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Yeah, we forgot to mention being in the Eastern Sierras. Easy to forget some details when exhausted at the top of a mountain!

The TCT is a really fun experience!

Nice! November was a great time for the trek and hopefully you have great weather like we did. One tip from our experience, make sure you do everything you can to summit Gokyo-Ri. It's the best view on the trek and helps you acclimatize for the climb over Cho La Pass. We spent two nights at Gokyo Lake so if weather was bad we had multiple chances to summit. Also nice that you can trek back to Lukla, we had limited time but it would have been nice to trek down the traditional EBC just to see that section. Have fun and good luck!!

It really is worth getting excited about...the trek through Triglav National Park is incredible! You can get by on these treks with the bare minimum of gear. Every hut has food and drinks so you don't need to carry much. We took smallish backpacks, 30l and 50l camera backpack which was more than enough. Weight depends on you personally and how comfortable you want to be, we carry a ton of heavy camera equipment so we're not a good resource for weight info. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks! We loved Slovenia and had an amazing time. The Julian Alps were incredible (along with the rest of the country), even if you don't hike there's beautiful viewpoints and roads that take you to some nice areas. Have fun and enjoy!!

Yes, lots of high-altitude experience has taught us exactly what we need to do to prepare. It's surprising how many people rush up with no acclimatizing and end up paying the price.

Thanks! The TCT isn't too difficult, especially if you would opt for the gear haul which allows you to go without heavy packs. There are some pretty long climbs that can test your stamina especially on a hot day. It is a really great experience and perfect for beginner backpackers.

@@lylesuch4421 TYSM for getting back to me- i hadn't heard about the gear haul- i'll definately do that. i also heard you guys say something about lockers at the next campsite, and my buddy said something like that also.. what's the deal there?

The lockers are at Parsons Landing campsite. They give you a code so when you reach camp there is a locker containing wood and water if you reserve it. A couple tips from our experiences if you're planning a trip; spring is by far the best time to go, south to north is the best direction, but when booking find a date that Parsons Landing is available (especially campsite 1 or 2), then book everything else based on that. Don't skip Little Harbor campsite (which a lot of people do) and rent kayaks while you're there. It's an amazing experience!

@@lylesuch4421 TYSM- i will definately follow your route and go east to west, south to north, avoiding the morning sun etc. you mentioned another spot past parsons- have you ever been there?-also, what about early october? i am in phoenix and cant travel until then due to work, but dont want to wait until spring

Starlight Beach is the northern point of Catalina, a side-trip off the main trail. We were originally planning an extra night at Parsons so we could do a day hike out to Starlight, but the trail was closed at the time so we'll save it for next time. You can add it on to the hike either going in to or leaving Parsons, but it makes for a really long day. October can be brutally hot and nothing is green on the island. There is almost no shelter so you can't escape the sun. If you like heat it's no problem, and it makes the swimming more refreshing. But the entire island changes when it turns green in spring and it's a completely different experience. If you're set on doing it earlier, it's impossible to guess but it's best to wait until November to hopefully avoid some of the heat. Good luck!

We're glad you like our video! We really wanted to show how diverse and beautiful the landscape is in Jordan. We thought it would be mostly desert and rocky terrain, but the plantlife and nature on this trek were incredible. We're even hoping to return someday to complete other portions of the Jordan Trail.

That's great! There are so many great guides in Nepal, we also had an incredible experience with our guide company, Life Himalaya. It's amazing how hard working and kind the guides and porters are.

We remember you from up at the Luxmore Hut when we were sitting out in the rain shooting our timelapse. Yeah, amazing time in the mountains of New Zealand. We decided to re-edit the video because our previous version was a little too fast paced and didn't really showcase the beauty. We're so happy this brings back fond memories for you, and hopefully you get better soon to get back out on the trails!

Thanks for the great feedback! Hopefully the second time is the one for you, we were turned back at Long Lake twice so it took us three tries but it was totally worth it. Personally, we think the view from Langley is even better than Whitney but both are incredible experiences. Is your plan to do the entire thing in one day, or go the smart route and camp for a night so you can enjoy it a little more? Either way, good luck and have fun!!

@@lylesuch4421 LOL. Going to take my time by camping at Long Lake prior to attempting the summit. Helps a bit with acclimation as well. Cheers!

