Tour Divide Update: Fatality on the Trail

Sad news from the Tour Divide today, where a report has broken that a rider was killed on the trail last Thursday after running into a truck. It is the first fatality in the the seven years that the event has been held.

Cycling News is reporting that 37-year old David Blumenthal ran into a truck that was traveling towards him on an unpaved road. After being evacuated to a local hospital, near Steamboat Springs, Colorado,  Blumenthal was eventually taken to St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver, where he was later declared dead from severe head injuries.


Apparently, Blumenthal was on one of the numerous remote trails that  make up the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which runs for 2745 miles from Banff in Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, along the U.S.-Mexican border. He was reportedly riding on the wrong side of the narrow trail when he came to a curve in the road and couldn't see the truck coming down the other side. Although rescue teams were able to get to him within 20-30 minutes of the accident, it wasn't soon enough to save his life. 


This is a sad story, as anyone who follows the Tour Divide knows that the route is very quite remote. It seems like a very odd set of circumstances that would lead to a tragedy like this one. My condolences to David's friends and family.


Thanks to the GoBlog for the tip on this one. 

Climbing and Skiing 2 million vertical feet in 2010

I mentioned Greg Hill once before, way back in in February when he was a recipient of a Polartec Challenge Grant. Greg is in the midst of a very busy year, as he has set a goal for himself to climb and ski 2 million vertical feet this year, and he has been tackling all kinds of peaks in the process. He has also been filming much of his adventure, and he even managed to slow down long enough to conduct an interview with ESPN.

Greg's website says he currently stands at 916,448 feet as we sit at the mid-point of the year, so obviously he has some work ahead of him yet this year. But in the ESPN article it says that he plans to be on the snow for more than 270 days this year, so he still has plenty of opportunities. The article also points out that he once skied 51,100 vertical feet in a single day, so given the right conditions, he can obviously take off large chunks at any given time.

Check out Greg on several of his mountains in the video below. Then stop and think about how much 2 million vertical feet really is. That's a lot of altitude.

Tour 2010: Notes on Le Tour

We're now just a few days away from the official start of the 2010 Tour de France, which will get underway on Saturday with an 8.9km (5.5 mile) prologue in Rotterdam. Following that fast and furious start, things will really get interesting, as Stage 1 is a 223.5km (138.8 mile) ride from Rotterdam to Brussels in celebration of Eddy Merckx's 65th birthday. While traditionally these opening stages are tailor made for the sprinters to shine, the high winds that are expected across the Belgian countryside could tear the peloton apart, and contenders had better not get caught out if their is a split.

Things don't get much easier on Stage 2, which is 201km (124.8 mile) ride from Brussels to Spa that will offer a few climbs to test the riders early on. While none of the big names, such as Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, or Lance Armstrong will falter on those hills, they will eliminate the sprinters from contention early on. Generally speaking some fairly obscure rider takes the Yellow Jersey in the first week and holds on to it until the real mountain stages appear later in the Tour.

Riders shouldn't take Stage 3 for granted either, as it features more than 13km (8 miles) of riding over the always tricky cobblestones. Most of the riders hate the stages that pass over cobblestone roads, as they are rough to ride on and can be quite tricky. More than one rider has crashed on those roads, ending their tour early.

The tale of the tape for this year's tour includes one prologue, nine flat stages, six mountain stages (including three summit finishes) with 25 category 1, 2 or higher climbs. There are also two rest days built into the schedule as well, and eleven towns that are new to the Tour this year.

Outside Online has posted a few interesting tidbits to keep in mind heading into the tour as well. They have an article entitled Rules of the Road that offers six items to be aware of as the race unfolds, including top Twitter accounts to follow, thoughts on the Green Jersey, and more.

Finally, a few days back, Lance Armstrong announced on his Twitter feed this will indeed be his final Tour de France. Sure, we've heard that from Lance before, but I have a feeling that he really means it this time. He has also confirmed that he'll be riding in the Leadville 100 on August 14th, because he didn't stomp the course well enough last year.

That's it for now. Expect more Tour updates in the next few days, and of course regular coverage once the race is underway. It is shaping up to be a fun one to watch.

Solo Sailing Update: Abby's Home, Wants To Sail Again!

Yesterday Abby Sunderland finally arrived back in the U.S. after meeting up with her brother Zac on the appropriately named Reunion Island on Saturday. The teen sailor, who lost her ship to a storm in the Indian Ocean back on June 10th, took the opportunity to fully address the media for the first time, says that she is not done sailing, although she has other things in mind for her immediate future - namely getting her driver's license.

Abby used her forum with the media yesterday to set the record straight on a number of issues, describing the storm in more detail and correcting some misconceptions about what happened. She said that the storm was not an especially bad one, and was what she expected being in the Southern Ocean during the winter. She also said that her boat, the Wild Eyes, was not knocked down as was reported widely in the media, including here in this blog. Instead, a rogue wave hit her boat as the storm was actually dissipating, and it was that wave that snapped her mast, stranding her at sea.

Abby reiterated that she is very proud of her accomplishments despite the outcome, and that she does plan to attempt to circumnavigate the globe again, but not for a couple of years. Instead, she wants to get back to normal life, going to school, hanging out with friends, and so on.

Meanwhile, Abby does have a new brother, as her mom gave birth to Paul-Louis Sunderland, who weighed in at 8 lbs., 9 oz, yesterday morning. The child is the 8th of the Sunderland kids, and was named for the French captain who's fishing boat came to Abby's rescue. There is no word yet when Paul-Louis will begin his circumnavigation attempt. ;)

Steps To The Summit - Step 15: Patience

Today's Step to the Summit offers us another valuable lesson that we should all keep in mind when working towards our goal, whether that is summitting Everest or conquering some other literal or figurative mountain. The subject of the video is patience, and Expedition Hanesbrands team leader Jaime Clarke reminds us that in order to reach our goals, we'll need a healthy dose of it.

