Video: Awesome Students Paddle 100km In Kayaks Made Of Plastic Bottles

A few weeks back, 25 amazing students completed a 100km (62 mile) paddling expedition down the Whanganui River on the North Island in New Zealand. That alone would be a pretty cool story, but they also made the journey in kayaks made out of plastic bottles. The video below gives us a glimpse of that journey and those kayaks, which I have to say look fantastic. A longer documentary of their adventure will come later and you can find out more on the group's Facebook page.

Thanks Lou-Phi for sharing this great video! Great stuff!

With The Spring Himalaya Season Over, All Eyes Turn To Denali

Now that the spring climbing season in the Himalaya is officially over, the attention of the mountaineering world turns to Alaska and the challenging slopes of Denali. Standing 6194 meters (20,320 ft) in height, Denali is the tallest mountain in North America and a formidable climb in its own right. In fact, the mountain has a relatively narrow climbing window that begins in May and runs into early July, during which time the bulk of the mountaineers who wish to summit will attempt it.

One of the hallmarks of Denali is its ferocious weather which can be felt at nearly any time of the year, but is a bit more predictable during the warmer summer months. While it doesn't match the stature of the big Himalayan peaks, or even some of the mountains in the Andes, it's particularly high latitude presents its own issues. For one, high winds and cold weather temperatures are common and the barometric pressures make Denali seem like a mountain that is much taller than its 6194 meters would imply.

Denali also happens to have the greatest vertical gain of any mountain on the planet, rising some 5181 meters (17,000 ft) above the surrounding countryside. In comparison, Everest rises to a higher overall altitude, but it is a mere 3962 meters (13,000 ft) above the area around it. These interesting characteristics of Denali help to make it a popular climb, particularly with those who have aspirations of taking on an 8000-meter peak at some point.

Interestingly enough, ExWeb has an article today that reports that there has been exceptionally great weather on Denali so far this season. That has led to a surprisingly high success rate for so early in the season. According to the story, more than 157 climbers have already summited this year, with 226 total attempts. That puts the success rate at 69%, far above the typical 52% that is the historical average and light years better than last year's dismal 41%. 2012 was an especially bad year for weather with very few good windows for going up to the summit.

ExWeb says that there are 984 climbers registered to attempt Denali this year and most of them (909) will go up the standard West Buttress route. At the moment, there are 397 climbers on the mountain, with the biggest pushes yet to come. The National Park Service actually limits the number of permits issued (what a novel concept!) to just 1500 during the peak season to help keep congestion to a minimum and allow them to lend aid as needed. With this spate of good weather, it has been reportedly quite thus far.

Over the coming weeks we're sure to hear a lot of stories about the climbs on Denali. One of the more prominent teams that we'll be watching will be the aptly named Expedition Denali, a group that consists of all African-American climbers who are hoping to inspire youth of color to follow in their footsteps and to become more engaged with outdoor adventure. A worthy cause to be sure.

Video: Remains Of A River - Source To Sea On The Colorado

From October of 2011 through January of 2012, Will Stauffer-Norris and Zak Podmore traveled the length of the Colorado River. Their journey began in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, the source of the mighty waterway, and it didn't end until they reached the Sea of Cortez. Along the way, they got to know the river intimately and documented their journey. The short film below is a documentary of that journey, and while it is a few months old at this point, I still thought it would be of interest. It is beautiful, powerful and moving. Defintiely worth your time if you have 45 minutes free to enjoy it.

Remains of a River: source to sea down the colorado from NRS Films on Vimeo.

2013 Checkpoint Tracker Championship Coming To Knoxville

Mark your calendars adventure racers. The 2013 Checkpoint Tracker National Championship is coming to Knoxville, TN October 10-12. As usual, the event will cap the Checkpoint Tracker adventure racing series and crown a national champion for the year.

This year's race will be a 30 hour event that will feature over 100 miles (160 km) of racing on a course that will include the usual trail running, mountain biking and paddling. But there will of course be a few new wrinkles added including cave trekking, orienteering and even shooting. The course is said to offer unprecedented access to the wilderness areas near Knoxville, offering up some surprises that will even surprise some of the locals.

Registration for the event is already open and if you register before June 7, your team will save $50/racer. With more than 30 teams already entered, the race already has some top contenders from across the U.S. And if you'd like a few tune-up races ahead of time, there are plenty of Checkpoint Tracker events taking place throughout the country this year.

Whether you're a veteran adventure racer or new to the sport, the CPT events are a great place to test your skills, meet other racers and experience some great outdoor environments. It's not too late to put a team together and enter a few races this summer.

Nobody's River Project: 4000 KM Down The Amur River

Running along the remote border of Russia and China in the Far East, the Amur River stretches across thousands of kilometers of wilderness. It is the tenth longest river in the world, but more importantly it is the single longest river to remain completely undammed. The waterway begins in Mongolia, not far from the birth place of Genghis Khan, and flows east across the wide open Mongolian Steppe and into Siberia, before eventually emptying into the sea of Okhotsk. Along the way it is surrounded by some of the most wild and unexplored territory on the planet.

This summer, a team of four adventurous women intend to paddle the length of the Amur beginning at its headwaters in the Onon River, which have their origins in the Khentii Mountains of Mongolia. Their journey will cover more than 4000 km (2485 miles) taking them source-to-sea before ending in the Pacific Ocean Delta. Along the way, they hope to collect data about this important watershed, while capturing images of the wild places they visit. They also hope to speak directly with the locals to get a better sense of the environment in which the Amur River flows .

With their gear packed, their basic plan outlined and their travel plans made, the ladies are about to embark on this ambitious adventure. The team includes Becca Dennis, Sabra Purdy, Amber Valenti and Krystle Wright, all of whom are about to depart for Mongolia and the launch of their expedition. They have named this endeavor the Nobody's River Project and they have invited us all to follow along with their progress. Over the next few months, they will be posting updates to their blog and Facebook page, as well as sharing stories on the National Geographic Adventure website and its Facebook page as well. It is sure to be quite an experience and one that will certainly be worth following.

Good luck to Becca, Sabra, Amber and Krystle as they depart for Mongolia and the adventure of a lifetime.

Video: Breaking Up With Your Slow Running Partner

We've all been there. We love the person we're with, but they simply can't keep up with us when we're running. What to do? Cut the dead weight of course! Something that is painfully (read: hilariously) depicted in the video below, which is actually a promo for a new line of running shoes that are coming our way courtesy of Pearl Izumi. The new shoes are allegedly incredibly light weight, yet still super-comfortable, allowing you to run faster and more efficiently then ever before.

You'll have to run pretty fast if you treat your significant other like some runners in the video.

Has Amelia Earhart's Plane Finally Been Found?

A team of researchers say they believe that they have found the remains of Amelia Earhart's missing Lockheed Electra aircraft, which went down somewhere over the Pacific in 1937 as she attempted a round-the-world flight. The group says that a sonar reading that they took as part of a search operation conducted last summer indicates an unidentified object resting just off shore from the remote and uninhabited island of Nikumaroro. The object is said to be roughly the size of the missing plane, whose discovery would answer one of the most compelling mysteries of the 20th century. 

On July 2, 1937, Earhart, along with her co-pilot Fred Noonan, were en route to Howland Island where they had planned to take on fuel to continue their journey across the Pacific. Although their radio signals were heard by a nearby naval vessel, Earhart couldn't receive voice transmissions from the ship. As a result, she and Noonan were unable to locate the island and eventually ran of fuel, going down somewhere in the South Pacific.

Members of the The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has long believed that Earhart was able to successfully land her plane on a coral reef near Nikumaroro and that she and Noonan survived as castaways for some time there. Artifacts discovered there led them to launch a search operation last summer that came away without any real solid evidence to support their theory however, but they did bring back a lot of data to sift through. The sonar readings were just a part of that data, which is now being examined throughly. 

According to TIGHAR researchers, of all the sonar readings they took, none returned any useful information save this one. It purportedly shows a small debris field located at a depth of approximately 200 feet. The debris could be consistent with the parts of an aircraft that may have sunk and has slowly slid further down the reef. The debris ends at a larger object that is roughly 22-feet in length, or about the size of the Electra.

