The Rest of Everest - Episode 36

Episode 36 of the video podcast The Rest of Everest is now available for download through iTunes and direclty on the website. This episode is entitled The Highest Theater In The World and definitely lives up to the billing.

After spending weeks at Base Camp, the teams are a bit restless for entertainment. You'll get to see human ingenuity at it's finest as climbers from around the globe band together for a common goal. Namely, to create a movie theater at 18,000 feet. I have to say, after watching the video, that it was a well thought out endeavor. It's not easy to find a movie screen at Everest Base Camp, and someone had to have thought ahead to bring that projector along, which by the way, looks incredibly small and light. I need one of those! :)

On another technology note, isn't it interesting that the PC wouldn't work at altitude, but the Mac Powerbook kept on humming? They had to find something to play DVD's on, and Jon's laptop was the one that was still working. Jon even goes so far as to call himself an Apple fanboy in this episode, and that's just one more thing that he and I agree on.

The choice in movies could have been better. I have nothing agains Swordfish, afterall it's the groundbreaking film that allowed us to see Halle Berry topless. But couldn't some one bring along the Star Wars DVD's? At least the Orginal Trilogy? I suppose after that long at Base Camp with little entertainment, anything is well received.

This is a fun episode. Good stuff as always!

Ancient Settlement Found At Stonehenge

It's been quite the week for amazing archeological discoveries, and they just keep coming. National Geographic is now reporting that a large ancient settlement has been found near Stonehenge, and they now believe that the settlement belonged to the architects and builders of that monument.

The settlement is believed to be more than 4600 years old, and has a variety of links to Stonehenge including a road, a near by river, and evidence of rituals in the village itself. There also seems to have been another "henge" made out of wood, that has long since rotted away. Radio carbon dating on both the stones at Stonehenge and the village but them in the same era.

You can check out photos of the site here and video here.

Lightweight Rain Gear Suggestions At Trailcraft

Last week Trailcraft gave us some suggestions for lightening our load with a new pack. Today they're back with suggesions on some light weight rain gear. Even better yet, his suggestions for rain gear are actually fairly inexensive.

I'm in the market for some new rain gear. Something light and hopefully inexpensive as well. The suggestions here just might fit the bill for me, as I just need something no frills, breathable, and light. Looks like REI will be getting more of my money soon.

New Speed Record on Aconcagua

MountEverest.net is reporting that Spanish climber Jorge Egocheaga has set a new speed record on Aconcagua. Egocheaga covered the distance between Valle de Horcones summit and back in 14 hours, 5 minutes and 54 seconds, shattering the old record by nearly an hour.

Egocheaga, who also happens to be an medical doctor, has been making a name for himself in climbing circles the past few years as he tackles some of the higher mountains all over the World. He's is fast and agile on the mountain, seems tireless, and doesn't seem to have an issue with the low oxygen levels at altitude.

The most impressive part of this story for me? Is that on his descent, even though he was going for a speed record, the Spaniard still stopped to offer assistance to a climber in need. That's what climbing is all about, and we could use a little more of that spirit on the mountains.

Vanishing Natural Wonders

The Travel section of the The Guardian posted a rather disturbing article entitled 10 wonders of the vanishing world. It's a list of ten natural wonders that are disappearing thanks to global warming. Some of the items on the list may surprise you.

For example, The Snows of Kilimanjaro are on the list, and it's been fairly highly publicized that the glacier on top of Africa's highest mountain is receding rapidly. Some estimates I've seen say it'll be gone by 2015. But other natural wonders that are in danger that I wasn't aware of include The Caribbean coral reef, Glacier National Park, United States, and even the Monarch butterflies that flock to Mexico for the winter, as their habitat has been ravaged by storms and is being killed off by the warmer temperatures.

This is a sobering article to read. I'm not sure that there is anything we can do to prevent these things from happening, but if you care about some of these natural wonders, you may want to go see them while they are still there.

Thanks Gadling.

Antarctic Climbing Update

Yesterday I posted about this article on Damien Gildea's climbing team down in Antarctica, and their attempts on several unclimbed peaks there. Today, ThePoles.com brings us the second part of that article. Part one left off with the team in Mt. Anderson trying to reach the top for the first time. Today you learn how they topped out, and a bit more on the team as well.

Meanwhile, The Alpinist has posted a couple of stories on Antartic climbs as well.
First is their look at the Andersen first summit, which touches on much what has been said the articles above.

Finally, we have this article about a Norwegian team who headed down South to try some new routes on Ulvetanna, a towering spire of vertical rock. After 16 days on the face they finally reached the top. Average temperatures during the climb were -20 C! After that, the team skiied over to the Holtedahl mountains some 30km away, and climbed six different peaks. All in all, I'd say it was a successful expedition.

Gadling Reviews The Symbiot Sportback

I first mentioned the Symbiot Sportback way back when when it was first announced, and we've finally got our first review on the pack.

Erik, over at Gadling, has posted his thoughts on this new, unique pack, and he seemed to like it, to say the least. He felt it was well designed, and very comfortable. He even remarks that it would make a perfect pack for paddling, although I'm not sure how you'd wear this and your PFD at the same time.

He did remark, however, that there isn't much room to carry gear. There are plenty of convenient pockets, but they filled up quickly, and you don't have a lot room for extras, so you have to pack smart, and only take the things you're sure you're going to need. Still, it looks like an interesting pack, and for a minimalist day hike, it might not be too bad. And you can't beat the price at $39.95.

I'm such a sucker for packs. :)

Double Traverse Attempt on Everest This Spring

British Climber David Tait has told MountEverest.net that he intends to complete a double traverse of Everest this Spring. A first for any climber.

David will start on the North side of Everest, in Tibet, summit, then continue down the South face into Nepal. After resting there and regaining his strength, he'll climb the South face, and return to his starting place down the North side. Tait says he knows that he's going to have to have a perfect weather window, remain in good health, and have a little luck to pull of the double traverse.

Last year, David manged a double summit, so clearly he has the skills and the endurance to give this a shot. It should be interesting to watch. Personally, I think the man enjoys misery.

Nicki Says: "Carstenz or bust"!

We've been following the adventures of Nicki Branch the past couple of months as she has begun her quest for the Seven Summits. Having completed Kili in December, and recently knocking off Aconcaqua (read her dispatches here.) Nicki has gotten herself off to a great start.

When I posted this blog entry I remarked on the schedule Nicki had set for herself, which is pretty ambitious. She aims to take out Kosciuszko in March, move on to Denali in June, Elbrus the following month in July, and Vinson in December, with a shot at Everest in Spring of 2008. I also made the comment that the list was lacking Carstenz Pyramid, but I thought it was likely that Nicki would want to conquer that mountain as well.

Over the weekend I had an e-mail from Nicki herself who proclaimed that it is "Carstenz or bust"! She fully intends to climb Carstenz as well, but hasn't added it to the front page of her website yet because it hasn't been scheduled. Anyone who knows anything about the Seven Summits knows that it can be problematic at times getting on Carstenz, although it has become easier in recent years. So, once again, good lucky Nicki. We'll follow you all the way to the top.

As a side note, anyone else thing we should start callig it the 7 Summits +1?

3 Peaks 3 Weeks: Mission Accomplished!

I've been posting about the 3 Peaks, 3 Weeks project for the past few weeks, and now it looks like it's come to a successful conclusion. The team of ten women summitted Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru, and Mt. Kilimanjaro over a three week period to raise awareness for the "three peak" issues in Africa, which are Environmental Sustainability, Education, and HIV/AIDS.

