Amazing Paddling Photos

Paddling Life, an online magazine for kayaking and rafting enthusiasts, as a great web gallery filled with amazing photos from a variety of locations. They call the photos their "money shots" as they each seem to capture the action of the moment on the water in a very unique and interesting way.

Todays shot, which I've posted here, was taken at the Salmon River Gorge in Oregon. The whole thing looks like some kind of thrill ride with the variety of big drops and the rushing water. It seems like it would be a blast to play in all that whitewater, although I'm sure I'd be screaming like a little girl when I went over those falls. :)

Yet More Gear From Winter OR

We've got even more gear previews from The Gear Junkie (who else?) who has recently returned from the big Outdoor Retailer 2008 Winter Market convention.

As always, there are a few things to love and a few things to scratch your head over. I'll start with the head scratcher first. At least it seems a bit odd to me. GJ has a look at the Selk Sleep Wear System from Lippi which is essentially a sleeping bag that you can wear around camp before you turn in for the night, complete with arms and legs. Personally, I think it makes you look like the Michelin Man or something.

More practical for me is the new line of backpacks from Wenger, makers of the Swiss Army Knife or the new packs from Osprey that are made with a minimum of 70% recycled materials. The new Ultra Belt headlamp from Petzl is also pretty interesting, with a rechargeable battery system whose pack can be stored easily in a pocket while on the run. It's aimed at the adventure racing crowd according to the article.

Of course there are a few other interesting items on the Gear Junkie's third, and final, update on what he saw at OR. He hasn't made many comments on the show overall, but as an outside observer who didn't attend the show, I haven't seen too many innovative new products just yet. Of course, Summer OR tends to have more gear, so we'll have to wait until then.

Makalu Update: Second Summit Push A Go!

We've got a fresh update today, courtesy of MountEverest.net on the Makalu Winter climb. It seems that the predicted weather window is now open, and the Kazakh's are making their second summit bid, while the Italian team is in BC and waiting for their next go.

Last weekend the Kazakh team of Denis Urubko, Serguey Samoilov, Eugeny Shutov turned back due to poor conditions and illness. But the word from RussianClimb.com is that the team has reached 6700m and are currently resting, while they wait for the wind to die down before proceeding higher. In one of their dispatches Denis compares the wind to a freight training blowing by their tent every minute or so. It's strong, powerful, and noisy.

The other team on the mountain is made up of Nives Meroi, Romano Benet and Luca Vuerich. They're currently down in base camp waiting for the wind speeds to lessen, while they rest up for their own summit bid. They've also established a series of high camps, but are waiting for the right opportunity to make their attempt.

Makalu, at 27,762 feet is the fight highest mountain in the World. It is also the last of the 8000m Himalayan peaks to go unclimbed in Winter. One, or both, of these teams are hoping to change that this year.

The Rest of Everest: Episode 69

Wednesday means it's time for our weekly escape to the Himalaya in the form of a new episode of The Rest of Everest. If you've been watching the recent episodes, you know that the footage is from ROE Producer Jon Miller and his friend Scott Jacobs', April 2007 trip back to Nepal and Tibet.

Last week the episode ended with our intrepid travelers arriving in Pokhara, the gateway to Annapurna and other big mountains in the area. This week's episode, number 69 in the series has them exploring Pokhara further, including an amazing water fall, and an underground cave system that has to be seen to be believed. The guys meet a young man from the region named Raj, who ends up being an excellent tour guide and gives them the ten cent tour of his home town.

Each new episode of the Rest of Everest is inspiring me to plan my own visit to the region. Jon promises that we'll get to Everest soon enough, but like all great journeys, getting to your destination is half the fun. I'm enjoying this excellent peek into the culture and landscapes of Nepal, and know that the pay off in the end will be well worth the trip.

As always, the latest episode is available for download on the Rest of Everest website or directly through iTunes.

NBC To Re-Air K2 Special

A month or so back NBC broadcast a special Jeep World of Adventure Sports on the Shared Summits K2 expedition. At the time, I shared my thoughts. In a nutshell, I thought it was very well done and had some great scenic shots.

If you missed the show, or would like to catch it again, you're in luck. As NBC will be re-broadcasting it on Sunday, February 17th at 2:30PM EST/ 1:30PM CST. Chris Warner, who is part of the Shared Summits team, also sends along word that the show has been nominated for several Emmys for it's camera work and editing, as well as a "Broadband Emmy" for it's online streaming. NBC has continued to air the episode online since December and you can find it by clicking here.

Over all, I'd highly recommend catching the show if you have an interest in mountaineering and the really big mountains. They don't come much bigger than K2, only Everest is taller, and it's level of difficulty goes beyond all but a few others. My only knock on the show was that it seemed a bit short. The cover a lot ground in that hour, and it feels a bit rushed at times. Still, it's great to see a show of this type on a major network, and it's nice to see a mountain other than Everest being featured.

Set the DVR now. You'll be happy you did.

Winter OR 2008 Gear Videos!

What could be better than reading about all the new gear that was on display at last week's Outdoor Retailer Conference? Why watching video of all that new gear of course.

The Outside Blog over at Outside Online has put up a nice post with some over all thoughts on the convention as a whole and a number of videos of various gear items that caught their attention, including one of that new jacket from Merrell that seems to have caught everyone's eye. It certainly is... um... unique to say the least.

Be warned though. The videos are a bit slow to load, and there are several of them. You're best to just open the browser window and then go make a sandwich. When you get back, you can enjoy the gear while having lunch or something. ;)

Surviving 72 Hours In The Wild

Learning to survive in the wilderness is an essential skill that anyone heading out into the backcountry should have at least some knowledge of. You never know when those survival skills might come in handy, and sometimes even a quiet day hike can turn into an ordeal if you get lost, injured, or caught without food or water.

Popular Mechanics sent one of their writers off on a three day survival course where he learns to live without food, shelter, or water, along with a group of other like minded crazy fools. The results? This article which details his time in the wild and some of the various techniques he used to make it through those three days. He then compiled four survival necessities that everyone should know in the event that they made need them some day.

When you're done learning new techniques to survive, check out the new gear gallary with some highlights from the Winter OR Market that just passed. I"m especially impressed with the lightest Gore-Tex boot ever made and an amazing new jacket from Arc'teryx. You hae to love new gear!

Winter Climb Updates: Denied On Makalu

More news on the ongoing Winter climbs on the 8000m peaks from MountEverest.net. The latest update comes after a predicted weather window on Makalu didn't materialize as expected.

Last week I reported that the summit push would be on over the weekend, and the Kazakh team of Denis, Sergey, and Evgeny did manage to establish camp at 7200m, but the hurricane force winds persisted throughout the weekend, preventing them from making a serious bid at the top. Sergey also became ill which hastened their retreat to lower altitudes for recovery.

The Italians on the other hand continued their slow, steady, and sure pace to towards the summit. They shuttled gear to 6800m but have also dropped back down to a lower altitude to wait for the next break in the weather, which is expected to come sometime in the next two or three days.