Further analysis of the readings indicate that the object is not a rock or other natural mass. It also lines up consistently with where it is believed that Earhart would have set the plane down on the reef. There are indications of drag marks on the reef itself, which show evidence of the object's movement over time.

Of course, the only way to be sure is to send another research team out to the island to investigate. That isn't an inexpensive proposition however and TIGAR estimates it will cost about $3 million to mount yet another journey to Nikumaroro. The non-profit group is currently looking to raise funds to do just that and they're hoping that some wealthy benefactor will want to see the mystery of Amelia Earhart solved as well.

Perhaps they should take their case to Kickstarter. I'm sure there are a number of history buffs like me who would be willing to contribute to the cause.

Video: BASE Jumper Leaps From Everest

Everest is the gift that keeps on giving this year. Just when I think I'm about to put an end to the stories from the Himalaya, something new gets on my radar and I just have to share it. In this case, it is the video below which features Russian BASE jumper Valery Rozov, who jumped from an altitude of 23,687 feet (7220 m) on the North Side, claiming a record for the highest altitude BASE jump ever. He then proceeds to glide for a bit, hitting speeds in excess of 125 mph (201 km/h) while enjoying the ride in his wingsuit, before eventually opening his parachute and gliding safely to the ground. Wild stuff. I now expect someone to find an even higher place to leap off of soon. The BASE jumping Altitude Wars have only just begun.

The Story Behind Kenton Cool's Amazing Himalayan Triple-Header

If you followed the Himalayan climbing season this spring you're probably already aware of Kenton Cool's amazing expedition. Just last week, the British climber who already had ten successful Everest summits to his name, put together one of the most impressive string of climbs that anyone could ever hope to accomplish. In a single push, Cool managed to knock off Nuptse (7861 m/25,791 ft), Everest (8848 m/29,029 ft) and Lhotse (8516 m/27,940 ft), something that had never been accomplished in a single season before.

Since completing this ambitious expedition we've heard snippets of Kenton's tale but post climb exhaustion, a busy travel schedule and difficult communications from Nepal haven't allowed us to fully grasp the details. At least until now.

Alan Arnette has interviewed Kenton for Outside Online and the story is just as riveting as you would imagine. Alan gets all the details starting from how the idea to climb all three mountains came about, what events allowed for Cool to make the attempt this season and what it was like to bag a trio of Himalayan peaks in succession. As you can imagine, it was no easy task and there were a number of obstacles along the way, both physical and mental.

The article is a good read with lots of insights into climbing big mountains – Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in particular. You'll come away with an even greater respect for Kenton's accomplishment, which is one of the most daring in recent memory as far as I'm concerned.

Just How Deadly Are The 8000 Meter Peaks?

Each year, about this time, there is a lot of talk in the media about how dangerous it is to climb Everest and to a lesser extend the other 8000 meter peaks. Typically we're coming of another spring climbing season in the Himalaya and the non-climbing public is shocked to hear that 8 or 10 people have died on Everest. It makes good headlines for the mainstream media that is looking to drum up traffic, even if the stories ignore the fact that hundreds of people successfully summit.

With that in mind, yesterday The Economist published an infographic that compares each of the 14 8000-meter peaks in terms of the number of successful summits vs the number of deaths. You can find that graphic below and I think it speaks quite clearly for itself.

Some of the numbers are surprising and some are sobering, particularly when you look at K2 and Annapurna.

The Rest of Everest Episode 189: Practice Makes Perfect

This week on The Rest of Everest we head back to Broad Peak, where the team is now in Base Camp and working on some all important skills before they begin heading up the mountain. While of course everyone is eager to get started, there is always work to be done before the real climb can commence. This episode shows us the team focused on their prep work that will hopefully eventually pay off with a successful summit.

Video: The Escape - Mountain Biking Through British Columbia

If you're hungry for a mountain biking adventure of your own, but don't have time to hit the trail anytime soon, perhaps this short film can help fill satiate your desires. It features two riders who set out to explore British Columbia on mountain bikes, riding from Whistler to the Strait of Georgia, then on to Squamish, the Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Cumberland, Hornby Island, Parksville, Duncan and Saturna Island. The journey was certainly a beautiful one and the video captures the natural wonders of those locations very nicely.  It is over 16 minutes in length, so be sure to get settled in for the duration. I promise its well worth your time.

the escape from Union Production Co. on Vimeo.

Everest: 60 Years On The Mountain

Remember at the start of the day when I said there was a lot of Everest related news for the day? Well, I wasn't kidding, but I think this is the last story I'll post about the Big Hill for the day and possibly for awhile. After all, the climbing season is wrapped up, everyone is heading home and the Khumbu is once again becoming a very quiet place.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't at least write a brief post commemorating this important date. It was 60 years ago today that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to successfully summit the mountain. They were part of a large British expedition that arrived in the spring of 1953 that was intent on conquering the mountain for Queen and Country.

The team arrived in Base Camp on the South Side of the mountain in March of that year. They came with more than 400 people, including 362 porters and 20 Sherpa mountain guides. They reportedly had over 10,000 pounds of baggage that included their high altitude climbing gear, food and other supplies that they would need for a prolonged stay on the mountain.

Hillary and Norgay were not the first team selected by expedition leader John Hunt, who named Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans as the squad that would attempt the summit first. They climbed as high as the South Summit, which put them just 300 feet (91.5 meters) below the actual summit. But Evan's oxygen mask suffered a malfunction and the men were forced to turn back. That gave Hillary and Norgay the chance they had been waiting for.

Poor weather delayed their climb, keeping them at the South Col for a few days. But when the skies cleared they moved up, working together as a team. The last hurdle that they needed to overcome was a 40-foot (12 meter) rock wall that fell just below the summit. Hillary free climbed it and lowered a rope to Norgay. That wall would later become known as the Hillary Step.

With that final obstacle out of the way, the two men ascended to the top of Everest together. Neither of them would ever say who reached the top first. It was a group effort all the way and they shared in the glory of becoming the first men to summit the mountain. Hillary and Norgay would remain friends until the Sherpa passed away in 1986, sharing a bond that would forever link them in mountaineering history.

Upon returning from the summit, the triumphant climbers were met by George Lowe, who was moving up to lend assistance as needed. When Hillary saw his friend he greeted him by saying: "Well, George, we knocked the bastard off." Those words would live in Everest lore alongside George Mallory's famous "Because it's there" quote.

Hillary would go on to lead a life of high adventure. He continued climbing in the Himalaya of course and he also visited the South Pole as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1958. He even led an expedition by jet boat up the Ganges River in 1977, going in search of its source.

Back home in New Zealand, he was a national hero, having been knighted by the Queen for his efforts. He even adorning the $5 bill there, an honor reserved for very few. But he also felt a strong kinship to the people of Nepal and he spent a lot of time in that country over the years. His generous charity work has left a lasting legacy with the people of that country, helping to build hospitals and schools with the help of his Himalayan Trust.

Sir Edmund Hillary passed away on January 11, 2008.

Norgay also continued climbing after finding success on Everest. He became the first Director of Field Training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and continued to lead expeditions throughout the region. He was the Sirdar, or lead guide, of the first tourist expedition to Bhutan when that country first began opening to the public in 1975. He too remains a legendary mountain figure in his home country, where the airfield in Lukla, the starting point of the trek to Everest, has been renamed Tenzing-Hillary Airport in honor of the two men.

If you're an Everest fan, take a little time today to reflect on the achievements of Hillary and Norgay. The two men that showed the rest of us the way and did so with class and honor.

Everest 2013: A Ladder At The Hillary Step?

There has been a lot of buzz the past few days about the possibility of installing a ladder on Everest at the Hillary Step. This past weekend, Dawa Steven Sherpa, who is part of the Expedition Operators Association in Nepal, let slip that there have been some discussions about adding the ladder as a way to alleviate bottlenecks and traffic jams on the mountain. One of the places that gets the most crowded is the Hillary Step, which is a 40-foot vertical rock face that requires some technical skill, not to mention time, to negotiate. Because of the fact that only one person can be going up or down the ropes at any given time, it can lead to serious delays in getting to the summit. So Dawa, along with some other prominent members of the Sherpa community, has proposed adding the ladder, which would only be used by those descending the mountain. This has of course drawn the ire of some purists who feel it'll detract from the challenge of the climb.