I mentioned last week that the team has topped out on Kili, and now you can read their final trip report here. It seems like it was quite the journey for them, and not just the past three weeks. Over the past two years, as they prepared for this expedition, they became dedicated to their cause, and learned a great deal about themselves in the process. It's a very nice wrap-up read, and I once again send a hearty congratulations to everyone of the women on the team. It might not be over yet though as there is this cryptic remark on the website: "Enjoy the closing remarks and stay posted for the future of 3 Peaks 3 Weeks."

Guess we'll just have to stay tuned.

Snowshoer Survives Backcountry Ordeal

This story in the Vancouver Sun is a couple of days old now, but I saw it while surfing by Outdoor Ed today. It seems that Chris Morley, a 37 year old carpenter and father of three, went snowshoeing recently on Mount Seymour, and fell down a two-hundred meter gulley, breaking his ribs and a wrist in the process. He was stranded out their for three days and two nights, before being found by a Search and Rescue team.

This guy is lucky to be alive and he owes a lot to the team that found him. He suffered from hypothermia and was said to be hours away from death when he was discovered. Mount Seymour, by the way, is located in northern Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada.

Polar Update: One Last Time!

With the Antarctic season nearly coming to an end, we have one more update courtesy of your friends at ThePoles.com.

While other Antarctic teams were busy skiing all over the place, it seems Damien Gildea's climbing team was busing knocking off peaks, including a first ascents on Mt. Press, and an ongoing attempt at Mt. Anderson. The team has been on the ice since Dec. 19th, and have faced avalanches, bad weather, and nasty crevasses in their climbs.

Meanwhile, Ray has posted to his blog that he has summitted on Vinson. You'll recall that Ray and his wife Jenny have already skiied to the South Pole, so Ray thought he'd cap off the trip with a quick ascent of Vinson. Ray, you've earned yourself a little R and R. Go some place warm and tropical on your "Next Fun Trip!"

Nives Meroi Heading To Everest!

Nives Meroi has told MountEverest.net that she is on for Everest this Spring. Nives is one of the best female climbers in the World, and has been gunning for the 8000m peaks, crossing Dhaulagiri and K2 off her list last year. She now has 8 of the 8000'ers down.

The last time I mentioned Nives I remarked how surprised I was that she didn't have any sponsors. There aren't that many women in climbing in general, and fewer still who are knocking off 8000m peaks. You would think that someone would throw this woman some cash. Well things haven't improved too much since then, although she has picked up Parmigiano Reggiano, a type of Parmigian cheese, as a sponsor. I guess we know what she'll be eating a lot of while on the mountain.

Good luck on Everest Nives. We'll be following you in the Spring, and as you go for the rest of the 8000m peaks.

Archeology News From Geo!

NationalGeographic.com has trio of interesting articles today for anyone interested in history or archeology, and who reading this blog hasn't dreamt of being Indiana Jones at some point? Admit it!

First up, we have, this article that says that Lupercale has been found. Lupercale is the mythical cave that is said to be where a wolf nursed Romulus and Remus, the two founders of Rome. According to the myth, the two brothers were the twin sons of Mars and a mortal High Priestess, and were abandon in their cradel along the Tibre river, where the she-wolf adopted them. The cave was discovered while restoration was being done to the ruins of Emperor Augustine's palace, and is said to be some fifty feet deep.

The second article is about the discovery of an ancient city in the heart of Mexico. The city is said to be more than 2500 years old, and shows the influence of the Olmec people, who were thought to have thrived near the coast, while this city is in central Mexico, not far from Mexico City itself.

The thing that I found striking was that the ruins of the city were actually fond under an aging housing and commercial development, which makes you wonder what other sites are yet to be discovered simply because we've been building over them or hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Finally, we have this story that says that many of the ancient sites in Mexico are being damaged by acid rain. The high pollution in the country is to blame, and is said to be wiping away carvings and paintings on the walls of many archelogoical sites at an alarming rate. It's said to think about a heritage like that being washed away so quickly.

3 Peaks 3 Weeks: Kili Summitted!

Those adventerous and social conscious gals over at 3peaks3weeks.org accomplished their goal yesterday, by reaching the "Roof of Africa" and summiting Kilimanjaro in the process. You can read their Summit Day report here.

The team of ten women have, over the past three weeks, climbed Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru, and now Mt. Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise awareness of "Three Peak" issues in Africa, namely Education, the Environment, and AIDS/HIV. You can read about all the team members and listen to all their podcasts over at PodClimber.com

Excellent work ladies! Wish I could have been their on the summit with you for all three of these peaks. It looks like it was an incredibly fun, challenging, and rewarding expedition, and you are to be commended for your efforts both on and off the mountains.

Raid The North Extreme Announces Date, Location

Expedition length adventure race Raid The North Extreme has announced that this year's event will take place from June 23 - 30 near Prince Rupert, on the Pacific coast where British Columbia and Alaska share a border. The theme for the race will be: The Spirit of the Totem in keeping with the customs of the Tsimshian people who inhabit the area.

The course will run approximately 300 miles, and will offer plenty of technical challenges and navigation sections. In traditional adventure racing fashion, this event will pit co-ed teams of four from around the globe against one another in a non-stop race across some of the most remote wilderness in Western Canada.

Registration is now open, so get your teams together now. You can find a complete gear list here. (In PDF format)

Nangpa La: Tibetan Pilgram's Song

I've had a couple of people e-mail me about this today. Last fall a group of climbers on Cho Oyu witnessed Chinese soliders ambushing Tibetan refugees who were fleeing into Nepal via the Nangpa La Pass. In the process, they ended up shooting and killing several people. I blogged about it fairly extensively at the time, as did a number of other sites. It took weeks before the mainstream media picked up on the story, and in the end, very little was made of it, and the whole thing mostly faded away.

But now comes this video on YouTube of an unknown singer/song writer who has written a ballad called Tibetan Pilgrims's song: September 30th. The singer has also posted a message to the Prime Minister of China which simply reads:

"Your Excellency,
Please allow Mt. Everest to become a symbol of hope and goodness, with the speedy release of all Nangpa Pass Detainees.

Signed,
the concerned of the world"

You can check out the song itself here. It's good that not everyone has forgotten.

All-Star Team of Sherpas For Everest

EverestNews.com is reporting that an All-Star Team of Sherpas have joined forces to summit Everest this Spring in an effort to raise awareness of the critical role that Sherpas play in insuring that the other climbers make it to the summit.

Apa Sherpa will be joined by Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, and four others support memers, when they make their summit bid. Apa Sherpa holds the record for summiting the mountain, having stood on top 16 times, while Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa has set the speed record for a summit, by going up in a mind bending 10 hours, 56 minutes, and 46 seconds.

I'm not sure who all the other teams will be on the mountain come Spring. But my money is on these guys having the best chance of making it to the summit. Call it a hunch. Yeah, I'm good at predicting these things. ;)

BackPacking Light Podcast: Andrew Skurka

Backpacking Light has posted a new episode of their podcast. This time they are interviewing Andrew Skurka, the ultralight backpacker who hiked across across northern Minnesota, from Duluth to Ely. In the interview, he talks a lot about the gear he used, which weighs less than 16 pounds total, and the use of Vapor Barrier Layers (VBL) to stay warm. Interesting podcast if you want to do any Winter backpacking or camping, although personally, I can't imagine going that light in the Winter.

