Highlights include: Live concerts; Breck Spring Beer Festival; EpicMixer singles and The Breck 5 Peaks competition.
  • Taste of Vail, April 7-9.  Taste of Vail is a spring food and wine festival at several venues throughout the ski resort. Highlights: World-class restaurants; Wine from top wineries; Interactive seminars; Auction and dance; Colorado Lamb Cook Off; Après ski tasting and Mountaintop Picnic.
  • Heavenly Spring Loaded 2011, April 9-23. This spring break skiing and riding celebration is known for its entertainment, après-ski parties and 24-hour nightlife. Highlights: Gunbarrel 25 hosted by skiing legend Glen Plake; Stateline Showdown amateur slopestyle competition finals; Heavenly’s pond-skimming championships and Cold War Kids concerts.
  • Spring Back to Vail, April 15-24.  This end-of-the-season bash has free concerts, on-snow events and street parties.  Highlights: performances by Train, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, The Greyboy Allstars, Shpongle, Stephen Marley and Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars and the World Pond Skimming Championships.
  • Beaver Creek Vintage Ski Fest & Race, April 16. The ski race sees guests in vintage wool skiing attire and using old wood or metal skis to race on the Hay Meadow race course.  Prizes are awarded for Best Costume and winners in racing categories.

Here are more scenes of Vail:

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Images courtesy of Vail Resorts.

National Park Week

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Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Every year, mountain travelers flock to America’s national parks like Utah’s Canyonlands National Park.

Coming up April 16-24, 2011, National Park Week will offer free admission to all 394 U.S. national parks.

Throughout the week, national parks and park partners will feature special programs, like ranger talks and free guided tours, as part of National Park Week festivities.

Many parks will be enlisting volunteers to help with special projects and kids will participate in Junior Ranger Day.

Mountain travelers can see America’s highest peak (Mount McKinley); lowest point (Death Valley), or deepest lake (Crater Lake).

Says Jonathan B. Jarvis, National Park Service Director:

“National parks have always been great places to go on vacation, have fun, and learn something, but for millions of Americans national parks are also a daily part of a healthy lifestyle. If you’ve never thought of your national parks that way, we’d like to invite you to come out to see how parks can help you meet your fitness goals. Getting outside and moving is the first step.”

Additional 2011 free admission days are scheduled for: June 21 (the first day of summer); September 21 (National Public Lands Day); and November 11-13 (Veterans Day Weekend).

Image courtesy of DiscoverMoab.com.

Festival Of Flowers

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Asheville, N.C.-Biltmore’s annual Festival of Flowers. Photo credit: PRNewsFoto/The Biltmore Company.

Asheville, North Carolina will be a blooming mountain spring spot with Biltmore’s Festival of Flowers, April 2 to May 15, 2011.

Some 100,000+ tulips will beautify George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre property, designed by legendary architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

At the estate entrance, there will be a meadow of white, purple, pink, yellow and red tulips.

In the Walled Garden, the tulips will have hues of purple, orange, yellow and white then mid-festival lavender shades of alyssum, orange snapdragons, poppies, dianthus and digitalis.

The festival events will also include:

  • Live music daily in the Conservatory and Winter Garden;
  • “Ask a Gardener” station with Biltmore’s horticulture experts;
  • Art show at Deerpark and
  • Seminars will be held in A Gardener’s Place in the Conservatory.

Festival of Flowers will coincide with the estate’s Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011, on Biltmore House’s front lawn.

For more info, visit the Biltmore site.

Photo, River & Nature

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Utah’s Green River from a vantage point just below the canyon rim.

Fancy exploring Utah’s Green River Wilderness?

Then take a look at the new photography workshop being lead by photographer John Fielder and hosted by Bill Dvorak’s Kayak & Rafting Expeditions.

A portion of the August 26-September 1, 2011 trip on Utah’s Green River will benefit the National Wildlife Federation.

Considered Colorado’s premier landscape photographer, Fielder and the rafting outfitter will give beginner to advanced photographers the chance to hone their skills and challenge themselves on 86 miles of scenic whitewater.

NWF says it will commit a major portion of the funds to support its oil and gas, climate change and wildlife protection programs throughout the United States.

This trip will begin in Grand Junction, Colorado on August, 26, 2011 with a pre-trip slideshow and dinner hosted by Fielder and the NWF.

The next day, participants will fly to the river put-in along Utah’s Green River.

Over six days and five nights, they will take on 60 Class II-III rapids, one-on-one-instruction and sunrise and sunset photo shoots.

Says Bill Dvorak, company founder and owner:

“This is an excellent opportunity for anyone to learn from a legendary nature photographer while helping the nation’s leading wildlife conservation organization on a river trip through one of the West’s most spectacular and remote wild river wilderness areas.”

For more information, visit the Dvorak Expeditions site.

Here are more scenes from Green River Utah:

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A short hike overlooks a bend in the Green River – Desolation Canyon, Utah.

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Afternoon sun catches the canyon wall above two rafts on the Green River, Utah.

Images courtesy of Western River Expeditions.

Alaska Rails & Trails

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Alaska Railroad is launching a new adventure package tour for the 2011 season.

The 10-day, Rails and Trails package will take travelers to Anchorage, Seward, Girdwood and Talkeetna by train.

The package will include rail transportation and hotel accommodations in the four destinations.

Unscheduled days will give independent travelers the freedom to explore.

Additional travel options will include:

  • Paddling Resurrection Bay by kayak;
  • Guided hikes or dog mushing atop a glacier;
  • Rafting among the icebergs of Spencer Glacier or
  • Flightseeing around Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak.

Travelers can upgrade their trip with Alaska Railroad’s GoldStar Service, which has double-deck dome cars with reserved seating; dining service; a full-time bar attendant and a private outdoor viewing platform.

For more info, visit the Alaska Railroad site.

Image courtesy of Alaska Railroad.