For those who aren't familiar with the landmarks of Everest on the South Side, the Hillary Step falls at about 8763 meters (28,750 ft) and is the last major obstacle to overcome before reaching the summit. It is described as being relatively easy for anyone who has rock climbed before, although the altitude, weather and sheer exhaustion can all make it more challenging than it should be. The proposed ladder would make it much easier to descend and could greatly reduce traffic jams at such a high altitude. One of the biggest complaints about Everest in the past few years has been all of the crowds on the mountain, some of whom are put in jeopardy because they must stand in line while they wait their turn to go up. Sometimes they can end up waiting for hours, which isn't particularly safe in poor conditions.

As many of you probably know, there is a ladder in place on the North Side of Everest that is used on the Second Step there. That rock climb is much longer and more difficult than the Hillary Step however and it is doubtful that most people would be able to reach the summit without it.
 For a good explanation of the logistics of all of this, I'd recommend reading Alan Arnette's thoughts on the addition of a ladder to the mountain. He is decidedly against the plan saying that anyone who comes to Everest ought to have the fundamental skills necessary for completing the climb. Alan also notes that just how the ladder would be installed on the Hillary Step remains a bit of a mystery, although I'd have to think that the Sherpas have some kind of plan in mind.

Personally, I don't have a problem with adding the ladder if it means the mountain will be safer for the climbers. After all, they are already used on other parts of the mountain, including in the Khumbu Icefall, albeit in a different manner. We all know overcrowding is an issue on Everest and while this is a way to help break-up one of the bottlenecks, it isn't going to solve the issue of overcrowding itself.

By all accounts, 2013 looks to have been another record year for the number of summits on the mountain, and it doesn't seem like that trend will change anytime soon. In my opinion, the only way to lessen the crowding is to issue fewer permits to climb. But of course, that isn't going to happen as all of these commercial expeditions mean big business and lots of cash for Nepal.

It should also be noted that traffic jams didn't seem like they were much of a concern this year. We certainly didn't have images of long lines like the ones we've seen in years past. Part of what made it work so well this time out was how the final weather window stayed open for an extended amount of time. With the forecast looking promising, some teams remained patient and waited until he rush was over before proceeding up. We can't count on that being the case every year however, so anything that can help lessen the long lines will be much appreciated by all involved.

Obviously interest in climbing Everest is only increasing. Traffic jams have become part of the culture on the mountain. Until something tragic happens, they are likely to remain there.

Microsoft Teams With David Breashears To Bring Everest Home

Even though the Himalaya climbing season is all but over, I have lots of Everest-centric news to share today, starting with a new project that features legendary documentary filmmaker and explorer David Breashears and tech-giant Microsoft joining forces. Today, they have launched Everest: Rivers of Ice, an interactive website that lets armchair mountaineers explore the world's tallest peak without ever leaving home.

The project combines some of the high-resolution imagery that Breashears took as part of his Glacierworks project with the touch-technology behind Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10, to create an experience unlike any other. Visitors to the site will be able to take a virtual trek up the Khumbu Valley, visiting many well known places along the way like Lukla, Namche Bazaar and Gorak Shep, before arriving in Everest Base Camp itself. Beautiful panoramic shots capture the region nicely, as does a spectacular video fly-by of Everest itself.

The Everest: Rivers of Ice website is created with HTML5, which means it should work on any browser that supports that standard. But to get the true effect in all its glory, you'll definitely want to check it out on Win 8 and with IE 10. Not only will it give you a sense of the scale of the mountain itself, it'll also show you what it is like to trek through the Himalaya just to get there.

I've written about Glacierworks before and feel that it is an important project for raising awareness of the impact of global climate change on the glaciers in the Himalaya. Breashears has taken photos of the Khumbu Valley from today and compared them to images taken the same spot in the past and the differences are alarming. The glaciers are in full retreat, taking a vital source of water for the people of the Himalaya with them. This is becoming a serious issue and projects like this one are helping us to understand the implications. Be sure to check out Everest: Rivers of Ice for more about the changes in the region and to take in the beauty of the mountains yourself.

Video: Jr. Filmmaker Captures Close Encounter With A Whale

I've always thought that whales are some of the most amazing creatures on our planet. That opinion is only reinforced by the video clip below which features a playful gray whale that approaches close enough to a boat to let its inhabitants touch the large mammal. The footage gives us some great shots both above and below the water and was shot recently by 13-year old Eric Lindblad while on an aquatic adventure to Magdalena Bay.

It looks magical there.

Kayak Sessions Magazine Announces Entries For Short Film Awards

Looking to get your paddling fix in video form? Then you'll definitely want to checkout the latest entries in Kayak Session magazine's annual Short Film Awards. As of now, there are five outstanding entires, although submissions are still being accepted if you have a film you'd like to share. For consideration, your film must be under five minutes in length and it will be judged on cinematography, editing, image quality, storytelling, creativity and kayak performance. The first place winner will receive $5000 cash, with $2500 going to second place and $1000 to third.

My favorite entry so far is the video you'll find below. It follows a team of paddlers into the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco as they go in search of epic new runs. They find some surprisingly great water to explore along the way. This beautifully shot video captures that adventure quite nicely.

Himalaya 2013: Dhaulagiri Claims The Life Of Juanjo Garra

At the end of last week there was a developing story about Catalonian climber Juanjo Garra getting stranded on Dhaulagiri, an 8167 meter (26,795 ft) peak located in north-central Nepal. It seems that while he was descending from the summit following a successful climb, Juanjo's Sherpa guide, Kheshap Gurung, slipped and fell, dragging him down at the same time. In the fall, Juanjo broke his ankle, preventing him from being able to continue down the mountain and effectively stranding him at altitude.

After the story broke, we learned that Simone Moro was bringing his rescue helicopter to Dhaulagiri to lend a hand and other climbers were en route to help bring Garra down to an altitude where he could be flown off the mountain. Unfortunately that assistance couldn't get to Juanjo's position in time and over the weekend he succumbed to his injuries and prolonged exposure, passing away Sunday despite the best efforts of his rescuers. The ordeal was a long one for everyone involved, as Garra and Kheshap spent three days on the mountain without shelter or sleeping bags for protection. Kheshap was able to get down safely and is reportedly being treated for his injuries in Pokhara.

The efforts taken in a high altitude rescue are great but of course extremely dangerous. When the operation was first launched, three Sherpas from Everest were flown to Dhaula and dropped off with medical supplies at 6200 meters (20,341 ft). They were unable to reach Juanjo's position on the first day however and although they continued up the following day, bad weather prevented them from once again getting to Juanjo, who had been assisted down a few hundred meters by Kheshap.

During the second day, Simone was swept the slopes looking for the missing climber and his guide, but to no avail. He did located a missing Indian climber and helped bring him down the mountain however, so his efforts were still fruitful.

By the third day, a very strong team of climbers had assembled on the mountain to attempt a rescue of Garra. Bad weather once again prevented them from being shuttled up to as high of an altitude as they would have liked, but setting out from Camp 2 they still hoped to be of some assistance Meanwhile, the Sherpas from Everest did finally reach Juanjo's position where they immediately provided medical aid and much needed food and water. Despite those efforts however, the Catalonian passed away a short time later.

This is a sad story to cap the 2013 Himalayan season on. Like Everest, most of the other mountains in the region are now deserted and for something like this to happen near the end is just tragic. Garra was no doubt feeling good following his successful summit, only to have everything come crashing down a short time later. Surviving for nearly four days at altitude without shelter or food must have been brutal. My thoughts go out to Juanjo's friends and family int his sad time.

Those that so unselfishly lent a hand to the rescue efforts should be commended as well. They risked their own health and safety to try to save Garra. In addition to the Sherpas, climbers Dominik Mueller, Alex Txikon, Ferran Latorre and  Jorge Egocheaga showed the true spirit of the mountains by trying to assist their fallen friend. It is at times like these when we see how closely bonded the mountaineering community truly is.