Jamie notes that it is very easy to be caught up in the pursuit of our goals and that because of that, we can also burn out in that pursuit. The goal can be all consuming at times, and it is important to take a break, take a look around, and enjoy the journey. It makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable and the completion of the goal that much more satisfying as well.

Amazing Video Details Mt. Shasta Climb

A few months back I posted a beautiful video that captured a seven day hike on the John Muir Trail. The video was filmed and edited by Ryan Commons, and at 40 minutes in length, it was a spectacular look at one of the best hikes in North America, if not the world.

Ryan has returned with another amazing video, this time offering us a wonderful look at what it takes to climb Mt. Shasta, the 14,179 foot tall snow capped volcanic peak located in California's Cascade Mountains. This video is 20 minutes long and is amazing not only for the great scenery, but the practical information you can gain from watching it. If you're planning a trip up Shasta, or want insights into mountaineering in general, you'll enjoy this video for sure.


Summiting the Volcano, Mt. Shasta California from Ryan Commons on Vimeo.

Tour Divide Update: Mathew Lee Wins Again!

The 2010 Tour Divide is still in full swing, but it appears that we have our first rider to cross the finish line today, with former champ Matthew Lee claiming victory once again. The details are still a bit sketchy at this point, and the Tour's blog is still being updated, but it seems that Lee reached Antelope Wells, NM sometime this morning.

The Tour Divide is the longest mountain bike race in the world, beginning in Banff, Alberta, Canada and running the length of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, a distance of about 2745 miles. This year's race began back on June 11, and now 19 days later, the first rider is home. While we still don't have Matthew's official time, you can quickly figure out that he had to average roughly 145 miles per day to complete the race this quickly. That's riding on trail that varies from single track to jeep roads, and stretches through some extremely wild areas and up and down mountain passes. Riders gain nearly 200,000 feet of altitude throughout the length of the course.

Apparently the victory wasn't assured for Lee even as recently as yesterday when he was sitting in a McDonald's in Silver City, enjoying a tasty burger while keeping an eye on his bike. Much to his surprise, someone walked up to his ride, looked him directly in the eye, then promptly hopped on and took it for a spin. A chase ensued, and the offender was eventually caught, and the bike returned to Lee, who was able to continue on his merry way. Turns out, not even a thief can keep him from winning the TD!

Congrats to Matthew on another fantastic ride! And what does he get for his big win? Absolutely nothing! Riders in the Tour Divide do it just for the fun of it, which seems to make it even better.

The World Tri: A 12,000 Mile Long Triathlon

Now here is a very cool expedition for you. Adventurer Charlie Wittmack is setting out on what he calls his "World Tri" today, which will incorporate all the elements of a standard triathlon, and in the same order, but on a much larger scale.


Charlie will begin in London, where he'll swim down the River Thames, then across the English Channel to France. Once safely on the other side of the Channel, he'll get on his bike and ride to Calcutta, India, where he'll then proceed on foot to Nepal, up the Khumbu Valley, and attempt to climb Mt. Everest. All told, the journey is expected to cover more than 12,000 miles through 13 countries, over the span of about 11 months. If all goes as expected, he'll be making a summit bid on Everest in May of next year. 


Wittmack is no stranger to adventurous pursuits. He successfully climbed Everest back in 2003, and attempted to swim across the English Channel back in 2008. On that attempt he had to be pulled from the water mid-swim due to the cold conditions. This time he is wearing a wetsuit to help keep him warm on his swim. 


The World Tri isn't just about the adventure however, as Charlie is on the expedition to help raise awareness of a couple of causes in the Health and Education area. The first of those causes is the incredible maternal mortality rate in Nepal, where a woman is 100 times more like to die during childbirth than here in the U.S. When the expedition reaches Kathmandu, a team of doctors and students will provide clinics to help educate local women on steps the can take to be safer and more healthy. In the field of Education, Charlie is working with the Adventure Institute to develop a year long curriculum program to help bring learning communities together, allowing students and educators to share in the experience.


Charlie, along with his wife and son, let out for the London today, and he is expected to begin his swim in the River Thames tomorrow. Hopefully everything will go well, and he'll complete the swim leg of his triathlon without issue. If not, he says he'll continue on no matter what, but it shouldn't be too long before he's on his bike and peddling his way toward India. 

Everest Base Camp Trek: The Gear!

Frequent readers of my blog know that I enjoy testing and writing about new gear, which is why today's post on Gadling about my trek to Everest Base Camp was an enjoyable one to write. The story offers some information on the gear that you'll want to take with you on the trek, offering up some insights and suggestions on what I found worked for me.

I know that my audience here on the Adventure Blog is far more outdoor/adventure oriented than the usual Gadling crowd, and the article was written with that in mind. Much of what I wrote there will likely come across as basic info for many of you, but you might find some useful stuff none the less. I even recommend some specific gear that I took that worked out very well for me.

Selecting the proper gear for the trek isn't always an easy thing to do. As I mentioned in the article, after you spend thousands of dollars on the trip, throwing airfare into the mix as well, you may look to cut corners on your equipment in an effort to save some cash. In theory, that sounds like a good idea, but if you end up with sub-par gear, you'll probably regret it later. For instance, the example I use in the story is that a number of my fellow trekkers ignored the suggestions for bringing 4-season sleeping bags and ended up paying for it. We were only a day or two into the trek when they began asking for extra blankets to pile on at night, as the teahouses, which remain largely unheated outside of the common room, can get quite cold over night.

I aslo note that purchasing the gear for the trek can add up very quickly, but of course if you buy quality gear, it'll last you for many trips, and will be an investment on future adventures. Similarly, many of us already have full gear closets, so we only need to pick up an item or two here and there before we go.

The real message I was trying to convey however is that your gear can have a direct impact on how much you enjoy the trip and how challenging it is to complete. A bad pair of boots, for example, can make life on the trail a living hell. The lesson is to choose wisely, shop for bargains, but get good quality stuff. Saving a few bucks now is asking for trouble later.

