Instagram story viewer> @thocra_> Posts

Thomas De Craene | Belgium

@thocra_

19.3K

followers

944

following

Shots and spots for the curious...
Capturing wildlife, remote trails & high peaks.
Youtube, website in the link below.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

High above Chamonix, just below Mont Buet, I came across a group of Alpine ibex males. In summer they gather in bachelor groups. Their massive horns a clear badge of age and strength. Within the herd there’s a hierarchy: the largest and oldest often dominate, while younger ones learn their place. These ritualised displays help avoid constant fighting and prepare them for the winter rut. As the weather turned, the herd slipped quietly back into the mist, while we stayed behind to camp high on the ridge.

#AlpineIbex #MontBuet #Chamonix #MountainWildlife #Alps #NaturePhotography #WildlifeDoc #WildernessCulture #wildanimals #wildlifephotography taken in Mont Buet by @thocra_

1k

85

a year ago

After more than 1000 meters of ascent, following the river that flows straight from the ice, you reach one of the best-preserved glaciers I’ve seen in Norway. Sharp lines. Deep cracks. Layers shaped by centuries of pressure. It looks solid, permanent. But even here, high in the Norwegian mountains, the retreat is clear.

#Jøhldalsbreen #NorwayGlacier #NorwayHikes taken in Jostedalsbreen National Park by @thocra_

3

37

a year ago

Some of the bigger storms I have experienced, but the reward was intense. Stay humble my friends

_
_
_
_

#nikonbelgium #nikonz5 #nikonzseries

#kyrgystan #NatureKyrgyzstan #kyrmagazine #discoverkyrgyzstan #tienshan #VisitKarakol #rsa_outdoors #adventureclub #backpackinglife #wildernessculture #ourplanetdaily #bivak

#mountainstones #themountainiscalling #mindthemountains #explorewildly #wondermoore #optoutside #wekeepmoments #wonderful_places #mountainstories #nomadict

#brilliantglobe #escapeandwonder #goneoutdoors

@nowdiscovering @travellingthroughtheworld @wildlifephotography @theglobewanderer @lensbible @natgeotravel @map_of_europe taken in Kyrgyzstan Mountains by @thocra_

963

34

4 years ago

België staat niet meteen bekend om zijn eindeloze wildernis en wildkamperen is er resoluut verboden. Toch ontdekten we een manier om volledig te ontkoppelen. Met @bivvybase trokken we de Hoge Venen in voor een meerdaagse tocht. Zelf navigeren of uren routes uitstippelen hoeft niet: het traject en de afgelegen kampeerspots liggen vooraf vast. We wandelden door mistige valleien en ruige veengebieden, met als kers op de taart een avondbezoek van herten en zwijnen vlak naast ons kamp. Wie de absolute rust zoekt in eigen land, hoeft niet ver te reizen op deze manier.

#bivakkeren #belgichenatuur #outdoorbelgie #tentleven #wandeleninbelgie taken in Hoge Venen by @thocra_

825

20

2 days ago

Dit verwacht je misschien niet van België… Soms hoef je niet uren te reizen voor een echt outdoor-avontuur. Naar mijn mening is het Stropersbos een van de mooiste plaatsen in Oost-Vlaanderen. Ik heb er zelf al een paar heel pure momenten in de natuur mogen beleven; en dat dicht bij huis!

Wat dit gebied zo bijzonder maakt, is hoe bizar veel diversiteit er op zo'n klein oppervlak gecomprimeerd zit. Op één enkele namiddag wandel je tussen de naaldbossen,verschillende stukjes loofbossen en sprookjesachtige heide om nog maar te zwijgen van de dieren die je pad kunnen kruisen!

Via het netwerk van wandelknooppunten verken je bovendien moeiteloos de bredere grensregio. Wandel zeker door naar uitkijkplatform 'Niemandsland' op de grens tussen België en Nederland voor een indrukwekkend panoramisch uitzicht over het landschap. En het mooiste van al? Je sluit je dag af op de Bivakzone voor een nacht onder de sterren.

Zelf de rugzak pakken? Houd het avontuur zuiver en respecteer de regels van het gebied:

Blijf op de routes in het bos, al zijn er zones waar je vrij mag verkennen.

Pas het Leave No Trace-principe toe: neem al je afval mee.

Reserveren voor de bivakzone is verplicht.