Over on Broad Peak, Simone Moro has finally caught a break, as a helicopter has delivered him to base camp after a series of mishaps have cost him time, money and teammates. This year's climb has been difficult from day one, as the Italian climber arrived in Pakistan to find much of his equipment missing. He had left it in storage there following last year's Winter attempt, and in the months since it has been scavenged off. From there, things went from bad to worse, as he ended up stranded in Skardu as the costs for porters went up dramatically, and the transportation to the mountain refused to budge. In the end, nearly three weeks were wasted, and his teammate Leonhard Werth returned home exasperated.

Makalu is the last of the 8000m Himalayan peaks to go unclimbed in the Winter, so hopefully one, or both, of the teams on the mountain will be able to make history and claim the summit. Things are different in the Karakorum, where none of the 8000m peaks have been summitted in Winter. Simone was close last year on Broad Peak, but simply ran out of time due to extremely bad weather. Hopefully he can finally make a serious attempt this year, now that he is finally on the mountain and can control his own destiny.

I'll post updates as we learn more.

Antarctic Update: The Girls Caught Their Ride!

ThePoles.com is reporting that Rita Glenne and Ine-Lill Gabrielsen beat the clock and caught the last plane out from the South Pole this season.

The two women were skiing a new route, unsupported no less, to the Pole from Vinson. But the last report we had on them said that they were exhausted and struggling to reach their destination before the last plane from ALE departed with the remaining antarctic explorers. The girls struggled through the last leg of their journey however, and arrived in time to catch a lift home.

Similarly, John Huston, Cameron Hudson and Sumiyo Tsuzuki had their own race against time, and beat it by arriving a day early. They extended their days to 30 hours to make their final run however, and while they were happy to achieve their ultimate destination, they were exhausted upon achieving the Pole.

Congrats to both teams in catching that last plane but more importantly congratulations for achieving the goals you set out achieve. Reaching the Pole is no small feat, and doing it unsupported by a new route is even more impressive. Great work!

Update and Images From Antarctica

The Hardwear Session Blog has posted another update from Antarctica written by Jon Bowermaster who has taken a team to the frozen continent to survey the health of the ice shelf and the effects of global warming on the region.

Bowermaster, who has paddled every ocean and sea on the planet, says that he gets an extra special thrill out of paddling in the South Arctic Ocean because of the danger of the near freezing water, the giant sea creatures that they share the ocean with, and the amazing scenery.

In this update, he says that the team has reached their furthest point South at 67 degrees latitude. The ice flows at that point were too thick to continue, even by kayak. He remarks that the weather has been beautiful and they've been fortunate, so they'll spend a few more days in the area before proceeding on to a different one that they hope to survey next.

One of the best features of this update is a stunning array of photos that are worth the price of admission alone. Definitely check them out. There are some amazing shots.

More Gear News From Winter OR 08

The Winter Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2008 trade show drew to a close this past weekend with all the latest and greatest gear for this year on display. Most of what was shown won't hit stores until this Fall and the earliest, but it's always fun to get a sneak peek none the less.

The Gear Junkie was on the scene of course, and has posted his second update from the show with a look at that first jacket from shoe maker Merrell, hot chocolate that's laced with electrolytes from the makers of the Clif Bars and Clif Shots, and a water proof bootied from Mion Footwear.

The Trailspace Blog has also been updated with a few other gear items as well, but also an interesting take on the show as a whole. They say that while there was a lot of new gear at the show, as always, there were very few items that were actually revolutionary but instead they were more evolutionary. There was an emphasis on making things smaller or lighter, and more environmentally friendly. They also note that many gear items were taking on a more "urban styling" which may be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.

I guess we'll have to wait until Summer OR 08 to see if the gear companies get back to innovating. Just six months to go! ;)

Expedition Amazonas Update

It's been awhile since I posted an update on the Expedition Amazonas team, and a lot has happened since then. For starters, they're down to just two team members still standing, but they've continued to make progress none the less, and recently reached Manaus in Northern Brazil.

You may recall that Expedition Amazonas is the team of paddlers who set out last September to navigate the entire length of the Amazon River, starting at it's head waters at Mt. Mismi, in Peru. In the beginning they carried their gear until the reached a point where the river grew in size to where they could paddle on it, then put in their rafts, and faced some of the most harrowing whitewater anywhere on the planet. They stayed the course however, and have had their ups and downs, but eventually they put the whitewater behind them. However, as the river became calm, the land that it flowed past did not. They passed rugged, remote rain forest, with some areas controlled by drug lords, as they continued their expedition towards the mouth of the might river. When it's all done, they'll have paddled more than 4350 miles.

Their most recent dispatches remark on their arrival in Manaus. It took them just 15 days to get there from Iquitos, Peru, but the men worked in six hour shifts, paddling around the clock to do so. During that time they covered more than 1240 miles, so the team was more than happy to reach a milestone destination where they could rest some, resupply, and find updated maps. They still have quite a distance to go, but they're in Brazil now, and they can see their goal growing closer. The race to the ocean is on, and hopefully they'll remain strong and safe as they finish off this amazing journey.

Alan Summits Orizaba!

Yesterday morning Alan Arnette released the latest audio dispatch from Mt. Orizaba in Mexico with the excellent news that he had summitted the mountain.

In the dispatch, Alan notes that the final push took only five hours, but was still quite steep and challenging. Orizaba stands 18,695 feet, making in the third tallest mountain in North America, trailing only Denali and Mt. Logan. It is an extinct volcano with a large and impressive crater, and stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico to the East and surrounding mountain ranges to the West.

For Alan, this is his final big climb before heading to Everest this Spring, and it comes just weeks after he topped out on Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. In this dispatch he comments that the next time we hear his voice, it will be from Everest, as he continues his Road Back to Everest and his efforts to raise money for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

I want to extend congratulations to Alan and the rest of the members of his team for bagging another peak. Now just one more to go!

Do You Have A Favorite Trail? Tell Adventure All About It!

Most hikers, trekkers, and backpackers have a particular trail that sticks out to them as being their favorite for one reason or another. Sometimes it's the scenery or the wildlife they encounter along the way. Perhaps it's the challenge or the solitude it provides. No matter what reason your favorite trail keeps you coming back, National Geographic Adventure wants to know about it.

The editors over at Adventure are compiling a list of their reader's favorite trails for a feature on "America's Best Hikes" which will be the cover story for the April issue that hits newsstands on March 18th. For details on how to nominate your favorite trail click here.

In a nutshell, you'll need to e-mail the editors to let them know the name of your trail, where it's located, how long it is, and why it should be included on their list. From there you'll want to tell them how best to approach the trail. Which season is ideal? Where is the best campsite? The best scenic overlook? And so on. You're also asked to include a photo from the trail if you have one, as well as your contact information including your full name, mailing address and phone number so they can make you wildly famous when your selection makes the list.