New 24-hour Distance Record Set By Kite-Skiers

Eric McNair-Landry and Sebastian Copeland recently completed a kite-skiing expedition across Greenland, taking 43-days to complete the journey, which ended on June 22. Along the way, they managed to harness some amazingly strong winds, and set a new record for most distance covered on skis in a single day. 

Back on June 6, following a day of already high powered winds, the pair decided to go after the distance record, which had been held by Norwegian Hugo Rolf Hansen, who once covered 505km (313 miles) in one day. Eric and Sebastian broke out their kites, and decided to see just how far the wind could take them, and by the end of their day, which was extended thanks to the midnight sun, they had covered an astounding 595km (370 miles). 

When they had finished, the two men were exhausted. Copeland reportedly slept for 13 hours, while his tent mate went for another two beyond that. In the end, it was just one small element of their long journey, but still very impressive none-the-less.


Thanks to The Adventure Life for the news on this very cool story. 

Greenland Trailer

Sebastian Copeland | MySpace Video

Karakorum 2010: Bad weather on K2, Teams into C2 on Broad Peak

More teams are now en route to K2, while those already on the mountain have gone up to Camp 1 and are reporting bad weather in the region.

Fredrik Ericsson posted a new update over the weekend with the news that he and his teammate Trey Cook have gone up to Camp 1, and had actually been planning on making the acclimatization trek up to C2, but weather conditions turned for the worse, so the pair have now made the descent, by ski no less, back to BC. They reported high winds and blowing snow, and thought better of pushing it up to C2 at this point.

Meanwhile, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner called her home team today to let them know that she is well into her trek to K2 BC. She, and her team, are expected to reach the Baltoro Glacier tomorrow, and will most likely be in camp on Friday. If everything goes as expected, and she makes a successful summit on this very temperamental mountain, Gerlinde would become the first woman to climb all of the 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen.

The Field Touring Alpine Team is hoping to pull off a Karakorum double-header, nabbing both Broad Peak and K2. The team managed to fix the ropes up to C2 on Broad Peak over the weekend, and they are now in the midst of their acclimatization process, with everyone taking a turn at sleeping in Camp 1. The team is being led by Fabrizio Zangrilli, and counts Meagan McGrath as part of the team, as well as Brian Block, who is sending out audio dispatches to his blog. Brian is the owner of Ames Adventure Outfitters and a former Iowa Boy like myself.

Finally, Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen were making attempt on Broad Peak today, but were turned back due to heavy snow. The pair went has high as Camp 3 before resting, and then were prepared to make their summit bid, but got just another 200 meters up the mountain before they decided to turn back. Reportedly they were wading through waist deep snow and new that, at least for today, the summit was out of reach. They have now returned to Base Camp, and will await better conditions. 

Want To Go To Expedition School?

Explorer and adventurer Mark Kalch has put together a cool, innovative program designed to help other potential  explorers get their expeditions off the ground, and in August he'll be holding a seminar in the south of France with that very goal in mind.

The Expedition School, as it is called, will run from August 20-22, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of France, near Bordeaux. Over the course of the three days, participants will sharpen their rafting and mountain trekking skills, while also learning how to craft a letter to potential sponsors, use both still and video cameras to document their journey, and select the right gear for their needs. The school will also be a place to foster ideas, share thoughts, and network with other adventurers, all of whom are considering similar expeditions of their own.


The price for the program is £295 with the camping option or £365 to stay in a twin share room. That includes all the activities you'll be taking part in, and your meals for the very active weekend as well. 


Kalch will impart his wisdom he has has gained through his own expeditions. Back in 2007 he was part of a team that went the length of the Amazon River on rafts, source to sea, through Peru and Brazil, and he recently completed a solo trek north to south across Iran. I'm sure he's learned quite a bit on those types of adventures, and will have plenty to share with his "students".


This sounds like a really cool program, and one that could be potentially very useful for anyone planning their own expedition, but could use a little help and experience to point them in the right direction. Anyone planning on attending? 

Steps To The Summit - Step 14: Test Yourself

The message of today's Step to the Summit is a simple one. Test yourself before you go for your goals, what ever they may be, so you're aware of your own strengths and weaknesses ahead of time.

In the case of the Hanesbrand Team's recent climb of Everest, that early test came on the Himalayan peak of Pumori, where they tested their gear, team chemistry, and skills months before they attempted Everest. By doing so, they were able to make corrections as needed and the process helped to result in a successful summit of Everest this past spring.

Team leader Jamie Clarke gives another example of how to apply this lesson, using the goal of running a 10k instead. He says that before you run that distance, you'll train over shorter distances, but might test yourself on a 3k time trial, in which you'll run at a faster pace than you expect, you'll test your food strategies, and determine if your shoes will work for you. The lessons you learn from that process will help you prepare for the real event later on.

Crazy Whitewater On The Payette River in Idaho

As we all start to wind down our week and head into what is hopefully a fun and relaxing weekend, I thought I'd share a great kayaking video, this time coming from the North Fork of the Payette River in Idaho.

In the video, the river is experiencing record high waters, and as a result, you get some of the wildest whitewater you'll find just about anywhere. When kayaks are being pushed sideways, at high speeds, you know the water is rough. This looks like a lot of (scary) fun!


WildWater North Fork Payette Teaser from Anson Fogel on Vimeo.

Russians Challenge Norwegians In North Pole Circumnavigation Race

A few weeks back I posted a story about how Norwegian explorers Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson were preparing to attempt to circumnavigate the North Pole by sailing through both the Northeast and Northwest Passages. Now, ExWeb is saying that they may have some competition in the race to become the first people to achieve that feat. 


According to the story, a Russian crew set off on the exact same day as Børge and Thorleif on their own circumnavigation attempt. The Russian's are sailing in a 60-foot long sailing ship called the Peter 1, which is captained by Daniel Gavrilov and his crew of six. 


