Himalaya 2012: Summits On Annapurna

Everest isn't the only mountain in the Himalaya that has seen progress in the week-and-a-half I was away.  Climbers on various mountains across the region have continued to work their respective routes, establish camps and acclimatize according to their schedules. And on one mountain – Annapurna – there have even been some early season summits already.

We'll start there. The 8091 meter (26,545 ft) Annapurna is the 10th highest mountain on the planet, but due to unpredictable weather and a predisposition for avalanches, it can be one of the most challenging peaks to climb. That proved the case last weekend (April 21-22) when a weather window opened on the mountain allowing as many as 12 climbers to top out. The climb wasn't an easy one however and several avalanches were spotted on the peak as the teams went up. Don Bowie wasn't amongst the summiteers, although he does have his sights set on another attempt this week, weather permitting. He also has a couple of blog posts up on his site that share details on his own harrowing brushes with falling seracs and snow last week.

According to ExWeb, the climbers that did summit Annapurna that weekend included Dawa Sherpa along with four members of his team. They were joined at the top by a Brazilian climber two Chinese, two Indians and two other Sherpas. All went up with bottled oxygen and arrived back in Base Camp without much of an issue. The forecasts for Annapurna indicate that a second window could open in the next few days, granting access to the top once again. If that happens, I'm sure we'll see a few more climbers stand on top later this week.

Over on Manaslu, the Adventure Consultants have now been up as high as Camp 2 on the mountain, but they retreated over the weekend due to an onslaught of heavy snow. On Saturday of this past weekend they were digging out from under a half-meter of fresh powder and the forecast doesn't look great for the near-term, so for now they sit and wait for their chance.

Also in Base Camp on Manaslu is Australian climber Allie Pepper, who is using that mountain as a warm-up for an attempt on Lhotse later in the season. Allie reached BC on April 22nd and reported poor weather conditions even then. She hasn't updated her blog since arriving on the mountain, but presumably she's waiting out the weather as well.

Speaking of Lhotse, the Peak Freaks posted an interesting tidbit in their Everest dispatch earlier today. Apparently the route up Everest's neighbor isn't exactly stable at the moment and as a result, the lines are being fixed to go around a section of the ascent that is typically a part of the route. Rocks that have traditionally been held in place by ice and snow are coming undone and tumbling down the face, which has made for dangerous approaches thus far. It seems there is a way around, and climbers will get their crack at the summit down the line, but it has been a bit dicey getting the ropes in place thus far.

Finally, Ueli Steck and Freddie Wilkinson are continuing their Himalayan Express II expedition. After being turned back on Cholatse last week due to bad weather the pair did successfully summit Ama Dablam on Friday. With that climb out of the way, they've now traveled back to Pheriche, where they are enjoying a little R-n-R before setting off for Tawoche. When they've finished there, it'll be on to Everest, where it has yet to be seen what Ueli has in mind for climbing the Big Hill.

Stay tuned for updates. The real excitement of the season is now just a few days away.

Video: Snowboarding Alaska With Xavier de Le Rue

If you're going to teach your kid brother a thing or two about extreme snowboarding, there's no better place than Alaska. A few weeks back Xavier de Le Rue and his younger sibling Victor made the pilgrimage to the 49th state to play in some fresh powder. The results can be found in the video below, which show off some fantastic shredding in beautiful settings.

Everest 2012: Camp 3 and Beyond!

While I was away playing in the desert work continued unabated on Everest where the teams have now climbed up to Camp 3 as part of their acclimatization rounds. Meanwhile the Sherpa teams are busy fixing ropes and paving the way up to the summit.

Perhaps the biggest news to come from Everest this past weekend is the report that photographer/filmmaker Corey Richards had to be evacuated from Base Camp by helicopter after suffering signs of altitude sickness. Richards, who is part of the National Geographic team taking on the West Ridge this spring, had gone up to Camp 2 where he started to experience problems with his breathing. Corey managed to make his way back down to BC where he was then flown to Lukla to allow his body time to recover. If he feels strong enough, he intends to rejoin the team, but we'll just have to wait to see if this is possible.

The Peak Freaks have now completed their first stay in Camp 3 on the South Side and are acclimatizing on schedule. Today the team is heading down to Pheriche where they intend to rest for a few days before proceeding back up to BC. With the bulk of their acclimatization out of the way, they'll now wait for the ropes to the summit to be fixed in place and start watching the weather for a viable window for Summit Day. That's probably at least a week to ten days off yet, but we are definitely getting closer.

The IMG squad completed their second acclimatization rotation last week and will likely be headed to Camp 3 soon as well. In their latest dispatch they report that the Sherpas have now set the lines all the way up to the Yellow Band, which is located at about 8535 meters (28,000 ft). They had hoped to go higher, but high winds turned them back yesterday. If the weather allows, they'll likely be back at it today and it is possible that we could see the first summits of the season before the end of the week.

Most of the Himex team is now in the middle of a rotation in Camp 2, where they plan to spend four nights, ending tonight. They'll then climb up to Camp 3 for a brief stay before heading back down as well.  They won't just be hanging out in camp however as they'll be working on the Bergschrund, which is a slice of the mountain that connects the Western Cwm with the Lhotse Face.

Meanwhile, on the North Side things are progressing as well and the climbers have been spending time in Advanced Base Camp as part of their acclimatization as well. Among them has been the Altitude Junkies who spent some time in ABC and even had a few members climb up to the North Col before proceeding back down.

Unlike on the South Side, where the teams work together to fix the ropes, on the North the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association is in charge of those duties. As a result, the teams have to wait for progress to be made, which can be slow at times. In recent years, the ropes to the summit along the North Side have been completed after those on the South, but the work is always finished in plenty of time and the teams are given a fair opportunity to make their summit bids. I suspect this year will be no exception.

Also on the North Side is Grant Rawlinson who has completed his first rotation in ABC and gone up to the North Col as well. Grant is sharing some great photos from his expedition thus far and his dispatches have been very compelling as well. To get a sense of what he's been up to, check out the video below, which offers good insights into the approach from the North thus far this season.

Video: Yosemite Range of Light

I'm home from Jordan and ready to get rolling again, but while I get my feet back under me and get back to the routine of regular posts, I thought I'd start things off this week with a fantastic video that appeared while I was away. It is called Yosemite Range of Light and features some breathtaking views of one of the best national parks in the U.S.

This is a perfect way to kick off a new week and start the day. Enjoy and I'll be back news and updates shortly.

Site News: I'm A Traveling Man...

Some quick site news for regular readers. I'm off on another adventure, this time heading to Jordan for a week or so. I leave the country later today and won't be back until April 28th. That means no updates during that time, with regular postings resuming on Monday, April 30th.

While I'm away there is likely to be quite a bit of news out of the Himalaya as the climbing teams continue to make progress on their various expeditions. For excellent news and updates be sure to drop by Alan Arnette's Everest Blog and Explorers Web. Both sites will keep you well informed as to what is happening on the Big Hill and across the region, and I'll be back in time to catch the first summit pushes that will begin in early May. 

While in Jordan I'll be busy exploring the extraordinary culture and history of that country, visiting places like Petra and the amazing desert wilderness that is Wadi Rum. Of course, when I get back I'll share all kinds of details on what I saw while I was there and I'm sure I'll have plenty of photos (and possibly some video!) to pass along as well. 

I hope while I'm away you all have some great adventures of your own. I'll expect full reports upon my return! 

Himalaya 2012: Ueli Talks Khumbu Climbs and Permits with Outside

Outside online has an interesting article up today. It seems senior editor Grayson Schaffer ran into Ueli Steck and Freddie Wilkinson in the Khumbu Valley while the two climbers were relaxing in Pheriche while they wait to start their climbs on Cholatse, Tawoche, and Ama Dablam. The duo had a lot to say about the restrictive climbing permit system Nepal and their plans for Everest as well.