Thanks to Asim Gupta for keeping me up to date on all of these efforts the past few days. With the long holiday weekend here in the States, I was away from my computer more than normal. It was sad to receive the final news after following the efforts for several days.

Everest 2013: The Lonely Mountain

Since I last posted an update on the Everest climbing season, nearly everyone has departed the mountain. Most of the Sherpa teams have now descended, carrying gear, supplies and garbage back to Base Camp, where it will be packed, secured and carried back to Kathmandu. Everest is quickly becoming a deserted place once again and even the trekking groups have stopped for now as the impending summer monsoons loom literally and figuratively on the horizon.

That all said, there is at least one expedition still climbing the mountain. 81-year old Nepali climber Min Bahadur Sherchan is still holding out hope of reaching the summit sometime this week. Alan Arnette reports that Sherchan is determined to reclaim his record as the oldest to summit Everest after Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura took the title last week at the age of 80. After struggling with a stomach bug a few weeks back, Sherchan is said to be feeling good, climbing strong and ready to top out. Alan says that he has five Sherpas climbing with him, providing plenty of support. The final deciding factor in whether or not he reaches the summit will probably be the weather. The forecasts this time of year are subject to change very quickly and with the Monsoon approaching, the mountaintop may be put out of reach at any day. We'll just have to wait to see if Sherchan can bring the record back home to Nepal.

Either way, getting back off the mountain could be a real challenge for anyone still there. Over the weekend, a major section of the Khumbu Icefall collapsed, taking the route that is used to cross it down. That is not uncommon this time of year as warming temperatures make the area very unstable. In fact, the Ice Doctors would normally be wrapping up their efforts for the season and closing the route anyway. Since there is still a team attempting the summit, it is unclear at this time of they are rebuilding the route or simply closing it off. It is possible that after Sherchan's team completes their climb, they will be shuttled off the mountain via helicopter. Time is certainly of the essence in any case however.

Finally, Chad Kellogg has posted a long and detailed account of his summit bid last week. You may recall that he was hoping to attempt a speed record and it sounds like things were actually going well until high winds forced him to abandon the attempt just 1800 feet (548 meters) below the summit. When the winds picked up, the temperatures dropped, and since Chad was climbing without bottled oxygen, that greatly increased his chances of contracting frostbite. He was above the Balcony when he made his decision to turn back, dejectedly returning to Camp 4.

According to his report, Chad said that he was moving well and feeling great. In fact, when he turned back, he still had seven hours to go to complete those last 1800 feet, which can be agonizingly difficult and slow. Despite the disappointment of being denied the summit again, Chad says that he learned a lot from the climb and feels good about his efforts. He is happy to be heading home, healthy and with all of his limbs intact.

I'll continue to monitor activity on Everest over the next few days to see if there are any more summits or news to share. For the most part, the mountain is all but closed for spring, but it seems we'll get at least one or two more updates over the next few days.

Adventure Tech: Caterpillar Introduces Rugged Smartphone

There is no question that we outdoor enthusiasts can be a bit tough on our gear. Most of the items we use are designed to be rugged enough to withstand the punishment we put out, but some things are just not built to survive in the environments in which we thrive. Take most of our popular smartphones. Sure, they're wonderful for staying in touch while on the go and they offer up far more information than we ever thought possible in a device so small. But they aren't exactly the best companion on an adventure, where they risk getting submerged in water, dropped off a cliff or smashed against a rock.

The new Caterpillar B15 smartphone hopes to alleviate those problems. The device is designed to withstand the kind of abuse that you would expect on a construction job site, which also makes it ideal for heading into the backcountry. The phone has been built to be able to withstand a drop of 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) or stay submerged under 3.2 feet (1 meter) of water for up to 30 minutes. It is dustproof, scratch resistant, and the 4-inch capacitive screen can even be operated with wet fingers. Additionally, it is rated to operate in temperatures ranging from -4ºF/-20ºC to 131ºF/55ºC, making it an ideal companion for extreme environments.

The Cat designers didn't skip on the technology inside the B15 either. It is running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and features a dual core 1 GHz processor. It has a 5MP rear-facing camera and a second front-facing VGA cam for video conferencing. It even has a built-in FM radio for those who don't want to listen to their own tracks or stream from Pandora or Spotify. The battery is rated for an impressive 16.3 hours of talk time or up to 26 days of stand-by. I would have liked to have seen a bit more onboard memory however as it ships with just 4GB, which is pretty anemic in this day and age. You can add MicroSD cards to raise that total to 32GB however.

All of this comes in a relatively svelte package that weighs in at 6 ounces or 170 grams. Not bad for a phone designed to take punishment on this level. Price is just $349.99, which isn't bad either all things considered. If you're in the market for a rugged smartphone, this might be your best choice at the moment.

Xpedition.TV Launches Adventure Filmmaking Competition

Xpedition.TV is a new website whose mission is to showcase new adventure films while also helping aspiring filmmakers to find funding for their personal projects. The site looks to mentor those filmmakers while also organizing a series of challenge awards that will help them to gain exposure. Today at MountainFilm they have announced the first of those competitions in the form of their "Emerging Talent Filmmaker's Challenge."

The competition will run from May 23 - June 30 and features three potential categories in which someone can win. Those categories include "Most Inspiring," "Most Innovative" and "Most Surprising." The films should be no longer than five minutes in length and should focus outdoor adventure, outdoor sports or exploration. For complete rules and information on how to submit your film, click here.

The winners of this first challenge will have their short films showcased on Xpedition.TV, gaining some nice exposure for their work. On top of that, they'll each receive a Sherpa 50 solar charging kit from Goal Zero. That is a piece of gear that I reviewed very favorably awhile back and is something that will come in handy for any filmmaker working in the field.

If you're an aspiring outdoor or adventure filmmaker this is a great chance to get some exposure for your work as well as snag a great piece of gear in the process. If you have a project you've been working on for awhile, wrap it up in the next few weeks and get it entered into this competition. It could be the big break you've been waiting for.

Himalaya 2013: Climber Stranded On Dhaulagiri

While things wrap up on Everest, elsewhere in the Himalaya there are other expeditions that are winding down as well. The past few days have not been good for numerous teams as there has been little summit success off of the Big Hill. Now, poor weather is moving in and closing down the mountains for the summer, as most of the teams pack up and prepare to head home.

The biggest news of the day is that Spanish climber Juanjo Garra is currently stranded on Dhaulagiri. Apparently Garra was descending yesterday along with his Sherpa guide from somewhere high up on the mountain. It is unclear if they two men made the summit or not, but on their way down the Sherpa slipped and fell, knocking Garra over as well. When he fell, the Spaniard broke his ankle, making it incredibly hard for him to move at all.

Reportedly, the two men bivouacked above 8000 meters and have now called for assistance in helping to get off the mountain. That includes asking Simone Moro to bring his rescue helicopter to the mountain in an effort to help get Garra down. Of course, the helicopter won't be able to conduct a rescue at 8000 meters, so other climbers may be en route to lend a hand. It has been suggested that Ferran Latorre and Alex Txikon may be headed to Dhaulagiri with the hopes of assisting rescue efforts. The two men completed a climb of Lhotse earlier in the week and are reportedly still in Everest Base Camp.

I'll try to post updates on this developing story as we get them.

Also on Dhaulagiri, Polish climber Pawel Michalski confirms that he turned back just 67 meters (220 feet) below the summit yesterday. He is descending back to BC today and says that he'll post more details once he has a better Internet connection. From the sounds of things, high winds were once again the culprit here, forcing him to descend even though his goal was so close.

Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have turned back on their summit bid on Makalu. Once again, it was bad weather that did them in. Conditions looked promising yesterday so the duo pressed on in their attempt to top out on the 8481 meter (27,824 ft) mountain. They are descending now and hope to be back in BC later in the day.

Finally, the Adventure Consultants have posted some summit photos from Lhotse that complement their Everest summit shots from earlier. You can checkout the images here. Most of them include shots of Everest in the background. Looks like it was a good day to be at the top of the world.