The 380 mile trek is suppose to took about 16 days, and Andrew is roughtly half-way through at the point he is interviewed. He actually completed the expedition last week. You''ll find more about his hike at his personal website including his gear list. And for the record, the site lists the average temperature in Ely for January as 5 degrees F, although it has mostly been above average in temp in the Mid-west for most of the Winter.

WildeBeat: Race In The Backcountry

The Wildebeat is back with another podcast, this one entitled Race In The Backcountry. Contrary to what the title may lead you to believe, this isn't about an Adventure Race through Yosemite. In fact, it's actually a candid and interesting interview with Dr. Nina Roberts about why ethinic minorities seem to have little interest in outdoor related activites such as hiking, backpacking, and camping. Dr. Roberts has conducted research into the subject after noticing that she was one of the few minorities herself when she particpated in those activites.

I honestly can say that I never really thought about this subject before, and the show actually gave me pause while listening to it. The episode brings up some excellent points, and has some interesting theories as to why fewer minorities travel in the backcountry. Economics is mentioned as being one of the factors, but there are others as well. An interesting topic, that I wouldn't have even thought about had I not tuned into the Wildebeat. Nice work Steve!

More Dogs On The Mountain!

Last week I posted that cool video of a dog on the summit of Aconcaqua. (provided by Jon from Rest of Everest)

I noticed that Alan, over at AlanArnette.com mentioned dogs on the mountain in his climbing blog as well. He touches on the dog on Aconcaqua that Nicki Branch saw on her summit, but several others as well, including a dog at Camp 2 on Everest, who had to pass through Khumbu Icefall. Funny and amazing stuff to be sure.

I can't link directly to the post so you may have to scroll down some. Enjoy the pics! :)

Fundraising Efforts for Danelle Ballengee

GravityPlay.com and Adventure Xstream Racing have teamed up to hold a fundraiser for Adventure Racer Danelle Ballengee, who you'll recall was injured in a 60 foot fall during a training run in Moab last December. She was stranded for more than two days until her dog found help and brought them to her for a rescue.

They are raffling off all kinds of prizes including the following:


Two Person Team Entry into the 2007 Xstream Expedition - $800 Value
Aire Tomcat Solo Inflatable Kayak - $550 Value
1 Night Stay at Red Cliffs Lodge and a Desert Highlights Canyoneering Trip for Two- $350.00 Value
2 Night Stay at Moab Big Horn Lodge and a Rim Tours Mountain Bike Day Tour - $350.00 Value
Durango Ski Weekend, 1 Nights Lodging, Purgatory Lift Tickets - $200.00 Value
(2) $75 Adventure Xstream Race Gift Certificate - $75.00 Value Each
Free AR Training/Coaching Session from Danny Suter at Boulder Performance Network - $100.00 Value
(3) Smartwool Adventure Racing Clothing Package - $100.00+ Value
GoLite AR Gear Package - $200.00 Value
(12) Power Blast Energy Fuel, Pack of 24 - $40.00 Value Each

Tickets are $15, five for $65 or 10 for $100. Proceeds are obviously going to a good cause, and you could get some great gear in the process.

Danelle is said to be doing well, and proceeding with her re-hab, but has burned through her insurance and saving with her hospital bills so far. We just want to see her healthy and racing again.

Polar Update: John Wilton-Davies Picked Up Today!

ThePoles.com has posted another update on solo-unsupported skiier John Wilton-Davies who seems to be the last explorer out on the ice. That should change today, when John is plucked off the Antarctic Plateau by a plane. While he won't reach his goal of the South Pole, he is currently at 88.5 degrees South, and decided that's far enough. Last night he made it to the cache of food that was dropped for him several days back, and since that time, he's been eating and sleep plenty while he waits for a lift back to civilization. Nice work John. Come back next year and gt that final degree South!

Over on Vinson Ray is still hoping to top out on Vinson. After being trapped at Camp 2 for several days by bad wind and snow, it looks like the strom began to subside this morning. There have been no further updates, so lets hope it's cleared up, and the team is moving to high camp. Good lucky Ray!

The Rest of Everest - Episode 35

My favorite video podcast The Rest of Everest is back this week with a new episode. Episode 35 is entitled Picking Up The Pieces and is another great episode.

The team is climbing back up the North Col now, and fearing what they will find when they reach the higher camps. Word amongst the climbing teams was that the hard winds had shredded the tents and strewn their gear across the mountain. So they weren't entirely sure what they would find. Inspecting the gear upon arrival however, they find that while things are a little worse for wear, everything was still in place, and wouldn't jeopardize the climb.

Meanwhile, down in Base Camp, technology, and the Director himself, are breaking down. The technology can be fixed however, while Jon has to suffer through a nasty cough, that on the South side would probably be called the "Khumbu Cough".

This episode is once again laced with some amazing video sohts of the mountain. The scenery is breathtaking and Jon and the team managed to catch some amazing shots. My favorite shot of the episode has to be the para-glider zipping around the mountain. Talk about an amazing view!

Lighten Your Load Starting With Your Pack!

It seems fast and light is all the rage these days. I mean, who wants to go slow and heavy right? There have been some amazing advances in technology over the past few years that have really helped us to shave the weight off of our gear, and it's made for more enjoyable trips into the backcountry.

The Wilderness Trailcraft Blog has posted some great tips for shaving off the extra pounds on your gear, starting with your pack itself. They recommend the Osprey Aether Pack whic weighs in at just 3 pounds 6 ounces, which is amazing. The Osprey packs are amongst the most comfortable I've ever put on, and at just 200 bucks, that pack is a steal. (Sorry, my pack fetish is showing through again!)

Looking For Places To Paddle?

The American Canoe Association (ACA) has announced a list of 12 Water Trails that they recommend for paddlers. The trails were selected because they stand out as particularly great places to get out on the water and explore the surrounding area. The list is as follows:

Apalachicola Paddling Trail System --Florida

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Paddling Trails -- Maryland

Conodoguinet Creek Water Trail -- Pennsylvania

Hudson River Water Trail -- New York

Lower Mattaponi and Pamunkey Canoe Trail -- Virginia

Middle Allegheny River Water Trail -- Pennsylvania

Milwaukee Urban Water Trail -- Wisconsin

Muskingum River Water Trail -- Ohio

Ohio River Water Trail - Markland Pool Section -- Ohio and Kentucky

Potomac River Water Trail -- West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia.

Tilghman Island Water Trail -- Maryland

Willamette River Water Trail -- Oregon

You can find out more about each of these trails at the ACA Website.

Even though it's Winter it's never too early to start planning a trip out on the water. This list should give everyone a little something to add to their list for the upcoming warm weather season.

Mountaineering: What's Left To Do?

MountEverest.net has posted a very cool article on the six highest unclimbed peaks in the world, as well as a few other prominant mountains that haven't been climbed yet either. A couple of them, such as Kailash in Western Tibet, are considered holy and no climbing permits are issued for them, but there are others on the list that make for intriguing climbs.

For instance, Saser Kangri II East, which is 7518m in height, and is located in the Indian Kashmir region, has never even been attempted. While two of it's sister summits have been climbed, Saser Kangri II East has not seen a human footprint anywhere near the upper reaches.