In the article, Ueli and Freddie talk about the requirements of a climbing permit in the Himalayan country.  Those permits require climbers to descend a mountain along the same route that they go up and don't allow teams to get creative and try different things. In some ways this prevents new routes from being opened and can make descents more difficult than they need to be. They also took a bit of umbrage with the fact that most of the money for the permits stay in Kathmandu and doesn't make its way out to the Khumbu where the climbs actually take place. Ueli says that he often likes to hire an extra Sherpa not because he needs him but just to give him a job and ensure that the money is spent in the region.

This permit question comes into play because Ueli is planning to attempt Everest once he's done with his other three challenges. But what exactly he plans to do is not clear yet. It seems unlikely that he'll simply go up the South Col route, but he's keeping his cards close to his chest. He may try for a speed record or he may go for a traverse of some sort, but for now we all have to wait to see what he has up his sleeve. He'll have to climb within the restrictions of his permit however, or risk a 5-10 year ban from climbing in Nepal, something he certainly does not want to risk.

Its a very interesting read and one that I recommend. It helps to give some insights into the politics of climbing in these countries. It will also pique your interest on what Ueli and Freddie have in mind on Everest.

Polar America Traverse: Across The Arctic By Ski and Kayak

Explorer Yuri Klaver has announced his next expedition and it's a big one. Beginning in July of this year, Yuri will attempt a traverse of the Arctic on skis and in a kayak. The journey, which he calls the Polar America Traverse, will follow a similar route taken by Roald Amundsen in 1906, traveling approximately 10,000km (6214 miles) from Europe to Asia.

In order to accomplish this epic task, Yuri has broken his expedition down into three segments. This July he'll begin on the Kamchatka Peninsula and start heading east, crossing the Bearing Strait and traveling into northern Alaska. He'll start in his kayak and paddle upstream as much as possible before traveling on foot through the Brooks Range mountains. The plan is to use his kayak as a sledge for his gear and to ski to the Beauford Sea, which he hopes to reach by May of 2013.

The second phase of the journey will begin in the winter of 2014, when Yuri will employ the use of kites to cross the Northwest Passage  to Baffin Island, where he'll return to his kayak for more paddling. Then in 2015 he'll wrap up the expedition with a traverse of Greenland, followed by crossing the sea to Iceland.

Yuri is still working out the logistics and details on some of these phases and obviously the schedule could be impacted by weather, finances and other forces. But he is moving ahead with his start in July and has every intention of sticking to his schedule.

Find out more and follow along with his progress at OutdoorEmpathy.com. And watch for an app to track the expedition for iOS devices in the near future.

Everest 2012: Team Leaders Meet On South Side, Plan Logistics

A very important meeting took place earlier today on the South Side of Everest where the team leaders came together to discuss how they'll handle the logistics of fixing ropes to the summit and setting the high camps. The teams will now share the workload and resources, in exchange for everyone gaining access to the ropes on the route, as they start to climb up to Camp 3, 4 and beyond.

According to an update from Tim Rippel, leader of the Peak Freaks, the schedule has been set in place and if everything goes according to plan the ropes will be fixed all the way to the top around May 5-7. That means the first summiteers of the year, in this case the Sherpas fixing the ropes, will top out in the first week of May. The climbers will soon follow with some of the more experienced and independent teams going up first and the larger, more commercial, squads following behind.

Tim notes that there are still plenty of details to work out and a second meeting will take place tomorrow to finalize the approach. He says there are some teams still arriving and getting settled in Base Camp and they'll need to be brought up to speed, but the plan is in place and most of the larger teams know their role moving forward.

This kind of cooperation and organization hasn't always taken place on the South Side. Much of the credit for the teams working together should go to Russell Brice from Himex. For years Brice operated on the Chinese controlled North Side of the mountain where his squad usually took charge of fixing ropes and handling the logistic, in part because no one else did. But after getting squeezed off the North Side when Tibet was closed off to travelers a few years back, Himex made the jump to the more stable South Side where Russell brought his organizational skills to bear and convinced the other teams to cooperate a bit more with one another. The system has worked well ever since and it seems to have become the standard approach on everest now.

Mark May 5-7 on your calendar. It looks like things will REALLY start to get interesting around then. Until that time, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Video: Rock Climbing In Utah With Bear Grylls

We haven't heard much from Bear Grylls since he was dropped from the Discovery Channel a few months back, but rest assured the adventurer turned television personality is probably already planning his return to the air waves. He shot the video below as part of a new video series called Masters of Movement (from Degree for Men deodorant) on a 350-foot rock face near Moab, Utah. The tower he is climbing is called Tombstone Rock and it gave Bear an opportunity to show off his climbing skills.

Video: Trailer For "Not So Far"

Last year, climber Hervè Barmasse opened three new routes in the Alps, climbing Monte Rosa, Monte, Bianco, and Cerviono. He did so in true alpine style, going in a single push with a minimal amount of gear and each of those climbs was a unique adventure unto itself. Now a new film is getting ready for release that will chronicle that trilogy of climbs. That film is entitled Not So Far and you can check-out the trailer for it below. Looks beautiful to me!

Himalaya 2012: Camp 3 On Annapurna, Ueli Watches The Weather

As teams across the Himalaya are wrapping up their first acclimatization climbs, there is movement in the region for teams that are now ready for the challenges ahead. At these early stages of the season there is still a lot of uncertainty about the weather, stability of the routes and the route ahead, but things are becoming more clear and the climbers are taking advantage of what ever the mountains will offer them.

There is no place where this is more evident than on Annapurna, where Don Bowie reports that he, and presumably his climbing partners Carlos Soria and Waldemar Niclevicz, are climbing up to Camp 3 today. Don says that at the very least he'll spend a few days acclimatizing at C3 in preparation for a summit bid, but the trio expects to survey the conditions above 6800 meters (22,309 ft) to see if it is possible to continue higher. If those conditions are right and the current good weather holds, they could have a go at the summit as early as Friday.

Meanwhile, Ueli Steck and Freddie Wilkinson have completed their acclimatization work on Lobuche and are now back in Pheriche. Ueli says that he picked up the idea of using Lobuche from Russell Brice, owner/operator of Himalayan Experience (Himex). As I mentioned yesterday, Himex prefers to limit the number of trips through the Khumbu Icefall on Everest's South Side, so they tend to make acclimatization climbs elsewhere. Apparently the trend is catching on, as Ueli reports that Lobuche was crowded this year. Steck and Wilkinson are now prepping for their alpine style climbs of Cholatse, Tawoche and Ama Dablam, but snow accumulations on those peaks have made it a challenge to climb any of them at the moment. Conditions are expected to change in the next few days however, and they expect to head out to Cholatse as soon as the weather report shows improvement.

Chad Kellogg has arrived on Everest and has been busy getting settled in. He has made three trips through the Icefall already this season and was hauling gear and supplies up to Camp 2 yesterday. You may recall that Chad hopes to make a run at the Everest speed record going from Base Camp to summit and back again.

Also arriving in BC on the South Side is Bill Burke, who at the age 70 is attempting to make a double summit of Everest. Bill will first climb the South Col route as normal, but after descending to Base Camp he'll depart for Tibet and the North Side of the mountain, where he'll hope to make a second summit within a matter of days. That's a pretty ambitious project for someone half his age, so we'll definitely be keeping an eye on Bill's progress in the weeks ahead.

The Nat Geo/North Face squad led by Conrad Anker has gone up to Camp 2 today as they start the process of their climb. They'll build camps like the other teams on Everest but veer off along a different route up the West Ridge starting at C2. All seems to be going well thus far and this very strong team is on schedule at the moment.