The Peter 1 first sailed to Grimstad in Norway to chat with Trond Aasvoll, a Norwegian sailor who has already braved the Northeast Passage. After gaining valuable insights into the Passage, they then set sail along the Norwegian coastline and are making their way to Murmansk, the Russian city that serves as the check-in point for their first challenge, the Northeast Passage. 


If all goes as planned, both crews will sail through the region in August, and exit in time for the opening of the Northwest Passage, which has traditionally been in September the past few years. The conditions of both waterways will be important for the teams though, as while the Russian ship is designed to be more stable int he water and resist impacts better, the Norwegian vessel is small, fast, and light, and was built with the intention of flitting through the water with more agility. 


This expedition was already interesting enough, and now we have a good old fashioned boat race. A little good natured competition between the crews might be kind of fun to watch. It'll be interesting to see who gets to the finish line first. 

The 2010 Gobi March Begins This Weekend!

The 2010 edition of the Gobi March is set to get underway this weekend, with more than 150 ultra-runners from around the globe descending on Urumqi, China to begin a week long stage race through the grueling environment of the Gobi Desert. 


The Gobi March is part of Racing The Planet's 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons. This one takes place in far western China in the city-oasis of Turpan, in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Each day will mark a stage of the race, with runners setting out in the morning carrying the supplies they will need for the day. The weather is traditionally quite warm, and dry, as you might expect from a desert race, and back in 2005, it actually reached 122ºF on one of the stages. 


At the end of each stage, the competitors will rest for the night in a tent city that is constructed for them by the race organizers. They'll have food, water and shelter while there, but once they hit the trail, it is up to them to make their way between checkpoints carrying their own gear and navigating through the open desert. The top competitors will finish the all six stages in a combined time of roughly 25 hours, but the bulk of the pack will be much further back than that. Day in and day out, this can be quite a difficult event, as the participants are essentially running nearly a marathon each day, in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.

Maybe while their out there, they'll bump into Ripley Davenport. (And yes, I do know he's in Mongolia!)

Steps To The Summit - Step 13: Rise and Fall

I got a chuckle out of today's Steps to the Summit video because I could totally relate to what Expedition Hanesbrands team leader Jamie Clarke's topic. The focus of this edition of the series is on the rises and falls that you deal with while working towards your goal. As Jamie says, they are part of the journey, sometimes you'll be moving upwards, and sometimes down, but ultimately, you're still moving, and your end goal, no matter what that might be, is getting closer.

The example that he uses in today's video is of the trek to Everest Base Camp. He talks about how you'll fly into Lukla and then immediately start moving down, and then, over the course of the trek a pattern will emerge, in which you'll climb steep trails up into the mountains, only to descend again. There are times when you think, "Why are we going down?", because you know that you're going to have to go back up again. I know I thought that a number of times throughout the trek. Of course, it is all about the acclimatization process and the slow, but steady progression toward EBC. But listening to Jaime describe it here brought those feelings back, and I couldn't help but laugh. I can totally relate to what he's saying. :)

The Best Backpack for Two Hours or Two Months

Sierra Magazine posted a nice little story listing their selections for their favorite backpacks, whether you're hitting the trail for two hours, two days, two weeks, or two months.

They start off their list with a daypack from ChicoBag called the DayPack rePETe. It comes in 15 and 20 liter varieties, sports a couple of bottle holders, and enough room for lunch and not much more, but is also made out of 95% recycled materials.  Cost: $20

The selection for a two day back is a bit more conventional, with the Talus pack from JanSport earning the nod. This is a 35 liter pack that adds a few more frills such as hydration sleeve, trekking pole holders, and plenty of storage for an overnight in the woods. Cost: $120

There is a significant jump up to the next packs, the Baltoro 70 and Deva 70 from Gregory, which would offer plenty of space and options for a two week long trek through the Himalaya or just about anywhere else. These are the full on, real deal, travel packs for active escapes. They have pretty much all the features you would expect, including hydration, suspension systems, and massive 70 liters of storage.  Cost: $290

Finally, the two month option goes to the durable and versatile Arc'teryx Altra models. Like everything from Arc'teryx, they are pricey, but amazingly high quality too. This is a big, 75 liter pack that can get you through the long haul anywhere. It's also well regarded for it's comfort and ability to carry a load. Cost: $400.

There are some cool packs on the list, but I'm still a bit partial to the offerings from Osprey. What are your picks for these packs? Any good suggestions?

Karakorum 2010: Summits on Nanga Parbat

Earlier today, Explorers Web reported that the first summits of the season took place on Nanga Parbat yesterday when Polish climbers Artur Hajzer and Robert Szymczak reached the summit at 1:30 PM local time. 


But from the sounds of it, it was anything but an easy climb. ExWeb goes on to say that it took more than 15 hours for the duo to reach the summit, as they battled heavy winds and snow most of the way. It would take the duo another 10 hours to return to their high camp, giving them an exhausting 25 hour round trip. 


Following the successful summit, there was a bit of a tense period, as Artur and Robert's teammates in C3 waited anxiously for news from them. Fortunately, the weather cleared yesterday evening, and they could be spotted on the descent through binoculars. The two climbers would later check in from C4, and were expected back in BC today, although heavy snow is keeping them in either Camp 2 or 3 for the evening. 


Nanga Parbat is a 8126 meter (26,660 foot) tall peak located in the far western end of Pakistan's Karakorum Range. The mountain represents a significant climbing challenge under the best of conditions, and battling bad weather only adds to the difficulty. I can't imagine the stamina that these two men must have to enable them to summit this mountain and get back to camp safely after a 25 hour marathon. Simply amazing.


Congrats to Artur and Robert on a job well done. 

National Geographic Joins the Pangaea Expedition

For nearly two years now Mike Horn has been out exploring the globe as part of his Pangaea Expedition. The project has been his dream for a long time, and back in 2008, he set it all in motion as a way of getting young people from around the world engaged in actively learning about our impact on the environment, and some of the remote and wild spaces that we all know and love. Horn even built a state of the art ship, called the Pangaea, to carry him on his adventures, which so far have ranged from the South Africa to the Antarctica, to Thailand and the South Pacific, and beyond. The journey is scheduled to continue through 2012 as well. 

