On October 30, British twins Hugo and Ross Turner ascended to 8,500 feet in an electric-powered paraglider-like aircraft, called a paramotor. The brothers soared over the ski resort Val d’Isere in the French Alps.

The 34-year-olds told șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű their flight set a world record for highest altitude by a tandem team in one of the battery-powered devices, and that they have submitted their flight data to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the governing body for air sports.

A paramotor is a steerable parachute, similar to a paraglider, outfitted with a giant rear propeller. Unlike a traditional paraglider, where pilots must launch from a cliff or hillside and catch columns of rising warm air to ascend, the motor and propeller allow pilots to take off from open, flat ground—no hills or cliffs required. “This is why paramotoring is so popular in places like the United Kingdom,” Hugo said.

Though mostly reliant on gas-powered engines, some paramotor companies are aiming to become greener. But electric batteries are notoriously heavy, and, when flying a parachute, every ounce counts. “The big challenge the industry is facing is this conscious decision that we need to move away from petrol engines,” Hugo said, “but it’s difficult to get enough battery power to make the weight justifiable.”

Although the world’s first electric paramotor was built in 2006, the technology has seen little refinement in the nearly two decades since. Most of the devices are powered by two-stroke combustion engines which burn around a gallon of gasoline per hour, and can typically fly for two-to-three hours without refueling. “To get the same flight time out of an electric paramotor, you’re talking a battery weight that a human could not physically carry,” Hugo said. “The energy density of the battery is so much that getting an extended flight time is very difficult.”

The weight is a difficult problem to solve, but even beyond concerns about emissions, there are other advantages to electric paramotors. They’re quieter, and—like electric cars and motorcycles—smoother to drive. Electric motors offer instant, consistent torque, which makes flying an electric paramotor more predictable and controlled than a gas-powered paramotor. Electric power also comes with unique advantages at high elevation. As altitude increases, air pressure decreases, causing gas-powered motors to lose thrust due to a lower oxygen-fuel ratio. Electric motors, on the other hand, maintain consistent power output regardless of elevation.

There has never been a tandem electric paramotor altitude record before, so even the relatively low elevation of 8,500 feet was enough to get the brothers in the record books. But theirs isn’t the first altitude record set in any electric paramotor. American Nathan Finneman reached 14,790 feet with an electric-powered wingÌęin September.

Finneman was flying solo, however, and started from a much higher elevation, at over 10,000 feet in Leadville, Colorado. His paramotor battery put out 4.8 kiloWatt-hours (kWh) of power, and let him climb for 28 minutes despite brutally cold temperatures, which dropped to -13 degrees FahrenheitÌęwith windchill. “There are a handful of electric paramotors like this out there,” Ross said, “but they’re only designed for solo flight. We wanted to look past that, and see what we could do in tandem.”

“We’re all about pushing the limits of new technology through purposeful adventure,” Ross added. “We’ve started off with a blank canvas and said, ‘What is the best emission-free technology that we could use to make a benchmark?’”

Their paramotor, dubbed the E-Maverick Max, was custom designed by United Kingdom manufacturer Parajet International. The entire rig weighed about 88 pounds, 50 pounds of which was the battery. Their motor powered a carbon fiber propeller, sporting three 4.5-foot blades. This rig gave the twins 175 pounds of thrust, pumped out by a 5.8 kWh lithium ion pouch cell battery, which ran for 35 minutes in the air.

Thirty-five minutes is a far cry from the two or three hours that a gas-powered motor could last, but it’s a start, and was even more than the 28 minutes Finneman was able to fly with his solo paramotor. Though it may not sound like much time, it’s a significant achievement considering the twins weighed a staggering 530 pounds on takeoff.

The twins launched from 6,200 feet, and though they hoped to be able to get above 10,000 feet, their flight went awry. “We weighed so much that we really struggled to gain altitude,” Ross said, noting that the World Air Sports Federation (FAI) observer watching them was surprised they even managed to take off.

“We launched from the field, and we immediately started heading down-valley, and we just dropped,” he said. “This massive pocket of cold air made us sink quite fast. Fortunately we found this ridgeline, a fork between two valleys, and we got some lift there. That’s where we stayed, working patterns between the ridgelines to keep rising.” The twins crested 8,520 feet before the battery cut out. They are currently waiting for their record to be formally verified by the FAI.

Hugo and Ross explained that, while they likely could have climbed higher if they’d started at a higher elevation, FAI altitude record stipulations required that they launch from a flat location with a 330-foot radius in all directions, a rare sight in the Alps, where the twins live. “Otherwise, we could have certainly taken off on the top of a mountain,” Hugo said. “In any case, we hope this will start a trend towards making recreational flying greener, and better for the environment.”

“Electric is unquestionably the future,” said Parajet founder Gilo Gardozo. “Now it’s a question of people adopting that reality, and the technology delivering.”

The post Two Brothers Flew Over Val d’Isere in a Battery-Powered Paraglider. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

When I had the chance to spend some time in Europe this year, the first thing I wanted to do—well, besides find some really good cheese—was figure out how to visit as many national parks as possible. As the editor in chief of , °żłÜłÙČőŸ±»ć±đ’s sister brand, I spend a lot of time thinking about national parks. Whether it’s figuring out how to pack as much as possible into a weekend in Yellowstone, thinking about the implications of reservation systems, or dreaming about units to visit, I eat, sleep, and breathe America’s best idea.

But narrowing down the European parks to visit proved tougher than I’d imagined. While the 27 EU member countries share a market and (mostly) a currency, each nation’s approach to public lands is vastly different. Some European national parks are all pristine wilderness areas and have strict recreation-use laws. In others, you’ll find trendy bars serving Aperol spritzes, with Vespas parked outside. There’s even a Croatian national park with a zoo, complete with an elephant, ostriches, and zebras. Slovenia has just a single park; Finland has dozens.

While European parks run the gamut, they all have one thing in common. They’ve been set aside as meriting designation, meaning they’re worth a visit to see something meaningful, whether that’s glistening glaciers, spectacular mountain peaks, hanging bridges across thundering rivers, or ancient vineyards clinging to cliffs above the sea.

These are the European national parks that top my travel bucket list. I’ve been to several of them and can’t wait to see the rest.

1. Triglav National Park, Slovenia (Triglavski Narodni Park)

Admission: Free

WHY GO: While Alpine countries like France and Austria get most of the love, many people know almost nothing of one of the Alps’ best destinations: Slovenia. On my first visit to the country I was instantly charmed by the country’s rolling pastures, pretty churches set against the backdrop of mountains and blue lakes, and university-town capital, Ljubljana, which, with its avant-garde metalwork and dragon mascot, has a decidedly punk feel. When I realized that a subrange of the Alps was protected in the northwestern corner of the country as Triglav National Park, I knew I had to return.

Nestled up against the Italian border and nearly touching Austria, Triglav is home to thick forests, rivers, mountain villages, and big peaks that quickly made it one of my favorite national parks. Mount Triglav is the crown jewel at 9,396 feet, but plenty of other impressive summits draw peak baggers from across the world. Vogel Ski Resort can be found here too, offering 14 miles of terrain.

BEST ADVENTURES: Most park visitors flock to the Lake Bohinj region, a nearly 800-acre glacially carved valley filled with deep blue water where you can rent traditional wooden rowboats ($16/hour), among other watercraft. Vogel is in this area, and you can take the gondola and chairlift ($34 roundtrip for adults) partway and hike to the summit. The 6.1-mile trail isn’t technical, but it is steep in places, secured with cables and pegs. Keep your eyes peeled for the ibex and chamois that live here.

Watch the weather for wind gusts that could shut down the lifts, and stay aware of the time, because it’s a long trek back down if the chairs stop running before you reach them (they close at 4 p.m. in the summer). At several traditional huts on the mountain, you can enjoy local cheese and mountain dishes like goulash.

While the Bohinj area is the most popular, venturing further into the park is absolutely worth it. Head up and over the steep and narrow VrĆĄič Pass to Triglav’s more remote west side (my favorite), where you’re as likely to encounter a herd of sheep blocking the road as cyclists riding on it. Tackle the 15-mile , a hike that can be done in a long day, or at a slower pace, where you spend the night in one of several villages along the way. The beautiful trail follows the river, which is so clear and bright it almost hurts to look at. My husband, dog and I got distracted on our hike and instead spent a pleasant afternoon wadingÌę in the cold snowmelt. Wind your way gradually down valley under larches and across swinging bridges.

If you really want to get away, several long-distance trails, including the Via Alpina red route (1,500 miles) and the Alpe Adria Trail (466 miles), run through Triglav. For less of a commitment than those, head into the Seven Lakes Valley on a multi-day excursion, where you can spend the night in several maintained huts (no camping is allowed in the backcountry).

HOW TO GET THERE: Slovenia has a great public transportation system, making it easy to get from Ljubljana to Bled by train (40 minutes) and then Bled to Bohinj by bus (40 minutes), so you can stay in the capital and still explore the park. Buses run to other parts of Triglav, too, but pay attention to timetables, as they are less frequent and getting a taxi or rideshare won’t be an option in remote parts of the park.