More news from the Himalaya as it comes in. Things are now winding down across the board and by next week the entire region will be much more quiet.

Everest 2013: Mopping Up

The end of the spring climbing season is now in sight on Everest and just a few stragglers remain behind with the hopes of a late summit. There are already reports of the weather starting to change and as June grows closer, the annual Monsoon will arrive, shutting off the summit for good. In the meantime, the Sherpa teams that have been so instrumental in ensuring that the climbers get safely up and down the mountain are continuing to do their work. While most of the commercial teams are either already gone or will be by this weekend, the Sherpas remain to clean up the trash, collect the gear and tidy up Base Camp as best they can. It is a thankless job for the most part, but one that they do well and without much recognition.

One climber who still hopes to summit next week is Min Bahadur Sherchan. The 81-year old still has dreams of topping out, despite the fact that he has dealt with a stomach bug for much of the past few weeks. He is feeling better and says that he is strong now, so he hopes to wrest the title for being the oldest person to climb Everest away from Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura, who set the new mark just a few days ago at the ripe-young age of 80. (Ed Note: When I'm 80 I'll be happy to climb out of my rocking chair!) I'll try to keep an eye on Sherchan's progress to see if he can summit next week, although it is tough to say how much longer the Ice Doctors will keep the Icefall open this spring.

Dave Hahn, head guide of the RMI team, successfully nabbed his 15th career summit yesterday and he reports that the shift in weather has already started on the upper slopes. Dave said that while conditions were good, if a bit cold on the summit yesterday, he can tell that things are already starting to warm up. That is another signal of the impending Monsoon, which will close things down at least until fall. Dave said that some of the anchors on the ropes were starting to come free from the snow and ice in which they are fixed, which can lead to dangerous conditions. Fortunately, as far as I can tell from yesterdays reports, it didn't have any effect on the climbers. But Sherchan should be careful going up next week.

The Himex Team finally posted their latest update saying that Summit Day yesterday was pretty uneventful. The climbers had good weather all the way to the top and they all topped out, enjoyed the view then descended all the way back to Camp 2 for a rest. It was a long, tiring day of course, but it sounds like everyone came through it in good health and spirits. They'll descend the rest of the way today and get ready to depart for home.
The Adventure Consultants posted some nice shots of a few members of their team from the summit. If you want to catch a glimpse of the joy and relief that people feel when they top out, you can view the gallery here. Meanwhile, IMG says that their entire team of climbers have left, but they still have 37 Sherpas working at various points on the mountain. They won't begin to celebrate until everyone is safely down.

Still no word on Chad Kellogg and his Everest journey. You may recall that Chat was attempting a speed run on the mountain and he set out on Wednesday from Base Camp for a straight shot at the summit. Hopefully he got up and down safely and will update us all soon as to the results of his expedition.

That's about all there is to report at this time. Kathmandu is getting crowded again as all of the climbers return to the city and prepare to head home. The Khumbu region will still have some trekkers, but it will soon empty out as well. The Monsoon brings plenty of rain to the region, making it an uncomfortable place to be during the summer months. This all but closes the book on another climbing season in Nepal, although I imagine there will still be a few lingering stories to share over the next few days.

Video: A Mountain Biking Adventure In Peru

If you're looking for yet another reason to visit Peru, check out this fantastic video which was shot on GoPro cameras by friends Ali Goulet, Chris Van Dine and Aaron Chase. The three men recenly visited the South American country where they had a chance to ride some gnarly mountain biking trails while interacting with the local culture. The result was this fine short film that may inspire you to want to follow in their tire tread.

Video: A Life Well Lived With Jim Whittaker

Fifty years ago Jim Whittaker became the first American to summit Everest, helping to lead the way on that legendary 1963 expedition. Today, he still has things he can teach us about how to live life and approach each day. In the video below, Jim continues to share his wisdom.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this. Excellent stuff from an absolute legend.

A Life Well Lived | Jim Whittaker & 50 Years of Everest from eric becker on Vimeo.

Himalaya 2013: Kangchenjunga Claims Five Lives

Now that the dust is settling on Kangchenjunga, more information is filtering out about what happened there over the past few days. While there is news of multiple successful summits, it seems that the mountain has also claimed the lives of five people, making it one of the most deadly seasons in recent memory.

Yesterday I reported that Hungarian climbers Zsolt Eross and Peter Kiss had spent the night without tents or sleeping bags at 8300 meters (27,230 ft) following a successful summit bid. The two men had been in touch with the support team and were letting them know that they were on the move, although it was slow going. At the time, they were attempting to reach Camp 4 to rest and collect supplies, but after that they lost contact and haven't been seen or heard from since. What happened to them remains unknown, but considering Kangchenjunga is one of the deadliest mountains in the world, it seems likely that they perished while trying to descend.

Unfortunately, Eross and Kiss weren't the only casualties on the mountain. An avalanche swept Korean climber Park Nam Su, as well as Phurba and Vivas Sherpa from the mountain. This incident apparently occurred higher up the slopes as another avalanche blew through Camp 2, causing damage there but not killing anyone. Like Annapurna, Kangchenjunga is notorious for its powerful and unpredictable avalanches.

ExWeb is reporting that 11 people reached the summit of Kangchen on Monday, May 20. In addition to Eross and Kiss, Iranian climber Raza Shahlai and Mingma Gyalje Sherpa topped out. There were two Korean climbers not far behind them. Catalonian climber Oscar Cadiach and Italian Mario Vielmo also topped out, as did Korean alpinist Kim Hong-bin. These successes have to be bittersweet at this point however, considering the number of climbers who turned back, as well as those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of the summit.
On Dhaulagiri Polish climber Pawel Michalski has returned to Camp 3 after making a final summit push. His website doesn't give much information but it does say that he reached 8100 meters (26,574 ft). If that is true, that means he came up just 67 meters (220 ft) short of the summit. It is always difficult to turn back when your objective is so close, but with weather conditions deteriorating rapidly, those final 67 meters could have been the difference between survival and struggling to get down alive. It appears that his expedition is over and Pawel will return to BC and then head home.

The outlook is better on Makalu, where Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have now reached Camp 4. As of their last dispatch, the duo were resting and preparing for their summit push. If all goes according to plan, they should be on their way to the top today. The wether is reportedly good, although winds are still of concern.

Finally, the word from Cho Oyu is that high winds kept teams in place earlier in the week but they should be on the move again now. A weather window was expected to open starting yesterday, which means teams could be on a summit push now. We'll have to wait for confirmation on success or failure from that mountain soon.

More updates to come as we get news.

Everest 2013: Last Teams Wrap Up Summit Bids

It was another busy day on Everest as the final teams pushed to the summit. These last few squads had shown remarkable patience and perseverance as they waited for their chance to come. Fortunately, the weather stayed cooperative and the high winds that were in some forecasts held off. As a result, there were approximately another 50 summits that took place earlier today in what could be the final push for the 2013 season.

Amongst those topping out was Dave Hahn's RMI team. For Dave this was his 15th successful summit of Everest, the most ever by a non-Sherpa. He was joined at the top by Seth Waterfall and their three Sherpa's Tshering, Kaji & Gyaljen. They reported cold conditions at the summit, but an other wise beautiful day to be on top of the world. It was quiet enough for the team to spend 30 minutes enjoying their accomplishment before heading back down. 

Alan Arnette is reporting that 80-year old Japanese climber Miura Yiuchiro has summited, setting a new age record in the process. Yiuchiro is now the oldest person to ever climb Mt. Everest, although his rival from Nepal, Min Bahadur Sherchan, is still planning to launch his summit bid. Sherchan has been suffering from a stomach bug but hopes to climb to the top next week, provided the weather allows it.

Alan is also reporting that the Himex team put 22 climbers on top although there has been no official word on their website just yet. Last year, Himex boss Russell Brice elected to pull the entire team from the mountain because he felt the conditions weren't safe, but this year seems like it has been a very successful campaign. Patience and timing has certainly paid off once again.