Labuche Kang III is part of a group of mountains in Tibet that has seen very little traffic at all. A Japanese team summitted the main peak back in 1987, but this one has remained untouched to this day. It is the fourth highest unclimbed peak in the World.

So if you're a climber who has "been there and done that" and you're looking for a new challenge, perhaps this list will inspire you to start plotting a climb. You'll get to make a first ascent after all! Just avoid the peaks that are marked as holy, and off limits, Somehow I doubt the locals will take too kindly to you planting a flag on top of their sacred mountain. (Note, the image is of Saser Kangri II)

Polar Update: John Wilton-Davies Still Heading South!

ThePoles.com is reporting that John Wilton-Davies is still on the ice and still heading South. John is a solo, unsupported, skiier, trying to make it to the South Pole, but the Antarctic winter is nearly upon him, and the last flight off the ice was suppose to pick him up today. According to this article however, the plane was grounded due to weather, giving him more time to go after his goal.

John has no chance of reaching the Pole, but he does want to make it to 89 degrees, 1.4 minutes South, which would put him 1000km from his starting point. Still an impressive distance to travel. To make matters worse, he has run out of food. There was a supply drop for him a day or so back, and he hopes to make it to that point sometime today, but has vowed to not touch the food until he must in order to maintain his "unsupported" status. If bad weather sets in, he may have to break into the food tomorrow though.

We could be watching an Antarctic Drama unfolding before our eyes. The clock is definitely ticking here, and if weather does indeed set in, John could be in for a bit of a rough patch. At least he'll be able to get to the food and should be able to hole up for awhile, but lets hope that the plane can get to him and retrieve him from the ice sometime very soon.

Glaciers To Be Gone From The Alps By 2050

Experts are now predicting that the glaciers in the Alps are retreating at such a pace, that they may be gone altogether by 2050. According to this article over at NationalGeographic.com, about 3 percent of glacial ice is lost each year, and the retreating glaciers mean less drinking water, more unstable rock conditions, and would probably spell doom for the ski industry in the mountains.

It's not just the Alps however, as reports from around the globe, including the Andes, Himalaya, and Kilimanjaro. The ice is retreating from all of those locations, and it could have a devistating impact on the envrionments in all those locations. Global warming is of course the cause, with green house gases becoming thicker in the atmosphere. At this rate, we may see most of the major glaciers in the World almost completely gone in our lifetimes.

The article does note that a similar retreating of the glaciers occurred within the last 10,000 years. It's pretty evident that we're going through a phase of global warming. You'd be hard pressed to find any way to deny that. But the extend of which man is playing a role is still fairly debatable in my opinion. The Earth goes through these cycles regularly, at least in geological terms, and if this has happened in the last 10,000 years, then it's fairly recent. But the rate at which these glaciers are melting seems fairly unsual for something completely natural. It's sad that we could be losing these resources in such a short period of time.

Nike Introduces The Water Cat

I saw this post over at Gizmodo this morning. It's a new set of water shoes from Nike called the Water Cat. With rubberized soles and a quick drying fabric, they look like the would make great shoes for paddling or cayoneering. They are light, and compact for easy stuffing into a backpack, and have an interesting design to them. No word on release date or price, but they look like they could be a great addition to the gear closet, as my water mocs are getting kind of old.

Sneakerfreaker.com has more on the shoes and an interview with Bob Mervar, the Director of Nike's ACG (All Condition Gear) line.

Mountainzone Interviews Ice Climber Will Gadd

MountainZone has posted an interview with ice climber Will Gadd It's a fun little "finish the sentence" type interview, with Gadd talking about his "most memorable experience" ice climbing, what he thinks about before he begins the climb, and advice he'd pass on to a younger brother. Unusual questions, and a short but sweet style, but worth a read to be sure.

On a side note, it's good to see MountainZone come back from the dead. After not having any updates for several months, they have posted a number of new articles since the first of the year. I've always enjoyed their athlete blogs, and I've missed having regular updated content from them over the last half of 2006. Welcome back guys. Good to see you're still in business!

Polar Update: Teams n2i Greeted As Heroes!

ThePoles.com has another update from Antartica today, with the news that Team n2i has returned to the Russian Progress Base, where they set out some 50 days ago. Upon arrival, they were greeted as heroes. The team became the first group to make it to the Pole of Inaccessibility without the aid of a motorized vehicle. Of course, the Russians were the first to go there back in 1958, and were more than happy to offer the team a hearty congrats.

Things aren't looking as good for John Wilton-Davies who has agreed to abandon his journey to the South Pole and be plucked from the ice tomorrow by the last flight out of Antarctica. But that doesn't mean John can sit on his laurels. His current location is not suitable for the plane to land, so he'll have to find an area where the can come pick him up. To make matters worse, John only has three days worth of food left, although a supply drop has been sent his way, but is more than 28nm away. Lets just hope the weather cooperates, and John can get off the ice, safe and sound.

The strangest news of the day comes from 7 Summits Climbing Club who returned to Chile only to find their visas had expired thanks to several delays in getting off the ice. Passports were confiscated, and services were arranged, so it looks like an International Incident will be avoided. The climbers should be glad they weren't deported back to Antarctica though. ;)

Over on Vinson itself, Ray is still struggling through his "Next Fun Trip". After skiing to the South Pole with his wife, he know attempting to summit Vinson as well. Latest reports have him in Camp 2, with the hopes that a weather window will stay open long enough for a summit bid in the next day or two.

Finally, Outside Online has posted their own news brief about Team n2i making it to the Pole of Inaccessibility. But more interesting to me was the note about Sir Edmund Hillary, who at the age of 87, returned to Antarctica one final time, to commemorate the completion of Scott Base, which he helped to build fifty years ago. Hillary, along with Tenzing Norgay, became the first men to summit Everest in 1953, and just two years later traveled to the South Pole himself. I sure hope that when I'm 87 I'm still going on these kinds of adventures!

Podcast - Endurance Planet

Endurance Planet has posted this weeks podcast, which happens to be an interview with Michael Giudicissi. Michael is a triathlete who was one of the first people to come on the podcast, and now he returns to update them on his progress over the past couple of years.

And progress he has made, as the show notes indicate that he has since completed two Ironman triathlons, writtent two books, and has become self employed as a personal trainer and motivational speaker. During the interview, he gives some good insight into his training, and how to best prepare for an event.

Davenport Grabs Number 54!

Last week I mentioned Chris Davenport the man who was skiing all 54 of Colorado's 14ers in a 12 month period. When I posted, he was at 53 and planning to finish his quest in a matter of days. Today the GoBlog has posted that Chris has knocked off number 54!

You can read all about it on Chris' website. It sounds like the last mountain was a challenging adventure for him, including nasty winds and weather, challenging climbs, and an epic descent. Great work Chris! Congratulations on a job well done!

Guillermo Mateo Perishes On Ama Dablam

MountEverest.net brings us the sad news that Spanish climber Guillermo Mateo has fallen to his death on Ama Dablam. Mateo had successfully summitted on January 19, and was on the descent when he fell more than 300 meters less than 35 minutes after he had reached the top. Efforts are underway to retrieve his body, which has fallen into an area that can only be reached by helicopter.

It has been a particularly deadly couple of months on Ama Dablam. You'll recall that last Novemeber, a serac collapsed on the mountain, killing six climbers at Camp 3 at the time. The 6812m peak is located in centarl Nepal, and is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the region. With it's challenging rock face, exposed ridges, and iced over pyramid, it is often compared to the Matterhorn, only 10,000 feet taller.