Krijg je ook zin om deze omgeving zelf te verkennen? Plan jouw route en ontdek alle knooppunten in het Stropersbos via @routen.be Sla deze video op voor je volgende micro-avontuur en stuur hem door naar je hike-buddy. Geniet ten volle van dit prachtig stukje natuur!

#microavontuur #bivakzone #buitenleven #wandeleninoostvlaanderen #werelddierendag taken in Oost Vlaanderen by @thocra_

3

6

6 days ago

Life above the treeline.
A day filled with serious elevation gain, rocky trails and glacier terrain, but also plenty of time to slow down and take it all in. From long climbs to quiet moments on the glaciers, Gran Paradiso is a place that makes every step worth it.
High mountains, big days and the occasional moment of complete silence. 🏔️

#GranParadiso #AboveTheTreeline #Alps #ItalianAlps #Mountains Trekking Alpine Glacier MountainLife HikingAdventure taken in Grand Paradiso by @thocra_

3

15

10 days ago

What’s a few extra grams if it saves a good night’s sleep? 🏔️✨ When I was packing my bag for Tombstone Territorial Park in Canada, rightly known as the Patagonia of the North, I was having serious doubts. In a wilderness full of rugged mountain peaks, crystal-clear lakes and wooden tent platforms surrounded by pikas and marmots, every single gram counts.

Normally, I go for the smallest, lightest pillow I can find. But this time I took a gamble and packed the Exped REM Pillow Medium. Honestly? I thought it would be too big and bulky.
What a mistake that was! Nothing beats the luxury of a genuinely good night's sleep after a tough day on the trail.

Why this pillow will never leave my pack again:

- Foam chips + air combo: It doesn't feel like a bouncy pool float, but has the cozy comfort of your pillow at home.

- Ergonomic shape: Gives solid support for your neck, no matter how you sleep.

-Soft tricot nylon: Super soft against your face and the outer cover is easy to wash.

One thing is certain: I am definitely not going back to those ultra-light micro-pillows. This is officially my go-to pillow for every adventure. 😴

P.S. Thinking of visiting Tombstone yourself? Make sure to book well in advance (permits sell out fast!) and get ready for magical wooden platforms with the best views!

📍 Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon

🎒 Gear tip: Exped REM Pillow (via @backpackinglight.nl

#TombstoneTerritorialPark #Yukon #BackpackingLight #HikingGear #HikingTips OutdoorGear PatagoniaOfTheNorth Trekking SleepWellOutdoors Exped taken in Tombstone Territorial Park by @thocra_

3

8

20 days ago

The King of the Alps. And honestly, the title couldn’t be more fitting. 🐐

For the past few years, I’ve encountered Alpine ibex in different seasons and across some of the wildest places in the Alps. Yet no other animal has ever left such a lasting impression on me.

Powerful, calm and almost statuesque, yet incredibly agile on cliffs where every step looks impossible.

Watching an ibex move effortlessly across those steep, rugged slopes is one of the most humbling experiences I’ve had in the mountains.

#AlpineIbex #Ibex #Steinbock #KingOfTheAlps #WildlifePhotography Wildlife Alps AlpineWildlife MountainWildlife WildlifeOfTheAlps HikingTheAlps HikingAdventures taken in Alpen by @thocra_

3

21

16 days ago

Two weeks later, looking back at this adventure, it still feels a little unreal. Getting dropped in the middle of Denali National Park was challenging from the very beginning. No trails. No other people. Just a map, a compass and everything we needed to be self-sufficient for eight days. We had to keep an eye out for bears, battle the mosquitoes, cross freezing rivers and deal with constantly changing weather. It sounds pretty awful and honestly, at times it was. But this was exactly the kind of adventure we were looking for. Something that would take us completely out of our comfort zone and force us to rely on ourselves.

And then there was the landscape.

A vast, untouched wilderness stretching as far as we could see. We even got to see Denali itself in all its glory, twice in one week. A rare sight, considering the mountain is so often hidden in the clouds.

Every day brought something new: tracks and signs of wildlife, moose wandering through the valleys and even grizzly bear. Seeing these animals in their natural environment, completely on their terms, was absolutely incredible.

It was only on the small eight-seater plane back out that everything really started to sink in. All the preparation, all the gear, the difficult moments, the river crossings, the exhaustion… We had actually done it and this place completely blew us away!

