North Carolina
DifficultTrans-America Trail — Robbinsville to Tellico Plains via Cherohala Skyway Backdoor and Unicoi Mountains
Rocky Appalachian spine — no easy miles here.
Surface: Rock
Namibia
ExpertNaukluft Mountains 4×4 Trail — Tsauchab River Gorge to Büllsport via the Naukluft Plateau High Spine
Quartzite ledges and dead silence in the Namib.
Gilgit-Baltistan
ModerateKhunjerab Pass to Sost — Karakoram Highway Pakistan Summit Descent via Shimshal Valley Junction
The roof of the Karakoram — drive it or dream it.
Algeria
ExtremePiste de Tassili N’Ajjer Sud — Djanet to Tamanrasset via the Tadrart Rouge Volcanic Plateau
Red rock, zero roads, maximum Sahara.
Arizona
ModerateArizona BDR Central Segment — Globe to Payson via the Mazatzal Mountains and Tonto Rim
Mazatzal backcountry — rim rock and long views.
Bolivia
ExpertCamino de la Muerte South — Yolosa to Unduavi via the South Yungas Death Road
600m drops. No barriers. No room for error.
Arizona
ModerateArizona BDR Southern Segment — Safford to Nogales via the Pinaleno Mountains and Sky Islands
Sky Islands to the border — Arizona's wild south.
Algeria
ExtremePiste de Ghat — In Guezzam to Ghat via the Algerian-Libyan Saharan Fringe
Central Sahara's loneliest border crossing.
New Mexico
DifficultTrans-America Trail — Silver City to Reserve via the Mogollon Mountains High Divide
Mogollon ghosts, Gila pines, zero cell service.
Costa Rica
ExpertRuta de los Conquistadores — Puerto Limón to Puntarenas via the Costa Rican Mountain Spine
Caribbean to Pacific. Jungle, altitude, mud, repeat.