Polar Update: Teams n2i at the POI!

ThePoles.com has posted another Antarctic update, this time with news that Team n2i has reached the Pole of Inaccessibility only to find a surreal scene. It seems that whent he Russians went to the POI a number of years ago, they built a hut there, and placed a shoulder statue of Vladmir Lenin there as well. The Team says that the statue is still there, and is in pristine condition, as if it were planted there yesterday, making it all the more surreal.

Meanwhile, solo and unsupported skiier John Wilton-Davies is reporting warm weather as he forges ahead toward the South Pole. He has 97 nautical miles to go before he reaches his goal, but time is no longer on his side. He isn't giving up though, and vows to give it his best shot while he still had decent weather.

Finally, Team Polar Quest has returned to Patriot Hills, completing a round trip expedition to the South Pole and back again. The Brits skiied to the Pole, arriving shortly after Christmas, and have not kited back to Patriot Hills for pick-up. Awesome job guys! I hope your next stop is somewhere tropical!

Ancient Ruins Found In Peruvian Cloud Forest

According to this article over at National Geographic a large, ancient stone structure has been found in the Peruvian cloud forests.

The structure was built by the Chachapoya Indians, a rival civilization of the Inca's who dominated the lower regions of Peru while the two nations competed with one another. The Chachapoya were known to be fierce fighters, and generally built their fotresses atop high mountains, and were a long standing nemesis for the Inca tribes before they were over come by the Inca shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards.

The new found structure stands roughly 25 feet tall, is more than 200 feet in length, and 100 feet wide. It was discovered by farmers in the region who took to calling it La Penitenciaría because of it's thick, impenetrable walls.

It still amazes me that we can stumble across these things in this day and age. I can't help but wonder what other treasures the thick Amazon Jungles are hiding from us. I'd imagine a find like this one is an archeologists dream come true. I'd love to see more images from the place.

Swimming The Length of the Amazon!

A Gaddling post sent me to this Reuters story about a man named Martin Strel who intends to swim the entire 3,375 mile length of the Amazon. Along the way, he'll face deadly water snakes, piranhas, river crocs, and freshwater sharks, not to mention 13 foot high waves as he approaches the mouth of the great river.

The article mentions how his support team, following along on boats, will have buckets of blood on hand to pour into the water to help keep the carnivores at bay over the course of his 70 day adventure. Martin's dip in the Amazon gets underway Feb. 1, and we'll be able to follow him online at his website as well.

Good luck Martin. We'll be pulling for you. Don't get eaten! ;)

Blog Link: Campedia Blog

The Campedia Blog is a gear blog that I've come across that has interesting outdoor gear news, reviews, backpacking tips, and more. It's layed out in a slick manner, has some great information, and a fun writing style. The blog aspires to be an "Outdoor Gear Encyclopedia", and it looks like it's well on it's way. The site is affiliated with CampSaver.com which is a pretty cool gear site, with some great deals on the brands we all know and use as well.

This is a pretty cool gear site, and it looks like it could evolve into a really nice resource over time. I'm sure I'll be linking to some of their gear reviews and news in the future.

Mountain Biking On The Edge! Literally!!

Ok, so why are all my entries photo related today, when Blogger is not accepting photos? Is this what irony means?

Anyway, you have to check out these photos over at (the other) Adventure Blog. There is no accompany text, so I'm not sure where they came from, but they show two mountain bikers riding the edge of some fairly sheer cliff faces. It looks like a great place to ride, but the wrong place to make an error for sure.

Update: Yay! I can post images again! :)

Update 2: Curtis, a reader of my blog, sends word on where these pictures are from, and who took them. They are from a Hens Rey adventure team outing, from their Latest Adventures page. Apparently the team was riding in Ireland, and that's where the pictures were taken. Between pub crawls, the riders headed out to find some interesting areas to ride through, and I'd say they succeeded, as you can tell from the pictures.

Thanks for the heads up Curtis! It is much appreciated!

Ice Ascent in Yosemite!

The Alpinist has a report of a rare ice ascent in Yosemite thanks to the recent cold snap that has struck California, and much of the country for that matter.

On January 17 three men, Dave Bengsten, Doug Nidever and Scott Brown, made the climb on Yosemite's Widow's Tears, a route that only appears when there is a rare cold spell to allow the water to freeze. Climbers for this route have to act fast however, as it typically doesn't stay around long. The men climbed all day, and topped out with eleven pitches along the way, often climbing across rock in their crampons.

The brief report remarks that it is expected to be 60 degrees in the area this weekend, meaning that the route is probably gone for quite some time again. Very impressive stuff. And while I've given you the gist of the article, you need to click on the link to check out the photo of the climb. (Damn blogger and it's picture posting bugs!) The climbers look like specs on the wall. Simply amazing.

Edit: Image has been added to this post.

BackPacking Light Podcast

BackPacking Light has posted a great podcast interview with Glen Van Peski, founder of Gossamer Gear.

Last September, Glen backpacked a section of the Pacific Crest Trail in California while carrying just three pounds of gear!! You'll find some photos of the trip and a complete gear list as well. Talk about going fast and light!

Awesome Backcountry Photo Gallery

GreatOutdoors.com has posted a really beautiful photo gallery with amazing pictures from around the World. They were all taken by editor Peter Potterfield on his many backcountry adventures. You'll find some amazing shots of mountains in Patagonia, The Alaskan Range, The Cascades, and more. There are several really beautiful shots that I wouldnt' mind having as desktops as well. I'm guessing you'll enjoy them as much as I did.

Images like these inspire me to want to shoot better pictures. I'm still learning how to use my digital SLR, and it's a blast to take pics with, but there are also so many settings and options that I still need to read the manual and play with. But when you see a gallery like this one, you want to go to those places, and take your own shots too!

I'd also love to post some of the shots, but Blogger has decided to not allow image posting again for some strange reason. It's been an ongoing issue of late, but I've learned to deal with it in the interim. Meanwhile, I suggest you check out this shot of the Cascades, this one of the Utah Canyonlands, and my persona favorite is this shot of Fitz Roy area of Patagonia.

Edit: Images are back! Added one of my favorites! :)

Polar Update: Teams In The Stretch Run!

Another polar update today from ThePoles.com, with teams reporting that they are closing in on their objectives.

Team n2i kited more than 100km yesterday, and are now just 147km from the Pole of Inaccessiblity. They are hoping to make good time once again today, and possibly even reach the Pole as early as tomorrow. Team Polar Quest reached the South Pole a few days after Christmas, and have been kiting back to Patriot Hills ever since. Despite having to change kite sizes several times yesterday, they still made 44 nautical miles, and now have less than 95 nm to go before they finish their return trip.

Of bigger concern however, is John Wilton-Davies, the solo-unsupported skiier, who still has 118 nm to go before he reaches the Pole, and is reported to be "running on fumes" at the moment. He's also been battling high winds and soft snow around the 87th parallel. Things aren't all that rosy over on Vinson either, as Abramov's Seven Summits Team is stranded at Base Camp due to strong snow storms in the area. They missed the Ilyushin yesterday, and will have to continue to wait things out until the weather clears.

It looks like several teams should see the end of their expedions this weekend. Hopefully all will reach their goal, although I'm starting to have my doubts about John. He's got a long way to go, and the Antarctic Winter is bearing down on him fast now. Hopefully he'll be feeling better, and making better time over the next few days. Don't give up yet John! The end is in sight!