Finally, the Adventure Consultants team made it to Manaslu at last and are happy to be in Base Camp on that mountain. They report good conditions this morning giving away to a big snow storm in the afternoon, but even with the snow flying they hope to climb up to Camp 1 tomorrow as they start their climb in ernest as well.

Video: The Old Man River Project - Chapter 2

Last week I posted a video of a crew of river rats who were paddling the 2400 mile (3862 km) length of the Mississippi River aboard a hand-built, 32-foot York boat dubbed Annie. This week we have the second chapter in that series which now sees the team struggling with the early portions of the voyage at the headwaters of the river, where low waters force difficult portages. It is a challenging start to the expedition to say the least.

Everest 2012: Climbers In Camp 1 On South Side

The climbs on Everest have officially begun! After arriving in Base Camp last week most of the teams spent the first few days getting settled in and working on their technical skills. With those important duties out of the way, and Puja ceremonies complete, the climbers have now started to cross through the Khumbu Icefall and make their way up to Camp 1 as part of their first acclimatization rotation. The long haul up the Big Hill has started.

The Peak Freaks made their first foray up the South Col today and reached Camp 1in good shape this morning. Unlike most climbers, who simply go up and "touch" C1 on their first go, the team will actually spend the night there and proceed up to Camp 2 tomorrow before heading back down to Base Camp. By all indications, the team is feeling good and climbing well.

Kenton Cool also made his way up to Camp 1 today getting an early start at 3:30 AM local time in order to haul gear to the first waypoint. It took him less than 4 hours to move through the icefall and up the slope, which is an impressive time for the first trip of the season. He's back in BC now and reports that the team will hold its Puja Ceremony tomorrow.

The WMS Everest Experience team made the trek to Camp 1 yesterday and then up to C2 today, which puts them a bit ahead of the pack. They were scheduled to drop gear and have lunch in Camp 2, then spend a few hours acclimatizing before proceed back to C1 for another overnight. That will make for a very successful acclimatization rotation for them as well.

Ian Ridley should have climbed up to Camp 1 today as well. He spent Sunday practicing the precarious techniques needed to make his way through the icefall and reports great success in that regard. Yesterday he attended his Puja Ceremony, which he goes into with nice detail on his blog, and with that out of the way, he and the rest of his crew are now free to start up the mountain.

Not everyone is going up to Camp 1 however. The Himex squad prefers to limit the number of crossing of the icefall as much as possible, so they've spent the past few days acclimatizing on Lobuche East. The entire team summited that training peak and are now on their way back to Base Camp, where they'll rest for a few days before starting their first haul up to Camp 2.

It seems that most of the teams feel like they are ahead of schedule at the moment and they are progressing very nicely. Apparently tomorrow the leaders of the various expeditions will sit down for their planning meeting, at which time they'll work out a cooperative schedule for how they'll share their Sherpas for fixing ropes up the mountain and setting up the high camps. This pooled resource approach has worked very well the past few seasons and will ensure that everyone works together in the most efficient manner. I'm sure we'll learn more about the schedule after that meeting takes place.

Meanwhile, enjoy this great video from Kenton Cool that covers the trek to Base Camp. More news soon.

X-Prize Foundation Names Four Finalist For "Why Do You Explore" Contest

Way back in February I posted information about a contest being hosted by the X-Prize Foundation that asked us "Why Do You Explore?" The contest encouraged us to enter by sending in a video that explained the roll that exploration and adventure play in our lives and why it is important. The deadline for entry was April 10th, which has now come and gone, and the four finalists have been announced on the contest website.

Amongst those finalists is our friend Alastair Humphreys, whose Atlantic rowing video I posted just last week. That excellent video has earned him a chance to win the X-Prize contest, which would award him a $10,000 National Geographic Expedition. The other entries are also very creative and interesting and include a 24-year old who loves to travel, a beautiful look at the midnight sun in Iceland and a great celebration of adventure travel and exploration in general.

All four are excellent and deserving of winning, so it is tough to pick a favorite. Each of them will inspire you to want to explore more as well, which is of course the point. Sit back and enjoy each of the short films and if you find one that you like in particular, be sure to watch it a couple of times to register your vote. :)

National Geographic Posts Daily Everest Updates Inside Digital Edition Of Magazine

National Geographic has come up with a new and unique way to provide updates from the Everest Expedition that they are co-sponsoring with North Face. Yesterday a new electronic edition of the magazine became available for download and that issue includes daily updates straight from Base Camp and directly to your iPad or other electronic device.

As always, the May issue of National Geographic magazine contains a number of interesting stories including an article on Civil War re-enactors, the still beautiful – yet changing – landscapes of Iceland and efforts to rescue Koala bears in Australia. But will be of most interest to adventure seekers will be the new  "Field Test" section which uses an Internet feed to provide updated blog postings, videos, photos and more directly of Everest. This interactive section, obviously available only in the electronic version of the magazine, already includes profiles of the climbers, a "climb tracker" for charting progress for the two teams along the normal South Col route and the West Ridge and a great comparison of the two routes.

But what really sets this digital edition of the magazine apart, and shows how the medium is changing forever, is the daily updates. Blog posts and videos are seamlessly pulled into the app and conveniently located in one central place. A real-time update of temperature and wind speed in Base Camp (currently -7.2ºC/19ºF and 4mph) gives us an idea of the conditions that the team is dealing with and a continuously updated photo gallery gives us some great photos from Nepal as well.

I've had a subscription to Nat Geo on my iPad from the first day that it was available. I love getting it in this format as I always have a couple of issues with me when I hit the road and the physical magazines aren't taking up space in a corner of my apartment. The digital edition has always delivered some nice features, such as embedded video, interactive maps and more. But this new Field Test section is very impressive and opens up the door to a new form of real-time journalism that hasn't been available to print magazines before. It is an exciting proposition to say the least and I'm looking forward to seeing how it is implemented in the future. I do know that it'll be a great source of Everest updates in the days ahead and a completely different way for following how this expedition unfolds.

Himalaya 2012: Annapurna Summit Push Begins

According to ExWeb a team of very talented international climbers has joined forces to make a summit bid on Annapurna today and if the weather holds they could stand on top by the end of the week. The team will include Canadian Don Bowie, Brazilian Waldemar Niclevicz and Spaniard Carlos Soria.

The trio reportedly set off on their attempt this morning and are eying a possible summit on Friday. They'll be keeping close watch on the weather as they go, but the forecast looks good with conditions improving as the week goes along. You may recall in my Himalaya update yesterday Bowie reported that the trail up to Camp 3 was highly unstable last week and he witnessed several avalanches in his attempt to climb to that spot on the mountain. Apparently the team feels that those conditions have improved enough for them to begin this push today.

Standing 8091 meters (26,545 ft) in height, Annapurna is the tenth highest mountain on the planet. It was the first of the 8000-meter peaks to be climbed but it is far from the easiest of those mountains. Annapurna is considered to be on of the more challenging and dangerous climbs in the world mainly due to the heavy accumulations of snow on the higher portions of the mountain. Those snows are notoriously unstable and avalanches are a common occurrence. While safety has improved on the mountain in recent years, ExWeb notes that it has claimed at least one life every year for the past eight years.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that 2012 is the year that streak comes to an end. Good luck to Don, Waldemar, and Carlos!

Experience The Greatest Adventure Stories Ever Told With New Nat Geo App

For decades National Geographic has chronicled some of the most challenging and inspiring adventures on the planet. Using a combination of breathtaking photographs and fantastic writing, the iconic magazine has told us stories of the men and women who push the boundaries of exploration, often in brutal and life threatening conditions. Now, a new app for the iPad shares some of the best of those stories in a new and exciting way.