Currently, Mike is in the Karalorum in Pakistan, where he and some young explorers are making a trek through the Baltoro region. The month long excursion will visit a number of mountain base camps along the way, with the team spending time in each, cleaning up their surroundings. 

National Geographic Adventure recently caught up with the group, and will be following them very closely over the next week or so, when the expedition is expected to come to an end. There will be daily updates on the NG Adventure Blog, starting with today's entry, which serves as an introduction to the project and includes the video below.

I've read a bit about this project over the past couple of weeks, and I think it is a very cool idea. The young adventurers that are currently with Mike in the Karakorum are certainly getting the chance to do amazing things there, and getting to see some of the most stunning scenery on the planet.

Alex Honnold Sets New Half Dome and El Cap Speed Records

Both The Adventure Life and The Goat are reporting today that rock climber Alex Honnold has set new speed records on Half Dome and El Capitan in Yosemite, going up both the regular Northwest Face Route as well as the Nose on the two faces respectively.

Honnold began his assault on the record books by scaling the Northwest Face route on Half Dome in just 2 hours and 9 minutes, which shaves 41 minutes off the old record. He then proceeded to go directly to the Nose on El Cap,  which he scaled in just under six hours, giving him a new record for the combined climb of both routes. Essentially, he did them in just 8 hours total. Amazing!

Honnold's climbing buddy Ueli Steck was on hand to observe the proceedings. Apparently the two are still planning on making a speed attempt on the Nose as well, although we haven't had a lot of updates on their progress in the past month. That record currently stands at 2 hours 37 minutes and was set last October by Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayma.

The Western States 100 is Saturday

The Western States 100, one of the oldest and most challenging ultra-trail runs in the world, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, when competitors will depart from the Squaw Valley ski resort and run 100 miles along the Western States Trail, before ending in Auburn, California. 


Each year the event attracts some of the best ultra-runners from around the globe, who come to run one of the toughest trails around. The race begins on the Squaw Valley floor, which is located at 6200 feet, with the first leg running up more than 2550 feet of vertical gain to Emigrant Pass, which is at 8750 feet. That all takes place in just the first 4.5 miles, from there it's just another 95.5 miles to the finish line. 


The route runs through remote backcountry with plenty of elevation gains, both up and down. In total, the racers will gain more than 18,000 feet while descending more than 23,000. It is a brutal run through some stunning scenery, but despite the distance and demanding trails, the trop male runners will finish in about 16 hours, while the ladies will begin coming across the finish line in about 18 hours. 


These runners are simply amazing. This is one grueling event, but they manage to cover the 100 miles of trail none-the-less. And what do they get for finishing the event? A belt buckle! But it just might be the most coveted belt buckle in the entire endurance sports world. 

Everest Base Camp Trek: Preparing For The Trail

Today's edition of my "Himalayan High" series over at Gadling focuses on physically preparing for the trek to Everest Base Camp. It is my philosophy that in order to get the most out of a trip of this kind, you need to be as prepared as possible ahead of time. I don't want to not enjoy myself while on the journey because I'm miserable and struggling to make the hike. With that in mind, I put together some ideas on how to prepare if you want to make the journey for yourself.

As I stated in the Gadling post, I'm an avid runner. Most weeks I run at least five to six times, averaging in the neighborhood of five miles a run. That gave me a good base from which to start my preparation, as I felt that I already had a good level of cardio. But, in order to get even more prepared, I added some hills to my workout. Living in Austin, Texas, I'm not very far above sea level, and can't train at altitude. But we do have plenty of hills, so I came up with a six mile route that was intense to say the least. When I arrived in the Himalaya though, I was happy for all the work I did ahead of time.

Of course, you don't have to be a runner to enjoy the trek, and in fact, you probably don't have to prepare at all if you don't want to. But the preparation will probably save you a lot of pain and suffering on the trail and help you to enjoy your experience there that much more. Other suggestions I had for physically preparing were to take good, long, brisk walks, preferably wearing a pack with a similar load that you'll be carrying. Cycling and swimming are also great alternatives too, as is just about anything that gets your cardio working.

I would also say that there are certain things that you can never prepare for, no matter what you do. For example, altitude. It is a concern on some levels for nearly everyone, and unless you already live at altitude, you'll likely have to deal with it on some level. On my trek, we all had our issues to some degree or another, with a number of people having to use Diamox to stay healthy. Most of us suffered from headaches that ranged form a minor irritation all the way up to a pounding thud that stuck with the person all day long. Fortunately for myself, I really didn't have too many problems, although I did have issues sleeping, which after 12 days on the trail can really take its toll on you. The best you can do when it comes to altitude is to go slow, take your time, rest often, and drink plenty of water. Even doing that however, we still had two people in our group that couldn't complete the trek to BC.

A trip to Everest is an expensive one, even if you're just making the trek, and I'd hate to see someone go and not be able to reach their planned destination. By working a little harder before you go, you can make sure that it's a more enjoyable and successful trip when you get there. It might allow you to enjoy the scenery a bit more too, when you're not hunched over gasping for air. ;)

Trekking to the Lost City in Colombia

By now you would think I would know better than to surf on by the Best Hike blog. More than once editor Rick McCharles has added something new to my "life list" of must do treks, and today is no different.

A couple of days back Rick posted the video below that shows of an amazing multi-day trek that I hadn't heard of, but is now very much on my radar. The five day long, 50km hike, takes you through remote mountains and jungles in Colombia to visit the sacred city of Tayuna. The trek cannot be made independently, and service is offered by Sierra Tours. For more information, checkout Best Hike's page dedicated to the trek. 


Check out the amazing video below, and then lets start planning our trip!


The Lost City with Sierra Tours from GetUp&Go Films on Vimeo.