This is your chance to contribute to Adventure and tip them off to some of the best hidden gems in hiking. I'm sure the list will have some great suggestions, and personally I can't wait to see the what makes the final cut. So speak up and let us all know where America's Best Hikes are located. Don't wait too long however, as you only have two weeks to submit your entry however, as the April issue goes to press in just two weeks!

More From Winter OR 2008

There are a few more gear updates coming out today from the 2008 Winter Outdoor Retailer Market. The Bi-annual event in which al the latest and greatest outdoor gear is revealed for the coming year.

The Trailspace Blog has more interesting stuff today, including a look at new snowshoes from Easton, climbing pants courtesy of Rossignol, and the first item of clothing from shoemaker Merrell. They've also made a post on the arrival of nanotechnology in the outdoor industry.

The GoBlog from GetOutdoors.com is also on the scene and giving their own impressions on some of the new gear including a new cooking system from GSI and REI's move to using eVent fabrics.

Makalu Winter Update: Summit Push Is On!

After first reporting that the Kazakh team on Makalu had climbed to 6400m in high winds, MountEverest.net is now saying that Denis, Sergey, and Evgeny have begun their summit push today and are going for the first Winter ascent ever on Makalu.

Denis sent a message to RussianClimb.com saying that the team had moved up the mountain, despite a winter storm raging around them, that included very high winds, and had reached their camp at 6400m. The weekend forecast has a weather window opening up on Saturday and running through the early part of next week and it appears that the team wants to be in position to take advantage of that window tomorrow, should it open up as expected.

Meanwhile, the Italian team of Nives Meroi, her husband Romano Benet and climbing partner Luca Vuerich are also planning to take advantage of the same weather window with the hopes of making their own summit push. Nives reports that the team will begin moving up Saturday morning with the hope of topping out by Tuesday when the window is expected to slam shut again.

Makalu, at 27,765 meters, is the last of the 8000m peaks in the HImalaya to go unclimbed in the Winter. It is the 5th highest peak in the World and is located just 15 miles East of Everest. If either of these teams manage to summit, we'll see history this weekend.

Around-n-Over: Circumnavigating Under Human Power

Circumnavigating the globe has always been a challenging endeavor for any adventurer. It a long and arduous journey no matter how you approach it. To circle the globe using nothing but your own power puts that journey into a completely different class altogether. It demands even more stamina, concentration, dedication, and heart. But that's not stopping Erden Eruç from Around-n-Over.org who have already undertaken that challenge.

Not only is he circumnavigating the globe under his own power, but he also intend to summit the six highest mountains on the six continents he'll pass through along the way. Hence the "Around", as in the World, and the "Over", in this case the mountains. The plan is to complete the project in stages. Back in 2003 he rode his bike from Seattle to Alaska, where he climbed Denali. You can find out more about this first stage by clicking here.

The second stage of the journey (details here) is a mixed land and sea leg. The land portion was completed back in 2004 with an 82-day bike ride from Miami to Seattle. In 2007, this stage continued with a second land leg from Seattle to Bodega Bay in California. From their, a the first sea leg began in July and continues now with Erden rowing his way to Australia, a journey of some 6700 nautical miles. Upon arrival to Australia, it is his intent to bike to Mt. Kosciuszko, the tallest mountain on that continent.

Obviously a project of this nature requires a lot of funding and planning, which is why it's been spread out over several years already. At the official website you can learn more about the team behind the project, read dispatches from the road and track Erden's progress, as well as take a sneak peek at his intended route as he continues this circumnavigation. Eventually he'll summit Everest, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, and Aconcagua on his way around. The only one of the Seven Summits to get left out his Mt. Vinson in Antarctica.

As I write this, Erden is halfway across the Pacific Ocean and slowly, but surely, working his way toward Australia. He has a long way to go on this journey, and obviously it won't be an easy one. But then again, the most rewarding journeys seldom are. I'll continue to keep tabs on his progress and post updates as he reaches milestones along the way. It should certainly be a fun adventure to watch unfold.

The Rest of Everest: Episode 68

Episode 68 of The Rest of Everest is now available to download both from the ROE website and through iTunes. The latest episode has us once again following along with Producer Jon Miller and his friend Scott Jacobs as they continue their adventure through Nepal. This week they head off to Pokara, the gateway to Annapurna and beyond.

But before we get into the episode itself, I want to extend a huge note of congratulations to Jon and his wife Heidi who welcomed their son Sam into the World last Thursday. Sam was born on Thursday, January 17th at 3:23 PM. The future mountaineer and Everest summiteer clocked in at 8.5 pounds and 20 inches in height. Both mom and baby are doing well, but no word on how dad is faring. ;) Be sure to drop Jon a note to wish him and his growing family well.

The new episode takes off where we ended last week, with Jon and Scott on the highway that heads to Pokara. As always, the footage is quite amazing as you catch a glimpse of the Nepalese countryside. Driving in a foreign country is always an adventure in and of itself but I always enjoy seeing the different places you pass as you go. This episode really does give you a great sense of what it's like traveling through Nepal. At one point the guys stop to get a Coke, and I had to chuckle. It seems that Coca Cola really is available everywhere in the World.

The rest of the episode has the guys wandering around Pokara, which has some great scenery, including a beautiful lake, but the hazy/foggy air keeps the surrounding mountains mostly out of view. It's very cool to see this other area of Nepal that doesn't get as much attention and is more off the beaten path than Kathmandu and the Everest region.

On a side note, I found it humorous that Jon and I name the computers on our networks with the same naming scheme. You'll have to watch the video to find out how big of geeks we truly are. ;)

Mount Everest: The British Story

Here a link to a very cool website that was sent my way earlier today. The site is called Mount Everest: The British Story and it's literally full of all kinds of great information on Everest, including details on the routes, the history of British expeditions to the mountain, and some very interesting facts about the tallest mountain on the planet as well.

While the site definitely leans towards covering the British climbers, as the name implies, there is plenty for anyone who has an interest in the mountain. I especially liked the comparison between the 1924 expedition and an one in 2007 for example. There is also a complete list of British summiteers and a really nice photo gallery too.

Be sure to drop by and check things out. We're just a few months away from the 2008 season, and it's never too early to start thinking about Everest.

Antarctic Update: Two Teams Race Against Time

We have a couple of quick stories today from the bottom of the World, where there are still a few teams chugging away, even though the season is coming quickly to a close.

First up, ThePoles.com has posted an update with news that two teams are in a race against time to reach the Pole by Friday, as January 25th has been set by ALE to be the last flight out. John Huston's Team have extended their "day" from 24 to 30 hours in order to continue skiing longer in the hope that they'll make it by the deadline. They are expected to arrive sometime today, but no word yet if they have been successful.

Meanwhile, the female team from Norway is in a race of their own to meet the same deadline. The girls have further to travel, and are making a new route from Vinson to the Pole, and have been feeling the strain for several days now. They've been skiing 11-12 hour days, and it's begun to take it's toll. They'll need to arrive tomorrow, but it's not clear yet if they'll make it on time to catch their ride home.