There is no word yet on Chad Kellogg's progress in his attempted speed record on Everest. Checking out his GPS locations given by his SPOT device it appears that he may have made it to the summit, but just how quickly he did so remains to be seen. The tracking show on his page may not be accurate either, so we'll have to wait until we hear from Chad to see how things went.

Back in Base Camp, the teams that have already completed their climbs earlier in the week are busy celebrating their success and packing to head home. Some have already departed for Kathmandu by helicopter while others will make the trek back to Lukla to catch a flight. At this point, BC on the South Side is quickly becoming a quiet place. The Sherpas will be there for a few more days as they collect gear, but already the winds of change are blowing and the curtain will soon drop on the spring climbing season in the Himalaya.

On the North Side of the mountain a similar scene is playing out. Most of the teams are either back in BC or already departed. Of course, on the Tibetan side the climbers can drive in and out of Base Camp, so most will be picked up by trucks in the next day or two.

That's all for now. With the major summit pushes all but over at this point, I'll try to keep tabs on some of the still evolving stories from the end of the season.

The Rest Of Everest Episode 188: Throwing Rocks

The latest episode of The Rest of Everest is out and it continues a very exciting expedition to the Karakoram with mountaineer Brian Block. After spending the past few episodes simply getting to Base Camp, the first climb is about to begin. Brian and his team will start with an attempt on Broad Peak, an 8051 meter (26,414 ft) mountain that falls on the border of Pakistan and China. This will be the warm-up for an eventual go at K2, but for now the team is focused on BP.

This is a chance to see some fantastic footage from a mountain that seldom gets much coverage. I'm very much enjoying the fact that this season is not focused on Everest but is giving us a glimpse at another remote, yet equally beautiful, area of the world. If you haven't watched The Rest of Everest in the past, nows your time to jump on. I think you'll definitely enjoy it.

Himalaya 2013: Trouble On Kangchenjunga

As the final days unfold on Everest as similar drama is playing out on other mountains across the region. The summit push is on for many climbers who are now also racing the clock to beat what appears to be an impending shift in the weather. If that shift comes, it could mean that the entire Himalayan season will be over. The Monsoon is now just days away.

We'll start on Kangchenjunga today, where ExWeb is reporting that there is a difficult story still unfolding. Hungarian climbers Zsolt Eross and Peter Kiss topped out on the 8586 meter (28,169 ft) peak – the third tallest in the world – on Monday. This a mountain with a fearsome reputation however, which they discovered on their descent. Exhausted from their climb, the two men were moving incredibly slowly and were forced to spend a night at 8300 meters (27,230 ft), most likely without a tent or shelter of any kind. Yesterday morning they told their home team that they were back on the move and feeling a bit better, but were still struggling to make progress. What has become of them since then is unknown, although it is believed that they may have been able to descend to Camp 4. Keep your fingers crossed. This is an evolving story at the moment and getting down from C4 will be no easy task.

And if things couldn't get any worse, there also appears to have been an avalanche on the mountain as well, which may have claimed the lives of Korean climber Park Nam SU and his Sherpa guide Phurba. That story is still coming out as well, but the news is that they are lost too.

Carlos Soria and Oscar Cadiach have abandoned their attempt on Kangchenjunga, coming up just short of the summit a few days back. Both men have returned to BC where they are resting before going home. High winds and some logistical issues kept them from reaching the summit, but they feel confident that they gave it their best shot and made the right decision in turning back.

Update: It seems Oscar did indeed summit Kangchenjunga on Monday and successfully returned to BC today. Oscar's partner Lluis Rafols turned back below the summit however. There are few details at this time, but congratulations to Oscar on completing this tough climb!

The Italian team that includes Annalisa Fioretti did manage to find some success, putting Mario Vielmo on the summit. It is unclear if anyone else on the team was with him at the time, but the entire group is back in BC and preparing to go home too. Update: Annalisa dropped me a note to let me know that while she did not summit, she did reach 8370 meters (27,460 ft) which is a new record for an Italian woman on Kangchenjunga.

Jumping over to Makalu, Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia spent an extra day in Camp 2 yesterday in an attempt to let winds die down near the summit. They hope to move up to C3 today, which would put them in a position to summit tomorrow if all goes well. There is still now word from Don Bowie however. He is also on Makalu and presumably part of any current summit pushes.

Finally, Polish climber Pawel Michalski was unable to go for the summit of Dhaulagiri yesterday due to hurricane force winds. He was hoping to give it a shot today, although there has been no word yet on whether or not that was possible. In his most recent dispatch, Pawel says that this is the final chance. Hopefully he is on his summit push now and all is proceeding according to plan.

More updates soon.

Everest 2013: Final Summit Push Begins, Weather Taking A Turn

It has been an incredibly productive week on Everest, which has seen its fair share of summits the past few days. Alan Arnette estimates that there have been a total of 500 successful summits to date with perhaps another 50 coming today. But there is now a sense of urgency on the mountain, as the weather forecast indicates a change is coming. Higher winds, colder temperatures and possibly snow are now possibilities as the current weather window closes at last. The next day or two will wrap up the season, as the jet stream will soon begin to shift and the seasonal Monsoon will arrive with the coming of June, effectively shutting down the mountain until fall.

RMI's team leader Dave Hahn phoned in an update on the team's progress to say that they are on the move up to Camp 4 today with the hopes of reaching the summit tomorrow. The change in weather is starting to make the proposition of a summit bid a dicey one, although if there is a chance of topping out, Dave and his crew will take it. If he is successful on this bid, he will claim his 15th summit of Everest, which is the most by any non-Sherpa. That's a pretty impressive statistic to say the  least.

Also heading up today is the Himex Team, who were in C3 yesterday and should proceed to C4 on schedule. They're hoping to top out tomorrow as well and from the sound of their latest report, everyone is in good spirits and health, but looking forward to completing their expedition.

There hasn't been an update posted by Chad Kellogg in a few days, but today was the day he was set to launch his speed climb on Everest, departing from BC at 3:00 PM local time. As of this writing, that was a few hours ago and judging from his SPOT satellite tracker, Chad is already moving up the slope at a good pace. He has set his highs on beating Marc Batard's speed record, which was set back in October of 1990. To do that, he'll have to go from BC to summit and back again in 22 hours and 29 minutes. Hopefully the crowds will stay out of his way and the weather won't impact the attempt. Even if Chad isn't able to get the speed record, I'd still like for him to get the summit. The past few years have not been easy ones for him on Everest. Good luck Chad!

The Altitude Junkies have topped out on the North Side of the mountain, putting ten climbers on top this morning at 8:00 AM local time. Amongst them was Edita Nichols who already called into her home team after returning to Camp 3. She called the climb the hardest thing she's ever done in her life and she's looking forward to heading home soon. The team is scheduled to be back in Kathmandu by Saturday.

Back on the South Side, Melissa Arnot also topped out earlier today with her friend and guide Tshering Dorje Sherpa. She is now descending back to Camp 2 for a much needed rest before coming down to BC tomorrow. For Melissa, this is her 5th summit of Everest, giving her the most by any non-Sherpa female climber. Considering how accomplished she is at a young age, I suspect she'll add to that total in the future.

ExWeb is reporting that South Korean climber Kim Chang-Ho topped out yesterday as well, become the first person from his country to summit without supplemental oxygen. Everest was the final 8000-meter peak on his list and he has now completed all 14 of those monster mountains. Better yet, he has done so in record time. It took Kim just 7 years, 10 months and six days to get them all, which is a month better than the previous record held by Jerzy Kukuczka.

Sadly, ExWeb is also reporting sad news as well. The indicate that two more deaths have occurred on Everest with Seo Sung-Ho of South Korea and Mohammed Hossain of Bangladesh both passing away on the mountain. Both men died after successfully reaching the summit and in the case of Seo, that feat was accomplished with bottled oxygen. Condolences once again to the friends and family of these two fallen men.

The end of the season is now rapidly approaching and it won't be long until it is completely done. In fact, if I were to venture a guess, I'd say that after tomorrow, there won't be much more to report. Once this final summit push is wrapped up, it'll be clear sailing for the teams to head home. While it has certainly been an eventful season thus far, lets hope these next few days go quickly and safely for all involved.