The app, which is entitled National Geographic Adventure: Greatest Stories Ever Told,  costs just $1.99 and features six of the all-time best tales of adventure from Nat Geo. Those stories include the discovery of the Titanic on the ocean floor, crossing Antarctica with Will Steger's epic 1988 dogsled expedition and diving into the mysterious blue holes in the Bahamas, amongst others. The app combines video, audio, interactive maps and other unique elements to tell these stories like never before. It is a fascinating way to learn more about these stories, some of which we've heard about before but not in the capacity that is shown here.

Other fun features of the app include interactive timelines that show the evolution of gear such as climbing shoes and compasses, video of Ueli Steck making a speed climb of the Eiger, and a live feed of the Nat Geo Adventure Blog directly in the app itself. Those additions make this a very well rounded package for iPad owners who are looking to add a bit of adventure to their tablets and makes the $1.99 price tag seem like an incredibly great deal. The photos and video look fantastic on the device, particularly on the new Retina display, and you'll get hours of entertainment and education out of these stories. It would be a bargain at twice the price and I'm looking forward to delving in deeper when I take my iPad on a trip in a few days.

Everest 2012: Outside Launches Dedicated Page For Everest Updates

Can't get enough coverage on Everest this season? Are the reports from ExWeb, Alan Arnette and your's truly not enough to satiate your appetite for all things Himalayan? Than take a gander at the new page from Outside magazine that is dedicated to Everest coverage from both this season and year's past.

The page has a host of information on Everest and its history of coverage in the seminal adventure magazine. But there are also daily dispatches from Senior Editor Grayson Schaffer who is in Base Camp and will be reporting on all the activity there in the days ahead. His first dispatch comes from Kathmandu, where he offers a few suggestions of things to see while killing time in that city. Presumably subsequent dispatches will share information on his trek through the Khumbu and sights and sounds of the trail.

The site was launched to cover the 50th anniversary climbs along the West Ridge of the mountain including the Nat Geo/North Face sponsored expedition led by Conrad Anker and the First Ascent team that includes Jake Norton and Charley Mace. That route has only been climbed a handful of times since the American team first did it back in 1963 and there is a lot of excitement to see how these teams handle the challenges of that ascent this year.

If you're like me, and can't get enough news from the mountain, then you'll probably enjoy Outside's new page. I look forward to reading the dispatches and following along with their reports as the season ramps up and really gets going over the next week or so.

Himalaya 2012: Progress Reports

While the Everest teams continue to get comfortable in Base Camp and work on their acclimatization, the climbers on the other Himalayan peaks have started work in their various projects as well. While the process is much the same as it is on the Big Hill, BC isn't nearly as crowded and there is far less attention given to the mountaineers, who are at times undertaking more challenging climbs.

One of those climbers is Ueli Steck, who is back in the Himalaya his spring to launch his Khumbu Express II expedition. This time out, Ueli and partner Freddie Wilkinson are hoping to open new routes on the North  Faces of Cholatse, Tawoche and Ama Dablam. As a warm-up, the team is currently acclimatizing on Lobuche, where they are now spending four days camped on the summit (6119m/20,075ft). After arriving in BC last Thursday, Ueli and Freddie went to the summit of the mountain then back to camp, before going back up for their extended stay. When they complete that process, they'll immediately head off to Cholatse to begin the expedition in ernest.

Don Bowie has checked in from Annapurna, where it sounds like that mountain is up to its old tricks. The peak is well known for being a difficult climb, in no small part thanks to the precarious avalanche conditions on the higher slopes when heavy snow has fallen. Last week Don discovered that discretion is the better part of valor and on a climb up to Camp 3 to spend the night he witnessed an avalanche sweeping down the slopes. Deciding that conditions just weren't right, he elected to turn back to C2, where he shared his thoughts with the climbers gathered there. Just as he was explaining the precarious nature of the snow, a second avalanche began above the camp and while it was far enough away to not do any serious damage, it still deposited plenty of light snow across Camp 2. It seems like for now, the upper portions of Annapurna aren't stable enough to take a crack at the summit.

The Adventure Consultants team should arrive in Base Camp on Manaslu today, provided the weather has improved as expected. The team found their progress delayed due to bad weather and as a result they ended up spending a few extra days in the village of Samaguan. As you can imagine, they are eager to reach BC and get started with the climb itself, but continued heavy snowfalls have made the journey a challenging one thus far.

Allie Pepper is also on her way to Manaslu and is likely experiencing similar delays. She hasn't posted a dispatch from the trek just yet, but was scheduled to depart Kathmandu last Wednesday. Before leaving for the mountain, Allie warmed-up with an acclimatization trek in the Khumbu and she'll return there in a few weeks as she is scheduled to climb Lhotse after the Manaslu expedition is complete.

More news to come. The season is just getting started!

Video: Inspired To Climb - Denali

This video may be a month old, but I only just came across this morning. It is a 20 minute short film on climbing Denali, the highest peak in North America at 6194 meters (20,320 ft). It is a physically demanding mountain to climb and due to its extreme northern latitude, the weather is fickle and unpredictable even under the best of conditions. The film demonstrates all of that and more and is a fantastic look at what it takes to climb this impressive mountain.

Video: Base Jumping Inside A Church

Caught this video over at the Adventure Journal this morning and it's just too good (read: too crazy!) not to share. It features some bold BASE jumpers actually leaping and parachuting inside the Basilica of Koekelberg in Brussels, Belgium. Apparently the building stands 89 meters (292 ft) in height and spans 164 meters (540 ft) in length. That's large enough to jump in I guess, provided you're crazy enough to do it. These guys were!

North Pole 2012: Parker Liautaud Returns To The Pole For Second Year in a Row

Teen-age polar explorer Parker Liautaud completed a second "last degree" journey to the North Pole earlier this week when he and his guide, Doug Stoup, arrived at 90ºN. The duo made a similar journey last year and Parker has already visited the South Pole as well. At the age of 17 he has become quite the arctic adventurer and he doesn't appear to be slowing down yet, as he has further plans to visit the cold places of the Earth in the future.

Parker also serves as a youth ambassador to the One Young World organization as well and is active in trying to engage young people in understanding climate change and taking measure to protect the environment. Before setting off on his latest expedition he sat down with CNN and talked about his ambitions and the work he is engaged in. The video from that interview can be found below.

Everest 2012: North Side Arrivals And Training In BC

This has been a week for the Everest climbers to get settled in Base Camp and start their training for the climb ahead. Most are still getting acclimated to the altitude and life on the mountain and while they're enjoying a little down time for now, it will be time to get focused on the climb itself.

Most of the news that I've reported over the past week has been about the arrival of teams at BC on the South Side of the mountain. Those teams make a classic 8-10 day trek through the Khumbu Valley, which not only aids in acclimatization but also immerses them in the culture of Nepal. But now teams have started to make their way to Base Camp on the North Side as well, and while they are focused on training too, their journey is a very different one. Most of those climbers fly or drive to Tibet and can then make their way to BC by car, skipping out on the long trek in the process.

One of the teams that is now en route to BC on the Tibetan side of the mountain is the 7 Summits Club. The group left Kathmandu for Lhasa, Tibet by plane yesterday and they should be now driving to camp. That usually takes a few days just to allow for some acclimatization, so expect updates from the North Side to begin over the weekend.

Similarly, expect updates from the Altitude Junkies to begin soon as well. They departed Kathmandu for Tibet on Tuesday, but are making the journey overland. With that in mind, they are likely to arrive in BC this weekend as well and will start the work of taking on the world's highest mountain.