How do you guys keep the tent in place during very strong winds, especially at higher elevations on more barren granite, and when you are away from camp on a day hike? On my recent hike to Mt Whitney, the wind was blowing at about 30 mph at Trail Camp on the night after summitting. In the morning as I was about to pack the tent, it was blown away and I had to chase it down a few hundred feet away.

We do everything we can to camp as low and protected as possible to avoid wind. We did Whitney without camping, but if we had we probably would have stayed down in Outpost Camp, as it's more protected. We also tend to not stay in one spot more than one night so rarely need to leave our tent behind. If we are, however, camped in a place with high winds, we just hope there are enough rocks around to weigh the tent down and keep it in place.

@@lylesuch4421 Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks! We're going through some old videos and re-editing to make them a little easier to watch.

We organized a full Morocco tour with Mohamed at Aztat. They booked the trek to Toubkal and through the Atlas mountains, they also provided a driver who took us from Marrakesh all the way to Tangier with many overnight stops along the way. We booked as a group of two for the trekking, then we had a third person join us for the road trip. Aztat was an incredible company.

@@lylesuch4421 Many thanks. Did you have a separate guide, muleteer and cook (i.e. 3 individuals)? Or did you just have the guide who also moved the mule and cooked food? Just trying to understand how it works.

Good questions. For our two person group, we had one guide and one muleteer who carried extra gear. On the two day Toubkal ascent we ate at the refugio and at a small cafe on the way up the first day, so the mulateer didn't cook. The second part of our trek over to Ouirgane, the mulateer would set up a spot for lunch and he cooked the food (and the food was amazing). For dinners we ate at the refugios where we slept.

@@lylesuch4421 Many thanks for your replies. This is awesome. I apologise for continuing to ask questions but I think I may use the same company so I would like to have full information. Did you book months in advance of your trip or did you arrive in morocco? Also did you stay in the refugio or in tents? And did you need to bring your own sleeping bags (or would you recommend bringing our own sleeping bags? I see that you did in 2 days rather than over several days to allow your body to adjust to the altitude changes. Did you find it hard to cope with being at the higher altitude?

Great to hear! It's always nice to know people are out there enjoying our videos. We're re-editing some of our older hikes to slow it down a little and make it easier to enjoy the views. Two more old treks from New Zealand are in the works.

Glad you enjoyed our vids of Nepal. How was your experience, I hope you had as good a time as we did. Yeah, we're updating some of our really old videos to make them a little more watchable. Kili was our first real video that we shot and I didn't know how to edit back then. One of these days we'll get to finishing our cave wedding video. Thanks for watching and have fun out on the trails!

Exactly! Every time we visit the area we have our hearts set on seeing The Wave, but because of our luck with the lottery we instead end up finding something nearly as beautiful and fun to explore. We loved White Pocket, North Teepees is on our list for future visits.

Thanks! We try and capture our full experience and make it as enjoyable to watch as possible. Sometimes the videos get a little long but there's so much to try and fit in, especially in a place like Nepal that is so beautiful!

Very nice! Isn't it fun to see how each person can go on the same hike but see it in completely unique and personal ways? Congrats on reaching the summit and you chose the smart way of doing it in two days instead of one!!

@@lylesuch4421 One enjoys it more if one takes his or her time. Loved your video. I never get tired of seeing Mt Whitney videos now that I have done it.

Yeah, definitely a good recommendation. Strange how very few people think about wearing helmets at Whitney on this route considering all the potential rock fall but on similar routes in Europe it's a common thing to see people in helmets.

That's a great question and one we don't hear very often! There are several ways to go in the Slovenian Alps. Some require very sketchy sections and some are very safe. We chose a moderate path because one of our group is also a bit afraid of heights. Anywhere that we encountered steep dropoffs and narrow paths was also supported by cables or iron steps so you always felt secure and there wasn't any situation where our "fearful" one had any issues. However, the ascent up Triglav itself would be considered extremely scary if you have a fear of heights. It is very steep and you traverse several sections of narrow ridges. Again, though, there is a system of steps, stairs and cables so you can stay clipped in, so it is a great place to tackle your fear of heights while still staying safe.