MountainFilm Festival Begins Friday In Telluride

One of the most popular and well known adventure film festivals in the world will kick off on Friday when the 35th annual MountainFilm Festival gets under way in Telluride, Colorado. As usual, the fest will be four days packed with great outdoor films, plenty of activities and a healthy dose of social awareness.

It is a tradition at MountainFilm to start the festival with the Moving Mountains Symposium, a special event that always focuses on an important social topic. Typically, experts on the subject are brought in to discuss it in detail and those attending the symposium are able to have meaningful dialogs on what ever the issue is. This year's topic is "Climate Solutions" and will feature notable guests such as environmental activist Tim DeChristopher, journalist John Hockenberry and scientists Daniel Nocera and Terry Roort. The Moving Mountains Symposium begins 9:00 AM local time on Friday and runs until 3:30 PM.

After that, the schedule jumps right into the film premieres, art events, parties and live music. It is a very packed few days with guest speakers and all kinds of interesting seminars and sessions. Tickets for MountainFilm are still available, although today is the last day that you can actually buy them online. Throughout the rest of the weekend you'll need to buy them on site.

If you're anywhere near Telluride this weekend and you're looking for something to do, then I definitely recommend you hit up MountainFilm. Here in the states this is a three-day weekend, so you don't have any excuse for not taking in some of these amazing films. I'm looking forward to finding out who the winners are next week once the judging is complete. Then of course, we can look forward to the MountainFilm World Tour later this year.

Video: High and Hallowed: Everest 1963 - A Film About The First American Expedition To Everest

If you still haven't had your fill of Everest this season then you'll certainly want to check out the trailer for the film High and Hallowed: Everest 1963 which will be premiering at the MountainFilm Festival in Telluride in the next few days. The movie is directed by David Morton and Jake Norton and chronicles the famous 1963 American expedition which not only put the American on the summit, but also opened the incredibly tough West Ridge Route. Last year, a group of climbers that included the directors attempted to climb that route in anticipation of the 50th anniversary this year.

The film looks absolutely spectacular and I can't wait to hear more about it after it makes its debut. Thanks to my friend Kate for sharing this with me!

High and Hallowed: 1963 - Official Trailer - Premiering at MountainFilm in Telluride from High & Hallowed on Vimeo.

Himalaya 2013: Kenton Cool Completes Hat Trick!

Just as the Everest climbers continue to move up and down the mountain, other teams across the Himalaya are doing the same on various other mountains. Most are looking to top out in the next few days, but there are still some stories to tell today, starting with the epic effort that British climber Kenton Cool has just wrapped up.

As I reported yesterday, Kenton was in the middle of an absolutely massive challenge in the Himalaya. At that time he had already successfully summited both Nuptse (7861 m/25,791 ft) and Everest (8848 m/29,029 ft), claiming his 11th career summit of the world's highest mountain. He was also in the middle of a summit push to the top of Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) sister of Everest. No one had ever completed a back-to-back-to-back climb of all three peaks before, but I'm happy to report that Kenton has indeed done just that. His home team announced his successful Lhotse summit overnight and he has since returned to Base Camp where he is reportedly "totally shattered." The Brit is getting some much deserved rest now, but his team promises to share more information and photos on his Facebook page soon.

I want to extend a hearty congratulations to Kenton on a job well done. That series of three peaks is one impressive climb and I can't imagine how completely knackered he feels right about now. It is difficult to overstate just what kind of an effort it took to pull this off. One of the boldest expeditions in the Himalaya in quite some time.

Sadly, the news from Lhotse isn't all good today. Yesterday I also indicated that there was a climber that was struggling at altitude and that a rescue attempt was underway. That climber was Lee Hsiao-shih from Taiwan. Details remain a bit thin, but it seems he took ill on the mountain and perished in Camp 4. My condolences to his friends and family.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that Cho Oyu was successfully summited on May 13, despite previously posting that no one had been able to climb above C3 yet. It appears that husband and wife climbing team Uko and Anu Noulik of Estonia quietly completed their climb last week, topping out at 9:30 AM local time. Bad weather had made it impossible for them to acclimatize above Camp 3 prior to their summit push, but they were able to weight out the high winds and summit last Monday. Congratulations o Uko and Anu on a job well done.

More news from the Himalaya in the next few days as summits are expected across the region.

Everest 2013: Summit Bids Continue As More Teams Top Out

The summit wave that began over the weekend had continued into the week as more and more climbers continue to top out on Everest. The weather window that is currently open may be starting to get a bit dicey however, as there are now reports of high winds returning to the region. Still, more climbers are on the move as the position themselves to reach the top over the next few days.

The third IMG team topped out yesterday, putting another ten climbers on the summit. That marks the end of a very successful season for this group, which has done a good job of balancing when to send their three squads up the mountain. It seems that a lot of teams have perfected their scheduling process this year and the addition of the second set of ropes off the Hillary Step has helped to alleviate traffic jams. While there have been a lot of people heading up the mountain the past few days, I've heard very few reports of any kind of serious back-up in traffic. That bodes well for future expeditions to the mountain.

The Adventure Consultants are reporting that their entire team summited this morning and are now back at the South Col for some much needed rest. While the winds were challenging during their ascent, it was still with the acceptable safety guidelines, which allowed them to put 16 people on top. Everyone reached the summit within a relatively short time of one another and all are said to be doing well on their descent.

Alan Arnette, who continues to provide the best coverage of the Everest on the Internet, says that Mountain Trip is one of the groups that elected to wait out the winds at the South Col. They're currently in Camp 4 and hoping conditions will improve. More teams are expected to join them there today or tomorrow, including RMI, Himex and a few others. Several of those are now eyeing Thursday as a possible summit day.

Alan is also reporting that Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura has gone up to Camp 3 and is expected in C4 today. The 80-year old is looking to top out for the third time and set a new age record for the oldest to ever climb Everest. 81-year old Nepali climber Min Bahadur Sherchan is somewhere on the mountain too and is hoping to nab that record for himself. It'll be interesting to see if either of the men top out as these octogenarians are making us younger folks look like sloths. Hopefully no matter what happens, they both get up and down the mountain safely.

Melissa Arnot is leaving for her summit push today. She and her Sherpa guide Tshering made an attempt last week with the hopes of being one of the first to top out, but high winds and failing oxygen masks put an end early end to that bid. Melissa had been hoping to summit twice this year, but that looks like it'll be a difficult challenge to meet as the season begins to wind down. Still, I'm sure if she can still pull it off, Melissa will give it a go, weather and time permitting. If all goes according to schedule, she should probably reach the top on Friday or Saturday.

On the North Side, the Altitude Junkies have now moved up to Camp 3 today and are preparing for their summit bid tonight. The team is rested and ready to go, as they've waited until a number of other teams on the Tibetan side of Everest have already completed their climbs. That means it should be a relatively safe and straight shot to the top, provided the weather remains good. Climbing with this team is Edita Nichols who called her home team to let everyone know that the winds are currently calm and that the summit push would start at 10:00 PM local time tonight.

That's all from Everest today. It is pretty much business as usual there at the moment with teams going up and down as expected. That is a very good thing however, as it means they are safe and proceeding as planned.

Video: Whiskey Off-Road Celebrates 10 Years Of Epic Mountain Biking

The Whiskey Off-Road is a mountain bike race that takes place in Prescott, Arizona each year. Since its inception a decade ago, the race – and ensuing concert – has risen from 200 participants to 2000. During that time, the event has evolved into one of the best mountain bike competitions in America, drawing more than 50,000 attendees and handing out the largest single day pro cash purse in the world.

This year's Whiskey Off-Road took place on April 27, which means you've already missed out on the fun for this year. Check out the video below to get a taste of what went down at this amazing looking event. After you've finished viewing, if you feel inspired enough to want to join the ride next year, mark your calendars now. Registration will open January 1, 2014.

Whiskey Off-Road: 10 Years In The Saddle from Epic Rides on Vimeo.