In other news from the Antarctic, The Hardwear Sessions, the official blog of Mountain Hardwear Gear, has an update today on the expedition being led by Jon Bowermaster who are exploring the effects of climate change on the Larsen Ice Shelf. His team is traversing the area by kayak, and are visiting places that no human has been in many years, if at all. I think Jon sums up their finds quite nicely with the following quote from the article:

"We have experienced some beautiful, 40+ degree (F) days. While there may exist some debate over the cause of climate change there is no question that things are heating up dramatically down south."

More Gear From OR Winter 2008

The Trailspace Blog over at Trailspace.com has been updated with several gear posts from this year's Winter Outdoor Market Show going on right now in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The show is held twice a year with the big gear companies showing off their new wares, which usually won't be available for several months at least. For gear hounds, it's like Christmas coming a second time, as it's usually a good glimpse into what is coming down the line and the trends that the industry is chasing.

Trailspace has posted some impressions on new snowshoes from Kahtoola, a headlamp that recharges through a tiny solar panel, the Ascentionsit Jacket from Patagonia, and the SteriPEN Journey, an ultraviolet water purifier from SteriPEN that automatically cleans your drinking water while on the trail.

Cool stuff so far, and I expect more soon. Perhaps those tax rebates the government approved will be spent on some new gear. After all, we have to stimulate the economy right? It's the patriotic thing to do! ;)

Pen Hadow Will Lead "Arctic Surve"

Pen Hadow, a veteran polar explorer, will lead a three person team into the arctic next year to make a survey of the ice in an attempt to determine how quickly it is receding and estimate how much longer it will be around.

Today CNET has posted a Q&A session with the explorer. in which he discusses why the survey is important, what they expect to find, and the impact of technology (CNET is a tech site after all) on the expedition.

Originally the team had expected to depart this February, but they have delayed until 2009 in the hopes that they can attract more attention from various scientific circles and collect more data from existing studies on the age of the ice caps already. Joining Hadrow on this expedition will be Martin Hartley, the teams photographer, and Ann Daniels who is in charge of the teams general operations. They'll depart from Point Barrow, Alaska and make their way to the Eureka Research Station at the North Pole.

Looks like another very ambitious expedition. It seems we're getting more and more of these scientific outings looking to collect research on the impact of global warming on the Poles. The article estimates that the North Polar Ice Cap has somewhere between 5-100 years of life left, so clearly it's melting is going to have a huge impact on our planet.

Who Will Be The Oldest To Summit Everest?

A couple of weeks back I posted about Min Bahadur Sherchan, a Nepalese man who will be climbing Everest this Spring in an attempt to become the oldest man to ever top out on the mountain. He is 76 years old. Now it seems he won't be the only one going for that record as Russian Climber Boris Korshunov, age 72, will be going for the summit as well. 75 year old Yuichiro Miura will also be returning to Everest to give it a go again as well.

The current record is held by 71 year old Japanese climber Katsusuke Yanagisawa, how topped out last year. So it becomes a race between these three men to see who will claim the title as "Oldest Everest Summitter". Both Miura and Korshunov have summitted Everest before. Miura did it from the South side back in 2003, but will make this year's ascent from the North. Korshunov believes that he summitted back in 1999, but doesn't know for sure, because a faulty oxygen mask had him blacking out above the Second Step. He did return from the summit with a few souvenirs that were left there by other climbers, and that was enough for Ms. Hawley to credit him with the summit.

So, one of the things to watch out for now is to see which of these men can make it to the top. You have to admire their determination to undertake such a task that is difficult enough for someone half their age. I wish all three of them the best of luck.

Want To Run Across The World?

Run Across The World (RAW) is a series of ultramarathon events that will take place on five continents (Sorry Antarctica and Australia), challenging competitors to complete a 250 km course over five days. Racers will be expected to carry all of the supplies they need with them as they head out onto the course.

The first event is RAW Africa, which will take place April 21st - 25th in Cape Town, South Africa. From there, the other events will be held in Mexico, Spain, The UK, Japan and Dubai. The final leg of the series will be take place at The North Pole.

The entry fee of 500 British Pounds (about $975) gets you airport transfers to the course while in South Africa, a support crew to set up your tent each night (tent included), accommodations at a hotel for two nights (one before, one after the race), bottled water, and of course, the always popular post race dinner.

So, if you're an endurance athlete who is looking for a new challenge in exotic locations, be sure to check out the Run Across The World events. This looks like a really great series of events. I'm looking forward to following them, and can't wait to see how the North Pole marathon works out. How many ultras have you keeping your eyes peeled for polar bears while you compete.

A Ice Climbing Triple Header In The Alps

The Alpinist has posted an excellent trip report on ice climbers Robert Jasper and Bernd Rathmayr who recently put up a trio of routes while climbing the Swiss Alps in the beginning of January.

Jasper, of Germany, joined forces with Rathmayr from Switzerland, to climb three challenging faces including a first ascent on B.A.S.E. (WI6), the first ascent of Almendudler (M9+/10-), and then capped off their trilogy with a climb on Crack Baby (WI6). The climbs were all accomplished over a three day period that the men spent in tje Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland.

More details on each of the climbs can be found in the article at The Alpinist. It sounds like all three climbs was a very unique and challenging experience for the two men. When they were done, they had managed to climb more than 1000 meters over the course of the three days in the mountains. Very impressive stuff. Oh, and that picture kicks ass too!

Thanks to The Hardwear Sessions for this one.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Kicks Off Today

The 2008 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show kicks off today, with all of the major outdoor companies showing off their new gear for the year. Most of the stuff on display won't be available until later in the year, but it's always an excellent opportunity to see what new innovations and changes we can expect out of our gear in the months ahead.

Over the course of the next few days I'm sure there will be several reports on what's new and hot at the show. For instance, The Gear Junkie has already updated his Daily Dose with his first look at some gear that caught his eye. Making this first preview are a number of interesting items, including trail running shoes from Saucony, lockable computer bags from Pacsafe, and heated gloves from Mountain Hardwear. But before you reach for that credit card, check out the expected availability on the items. Most aren't due until the Fall.

I've already received some PR information from one of my favorite companies, GoLite, who are touting their updated line of clothing including base layers that maintain the companies trademark lightweight approach, but are designed to be much warmer than in the past. As someone who has used their gear for some time, I can attest to how good it is, but I'm looking forward to seeing what improvements they have in store for us in 2008.

Stay tuned, I'm sure we'll see several more gear updates through the weekend.

Mountain Adventure Race Joins Forces With Primal Quest

Want to get a look at what Montana has to offer in the way of adventure racing before Primal Quest kicks off in June? Then look no further than the Mountain Adventure Race which will take place May 15th through the 18th in that state.

