South African Adventure Racing Team Prepares For Abu Dhabi

A hand picked team of South African adventure racers have joined forces and have begun training for the second annual Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge scheduled to take place December 12th - 17th.

Back in June, Lisa de Speville, owner, editor, and Queen of Adventure over at AR.co.za, South Africa's premiere adventure racing website, announced that she was looking to build a team to compete in Abu Dhabi. Members of the AR community were invited to fill out an online form and questionnaire, and their answers were used to select the other three members of the team. You can read all about the selection process in this press release, where it is also revealed that Lauren Greeff of Johannesburg, Garth Pienke from East London, and Christiaan Greyling of Pretoria will join forces Lisa, also from Johannesburg.

When searching for a team, the press release reveals, it was important to look for chemistry and compatibility. Anyone who has ever been in an adventure race, knows that those elements are often what separates teams in the field. The questions given to the applicants were designed to help determine who would work well with one another. In the end, there were 36 applicants, including 9 women, and these racers were selected from that pool.

Lisa is best known for her excellent work in writing about races, and has covered events for both SleepMonsters and Checkpoint Zero. She recently covered the Bull of Africa which took place in her home country just a few weeks back. You can also read her insightful blog at AdventureLisa.blogspot.com. This will be her first chance to actually compete in a race outside of South Africa however, and I'm sure she's very excited at the prospect.

Good luck Team SA! I'll be following your progress and cheering you on in Abu Dhabi!

Greg LeMond, Trek Lawsuit Gets Stranger Yet!

About a six weeks ago, in the middle of the Tour de France, I posted a story about Greg LeMond and his legal woes with Trek Bicycles. The two have sued one another over implications that each has done things to harm the others business. Trek accuses LeMond of damaging the sales of his line of bikes, which they build, because of his outspoken criticism of Lance Armstrong and the state of cycling in general. LeMond says Trek is in breach of contract since they down played his line of bikes to more fully support and promote Armstrong.

Well, just when you thought it couldn't get any stranger, along comes this story from BicycleRetailer.com which says the following, and I quote directly from the article:

In an odd twist, an inmate at a federal prison in Williamsburg, South Carolina filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit in July, alleging that he and other inmates produce bikes for LeMond under the Federal Prison Industry Unicor Program for 12 cents an hour, a violation of minimum wage laws. The inmate also claimed LeMond bicycle are shipped to Iranian troops for training purposes, violating the “Training with Enemy” Act.

One word. "Wow!" So now we've got labor laws possibly involved and who knew that LeMond Bicycles were a threat to national security?!? Crazy stuff. This case is now expected to drag on into 2010, which is when the contract between LeMond and Trek was scheduled to expire anyway. You can't make this stuff up folks! (On a side note, in the image I used for this post, LeMond looks as shocked as everyone else to hear this news! And is that Gary Busey standing behind him?)

Thanks to The Goat Blog over at Backcountry.com for the heads up on this.

The Tour de Mount Blanc Is Off And Running!

The Tour de Mount Blanc is underway with some of the top endurance athletes converging on the mountain to compete in one of the biggest ultramarathons in the world.

The event, which is sponsored by The North Face, is already underway today, and is expected to run through the weekend. The course begins in Chamonix, France and runs more than 166 km (103 miles) through that country, Italy, and Switzerland. Along the way, competitors face more than 9400m of elevation change.

On the official site, you'll find the latest news from the event, live updates, and even videos from the start of the race. Be warned though, much of the site is in French, and while they do offer translation options, not everything is translated. I don't speak much French at all, much to the relief of the French themselves.

Good luck to all the competitors, and remember, as you're slogging through the miles, don't forget to look up from time to time and enjoy the view.

Climbing Mt. Rainier: A Lesson In Pain

Adventure Journey Magazine has a well written article on their website about climbing Mt. Rainier, in which the author, Roland Redcane, reveals his personal motivations and experiences climbing the 14,410 foot mountain.

Roland first became interested in climbing when he was shown a photo of Everest taken from an airplane. Reading Into Thin Air only encouraged his adventurous spirit. Later, he had the chance to travel to Nepal, and hoped to see the mountain first hand, but bad weather conditions prevented that from happening. Still the mountains called to him and he had a desire to begin climbing.

After giving ice climbing a brief go, he later decided that he wanted to take a shot at climbing Rainier. The article recounts that climb, and gives insight to what it was like for Roland, a non-climber, to go up that mountain. One of the most well known and compelling in North America. With a day by day description of his climb, Roland offers up very good insights into what a beginning mountaineer should expect when setting out on such a trek. Namely, be prepared to suffer along the way.

An excellent read and definitely recommended for someone thinking of doing a Rainier climb or something similar.

Does Jon Bowermaster Ever Stay Home??

In the past, I've written about Jon Bowermaster's adventures in Antarctica, along the African Coast, and more. Now I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the guy ever goes home.

In the latest dispatches from his website, Jon writes that he and his team have now set off to the explore the backwaters of Louisiana by boat. The trip is an exploratory one to check the health of the rivers, swamps, and bayous of region and over the course of the next two weeks, he'll be checking in with his findings.

There have already been two dispatches from the field. The first from deep within the Atchafalya Swamp, where a 20 year resident of the region shows them the abundance and diversity of life in an area that many consider a useless bog. The second dispatch looks at the work of a chemist who is studying a "dead zone" that is growing at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Due to the run-off of chemicals, oil, and other man made junk, this growing zone no longer supports life of any kind.

Jon has become a guardian of this planet's water supply. I don't know anyone else who has traveled to so many distinct areas to study the health of the water in the region. His observations of the impact of climate change and man's disregard for the environment in general, have been staggering, and I really admire his work. And, as I've said before, there are worse ways to explore our planet than from within a kayak. Keep up the great work Jon.

Roz Savage Update: Hawaii In Sight!!

It's been awhile since I posted an update on Roz Savage, the adventurous woman attempting to become the first to paddle, solo and unsupported, across the Pacific Ocean.

Currently, she's 95 days into the first stage of her trip, and according to the latest update on her website, she has now passed the line of longitude of Hilo, meaning that she is nearing in on her destination of Waikiki on the island of Oahu. Roz says she can't quite see the island yet, but just knowing that it's close makes her feel better. She should make landfall in the next day or two, bringing a much deserved rest.

Roz is rowing the Pacific in stages, with Stage 1 consisting of a 2324 mile paddle from San Francisco to Hawaii. With that stage nearly wrapped up, she'll now come home and rest and recuperate before heading back out onto the water sometime next year to row from Hawaii to Tuvalu Island, a distance of 2620 miles. Finally, in 2010, she'll hit the Pacific waters one more time, and travel from Tuvalu to Australia, another 2324 miles. No word on whether or not when she reaches Australia, she ever plans on crossing another body of water ever again.

