Toby
Johnston

On 2nd May 2022, I set out on a 5 month hike from the Mexican border across the United States through California, Oregon and Washington to the Canadian border. Passing through deserts to high mountains and dense forests, the PCT throws everything possible at you. With approximately 500,000ft of climbing (the equivalent of 16 Mount Everests), 25 national forests and 7 national parks along the way this trail is not for the faint hearted. Although in my opinion, it the greatest trail in the world.

SDW100 falls amongst my proudest moments to date in the outdoor world. I would consider myself much more of a hiker than a runner, so to complete this trail within the 30 hour cutoff which would typically take 6 to 7 days to hike was already an epic achievement in my eyes. Centurion Running showed why they are one of the best in the game — not a moment of stress when it came to aid stations, drop bags, volunteers and navigation. It was a blissful experience, met with encouragement and kindness throughout. With that being said, it was a crawl to the finish line after my first real experience of mid-race chafing with 40 miles to go. The weather was ideal without a drop of rain and temperatures between 15-20 degrees all day — Centurion's highest completion rate of a 100 miler on record. Finish time: 29:25:02.

The TMB was my second official thru-hike, completed over eight days from Les Houches in France, through Italy and Switzerland, back to Chamonix. A perfect reunion with my PCT trail family a year on from spending five months walking together. A challenging hike with approximately 10,000m of elevation gain throughout — one of the classic routes of the Alps.

The opportunity to bag my first 6,000m summit was too enticing. I opted for the overnight option for extra acclimatisation time. Blistering wind and altitude is not a combination I recall fondly — wearing three pairs of gloves and requiring a fellow hiker to zip up my jacket due to frozen hands was not the most fun. The summit push began around midnight, and the feeling of first sunlight and rising temperatures was arguably more enjoyable than reaching the peak itself. A remarkable view of Arequipa 55km away made it all worth it.

Completed over 7 days, the Huayhuash was my first extended hike at altitude — the entire route ascending and descending between 4,000 and 5,000m. Beginning at the end of October was a risk with the Peruvian rainy season approaching, but blue skies prevailed from the second morning and the trail was almost entirely to ourselves. San Antonio Pass pushed me to my limits yet rewarded us with one of the most stunning views I have ever seen. The seventh day's panoramic viewpoint — seeing everywhere you've travelled over the past week — is something I will never forget. For avid hikers or those looking for a serious challenge, the Huayhuash is non-negotiable.

A solo, unguided four-day circuit of one of Peru's most sacred mountains, with a stop at Rainbow Mountain on day three. Two nights of snowfall in the shoulder season kept things interesting, but sunny afternoons, stunning lakes and wildlife more than made up for it. This is certainly a more isolated trek with indigenous communities, and dramatic, high-altitude mountain scenery without the crowds.

Arguably Peru's most famous trek aside from the Inca Trail. A journey from high altitude mountains and the stunning Humantay Lake over Salkantay Pass (4,650m), descending through hot humid jungle to Aguas Calientes. The fifth day brought Machu Picchu itself — with beautiful sunny conditions, any fatigue from the previous four days was instantly forgotten.

One of the driest spots in Peru, known as the best place to search for the elusive Andean Condor. This 2-3 day hike into the canyon's base and back rewards you with stunning accommodation at the bottom alongside natural hot springs — well worth the 6-8 hour bus journey from Arequipa.

After Chachani, my confidence was unshakeable when it came to my second 6,000+ peak. Bolivia's most attempted 6,000m+ mountain delivered dream conditions — a clear night sky with La Paz in the distance and a sunrise at the peak that left me mesmerised. A three-day endeavour: day one learning proper usage of micro-spikes and ice axe technique, day two hiking to base camp and day three involving a midnight wakeup call and summit push into the morning by 6am. My first true mountaineering experience, an unforgettable summit, made possible by local guides with decades of experiences and thousands of summits themselves.

My knowledge of the Atacama was fairly limited to the fact that it’s a massive desert with some of the best stargazing in the world. Little did I know that is also home to a 5,604m dormant stratovolcano named Cerro Toco. In truth, it is is a highly accessible summit which takes just 2 to 3 hours as the hike begins at the 5,000m mark. Although it definitely hits you the minute you step out of the car that the air is a lot thinner. It is a simple, non-technical walk to the top but in classic Atacama fashion leaves you questioning whether you are on planet Earth or not at the top. Sprawling views of the Licancabur and Juriques volcanoes and views across the border to the lagoons of Bolivia are breathtaking and well worth the crawling speeds through the thin air to get there.

An absolute must of Chilean Patagonia, we completed the W Trek in just three days - with the three focal points being the Grey Glacier, the French Valley and Base Torres. We hiked 83km over those three days but were rewarded with breathtaking views throughout, including a wild puma spotting in our final kilometre of day three.

My favourite town in Chile, Pucón is a tranquil paradise with stunning coffee shops, lakeside beaches and a massive volcano overseeing it all. Climbing Villarrica itself is a medium difficulty day hike depending on weather and altitude acclimatisation. I did it in January in the height of summer which was probably the easiest time to take it on. Arriving at the top is special as you can truly see how active this volcano is. Smoke billowing out of the top with excellent views of the town and surrounding mountains are well worth the trek up. However, most notably with this volcano, it is the sledding down which is most unique. Sliding through snow on an active volcano is not something I would have thought previously possible. There are 6 different runs which require caution as I was not quite able to brake perfectly on a couple of occasions (apologies to those I slid into) but this day was incredibly fun and a completely unique experience.

Commencing 15 kilometres from the town centre at the foot of Cerro Catedral, the Refugio Frey loop is my most highly recommended hike in the Bariloche area. Over 20km you travel through up an exposed mountainside, into dense forest before emerging into a stunning, open landscape with panoramic views and climbers scaling the rock faces above. Refugio Frey marks the halfway point of the hike, with a lake and food/accommodation for those that wish to stay and complete the hike the next day. The next section after Frey is arguably the most challenging, with the steepest and most exposed climb to the high point of the route. This is followed by a traverse that requires scrambling and is not one for anyone with a fear of heights. It is then a couple of hours down to reach the start/end point, with a trail that is not fully marked in in sections requires heading down and hoping for the best. It is an exceptional route, and should not be missed if travelling to Bariloche in the summer.