The race is currently being billed as a "tune-up" for PQ, and what a tune-up it'll be. Teams consisting of either 2 or 4 members will race across a 300 mile long course competing in the typical adventure racing disciplines of trekking, mountain biking, paddling, and ropes. This is a supported event and teams can get certified for PQ by attending the two-day certification clinic prior to the race.

The Mountain Adventure Race, who have signed on to be a sponsor for Primal Quest, will take place near Bozeman. Registration opened a few days ago, and it's limited to 40 teams, so if you want to take part in this tune-up, you'll want to sign up soon. The prices are quite reasonable as well, with the entry fee weighing in at $1950 for a four person team, and $1100 for two. The PQ certification clinic will run you another $350/racer however.

This looks like it should be a great event, and possibly a nice sneak peek at PQ just six weeks later. It'll certainly introduce the racers to "Big Sky Country" and get them acquainted with Montana and everything it has to offer.

SnowList.com: The Mountain Market Place

Still on the look out for some good gear at low prices? Then maybe you should add SnowList.com to your gear bookmarks. Especially if you're into skiing or snowboarding. The site is looking to become "The Mountain Market Place" and is providing classifieds to buy and sell gear, as well as a real estate section to find the perfect property on the mountain either to rent or buy. You can even search for places based on distance to the lift! What more could you ask for?

If that's not enough, the Snow List Community is a growing group of like minded people who are looking to share information, opinions, and more with one another to make your time on the mountain more enjoyable at the various resorts in Utah. The Resorts Comments section could prove very useful if you're planning an escape to Utah in the near future.

Yep, right now Snow List is mainly focused on Utah, but the front page of the site says that they intend to roll out more sites from other mountain states in the near future. Soon you'll be able to share info and thoughts on ski areas all over the country. Keep an eye on the site, as it looks like they have big plans for the future.

Scott Jurek and Nikki Kimball Named Ultrarunners of the Year

UltraRunning Magazine has named Scott Jurek and Nikki Kimball their Ultrarunners of the Year for 2007.

Jurek won the Hardrock 100 mile race, with a time of 26:08:34, which was a new course record. He followed that up with a trip to Greece in September to race in the Spartathlon which runs from Athens to Sparta, covering more than 246 km in the process. He completed that event in 23:12:14, taking first place for the fourth time in five years.

Kimball had an equally impressive year claiming victory at the Western States 100 Mile in June with a time of 18:12:37, the second fastest time for a woman ever. From there she went on to win the 101.2-mile Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc in a record time of 25:43:45. Finally she claimed first at the White River in Washington and Mountain Masochist in Virginia, both of which are 50-mile race.

Top "Performances" of the year went to Jurek for his win at Hardrock and to Krissy Moehl for setting a new women's course record at the same event. She finished in 29:24:25.

Congrats to these amazing athletes. I continually find myself in awe of their abilities. And thanks to Matt Hart for tipping me off to this in his blog.

World Hum Interviews Mark Jenkins

Travel website World Hum has posted an interview with Mark Jenkins who you may recall wrote The Hardway column for Outside Magazine for eight years along with a number of books as well. He's recently been named a National Geographic contributing writer as he puts another bullet point on his resume.

Mark has most recently written A Man's Life: Dispatches from Dangerous Places, which details his adventures traveling to remote locations. It's described as a mix of history, culture, philosophy, and adrenaline.

In the interview, the intrepid author discusses how many countries he's visited, his favorites places over all, favorite stories from the road, and a lot more. Mark is an interesting guy who has done a lot of things, then gets paid to write about them. It's clear that he has a passion for travel and adventure, and that comes through in his writing and this interview.

I'm going to see if I can request a copy of his book for review. I'd love to read it and post some thoughts. I've always enjoyed his "Hardway" columns and this sounds like an interesting read. Of course, I'm just a tad bit jealous that he gets payed to do what I'd like to do for a living, but I'll try not to hold that against him in my review. ;)

Winter Climb Updates!

ExWeb has posted a couple of updates on some of the bigger ongoing Winter climbs from around the World.

First up, we have this report from Pakistan, where Simone Moro is hoping to have another crack at Broad Peak in the Winter. He'll have to go it alone however, as the latest news is that his climbing partner Leonhard Werth has left the country and is returning home to Italy. The entire climb has been in a holding pattern in Skardu thanks to a string of misfortunes including missing climbing gear, poor weather, inflated prices from the porters, and the inability to organize a chopper to airlift the mountaineers to BC.

Meanwhile, over on Makalu things are going a bit better as the two teams there have already established their camp at 7000m. Bad weather has set in, with a blizzard raging on the mountain, which caused them to retreat to BC to wait out the storm however, so they'll have to wait to see if a weather window opens again soon. This Winter "hurricane", which is producing 200 km/h winds, is expected to last through tomorrow. Kazakh climbers Denis Urubko, Serguey Samoilov, Eugeny Shutov and Gennady Durov make up one of the teams on the mountain, while Italians Nives Meroi, Romano Benet and Luca Vuerich make up the other.

A long way from the Himalaya and Karakorum, another Winter climb was to begin this week, but has been called off for the year. MountEverest.net is reporting that Artur Testov has abandoned his attempt to climb Denali solo in Winter. The Russian-American hiked through 25 miles of desolate Alaskan wilderness just to reach the mountain, and in the process lost 25 pounds before he ever reached base camp. The weather wasn't exactly cooperative either, as the temperatures dipped to -59 degrees F. On top of that, it was impossible to dig snow caves on the glacier, leaving him exposed to the elements for the entire approach. Artur hasn't given up however, as he now intends to return next year, along with two companions. He claims to have found a new route to BC that will be more protected and allow him, and his partners, to arrive in a more rested fashion.

As if climbing these mountains weren't hard enough in the Spring/Summer, these climbers have to give it a go in the Winter as well. Things are looking good on Makalu if they can get a break from the weather, but we'll have to wait to see if Simone will even get a chance at Broad Peak, where the weather is reported to be good, but he can't get any other breaks to go his way.

New Zealand Says Goodbye To Sir Ed

The entire country of New Zealand said goodbye to one of their most famous sons today, as a state funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary marked the passing of a great explorer and a great humanitarian.

The New Zealand Herald has complete coverage of today's events, including photo, videos, and audio. The church was packed with family, friends, and dignitaries, with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark joining Hillary's children Peter and Sarah, in eulogizing the first Westerner to stand atop Everest. Grandson Sam Mulgrew and Ang Rita Sherpa, Administrative Officer of Hillary's Himalayan Trust, also had the opportunity to speak.

Sir Edmund's passing was mourned not only in New Zealand however, as the people of Nepal joined them in their sorrow. Hillary's humanitarian acts clearly have had a direct impact on the quality of life in Nepal, and his lasting legacy there will go far beyond climbing mountains. Ang Rita Sherpa summed it up best when he said: "His loss to us is bigger and heavier than Mt Everest."