It's interesting to note, that in today's blog post, Roz says that she has been listening to Jules Verne's classic story Around The World in 80 Days. That seems like a fitting story for an adventure like this one. And I have to agree with her, seminal literary character Phileas Fogg is an excellent role model for the adventurer in all of us.

Congrats on reaching Hawaii Roz! You're one third of the way to your goal!

Muztagh Tower Update: Miskovic Rescued!

ExWeb has an updated from Muztagh Tower today with the news that Slovenian climber Dejan Miskovic has been airlifted off the mountain and is now back in base camp relatively unscathed.

Dejan was climbing with Pavle Kozjek on the 23,862 foot mountain, attempting a new route on it's North Face, when Pavle fell off a cornice at one of their high camps and disappeared. Dejan phoned home to inform friends and family of what happened, but was later stranded on the mountain himself due to high winds. The weather subsided enough today to pluck him from his perch and bring him down to safety.

The two helicopters that conducted the rescue also did a sweep of the area looking for any trace of Pavle. So far there has been no sign of him, and hopes are fading that he somehow managed to survive the fall. The search and rescue teams hope to resume their efforts tomorrow if the weather permits.

Personally, August can't come to an end fast enough. It's just been one mountaineering disaster after another, and the loss of Pavle just puts an exclamation point on the past few weeks. I'm happy to hear that Dejan is down and safe however, and now lets keep our fingers crossed that we don't see another month like this one anytime soon.

Update: According to Miha, how posted a comment on this post, the search for Pavle has been given up altogether. Miha says that the search parties have discovered Pave's backpack, jacket, and helmet in the snow, leaving little doubt to the Slovenian climbers fate. Sad news.

Simpson Desert Trek Done!!

Back at the beginning of July I mentioned that Belgian Adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke was preparing to make the first attempt to trek the length of the Simpson Desert in Australia. The trek was expected to take roughly 35 days, and cover approximately 800 km (497 miles), unsupported, through a very remote region. This morning I received an e-mail from Louis-Philippe informing me that he was successful in his bid, and is now the first person to trek North to South across the Simpson.

You can read all about his adventure at his official blog for the event, which offers up details of the expedition at various phases along the way. The intrepid adventurer reached his goal of Lake Eyre last week on the 20th, but it was no easy task, as you might imagine.

Australian newspaper the Herald Sun also profiled Louis-Philippe and chronicled his adventure. The article can be found here, and details the obstacles that he had to overcome, including cold temperatures, pulling his supplies behind him in a custom made trailer, and encounters with crazy camels.

Quite the adventure. A hearty congratulations to our favorite Belgian adventurer. Job well done Louis-Philippe! Enjoy a much deserved rest!

Appalachian Assault: Where's Karl? Back on the Trail!

The latest news from WheresKarl.com is that ultrarunner Karl Meltzer is back on the trail and continuing his his Appalachian Assault, despite recent set backs that put him in the hospital, where he was diagnosed with trench foot and tendinitis.

Since that time, Karl's been dealing with quite a lot of pain, while he rested, stayed off the trail, and eventually resumed with slower, and shorter days. He remains determined to complete the Appalachian Trail although his speed record attempt seems to be over. The website indicates that he is frustrated with these nagging injuries, and slow healing time, but is still focused on reaching Georgia and the end of his journey.

When Karl set out back on August 5th, he was hoping to finish the entire length of the AT in just 47 days, covering all of it's 2174 mile length. To do so, he would need to average more than 46 miles a day, and early on he was hitting his target distances as he had hoped. But the moisture on the trail caused his feet to get wet, which brought on the trench foot, causing him to alter his running stride, which exasperated the tendinitis. Since the, it's been a painful and slow recovery period.

You have to admire a guy like Karl. We all know what an amazing endurance athlete he is, and he really wanted to set this record. It's particularly disheartening for a world-class athlete to be slowed by an injury, but he is refusing to give up, and he wants to finish what he started. I'm pulling for him to reach the end of the trail, and even if he doesn't get there in 47 days, my guess is that it'll still be an incredibly impressive time. Good luck the rest of the way Karl!

Race Report: The Patagonia Expedition Adventure Race

PlanetFear has posted an excellent race report from the 2008 Patagonia Expedition Adventure Race, accompanied by some really great photos taken by author Nathan Ward.

The hallmark of a great adventure race report is that it not only gives you the statistics of the race, who won, where teams placed, and so on, but it also sets the mood of the race as well. This story does all of that and then some, offering up descriptive prose describing the Patagonian landscapes in ways that will have your imagination running wild. If that's not the only thing that it gets running wild however, there are also some tips for preparing for the 2009 race, if you are inspired enough to join these adventurous teams.

Patagonia is one of those far flung, remote places, that automatically evokes a sense of adventure. It has a little of everything, including snow capped peaks, frigid mountain lakes, and wide open vistas. It's unpredictable weather is legendary and it has long been a haven for climbers and trekkers alike. It seems the perfect setting for an adventure race, and while this is an event that doesn't always get tons of attention, one look at the photos with this article, and you'll understand why the place is a beacon of adventure. Great stuff!

Climber Lost On Muztagh Tower in the Karakorum

More bad news from the world of mountaineering today, as The Alpinist is reporting that Slovenia Climber Pavle Kozjek is missing on Muztagh Tower in a remote region of the Karakorum in Pakistan.

Kozjek went to the Tower, along with Dejan Miskovic and Gregor Kresal, to attempt a new route on it's unclimbed North Face. Miskovic placed a call yesterday morning to friends telling them that he and Kozjek had set up camp high on the mountain, and when Kozjek climbed out of the tent that morning, he stepped out onto a cornice and fell over the edge. At the time, it was thought that a rescue attempt could still come later in the day, but the word is now that Pavle has been lost.

ExWeb has also posted more details with the word that Miskovic is now trapped on the mountain due to high winds are preventing a helicopter rescue. Kresal was previously pulled off the mountain from BC on August 19th.

The rarely climbed Muztagh Tower stands 7273 meters (23,862 feet) in height. It's North Face, the same one that the Slovenia climbers were challenging, is more 2200 meters in height itself. It was first climbed by a British team back in 1956

August has been a horrible month for the mountaineering community. First K2, then the avalanche on Mount Blanc, and now the loss of Pavle. Lets keep our fingers crossed that Dejan is pulled of the Tower safe and sound. We don't need any more losses this month. It seems I've been saying it a lot lately, but my thoughts are with Pavle's friends and family. What a month. :(

Want To Relive Shackleton's Expedition?

A hundred years after Ernest Shackleton's famous expedition to the South Pole as part of the Nimrod Expedition, a British team is preparing to recreate the epic journey, and they just might want you to come along for the adventure.

According to this story, over at the Guardian, the Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition is looking for someone to join them later this year, as the six team members, who include Shackleton's great-grandson Patrick Bergel, will walk in the famous explorers footsteps. But, they're also looking for someone to join the team. Someone with a zest for adventure, a love of life, and the ability to work with the team. You'll have to be in tremendous shape and be prepared to endure the challenging Antarctic conditions. To apply to join the team, just head over to this website for more information and to apply.