BEST TIME TO GO: June to September is high season for hiking and hut availability, but can also be crowded. Snow melts early in this part of the world, so low elevation hikes can be done in the spring and fall to avoid the crowds. Ìę

WHERE TO STAY: Accommodations, from private hotels and guest houses to campgrounds and mountain huts, abound inside the park. My husband and I like staying in Bohinj on the west side for easy access to Vogel and the pretty town of Bled, or the quiet village of Trenta on the east side. For an alpine experience, book a bed at Tičarjev Dom ($47 per person with breakfast), the mountain hut at the summit of Vrơič Pass. You’ll sleep dormitory-style and rise to incredible mountain views the next morning from the patio over a bela kava (coffee with milk).

2. Oulanka National Park, Finland

Admission: Free

WHY GO: If you’re looking to get into some of the most remote wilderness on the continent, head to Oulanka National Park in Finland. The park hugs the Russian border in the far northeastern part of the country above the Arctic Circle and is an experience in solitude. In fact, the wilderness doesn’t stop at state lines. It continues east, bleeding quietly into Russia’s PaanajĂ€rvi National Park, with a simple rope forming the border and keeping canoeists in the EU. Last year I visited Levi Ski Resort in Finnish Lapland, four hours to the north, and fell in love with polar night. Getting back is at the top of my list and this time I want to get deeper into the wilderness, specifically at Oulanka.

Planning a trip to this remote land filled with boreal forests, rushing rivers, and limestone gorges isn’t easy, but I promise the hardest part will be picking which season to visit–winter or summer? This far north, the year is capped by eternal night in the deep winter, when you can snowshoe, cross-country ski, and try to spot the Northern Lights, and permanent sun in the height of the warm months, with plenty of daylight for canoeing and hiking trips.

BEST ADVENTURES: Summer visitors have two main choices for exploring: by water or by land. Paddlers can rent canoes and camping gear from to embark on a trip down the Oulankajoki River. The lower section is calm, with a short two-hour option to a takeout or a seven-hour route that makes an excellent overnight trip with a stop at any of several campsites or the first-come, first-served AnsakĂ€mppĂ€ Wilderness Hut. There are rapids and a portage on the upper section of the river, so skip it unless you’re an experienced boater.

On foot, try the , a loop that crosses some of the park’s famous hanging bridges. In summer months, the trail is one-way (clockwise). Backpackers can head out on the 50-mile Bear’s Ring, aka . Finland’s most popular hike traverses the park from north to south, with each stage ending on a bus route in case you’d prefer to sleep in a real bed, or campsites and huts along the way if you’d rather rough it. Thundering rivers, placid streams, bogs, hanging bridges, and delicate purple orchids await. Look out for traditional Sami herders and their reindeer, who still inhabit the area today.

In the winter, I love how the mercury plunges when Finnish Lapland freezes over, rewarding intrepid and cold-tolerant visitors with a magical landscape. It’s my favorite time of year to be in Finland. Pines and spruces thick with frozen snow stand like fuzzy sentinels over ice-crusted rivers and cross-country ski trails. In December and January, you’ll find a scant three hours of daylight. In late winter, you’ll still experience plenty of darkness for northern lights spotting, but will also be treated to long sunrises and sunsets, turning the landscape into a cotton-candy-colored forest.

Use an app like My Aurora Forecast to monitor northern-lights conditions for your best chance at spotting the undulating colors. Other winter options are to rent snowshoes or cross-country skis in nearby Ruka and set off on the park’s many trails.

HOW TO GET THERE: The closest airport to the park is Kuusamo, which has several flights from Helsinki each day, plus a few other major European cities like Brussels and Frankfurt. While renting a car in Kuusamo is the easiest mode of travel, a bus route from the airport accesses the Karhunkierros Trail, Oulanka National Park Visitor Center, and Ruka, if you’re eager to add downhill skiing to your itinerary. Ruka Ski Resort is Finland’s best known, and has a long season lasting October to May.

BEST TIME TO GO: Peak season for hiking and canoeing, the park’s main attractions, is July through September when the weather is warmest and most predictable (think 50s) and the days are the longest. To see the Northern Lights and get out on snowy trails, December through March are the best season, but be ready for temps from freezing to below zero.

WHERE TO STAY: For the most options, base yourself at Ruka Ski Resort. Ruka offers all sorts of lodging options and the park is a quick 30-minute drive away. Winter visitors who want to go all out should stay at , with glass igloos perfect for aurora spotting (from $347/night with breakfast). If you want to be closer to the park, ’s cozy wilderness hotel borders it (from $109/night for a double room).

3. Cinque Terre National Park, Italy (Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre)

Admission: $21-$35/day for train and trail access

WHY GO: I’d seen the brightly colored Italian houses clinging to cliffs above an azure sea on my Instagram feed, but had no idea that the five villages making up the Cinque Terre (note the article “the,” as you’ll be judged mightily for dropping it) are actually a national park until I visited this past spring. The land here is characterized by its human influence. The steep hills leading straight into the sea have been terraced and cultivated for more than 1,000 years.

BEST ADVENTURES: The most popular hiking route is the Blue Trail (also called the Sentiero Azzuro or SVA), the main path that historically connected all five villages. In 2019, a landslide took out the section of trail between Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, and maintenance work is ongoing, though the Manarola to Riomaggiore section reopened in July. The sections between Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare remained open. Whenever you choose to travel, start out as early in the day as possible or plan an evening hike to dinner to avoid the crowded midday hours. Taking the train back is also always an option if the trails get packed (we had to turn around and take the train in April because the pathway was gridlocked).

(grab a focaccia made with the region’s famous pesto for my favorite mid-hike snack) and on to Monterosso is 4.1 miles one way with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. A less popular, but in my opinion even better, hike on the Blue Trail is the . You’ll climb up to the tiny town of Volastra, perched above the Cinque Terre, and then back down to Manarola. Time your hike so that you can grab a glass of wine and bruschetta at Cantina Capellini, a winery producing the Cinque Terre DOP white wine. The simple patio is right on the trail, situated amongst the vines, and overlooks the sea. Make sure you have room in your pack for a bottle to take home.

Heading south from Corniglia and ending in Manarola is 3.6 miles one way, with 1,300 feet of elevation gain. The descent on this route is heinous (you’ll end lower than you began), so you may want to skip this one if your knees are bad.

When you’re not on the trail, take advantage of amazing food (cornettos! pesto! wine! fried anchovies! focaccia!) on a patio, or head down to the water. Each town has sea access for swimming, though you won’t find much of a beach anywhere besides at Monterosso. Spread a towel on the rocks and sunbathe, or ($10.75/hour rentals from Riomaggiore) to explore the coastline.

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly into Florence, Milan, or Rome. Trains run directly from these major hubs to La Spezia Centrale, the closest city to the Cinque Terre, or you can drive to La Spezia Centrale and park your rental car in the large garage at the station. From there, it’s a quick seven-minute train ride to the first village, Riomaggiore. Each additional village is just a few minutes further up the tracks. If you plan on utilizing both the train and the trails, purchase a in advance, which allows unlimited train rides between villages (including La Spezia), access to the trails, and free use of the toilets at each train station ($21-$35/day).

BEST TIME TO GO: Hiking the Cinque Terre is best done in the off-season. Summer crowds are epic, and the trails can get packed by late morning even in the spring and fall.

While it’s a gamble to visit in the colder months (November through March), as the trails can close when weather is bad and you’ll have fewer lodging and dining options, it’s the least busy season. Plan a visit for the fringe months of March or November to capitalize on good weather and to beat the masses.

WHERE TO STAY: You’ll find hotels in Monterosso and Riomaggiore on each end, as well as in the larger city of La Spezia, a quick train ride away. But for the most authentic experience stay in one of the three central villages. Book a vacation rental (Airbnb has plenty of options) in Vernazza, Corniglia, or Manarola, and you’ll get to experience the towns when all the day tourists from the cruise ships have left. Quiet restaurants, empty streets, and coffee with the locals each morning are treats.

My favorite village is Corniglia, for its smaller size and gorgeous view from atop a hill, though the walk from the train station up a long set of stairs to the town makes coming and going a chore. We ended up skipping our dinner reservations one town over in favor of staying put here with a bottle of wine and take-out focaccia.

4. Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, Italy (Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi)

Admission: Free

WHY GO: While each region of Europe’s Alps has its own flavor, the Italian Dolomiti are particularly impressive. Craggy mountains, mist-filled valleys, and sweeping forests provide one of my favorite landscapes in the world.

The range, which encompasses northeastern Italy, is home to the 12 world-renowned ski areas that make up the Ikon Pass destination Dolomiti Superski. It’s also a Unesco World Heritage Site and the location of several incredible regional parks, such as Tre Cime. But you’ll only find one national park, Dolomiti Bellunesi, in the region. I’ve somehow missed this corner of the Dolomiti in all of my adventures here, so I can’t wait to plan a trip back to see it.

Stretching 12-square-miles northwest of Belluno, this somewhat under-the-radar park offers visitors the best of the Dolomiti, with fewer crowds than the area’s better-known and more northerly destinations of Tre Cime, Seceda, and Lago di Braises. Home to via ferratas, two of the famous Alta Via trails, and countless quintessential Italian villages, this is the place where you want to start your Dolomiti adventure.