3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge Update!

As I mentioned in my post on the podcasts below, the 3 Peaks, 3 Weeks team has reached the top of Mt. Meru, 2/3 of the way to their goal. Last week they knocked off Mt. Kenya, and now their sights are clearly set on Kili in the coming week. You can read about their Meru ascent in their lastest dispatches here. It sounds like it was an interesting climb thanks to a lot of rain.

The Team is climbing to raise awareness of "3 Peak" issues in Africa, namely the environment, education, and HIV/Aids. It's a noble cause to say the least, and one that is well worth following. Congrats ladies! Two down, one to go!

Podcast Updates

New episodes of some of my favorite podcasts!

After a brief, two week hiatus, The WildeBeat returns with a new episode on the History of Backcountry Skiing. Howard Weamer is this weeks guest to discuss backcountry skiing and how it has evolved over the years. Howard has been the Master of the Backcountry Ski Hut at Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park for 33 years.

Pod Climber is back with a new episode as well, this time with an update from the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks team I mentioned last week. The team has summitted Mt. Meru, in the rain now less, and is now gunning for Kilimanjaro.

Finally, The Go Far Podcast has a great interview with Robyn Benincasa, one of the best adventure acers around. There are few men or women, who are as tough and experienced as Robyn, whose day job is a firefighter. Good stuff for anyone interested in the sport.

As always, these are available from their respective website that I linked to above, or by subscription in iTunes itself.

Polar Update: Days Numbered!

The weather window may have closed on Nanga Parbat, but it's also rapidly coming to a close at the South Pole as well. The Antarctic winter will take a turn for the worse in another week or so, essentially closing off the exploration season there. ThePoles.com brings us another update from the ice today, with news on the few teams still out there.

John Wilton-Davies continues to work his way South, but he is finding it harder and harder to continue. He reports that his energy levels are down, and he's feeling ill for the first time on the expedition. But he isn't giving up, and continues to make slow progress toward the Pole. Meanwhile, Beth, Denise, and Correne have reached the South Pole, where they were warmly welcomed to the base with a fresh batch of cookies. You can read more about their expedition at Correne's personal website.

And lest we forget, the Pole of Inaccessibliity team, n2i are forging ahead with their quest, as long as the wind is willing to help, which as of late it hasn't. The boys still have some distance to go to reach the coldest, most remote place on the Planet. Some reward for all those weeks out on the ice huh?

Poles Abandon Winter Attempt On Nanga Parbat

I posted an update on the Winter attempt on Nanga Parbat by a Polish team a few days ago, and now MountEverest.net is reporting that the climb has come to an end. In the previoius post, I noted how the team had established Camp 3 on the mountain, but were unable to climb any higher due to nasty winds, and extremely cold temperatures.

The Team got as high as 6000m, but was turned back by -20F temperatures, winds ranging from 40-60 mph, and a climate that was described as a "freezing hell". After retreating to Base Camp, the team watched weather reports and determined that there was little chance of a window opening soon. Figuring that discretion was the better part of valor, they elected to leave the mountain rather than risk injury or death.

The Poles say they learned a lot during this attempt however, and haven't ruled out the possibility of returning in the future. If they do return, they promise to have a larger team, more high altitude porters, and attempt the climb in a more "siege" style that would be more effective in the Winter.

Edit: Check out these awesome photos from the expedition on their website.

The Adventure Blog Turns One!

One year ago today (well, yesterday actually) I began writing this blog. When I started, it was mainly for me to post things that I had an interest in. Things that sparked my curiosity, got my imagination going, and inspired my own sense of adventure. At the time, I didn't think anyone would really care what I had to say on these topics, or find the same things interesting that I did, but it was a project that I wanted to do none the less.

As the year passed, it began to dawn on me that other people were starting to take notice of my little blog, and that people were actually reading it! I was surprised and delighted when I began to get comments on posts and e-mails of encouragement and support. It seemed I was indeed finding people that shared the same interests and wanted to read about the things I posted on. Heck! Some even cared about my opinion on a topic. I've even managed to make some friends via e-mail, whose kind words have continued to be a source of encouragement for me.

So, to everyone who reads the blog, makes comments, and takes the time to e-mail, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate each and everyone of you, and hope to continue to provide interesting and exciting news and information to spark your sense of adventure. I'm just getting started here, and I've got some ideas and plans for Year Two as well!

Edit: It's fitting that this is actually the 750th post of the blog as well. Not bad for the first year! :)

Adventure Picture of the Day!

Ok, I just had to share this picture that I found while browsing PaddlingLife.com. Simply amazing!



The picture is from the Rio Claro River in Chile and was taken by Chris Korbulic, and more pictures can be found here.

Skiing Colorado's 14ers!

Wild Snow is reporting that Chris Davenport has successfully skied 53 of Colorados 54 14,000 foot peaks. Even more impressive is that Chris has managed to do this in a 12 month period! The last untamed mountain is Longs Peak, which Davenport is hoping to have done within the next few days. You can read more about Chris' endeavor at SkiThe14ers.com, which is his personal website.

Thanks for the tip Mountain World!

New Baloon Altitude Record Set

British explorer David Hempleman-Adams has set a new altitude record in a hot air balloon. Hempleman-Adams managed to pilot his balloon to a height of 32,500 feet in temperatures of -60 degrees F, in an open basket no less. The article even mentions that he was radioed by a commercial flight passing below just to let him know how crazy he was.

It's a fun read with some more information on Hempleman-Adams, who is quite the adventurer, having climbed the Seven Summits and gone to both the geographic and magnetic North and South Poles.

Thanks Adventure Blog!. (Yep! There are two of us!)

Ouray Ice Festival Report

The Backcountry Blog has posted a very nice report on the Ouray Ice Festival that took place last weekend in Ouray, Colorado. The post gives a little history on the festival, what it was like to climb the ice there, as well as thoughts on the clinics and competitions that took place over the five days of the event.

It was the 12th year of the Ouray Ice Festival and it seems to be growing each year. The climbing competition has gotten more challenging (results posted here), and the clinics have become more diverse, challenging, and informative. Plus, it's a great place to check out new gear! So if you missed this years event, perhaps you'll want to start planning for next year.

After you're done reading about the festival, check out gear report on the Petzl Quark Ice Tools that the Backcountry Gang had a chance to field test while in Ouray.

The Rest of Everest - Episode 34

While we're on the subject of The Rest of Everest, I'd like to remind you that it's Wednesday, which means it's time for a new episode. This time it's entitled Episode 34: New Friends, Old Weather.

In this episode the Chinese show up to disinfect Base Camp to prevent the spread of diseases, such as SARS, which Jon notes was on everyones mind back when they were filming on the North Side. After the Chinese leave, Jon finds his tend beset with visitors all eager to see his smiling face, engage him in conversation, and of course leech off of his satellite Internet. In the episode notes, he mentions it's for e-mail, but we all know the true reason the Internet exisits. Especally the Internet via satellite. Clearly it's to distribute porn to even the most remote places on Earth. ;)

Dogs On Aconcagua!

Yesterday I posted about Nicki Branch's successful summit of Aconcagua, and I made mention that in her last dispatch it was noted that when she summitted, there was a dog in one of the groups. I got a chuckle out of the fact that there was a dog that successfully made the summit as well, as I found that amusing.