The journey will begin in October, and it is expected to last about 80 days. The team will fly to the Ross Ice Shelf from Punta Areneas, where three of them will set out to cover 900+ miles to reach the point where Shackleton and his team turned back. At that point, the four other team members will join them, and they'll attempt to continue on to the Pole, completing the journey that Shackleton was unable to finish.

Ok, I'm sold. I'm ready to sign up and join the team. Sure, it's not that cold here in Texas, but I think I'll figure something out to get prepared. I mean, it does get down to almost freezing in the Winter here. This is an amazing opportunity though, and if I'm eligible living in the States, I'm certainly going to apply.

My favorite part of the Guardian article is in the first paragraph, where they publish the original message that Shackleton posted when looking for crew members for his original expedition. I've quoted it below. Great stuff!

"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success"

American Attempts "Peak and Pond"

The Des Moines Register published a story yesterday about native Iowan Charlie Wittmack, who later this week will attempt to become the first American to complete the "Peak and Pond" challenge, which entails climbing Mt. Everest and swimming across the English Channel.

Charlie already knocked off Everest back in 2003, when he reached the summit of that mountain at the age of 26, becoming the first person from his home state to do so. Despite the fact that climbing Everest was, up until that point, his lifelong dream, it just wasn't enough, and hence the plan to swim the Channel and become just the fourth person ever to do both.

Swimming across the English Channel has long been one of the most challenging physical human endeavors. It's 21 miles from the U.K. to France, but due to tidal forces, it generally ends up being more like 30-40 miles. Charlie estimates that it'll take him about 12 hours to cross, with hypothermia and exhaustion his greatest concerns.

Good luck Charlie and thanks to the Outside Blog for the news on this one.

Avalanche on Mt. Blanc Claims Eight

It's been a rough month in the mountains. First we had the events on K2 to start the month off, and over the weekend we had 8 lives claimed in an avalanche on Mount Blanc.

The massive avalanche hit early Sunday morning, sweeping five Austrian and three Swiss climbers off the mountain, while a number of others were buried under the wall of snow. Rescue teams were on the scene very quickly, and eight climbers were dug out of the snow, but the eight that remain missing are now believed to be dead. Despite the losses though, officials believe that dozens more could have been killed in the accident.

The 4810 meter (15,781 feet) Mount Blanc lies on the border of France and Italy and is the tallest mountain in the Alps, and all of Western Europe for that matter. It is considered one of the classic climbs on the European continent, and thousands flock to the mountain each year to climb, ski, or trek it's trails.

As I said, it's been a rough few weeks in the mountains, and even though Mount Blanc is half a world away from K2, the mountaineering community is a tightly knit group. My condolences go out to the friends and families of these missing climbers.

Car Free Adventures

Forbes Traveler has another good article up today that puts an emphasis on car free vacations. That is to say, great trips that you can take that don't involve travel by automobile.

The options for travel without car are actually larger than you would expect at first glance. For instance, you can travel by train, with the option for personal cars if you can afford it. There can be no better way to see the beautiful Western United States or Canada, than by rail.

Looking for something a bit more active, than consider the options for a cycling tour. Forbes recommends cycling through Umbria or Northern Argentina for unforgettable experiences, or to get off road, head to Slovenia. It's been my experience that there are great cycling tours all over the world now, giving riders a chance to test their road skills as well as their mountain biking techniques.

Of course, you can also travel by boat , with a plethora of options from all corners of the globe as well. Forbes highlights traveling the rivers and canals of various parts of Europe, and of course there are more options for cruises than you can shake a stick at. While very few cruises appeal to me personally, I have to say that I did have a wonderful time on a Nile Cruise a few years back. I definitely recommend that if you get the opportunity.

Some times, as travelers, we get stuck in a certain mode or mindset when it comes to travel, so an article like this one can help stimulate some ideas on how to travel differently and see a place from a different angle. The thought of a cycling tour sounds wonderful to me, and I've mentioned before how great a classic train ride would be too. Forbes tends to suggest trips that are a bit outside most of our price ranges, but they certainly are great at offering up alternative ideas.

Images of Bonnington atop Scafell Pike

Grough.co.uk, the site that first broke the story of Sir Chris Bonnington climbing England's Scafell Pike to commemorate the Olympic Handover, has posted a follow up story with some nice images of the legendary mountaineer at the top of the mountain, with a few close friends.

As I noted last week, with the Beijing Olympics coming to a close yesterday, and the 2012 games slated to be held in London, there was a ceremonial passing of the flag to the U.K., officially beginning the countdown to their big event in four years time. As part of that process, Bonnington, who is amongst the greatest living mountaineers in the world, climbed to the top of Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain at 3,209 feet in height.

During the event yesterday, Bonnington said that he thinks mountaineering could be an Olympic event, noting the popularity of sport climbing, and how it could be a compelling spectator sport if done properly. Considering that the host country always has some leeway on which demonstration sports it allows at their games, perhaps we'll see Sir Chris pushing hard for this.

At age 74, Bonnington isn't slowing down any, continuing to rock climb regularly, and with a couple of big treks planned for next year, he doesn't plan to anytime soon. Head over to Grough to check out the story, read more about the man, and his thoughts on a variety of topics.

Thanks to Bob over at Grough for posting about their updated story.

K2 Update: Storms Send Team Down

Everest News posted another brief K2 update with the news that George Dijmarescu, Mingma Sherpa and Rinjin Sherpa climbed as high as Camp 2, where they were, as of Friday, waiting out a storm. They then hoped to proceed up to C3 to drop off supplies, before heading back down the mountain to base camp.

The weather forecast does not look great for them though, as a large storm is expected to move into the area early this week, making it difficult to make any progress over the next few days. The season is quickly coming to an end though, and any weather windows are going to be rare at this point.

The Everest News update ends with a bit of a chilling statement that simply reads: "They are now alone on the mountain." Everyone else has gone home, most following the tragic events that went down their just a few weeks back, but up until last week, there were still a few other climbers hoping to get a crack at the summit.

Hopefully we'll get more updates this week. With George, Mingma and Rinjin back in BC, they should be able to pop off a dispatch or two, with updates on the situation. Remember, there are no fixed ropes on the upper portion of the mountain, including the area into and above the Bottleneck, which means the team will have to set their own ropes as they go up. Likely to be a very daunting task with no one to share the duties with. They'll also have to break their own trail, as fresh snow has hit the upper slopes, which bring on the added risk of more avalanches as well. If they reach the top, it's going to be after one monumental effort.

Good luck boys! Climb safe!

Chris Bonnington To Celebrate Olympic Handover

Sir Chris Bonnington, one of the most accomplished and celebrated British mountaineers of all time, will help commemorate the ceremonial "Olympic Handover" this Sunday, by planting a flag on top of Scafell Pike, in the Lake District, long the climbing epicenter of the U.K.

