Scariest Hiking Trail in the World

[jaybird]

I'm sure I couldn't handle El Caminito del Rey in Spain. 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/W09MhqpdMoM&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/W09MhqpdMoM&rel=0</a>

http://www.tourism-review...rey-awaits-reconstruction

[Rob]

And I thought hiking the AT to Charlies Bunion by myself in 2-3 ft. of snow with about 20 ft of visability was a bit scary.......... mere walk in the park compared to this video....... think I'd rather not  know what was ahead... or down..........

[PastorLarryT]

I've heard of this "trail" before, but this is my first viewing of any video from the trail.  WOW!  Looks like something I would expect in an Indiana Jones movie.  I can't quite see myself balancing along those steel girders!!!  Yikes!

[jaybird]

Did you see the link I attached right under the video with the following note from June 8, 2009?:

El Caminito del Rey is a shockingly narrow pathway along the steep walls of a gorge in El Chorro, Spain. Access is prohibited as several adrenalin seekers died here trying to cross it in 2000, which is why it became an even more powerful lure for adventurous travellers.

El Caminito del Rey is more than a century old walkway built along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, Spain. Workers of two hydroelectric power plants had to go through a lot of trouble to cross to the other plant and thus, in 1901, a narrow pathway was built to help them cross much faster. The tricky construction was finished in 1905 yet only when King Alfonson XIII paid his noble visit to the walkway in 1921 for the inauguration of the dam ‘Conde del Guadalhorce’ the path got its famous name. El Caminito del Rey literally means ‘The King’s Little Pathway’.

For nearly a century, the pathway attracted adventure tourists who could not get enough of the striking views over the gorge. The Caminito comes with a little twist – initially, the path itself was about 1 meter wide, yet maintenance has been seriously neglected and very often, there is not much to walk on except a metal rail on which the mortar structure lies. Except for a few exceptions along the way, there is no safety rail, thus there is absolutely nothing between the steep wall and a deep drop, anywhere between 100 to 700 feet. Talk about adrenaline.

Following the tragic deaths of four tourists, the authorities decided to close the path. Police often guard the beginning and have actually destroyed part of it to prevent anyone from being tempted. Nevertheless, the thrill is so intense many still sneak in to conquer the forbidden king’s pathway. And quite frankly, those who manage to reach the end alive have every right to call themselves true kings.

The positive news recently revealed is that the government is ready to raise finances for the reconstruction of the walkway. It is in a terrible state yet so many are attracted to its thrilling charm it is worth preserving this attraction. If everything goes according to plan, within the next five years, El Caminito del Rey will be as good as new.




 

[Uncle Wayne]

I have no desire to have that much of an adrenilin rush.

Thanks for sharing that Jay.

[WolfVanZandt]

I remember seeing a video about a pilgrimage trail somewhere up a mountain that looks to be of about the same difficulty. I wish I could remember where it was but I can't. Does it ring anyone's bells?

[dogwood]

I've seen that one, Wolf!  Believe that it's somehwhere in Burma or Tibet(something like that), and Budhist monks use it for pilgrimages.  I think that it was a plank walkway suspended on the sides of rock(lots of prayer flags everywhere).  Pretty scary looking!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Dogwood,

I was thinking of a similar (or the same) one. I think the one I am thinking about is in China, and it is actually open to tourists. I think, but I'll have to check, I know somebody who has been there.

[jaybird]

Is this it, by chance?  Mt. Huashan in China.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/72rN5zO2T7A&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/72rN5zO2T7A&rel=0</a>


And some more videos of the hike:

http://www.youtube.com/re...amp;search_type=&aq=f

[WolfVanZandt]

Grph! I don't have Flash on this computer, so it's hard to tell from the thumbnails. but like Dogwood said, I remember the prayer flags.