​@@lylesuch4421Thanks for the information. Can you tell us the route you took or how you determined that it was a moderate one? Thanks. Tom

We do a ton of research to plan our hikes. Triglav is a challenge because there's no pre-determined route and you just figure out what parts of the park you want to hike through. We start with finding the spots we really want to see (views, huts etc) via Google Earth and other resources. Then map everything on All-Trails to find trails to each spot. If there are multiple ways, which is the most scenic and/or difficult based on recent trail reports. Finally, during the hike we talk to people coming from the other direction and get info on upcoming trail conditions. On our trek through Triglav, we thought we had it all worked out, but everyone we talked to said the final day of our plans was too dangerous, the mountain was too steep to go down so we had to alter our course. Hope that helps a little!

That’s great, and at 70 that’s pretty inspirational to hear you’re training for a big trek like this. The TCT is a really wonderful hike and I’m sure you’ll love it. We don’t really weigh our packs because we carry so much camera gear, books, and anything we feel will make it a fun and comfortable trip so we try not to worry too much about “light” packing and are ok dealing with heavy packs. If you haven’t looked into it yet, there is a company that does a gear haul service. You can have them just transport your heavier backpacks to each camp, or go all the way in and have them deliver gear and set up tents and have everything ready and waiting for when you arrive at each camp. It’s a little pricey but is a good way to minimize your daily packs to make the hiking more enjoyable. The TCT is also nice in that you don’t really need to carry much food because you can get it in several different spots along the way, another strategy to minimize weight. As for the camera setup, I just have a Peak Design clip on my backpack belt but most of the time I just carry the camera since there’s so much to film and photograph. I have a giant old heavy camera and with that comes big lenses and lots of batteries so we distribute that weight between the two of our backpacks. One final major suggestion that most people seem to miss, renting the kayaks at Little Harbor is an amazing experience. The kayaks are already at the beach, and they just leave the paddles at your campsite. Going out at sunset is incredible! Good luck, and if you have any specific questions just let us know.

@@lylesuch4421 Lyle thanks so much for the quick and informative reply. I have watch many CZcams videos on the TCT and yours the best being really informative with the various elevation (gain, cumulative and level) and distances combine with great video & editing. Thanks again for your help!

Thanks! Triglav National Park is an amazing place and so much fun to go hiking in!

Wow, can't imagine doing the 4PL with an injury, that's a lot of elevation change if you're not 100%!. We loved the little bit of snow we had mixed with the wildflowers. The rockies are so much more interesting when they have the snow-capped peaks. The clockwise/counterclockwise debate is a funny one, there's such a divided opinion online and trying to pick which one was a challenge in our planning. We're firmly convinced that clockwise is the best way to go, but I bet if we had gone counterclockwise we'd think that was the best way. Either way, it is an incredible hike! That is funny when you see others that go to similar places. We haven't met anyone who's done the Jordan Trek, such a unique place. Any favorite hikes that you would suggest for future trips? We hope to go back and do the O trek in Patagonia soon, and are looking at Kyrgystan as a future trekking trip. Hopefully our videos help you remember your experiences...stay safe out there and maybe you'll run into us out on a trek someday!

Hey, sorry for the late answer. Oh ,you’re actually like myself. I elaborate when i reply . i like long answers or explanations .. You did go counterclockwise from what i saw though…. Yes , it’s interesting when you see others doing something similar.but by now i noticed ppl who do these things have something universal in common, you know,some kind of camaraderie. Well, I am actually more of a mountain Climber than a backpacking Hiker….But Patagonia is one of the most intriguing places on earth …endless routes and mesmerizing scenery. I did try to Climb mount Aconcagua in Argentina , circa january 2020….in which i almost lost my life …as i was going solo. You mentioned the Rockies….but the Andes are a whole other level of challenge , they are different. When i went to Aconcagua( speaking of meeting interesting ppl), i met this Norwegian Lady ( Kristin Harila), who was at my level of climbing then.however she continued her Progression,only to break a world record recently. As she climbed the 14 highest summits on the planet , all above 8000 meters, in 92 days…those summits included Everest and K2. Before she did this ,Me and her planned to climb mount Rainier….but she took it to an insane level. However as a suggestion, one of the most underrated countries is Ecuador…which i visited to scale mount Chimborazo couple of years back. In addition to mountains, it’s full of beautiful routes and out of this world places….highly recommended,pending their political stability. Be safe guys , and take care….I learned Nature is unbeatable, its a force you can never tame….but you can enjoy with planning , preparation and being respectful… Again , much Appreciation, admiration and love to you guys :)

Thanks for the recommendation. Moses Peak looks beautiful and we will definitely add this to our list of places to travel. We hear so many good things about trekking in Pakistan and it looks like an amazing place!