This Sunday marks the end of the 2008 Olympics, and the beginning of the official countdown to the 2012 games to be held in London. At the end of the closing ceremonies, Chinese officials will pass the Olympic Flag onto British officials, who will carry with them back to their home country.

Scafell Pike, at 3,209 feet, is the tallest mountain in England. Bonnington, who lives near by, will plant a flag as the summit at roughly 2:30 PM local time to coincide with the closing ceremonies in Beijing. Joining him at the summit will be 72-year-old fellrunner Jos Naylor and 16-year-old long-distance runner Laura Park.

To learn more about the event, check out this post over at Grough.co.uk. And to find out more about Bonnington, I'd recommend the excellent book The Boys of Everest, which I reviewed here and can be purchased from Amazon here.

Pole To Pole: Magnetic North to Magnetic South

In todays edition of Adventure In 60 Seconds, a regular feature at the National Geographic Adventure Blog , the mention that two young British explorers, Rob Hooper and James Gauntlett, have recently sailed into Sydney, Australia, completing their 26,000 mile, 395 day journey from the Magnetic North Pole to the Magnetic South. ThePoles.com has also covered the expedition as well.

Along the course of their journey, Rob and James had to, at varying times, employ the use of sledges, bicycles, and sailboats. The used the sledges in the polar regions, traded them in for bikes when traveling through warmer climes, and then transitioned to the ship when out on the open water. Their journey brought them plenty of challenges, as Adventure notes, they faced "a fall through the ice, king-sized storms, and a capsized boat" along the way.

Check out the expedition's official website, which is extremely well done and offers all kinds of information about the trip. The slick interface alone is worth the trip over, but you'll also find a well done, interactive map, a blog of the journey, information on the team, and a whole lot more. Seriously, this site should be the model for all expedition websites. Really great stuff.

Congrats to Rob and James for completing their journey. Well done guys. Now enjoy a much deserved rest.

More on K2: A Letter From Nazir Sabir

The Alpinist has published a very interesting, and eye opening, letter from Nazir Sabir, one of the most prominent mountaineers in Pakistani history. He also currently serving as the President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, an organization that helps to train Pakistani climbers. Nazir has also played a role as an advisor to the government on issues related to climbing and the northern provinces of Pakistan.

In this letter, Nazir, who has successfully climbed Everest, K2, and several other 8000 meter peaks, pulls very few punches and speaks directly on the events that helped play into the K2 tragedy. He talks about an argument at high altitude between a dozen climbers that delayed their summit bid. He also talks about issues with the fixed lines at the Bottleneck, and while he doesn't name names, he alludes to whose responsibility it was to fix those lines.

He goes on to call out the survivors who have sometimes been quick to point the finger at others, and place blame elsewhere. While Nazir doesn't layout everything that happened, he does note that the Ministry for Tourism is assembling a task force to investigate what happened, with a full report to come in time.

There have been several allusions to the fact that the ropes on K2 were not up to snuff, which caused major slowdown on the mountain. There has even been some murmuring about who is at fault for the poor conditions of those ropes, but I'm beginning to think that this was just a series of really bad circumstances, and poor decisions, combined with an untimely natural disaster, namely the serac collapsing, that led to this tragedy. It seems there were some miscommunications and perhaps some climbers underestimating the mountain, but I'm not sure there will ever be a single cause that can be pointed to for what happened.

As I've said before though, I think there is a storm brewing over all of this, and it's going to turn nasty down the road, when the investigations get underway, and fingers started getting pointed. I hope I'm wrong, but it has that feeling about it.

K2 Update: Three Going For The Summit!

Yesterday I mentioned that Everest News was reporting that there could very well be an attempt on the summit of K2 this week, despite the recent tragedy there, and poor weather conditions over the course of the past few weeks.

Today, we get a bit more information on the climbers who are still on that mountain and are, reportedly, making their way to the top even now. According to this post, American's Dave Watson and Chuck Boyd have abandoned their attempts on the summit and have come down from the high camps. There is no word as to how they reached before turning back, and considering how late in the season we are, it's fairly safe to assume that they are done with K2 for 2008.

On the other hand, George Dijmarescu, Mingma Sherpa and Rinjin Sherpa are still proceeding up the mountain. All three are climbing with the Sunny Mountain Guides and are looking to top out by this weekend. As Everest News reminds us, there are no fixed ropes in place any longer, having been buried by the collapsing serac, so it's going to be a long, slow, and challenging climb for this trio.

Clearly they are very determined. They waited this long for their window, and it's finally here. Probably the last window for K2 this season. If they make it to the top, it'll be quite the story and a herculean effort is required to get them there. Lets hope they just come back safely. The summit will be there next year guys. Keep that in mind!

The Rest of Everest: Episode 91

A new episode of The Rest of Everest was released last night continuing the journey through Tibet and Nepal, with Jon Miller and Scott Jacobs.

WIth Everest Base Camp behind us, Jon and Scott turn their sites on returning home. The title of this week's episode is Episode 91: Out of the Clouds, Into the Heat refers to the fact that after moving away from the mountains, the weather begins to change, with temperatures getting warmer and humidity returning to the air.

This episode is highlighted by some amazing video shots along a narrow Tibetan road down into a stunning valley with incredible views. I loved the shots of the waterfalls plunging down the the sides of the mountains, and the thick mist hanging in the air. It's those kinds of views that really inspire me to want to go visit a place.

Soon, the guys are at the border of Tibet, and making their way across the Friendship Bridge and back into Nepal. It's instantly clear that you've crossed over into a different country. Even from the video it's evident that Nepal is a more bustling and busy country with different attitudes and energy.

The trip is drawing to a close at this point, but there is still more to be seen in Nepal and Kathmandu in particular. We still have a few more episodes to go before moving on to other adventures, so enjoy the next few podcasts. This has been as close as you can get to Nepal and Tibet without actually going yourself.

Appalachian Assault: Trouble On The Trail

Rough news from WheresKarl.com today, where we learn that endurance runner Karl Meltzer spent much of the day in the hospital where he was diagnosed with trench foot due to his 300 plus miles on rough trail with wet feet. It's a good news/bad news situation however, as the pain that Karl was feeling was first thought to be the result of a stress fracture or blood clots.

Karl is of course in the middle of his Appalachian Assault, which has him challenging the speed record on the Appalachian Trail. His original intention was to run the entire length of the AT, some 2,174 miles, in just 47 days.


Obviously, having beat up feet is not conducive to setting speed records, and Karl is already behind his self imposed schedule. According to his website, he should have logged 745 miles by today, but his actual distance is 538. He took the day off today to rest and recuperate, and according to his team, he's doing fine. He has been given a prescription to take care of the trench foot, and intends to resume his Assault, possibly as early as tomorrow.