BEST ADVENTURES: You’ll want to experience this national park by foot–miles of trails cross the mountains, including two of the Alta Via, or “high routes.” Alta Via 1 is a classic and one of the least technical of the routes, running 75 miles from Lago di Braies to La Pissa. The final four stages, which are often the least crowded, wind through the park. Alta Via 2 also includes three stages in the national park, from Passo Cereda to Passo Croce d’Aune. This route is more technical, with via ferratas required along the way. A climbing harness, helmet, and gloves are needed to tackle this option ( in Cortina d’Ampezzo for $23/day).

Whether or not you embark on one of the park’s through-hikes, you should definitely experience a via ferrata while in the Dolomiti. Popularized during WWI in the region to help troops navigate vertical terrain, these “iron paths” use ladders, rungs, pegs and steel cables affixed to rocks to help people move across the cliffs. The park’s highest peak, Schiara, has three via ferratas ringing it: Zacchi, Berti, and Piero Rossi, which, linked up, make for a long but doable day in the mountains if you stay at ($74/night for half board). These routes lean toward being difficult, so hiring a guide is advisable. I found to be excellent on my most recent via ferrata adventure, on the Punto Anna route in Cortina d’Ampezzo, an hour and a half north.

Cyclists can test their mettle on the grueling stage 20 of the 2022 Giro d’Italia route, which runs 104 miles (168 kilometers) from Belluno to Marmolada, crossing through the park on SR203. Whatever activities you choose to get up to, make sure to include some time on either end of your trip for a quick detour to the so-called Prosecco Road between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, where the prestigious DOCG (the highest quality designation) sparkling wine is produced in the hills. My favorite producer, Adami, is one of the oldest in the region and has an excellent tour and tasting experience.

HOW TO GET THERE: Venice offers the closest major airport, and train service to Belluno takes approximately two hours. From there, the Dolomiti bus services many of the roads within the park, but note timetables, as service can be limited. Unless you’re planning a through-hike, the best way to explore the Dolomiti is by renting a car in Venice or Belluno, then driving to trailheads.

BEST TIME TO GO: Most staffed rifugios (mountain huts) away from the ski resorts are only open to hikers in summer, so June through September are the best months to visit if you’re planning an overnight adventure. The weather often stays pleasant through October, though, and travel then is a great way to skip out on some of the crowds if you’re prepared for the possibility of an early season snow storm.

WHERE TO STAY: Hiking the Alta Vias, even just a few linked stages, takes forethought, as many of the rifugios along the route fill up early in summer. Start planning in January or February when availability opens. Otherwise, you’ll find accommodation options—including hotels, guesthouses, rifugios, and vacation rentals—in and around the park, but book early as options can be limited. Belluno, with 36,000 inhabitants, is the closest major town.

For a unique experience, plan a stay at an agriturismo, a working farm where you’ll be treated to meals with homemade products like cheese and salumi. Mountain pasture cheesemaking has become a somewhat lost art in the Dolomiti, but this park has worked hard to restore five of these “malga” operations. If you don’t stop at an agriturismo, watch for latterias (like Latteria Perenzin in San Pietro di Feletto) where you can buy the locally made cheese alongside salumi and other products perfect for a picnic.

5. Samaria National Park, Greece

Admission $5.50

WHY GO: Encompassing the longest gorge in Europe, Samaria National Park showcases the best of the Mediterranean, from towering cliffs to fragrant cypress trees, and from white limestone riverbeds to the sparkling sea itself. Since the park is comprised almost solely of one long, steep , you can experience the place in its entirety, from the White Mountains to the Mediterranean, in one day. Samaria Gorge is located on the western side of Crete, Greece’s biggest island. I haven’t gotten to Greece yet, but a friend and colleague promises me that it’s the first place I’ll want to go.

BEST ADVENTURES: The park is open, weather permitting, from May through October. Entry begins at 7 a.m., and it’s an excellent idea to start out then, before the heat of the day. Much of the trail is exposed and sunbaked, so going the first or last month of the season is wise to avoid the mid-summer heat. The park closes down during excessively hot stretches, or if flooding is possible in the shoulder season. Pay attention to the heat and hold off if the temperatures are dangerous. It’s usually a five- to seven-hour hike without services, so pack plenty of water and snacks; bring sun protection, a hat and a neck gaiter to help stay cool; and wear hiking footwear. Water from springs is often available along the route, but don’t count on it.

You’ll start hiking steeply downhill, taking in the views of the surrounding White Mountains, before continuing through a pine and cypress forest and reaching the church of St. Nikolas inside the ruins of an ancient temple. Look around for kri kri, wild Cretan goats. Cross a few streams and you’ll find yourself in the ancient village of Samaria, which is now solely inhabited by park staff.

The gorge gradually narrows as you cross through a (hopefully) dry riverbed, alongside striped rock walls, into the skinniest point in the canyon, where the walls are just under 10 feet apart. The park closes at 6 p.m., so make sure you’re through the exit by then. Either walk another 1.5 miles or hop on a cheap shuttle to get to the village of Agia RoumĂ©li, where you can grab a late lunch or early dinner at one of several restaurants and, if time allows, take a well-earned dip in the Mediterranean.

The single ferry leaves the village at 5:30 p.m., only once per day, so don’t miss it or you’ll have to arrange a taxi boat or stay in the village. Depart at Chora Sfakion or Sougia and take the bus back to your car or lodge. If arranging your own transportation stresses you out, many tour companies offer guided excursions in the park.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Athens, fly into Chania International Airport for the closest access to the park. In Chania, you can either rent a car and drive to the gorge, or purchase a bus ticket to Xyloscalo, at the start of the trail. The full hike is one way, and at the end you’ll take a ferry to Sougia ($16/person) and then the bus either back to your car at the trailhead or your hotel in Chania. Be sure to reserve your return tickets in advance to avoid getting stranded.

BEST TIME TO GO: Samaria Gorge is open May through October, with the beginning and end of the season providing the coolest temperatures.

WHERE TO STAY: Most visitors base in the city of Chania and do the trip to Samaria Gorge in one long day, but if you, like me, would prefer a slower pace and to experience the secluded village of Agia Rouméli without the crowds, you can stay at one of the few hotels or vacation rentals in town. offers rooms, breakfast and beach loungers starting at $79 per night. You can spend the entire next day enjoying the beach before catching the ferry back.

6. Écrins National Park, France (Parc National des Écrins)

ADMISSION: Free

WHY GO: Écrins National Park, a glacier-filled alpine paradise with more than 150 peaks topping 3,000 meters, sits near the Italian border in eastern France. The Alps are one of my favorite landscapes in the world and, after visiting them in Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, I put this French national park squarely on my to-do list. Barre des Écrins is the tallest summit here, towering 13,458 feet above the park, the most southerly 4,000-meter peak in the Alps. Here, amongst the chamois you’ll almost certainly spot, you’ll feel like you’re at the top of the world.

BEST ADVENTURES: You could hike the park’s many trails, including a section of the Grand Écrins, but this is also a space known for its alpine climbing. If you’re looking for adventure, a three-day mountaineering- and glacier-skills course with will help you tag the summit of Barre des Écrins, staying in remote mountain huts ($1,645).

Within the boundaries of Écrins are two ski areas, and two others just bordering the park might be the area’s most famous, especially for cyclists. Les Deux Alpes bike park is one of the biggest in the Alps and is home to beginner- to competition-level courses in everything from downhill to enduro with pristine alpine views. Alpe d’Huez offers one of the Tour de France’s most iconic climbs in addition to the wild Megavalanche, a mass-start mountain-bike race on a glacier. Ride into the national park, which has around 100 miles of marked bike trails.

HOW TO GET THERE: The closest major city is Grenoble, France. Fly into Lyon, Geneva, Marseille, or even Paris and take a high-speed train to Grenoble. From there, if you plan on some serious exploring, it’s best to rent a car, but bus service is also available to Les Deux Alpes if you will stick to the resorts or hire a guide to get into the mountains.

BEST TIME TO GO: July through September are the months to visit to avoid snow in this mountain environment.Ìę

WHERE TO STAY: The ski resorts and villages in and around Écrins provide ample lodging, but to really get away from it all, book a stay in one of the 40 throughout the park. While some of these mountain huts simply serve as basic overnight shelters for mountaineers, others are staffed in the summer, offering hot dinner and breakfast and often a lovely patio on which to take in the setting sun in a gorgeous high-alpine setting.

Refuges almost always require a hike to reach, so choose your trail, do your research and book ahead to ensure you have a bed waiting at the end of your day.

Mikaela Ruland is the editor in chief of National Park Trips. She lives for the outdoors, and you can usually find her hiking, skiing, or mountain biking. She’s been to national parks on three continents, including 23 of the 63 U.S. national parks. Her favorite is whichever one she’s traveling to next.