A huge thank you to @k2antwerpen for helping us prepare for this adventure. Our gear definitely had to work hard out there, but it performed exactly as we’ve come to expect from it.

#Denali #trekking #Alaska #Adventure #hiking Backpacking Backcountry WildernessAdventure AlaskaWildlife GrizzlyBear Moose HikingAdventure AdventureTravel ExploreAlaska LeaveNoTrace K2 OutdoorAdventure WildPlaces IntoTheWild NaturePhotography taken in Denali National Park and Preserve by @thocra_

3

39

2 months ago

Soms hoef je niet uren te reizen voor een echt outdoor-avontuur. Naar mijn mening is het Stropersbos een van de mooiste plaatsen in Oost-Vlaanderen. Ik heb er zelf al een paar heel pure momenten in de natuur mogen beleven; en dat dicht bij huis!

Wat dit gebied zo bijzonder maakt, is hoe bizar veel diversiteit er op zo'n klein oppervlak gecomprimeerd zit. Op één enkele namiddag wandel je tussen de naaldbossen,verschillende stukjes loofbossen en sprookjesachtige heide om nog maar te zwijgen van de dieren die je pad kunnen kruisen!

Via het netwerk van wandelknooppunten door @routen.be verken je bovendien moeiteloos de bredere grensregio. Wandel zeker door naar uitkijkplatform 'Niemandsland' op de grens tussen België en Nederland voor een indrukwekkend panoramisch uitzicht over het landschap. En het mooiste van al? Je sluit je dag af op de Bivakzone voor een nacht onder de sterren.

Zelf de rugzak pakken? Houd het avontuur zuiver en respecteer de regels van het gebied:

Blijf op de routes in het bos, al zijn er zones waar je vrij mag verkennen.

Pas het Leave No Trace-principe toe: neem al je afval mee.

Reserveren voor de bivakzone is verplicht.

Krijg je ook zin om deze omgeving zelf te verkennen? Plan jouw route en ontdek alle knooppunten in het Stropersbos via Routen.be. of @routen.be Sla deze video op voor je volgende micro-avontuur en stuur hem door naar je hike-buddy. Geniet ten volle van dit prachtig stukje natuur!

#microavontuur #bivakzone #buitenleven #wandeleninoostvlaanderen #routenbe taken in Stropersbos by @thocra_

504

4

15 days ago

Our first time hiking through an area where bear activity was clearly visible and honestly, it was intimidating. We had prepared ourselves well. Bearvaults. Bear spray. Safety briefings with the rangers… With a healthy dose of tension, we were ready!The first signs appeared quickly: paw prints in the mud, fresh scat and tufts of hair left behind where bears had rubbed against trees.
But spotting an actual bear turned out to be a completely different story.
Somehow, I had imagined it would be easier. All the singing, talking and calling out while hiking sometimes felt almost ridiculous. Yet every now and then, usually when we least expected it, a bear would suddenly appear. Sometimes they noticed us first and disappeared almost instantly. Other times, they simply stayed in the distance, calmly searching for food as if we weren't even there.
The grizzly; one of the most magical animals I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing. Powerful, wild and completely captivating.
What a presence.

#GrizzlyBear #Grizzly #BearCountry #Wildlife #WildlifePhotography WildlifeEncounter WildlifeDocumentary Wilderness Alaska AlaskaWildlife AlaskaAdventure ExploreAlaska Backpacking BackpackingAdventure HikingAdventure IntoTheWild NatureDocumentary NaturePhotography WildlifeLovers NatureLovers OutdoorAdventure WildernessCulture LeaveNoTrace taken in Yukon Territory, Canada by @thocra_

3

18

a month ago

High above the peaks of Gran Paradiso for sunrise.
While most people in the bivouac were still asleep, I got up to watch the first light reach the Alps. A quiet start to the morning, with the mountains slowly changing as the sun came up.

Not long after, the rest of the bivouac was awake too. Some mornings are worth getting out of your sleeping bag for.

#GranParadiso #Alps #ItalianAlps #ValDAosta #MountainHiking HikingItaly AlpineHiking Bivouac WildCamping MountainSunrise ExploreTheAlps OutdoorPhotography MountainLife taken in Italian Alps by @thocra_

3

22

a month ago