At this point, I'm not sure there is anyway that he can make up the gap that has already built up, and especially not with bad wheels. But, Karl is determined to see this thing through to the end, and I give him major respect for that. He certainly can take a lot of punishment, and it's impressive that he's still intending to continue on. I wish him the best of luck. I hope he can still achieve the goals that he set out to accomplish. He's an amazing athlete that doesn't know the word quit.

K2 Summit Pushes This Week?!?

It seems that not everyone has given up on summitting K2 this year, despite the tragedy that stuck that mountain just a few weeks back. According to a post on Everest News yesterday, it appears the remaining climbers on the mountain will begin their summit push soon, possibly topping out this coming weekend.

The post simply reads:

08/19 The K2 Summit PUSH IS ON AGAIN! Expect attempts this weekend...

and offers no further information. Typically these posts link to a story with more details, but not in this case. However, judging from previous posts on K2, it would seem that the team that is still on the mountain belongs to the Sunny Mountain Guides, as they have been making dispatches to Everest News as recently as Monday.

If SMG is still considering a summit push, I wish them the best of luck. Hopefully they'll find safer conditions on the mountain that were there just three weeks ago. It has to be unnerving heading back up the Bottleneck with the recent disaster looming over the entire mountain. Lets keep our fingers crossed that if they are going up, they reach the top safely and make it back down in once piece. I don't really want to see K2 claim any more lives this year.

Top Climbing and Paddling Towns

Two more "Top Town" lists today from two different magazines. I guess we've reached that point of the year where everyone is compiling their annual lists.

First up, Rock & Ice Magazine has posted their Top 10 Climbing Towns. I couldn't find the list on their website though, but fortunately the gang over at the Get Outdoor's GoBlog put the list together for us. There are definitely some interesting places on the list, and as the GoBlog noted, none from Colorado. Hmm.... Here's the list:

1. Chattanooga, Tennessee
2. Boise, Idaho
3. Ogden, Utah
4. South Lake Tahoe, California
5. Leavenworth, Washington
6. New Paltz, New York
7. Favetteville, West Virginia
8. Vancouver, British Columbia
9. Flagstaff, Arizona
10. Boone, North Carolina

Not to be outdone, Paddler Magazine posted a list of their own, with the Top 13 Paddling Cities. Their list is also diverse with places from all over the country, easily accessible to a lot of people. The Top 13 look like this:

1. Port Townsend, WA
2. Grass Valley/Nevada City, CA
3. Fayetteville, WV
4. Bangor, ME
5. Bryson City, NC
6. McCall, ID
7. Hood River, OR
8. San Marcos, TX
9. Wausau, WI
10. Kernville, GA
11. Bozeman, MT
12. Sitka, Alaska
13. Glenwood Springs, CO

From my own personal experience, I can tell that San Marcos, TX, which sits just south of Austin, is actually a pretty great place for paddling or tubing. I'm happy it made the list. And my excursion to Bozeman, MT earlier this summer exposed me to the amazing paddling in that area as well. Just avoid House Rock when the Class V is running.

Thanks GoBlog for both of these lists! Great job!

Biking The Lost Coast

I came across this story while checking out the Wend Blog earlier today. It seems that a couple of lucky, and somewhat masochistic, mountain bikers have just embarked on a 400+ mile epic ride along the Lost Coast in Alaska.

The journey started two days ago, but their blog hasn't been updated yet with any information, although they promise to check in every few days with the latest news from the trail. The blog does have information on the gear they are using, and has more on the Lost Coast itself, including some great photos. There is also a little bit about the two riders, Dylan Kentch and Eric Parsons, but mostly you'll discover they have a quirky sense of humor.

The pair set out from Yakutat and will ride to Cordova, but judging form their description of the trail, they'll be walking and bike-whacking a lot in the early going. There are some impressive rivers to ford as well, and dense vegetation to deal with too, although they suspect that they'll be able to ride more consistently when they get further into the trip. The video below gives you an idea of what they are facing.


Untitled from Eric Parsons on Vimeo.

Kite Surfer vs. Mother Nature

Ok, here's a video that has been making the rounds today of some Mensa candidate who decided to test his kite surfing skills in the high winds of Tropical Storm Fay, which is currently causing problems in Florida. All I can say is "Ouch!"



http://view.break.com/557265 - Watch more free videos

World's Best Wildlife Sanctuaries

Forbes Traveller is back with another great list of adventure travel locations, this time with the theme of World's Best Wildlife Sanctuaries.

As you might expect, many of the sanctuaries that make the list are far flung, making any visit an adventure in and of itself. Take for instance visiting the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge in Alaska, where you can watch brown bears in their natural habitat. Only a few people are allowed in each year, and you have to enter a lottery before March 1st, or you're out of luck. Even then, you still have to be selected to get into the remote region.

Not exotic enough for you? Then how about Komodo National Park in Indonesia. This is the sanctuary for the largest lizard on Earth, the Komodo Dragon, and is located on three islands accessible only by boat. Or, how about a trek into the Parc Nationale des Volcans of Rwanda, home of the fabled mountain gorillas. Visits are limited to one hour a day and groups of eight or fewer people.

There are a number of other amazing locations on the list as well, and any one of them will afford you a once in a life time experience of getting up close and personal with the indigenous wildlife. I'm sure I'm not alone in enjoying a tranquil, remote setting with a chance to watch animals in their natural environments. Great stuff!

More Outdoor Retailer Reports

More than a week after the Summer Outdoor Retailer show has ended, we continue to get reports on the new gear that we can expect in the coming months.

The Gear Junkie had posted Part 3 and Part 4 of his previews, taking a look at a variety of new items from roof racks to shoes, kayaks, and my personal favorite, packs.

Not to be outdone, Trailspace.com takes a look at the new four season backpacking tents, and continues to add to their Summer OR 2008 page.

Finally, TheStreet.com has posted an article that takes a look at great gear to lure the kids back outside, which examines some of the great new, high-tech gear that may help in getting kids interested in outdoor adventures once again. Seems like a good cause to me!

8 African Adventures From National Geographic

Planning a trip to Africa in the near future? If so, then let National Geographic Adventure lend a hand. They've posted an excellent new article listing eight amazing trips to that continent, with a variety of adventures in mind.

For example, if you want to head to Tanzania, Geo recommends that you visit the Selous Game Reserve, an almost untouched slice of Africa with wildlife aplenty, that is off the typical safari route. Travel to Zanzibar where you'll experience great diving and paddling options near Pemba Island. In Zambia, you'll have the opportunity to explore Victoria Falls and canoeing through hippo filled rivers.

There is a little something for everyone in these eight adventures, and they highlight just a fraction of what you can expect from an African holiday. There are so many things to see an do, that one trip can't possibly afford you all the opportunities you'll need. By the time you return home, you'll already be thinking of your next trip.

Adventure Racing Capture In Photography

Checkpoint Zero had a cool post yesterday spotlighting the photography of Peder Sundstrom, who has published a book entitled Endless: A portrait of Adventure Racing.