The post Top 6 National Parks in Europe—And the Best șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍűs in Them appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

If you want to experience a stunning outdoor destination like a local, you need to ask one for advice. That’s why we talked to Pietro Picco about . The picturesque mountain town has it all—hiking, biking, climbing, and amazing food and lodging—and Picco knows it all like few others. He has a deep love for his home mountains—they’ve inspired him to climb peaks like Mont Blanc and K2. Here, get Picco’s insider perspective and advice, and learn why Courmayeur is the ultimate outdoor destination for all kinds of adventurers.

Plan Your Trip

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű: What makes Courmayeur so special for alpine travelers?Ìę

Pietro Picco: Courmayeur is a lovely mountain town—a jewel guarded by the highest mountain in the Alps: Mont Blanc. In Courmayeur, visitors can immerse themselves in Val Ferret’s nature, find wild experience in Val Veny, or hike the trails in the ski area. Travelers can also find traditional gourmet Italian cuisine, alpine spas, and luxury stores.

Find Your Hike

What are your trail recommendations for beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikers looking to experience the beauty of Mont Blanc?

Whether you’re a new or experienced hiker, there are a variety of trails within walking distance from town to explore. Some lead to refuges—remote shelters for mountaineers and hikers—that make for a rewarding stop.

There are many shops in town that sell and rent anything and everything a hiker could possibly need: boots, poles, backpacks—you name it, they have it! You can also book a guided hike with one of the experienced outfitters. They’ll supply essential gear and teach you about the area’s geology and natural resources.

I also recommend exploring Val Veny and Val Ferret. Both of these scenic valleys are cradled by cols that border France and Switzerland and have scenic trails leading to viewpoints of the Mont Blanc massif. As you plan your visit to Courmayeur, consider one of these hikes:

Beginner

Rifugio Bonatti

Hike to this mountainside hut and soak in the epic scenery of Val Ferret.

• Distance: 7 miles
• Time of Year: May through October

Col de la Seigne

For travelers looking for more of a challenge, this loop offers the perfect balance of technical trail and road.

• Distance: 13 miles
• Time of Year: July through September

Intermediate

Balconata della Val Ferret

This scenic point-to-point trail is easily accessible by bus and offers stunning views of Val Ferret.

• Distance: 5 miles
• Time of Year: June through October

Traverse this point-to-point route past mountain huts and lakes.

• Distance: 9 miles
• Time of Year: June to October

Advanced

Recommended for experienced hikers, this alpine trail explores the Val Sapin, with magnificent views along the way.

• Distance: 14 miles
• Time of Year: Summer

Col de MalatrĂ 

If you want the best views of Mont Blanc, this is the perfect out-and-back trail to add to your itinerary.

• Distance: 11 miles
• Time of Year: Summer

Try Something New

In addition to hiking, how else can outdoor enthusiasts experience Courmayeur?Ìę

So many ways!

Rent mountain bikes (analog or electric) to explore the trails.

Take the that climbs to 3,466 meters, offering a unique perspective of the area. From the Skyway, it’s also possible to hike on the nearby glacier by booking a trip with an experienced guide.

Explore the various via ferratas leading to guarded huts—shelters used by mountaineers and managed by guardians in warmer seasons—and unmanned bivouacs.

Climb at the many popular crags or to alpine peaks. Guides are available for both of these activities.

There are plenty of ways to get out and explore the outdoors in Courmayeur. But if the weather turns, the Courmayeur Sport Center offers all sorts of indoor activities, including ice skating, climbing, and tennis.

Relax in Paradise

What can travelers look forward to after a day of exploring?

Courmayeur is one the Alps’ most attractive villages, with restaurants and bars spilling out onto the car-free center. Aperitivo, gourmet dinners, pizza, traditional Italian food—whatever you crave, it’s available here. You can enjoy it all with a spectacular view of Mont Blanc and the Alps. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet outside the center, you’ll find plenty of restaurants in Val Veny and Val Ferret. Plus, there are shops with luxury brands, sports equipment, and local souvenirs.

For travelers who want a “home away from home” experience, consider staying at the . This alpine retreat has everything you need for a comfortable night’s rest, with each cozy room looking out on the surrounding nature. At the on-site spa, you can recharge with Secret des Alpes wellness treatments designed for post-alpine recovery, including skin brushing and mountain pasture butter massages, followed with a soak in the heated luxury pool.

There is a place where your imagination can turn into reality. Where leisure and relaxation come in all shades. A place where flavors can amaze, nature and its views can marvel. It is , a jewel guarded by the highest mountain in the Alps: the Mont Blanc.

After all, only when you reach the summit, you see everything clearly.

Enjoy Courmayeur Mont Blanc. Italy at its peak.

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We all dream of visiting the world’s best places. But in what’s shaping up to be the most expensive year to travel since before the pandemic, it’s also good to branch out. One of the biggest travel trends of 2024 is destination “dupes”—affordable alternatives that are just as dreamy and beautiful as the most popular places but aren’t as expensive or crowded.

Europe in particular is filled with historical, lively cities that can serve as stand-ins to their well-known counterparts. For example, if you long to visit Amsterdam for its river scene and cafĂ©s, you might try Rotterdam, just 50 miles to the southwest. If you like Munich for its beer culture and jaw-dropping Baroque buildings, check out the German cities of Nuremberg or Stuttgart. If you’re drawn to Vienna for its music and art scene, try Graz, in Austria’s eastern Alps. In the U.S., music lovers might check out Memphis, Tennessee, rather than Nashville.

Which destinations will offer the most bang for your buck this year? I looked at some popular bucket-list trips and have come up with alternative destinations and itineraries that will be just as much fun and cost you less.

Summer Hiking in Europe

Dreaming of: The Italian Dolomites
Try This Affordable Alternative:ÌęThe Slovenian Alps

The limestone peaks of the Slovenian Alps are similar to those found in northern Italy. Slovenia is half the size of Switzerland (and half the cost), and it’s incredibly easy to get around its hills, thanks to more than 6,200 marked trails. Members of Slovenia’s Alpine Association help manage a network of nearly 180 , such as Triglav Lodge at Kredarica, located near the nation’s highest peak, 9,400-foot Triglav.

This country also has some of the nicest glamping accommodations I’ve ever seen. Garden Village Bled, a short walk from Lake Bled, feels straight out of a Grimm’s fairy tale, with riverfront tents starting at $120 and family-friendly treehouses starting at $260. And with nearly 60 Michelin-starred restaurants in the immediate surrounds, you can have insanely good food for a serious bargain. The nine-course tasting menu at Hisa Linhart, for example, costs $140.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Intel: The 167-mile Juliana Trail made its debut four years ago and wends through both quaint towns and Triglav National Park. One șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű writer spent nearly three weeks trekking it and enjoying the sites and local hospitality. If cycling is your thing, now’s the time to get wheeling on the Trans Dinarica Route through the Balkans; the northern terminus is Slovenia’s Soca Valley. We mention details and outfitters on the entire 1,250 miles in this year’s travel awards.

Glamping in the Southwest

Dreaming of: Camp Sakira, Utah
Try This Affordable Alternative:ÌęBaseCamp 37, Utah

Five nights in one of the five nice safari tents at , a remote glampground 15 minutes from Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument will cost you about $1,000. That’s dramatically less than one night at Camp Sakira, where tents start at $7,547 per night for double occupancy (and includes amenities like airport transfers, all meals, and adventures like a full-day national-park tour). You won’t have a private plunge pool, but BaseCamp 37 does have a mini pool where you can cool off, plus Wi-Fi, grills, and two indoor kitchens. Another economical option is , located 15 minutes from the south entrance of Zion National Park. It has a pool and a hot tub and hosts live music and movie nights. Its covered wagons (with A/C) and canvas tents start at around $200.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Intel:ÌęOur Ultimate Guide to Zion National Park will set you up with must-have intel on everything from iconic spots like the Narrows and Subway to slickrock side options that leave the crowds behind. And if you haven’t yet read about the Aquarius Trail, it’s time you did. This nearby bike-packing hut system is open from early July to late September and is just the place to take your hardtail for the adventure of its life.

A Family Road Trip

Dreaming of: The California Coast
Try This Affordable Alternative:ÌęBritish Columbia’s Vancouver Island

Given the strength of the dollar, a road trip along the western coast of Vancouver Island provides more bang for your buck, and with its old-growth forests and wild beaches, it rivals the Cali coast in terms of scenic beauty. I suggest the two-hour drive from Victoria to Port Renfrew, stopping en route to explore the hiking trails and beaches of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and camping at China Beach ($20 per group). lodging is conveniently positioned between two coastal trailheads: the challenging West Coast Trail and the more mellow Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, and its cozy wharfside cabins feature kitchenettes and start at $190. Continue another 210 miles north to the surf town of Tofino, and consider tacking on a stay in the neighboring town of Ucluelet, at the Nami Project, a collection of oceanfront, self-catering suites and cabins right next to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Rates start at $343.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Intel: Those old-growth trees have their own support system—activists blocking clearcutting and provoking 2021’s War in the Woods—the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history. Our reporter embedded with them to get some perspective on that island movement. And if your B.C. vacation takes you into the interior, we’ve got nine choice suggestions on how to maximize yourÌęoptions. Bear-watching is one of them. Try not to think about the mountain biker in coastal B.C. who survived an attack by a grizzly by using his pocketknife. (That tale’s a good one for the campfire.)