@@lylesuch4421thanks for reply When you guys want to come, be sure to get in touch. And make sure to enjoy this himalayan . That's why I recommended Moses Pack to you. Because I myself have climbed this mountain many times every year with tourists. More than seven times. Because it goes up this mountain path from my village and I know these paths very well۔the unique future of this peak is that once you can experience the magnificent view of k2 the second highest peak in the world. Along with almost 700+m peaks in the area including Nangaparbat,Broad peak. Mashabrom Ghashabrom1,2,3,4 and K_6 K_7and k12.the route is located in open Area.

Thanks! Yes, the huts are relatively cheap and easy to stay in. Each one is different, some have private rooms and some don't. It's much cheaper to stay in group rooms but privacy is nice. They have food and you can choose which meals you want to pay for so you don't have to carry food. And the food is pretty good! You must get reservations for the popular huts, I'm not sure about the more out of the way huts which are also nice. There's is a website with the Slovenian Alpine Association that you can book through and it makes it really easy.

We missed snow a week earlier, rain and clouds after our trek, and were really lucky to get the perfect weather while in the Himalayas. It was hard to believe the sky was so perfect the day we summited Gokyo Ri, and the view was probably the best we've ever seen!

That's great! Hopefully you have great weather like we did and some snow near the summit makes the climb a little easier. Have fun!

Thanks! Hopefully you have as much fun as we did and the weather works in your favor. April is great, it should be green and wildflowers blooming. If you have some time, definitely think about renting a kayak in Little Harbor campsite, one of the most amazing experiences out on Catalina. Watch out for the bison and rattlesnakes and have a great time!

That's great! We loved our time hiking in Colorado and wildflowers made it even better. If you hiked right around the same time as us then hopefully our video is a good way for you to remember the hike as you saw it. March and April are the perfect time to hike on Catalina Island, it should be green and still have flowers blooming. If you have a little time and are staying at Little Harbor, we highly recommend renting a kayak. It's such an incredible experience especially at sunset. Good luck, have fun, and if you have any specific questions about Catalina let us know.

Thank you! We hope you have a wonderful time in Slovenia, it turned out to be one of our favorite countries and is so beautiful. We have a pretty detailed description of our trip on our website Lylesuch.com/travels and it shows all of the places we visited. One suggestion that often gets overlooked, a place called Kozjanski Regional Park in the east is a wonderful place that not many people visit. Have fun!

Such an incredible hike! Did you get to stay overnight in the lookout? We had hoped to stay up there but we didn't have two days to spend on this hike. Must be a fun place to wake up and see the sunrise!

No, just did a day hike. @@lylesuch4421

Thanks! We had a great time on the hike up Toubkal and the weather was perfect. We highly recommend this hike and a trip around Morocco if you haven't been there...so many surprises and a wonderful country!

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We loved the trek through Triglav National Park, it's definitely one of our favorites! We booked the huts at pzs.si where you can find most if not all the huts you'll need in the park. For the Triglav summit, we hired a guide so we didn't have to carry the extra gear and had some guidance. Good luck, and let us know if you have any specific questions about the hike.

Our pleasure! Slovenia was such a beautiful place, Triglav is definitely one of our favorite places for hiking and we had such a fun time exploring the country.

@@lylesuch4421 I am glad to hear that. Thank you! I am Slovenian located in Maribor.

2.5 € for a loaf of bread, 5€ a pack of cigarettes, 10€ and more for a pizza. A few prices for orientation...

Thanks! Chimborazo is such a beautiful volcano, even though we didn't get to the summit this was an incredible adventure.

Thanks, we put a lot of work into these videos and love it that people are enjoying them! Luckily our CZcams channel doesn't have a huge audience, mostly for family, friends and anyone who's already researching these specific areas so hopefully they don't contribute to much to overcrowding. We couldn't believe how beautiful Slovenia was and is easily one of our favorite places we've ever been.