The book has some stunning images from my favorite endurance sport, that captures some of the best moments from adventure races all over the world, with some of it's top personalities writing essays. The site lists Robyn Benincasa, Richard Usher, John Jacoby, Nathan Fa'ave, Lisa De Speville, and others as contributing authors.

The site also offers a look at what you can expect inside the cover, and you can order your own copy as well. The samples look terrific, and I may have to track down a copy for myself. Excellent stuff.

Mythical Mayan Underworld Discovered

Here's a very cool story that was making the rounds over the weekend. Archeologists in Mexico have discovered a vast underground maze of chambers and temples dating back to the Mayan Empire that they believe was designed by that ancient civilization to serve as a gateway to the underworld where the dead passed from this life to the next.

Scientists came across these ruins hidden in underground caverns in the Yucatan Peninsula, and so far they've discovered 11 buried temples, connected by an interweaving series of tunnels. There are also remnants of human bones and other artifacts that indicate that the area served as a spot for human sacrifice.

Parts of the complex are submerged in water, which has forced explorers to don SCUBA gear to venture further into the hidden realm. Amongst the varying chambers, they have also come across a 330 foot long "road" that is the archeologists believe was a representation of the Mayan road to Xibalba, the mythical underworld believed to be the afterlife.

What an amazing discovery. It's really cool that we can still find things like this in this day and age, and this seems like a pretty big find no less. They've been working away on it for more than five months, and who knows what else they'll find down there once they've had a chance to explore the entire area. Seems like Lucas and Spielberg just found the subject of their next Indiana Jones movie!

TransRockies Results!

The TransRockies Mountain Bike Race finished up over the weekend, ending in style with one of the toughest stages in the history of the event. The race featured seven stages through various parts of British Columbia, beginning and ending each day at a different mountain resort, as the 300 riders challenge themselves on some of the most demanding mountain bike trails in North America.

The final results can be found here (in .PDF format). There are a variety of classifications, but Canadian rider Les Davidson took first place in the General Classification for the 100+ riders, besting his next closes rival, Pierre Loubser, by more than 2 hours.

You can read more about the race, including stage by stage results and reports, at the Official Site. You'll also find an online store with cool TransRockies swag, photo galleries of past races, and more general information about the event.

I also found it very cool that the race is barely over, and registration for next year's TransRockies is already open. If you're interested in riding though, you'll need to hurry. They cap the number of riders at 300 and the race fills up fast.

Hikers On Mt. Cook Rescued!

A quick update today on those hikers caught in the storm on Mt. Cook that I mentioned yesterday. Jo Adams, who first alerted me to this story, posted another article this morning, with the word that all six of the Australians on the mountain were successfully evacuated from the mountain.

The two women and four men are said to be in good condition, despite their ordeal, and spirits are said to be high. They are still being examined by medical staff, but it seems they weathered the storm just fine. The entire group was pulled off the Metelille Glacier by helicopter earlier today when the search and rescue teams finally got a break in the weather.

Finally, some good news out of the mountains. With the recent happenings on K2, it's nice to see a successful rescue and a happy ending. With any luck, these six will be enjoying a fine meal and a couple of brews in the lodge tonight.

Thanks for the update Jo!

Appalachian Assault Update: Racing The Schedule

It's been about ten days since Karl set out on his Appalachian Assault, an attempt to run the length of the Appalachian Trail in just 47 days. That 2,174 miles across challenging terrain with major vertical climbs and drops along the way as well. The hope is that he'll average roughly 46 miles a day and set a new speed record in the process.

So, how's it going so far? Well, not too bad, although it does seem that Karl's falling behind his self imposed schedule a bit. For instance, if you check out today's results, you see that he should have completed 499 miles by the end of today, and his "actual" mileage so far is 373. It's likely they haven't uploaded todays data yet, as he's probably still on the trail running, so if you add in the expected 55 miles for today, that puts him at a respectable 428 miles completed thus far. Unfortunately, that's still 71 miles behind what he had expected.

Karl's team continues to make daily blog updates at WheresKarl.com, keep us updated on his condition and location at all times. You can also track him on the trail, as he's using a SPOT Satellite Messenger to show is location at all times. The photo galleries have also been updated with new photos from much of the run as well, which help in giving us an idea of the conditions that Karl is contending with out on the trail.

There is still a long way to go on this speed attempt, and hopefully Karl can make up for the lost time and mileage further along. He's done an incredible job so far, and anyone would be hard pressed to have knocked off 400+ miles in 11 days. But I know he wants the speed record, and to do that he'll have to make up the difference. If anyone can do it though, I suspect it's Karl, who is an amazing endurance athlete.

Six People Missing On Mt. Cook

There is a bit of breaking news today about a group of six hikers who are missing on Mt. Cook in New Zealand. They set out to traverse a section of the mountain from Barron Saddle to Mueller Hut and were expected to return sometime today, but a blizzard has struck the area, and the activation of an emergency beacon has search and rescue teams concerned for safety of the hikers.

Earlier today, a helicopter set off in an attempt to reach the location of the emergency beacon, but it was forced to turn back due to the storms. To make matters worse, their are other climbers on the mountain as well, and rescuers were unsure at this time, who had sent out the signal for help.

At this time, SAR teams are hoping for a break in the weather so they can mount a proper rescue attempt, but with heavy snow falling over the past day and a half, conditions on the Mt. Cook have deteriorated substantially. Rescuers now fear avalanches and high winds at high altitude will hamper their efforts moving forward.

Lets keep our fingers crossed for a happy ending to this one. We've had enough problems with losing people in the mountains lately. A big thanks to Jo Adams for sending this my way. She's written a more thorough story for RacingAndSports.com.

Reminder: Pack-A-Day Giveaway Still Going On!

We're half-way through August, and I still haven't won my new pack from Mountain Hardwear in their Pack-A-Day Giveaway contest, which will continue through the end of the month.

I just wanted to remind everyone that the contest is still going strong, and you have about 16 more chances to take home one of five cool packs. These aren't the typical Mountain Hardwear expedition packs however, they are designed mainly for urban use, but still have the MH quality and design.

Personally, I've been trying every day, but so far no luck. My poor aging urban pack could use a replacement, and I'm sure that any day now the hang at Mountain Hardwear will take pity on me and see fit to grant me one of their great packs. (Hey! Sucking up never hurts, right?)

Anyway, you have until the end of the month to claim your new bag. Good luck!

Running Adds Years To Your Life

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, and written by a group of researches at Stanford University, indicates that running can substantially add years to your life and provide a higher quality of life for much later as well.

The study has been conducted over the course of more than 20 years, in which time researchers monitored 500 runners as they approached and moved past middle-age, and then compared their findings to a similar aged group of non-runners. What they discovered was quite remarkable. For instance, non-runners were more than twice as likely to have died over the course of the study. Furthermore, there were no indications that runners were more likely to contract osteoarthritis, and running well into your 80's continued to show benefits.