A Caribbean Beach Getaway

Dreaming of: The Bahamas
Try This Affordable Alternative: Colombia

This South American nation may not be the first place that comes to mind when you hear the words “Caribbean vacation.” But the country’s turquoise waters and white-sand beaches could easily be mistaken for any stretch of gorgeous shoreline in the Bahamas. Deborah Gellis, a travel agent with Embark Beyond, says that its activities, dining, and hotels offer prices unseen in Mexico and the Caribbean in more than ten years. Many people day-trip to the Rosario Islands from Cartagena via a 45-minute boat ride. This archipelago of 27 powdery-sand islands is surrounded by incredibly clear waters and boasts pristine coral reefs. Stay at , where a sea-view room will cost less than $200. You can walk out the hotel door and beÌę snorkeling and paddleboarding in minutes. Or stay closer to Cartagena on Tierra Bomba, reached via a 25-minute boat shuttle from the city’s port; on the island’s western shore lies , where a beach-club day pass costs $25 (and includes transfers) and rooms start at $159. A residency program allows musicians and artists to share their talents in exchange for free stays.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Intel: A few Caribbean destinations have been grappling with crime in recent years, including the Bahamas. This spring we reported on itsÌęlevel 2 advisory (reconsider travel) Ìęand exactly where the trouble there has been occurring. If you’re still set on a dream trip there, read this first. We also like Todos Santos, Mexico, for affordable beach getaways. Check out our guide to a good time there from a writer who chose to work remotely from the Baja town for a few months. It’s true, that water isn’t Caribbean blue. So maybe you head to Puerto Rico, where the water hue is one you dream of, you don’t need a passport, and lodging and food won’t set you back an arm and a leg. We like that idea, too—Puerto Rico is another one of our choices for travel in 2024.

A Ski Weekend

Dreaming of: Big Sky, Montana
Try This Affordable Alternative:ÌęMorzine, France

Lift ticket prices at almost any European ski resort are cheaper than in the U.S., especially if you skip big-name spots like Chamonix, France, for lesser known destinations like , just an hour north. Part of the huge Portes du Soleil ski area that straddles the Swiss border, Morzine offers everything from gentle groomers to serious off-piste action. Compared to a three-day lift ticket at Big Sky ($644 in March, not including an extra ticket to access terrain off the tram), which has 5,800 skiable acres, a three-day pass at Morzine costs less than $200 and includes access to all 12 resorts that comprise Portes du Soleil—in total, nearly 100,000 skiable acres. Because this is France, meals are a highlight, but instead of paying $20 for mediocre food-hall tacos, you might opt to spend $35 on wood-fired beef rib for two at the cozy mountain hut Chez Nannon.

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Intel: You’re not far from Switzerland in Morzine, and we wouldn’t blame you for crossing the border just to eatÌęĂ€±ô±è±ô±đ°ùłŸČčČ”°ùŽÇČÔ±đČÔ, or herdsman macaroni. You can read about that gooey goodness here. Want to look like a local while you’re swooshing the slopes? The key piece of gear might be these glacier glasses from Julbo; the Chamonix company invented that particular kind of eyewear protection. Warning: unlike the places we’re pitching in this article, they’re not cheap. But they are cool.

Jen Murphy is °żłÜłÙČőŸ±»ć±đ’s travel-advice columnist. She’s explored the famous mountains of France, Switzerland, and Italy, but believes the lesser known Julian Alps in Slovenia are equally awesome and the country’s food and wine just as delicious.

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Travel is so expensive post-pandemic. But I don’t want to give up the idea of an annual vacation. How can I keep costs down? —Tripping Out Over Expenses

Experts predict that this year will be the busiest ever for travel since before the pandemic. And for many, it’s already feeling like it might be the priciest. According to NerdWallet’s , the cost of hotels, entertainment, and dining out are rising, with overall travel expenses for the past 12 months up 3.1 percent through January 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Hotels will be a big vacation investment. Lodging rates increased 5.2 percent between December 2023 and January 2024 alone. And traveler beware: the average daily hotel rate is projected to grow nearly 5 percent more in the next year, according to hotel-commerce platform . There’s been little respite from room rates hovering at properties across the U.S. this winter, and staff shortages will likely mean continued high prices but fewer services. You’re getting gauged even more for dining out: in January, prices for restaurant meals were 25.6 percent higher than the same month four years ago.

There is some good news: airfare—on domestic routes in particular—is predicted to drop 16 percent this year, according to Kayak. The travel-research engine estimates it will cost $461 on average to fly in the U.S. I recently booked a round-trip, direct flight from Denver to Newark, New Jersey, in April on United for a very reasonable $227. That’s about half of what I was paying for the same flight in April 2018.

That said, the overseas flights I’ve booked for spring and summer travel have given me serious sticker shock. International airfare departing from the U.S. is up 10 percent compared with 2023, . In the past, I’ve scored direct flights from Denver to Los Cabos, Mexico, for under $400; a flight for late March this year was $1,200. Similarly, a late-May flight from Denver to Majorca, Spain, was priced at over $3,000, when in the past I’ve seen it for as low as $600.

Some experts are optimistic that , especially those from upstart low-cost carriers like Breeze Airways and Norse Atlantic Airways, will help lower international fares, but I’ll believe it when I see it. For now your best strategy is to book overseas fares early. According to Kayak, eight months is the sweet spot and can save you between 8 and 18 percent.

If you’re on a budget but still want to go big in some fashion, don’t despair; you can still have an affordable annual vacation if you’re willing to be flexible on timing, strategic about choosing a destination, and plan ahead. Here are some of my tricks, plus tips from industry experts on how to make that happen.

1. Travel in the Shoulder Season

Shoulder seasons are periods when destinations see fewer tourists but aren’t closed for the off-season. The perks are fewer crowds and often great deals on hotels and flights, but on the flip side, shops and restaurants may be shuttered or have limited hours. Weather can also be a gamble. In Mexico, for example, September and October are the slowest months of the year for tourism; they’re also the wettest, and the time tropical storms are most likely to hit both coasts, says Zach Rabinor, founder of Journey Mexico.

Don’t dismiss destinations during a rainy season, though. In Costa Rica, you can save 30 to 40 percent between August and November and enjoy deserted beaches and lush rainforests, says Javier Echecopar, cofounder of Journey Costa Rica. “Those months are considered rainy, but usually with clear mornings followed by afternoon showers,” he says, adding that on the Caribbean side of the country, the coast tends to be very clear during those months, a result of microclimates.

If you’re seeking value above all else, you may need to skip bucket-list destinations this year, even during the slow seasons. I booked a trip to Rome in March, and while streets and major attractions were quieter, prices weren’t cheaper for my flight, hotels, or restaurant meals.

Jenna Swan, a travel agent with Embark Beyond, says you’ll find more value visiting less iconic cities during shoulder season. “A room in Paris could easily cost two or three times the amount of a room in Madrid,” she told me.

2. Pay Attention to the Extra Costs of Travel

I used to be quick to jump on a cheap airfare or hotel rate without considering the bigger picture. When choosing between a 6 A.M. flight priced at $450 versus a 10 A.M. priced at $500, I’d book the seemingly more affordable option. What I didn’t factor in was that getting to the airport would tack on extra fees: the $10 bus route I typically take doesn’t run that early, which meant I’d have to pay upward of $100 for an Uber, or drive and fork over as much as $50 a day for airport parking.

Additionally, major airlines are piling on more fees, for everything from checked bags to select seats, and airline websites often use design strategies known as dark patterns used to push consumers to buy extras (like a rental car or trip insurance) during their purchase.

3. Book an All-Inclusive Vacation

Once associated with budget travelers and bottomless drinks, the all-inclusive-resort model has gone upscale, with properties that feature Michelin-star restaurants, fine wines, and privately guided activities. The initial price tag can seem spendy, but when you factor in everything, you get incredible value.

And all-inclusive stays aren’t just for beach holidays. Package-vacation pioneer Club Med now offers properties in Quebec and the Alps. A family of four booking Club Med’s five-night in Charlevoix, Canada, can save upward of $7,000 compared to a plan-it-yourself ski vacation in Aspen, Colorado—even after factoring in airfare.

4. Use a Travel Agent

As a seasoned traveler, I used to think a travel agent would be of no use for me. I now view these professionals as travel wizards. They have industry connections that translate to free room upgrades and special perks, like resort credits, complimentary breakfast, and occasionally other amenities such as a bottle of wine waiting in the room, free airport transfers, and VIP access to museums and adventure sites. If anything goes wrong, they’re on call to help. And they know how to score great deals. When I reached out to a travel agent about the exorbitant Majorca flight, he was able to bring the cost down to $1,753—almost half of what I was looking at spending—by mixing airlines and connections.

5. Check the Exchange Rate—and Head to Where It’s Most Beneficial

Last summer I traveled to Croatia, not realizing the country had embraced the euro. When I visited in 2020, the dollar’s strength against the kuna made Croatia feel like an economic destination. But now it’s just as pricey as vacationing in France or Italy.