Also en route to North Side Base Camp is Grant Rawlinson, who is in Tinbri Tibet today. Reading Grant's blog posts over the past few days will give you a good idea of what it is like on the road in Tibet and heading towards Everest. He shares plenty of pictures from the journey as well, which helps to set the stage remarkably well.

Meanwhile, on the South Side the climbers are now squarely focused on acclimatizing and training. For instance, the Peak Freaks are off to Kala Pattar today for a trek at altitude and an overnight stay above 5545 meters (18,192 ft). Team leader Tim Rippel says that most of the groups have now arrived in Base Camp, which means the leaders will sit down together in the next few days and hammer out a plan on how to share resources for fixing ropes, establishing camps and so on. Once that plan is complete, they'll start to make their first forays through the dangerous Khumbu Icefall.  (See video below!)

The IMG team spent the day training on Lobuche yesterday and the climbers were all introduced to their personal Sherpas. Everyone is reportedly feeling very good and are eager to get underway. They are expected to move up to high camp on Lobuche today and then complete their acclimatization climb tomorrow before proceeding back to EBC.

As you can tell, most everyone is in a bit of a holding pattern right now. Their bodies need to adjust to the altitude and the climbers are working on honing their skills. I suspect we will see the first teams start to head up to Camp 1 early next week and the real process of the Everest climb will begin.

Borge Ousland Gets Married At The North Pole

So yesterday I posted an update on Mark Wood reaching the North Pole and in that post I indicated that he crashed a wedding upon his arrival at 90ºN. Turns out that wedding was for none other than Børge Ousland, the famous Norwegian explorer who has spent more than his fair share of time in the Arctic and Antarctic as well. Ousland, along with his bride Hege, a Lutheran minister, and some very close friends made the journey to the North Pole via the Barneo Ice Station, where the 30-minute ceremony was held. Afterwards the entire group celebrated with music, dancing and plenty of friendly toasts.

Mark arrived part-way through the festivities and was greeted by Børge. The two had exchanged emails prior to Wood's departure on his North-South Expedition, so it seemed a bit surreal and serendipitous that they would meet at the North Pole of all places.

The short video below is from the ceremony and gives us an indication of what a wedding at 90ºN looks like. Talk about your ultimate destination wedding, huh?

The "Golden Rules" Of Arctic Travel

It has been another very difficult year in the Arctic and for the second season in a row, there have been no successful expeditions to the North Pole along the full route. It is becoming increasingly challenging to make that journey in no small part due to climate change and the disruption of the pack ice. Still, each year there are a number of intrepid individuals who are willing to give it a go and for those planning on undertaking that journey in the future, ExWeb has some suggestions that could spell the difference between success and failure.

In an article posted yesterday, explorer David Pierce Jones shares his "Arctic Golden Rules" that he picked up on his 2010 expedition to the Pole. David, who has reached the summit of Everest, quotes famous Polar Explorer Richard Weber who describes the journey as "the Hardest Trek on the Planet." He also notes that going to the North Pole isn't harder or easier than summiting the tallest mountain on the planet, it is just very different.

The list of "golden rules" is long, very frank and undoubtedly helpful for those considering a North Pole expedition. For instance, David recommends things like "learn to ski before you go" and "choose yoru team mates carefull," which seem like common sense items but are none-the-less worth noting. He also has tips for finding a good campsite, which he says the team will finally agree upon after 41 days out on the ice, and he recommends using caffeine tablets, enzyme pills and fleece over down.

The advice is very practical and no doubt the result of things that he learned while on his expedition or from mistakes he made along the way. His biggest suggestion for success? Invest in Richard Weber's Polar Training Program and do your research before you go. He recommends reading ExWeb archives to discover the things that worked and didn't work for past expeditions. Avoid the mistakes of others and learn from those who were able to prevail.

It's an interesting article and anyone can pick-up a few tips for their cold weather adventures by reading it, even if you're not going to the North Pole. ExWeb indicates that there will be a second article to follow that will share even more tips for success in the Arctic as well.

Walking Home From Mongolia: Still Walking!

It has been a few months since I last checked in on Rob Lilwall and Leon McCarron, those crazy adventurers who have been Walking Home From Mongolia since last November. In this case "home" refers to Hong Kong, a destination that is more than 5000km (3106 miles) away from where the trek actually began.

Rob and Leon have now been traveling for nearly five months and they have made considerable progress towards their goal, although there is still plenty of distance to cover if they hope to finish up in May as they have planned. Their journey began in Ulaanbattar, the capital of Mongolia and continued Southeast to Hohhot in China. From there, the duo had planned to use inflatable kayaks to paddle parts of the Yellow and Pearl Rivers, but those waterways were frozen solid and prevented them from launching. Undaunted, the men carried on to Xi An, where they rested for a time before resuming their travels. They are no en route to Guilin, their last major stop before proceed on to the finish line in Hong Kong.

The expedition's blog has been updated on a regular basis and contains lots of good information about the trek. It seems the winter was a cold and challenging one for Rob and Leon and yet they have managed to put the worst of it behind them and they are now enjoying spring in China. They are planning on paddling the last leg of the journey from Guilin to Hong Kong, and something tells me they'll have no problems accessing the water on that phase of their journey.

If you're looking for some good reading on an on-going adventure, then you'll definitely want to check out the Walking Home From Mongolia website. Good luck to the boys as they enter the home-stretch.

Everest 2012: Photo Exhibit In Base Camp!

A couple of years back I wrote about a project that David Breashears was working on that chronicled the changes in the Himalaya over the past 90+ years. Breashears, who is well known for his famous 1996 IMAX film on Everest, called his project Rivers of Ice and he set out to recreate famous photos taken by George Mallory back in 1921 and compare the health of the Himalayan glaciers both then and now. Those photos are now on display in Everest Base Camp on the South Side of the mountain in what has to be the highest photo exhibit ever put together.

Glacierworks, an organization dedicated to studying the world's changing glaciers, has joined forces with Mountain Hardwear to put Breashear's photos on display in EBC, a place that is built on a glacier that is in full retreat due to the effects of climate change. The exhibit, which opened on Tuesday of this week runs through May 10, is entitled Rivers of Ice: Vanishing Glaciers of the Greater Himalaya. 


When comparing the photographs that were shot by Mallory to those that have been taken today, it is impossible to deny that the glaciers are shrinking at a rapid pace. The black and white images taken in 1921 often show thick glacial ice covering a valley and when Breashears returned to those same locations to take his follow-up images, those same glaciers have shrunk dramatically. The side-by-side comparisons of the photos is startling indeed.

Find out more about Glacierworks and this project by following the organization on Twitter and joining its Facebook page. And if you happen to be in Base Camp, be sure to drop by and checkout the exhibition.

Video: Dropping Mosier Creek Falls In A Raft

The winter runoff has swelled the rivers and streams in the Pacific Northwest and paddlers are hitting the water to take advantage of it. Thats exactly what Dan McCain and Jeff Compton did recently when they rode a raft over the 70 foot (21.3 meter) Mosier Creek Falls in Oregon. It was the first tandem raft descent of that plunge and they managed to capture it all on their GoPro cameras. Check it out below.

North Pole 2012: Mark Wood Completes Arctic Journey, Crashes Wedding at The Top of the World

In my North Pole update yesterday I mentioned that Mark Wood was closing in on his goal of reaching 90ºN and in the process visiting both Poles in the span of just a few months. Yesterday he completed his Arctic journey and had a surprise waiting for him at the top of the world.

In his latest dispatch Mark says that yesterday was a long and challenging final trek to the North Pole, with cold temperatures and high winds conspiring against him. The final 100-150 meters was strewn with ice boulders and rubble, giving the area an other-wordly feel, but even that didn't prepare our intrepid explorer for the surreal scene that awaited him at 90ºN.