VholdR Becomes Official Cam of X Games

The VholdR HD has become the official helmet cam provider for the ESPN Summer and Winter X Games, where their ContourHD will capture all the intense action in high definition. The plan is for the top action athletes to be outfitted with these incredibly small and lightweight cameras, with the footage from the event being uploaded to the VholdR website during the events.

I first wrote about the CountourHD nearly two-and-a-half years ago, and since that time it has evolved into one of the best helmet cams on the market. The device has a variety of mountain brackets that allow you to lock it into place on your helmet, handlebars, vehicle, or just about anywhere else. It weighs in at just 4.3 ounces and shoots 1080p HD at 30 frames per second. Additionally, it has been designed to take punishment. The camera has an armored body that helps protect it when you're mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, or what ever.

I mentioned back in 2007 that I thought that this looks like a really amazing device for capturing our outdoor escapades, and it seems that it has only gotten better since then. I love the design, and it seems to have a number of nice touches that really make it stand out from some of the competing products. I'm hoping to get my hands on one to review, so stay tuned.

Nat Geo Adventure Interviews Edurne Pasaban

The National Geographic Adventure Blog has another great interview posted today, this time with Edurne Pasaban, who reached the summit of both Annapurna and Shisha Pangma this past spring to become the second woman to climb each of the fourteen 8000 meter peaks. South Korean Oh Eun-Sun was the first woman to do so, topping out on Annapurna three weeks earlier.

In the interview, Edurne, who is from the Basque region of Spain, talks about how she got started climbing (it's a Basque tradition!), the challenges of transitioning to a professional climber, and the downside of spending nine years of your life chasing the 8000 meter peaks. She also talks about her worst experience on the mountain, which was on the descent of K2 where she actually told her team to leave her behind, as well as what it meant to her as a woman to reach her goals.

Perhaps of most interest to those who have followed her exploits is Edurne's take on her sometimes rival Oh Eun-Sun. When Oh summitted Annapurna, and became the first woman on the 14-er list, Edurne actually issued a protest on Oh's summit of Kangchenjunga, saying that several Sherpas that were along on the expedition say that the Korean woman didn't go all the way to the top due to bad weather. In this interview, Edurne acknowledges that Oh was first, but says that she still needs to offer some proof of her summit to put an end to the dispute.

She goes on to say however, that climbing legend Reinhold Messner told her the most important thing is that two women have now climbed all of those 8000 meter peaks, and that they both did it within a month of one another. It truly is a great accomplishment for both of these ladies.

A very nice interview with a great climber.

Karakorum 2010: Teams Reaching K2 Base Camp

It seems that things are about to get very interesting on K2, the world's second tallest peak. It may be some 800 feet shorter than Everest, but it is orders of magnitude more difficult to climb. Still, there are a slate of experienced and talented climbers that are hoping to stand on top of what is considered by many to be the "mountaineer's mountain".
The Base Camp at K2 has gotten its first inhabitants, with Fredrik Ericsson and Trey Cook arriving yesterday. The pair intends to make a ski descent of the mountain later this year, and have slowly been making their way along the trekking route to BC. According to the most recent update on their blog, it took 19 porters to get all of their gear into place, but they are still missing some of their gear, which they left behind in Hushe when they were unable to find enough porters to carry it all. They're hoping it will be delivered in the near future however.

Fredrik and Trey took their time in reaching Base Camp in part because they were acclimatizing along the way, but also because they went along a different route than the typical trek across the Baltoro Glacier. They also took some time to attempt a climb, and ski descent,  on Laila Peak, a steep 20,000 foot mountain in the region. They gave up on a summit bid due to the high risk of avalanches however, and they are now happy to be at K2, and preparing for the tough climb ahead.

They won't be alone in BC for long as ExWeb is reporting that Giuseppe Pompili's team will be arriving either today or tomorrow following a crossing of the Gondogoro La pass, the same route that Fredrik and Trey took in. The Field Touring Alpine Team, which includes Meagan McGrath, should be reaching BC today as well. They have a second group that is lagging behind some, but will be joining them in the days ahead. 


Other teams are in various stages of their approach as well, with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner arriving in Pakistan over the weekend. She is hoping to become the first woman to nab all 14 8000 meter peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen. She has just the daunting task of summitting K2 ahead of her to completing that task. 


Kinga Baranowska is also on her way after catching a flight to Skardu. She notes this is the first time that she's ever flown into the town and usually makes the journey via the Krakorum Highway, which takes upwards of 30 hours to complete. I'm sure she's enjoying being there without already being exhausted. 


Stay tuned for more from the mountain soon. 

Steps To The Summit - Step 12: Overcoming Rejection

One of the lesser known aspects of mountaineering, at least with the general public, is all the work that climbers put into finding sponsors to help them accomplish their goals and allow them to go on the expeditions. Most of us don't have all the money we need to self fund our own adventures, so if we're going to achieve our goals, we often need a little help. That's part of the topic in todays Step to the Summit, which discusses overcoming rejection.

Expedition Hanesbrands team leader Jaime Clarke talks about the process, and how he and his team had to get use to hearing the word "no" a lot. He describes how he had to learn to not take that answer personally, and to not be discouraged by the rejections. Instead, he focused on learning something from those rejections, figuring out why the potential sponsors passed on the opportunity, and working to correct that in the future. If you're going to achieve your gaol, whether it is climbing Everest or inventing some new product, you'll have to overcome the rejections, and learn to keep moving forward towards your end point.

This is a good lesson in today's economic climate. Sponsorships are certainly at a premium at the moment, which is making it difficult for expeditions to get any kind of funding. But things are improving, the future looks bright, and sooner or later, those "no" answers will turn to "yes".

Another Young Mountaineer Climbs For A Cause

We've all marveled at the stories of Jordan Romero, who at the age of 13 became the youngest to summit Everest last month. Last week, Mountain Hardware introduced their newest, and youngest, sponsored athlete, in the form of 12-year old climber Matt Moniz. Even at that tender age, Matt has already managed to successfully summit Denali, Whitney, and Mt. Elbert, the tallest peak in the Rocky Mountains. Even more amazing, he did all three of those in just eight days!  He has also been up Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, and Elbrus, and made the trek to Everest Base Camp as well.