A good exchange rate gives you extra buying power to maximize your travel experience (think: more activities and spectacular meals). In Canada, given the strength of the U.S. dollar, everything is essentially 30 percent off for Americans; in Australia, around 35 percent. Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia, and South America nations like Colombia and Argentina, are also excellent places to stretch your dollar.Ìę

6. Let New Flight Routes Dictate Your Destination

Low-cost carriers offer some of their lowest prices when launching new routes. Frontier, for example, has promoted fares as low as $19 in the days following the announcement of new routes. And even after promotional fares disappear, having a new airline on a route adds competition that tends to nudge prices down. Many major airlines are also launching new routes this year. American, for example, will begin flying to the new airport in Tulum, Mexico, this month. Follow travel sites like Skift and the Points Guy, which keep up with this information.

7. Reconsider Hostels. Many Are New and Hip.

Yes, the grungy backpacker hotels of your post-college days still exist, but there’s also a crop of clean, budget-friendly hostel chains attracting crowds. Check out , (which describes itself as “a collection of hotels that combine the social culture of a hostel”), and . According to Oliver Winter, founder of A&O, the largest hostel brand in Europe, nearly 28 percent of guests are between the ages of 25 and 34. Boutique hostels often offer private rooms with an en suite bathroom, bunk rooms to accommodate families or groups of friends, and a place to make meals so you’re not forced to fritter away your budget dining out. I’ve stayed in a four-bed bungalow bunk room at the Freehand Miami with friends, and it felt as stylish and immaculate as a boutique hotel, plus, the bar, Broken Shaker, makes some of the best drinks in the city.

8. Save on Meals (but Still Eat Your Heart Out)

I always try to book a hotel room that includes breakfast in the rate. My strategy: eat a hearty, late breakfast and then pocket a muffin and a banana for a snack later on that can tide me over until an early dinner.

Taking advantage of local street-food scenes can also save you heaps. A&O’s Winter says that Florence, Italy, is a little-known street-food city (though not full of food trucks, as Americans might imagine, but shops that sell various hot and cold sandwiches and beverages you can enjoy on the street). He likes , close to the National Museum of Bargello.

For the past 15 years, șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű travel-advice columnistÌęJen Murphy has gone on a weeklong European ski vacation with friends that typically costs less than a long weekend of skiing in the U.S. She is a huge fan of off-season and shoulder-season travel and thinks the term “rainy season” should be changed to “green season.”

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The tallest peak in the Alps just got a little bit shorter.

Mont Blanc, the snowcapped massif standing on France’s border with Italy, lost approximately seven feet of elevation between 2021 and 2023, researchers say. Scientists from France’s Haute-Savoie regional administration revealed the information on Thursday, October 5. They said that Mont Blanc’s current height is 15,766 feet tall—the shortest it’s been since scientists began regularly measuring its elevation in 2001.

“The top of Mont Blanc is like a dune, it moves, and it is not the first time we have measured height variations of more than two meters,” said Cecile Taffin of the UNGE surveyors union.

The peak’s highest recorded height came in 2007 when it measured 15,783 feet and 79 inches.

Researchers began measuring the peak in 2001 to try and understand how climate change is impacting the Alps. They place small receivers in the snow that emit GPS signals, and the devices allow them to chart the peak’s height to within less than half an inch.

Denis Borel, one of the surveyors involved in the project, told French television channel TF1 that the shrinking is likely due to a loss of ice and snow at the summit. Borel said the peak had lost 3,500 cubic meters (123,600 cubic feet) of ice since 2021, “representing roughly the volume of an Olympic swimming pool.” But Borel said the shrinking may not be linear, and that the peak could add snow and ice in the coming years. “Climatologists and glaciologists tell us that it takes approximately 50 years of measurement to be able to draw conclusions on possible global warming at this altitude of 4,800 meters,” he said.

Jean des Garets, chief geometer in Haute-Savoie, says the mountain “could well be much taller in two years.”

“The summit is constantly changing in altitude and position, with changes of up to five meters,” des Garets told the BBC. “We’re gathering the data for future generations. We’re not here to interpret them—we leave that up to the scientists.”

Luc Moreay, a glaciologist from Chamonix, said shifts in wind and precipitation may be the culprits behind the loss of ice on the summit. High winds blow snow and ice from the peak, diminishing the height. During years of drought, less rain and snow falls atop the peak, contributing to the loss. “This is not representative of global climate warming, because the climatic conditions at the summit of Mont Blanc are rather polar,” he said.

Of course, the effects of climate change are apparent across the Alps. In Switzerland, the mountain range’s glaciers have shrunk by half since the 1930s. Recent research suggests western Europe’s at least 30 percent of their volume in recent decades. The melting has unearthed a trove of lost items across the mountainous region: wreckage from a plane crash, and multiple human bodies.

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The next time you’re in the French Alps, be sure to stop and smell the flowers. Just don’t pick any, because cops might slap you with a hefty fine.

The Guardian,Ìępolice in France’s mountainous Savoie department recently told 20 or so wildflower-picking hikers that if they continued plucking edelweiss and from the mountainsides, they would need to cough up 750 Euro (about $800) in restitution. Officers then confiscated thousands of the plucked flowers during a weeklong enforcement.

The thought of a French gendarme scolding a puzzled hiker with an armful of snapdragons brings a smile to my face,Ìęand it reminds me of the numerous run ins with law enforcement I had while reporting at the Tour de France over the years. A man in blue shouting “No! No! Monsieur!” and wagging his finger like a boarding school headmaster seemed to greet me whenever I attempted to park a car or cross the street at Le Tour. Hon hon hon! Stupid American!

That said, I’m firmly on the side of Jean Law in the case of the illicit flower pickers.Ìę You see, some of the region’s blooming flora is disappearing—certain species are being , while others are literally being picked to death. Tourists pluck daffodils and carnations in such high numbers that the French government places a quota on how many a single person can harvest: no more than 20 per day.

The combination of warming temperatures and plucking have placed the genepi herb in grave danger. In the United States, the plant is commonly called wormwood, the key ingredient in making absinthe and other aromatic liqueurs. It grows anywhere 6,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level, typically on mountainsides that get lots of sun. ÌęA said that genepi habitat across Europe was quickly drying up as glaciers in the Alps continue to retreat. The over-harvesting of the plant prompted authorities to shorten the picking season back in 2021, and to impose a quota system. You can pick no more than 120 flowers—or sprigs—per day for your home absinthe batch.

“We go to [pick] genepi as we go to mass,” a local author named Marie Claude Delahaye after the 2021 rules were created. “That is to say that we go there in a respectful way, because we must give the genepi time to renew itself, otherwise it will be a plant that will be lost.”

I hope that France’s enforcement of its wildflower rules serves as a friendly reminder to think before you pick. You see, we have similar laws of this nature in the United States. It’s illegal to pick wildflowers (or cut down trees) within national parks, and on all public lands designated for outdoor recreation (national forests, BLM, etc). Specific public lands allow you to cut firewood in designated areas, and to occasionally help remove noxious or invasive weeds. Should you really need that daisy for personal use, can for $20.

Some states, such as Colorado, also forbid the harvest of specific species: plucking a lavender Columbine—the Colorado state flower—will earn you a $50 fine. Others allow you to pick on private property, or on public property if you obtain a permit.

But it’s usually a best practice to leave the pretty flower alone when you’re out for a hike. It’s just going to dry out and die, anyway.

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Pablo Vigil will never forget his first taste of mountain running in Switzerland.

As a twentysomething runner in the mid-1970s, Vigil had completed his collegiate track and cross country career at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, but was hungry for more. There weren’t any established professional training groups and few professional sponsorships at the time, but Vigil found his way to Boulder because he had heard Olympic marathon champion Frank Shorter was starting a racing team.

Living in a rented mobile home in Boulder with several other runners, Vigil improved considerably training with the Frank Shorter Racing Team. He competed for the U.S. squad that earned the team silver medal at the 1978 World Cross Country Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, racked up several top-10 finishes in domestic road races and, by early 1979, lowered his marathon personal best to 2:18:32.

An Unlikely Invitation

That summer, he was invited to run the Sierre-Zinal race, a 31K (19.2-mile) trail race that connects several mountain villages between Sierre and Zinal, in the Swiss canton of Valais. Back then, trail running was in its infancy, but it was already vibrant in Europe. Vigil was told Sierre-Zinal was the biggest and most competitive mountain running race in the world—an event that drew cross-country runners, marathoners, fell runners, and Nordic skiers who were known to train by running trails—so he was eager to give it a shot.

Not only was the course and its 7,200 feet of total vertical gain harder than anything he’d ever run,Ìę it turned out to be the most competitive race of his life.

“I had run some of the early trail races in Colorado, like the Pikes Peak Marathon and some other local ones, and those were great, but it was nothing like what was happening in the European scene,” says Vigil, who draws part of his heritage to the Taos (Tiwa) Native American tribe of Puebloan people. “It was a huge race, and when we started up the mountain, holy shit! The first 50 runners were out for blood. That was a different kind of running.”

Competing against top mountain runners from Switzerland, Italy, the UK, and dozens of other European nations, Vigil remembers the aggressive style of racing—bumping elbows, legs, and shoulders—along the narrow singletrack trails that climbed more than 6,000 feet out of Sierre as thousands of local residents cheered along the course.