Today we all say goodbye to an amazing man. He was a mountaineer, adventurer, and a trailblazer. But he was also a man of deep integrity, compassion, and a deep desire to make the World a better place. I'd say he succeeded far beyond what anyone would have thought possible, and his indomitable spirit will be missed.

Alan's Off To Mexico

Alan Arnette has barely gotten home from a successful summit on Aconcagua and now he's off to Mexico to climb Orizaba, an 18,880 foot volcano. His latest dispatch announces that he has arrived in Mexico City, and soon he'll be heading out to Tlachichuca, the gateway city to the mountain. If everything goes according to plan, he and his team, will be making their summit bid on Saturday, January 27th.

As you know from reading my post on Alan's adventures, this is the next climb in his Road Back To Everest: Memories Are Everything project. It's the final major tune-up before he returns to the Himalaya in the Spring as he continues his efforts to climb to raise awareness and money for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. Alan has also announced that he'll be speaking at several fund raising events for that organization in March. You'll be able to catch him in Santa Clara and Palo Alto on March 4th and 5th, and then again at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, Colorado on March 13th. He'll be making a presentation with pictures from his various climbs and drumming up support for this very important cause. So, if you're in those areas, be sure to drop by and introduce yourself. I know Alan would love to meet everyone.

Good luck in Mexico Alan. Don't drink the water! ;)

North Pole Update: "Everything Is Much Worse In The Darkness"

ThePoles.com has another update from the North Pole Winter Team. It seems that not only are the Boris and Matvey battling the extreme cold, avoiding open water, and keeping an eye out for polar bears, but they're also having their nerves frayed by the constant fear of the ice giving way. Even while sheltered inside their tent for the night, the men get little rest, as they are constantly on alert. The ever present, and complete darkness, is said to make everything "much worse" as well.

As if those weren't enough problems for the intrepid explorers, they are constantly having to deal with negative drift as well. The article notes that when they stopped for the night on January 14th, they were just 200 meters away from 82 degrees North. Overnight however, they drifted 5.2 km to the South and East while resting in their tent. A frustrating phenomenon to have to deal with to say the least.

The two Russians have received quite a lot of support from other polar explorers, receiving notes of encouragement from Will Steger, Borge Ousland and others. The latest to offer up his support is none other than Sir Ranulph Fiennes himself, who is busy preparing for his Everest expedition in the Spring.

At this point, I think Boris ant Mat have to be struggling mightily. They are attempting the first ever unsupported trek to the North Pole completely in Winter, and from the sound of their dispatches, it seems that the cold and darkness, combined with them constantly being on the edge, has begun to take it's toll on them. I'm pulling for them to reach the Pole, but they still have a long way to go, and it isn't going to get any easier for them.

Two Expedition Adventure Races Get Dates

Adventure Racing site SleepMonsters.com is reporting that two major expedition races have announced their dates for 2008 .

First up, the Terra Traverse race will make it's inaugural run from October 5th through the 11th in Quebec, Canada. Meanwhile, the 2008 Adventure Racing World Championship (ARWC) will be hosted by EcoMotion in Brazil starting on October 20th and continuing through November 9th. The exact location of the ARWC has yet to be announced however.

Terra Traverse is hoping to make it's mark on the adventure racing scene this season, and is another of the ever increasingly popular stage race events. The race is headed by AR legends Ian Adamson and Issac Wilson whom I'm sure are very busy devising a course that will be both beautiful and demanding all at the same time.

The adventure racing calendar is getting quite crowded this year, as the article notes. Besides these two races, the top teams will have to also decide which events they'll be able to compete in. The Fall looks especially crowded with the XPD Australia set to go from November 17-28, and the Southern Traverse scheduled for about the same time.

One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of big races for adventure racing fans this year, and we should see the best team in the World going head to head regularly in the months ahead.

Antarctic Update: Two More Teams At The Pole!

ThePoles.com is reporting that two more teams have arrived at the South Pole. Yesterday the South African Team reached 90 South, while Doug Stoup and Richard Dunwoody arrived today.

Alex Harris and his teammate Sibusiso Vilane make up the team from South Africa. They skied to the Pole from the Hercules Inlet and spent 65 days en route. They are the first team from their country to go unsupported to the Pole. Both men have also summitted Everest from the North and South sides, making this their "Second Pole". I guess we'll have to see if they decide to add the North Pole to their resume as well. I have a hunch that they just might.

Stoup and Dunwoody, on the other hand, began their journey on the Ronne Ice Shelf and established a new route to the Pole, spending 48 days doing so. This new route was based on Ernest Shackleton's proposed 1915 route on the ill fated Endurance Expedition. Despite exhaustion and a few minor injuries, the pair made it ahead of schedule and will now remain at the Pole until tomorrow, when they will be flown to the Russian base before catching a second flight to South Africa to begin their journey home.

Be sure to read the rest of the update for news on where the other various teams are in relation to the Pole. Several have already reached it and gone home, while there still others on the ice and working their way to their goal.

Happy Birthday Best Hikes Blog

I wanted to send congratulations out to the Best Hikes Blog which is celebrating it's 2 year birthday today, which seems so fitting considering my own recent anniversary of this blog launching.

BestHike.com is a great resource for finding information about trekking and backpacking all over the World. I personally use it as a resource regularly, and I make daily stops at the blog to read what editor Rick McCharles is posting about. More often than not, it's a really great article about some unique hike that I've never heard of before, with great photos, and insights into the region. But sometimes it's about techniques, gear, or anything else that backpackers may find useful.

I find it really interesting that we launched our blogs within a few days of one another. We've exchanged mutual links more times than I can count and we share a lot of common interests and thoughts on a number of subjects. As I posted in the comments section, I guess great minds think alike! ;)

Another Source For Cheap Gear!

Is there anything better than buying new gear? Of course there is! It's buying said gear at great prices! That's where TheCheapOutdoors.com comes in. The site is designed to give us the best current deals in the Internet for outdoor equipment, clothing, and gear.

With regular updates, and deals that are "hand-picked and tediously browsed for by real people who enjoy being active and outdoors". the website offers some good prices from around the web, on gear from the usual suspects, like The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, Columbia, and more. Not only can you search by those brands, you can also search by categories like Camping/Hiking, Running, Multi-sport, and so on. On top of that, their Directory has links to other great sites around the Internet with a focus on the outdoors. (And I'm not just saying that because they've got a link to me!) The hot deals are also available through a variety of RSS feeds as well to make things even more convenient.

So, be sure to add TheCheapOutdoors.com to your list of bookmarks for gear. The next time you go shopping online, it just might save you some money.

Contador To Be Banned From 2008 Tour?

2007 Tour de France winnter Alberto Contador may possibly be barred from defending his title due to his involvement in yet another doping scandal. According to this article over at MSNBC.com, the Italian Olympic Committee is looking to bar any riders who were involved with the Operation Puerto doping scandal from riding in any events held in Italy this year. Operation Puerto which is said to have centered around two doctors and over 50 athletes, including Contador and Alejandro Valverde, another Tour favorite.

