I am Julie mountain leader in Corsica where there is the most difficult trekking in Europe called GR20: one normally needs 2 weeks to hike it but the best trailer can do it in 32 hours ! amazing! I guide groups there for trailers in 5,7, 9 or 10 days, for hikers in 2 weeks or only 1 week for the southern part or the northern part....with a "light" backpack or in autonomy. A guy has also done the G
r20 in 33 days taking time to meet people, hikers, shepherds, bathing on great waterholes: mountains are great if you share the time there with other people, if you take time to feel the atmosphere, if you come back: sometimes the weather or how you feel will lead you to give up before accessing to a summit: your security, your life is the most important thing and one says: "the best quality of a mountaineer is humility". The highest summit in Corsica is called Monte Cintu at 2706m above sea level but some summits such as U Paglia Orba (2525m) and U Ritondu ( 2622m) are even more beautiful! I have travelled for my studies in Europe like in Sweden where I have hiked on the Kings' route in Lappland (400km of hiking trails): the highest summit is called Kebnekaise (2117m) but i would rather propose you a tour in Sarek National Park on the Skierfe's mountain (1183m) : the most beautiful views are not always from the highest summit and that trek crossed Lappland with the opportunity to meet Saami's people and eat some smoked bread and fish. another island to discover is Tasmania with the Overland trek and some other National Parks even wilder ...on the mainland in Australia: there is a great hiking trail called Eden to Malacoota, south east from Australia, where the drinkable water is a real problem...and without water you won't survive: to drink some salty water and marsh water can happen !!! and for the summits'hunters, possibility to get to the highest summit in Australia's main land: Mont Kosciuszko at 2228m, one of the seven summits on Bass'list. In Chile definitely to go to Patagonia is worthy, the very south of Chile...maybe the end of the world and its great national Park called Torres Del Paine... on the way, a tour to the volcanoes such as Osorno and Llanquilhe
and at the Serra Nevada woud be marvelousn experiences. Since a year I live on Reunion island on the Indian Ocean and the highest summit is Piton des neiges at 3070m above sea level: I have guided a family with 2 young guys (9 year old one and 11 year old one) in August, we have slept in a hut after 4 hours walking and we waked up at 4 o'clock in the morning to be at the summit for an unforgetable sunset at 6.30am ( 2 more hours t o climb up and 5-6 hours to climb down/ get back to the road). I haven't said anything about Pyrenean mountains between France and Spain where i have lived for 5 years and prepared myself to become a mountain leader: the most beautiful summit is for me is in the Ossau's valley and is called "Pic du Midi d'ossau" at 2884m : it's better to take a rope to get there if some people fear height. The highest summit is Aneto at 3404m where I have only been in winter by skitouring with a friend of mine. As a mountain leader, I lead people by hiking or snowshoeing....in France there is a difference with "high" mountain guide that leads you by skitouring, by canyoning, by climbing, by using spikes and picks...
I was leading people on some summits by snowshoeing in the middle of Pyrenean Mountains, at the spring of the Garonne such as Pic d'Aubas at 2071m or Serra de Bandolers at more than 2200m close to the famous skiing resort of Baqueira Beret in Spain. Pyrenean Mountains, Corsica, Tasmania, Chile, Sweden are still wild mountains with not so many roads or skiiing resorts...but one can see more and more people in the mountains asking more security, markings and site layout...disturbing the natural space, life, biodiversity. One can think that hiking is a slow activity with few impact but with the increase of tourism, accessibility, people, there is some impact on the wilderness: for me the mountains should stay a preserved space but it is not so obvious to keep it wild, natural, authentic.