Video: Mountaineer Dan Hughes Conducts First Video Call From Everest Summit

On Sunday, Dan Hughes climbed to the summit of Everest with the Jagged Globe team where he proceeded to make history by making the first video call from the top of world's highest mountain. Dan used an HTC One, connected to an Inmarsat BGAN data modem to place the call, which was to conduct and interview with the BBC. The video of that interview can be seen below.

It's pretty amazing how far our technology has come. The fact that it is now possible to converse with someone who has just climbed Everest via a video call is simply amazing. Video quality isn't the best, that probably has more to do with the speed of the data connection than anything else. Otherwise, this all works surprisingly well and gives us an interesting glimpse of what it is like at the top on Summit Day. We truly do live in amazing times.

Video: From Skydiver To Scuba Diver In Just Moments

Here's a fun video of skydiver jumping out of a helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef, only to plunge into the water and switch into his scuba gear. I got a chuckle out of him sailing through the air with a snorkel and scuba mask on, but he gets the last laugh as he swims off into one of the best dive locations anywhere in the world. Fun stuff.

Himalaya 2013: Kenton Cool Goes For Triple Header, Climbers Make Summit Bids

While everyone was obviously focused on Everest this past weekend as the big push truly got underway, there was plenty of action elsewhere in the Himalaya as well. Numerous teams are now on the move and have set their sights reaching their respective summits. The good weather is holding across the region, giving everyone an opportunity to realize their goals at last.

One man who came to the Himalaya with some serious goals this season is Kenton Cool. With ten previous Everest summits under his belt, Kenton wanted to do something a little different this year and over the weekend he launched an unprecedented attempt at a Himalayan triple header. On Friday, Kenton successfully topped out on Nuptse, a 7861 meter (25,791 ft) mountain that sits in the shadow of Everest on the South Side. He followed that up on Saturday with his 11th summit of Everest, which gave him two of the three summits that he is pursuing. Currently he is on his summit push for Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) neighbor to Everest. There has been no update yet as to whether or not he reached the top of that mountain, but hopefully news will come later today. He may also be caught up in the drama that I mentioned earlier, in which a climber on Lhotse is being assisted down by a group of Sherpas. Lets keep our fingers crossed that Kenton and the unnamed climber are doing well.

Speaking of Lhotse. Since the weather was good on Everest this weekend it was also exceptional on Lhotse as well. This allowed a number of commercial teams to top out, including members of Himex, IMG and Adventure Consultants, amongst others. While not nearly as crowded as the Big Hill, Lhotse saw its fair share of traffic the past few days as well.

Polish climber Pawel Michalski has moved up to Camp 2 today on his summit push on Dhaulagiri. He reports tough going so far but expects the weather to improve over the next few days. He's on schedule to top out on Wednesday, provided conditions hold steady or continue to get better.

On Makalu, Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia are on the move today heading up to C2 on that mountain as well. They've accelerated their summit plans do to improving weather and are now looking to top out Wednesday too. No word from Don Bowie on whether or not he'll take advantage of the shift in conditions and begin his summit push too.

Things aren't going well on Kangchenjunga for Carlos Soria. His home team indicated that Soria's team ran out of rope on the way to the summit and he was unable to complete his climb. There is some talk of cooperation with another team on the mountain to finish getting the ropes into place, but after climbing as high as 8300 meters (27,230 ft), the 72-year old Soria has now reportedly returned to Camp 4 where he is resting. Whether or not he'll be able to take another crack at the summit remains to be seen.

Also in Camp 4 on that mountain is the Italian team that includes Annalisa Fioretti. It has been slow going on the summit push and the group, which is climbing without supplemental oxygen, may be currently resting at 7500 meters (24,606 ft). If they can regain some strength, their next push could take them to the top, provided their ropes are in place allowing everyone to go up. The weather has been changing rapidly, so they're keeping an eye on that situation too.

Raul Corominas and Peter Herms were attempting a summit of Manaslu but high winds and heavy snowfall has forced them back down the mountain. They are now in Camp 3 where they are resting and waiting for another opportunity. If things improve, and they have the strength, they plan to head up to C4 tomorrow and hopefully summit on Wednesday. This is their second thwarted summit attempt and the men are getting physically and mentally exhausted. They may not have the stamina to go one more time.

Finally, there is a summit push underway on Cho Oyu by an unknown team as well. According to ExWeb, the squad set out for Base Camp on Saturday with the hopes of topping out tomorrow. It has been an incredibly tough year on the mountain which saw four teams arrive this spring and three of them depart early. This final unit has been hit hard with illness and has reduced numbers, but they are pressing ahead none the less. Due to the incredibly bad conditions on Cho Oyu this spring, no team has yet to go above C3. Hopefully the weather will improve to give this last team a shot at the top.

More updates coming soon.

Everest 2013: Teams Summit From North And South Side

As expected, the weather improved and the winds died down over the weekend, providing access to the summit of Everest at last. This led to a massive number of climber reaching the top of the mountain over the past few days as numerous teams took advantage of the weather window to complete their climbs. While the exact number of summiteers is unknown right now, estimates put it at a couple of hundred climbers.

If you're looking for recaps of all the weekend's action, Alan Arnette is the best source of information around. Alan always does an amazing job of keeping us all informed of where each of the teams stand and he was working overtime the past few days to keep track of who went up to the summit and when. His site is being continually updated with the latest news and with more summits to come in the next few days, I'd expect those updates to just keep coming.

One of the teams that we've been following all season is the IMG squad, which put two different units on the summit over the weekend. They report that everyone is doing well and most are now descending back down the mountain. Jagged Globe had a successful weekend as well with their climbers topping out yesterday. They expect to drop to Camp 2 today and then back to Base Camp tomorrow. The Peak Freaks topped out on Sunday, putting 14 of their team members on the summit. They report excellent weather but very busy conditions on the way up and down.  Alpine Ascents is another well known commercial climbing company that also took advantage of the good weather to top out on Saturday as well.

Other teams are now getting into position to make their push. The RMI team, led by Dave Hahn, is now on its way up to Camp 3, but their latest dispatch indicates ongoing drama on the Lhotse Face. While the weather remains good, and even warn, there is a climber descending from Lhotse who is in trouble. Dave indicates that he is "incapacitated" and that a team of Sherpas is trying to help bring this person down. That is of course taking a lot of effort and preoccupying some of the climbers at the moment. Hopefully everything will go well and this particular climber will get off the mountain safely.

Similarly, Himex has launched their summit push and as usual they've waited for most of the teams to get out of the way first. They've just started moving up the mountain and are now looking to top out on Thursday of this week. By then, things should be a lot quieter on the upper slopes.

Over on the North Side, the 7 Summits Club put two of their groups on top over the weekend, capping another successful season for that organization. The winds were higher than expected on that side of the mountain however, which prompted the Altitude Junkies to stay in Camp 2 and wait for things to calm down. They're now looking to summit on Wednesday this week, which is a couple of days off from their previous schedule.

There was exciting news from the Tibetan side of the mountain this weekend. David Liaño summited from that side of the mountain just a week after climbing from the South. You may recall that David was amongst the first climbers to summit this season and upon descending, he immediately drove to BC on the North Side and started to climb from there. In reaching the top for a second time this year, Liaño has become the first person to successfully summit from both sides of Everest in the same year. An impressive accomplishment to be sure.

Chad Kellogg has wrapped up his final acclimatization round after climbing to the Yellow Band on the South Side last week. That puts him in position to have another go at a speed climb up Everest this year. He has tried in the past but his health and the weather have not always been cooperative, but at the moment he seems strong and focused. He'll launch his speed climb at 3:00 PM local time on Wednesday of this week. It should be very interesting to see how he performs.

Finally, more sad news from the weekend as well. Namgyal Sherpa passed away on the North Side of Everest at 8300 meters (27,230 ft) on Friday. He was a well known member of the Sherpa community and a strong veteran of numerous climbs. His leadership skills and experience will certainly be missed. Condolences to Namgyal's friends and family.

That's all for now. Expect more updates from Everest in the next few days. We're getting down to the final moments of the spring season but there are still plenty of climbers who are hoping to reach the summit. Lets hope things continue to go well and the weather holds out long enough for everyone to take a crack at the top.