How could this effect the Spanish rider's ability to ride in the Tour de France and defend his title you ask? Good question! Well, this year's Tour has one of it's legs ride through Italy. A leg that Contador would no longer be able to ride in if the Committee has it's way.

Considering how awful last year's Tour was in terms of doping scandals, positive tests, and crazy disqualifications, I'm sure the event would like to distance itself from controversy this year. Cycling is attempting to clean up it's act and get tougher on those that have doped or are involved in these types of scandals. However, the sport is also losing it's top stars over and over again, and Contador was believed to be a young rider who could help rebuild the reputation of the Sport. He has not tested positive, but because his name was mentioned in the probe, he may not be allowed to defend his Yellow Jersey this year.

For now, we'll just have to stay tuned to see how this is resolved. If he did dope, I have no problems with him being out, but without hard evidence, I'd like to see him ride. The sport needs a great rider right now, and he might be the guy to lead it back into prominence. I'm not sure it can survive another season like 2007.

Packs!

Awhile back I posted about a website called FindMeATent.com that was designed to help anyone find the perfect tent for their needs. The site has an incredibly deep database of tents from a wide variety of manufacturers along with reviews from other users on the quality of the items. It's a well designed webpage packed with info. So, how could they improve on their design? Apply the same idea to backpacks!

Welcome to FindMeAPack.com. It takes the same principles from FindMeATent and applies it to my personal favorite piece of gear, the backpack. You can search by categories, such as expedition packs, or travel packs and so on, or you can find packs by manufacturer, most rated, and so on.

The site has just launched, so they're still filling in some of the categories. There aren't nearly as many packs or manufacturers are there are on the tents site, and reviews are a bit sparse yet as well, but that will change over time. So, if you're in the market for a new pack, or maybe you need a new pack and just don't know it yet, be sure to give the site a glance. You may find exactly what you're looking for.

Outside Reader's Choice Travel Awards Voting Opens

Outside Online has opened up voting for their 2008 Reader's Choice Travel Awards. To cast your vote and have our opinions heard click here and fill out the short survey. Results will be published in the April 2008 issue.

And when you're done casting your vote, you can also submit your vacation photos to be published in the magazine or in an online gallery. So feel free to share your adventure travels with everyone else.

Only question on the survey I had problems with was "Which Tropical Island Would I Most Like To Visit?" I'm not into tropical. Or Islands for that matter. I voted for Easter Island. Not exactly tropical, but at least off the beaten path. And they have those giant statues. Yeah, that would be cool. :)

Lost City Discovered in Peru

NationalGeographic.com is reporting the new that the lost city of Paititi may have been found in Peru. The fabled city was described as being made of stone and decorated with statues of gold, and while experts are cautiously optimistic, they haven't confirmed that the ruins that have recently been discovered are Paititi.

According to local legend, the city was founded by Incan hero Inkarri, who also built the city of Cusco, a famous tourist gateway to the region yet today. Inkarri later escaped into the dense Peruvian jungles as Spanish Conquerors raided the region. The ruins have been described as a stone fortress more than 430,000 square feet in size. The walls are said to be detailed with intricate carvings,

Not everyone is ready to declare the site to be the lost city however. These newly discovered ruins are not in the location that the city was believed to have been built, and they may actually pre-date Incan society. Paititi was the inspiration for legends about lost cities of gold, and is there for often the first name that jumps to mind when archeologists discover a new site. It is unclear as of yet, if this could be that fabled place, or if it's simply another ruin left over from the vast Incan Empire that has been reclaimed by the jungle after centuries of disuse.

These kinds of stories always remind me of an Indiana Jones movie. The article hints that there are dozens of sites like this one that have yet to be rediscovered, and with the jungles being as thick as they are, some of those places may never be found. But you can't help but think about how cool it would be to head off and try to find one on your own.

The Spirit of Adventure

Today marks the second anniversary of me launching this blog back in 2006. At the time, it was meant to be an experiment in which I would give this "blogging thing" a try. I had always enjoyed writing, but it had been awhile since I had done any on a regular basis, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to get back to writing again as well. When I thought about what I wanted to blog about, it didn't take long to decide. It had to be something that I would be interested in, and something that I was passionate about. I decided on the very broad topic of "Adventure".

For me, adventure comes in a lot of different packages. Adventure was mountaineering and climbing. It was kayaking and mountain biking in remote areas. Backpacking, camping, and trekking all over the world. It was adventure racing, a sport that has the term right in it's description, but also other endurance events like ultramarathons in extreme conditions. It was travel to far off lands that included getting off the beaten path and doing things that most tourists never dream of. It was all of these things and more.

I recently had a discussion about this with a friend, and I confided in him that one of the reasons I started this blog was because there was a general perception amongst the general populace that there was no more adventure in the World. That everything that could be done has already been done. That the age of explorers and great expeditions was over. I hope that through this blog, I've shown people that that just isn't so.

Everyday I read, and often post, about people doing extraordinary things, often times just because they are following their own sense of adventure. Over the past two years I've written at length about these extraordinary people and their adventures. People like Jason Lewis who set out to circumnavigate the globe completely under his own power and finally completed his journey 12 years later. I followed Hannah McKeand who went solo, and unsupported, to the South Pole, and managed to set a speed record in the process. As an encore, she'll do the same thing this Spring at the North Pole. And I watched Andrew Skurka as he went fast and light on the Great Western Loop, covering over 6,875 miles of some of th emust remote backcountry in the United States.

Of course there have been countless other men and women as well. Those who have climbed Everest and K2 and a dozen other 8000 meter peaks. There have been both first ascents and first descents, amazing feats of endurance, wondrous journeys and thrilling stories of adventure from every corner of the globe. I've even managed to share some of my adventures with you, just as some of you have shared yours with me.

So, two years into this little "experiment" I want to thank everyone for stopping by. I appreciate every reader and greatly value your continued input on the blog. I've come to know some of you quite well, through comments and e-mails, and I have made some great friends in the process as well. I'll say one last thing in closing. Stay tuned. I'm not done yet. There is still plenty of adventures to be had, and now more then ever, I'm eager to share them with you.

Thanks for two great years so far, with hopefully more to come!

The Rest of Everest: Episode 67

Jon and Scott return for another episode of The Rest of Everest as they continue their exploration of Nepal and it's wonderfully varied culture. This week we get Episode 67: Fixing A Hole.

The guys are off to Pokara this time out, but before they get too far their car gets a flat tire. Much of the episode is spent watching the driver pull the tire off the car and then give it to a local man to repair. While this doesn't sound like something that would be mesmerizing to watch, it actually is pretty interesting to see the man go to work with less than modern tools that are unique and still effective. It's a very cool look at the every day life in Kathmandu and how the people of Nepal work. In modern, Western society we take a lot of our tools, gadgets and gizmos for granted, and one of the refreshing things about travel is when you have the opportunity to visit a place like this that doesn't have all those modern conveniences, and yet the people are still happy, friendly, and have a good life. Perhaps there is a message in there!