Perhaps the most startling thing of all however, was that traditional health issues that come along with aging, such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular issues, heart trouble, and so on, did not occur until 16 years later, on average, than the non-runners, providing a much higher quality of life.

What does this all mean? Pretty simple. Good exercise, on a regular basis, is great for your health. I know we probably didn't need a scientist to tell us that, but there are some really great numbers, with data to back it up, that should have us all heading out to the shoe store this weekend. The benefits are substantial, and a new pair of running shoes are in order.

Thanks Backpacker for this story.

Killer Deals At ProTravelGear.com

I'm not usually one to post on shopping deals on the Internet, but this one is just too good to not spread the word about. ProTravelGear.com is offering 50% off everything in their store for today and today only, and it's something that we might want to take advantage of while we can.

The online retailer has some really nice products from a variety of companies, including Patagonia, ExOfficio, Mountain Khakis and more. You'll find luggage, clothing, guide books, electronics, and just about everything else a traveler could possibly need.

Simply browse through all the gear, find what you want, and add it to your shopping cart. When you're all done, or your wallet is crying out for mercy, which ever comes first, go to the car, and enter the coupon code "save50" and everything in the cart will then be reduced by 50%.

I was eyeing up a Magellan GPS that's normally listed at $203.95, but with the code, it's only $101.98. Pretty tough to pass up on that. Now what else do I need for my next adventure...

Hike Hacker Launches!

While reading the Best Hikes Blog earlier, I saw that Tom Mangan, of Two-Heel Drive fame, has launched a new site called Hike Hacker, in honor of Life Hacker, which promises to "reboot your hiking life".

The site is designed to cover everything under the sun in the hiking world, and there already all kinds of posts in such categories as "Food & Nutrition", "Travel", "Gear", and more. Hike Haker hopes to gather all those wonderfully handy tips that we've learned over the years on the trail, and put them in one easy to reference spot. There is even a place for us to "Lend a Hack", making it a simple process to share some of your best hiking tips.

There are already some excellent posts, with tips on how to wash your down sleeping bag, information on backpacking stoves, and even how to organize your gear closet on a budget.

Hike Hacker looks like a very promising site already, and with help from the hiking community on the Internet, it'll soon become a treasure trove of useful information. Looks great so far Tom! Keep up the great work!

Win A Trip To The Adventurer of the Year Awards

National Geographic Adventure is sending two lucky individuals to Washington, D.C. to attend their annual Adventurer of the Year awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on November 20th of this year. The event is held at the National Geographic Society Headquarters, where Nat Geo explorers and previous winners of the award, such as Andrew Skurka, will be on hand to share in the festivities.

In order to be considered for the contest, entrants will need to Send us an email to adventurepromo@ngs.org containing your: name, mailing address, phone number, email address, and age. In addition, you'll want to tell them about your favorite adventure destination, anywhere in the world, and what you enjoy doing there. Keep it at 150 words or less, and you'll be entered to win the grand prize, which is:

One winner and a guest will receive round-trip air transportation to Washington, D.C., three-night double-occupancy accommodations, and entrance for two to the Adventurer of the Year event on November 20, 2008. The approximate retail value of this prize is $2,500.

Sounds like a great deal to me. I'd love to go hang out at the NG HQ for a few hours and meet the top adventurers that they'll be honoring. That issue of the magazine is always amongst my favorite, and it would be great to be their to catch everything first hand. I suppose I'd better fire up my e-mail program and get writing huh? Good luck to everyone. This looks to be a great prize.

You can find out more, including the full official rules, by clicking here.

My New Ride!

A week or so back I finally took the plunge and bought a nice road bike. I had been kicking around the idea for some time, but never got serious about it until recently, and one Saturday I decided to go shopping for my new ride. I came home with the bike pictured here, a 2009 Specialized Allez, and so far it's been a dream to ride.

I use to ride a road bike all the time, but six or eight years back a bought a mountain bike, and started riding it instead. I love hitting a trail, and getting away from everything for a ride that can be equal parts physically and technically challenging. It was such a change from the road bike and I loved that I was able to go places on a bike that I'd never been able to go before. But over time I began to miss the open road as well. The speed of a nice road bike is hard to match, and while I didn't miss the dealing with traffic, I couldn't help but think about the joys of cycling and the challenges that come along with it.

Recently I decided I could no longer ignore the siren song of the open road. Living in Austin, Texas there are some really great places to ride. There are some really nice winding country roads and of course the Texas Hill Country is right out my back door. Plus, I can pretty much ride year round here, which made it all the more appealing.

We have a number of really great bike shops here in Austin, including one owned by Lance Armstrong. I visited a number of shops when I went searching for my bike, but ended up buying from the Bicycle Sports Shop, where they helped me pick out the right bike for me, and fit it to my body. Their service was great, and it wasn't long before I was out the door with my shiny new bike, decked out with a couple of water bottle cages, a tire repair kit, mounted pump, and a nifty cycling computer.

Since then, I've put about 75 miles on the bike already, and I've been loving the open road once more. The bike is fast, easy to ride, and very responsive, making it everything I could have hoped for. I've even gotten use to my large rear-end sitting on that tiny little seat already, meaning that my rides have continued to get longer and longer each time I head out. Make no mistake, I'm not getting rid of my mountain bike, as the two different styles compliment each other well and have different things to offer, but the exhilaration and sense of speed has been a welcome change.

So why did I pull the trigger on a new bike now? Well, today is my 39th birthday, and I've set a goal for myself. Before I reach 40, I want to compete in a triathlon. That gives me a year to train and get ready, which seems like plenty of time. I already run regularly, and my rides are getting longer and faster too. I'll have to focus on the swimming of course, but for now I'm working on cycling and running first, mostly alternating days on the bike and days on my feet. If everything goes according to play, I hope to enter my first race in the Spring, so from time to time I'll probably post training updates and info on the race I choose, and so on. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and it should be fun as well. I have no illusions of winning a tri, but it's just something I've always wanted to do. No time like the present to get started! :)

Chasing The Yeti

Tech site Gizmodo is reporting that a team of Japanese explorers are headed to the Himalaya to stalk the fabled Yeti, and this time they're taking some high tech gear along to help.

"Yeti hunter" Yoshiteru Takahashi and six others, will be setting off for Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest mountain in the world, where they'll spend the next two months setting up a sophisticated array of motion tracking cameras in an attempt to capture the elusive abominable snowman on camera.

This will beh Takahasi's third trip to the region to search for the creature he claims to have seen back in 1971, when he first visited the mountain. He also claims to have seen the Yeti again in 2003 on Dhaula's South East ridge. You can find out more about the expedition, at their official website (if you speak Japanese) or at Pink Tentacle. (Yeah, I have no idea either!) Personally, I think the "expedition" is just an excuse to go hang out in the mountains for a few weeks. ;)

Perhaps they should join forces with these guys, who will be unveiling their Big Foot corpse tomorrow. Didn't we get a new X-Files movie just a few weeks back? Coincidence?