Mark says that when he arrived at the Pole he was surprised to find a wedding taking place complete with bride, groom, a priest and even a few guests. They welcomed and congratulated him on his big accomplishment and even shared some celebratory bubbly. Before long the wedding party was picked up by a helicopter and whisked back to Barneo, leaving Mark alone at the top of the world. He'll most likely get picked up today and share more thoughts on his journey on his blog.

I noticed that on his website Mark now has an advertisement for an upcoming Everest Base Camp Trek that he'll be taking part in. Travelers can join him on this trip, which will be led by Snowball Expeditions and is scheduled to take place in September. If you've ever wanted to visit the Himalaya and spend some time with a guy who has visited both the North and South Poles, now is your chance to do both things at the same time. Looks like a fun trip!

Video: The Old Man River Project

Stretching for more than 2400 miles, the Mississippi River is one of the most iconic waterways in the entire world. Navigating its length in any type of watercraft is a challenge to say the least. But Brett Rogers, along with four crew mates, set out to do just that – in a 32-foot handmade York boat named Annie no less.

The video below is the first of a new ten-part series that will be debuting over the coming weeks. That series will chronicle the adventures that Brett and his companions encountered as they traveled the Mississippi from its headwaters to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico as part of their Old Man River Project.

If you like what you see here, be sure to checkout the expedition's official Vimeo page where they'll be unlocking new videos every Tuesday in the coming weeks. It looks like this will be one heck of a good webseries to follow.

Everest 2012: Puja Ceremonies and Acclimatization Climbs

As I mentioned on Monday, the teams continue to stream into Everest Base Camp where they have started to make themselves comfortable and are busy preparing for the challenges ahead. The teams that got in early are already plotting their next moves while those who are only just arriving now are still getting settled into what will be their home for the next six weeks.

Among the new arrivals is the Himex squad who reached BC yesterday amidst good weather. They say that the word from the Sherpas is that the Khumbu Icefall is in great shape this year and may not present the problems that it has in the past. But there are some worrisome indications that the annual monsoon could return early as well, which would mean that weather windows could be few and tight in the weeks ahead. For now, the team will rest in Base Camp for five days, doing a few acclimatization walks and preparing their bodies for the climb.

Meanwhile, the IMG team has already come and gone from Base Camp. The climbers are headed to Lobuche Peak (6118m/20,075ft) where they'll practice their skills while working to on their acclimatization. Yesterday the group held their Puja Ceremony, with a local lama bestowing blessing on them and giving them permission to proceed with their climb. With that ceremony completed, the mountaineers are free to ascend to higher altitudes and the Sherpas can begin their work of stocking the camps. With that in mind, 11 IMG Sherpas were headed to Camp 1 today to carry loads of supplies and gear while another 33 Sherpas were headed up to C2 to stock the campsite there.

The Peak Freaks have been spending the last few days sorting gear and getting everyone's personal equipment together. After resting in BC since Sunday, the group is off to Kala Pattar today, where they'll trek to the top of the 5545 meter (18,192 ft) summit. This non-technical walk is also used for acclimatization and offers some of the most spectacular views of Everest that you'll find on the South Side of the mountain.

The Nat Geo/North Face team of Conrad Anker, Corey Richards and the rest have arrived in Base Camp as well, but thus far updates haven't been all that forth coming. Apparently they've had some issues with the 3G Internet service there, although they have started to tweet and post to Instagram as well. You can follow them using the hashtag #OnEverest and check out some of their photos by clicking here.

British climber Kenton Cool has arrived in BC for his attempt at his tenth summit of the mountain. He'll be carrying a gold medal from the 1924 games with him on his summit bid this season and reports that it is a cold night in Base Camp this evening. He's a veteran of all things Everest, but Ian Ridley is climbing the mountain for the first time, and earlier today he reported on his training exercises which involved learning to put in his boots and crampons on near the icefall. He says they won't actually enter that dangerous section until the weekend and until then they rest and train.

Finally, the Peak Freaks have posted another awesome video of life in EBC. This was shot last year but still gives you a good idea of what conditions are like at the base of the mountain. Check it out below.

Video: Ice Climbing Bridal Veil Falls in Colorado

At 111 meters (365 ft) in height, Bridal Veil Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the state of Colorado. It is a spectacular sight year round but in the winter the falls freeze over providing some of the best ice climbing in North America.

The video below was shot back in 2009, when the falls had just re-opened to ice climbing and it gives us a glimpse of how amazing the climb up that frozen rock face can be. The video also features legendary climber Jack Roberts, who passed away after falling off Bridal Veil in January. Jack was one of the top ice climbers in the world and had extensive experience climbing waterfalls across the globe, but BV was one of his favorites and he knew its challenges well.

Thanks to Ben Clark for sharing this video with us.

North Pole 2012: Arrivals At 90ºN

With the opening of the Barneo Ice Station last week, there has been a lot of traffic coming and going from the North Pole and the arctic in general. The temporary base is only scheduled to remain open for another two weeks, so travelers to the top of the world are taking advantage of the window while they can. To get a sampling of what is happening at Barneo, along with lots of great photos, check out the Live Journal, translated from Russian, by clicking here.

One of the explorers who is currently out on the ice and rapidly making his way to 90ºN is Mark Wood who is looking to cap his solo expedition to the South Pole with a similar journey to the North. According to his most recent update, which was posted yesterday, Mark was sitting at 89º49'32"N. That means he should arrive at the North Pole today provided everything goes as expected. He'll then immediately get airlifted back to Barneo before heading home. Wood has noted that temperatures have been hovering around -30ºC/-22ºF, which is colder than anything he had experienced while in the Antarctic. He also says that even though he is approaching the finish line, he is still quite wary of the challenges, which include open leads of water and polar bears.

The 6 Ordinary Men have completed their last degree journey to the North Pole, arriving at that point earlier today. You may recall this is the team of Brits who were skiing from 89ºN to the Pole to raise funds for the Sparks Charity, an organization dedicated to improving the health of children. While their journey was a relatively short one, it was still challenging. Conditions out on the ice haven't been easy and  the temperatures have been bitingly cold.

Finally, the team of French researchers at the North Pole have been diligently going about their work in varying conditions as well. They have taken advantage of the mid-night sun to collect more samples and take various environmental and atmospheric readings, but that sun hasn't provided much in the way of warmth. Their most recent dispatch indicates that temperatures at the top of the world have been around -35ºC/-31ºF.

In addition to these hardy explorers, there are a number of tourists traveling to the North Pole at the moment as well. Most are going by aircraft and not staying long, but a few are taking part in last degree ski journeys too. It is one of the top adventure travel destinations on the planet and few ever get a chance to visit that remote place. Considering joining such an expedition on your own? Expect to devote about 15-20 days and pay around $40,000. Ouch!

Video: Inspiration At The End of the World

The Patagonian Expedition Race is one of the toughest, most challenging endurance events on the planet. Each year some of the top adventure racers in the world travel to Chile to take part in the suffer-fest that is "The Last Wild Race," and most go home exhausted and beaten, but throughly satisfied.

This year the team of the GearJunkie/YogaSlackers took third place at the PER while also managing to capture much of the adventure on video. They put together the short film below to share those experiences with others and it is a fantastic look not only at the sport of AR but the very personal nature of adventure in all its forms. Really great stuff.

Thanks to the GearJunkie for sharing!

Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide Winners!

