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Jenn H's avatar

I've also done Arches and Bath Skyline and agree they are worth doing. If you liked Arches, you may also like Valley of Fire, a small state park in Nevada (not too far from Las Vegas) with spectacular geologic formations.

Mount Rainier NP is also full of great hikes, though sadly getting more crowded every year.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

I've heard about the Valley of Fire and would LOVE to see it! As for Mount Rainier, yeah, that's the fate of the entire PNW these days...

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

Love the name!

I spent SO MUCH TIME as a bored kid in Mount Rainier that I always told Michael, "Eh, not that spectacular." But then he insisted we go, and you're right, it's amazing. (I still prefer Olympic National Park though.)

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Peter Kurtz's avatar

I’m a hiker (AT thru 2021-22), so thanks for this! Since you love Arches, you may want to read “Desert Solitaire” by Edward Abbey…entertaining, eye-opening, and important.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out!

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Kaarin Marx Smith's avatar

I know it must have been difficult to limit your list to only 10 walks, but it looks like you picked winners. I can't wait to explore the paths around Lake Como -- and because of your recommendation, I'll be heading to the Olympic Peninsula this summer. Thank you!

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

Thanks! Yeah, I'm sure you'll love both those choices...

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Shawn's avatar

Did you all do much hiking when you were in Norway? I keep on looking at Alaska as a hiking / nature destination, but I wonder how the landscapes there stack up against the Nordic fjords and glaciers that seem equally appealing in photographs. One definite draw that Alaska has is the wildlife seems way more wild and present. Norway was kind of disappointing in that regard, but I was too busy admiring everything else to care much at the time.

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

We didn't do much hiking in Norway -- just near town stuff, mostly because I had a kidney stone (and the weather sucked). But we DID do a fair bit in Iceland and Greenland, and what you say is very true: the wildlife just isn't what it's like in Alaska, which is unlike anything I've ever seen anywhere in the world. Wildlife EVERYWHERE.

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

(Honestly, I think Alaska is a cut above Norway, Iceland, and Greenland in raw beauty too, but don't tell anyone I said that.)

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Shawn's avatar

Ha, I do get that vague impression. Norway was a bit easier to navigate -- rent a car, go away from the coasts, and you can hike onto a glacier in a couple of hours. Alaska seems like a trip that involves a bit more planning and mixed-mode transport. I tend to avoid boats, but it would be nice to be able to view scenery without having to drive at the same time. Going up there probably deserves to be nudged up a bit on my list...

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Michael Young's avatar

I’d love to get to do some of those US hikes one day. Love the sound of the Washington State one with all that wildlife!

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

As an added bonus, you'll get to see fascism up close and personal.

Sorry, VERY bitter these days...

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