In the end, Jon and Scott get a call to report to the airport rather than Pokara, as their seats have reopened up on their flight to Tibet. So we're treated to more shots of the crazy streets of Kathmandu as they head off to the airport. Unfortunately, they were once again denied getting onto the flight, so Pokara here we come! :) The next episode will show some of the highlights of that city, located in a unique and beautiful part of the country.

Third Grader Summits For His School

I saw this story today over at the GoBlog at GetOutdoors.com. It's a post on Evan Whitemyer, a third grade student who has decided to climb ten 4000 foot peaks this year as a fund raiser for his school.

Evan attends South Shore Charter Public School in Norwell, Massachusetts. His school is attempting to become more "Green", as are a lot of institutions these days. As many of you know, "going green" is not easy or cheap, so Evan hopes to raise $5000 that his school can use toward improving it's recycling program, reducing it's energy use, and generally becoming a more Earth friendly place. A worthy cause to be sure.

Along the way, Evan will be blogging his climbs. In his first post, he says that last year he climbed seven mountains, three of which were 4000 footers. This year, he hopes to make that at least 10. He's also well on his way to his goal, having already raised $730.

I have to give the young man a tip of the hat. Not only is he doing something that will help his school, he's also showing a keen awareness of environmental issues for someone his age. It's a pretty impressive goal and I wish him the best of luck on his adventure. Very cool story!

Nepal To Honor Hillary and Norgay

Two separate reports today show the love and respect that the country of Nepal holds for Sir Edmund Hillary, who passed away last week, and his Everest first ascent partner Tenzing Norgay.

First up, we have this report from The Himalayan Times that the Nepalese Government plans to create an award named in the honor of the first two men to summit Everest. The award will be given out annually to the International climber who displays "special competence in mountaineering." A $25,000 cash prize will go along with the honor, which will called the Tenzing-Hillary International Award.

In other news, it was also announced that the airport in Lukla, Nepal will also be renamed in honor of the two men. The airport, and the city of Lukla itself, are considered the "gateway to Everest" due to the amount of traffic that moves through the region as trekkers and mountaineers head to the mountain as well as several others in that area of the Himalaya. The airport will soon be dubbed the Tenzing-Hillary airport.

There has been a great deal of sadness and mourning in Nepal and New Zealand since Hillary passed away last week. His impact on Nepal has been lasting and profound, and will no doubt continue long past his death thanks to the Himalayan Trust that he founded. In his home country of New Zealand a state funeral is being planned to pay tribute to their local hero, with a number of proposals in place to rename several monuments or mountains in his honor.

The (e)X(web)-Files: The Truth Is Out There!

Did anyone else read this article posted yesterday over at ExWeb? I'm not really sure what to make of it. Is it a practical joke? Does the calendar read April 1st? Is it the plot for the next X-Files movie?

Essentially, ExWeb picked up the story which was a dispatch from this site which is purported to be from someone who did a last degree ski trek to the South Pole. While there Kevin Dempsey and his team reportedly visited Project IceCube, an experimental station designed to observe neutrinos from distant stellar bodies in space.

Kevin's dispatch reads like an episode of the aforementioned X-Files in that he claims that the project is a big cover-up for what's really going on. He believes that a huge underground station is being built to welcome aliens from space and to prepare them to be introduced into the general population on Earth, where they will slowly begin to take over. He called it an "Alien Receptor Centre". He goes on in some detail about the allegedly strange things going on down at the South Pole that he and others observed while there.

While reading the story I couldn't help but wonder if I had inadvertently gone to the wrong website or if perhaps Art Bell had made an expedition to the South Pole. It's certainly an odd thing to read, and stranger so to see on ExWeb. I have as vivid an imagination and am as open minded as just about anyone. After all, I've blogged on both Sasquatch and the Yeti. But this sounds like the plot of a John Carpenter film. Perhaps Mr. Dempsey is hoping to capitalize on the current writer's strike in Hollywood and is looking to get his script published. ;)

Top 10 Destinations For Independent Travelers

Travel site BootsnAll, an excellent resource for anyone planning a trip, has compiled a list of the Top 10 Destinations for Independent Travelers in 2008. The editors remark that the chosen locations "combine history and culture with value for travelers who prefer to arrange their own trips and challenge themselves in the most fascinating places in the world. "

As you would expect, the list is populated with locations that are a bit off the beaten path and appeal more to the traveler with a sense of adventure. Most of these locations are distinctly "anti-touristy" and beneath the radar for many. Some of the highlights include Buenos Aires, which is called "one of the nicest European cities" despite the fact that it's in South America, and Queenstown, New Zealand, which has become an adventure sports destination year round.

Sites on the list that appeal to me include Morocco, Nepal (which comes in at number 1), and Ethiopia, which may be a destination for me in 2008 if everything comes together as expected, and I make it through a few health issues without emptying my pocketbook. Of course, I'd be happy visiting any of the locations on the list, as they all have their own appeal.

So, if you haven't booked your travel destination just yet, give the list a glance. There are some great suggestions and it may get your passport and credit card warmed up. :)

Thanks Gadling

76 Year Old Sets Sights On Everest!

According to Reuters a 76 year-old Nepali man is looking to climb Everest this Spring. If successful, he'll become the oldest man to reach the summit of the tallest mountain on Earth, surpassing Katsusuke Yanagisawa of Japan, who topped out last year at the age of 71.

Min Bahadur Sherchan says that he would like to climb Everest to encourage more young people to get into mountaineering and climb mountains on their own. When he sets out this Spring, he'll be accompanied by a team of 12 Sherpas, but it's unclear if those will all be for him, or as part of a larger team.

I wish him luck in his climb. At the age of 76 I probably won't want to climb the stairs, let alone a mountain. But if he succeeds, it'll be a pretty amazing feat. Anyone who watched season 2 of Everest: Beyond The Limit can tell you what a drainit was on Yanagisawa to climb the mountain. He was lucky to come back at all.

Thanks to ExWeb for this one.

Updated: Breaking News: Climbers Missing on Mt. Hood

CNN.com has breaking news that two climbers have gone missing on Mt. Hood. The two climbers, who are described as "experienced" were due back yesterday afternoon, but failed to answer calls to a cell phone and have not reported in any other way.

To make matters worse, blizzard conditions moved in early this morning, which will hamper search and rescue operations. While the pair's vehicle is still in the parking lot at the Timberline Lodge, authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the men may have left with other climbers, although it does seem a bit unlikely.

I'll post updates as they become known. Search teams were being organized to begin scouring the mountain, but it's too early to report beyond that. Keep these men and their families in your thoughts.

Update: The climbers are alive and well and making their way down the mountain. They used their cell phone to call home and let everyone know that they spend the night in a snow cave, and will be home soon. Great news!