Over the past few weeks I've been running a little giveaway on the site during which I was giving away eight copies of Andrew Skruka's new book The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide. Late last week I randomly selected the winners. They are:

Kerry Scott (Piney River, VA)
Stacy Mantooth (Las Vegas, NV)
Michael Smith (Downingtown, PA)
Andrew Frishman (Santa Fe, NM)
Roberto Guzman (La Habra Heights, CA)
Amy Ekberg (St. Paul, MN)
Jim Cawley (Smithsburg, MD)
Lee Edwards (Brisbane, Australia)

Congrats to all the winners. I shipped out the books today and they should be arriving on your doorsteps very soon. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and who read this blog. I appreciate you stopping by my little slice of the Internet.

Also, big thanks to the folks over at National Geographic Books for providing the prizes for this giveaway!

Himalaya 2012: Updates From The "Other" Mountains

While the teams continue to stream into Everest Base Camp, the other big Himalayan peaks are starting to gather crowds (albeit modest ones!) as well. As usual, there are a series of exciting expeditions taking place across the region this spring and the climbers on those adventures are starting their approaches as well.

One of the more ambitious projects for 2012 comes from Ueli Steck who has joined forces with American climber Freddie Wilkinson to launch his Khumbu Express II expedition. The duo hope to open new routes on the North Faces' of Cholatse (6440m/21,129ft), Tawoche (6542m/21,463ft) and Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft). Ueli and Freddie are currently trekking acclimatizing and trekking through the Khumbu Valley and after a rest day in Namche Bazaar yesterday they are expected in Pheriche today. That should put them in Base Camp on Cholatse by the weekend where we'll hopefully start to get regular updates on their progress.

Also in the Khumbu, and on his way to Everest BC, is Simone Moro, who will be attempting the difficult Everest-Lhotse traverse. For those that don't know, Lhotse is the fourth highest peak in the world at 8516 meters (27,940 ft) in height. It is also the next door neighbor to Everest and when climbing either of the peaks from the South Side, teams share the same route all the way up to Camp 4. At that point, they go in separate directions to their respective summits, before descending back down to the shared camp once again. Simone hopes to climb to the top of Everest, descend to C4 and then begin an ascent of Lhotse from that point after he has had a chance to rest. If successful this will be one impressive feat, and if anyone can do it, it is Simone. We'll definitely be watching this expedition closely in the weeks ahead.

Australian climber Allie Pepper has completed her acclimatization trek through the Khumbu and has now returned to Kathmandu where she is preparing to leave for Manaslu. That 8156 meter (26,759 ft) peak will be the first of her Himalayan double-headers this year as she also intends to summit Lhotse later in the season. Allie has posted some excellent photos of her trek which you can check-out here.

The Adventure Consultants are guiding a team on Manaslu this spring as well and they are already en route to the mountain. They reached the village of Samagaun today and will rest there before heading to Base Camp on Thursday. The entire team is in good spirits, feeling great and eager to get their climb underway.

Finally, Don Bowie is on Annapurna where he has already been making good progress. As of last Wednesday, which is when Don last updated us on his status, he had already spent two nights in Camp 1 and was preparing to head to Camp 2 for an over-night stay as well. Presumably that went off without a hitch and he has since returned to BC for a rest. Hopefully we'll get an update soon, as Annapurna is one of the more challenging climbs in the Himalaya and I'd love to hear how the conditions are on that mountain this spring.

Book Review: The Ultimate Hang by Derek Hansen

Hikers and backpackers are constantly looking for ways to travel lighter and faster on their excursions into the backwoods. Whether its an overnight stay along a local trail or a weeks-long thru-hike of one of the grand epics such as the Appalachian Trail, we're always looking to shed pounds while remaining as comfortable as possible. Author Derek Hansen has found the key to doing just that and he shares the secret with us in his book The Ultimate Hang: An Illustrated Guide to Hammock Camping.

Derek asserts that we can drastically cut down on our pack weight by ditching a tent in favor of a lightweight and comfortable hammock, particularly in warmer weather. He notes that sleeping in a hammock allows backpackers to stay off the hard ground, which provides a better night sleep, and that they perform the same no matter if the terrain is smooth and flat or rocky and uneven. Hammocks can be equipped with rain flies to keep out the inclement weather and insect netting to prevent the creepy crawlies from making their way inside as well. They even adhere to the "leave no trace" concept, having zero impact on the campsite.

Converting to hammock camping may seem like a  simple affair, and for the most part it is, but Hansen has plenty of great advice for first-timers and experienced backpackers alike. He starts with the very basics, such as what gear you'll need for your hammock and then he demonstrates the ease of setting it up using some simple, yet highly effective, illustrations. Derek shares important information on selecting the proper campsite, lightning safety, avoiding wild animals and much more. He even tells us how to stay warm when the cooler weather sets in and how to best keep the rain out when we are inevitably caught out in a storm.

The Ultimate Hang may be a mere 130 pages in length but is chock-full of useful information for anyone who is interested in giving up their tent in favor of a hammock. The book is a fast and easy read, and features plenty of charming illustrations that compliment the text very well. By the time you finish reading this guide you'll be more than prepared to spend your first night in the woods sleeping between two trees and suspended several feet off the ground.

Of course, there are times when sleeping in a tent does have some advantages over a hammock. For instance, tents are naturally warmer and can be shared by multiple people as well. They also are less problematic above the tree line when hammocks require the use of other suspension types to be of any use. But under the right conditions, it is clear that a good hammock is an excellent way to travel and sleep while on a backpacking trip.

I have to admit I learned a lot from reading this book, which was not only informative but fun as well. Derek makes a great case for using a hammock on just about any camping trip and I've already started looking for a nice, comfortable option to take with me to the woods. I like the concept of traveling a bit lighter and sleeping more comfortably. Both of those options would make life on the trail so much better.

The Ultimate Hang is available from Amazon for just $12.78. Find out more at TheUltimateHang.com

Outside Announces New $10,000 Adventure Grant

In celebration of the magazine's 35th anniversary and the release of their Adventure Issue, Outside  has also announced the creation of their first annual Adventure Grant. This new endowment is for $10,000 and will be awarded to help fund "a smart, creative, and (perhaps) slightly foolhardy project" that will appear in a future issue.

Applications for the grant are being accepted online between now and May 18th. The official application can be found by clicking here. In addition to basic contact information, the applicant is asked to submit a 500 word essay describing your adventure and why you are uniquely qualified to pull it off. Photos and video can also be included to help illustrate the point.

A $10,000 adventure grant is nothing to sneeze at and this could be just the kind of funding and exposure that an expedition is looking for to get off the ground. After all, I'll be sponsorship dollars would be easier to come by when the sponsor in question could get some recognition in Outside.

In addition to the announcement of this impressive grant, the magazine also announced its pick for their Adventurers of the Year and suggestions for 12 great adventures in national parks. The former includes such names as Felicity Aston, Conrad Anker, and Laura Dekker, while the latter has awesome suggestions for travelers visiting Isle Royal National Park or the Great Sand Dunes and Preserve, amongst others.

Everest 2012: Base Camp Arrivals and The Challenges of Kathmandu

As expected, the first teams of climbers began arriving in Everest Base Camp over the weekend where they found the Sherpa teams had already established the locations that would be their homes for the weeks ahead. While they began to settle in and started planning for the climb ahead, other teams continued to work their way up the Khumbu Valley or have started their journeys into Tibet for approach from the North Side of the mountain.

One of the first squads to arrive was the Peak Freaks who reached BC on Saturday. This year they've expanded their operations to include two kitchen and two dining tents, one for the climbers themselves and another for the Sherpa teams who prefer to prepare and eat their food at different times. Upon arrival, the team was surprised to learn that the Sherpa guides have already been up to Camp 2 on the mountain where they've claimed a spot for their tents at that location. It'll be several weeks yet before the western climbers make their way to that point, but it seems their guides have already begun shuttling supplies in preparation.