While Matt clearly loves to climb, and doesn't lack skills in that department either, he also is climbing for a cause. He hopes to raise funds for research on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Matt's best friend, Iain Hess, suffers from PAH, and the young climber hoped to dedicate his expeditions toward helping his pal in any way that he could. 


Last year in July, Matt set out to climb 14 of Colorado's 14ers in just 14 days, and in the process he raised $20,000 for his cause. It helped to establish the Iain Hess Breathe Easy Fund. Turns out, it only took Matt and his team, 8 days to bag those peaks. 


This is a great example of a young adventurer who seems to love what he is doing, and has a good cause that he is trying to support. I loved this story when I read it, and thought it was worth sharing here too. Great story!

The Best Gear to take on a Polar Expedition

Swedish polar explorer Mikael Strandberg has been keeping a blog over at WideWorld Magazine, which covers all manner of interesting topics, including monkey sex. But his most recent posting offers some insights into the ten pieces of gear that he would take with him on any polar expedition.

Some of Mikael's favorite items for a journey into cold climes include an assortment of gloves, a down jacket, and thermal underwear, which is the item that comes in first on his list, which should tell you something.

Looking over his selection of gear, there are no major surprises, but it is interesting to read Mikael's impressions of what makes certain items useful and important, and what he would like to see improved in the future. Conversely, some of his items, such as an axe, are just one of those tried and true tools that are useful in many situations.

Strandberg has quite a resume of adventure under his belt, beginning his career as a long distance cyclist. going from Chile to Alaska on one trip, then following it up with rides from New Zealand to Cairo, and Norway to South Africa. He's also traveled through Patagonia on horseback, walked 1000km through East Africa, and more. One of his legendary polar expeditions was a 3500km journey down the Kolyma River, located in Siberia, on skis and canoe. 

Looking to try out adventure racing? Live in Wisconsin?

Adventure racing is one of those sports that you really have to try for yourself to totally understand what it's all about. But, unfortunately, it can also be a bit intimidating, since you need plenty of gear, and the various disciplines can be tough to balance in your training. Of course, the best way to give it AR a try for the first time is to jump into a beginner's race, but those can be few and far between, as race organizers seem to want to find new and unusual ways to punish their regular teams.

For beginner adventure racers living in or around southern Wisconsin, I have good news for you. Fat Otter Adventure Sports is preparing to launch their first ever SPOLKA race near Prairie du Sac, WI. The race will have teams of two (men, women, coed) or three (coed only), running, paddling, and mountain biking through the lovely Wisconsin backcountry. The legs of the race are expected to be roughly a 4-mile paddle, a 10-30 mile ride, and a 3-10 mile run, with the promise of plenty of beer and brats at the finish line of this sprint class race.

The SPOLKA will take place on July 31st and is expected to run 3-6 hours in length. The race is designed for competitors of all skill levels, but is geared towards beginners hoping to get a feel for what adventure racing is all about. For instance, the race will allow beginners to find all checkpoints while staying on a trail, keeping the confusing and challenging orienteering out of the equation, at least for now.

This looks like a really fun event, and if I were headed home to Iowa for the summer, I might plan on trying to attend. Instead, it looks like I might be in the Florida Everglades that weekend, but this certainly looks like a great opportunity for budding adventure racers in the Midwest.

Tour 2010: Team Radio Shack Announced

We're now just about ten days away from the start of the Tour de France, one of my absolute favorite times of the year. (Seriously, it's better than Christmas!) Over the course of the next week or so, we'll likely begin to see more and more Tour previews, predictions, and of course profiles of Lance Armstrong, who will be going after his 8th victory in the world's biggest cycling event, at the venerable age of 38.

Lance's Team RadioShack announced their starting line-up today, and there weren't any major surprises really. The team has been built to give Lance the best opportunities to contend in the race, with a number of big names helping him to that goal. The nine person squad will consist of Andreas Kloden (Ger), Levi Leipheimer (USA), Chris Horner (USA), Janez Brajikovic (Slo), Sergio Paulinho (Por), Yaroslav Popvych (Ukr), Gregory Rast (Swi) and Dmitriy Muravyez (Kaz), and Armstrong of course. 


This year's race will get underway from the city of Rotterdam, located in the Netherlands, on Saturday, July 3rd, with an 8.9km (5.5 mile) prologue through the city center. This is the first time in three years that the Tour has begun with a prologue, and the real racing will get underway on Sunday, July 4th, with a 223.8km (138.8 miles) sprint from Rotterdam to Brussels in celebration of the 65th birthday of cycling's greatest rider, Eddy Merckx.


The real interest in this year's race will likely be the showdown between Lance and Alberto Contador, who rides for Team Astana. Last year, the two were teammates, and there was obvious infighting over who should be the lead rider, with Contador eventually standing atop the podium, while Lance claimed third place behind Andy Schleck. With the shackles off this year, there will no longer be a need for the two riders to place nice with one another in the press, and they can go all out against one another. 


Heading into the race, Contador has to be the odds on favorite to win again. He's young, strong, and essentially a machine on his bike. But that doesn't mean that he and Lance won't have some epic duels, especially when the race hits the Pyrenees and the Alps. 


I for one, can't wait!


Oh, and speaking of Lance. His cycling shop, located right here in Austin, Texas, is called Mellow Johnny's, and they're going to be holding a hell of a TdF Start Party. Anyone else want to come with me? 

Alaska-Yukon Expedition: Andrew is Halfway Done, But Does it Matter?

Long distance super-hiker Andrew Skurka has reached a major milestone on his Alaska-Yukon Expedition, which he began back in March. Andrew has been posting updates on his journey over at the National Geographic Adventure Blog, and his most recent update indicates that he has now reached the half-way point of the expedition, but he wonders if that really matters, considering the challenges that still await him.

