Col du Ga Wivael/Roches de Linderalique

Distance: 9.3 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 12/283/628 m.

Difficulty: 7.7/10.  Scenic: 9.3/10

A "real" hike and one that could have been spectacular (had it been sunny).  Click the "Brooding Hen" (Poule Couveuse en francais) for pics; geotrack here.

There are two hikes in this region and, as they join at one point, I did both of them thus making two 7 km hikes into a single 10 kmm hike with a good amount of elevation change.  The views from the two peaks are spectacular, though less impressive against a cloudy sky.  These hikes are above the town of Hienghene and the rock formations are known as the Sphynx and the Brooding Hen.  The black limestone Roches de Linderalique are also fabulous - and I camped one evening near the base of the limestone rocks.  Great hike.

Sentier de Marais Sainat

Distance: 3.07 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 11/46/82 m.

Difficulty: 3.0/10.  Scenic: 6.5/10 (it was foggy)

A simple stroll, it's significance is that it's located at the far northern extreme of "Grande Terre", the main island of New Caledonia - a spot not often visited by tourists.  Pics by clicking above, geotrack here.

The first of just two hikes I could do on my walkabout (the caves didn't really count as a hike) but this was nice given its location.  I loved the signs explaining how the Kanaks view nature and the resident animals.  Had a nice picnic during a drizzle break.  Would love to return when the sky was blue.  And also to tear down the stupid cell phone tower that's erected at essentially the northernmost point of Grand Terre.

Grottes de Koumac (Caves of Koumac)

Distance: ~ 700 m.  Elevation low/high/total: 15/15/0 m.

Difficulty: 8.5/10 (scary/bats).  Scenic: 1.0/10 (pitch black)

Not so much a hike a as a dare, I explored these caves despite the dire warning not to do so by myself.  Small set of pictures can be seen by clicking above, location of cave area here.

This is a bit of fun.  If you like dark places, filled with bats, and the potential for being "gassed".  Took me three tries to find the right way in and then I got lost (thanks, random punks that paint "wrong way out" arrows all over the place) briefly before finally finding an exit about 80m from where I entered.  Can't wait to show this place to Ildiko.

On the road to the Northern Province

Distance: ~1500 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 0/588/5610 m.

Difficulty: 7.8/10.  Scenic: 9.1/10

Everyone else had enjoyed a nice vacation recently but it had been nearly a year since i got away so ... I got away. Picture album by clicking on the Frog above, geotrack here

I've been living in New Caledonia for about 16 months now.  And, while I've done a goodly amount of hiking and exploring, the northern half of this country - of Grand Terre - was Terra Incognito (Unexplored) to me.  So I carved out a week, prepped the Land Rover ("Frog"), gathered my camping gear, did some research and early on a July 2015 Sunday morning set out for parts unknown.

The trip was great and just what the doctor ordered.  I saw new things, went places few have ever been and got to camp out for a week, an activity I love.  That all said, man ... the freakin' rain ... basically 5 of 7 days I had to take shelter from the storm(s).  Thus my pictures are mostly gray.  That hardly mattered when I was cave explorin' but it seriously cut down on hikin'/fishin'/beachcombin'.

I took five cameras (three dedicated, 2 on cell phones) and amazingly they all survived.  Maybe next year I can rally a couple of fellow explorers and we can check out places I never got to, or would like to see again.

I managed three hikes on the trip:

Les Grottes de Koumac (Caves of Koumac)
Sentier de Marais Sainat
Col de Wivaek/Roches de Linderalique