Ian Ridley arrived in BC yesterday where he reports the temperatures are still on the cool side. Over night temperatures fell to -16ºC/3ºF and while the sun brings warm conditions inside the tent (21ºC/70ºF) as soon as it falls back into the shade, those temperatures drop to just 2ºC/35ºF. He also notes that the constant creaking and cracking of the glacier has made it a bit unnerving to sleep in the tent thus far.

Phil Purdy has updated his blog from Base Camp as well, reporting on his own Easter Sunday arrival. He notes that his team will now rest for the next three or four day before they proceed through the Khumbu Icefall and up to Camp 1 as part of their first round of acclimatization. He says that he also expects their Puja ceremony to take place in the next day or two as well. Each team goes through a Puja before starting their climb, and during that ceremony Buddhist monks bless them and their gear, and ask the mountain to grant them safe passage to the summit.

Further down the valley, the Himex team spent a few days in Pheriche as part of the acclimatization process. They report that heavy snow hit the area, which made for some beautiful sights but cold conditions. As a result, most preferred to stay inside close to the fire while they were in the little village, but those comfortable conditions didn't last long and today the team is trekking up to Lobuche camp where they'll spend a few more days acclimatizing before moving on to BC.

Teams are starting their migration to the Tibetan side of the mountain as well. We already knew that the 7 Summits Club planned on flying to Lhasa on Thursday of this week, where they'll begin their overland journey to Base Camp on the North Side of Everest. Joining them there will be the Altitude Junkies, who now say that they'll begin their journey to Tibet starting tomorrow. They hope to be in BC by Saturday or Sunday of this week, where they'll begin their prep work for going to the summit as well.

It hasn't been an easy couple of days in Kathmandu where a number of teams are still finishing up their last minute planning before officially launching their expeditions. The storms that dumped snows across the Khumub this weekend resulted in rain in Nepal's capitol city. Those rains flooded streets and made things a bit of a mess for a time. Waters have receded now, but residents and visitors are now in the midst of a "bandha" or strike today, which means traffic isn't moving in or out of the city and protestors have taken to the streets. These strikes generally last just one day however, and business should return to normal tomorrow. For those caught up in the action, which happens on an annual basis, it can be a bit frustrating, but most plan around the protests making them mostly a minor inconvenience.

Finally, there have been reports from ExWeb and Alan Arnette about a couple of oxygen tanks exploding while being tested with masks over the past few days. Obviously most climbers make the ascent while using supplementary oxygen and the system needs to be working perfectly in order for them to actually have a chance at reaching the summit. The bottles in question were supplied by a company out of the U.K. called Summit Oxygen, who are a relatively new competitor to Posisk, which held a monopoly on bottled oxygen in the Himalaya for years. Fortunately, the exploding bottles have resulted in mostly minor injuries thus far, but this is obviously a volatile situation and one that will leave teams feeling a bit uneasy about their choice of bottled O's. Let's hope that these are a few isolated incidences and that there will be no further problems moving forward, particularly when the oxygen is put into action in a few weeks time.

Video Tribute To Rob Liberman and Nick Dodov

On Tuesday, March 13 skiers Rob Liberman and Nick Dodov, along with four companions, were caught in an avalanche on Takhin Ridge near Haines, Alaska where they were preparing to make a heli-ski run in virgin snow. The two men wouldn't survive the slide and their deaths were a shock to the outdoor adventure community which Liberman in particular was a well-known and respected personality.

The day before the tragic incident Rob, Nick and their companions were filmed on the slopes, with Liberman sharing his thoughts on the joys of fresh powder and the freedom of shredding down some of the most amazing mountains in the world. That video has been compiled into a tribute of sorts which you'll find below.

Thanks to Ben Clark for sharing this short film which says a lot about Rob and his love for the mountains.

North Pole 2012: Marathon At The Top Of The World

At the end of last week one of the more unique endurance events in the world took place when the 2012 UVU North Pole Marathon was run. The race, which took place for the eighth time, featured 40 competitors from across the globe who ran a standard 26.2 mile (42.1 km) marathon across the frozen Arctic Ocean.

In order to reach the North Pole the racers first had to travel to Longyearbyen in Norway, then hop a charter flight to the Barneo Ice Station, which opened last week at around 89ºN. From there a Russian built Antonov AN-74 aircraft flew them out to the course, which was 2.6 mile (4.2 km) circular route that each of the runners had to complete ten times. The route is ultimately established for the safety of the athletes and is designed to avoid open leads of water or other safety hazards.

The winner of this year's race was Andrew Murray of Great Britain who finished in a time of 4 hours, 17 minutes and 8 seconds. Luis Alonso Marcos of Spain was second 2 minutes and 30 seconds back, while James Matthews, also from the U.K., claimed third at 4 hours, 41 minutes and 01 second. The top female finisher was Demelza Farr of Austraila who crossed the finish line with a time of 6 hours, 6 minutes and 36 seconds. For a full list of results click here.

The competitors only spent about two days in the Arctic for this race and most have already come and gone on their return trip through Barneo. Still, this is an impressive event to take part in and I imagine it was amazing to visit the North Pole and compete in one of the most unlikely marathons on the planet. Congrats to everyone involved.

Video: Rowing Across The Atlantic Ocean

This past January adventurer Alastair Humphreys joined a team of ocean rowers that included Marin Medak, Simon Osborne and Stephen Bowens who set out to cross the Atlantic under their own power. The men covered the 4700km (2920 mile) distance between the Canary Islands and Barbados in just 45 days and along the way they had the adventure of a lifetime. Last week Alastair released a video that documented that journey which was as much philosophical and spiritual as it was physical. The beautiful video perfectly captures the simplicity of rowing day after day, mile after mile, across a seemingly endless ocean. It is a challenge that isn't for everyone but watching this may inspire you to plan your own adventures, aquatic or otherwise.

Greg Mortenson Ordered To Reimburse CAI $1 Million

Ever since Jon Krakauer published his Three Cups of Deceit piece and 60 Minutes ran their exposè on author/mountaineer Greg Mortenson, we've all been waiting for the results of an investigation that was launched by the Montana Attorney General. Those results were released earlier today and they aren't good for Mortenson.

According to their findings there has been substantial mishandling of funds at Mortenson's non-profit organization the Central Asia Institute. The charity was founded to help raise funds for Mortenson's work in the Himalaya, where he built schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Krakauer and 60 Minutes alleged that CAI was used to help promote Mortenson himself and line his own pockets.

The Montana AG report, which you can read in it's entirety over at Outside Online, says that Mortenson used CAI funds to pay for personal travel and items for his family. The report accuses him of "significant lapses in judgement" in regards to how the organization has been run and points out a "lack of financial accountability" as well. For instance, the charity purchased nearly $4 million worth of Mortenson's two books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, allowing him to reap the profits. The records show that he also spent more than $2 million on charter flights to speaking engagements and an additional $75,276 was spent on personal items for his family.  As a result of these findings, which resulted from a months long investigation, Mortenson has been ordered to reimburse CAI over $1 million.

CAI's board has been called to task as well as most of them did little or nothing to challenge Mortenson's use of fund or the way he ran the organization. They are sighted in the AG report too and reprimanded for  not providing more oversight.

What happens from here remains to be seen. It seems that CAI has been more diligent with its operations since the whole affair started, but the scrutiny of the public has a way of doing that to an organization. As I've said many times before, Mortenson's work has been tremendous and it is a shame that these scandals have overshadowed that. Perhaps if he can pay back the money and get CAI back on track, he can continue building those schools.

Also, these findings have no impact on a possible pending class action lawsuit against Mortenson regarding his claims in his books, some of which appear to be at the very least highly exaggerated. Some of his claims have been challenged by a number of people and readers who bought into his story have often felt deceived. What will happen with those legal wranglings remain to be seen.