Saturday, January 29, 2011

Extreme Hikes at Extreme Heights

I've posted an older video of El Camino (Caminito) Del Rey before, but this one, from last year, is almost twice as long, and every bit as gut wrenching:

By the way, I just realized that the "old" (i.e. "functional") embed code is still available at YouTube; I'll be going back and fixing Saturd80's in a bit.

The hiking trails at China's Mount HuaShan are in far better repair, but I have enough acrophobia that I still wouldn't be able to cope.

In both cases, I'd dearly love to visit these spots: the landscapes and rocks are beautiful. But I get queasy just looking at the clips. I know for a fact I'd be utterly paralyzed if I went there in person. On a positive note, according to the Wikipedia page (link above) for El Caminito Del Rey,
The regional government of Andalusia budgeted in 2006 for a restoration plan estimated at € 7 million.

The President of Malaga Provincial Government, Salvador Pendon, announced that the budget to restore the three-kilometre walkway is €8.3m, financed by the provincial government.

The project will take approximately three years from when it is due to start in mid-2011.
So apparently, in the not-too-distant future it will be possible for humans who aren't part mountain goat, part spider to enjoy this trail once again. I, on the other hand, will most likely stick to gentler landscapes.

4 comments:

Garry Hayes said...

Great catches! My sleep will be interrupted for weeks by nightmares!

Chris R said...

Wow. Had seen pictures of the HuaShan trail before, but El Camino Del Rey is a not one I'd seen before. The adventurous part of me is tempted - the practical part informs me that I'd end up paralysed with fear at some inconvenient point...

Lockwood said...

Glad you two enjoyed it... there is something deliciously scary about these two clips. I can't look and I can't look away. And Chris, as I mentioned, they're repairing and restoring the path over the next few years. I had seen last year that money was budgeted, but no statement on a time table. So if your sense of adventure can be patient, it looks as if 2014 or 15 will usher in a new era of access and safety for El Camino Del Rey. Right now, the area is officially closed and off limits; the recent videos are illegally shot. As you might imagine, there have been some pretty awful deaths.

SkinnyDennis said...

'Scuze me, got to go change my pants...