We use the Mavic 2 Pro, it's a little old and heavy to carry compared to the newer and smaller drones, but still shoots great footage.

Thanks! We had some challenges figuring out how to pronounce the names especially some of the huts along our trek. Such an interesting language but not a very easy one without the help of native speakers. What a beautiful country Slovenia is, easily one of our favorites!

Thanks, love to hear when people are enjoying our videos! We're always trying to find the balance between being informative and just letting the scenery speak for itself. These are so much fun to create but always wish we had more time so we could shoot more videos!

@@lylesuch4421 I have watched your Whitney video at least a dozen times and the others several times :)

Thanks! April is the perfect month, if you have any specific questions let us know. Also we highly recommend renting the kayaks if you're spending a night at Little Harbor. It's an unforgettable experience especially at sunset. Have fun!!

Yeah, best to play it safe and wait until things calm down. We visited Ecuador shortly after the riots of 2019 and it was a little scary seeing in person the aftermath of what we watched happening on the news. Many mountains to climb and Chimborazo will always be there for future adventures!

Thanks! A couple tips based on our many experiences on the island if you still have planning to do. Best section is between Two Harbors and Little Harbor if you're only doing smaller hikes. If you're planning the entire hike, Parson's Landing is the hardest campsite to book so start with that and base the rest on that reservation. Best campsites are #1 in Parson's and #10 in Little Harbor. Kayaking is incredible, we booked a few months in advance but you can literally call them from the campsite and reserve if you forget (it's through Little Harbor Kayaks). The kayaks are already there, they just leave the paddles at your campsite for when you arrive. We've never seen anyone else kayaking at Little Harbor which is amazing because it's the best experience on the island. We've seen so many schools of fish, manta, sea lions, and probably our best sunset ever was on the water out past the cove. That side of the island feels super remote and almost looks like Hawaii. And finally, good choice going in April. The island is pretty bleak when it's summer, but in the spring it's beautiful with flowers and green everywhere. Any questions you might have feel free to ask, and have fun!!

@@lylesuch4421 Thanks so much! I'm doing the full hike and all my campsites are booked, including LH and Parsons! Adding an afternoon of kayaking sounds super fun since that day should be pretty easy hiking down from Blackjack. Thanks! I just recently discovered your channel. You guys are so cute!

Absolutely I would recommend Magdalena Island if you only have a day. By far the most incredible access to a penguin colony I've ever seen. Seno Otway is nice but you see them from relatively far away. Magdalena Island you're walking among the colony and often have to wait because they like to wander in your path. It's amazing. Have fun!

In Triglav national park I would recommend at least 4 or 5 days if you're planning on hiking. It is beautiful and you also want to make sure you have some flexibility in case it rains. As for Slovenia, we spent almost 3 weeks and easily could have stayed one or two more. It's a small country, but there are so many things to do within short distances. We traveled to almost every area of the country except the far north which was flooded at the time and were continually impressed with how beautiful it is. Late summer around August seemed the best time. Snow is melted enough to summit Triglav and traverse Triglav National Park, you could swim in the amazing rivers, and everything was green. We'll be posting our blog within a week or two that goes over many of the details about our trip to Slovenia which may help with planning. It's at LyleSuch.com/travels

@lylesuch4421 thanks so much 🙏🏼 💓

It's such a cool adventure, and even if you don't reach the summit the views are incredible. We attempted Chimborazo on November 20th. Weather seemed perfect but the snow conditions were not. We also would have been better off if we stayed a night at high camp which wasn't an option at the time. This gets you nearer the summit earlier in the morning so it would help with the snow conditions that can get more dangerous as the sun comes up. Good luck and have fun!!

And it definitely feels like the tallest when you're up there!

Yeah, we knew it would be a challenge but we didn't realize how beautiful of a trail it would be. Lots of lakes, great views and some surprisingly green areas. And the views at the summit are incredible!

I've hiked several mountains in S. Calif. , Yosemite, Sequoia, Longs Peak, CO, Tetons, WY, Beartooths, Montana, Grand Canyon, AZ, but Mt. Whitney is still my fav trail. The majestic peaks and walls tower like inside a cathedral. Always something different around the next corner.