The Alaska-Yukon Expedition is a seven-month long, 4700-mile excursion through some of the most remote and unexplored wilderness in all of North America. The trek began in Kotzebue, Alaska and will eventually end there as well, most likely in October. In between, Skurka is making one giant loop that has already taken him south along snowmobile routes to the Iditrod Trail, which he then followed east through the Alaska Range of mountains, before turning south once again and passing through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, to the Lost Coast. Hugging the coast, Andrew continued down the Inside Passage, and has now made the turn north to his current location in Haines, Alaska.

With a good chunk of the trail behind him now, Andrew is happy to have reached the halfway mark, but he also wonders if it really matters much beyond just a point on the map. Ahead of him is still plenty of things to overcome, including traveling up the Yukon River, and crossing three mountain ranges, not the least of which will be a traverse of the Brooks Range. He also says that he is preparing for the last major stage of the journey, trekking from Whitehorse in the Canadian Yukon back to Kotzebue, something that he also says he suspects will change his definition of wilderness forever.

This has been amazing adventure to follow so far, and Andrew has done a great job of sharing it with us with his regular blog updates. I can't wait to hear about his experiences in the Brooks Range, which may be the most untouched and remote wilderness that remains in North America. It should prove to be very interesting.

Everest Base Camp Trek: Guided vs. Independent

I'm starting to wind down my posts on my Everest Base Camp trip over at Gadling. Last week I finished up the stories on the actual trek itself, and the next few will cover some logistical stuff such as gear and preparation for the trip. Today's story takes a look at the pros and cons of going independently vs. hiring a guide.

As I say in that story, if you've never made a trek like this one before, than you should hire a guide, period! But if you have any kind of experience backpacking, the answer isn't so simple, and there are a lot of reasons why you could go either way in your choice. I know that many of the readers of Gadling have never gone on any kind of backpacking trip, but conversely, the audience here at the Adventure Blog has a great deal of experience in the outdoors and in adventure travel.

With that in mind, I can tell you that trekking independently in Nepal is very easy. There is a good infrastructure in place, with well marked and easy to follow trails, and villages pop-up along those trails at regular intervals, which means that you're never too far away from a place to rest, get some food, water, and so on. It really does make it a simple affair for the experienced backpacker. If you do choose to go independently, it can save you a lot of money as well, plus you'll have the added advantage of going at your own pace, stopping when and where you want, and so on.

On the other hand, there are a number of great reasons to hire a guide as well. For starters, they'll usually bring porters along with them, which means you won't have to carry your own pack, and can go a bit lighter on the trail. Guides will also often have worked out places to stay ahead of time, ensuring that you'll have a room in a teahouse for the night. If you go independently, that isn't always the case, especially during the high season. Furthermore, traveling with a guide may earn you a discount on some of the rooms and food that you'll be consuming along the way.

I go into all of this in a bit more detail in the Gadling story, but suffice as to say, you'll always have options when traveling in Nepal. I personally elected to go with a guide as it made the logistics of the trip a lot easier to manage while traveling with a constrained schedule. It was nice to know that I had a room waiting for me at the end of the day, as well as someone taking care of flights in and out of Lukla, which isn't a difficult thing to manage, but can still eat up your time when priority to travel is given to guided groups.

No matter which way you choose to go though, the experience is one that you'll certainly remember. The bottom line is that trekking in the Himalaya is a fantastic event, and you'll gain the benefits of the physical challenge, amazing scenery, and wonderful culture no matter which option you choose.

Everest 2010: Whittaker and Hahn Recap Their Summit

During the 2010 Everest climbing season, Leif Whittaker and Dave Hahn were part of the First Ascent team, and made a successful bid on the summit on one of the last days of the season. Now, they've recapped their climb on video, which does an amazing job of demonstrating the conditions that they were dealing with while at Camp 4 before they made their way up.

The video has great footage of their climb, including some stunning scenery, and Everest fans will love what they see. For Hahn, this was his 12th summit of the mountain, extending his record for the most ever by a non-Sherpa. For Whittaker, who is the son of Jim Whittaker, the first America to summit Everest, this is his first of potentially many more to come.

Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run Begins in August

In August of this year, a trio of friends, two from Finland and one from South Africa, will be setting out on an amazing adventure through the Kalahari Desert that will see them covering more than 1000 km (620 miles) on foot through some of Botswana's most remote and rugged wilderness.

Dubbed the Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run, the plan is for Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen, and Greg Maud to make the journey in approximately 20 days, averaging 50km (31 miles) per day. The equivalent of running a marathon+, through African backcountry, every day for nearly three weeks. The route will be mostly be run on little known remote trails or gravel roads, with long sections on loose sand, through regions that are the home to a large number of animals, including big cats and other predators, as well as poisonous snakes.

The Trans-Kalahari Team is of course looking forward to their adventure, but they are also hoping to raise funds and awareness for Cheetah Conservation Botswana. The organization hopes to protect the country's cheetah population while educating its citizens on how to live harmoniously with the big cats. The cheetah conservation group seems like a fitting charity to partner with, considering the creatures are the fastest runners on the planet, and Jukka, Kirsi, and Greg will be running through their territory.

The Kalahari Desert is a rugged region, approximately 350,000 square miles in size, that falls in southern Africa, extending through Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. While it is dry, and arid, it does receive enough annual rainfall to support quite a bit of life, and the Okavango River empties out onto its delta in the region, creating marshlands that support large herds of animals and their predators. Amongst the common wildlife in the Kalahari are meerkats, giraffes, hyenas, lions, a number of species of antelopes, and much more. The desert is also home to the famous Kalahari Bushmen, an indigenous tribe that has lived there for more than 20,000 years.

I can't wait to follow along with this adventure. It combines a number of elements that I really enjoy, including a physical challenge, and a visit to a remote place in Africa. It doesn't hurt that Botswana is VERY high on my list of places to visit next either.