Glacier National Park is located in the northern part of Montana. Parts of Glacier touch British Columbia and Alberta. The entrance fee to Glacier ranges from $15 to $35 depending on the season. See directly below for a list of the average high and low temperatures from May through September. The weather in Glacier Park can change drastically at any time of the year. For example, in 1992 over a foot of snow fell on parts of Glacier in August. … [Read more...]
Spokane, WA – More Info
The Spokane Visitor Information center is located at 201 West Main Street. They can be reached at Phone Number (509) 747-3230. www.visitspokane.com General Montana Travel information can be received by calling Phone Number 1-800-VISIT-MT or by visiting their web page at: www.visitmt.com For information about Montana State Parks call Phone Number (406) 444-3750. For info about Coeur d' Alene call Phone Number (208) 664-0587 or you can … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Shopping
Coddingtown is one of two primary malls in Santa Rosa and is the city's oldest mall. It continues to undergo a number of select remodels over the years with parts of the mall torn down and then rebuilt from the ground up. Originally founded by Hugh Codding in 1962 as an open-air mall it was later enclosed in 1979. The name Codding is a long time prominent family in town - Hugh Codding developed a number of shopping centers in town as well as … [Read more...]
Nepal – Climate
October through November is probably the best time to visit Nepal. The weather is balmy, the air is clean, and the visibility is at its best. There are two main times of the season in this country, the rainy, and the dry season. October through November is the dry season, just after the monsoons. Our group went in December and the weather was a bit colder, but the big advantage that we had was that it was off season and there were very few … [Read more...]
Nepal – Porters
Once you reach Lucla and step out of your plane or helicopter you will be greeted by many people, mostly porters. The porters will surround you and ask if you need some help in carrying your packs. Porters can be hired for a few American dollars per day. Sometimes they will request that you pay for their dinner at one of the many lodges scattered along the trail. I was surprised to see that the porters were quite short and wiry. I was also … [Read more...]
Nepal – Altitude
The heights in Nepal are not to be taken lightly. The high altitude can definitely be a problem for many people. Everyone adjusts differently to the altitude as I found out on our hike. Studies have estimated that 30 to 40 percent of all hikers on the Everest trail will develop some sort of altitude sickness. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the most common form of altitude sickness. Out of the 16 people on our trek, I would say that only 3 or 4 … [Read more...]
Nepal – What to Bring
Besides the medication and medical kit there is quite a bit that the trekker can bring. If you are going to hire a porter, put what you can into your bag and worry less about the weight. If you are going to carry your own pack you must prioritize what is really important to you on backpacking trips, and consider weight as a factor. If you are not planning on backpacking this list will still help you in your packing. Some of these items may be … [Read more...]
Nepal – Trek Lodges
There are lodges scattered about every 1/2 hour to 1.5 hours along the trail. Most of these lodges are merely stone huts that become less and less clean and inviting the further up the trail. All of the lodges are stocked with drinks and supplies. Often because of the less extreme night time temperatures at the lower elevations you could sleep in your sleeping bag outside of the lodge. Inside, the rooms are often upstairs. The beds are … [Read more...]
Nepal – Food
This was the important part of the trip for me. I like to eat! However by the end of the trek I could barely stand the sight much less the taste of the Nepali Himalayan food. First of all let me describe how the food is cooked and the process of a hungry tourist trying to get food. After a long day hiking on the trail you arrive at the lodge, more often then not, in the dark. There will be a few tourists or maybe none at all depending on the … [Read more...]
Nepal – Lucla
The town of Lucla is where most people fly to in order to start their hike or trek. The elevation here is about 9,100 feet and it is better to fly here, then to Namche Bazaar which is situated at 11,700 feet. I say this because it is easier to acclimate yourself to lower elevation. This town is fairly large compared to the rest of the towns scattered along the trail on the way to Everest Base Camp. Don't expect any luxury in any of these … [Read more...]