Well, I guess it's not as uncommon as I first thought, as Jon from The Rest of Everest quickly posted a comment saying that there was a dog on the summit when he was on Aconcagua a few years back as well. Better yet, he provide proof in the form of video. Check it out below:



Thanks for the video Jon! That's really cool!

Nicki Branch Summits Aconcagua!

A round of congratulations are in order for aspiring Seven Summitter Nicki Branch who, according to her latest dispatch has reached the summit of Aconcagua, and is now safe back in high camp.

Aconcagua is Nicki's second of the Seven Summits. She topped out on Kili a month ago. With the tallest peaks on Africa and South America checked off, she now sets her sites on Elbrus, Denali, Kosciuszko, and Vinson this year, wrapping it all up on Everest next Spring.

I got a chuckle out of the dispatch as well, as it was noted that there was a dog with one of the summit teams on Aconcagua, and the dog actually made a successful summit as well. :)

Moral of the Story: Use Your REI Dividend!

REI is one of those places you either love or hate. Personally, I tend to love it, but I have to admit that it's become a bit to trendy in recent years. Well, climb_ca over at the GoBlog has a bit of a rant against the outdoor gear giant.

It seems that he found out the hard way that if you don't spend your yearly dividend after two years, you lose it. The actual rule says that if you don't spend your dividend by Dec. 31st of the year after the year it was issued, you will lose it. It's a good reminder for anyone who knew this rule, and something very good for everyone else to know.

So, moral of the story: use your dividend. Get more gear!

Everest At Any Price?

It's a little late in coming, but the events of the Spring 2006 Everest climbing season are still making headlines in the mainstream press, where the story still makes for juicy reading. Such is the case with this story that appeared yesterday on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website.

The article takes a look back at both the David Sharpe incident, and also the rescue of Lincoln Hall just ten days later. It compares how both incidences where handled. The climbing condtiions on Everest are also discussed with the crowds and traffic jams getting mentioned. A number of climbers are also quoted with even Hillary himself weighing in on the topic.

There isn't much new in the story that hasn't been discussed before, especially amongst those who have been following the story for some time. Still, it's a decent look at the whole affair from the mainstream press and worth a read none the less. I just can't help but think that some of these stories are just for sensationalist purposes at times, especially this long after the fact. But that's just the cynic in me coming out.

Winter Nanga Parbat Update

Remember that Polish team that was attempting a Nanga Parbat summit during Winter? I haven't posted an update on them in some time but according to this post over at MountEverest.net, the team has established Camp 3 at 6800m, but all attempts at the summit have stalled out.

It seems some nasty winds have moved into the area, reported to be hurricane force, and it's keeping any of the summit teams from going any higher than Camp 3. As of yesterday, all team members had returned to BC and were discussing their options. There are no fixed ropes above Camp 3, so there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and conditions on the mountain don't seem to be improving.

The team will likely wait out the next few days, and watch the long term weather forcasts, hoping to see a window of opportunity opening up. If the weather reports don't improve, there is a strong chance that they will elect to go home, abandoning their bid for the summit. I'll post more as the team updates their plans.

Polar Update: Season Draws To An End

The Antarctic season is starting to draw to a close, and as I noted yesterday, there are fewer and fewer teams out on the ice. ThePoles.com continues to update on the teams that are still there, with their latet report coming today. The weather has improved, the winds have died down, and the sky has cleared, and the remaining explorers are on the move once again.

John Wilton-Davies is now just two degrees off the Pole and is vowing to continue his solo, unsupported expedition by skis to the Pole. It's been tough going of late, but John is determined to see it out to the end. Meanwhile, Team n2i has found a good wind once more, and are hoping it means the beginning of their final push to the Pole of Inaccessibility.

Team Polar Quest, who completed their trip to the Pole several weeks back, are on the return trip kiting back to Patriot Hills. It's been a long time on the ice for the Brits. Beth and Denise are on their last two legs as they complete their trip to the Pole sometime in the next few days.

Taking The Back Road To Machu Picchu

The New Yor Times has a great article in their Travel section entitled Taking The Back Road To Machu Picchu that is a great look at hiking the Inca Trail. It's an excellent read if you have an interest in taking that trip, which is an epic hike to be sure, any time in the future. The article talks about how the traditional Inca Trail has gotten crowded and has had issues with trash and refuse since it was opened to the public, and that there are now several "alternate" versions of the trail to hike.

The Inca Trail winds through the the Peruvian Andes reaching heights of nearly 14,000 feet, and offering some stunning views of the mountains. You can read more about it here.

Thanks to Best Hike for the trail info and NYT article.

Polar Update: 40 Days and 40 Nights On The Ice!

I haven't posted an update on the Polar Teams in a few days. There are fewer and fewer teams out there these days. Several have already reached their goals, like Hannah McKeand, the Kiwis, and Team Polar Quest. Ray and Jenny have completed their polar quest, and Ray has now moved on to Vinson.

But there are still several groups out on the ice, and they've had to endure a few days of brutal winds and cold. But Team n2i are still working their way towards the Pole of Inaccessibility, after spending more than 40 days and nights on the Ice. Solo skiier James Wilton-Davies got caught in the high winds, and later fog, and found himself camping on crevasse field. Scary!

Is 2007 The Year of K2?

According to K2Climb.net 2007 will be the Year of K2 thanks to a plethora of expeditions already announced for the mountain. Climbers from Italy, Russia, Korea, and more will attempt to climb the second hightest mountain on the planet. Amongst the climbers going for the summit next Summer are Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Kazakhs Denis Urubko and Serguey Samoilov.

Is it possible we're about to see crowds on K2? Most high alpine climbers will tell you that K2 is a far more difficult climb than Everest, and it has remained relatively lightly climbed. But as the serious climbers move away from Everest, due to the crowds and traffic jams, I think K2 will become the next big goal for many of them. With an increased number of permits being issued for Summer of 2007, perhaps we're starting to see a shift towards K2.

Killer Croc Still Stalking Humans In Burundi

Have you seen the trailers for Primeval? It's a new movie coming out soon that looks like a serial killer drama. Turns out it's actually about a crocodile named Gustav who is rumored to have killed hundreds of people in Burundi.

National Geographic Adventure did a story on the croc in 2005, and now they're re-running it with an update from the end of 2006. It seems that Gustav, who is over 20 feet long and more than 2000 pounds, hasn't slowed down much, with 10 possible kills in 2006 alone. Pretty scary stuff.

I have to admit, when I saw the trailers for the movie on TV I had not interest in seeing the film. But now that I know what it's all about, I may have to take it in. Looks like it's far more interesting, and scary than I first thought.

Hiker Found After Five Weeks Lost In The Wilderness

Carolyn Dorn set off on a solo camping trip in the Gila National Park, in New Mexico, at the beginning of December, and was reported missing a week after that. The search continued for some time, but was finally given up about two weeks ago. Now, CNN is reporting that she has been found alive, five weeks after setting out, by two other hikers. You can read the whole amazing story here.

Essentially, Carolyn was found herself caught on the wrong side of a river that became swollen with rain and snow. Unable to cross, she tried to wait it out, but as the days went by, her food supply dwindled. It has been reported that she went three weeks without food, before Albert and Peter Kottke found her while hiking themselves. The two men gave her some food, collected some fire wood for her, and set off to find a rescue team to retrieve her.