Outside On The Hunt For The Fittest "Real" Athlete

There is an interesting post over at Outside Online, the official website for Outside Magazine, today. It seems they're on the lookout for the "Fittest Real Athletes", as in the average person, male or female, who displays athletic excellence while still maintaining a regular job and a typical life.

Professional athletes get paid to train, and are able to focus their time on preparing for their sport. But there are many of us who try to take part in a variety of athletic activities, while still working 8 to 5, having some kind of social life, and handling all the other activities that come along with modern life. Outside is hoping to spotlight those folks. The ones that do it for the love of the sport and for their own health.

Instructions on how to nominate someone are on the webpage, and you can nominate anyone you think is worthy. They request information on where the person lives, what they do for a living, and what athletic achievements they have accomplished. So, if you know an "everyday athlete" who deserves some recognition, head on over and nominate them. The winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine, and may even make the cover.

The Rest of Everest: Episode 90

After a much deserved vacation to Maine, Jon Miller and his traveling companion Scott Jacobs, are back this week with a new episode of The Rest of Everest, continuing their journey through the Himalaya in Nepal and Tibet.

When we last left off, the guys had departed the North Side Base Camp of Everest and were continuing their journey along the Friendship Highway. This episode is entitled The Shortest of the Tallest, which of course refers to Shisha Pangma, the 14th, and "shortest" of the 8000 meter peaks. Shisha makes a prominent appearance this week's show, along with some interesting local species of Tibetan birds, and the wide open expanses of the Tibetan plateau.

After passing through Tong La, a high altitude mountain pass, it's "all down hill" from there. Literally! The guys begin their return trip to Nepal, and eventually home to the United States. But before that happens, we continue to get some great video shots of the region, it's cultural wonders, and it's amazing people.

What Really Happened on K2?

It's been a couple of weeks since the tragic events on K2 gripped the mountaineering world. There have been various reports on those events in the mainstream press, with both the New York and LA TImes, amongst others, taking an ind epth look at what happened. Despite all the media attention however, I have said a number of times that the real story probably won't come out for some time, until someone can take the time to look at the entire picture, interviewing the survivors, the support staff, and the search and rescue teams, and compiling everything into a more complete story.

Apparently I'm not the only one who feels that way, as Rock & Ice Magazine has posted a very interesting article on what we're not reading in all of the reports on K2. Author Fredrick Wilkinson says that there has become an accepted story about what happened high on the slopes of the second tallest mountain on Earth, mostly due to the mainstream press reporting on the story. But he also says that there are some glaring questions that need to be answered, and details that need to be filled in.

For instance, we've been told that after the serac collapsed, the ropes were swept off the mountain at the Bottleneck, trapping climbers on the mountain. But he also notes that four climbers still managed to make their way down, despite the lack of ropes to guide them. While not completely unprecedented, it's still an amazing feat. He also has questions as to who the Nepali and Pakistani climbers were who were killed on the mountain. They've been listed as "porters" or "guides", but due to the general lack of technical climbing skill from these climbers, it's rare to see them in the Karakorum. Furthermore, he calls into question a few discrepancies in Wilco van Rooijen's reports from a recent interview.

The story definitely points out that there is a lot of confusion, even now, as to what happened on K2. Some of that is probably due to media outlets, who don't normally cover mountaineering, over generalizing somewhat. Some of it comes down to just the pure chaos and confusion that comes from a life and death struggle in a remote place. I have a strange feeling though, that when someone does turn an inquisitive eye on these events, that there will be some controversy, not unlike what we saw on Everest in 1996.

Team USN Wins The Bull of Africa

The Bull of Africa 2008 is still underway, but the top two teams have crossed the finish line, with Team USN taking the top spot and McCain Adventure Addicts crossing the finish line in second place, six hours and 15 minutes back.

The 567 km race has taken it's toll on the teams still racing. 42 teams set off from the starting line last saturday, but according to this post over at Checkpoint Zero, four teams have withdrawn from the race and another seven continue racing unranked as this time, for various reasons.

The race will continue until Saturday, with teams having until then to reach the finish line. You'll be able to get continued updates not only from CPZ, but also SleepMonsters and the Bull of Africa Blog.

Trekking Namibia's Wilds

The National Geographic Adventure website has an amazing article up today that follows Rudi Loutit, a conservationist who has worked for over 30 years to save the Black Rhino, as he treks across Namibia to survey the health of the species.

The article, which can be found here, mentions how Rudi, and his now deceased wife Blythe, dedicated their lives to protect the Black Rhino, which was thought on the edge of extinction not all that long ago. Thanks to their efforts, that creature has begun to make a comeback, and the Namibian government is taking steps to insure it has a future by protecting the rhino's lands.

Rudi and Blythe created the Save The Rhino Trust and on a shoestring budget, were able to accomplish a lot. Their efforts were noticed by the Nature Conservancy, who gave Rudi a $100,000 grant to continue his work.

With his funding secured, the former park ranger decided to set out on foot to trek 155 miles across the Namibian desert to get a first hand look at the proposed wildlife refuge, and to see the health of the rhino population their. But, what started out as a one man venture, soon grew into something more, with a reporter, photographer, and a slew of support crew joining the expedition. As if that wasn't bad enough, a billionaire contributor to the Nature Conservancy decided that he, along with his wife and grand child, were also going to join the last stage of the journey, something that doesn't sit all that well with Rudi, who has a bit of a ... erm... prickly personality. ;)

The rest of the article talks about their journey into the wilds of Africa, and what they found there. The amazing 10 day journey was definitely an adventure and a look into how endangered animals can be brought back from the brink. Really a great article, and not to be missed.

Now I want to go back to Africa!

Two Americans Die On The Matterhorn

Two American climbers fell to their deaths on the Matterhorn this past weekend as they descended that mountain under poor weather conditions.

According to this report from The Alpinist, 53 year-old Vince Bousselaire and a 57 year-old female companion, both from Colorado, became separated from three other climbers, and were later found dead. It appears that Bousselaire slipped and fell some 300 feet, while his climbing partner had her rope caught on a rock, but then feel 80 feet to her death as well. The exact nature of the accident remains unknown at this time. The bodies were discovered at 13,100 feet and recovered by a search and rescue team.

Bousseliare is considered an experienced climber who has extensive time in the mountains in his home state. His climbing partner, whose name has not been released just yet, may have a similar climbing history, although her experience is unknown at this time.

The Matterhorn is amongst Europe's most famous and recognizable mountains. It is part of the Alps, and falls on the border of Italy and Switzerland, and stands 14,692 feet in height. The mountain was first summitted back in 1865 in an age when mountaineers were considered famous heroes on the continent. It later became a right of passage for many of Europe's top climbers, and even to this day remains a challenging climb that pulls in people from around the world.

My condolences to the friends and family.