Vigil was a talented distance runner, but he was gutsy, too, and didn’t have any fear of flat-out racing. Not ruffled by the more experienced European runners, Vigil, wearing a pair of original Nike Waffle Racers, blasted to the front midway through the race and never relinquished his lead, winning in a new course-record time of 2:33:49 as a helicopter filmed overhead for live TV.

Although trail running in the U.S. had started to develop in popularity, it was mostly centered around the niche sport of ultra-distance trail running that began to flourish after Gordy Ainsleigh completed the 100-mile Tevis Cup equestrian event on foot in 1974, a feat that led to the formation of the Western States Endurance Run. In Europe, though, trail running was booming on steep, rugged mountain race courses.

“At the time, a lot of the European runners were pretty arrogant and saying that the Americans were soft,” recalls Vigil, 71, a retired school teacher who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. “Back then, they were saying Americans were soft in skiing, soft in other sports. And I was thinking, ‘Oh, man, that ain’t true. We got the talent here in the U.S. We’re just as badass as the Europeans. We’ve got the mountains. We’ve got the altitude. We just need to get our asses over there and start kicking some ass in those kinds of races.’”

Vigil wasn’t the first U.S. runner to win the race—elite American marathoner and mountain running pioneer Chuck Smead had won it in 1977 and cajoled Vigil into running it two years later—Vigil was the first multi-year champion and, arguably, the race’s first legendary runner after winning it three more years in a row.

Just as importantly, Vigil became a Sierre-Zinal evangelist, encouraging other American runners to compete in the event since the 1980s. His success and advocacy, in part, paved the way for numerous elite U.S. runners to test their mettle on the course, with several producing top-five finishes over the years,including those by Jay Johnson, Joe Gray, Megan Kimmel, Jim Walmsley, Max King, and Bailey Kowalczyk (fifth, last year). But Megan Lund (2010) and Stevie Kremer (2014) are the only other American runners to win the race other than Smead and Vigil.

“It was my first taste of real European trail racing. And yeah, the crowds! It was next level,” Lund says. “There was never a dull moment on the course. At some point, it felt like the course was remote and there were people everywhere cheering, and I thought, ‘How do these people get up here?’ You would never see this in America.

“After the race, I signed hundreds of autographs on spectator’s race programs, and I had never done that before,” she adds. “And the craziest thing was, the next year when I came back, there were posters of me all over town, and I was being asked for my autograph right when I got off the train in Sierre.”

Sierre-Zinal Celebrates 50 years

Sierre-Zinal is celebrating its 50th edition this year, on August 12, and it’s just as prestigious as it’s ever been. Known as “the race of the five 4,000s”—a reference to the majestic 4,000-meter-high summits that overlook the race—it’s remained a prominent event in the trail running world because of its stunning locale, the fast-and-furious racing from the star-studded international fields it attracts each year and the festive community support from the enthusiastic spectators.

It also paved the way for other popular, high-energy races, like the and the Mont-Blanc Marathon festival of races in Chamonix, France. (And it created a model that the race directors of the and are trying to replicate in the U.S.)

“A lot of races in Europe have enormous spectator support, tunnels of crowds that are deafeningly loud,” says American Eli Hemming, one of the top contenders in the men’s field. “It’s so exciting as a runner to compete in an atmosphere like that.”

As one of the six races of the competitive , the men’s and women’s elite races are stacked with talented runners from around the world. The first 12K (7.4 miles) of the course sends runners up a near-continuous climb from 1,900 to 6,500 feet. They continue climbing to a high point of nearly 8,000 feet at the 24K (15-mile) mark, before dropping 2,500 feet over the increasingly steeper final 7K (4 miles) to the finish line in Zinal, where, dead-legged and delirious, they’re greeted by hundreds of local villagers and thousands of runners from the citizen race that started before the elite runners. There are 6,500 runners registered to run Sierre-Zinal this year.

Sierre-Zinal 2023: Who to Watch

Kilian Jornet, the world’s preeminent mountain runner and ultrarunner, has won Sierre-Zinal a record nine times since 2009, most recently in 2021. Unfortunately, he’s sidelined with a hip injury this weekend and relegated to assisting . In his stead, hard-charging Swiss runner RĂ©mi Bonnet, 2022 Golden Trail World Series champion and winner of last summer’s Pikes Peak Ascent in Colorado, has already stated his intent on wanting to win the historic race in his home country.

Bonnet’s biggest competition will likely come from Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno, last year’s Sierre-Zinal runner-up who won the 7.5K (4.6-mile) uphill mountain race at the world championships in Austria, Eritrea’s Petro Mamu, the 2016 winner who placed third last year, Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya), who finished fifth at Sierre-Zinal last year and was the runner-up in the 15K (9.3-mile) mountain race at this year’s world championships, and Robert Pkemoi (Kenya), who took fifth at earlier this year.

Other top names to watch in this year’s race include Robbie Simpson (UK), Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco), Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland), Cesare Maestri (Italy), and Americans Joe Demoor and Eli Hemming. Demoor, 33, from Carbondale, Colorado, won the Vertical K at the 2022 Skyrunning World Championships in Ossola, Italy, while Hemming, a 28-year-old triathlete-turned-mountain runner from Salida, Colorado, won the 23K Broken Arrow Sky Race near Lake Tahoe in June and then took second in the prestigious Mont Blanc Marathon in late June in Chamonix, France.

Another fast-rising American runner making her Sierre-Zinal debut is Salt Lake City’s Sophia Laukli, who will be a top contender in the women’s race. The former University of Utah and 2022 Olympic Nordic skier is now a Salomon-sponsored pro trail runner who won the 42K Marathon du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France, in June, and took second at the 22K DoloMyths Run in Canazei, Italy last month.

Swiss runner Judith Wyder is another frontrunner of the deep women’s field after winning the DoloMyths Run, along with Kenya’s Philaries Kisang, the runner-up finisher last year and the silver medalist in the 7.5K vertical race at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships on June 7 in Innsbruck, Austria.

Dutch runner Nienke Brinkman, last year’s Golden Trail World Series champion and a 2:22 marathoner, is coming back from an early season injury and is out to prove she’s equally as good on trails as she is on the roads. Other top contenders include American Allie McLaughlin, who won two races at the 2022 Golden Trail World Series Finals and the vertical mountain race at the last year’s world championships in Thailand, and USA’s Tabor Scholl (ninth last year at Sierre-Zinal), as well as Ireland’s Sarah McCormack, Germany’s Daniela Oemus, Kenya’s Lucy Wambui Murigi, Spain’s Nuria Gil, and China’s Miao Yao.

Back to the Future

Trail running has evolved considerably since Vigil reigned over the European trail running world as a four-time Sierre-Zinal champion. Back when he ran, Vigil vividly remembers aid stations handing out raisins, chocolate, small cubes of cheese, and even paper cups filled with locally produced wine. Nowadays, there’s an elite-class of professionally sponsored mountain runners who specialize in sub-ultra distances bolstered by trail running supershoes, sophisticated smartwatches, and advanced sports nutrition supplements. Sierre-Zinal can be viewed via premier livestream coverage throughout the world, but it’s still broadcast on live TV throughout Switzerland and draws thousands of local spectators.

Sadly, as trail running attracts more prize money and sponsorship opportunities, it has also attracted dopers. Both of last year’s winners, Mark Kangogo and Esther Chesang, were disqualified and suspended after failing drug tests. This year’s race carries a prize purse of approximately $25,000, plus a bonus of $5,700 for a runner who breaks the men’s (2:25:35) or women’s (2:49:20) course records. But the race has made .

Vigil was disturbed to hear that news last year, mostly because he always considered mountain running to have a higher moral code than the sponsor-controlled, money-infused competitiveness he witnessed on the track and roads. Even after winning Sierre-Zinal in 1982, Vigil went on to win several U.S. marathons and lower his personal best to 2:15:19, and continued racing as a competitive master’s runner on the roads and trails into his 60s. But his lifetime highlights, he says, are primarily tied to memories of racing Sierre-Zinal.

He’s gone back to watch the race numerous times over the past three decades, both because he’s still hailed as a past champion and because it’s in his blood. (The footprints of each of the race’s champions are commemorated in a plaster-casted “wall of fame” near the finish line in Zinal.)

This year, Vigil will be back on the starting line to run with many of the event’s past winners and legendary runners. (“More like run, hike, crawl, and slither to the finish line,” he jokes.) He’s also looking forward to witnessing the pure grit and grind of fast-paced mountain running he so cherished when he was a younger man.

“We didn’t have all this high tech stuff, but it was super badass running,” Vigil recalls. “It’s different from what’s evolved in ultrarunning. The tone that was set in mountain running back then was about kicking ass or getting your ass kicked, and at the front of the pack at Sierre-Zinal, it continues to be that way.”

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In the middle of the , a pair of hikers in the mountains above Zermatt, Switzerland, discovered the body of a climber who had disappeared decades before. The human remains had been entombed in ice just a short distance from an international ski resort, and near the route up the famed Matterhorn. The discovery occurred on July 12.