After the rescue, she is said to be in good shape, a little malnourished, and extremely hypothermic, but none the worse for wear in the long run. Glad to hear she's doing fine, and will likely to be on the trail again soon.

Seven Summiter Nicki Branch on Aconcagua

I first mentioned Nicki Branch a month ago when she finished climbing Kilimanjaro and was just getting started with her Seven Summits bid. Well, she's not sitting on her laurels in pursuing her goal. Nick is currently on Aconcagua, and you can read her latest dispatches from the mountain as she prepares to go for the summit. The latest news has her at Camp 1 and setting off for Camp 2 a few days ago. I'm sure we'll hear more soon.

Meanwhile, on the front page of her website she lays out her ambitious plans for reaching her goal. After Aconcagua, she plans to climb Kosciuszko (March), Denali (June), Elbrus (July), Vinson (December) in 2007, and Everest during the Spring season of 2008. No word yet on Carstensz Pyramid, but I'm willing to bet it'll make it's way onto the list before we're all said and done.

Good luck Nicki, we'll be following your adventures and pulling for you. Thanks again Alan!

How To Dig A Snow Cave

Building a snow cave isn't all that difficult, but it is something that could save your life if you get caught out on a mountain in bad weather. This site offers some good basic tips for building a snow cave, and how to survive inside one for an extended period of time. It seems like a fairly simple thing to do, and for the most part it is, but there are still some nice ticks that can make it easier and more comfortable shoud you find yourself in need of a snow cave.

Thanks Alan!

Double Dipping On Everest!

GreatOutdoors.com has posted an article by Dave Hahn who pulled a "two-fer" on Everest in 2006, summiting first during the Spring season in May, and then again in October, after the monsoon season had passed. An impressive feat to say the least.

Dave says that while he's proud of his achievement, he didn't necessarily set out to summit twice in a year as a goal. it just sort of happened, and on both climbs he was focused on reaching the top on that particular expedition. He also notes that while it's a nice achievement, there have been sherpas who have topped out twice in a week. He is, however, particularly proud of his Autumn summit, as climbing post-monsoon is generally colder and windier than in the Spring, and is far less crowded.

He goes on to talk about the time commitment for these expeditions and how the climbs differed from Spring to Fall. It's an interesting read, as Everest is a different mountain in those two seasons.

Choosing An Ice Axe

I'm a fan of the "Gear Guy" over at Outside Online. In fact, it's one of my favorite sections on the website, because he typically breaks things down in an easy to understand manner, and generally gives out solid advice on a wide variety of topics from the best outdoor clothing for a specific adventure, to advice on buying a kayak, and so much more. Being a gear nut, I generally like to read his thoughts and opinions, even if it's on a topic I already know something about.

I found today's post to be one of particular interest, as he gives out advice on buying an Ice Axe. It's a fairly basic question, but something that a lot of people don't think about when they're heading off to buy their equipment. As the "Gear Guy" notes, an Ice Axe isn't a particularly techy piece of equipment, but never the less, you want to have the right one for you, and one that is sturdy and effective.

So if you're getting into climbing and mountaineering and you're looking to buy some of your own gear, you may want to give this a read. He even recommends a few models that won't break the bank either.

3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge

The 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge is already underway, but it's better late than never around here. This expedition is a climb, three actually, with a cause. On January 6, a team of ten women set out to climb three peaks in, wait for it, three weeks. The peaks include Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru, and Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. The climb has been organized to promote awareness about "three peak issues" that are of concern in Africa, namely environment, education and HIV/AIDS.

As of now, the team has summited Mt. Kenya and are now moving on to Meru next, before finishing up with Kili next week.

It looks like a great adventure, and a lot of fun. The fact that they are climbing for a casue makes it even better. But with ten women on these mountains right now, I can't help but thinking I picked the wrong week to climb Kili. ;)

Kit DesLauriers Everest Ski Descent

Outside Online has posted an article entitled The No Fall Zone which takes an depth look at the climb and ski descent of Everest by Kit DesLauriers, who you'll recall became the first American to ski off the summit of Everest, and the first person to ski on each of the Seven Summits as well.

The article is reprinted from the January issue of Outside and is an excellent read for anyone interested in high alpine climbing and skiing.

And before I get someone posting a comment, yes, I do remember that Davo Karnicar is the first person to actually completely ski down each of the Seven Summits.

Ian Adamson Makes It Official!

I first reported on this a few weeks back, but now it's official. Ian Adamson has announced his retirement as a full time professional athlete. He does note that he "will remain active in the sport through Team Nike, and as a race director and journalist."

Ian will be working on the 24 Hours of Triathlon, which will bring a new endurance element to the sport, in Denver, Colorado, later this year. He also plans to resume his career as a corporate speaker and professional trainer. He can be reached through his personal site at www.IanAdamson.com.

I said it in my original post, and I'll say it again. The sport is losing a legend in Ian, and he will be missed. He has been an active and well-spoken ambassador adventure racing for years. Fortunately, it appears that he won't be stepping away from the sport altogether. I'm guessing we'll see him designing some courses, playing the role of race director, and working behind the scenes to promote the sport as it evolves into the future. I have a feeling we may even see him running in another major race or two this year with Nike.

Good luck Ian. We wish you much success in what ever endeavors you undertake in the future. You will be missed.

Mandatory Gear: The iPhone!

Yesterday Apple introduced another device that is sure to become a blockbuster hit for them. By now, I'm sure you've all seen the iPhone, a device that looks like it has come from the future. To call it a cell phone doesn't do it enough justice. It's an iPod, a smartphone, and an Internet communications device all wrapped up with that Apple magic that makes all of their products so amazing.

From it's high quality touch screen, groundbreaking gesture system for navigation, and it's use of accelerometers to automatically detect if it's in landscape or portrait mode, the iPhone just screams innovation. It syncs with iTunes to upload your music and videos, runs a full version of OS X, and includes not only a cell radio, but a WiFi chip as well. After taking a look at what it can do, you'll agree that in one fell swoop, Apple has managed to turn the cell phone industry on it's ear in the same way that the iPod shook up the music industry five years ago.

Make no mistake, the device will be expensive when it's released in June. $500 for the 4 GB verision and $600 for the 8 GB version. On top of that, it will only be available through Cingualr Wireless, who will be re-branded as AT&T by the time the iPhone drops. But this device does so many things, and does them so well, that there will be people lining up to buy the thing. I can foresee shortages and waiting lists, even at those prices.

What does this have to do with all the other Adventure stories I typically run? Absolutely nothing! But I just had to share my technolust for this gadget. I love gear, and this is going to end up being mandatory gear, at least for our urban adventures. Mark my words.

Luxury Travel For An Environmental Cause

Luxury Travel service Abercrombie and Kent has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to create a series of conservation adventures around the globe aimed at raising funds and awareness.

The locations for each of these adventures are amongst the most amazing places on the planet, including Brazil’s Pantanal, the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Southern Africa, and the tropical rainforests of the Peruvian Amazon. A protion of the proceeds from each trip will go directly to the Nature Conservancy in each of those regions, and program participants automatically receive a one-year membership to The Nature Conservancy and subscription to the organization’s award-winning magazine. The webpage for the first of these adventures, Brazil is now online.

The program sounds like a great way to visit some amazing places, and help the conservation process at the same time. Abercrombie and Kent have some amazing trips, as long as you have plenty of cash to spend. They don't call it luxry travel for nothing.