Local authorities have released few details about the climber beyond the basic timeline of his disappearance. “In September 1986, a German climber, who was 38 at the time, had been reported missing after not returning from a hike,” the local police department . His remains were identified using DNA tests at a local hospital, the release said, but authorities have not released the climber’s identity.

Police also released a photo showing a pair of crampons, a single black leather boot, a gray piece of fabric, and a length of rope resting on ice.

How the climber lost his life is still unclear. The mountains surrounding Zermatt are popular and infamously deadly, and several hundred people have died while attempting the Matterhorn. In 2018 alone, on the mountain.

The location of the body gives few clues about his cause of death. He was found along the Theodul Glacier, rather than at the base of a notorious Matterhorn route. The upper portion of the glacier is more than 12,000 feet above sea level, and it sits adjacent to Zermatt Ski Resort—parts are served by multiple chairlifts. In the summer, the glacier is popular with hikers, who regularly traverse it in short-sleeve shirts. In 1965, on a bicycle. A gondola line, constructed in the 1970s, provides a panoramic view of the ice flow on its way to a luxury viewing lodge, complete with a restaurant and a theater.

Despite its proximity to buildings and chairlifts, the area presents dangers for outdoor recreation users—storms often descend on the area and trap hikers on the snow.

“It doesn’t matter really how tame the glacier is,” says Dave Miller, owner of guiding company Alpine International Guides. “You get caught in one of those alpine storms, and even if you’re close to the ski resort, that can do you in right there. You can literally be a half mile from the ski resort and not be able to find it.”

The location where the climber was discovered isn’t necessarily where he disappeared. Glaciers slowly flow downhill, and can carry bodies miles from their original locations. And as climate change melts the ice, that flow accelerates.

In recent years, the retreating glaciers across the Alps have revealed ancient relics, archaeological discoveries, and yes, human remains. In 2017, a French climber found three bodies on the Italian side of Mont Blanc—authorities believe the three had died two decades earlier. That year a ski resort worker in Zermatt found the bodies of a couple who disappeared in 1942 while herding cattle in their mountain pasture.

Last summer, multiple hikers in Switzerland made similarly gruesome discoveries. In July, hikers found a mummified body clad in ; in August, a French climber found in the retreating Chessjen Glacier in Valais, Switzerland. Then, on August 4, debris from a plane crash on the Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland’s Bermese Alps. The plane, a Piper Cherokee, had crashed on June 30, 1968.

The Theodul Glacier has also from bygone eras. In 1985, archaeologists found coins, a dagger, and remains of a human thigh bone amid the retreating ice. Subsequent digs in the area unearthed the body of a merchant who had perishedÌęduring a crossing in the 1600s, wearing a thin pair of leather shoes.

The melting glaciers around Zermatt are bound to reveal more finds like this. According to the news site Swissinfo.ch, in the mountains of Valais Canton, where Zermatt sits.

That a body could be found so close to an international ski resort illustrates how dramatically the Alps are changing due to climate change. More than a quarter of Theodul Glacier has melted over the last 50 years. That melt has been dramatic enough to between Italy and Switzerland—Theodul Glacier sits on a ridge between the two countries, and its retreat has slowly pushed an Italian alpine refuge onto Swiss territory.

This past winter dealt an especially bad blow to the Alps’ glaciers: temperatures in Switzerland rose above , and of the country’s glacier mass disappeared in 2022. More areas that were once covered in ice are now exposed—and items that were stuck in the glacier are also thawing out. So common are these discoveries that the Valais Canton produced a smartphone app, called Icewatcher, which allows hikers to photograph tools, wood, or even human remains that they find on the edge of the ice, and alert the local archaeological department.

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Ali Wines told her story to producer Stepfanie Aguilar for an episode of The Daily Rally podcast. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Throughout Europe at the higher peaks, there’s often crosses. And so looking up and seeing this cross sort of looming above us in the mist was really scary. It was eerie, and it felt like a sign that you are absolutely in the wrong place here.

I’m based in Toronto in Canada, but I am originally from Australia. I grew up in Melbourne. I am the Executive director of Protect Our Winters Canada. We’re a nonprofit that brings the outdoor community to rally in the fight against climate change.

It was our 15th wedding anniversary, and my dad had given us a gift of sending our kids to camp for two weeks. So, we decided that we wanted to do something special with the time.

We found Austria, and when I started doing research, I found this multi-day hiking route through the Tyrolean Alps, and just thought that that looked like the most amazing experience and something that would be really memorable for us to try.

I spent a lot of time researching the route, which wasn’t the easiest. It’s called the Höhenweg. If you do the full route, you do need ropes and climbing gear at some points. We had planned to do three days that didn’t involve the climbing sections.

The first day was amazing. The beginning of the route is at the base of the widest waterfall in the Tyrol region, and you actually hike up right beside the length of the waterfall. So it’s this stunning hike through what feels like almost a temperate rainforest with the water gushing down to one side. And then you emerge into this valley, which has the river flowing through it that feeds the waterfall, which is just this incredible glacial blue. Mountain goats wandering through the grasses, and Austrian huts. It was like something out of a painting. It was just so beautiful.

It had sort of been a steady climb to that point. Then once we were in the high alpine, there was essentially a vertical wall of rock in front of us that we needed to get up and over. There were two ways that we could possibly go. One was a potentially easier route, but would’ve added two hours of additional hiking and scrambling time to the journey. Or we could go up and over the ridgeline.

At this point, it was three o’clock in the afternoon, and the thing that we hadn’t been able to know or plan for was the fact that in this region, the weather comes in at three o’clock. And so we were standing at the base of this ridgeline, and the clouds came in faster than I’ve ever seen them do anywhere else. And all of a sudden, there was no visibility.

Everything around us got quite dewy and quite slippery very quickly. I was pretty scared, my heart was racing, particularly because of the slipperiness of the rocks. I just knew that there was no opportunity to lose any footing or you would be going down. You couldn’t really see the drop beneath you, but we’d seen it from the bottom and we knew that any fall would be pretty serious. So we were climbing really, really carefully and pretty slowly.

I started to have all of these thoughts of guilt because we’d left our kids at home and I thought, Oh my God, I’m gonna fall and die in this place and noone’s gonna find me. And I’m a terrible parent. I was being a little bit dramatic, but it felt dramatic at the time.

In my mind, I had just focused on the ridgeline, and I didn’t think about what was on the other side. We got to the top and it was only about a foot and a half wide. The climb down on the other side was even steeper. And by this stage, everything was damp. We could barely see a thing in front of us, and I just sat down on the top of the ridge and I cried.

I was really worried that maybe we wouldn’t get down. We had zero cell reception, so no one was going to come and get us. We hadn’t brought a GPS phone or anything on this particular trip, which in hindsight was definitely a mistake.

Sitting on top of that ridgeline, once I’d given the panic a minute to subside, I had that realization that I didn’t have a choice, and that being in a state of fear and panic was actually gonna do me a really big disservice and make everything more dangerous. So I needed to pull myself together, calm down, and think about how I could get down in the safest possible way.

Having been in situations before where I knew that panic was not my friend, I was able to draw on that a little bit, and use that to suppress that emotion of fear to the point that I could take action and get myself out of that situation.

Using deep breathing helped. I meditate fairly consistently in my daily life, and that was absolutely helpful to just slow down the nervous system and calm all of those physical responses to fear. I think the second part of it was being my own parent, and giving myself a very strong talking to that you are absolutely not gonna be sitting on a ridgeline when night falls, and that you need to just get your act together and get down.

My husband definitely took on the protector role. I think looking back on it, he was actually more scared than I was, but he felt like he had to rally a little bit himself to make sure that I was gonna be OK. So we just took a minute on the top of the ridge and we sat there and we breathed, and we thought, What’s the best solution? Do we try to go back? Are we better to go forward? And at this point, we knew that we were closer to the second hut than we were to the first, so we decided it would be safer to try and just keep going forward, even though we didn’t know what the terrain looked like.

We got down very slowly. I just kept telling myself, One step at a time, one step at a time. And also, Don’t look down, don’t look down. My husband and I worked pretty well together as a team, just coaching each other down, telling each other which footholds to use, which rocks might’ve been wobbly, where we could put our hands. And that way, just taking it as slowly as we possibly could, we were able to get down safely.

I remember getting close to the bottom of that ridgeline, and looking between my feet and in the very, very far distance seeing the next hut. Just feeling this absolute flood of relief, feeling like we were finally gonna get there.

I knew from past experience that if I thought clearly, I would be able to get myself out of a sticky situation. So that helped me, sitting on top of that ridgeline, to think that I’ve done this before. But if the panic starts to set in, that’s when you’re going to get into trouble. So go slowly, focus on taking everything one step at a time. Just solve the first small part of the problem in front of you, and then solve the next small part of the problem in front of you. And through that process, you’ll get through it.

Allie Wines is the executive director of Protect Our Winters Canada. She grew up skiing, horse riding, and climbing trees in Australia before her career took her to London and then Toronto. For more information, you can visit , or connect with Allie on Twitter .

You can followÌęThe Daily RallyÌęonÌę,Ìę,Ìę, or wherever you like to listen.ÌęÌęandÌęÌęto be featured on the show.

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