Endurance Athlete To Swim Length Of Britain

Have any plans for the weekend? Maybe sleep in? Catch a little of the Tour de France on the telly? If you're feeling particularly energetic you might even take a little evening stroll around the block? If that is your plan I'm about to make you feel very bad about your life choices.

On Sunday, endurance athlete Sean Conway will begin an epic swim that will run the entire length of Britain. He'll start at the aptly named Land's End in the south and will proceed to swim north, passing Devon before crossing over to Wales along the West Coast. After that, it is onto the Isle of Man before proceeding to Scotland, where he'll continue north until he reaches the distant village of John O'Groats. If successful, he'll cover approximately 1000 miles (1609 km) along the way.

Of course, swimming a thousand miles in a swimming pool would be tough, but Sean will be doing it in an ocean. He'll have to battle turbulent waters, rough waves, cold temperatures and Britain's notoriously bad weather.  That can take a hefty toll on the body to say the least, particularly when it happens day-in and day-out. He estimates that it will take a minimum of nine weeks to cover the distance, swimming eight hours per day, every day of the week. He also believes he'll burn roughly 800 calories per hour, which will make it extremely tough to maintain weight and keep energy levels high. Fortunately he has been training for this incredible challenge for some time.

Sean has decided to take on this swim in an effort to raise funds for War Child, a non-profit dedicated to helping protect children from the effects of conflicts, and help them recover from war, in some of the most dangerous countries in the world. He hopes to raise as much money as possible through his efforts on the water.

If successful, Sean will be the first person to swim the entire length of Britain. There aren't many people who have managed to swim this kind of distance before, so in order to get some advice, he visited his friend Dave Cornthwaite prior to setting out. You may recall that Dave swam more than 1000 m iles down the Missouri River last year, so of course he had some thoughts on Sean's endeavor. You can see the two adventurers comparing notes in the very funny video below.

Good luck Sean!

Video: Running Across The Gobi

Earlier this week I noted that ultrarunners Ray Zahab and Kevin Lin had begun their attempt to run across the Gobi Desert. They are hoping to average around 70km (43.4 miles) per day, for 35 days, in order to cross the 2300km (1430 mile) expanse of the Gobi at its widest point.That is quite an undertaking to say the least and if you've ever wondered what it is like to attempt such a long run, take a look at the video below to get an idea of what conditions are like out on the trail. This was shot on Day 2, so the terrain still looks relatively green and lush, but as they go along, it is likely to change dramatically.

This first week of running hasn't been without its challenges. Kevin has already suffered an injury to his one of his legs and has had to take some time off. Hopefully he'll be feeling better soon and he can rejoin Ray on the run. With five days down, they still have a month to go!

Expedition Gobi - Day 2 70Km from GOi2P on Vimeo.

The 2013 Tour de France Begins Tomorrow!!

It is like Christmas Eve at the Adventure Blog World Headquarters (read my apartment) today as tomorrow marks the start of the best three week period of the year. Thats when the 2013 Tour de France gets under way in grand fashion on the isle of Corsica. From there things will only get better as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the race with all kinds of pomp and circumstance. But this year's Tour promises to be quite a grueling affair with more big climbs than last year and some classic stages that will test the endurance of the riders almost from day one.

Speaking of day one, the race kicks off with the Grand Start in Porto-Vecchio with the riders setting out on a 213km (132 mile) ride to Bastia. The course will be undulate some with some solid hills to test their legs on the first day but nothing that will be too serious. There will be some sprint points up for grabs of course and the faster riders will be certainly be looking to claim a big win on the first day.

Rumor has it that Mark Cavendish, who is riding for Omega-Pharam-Quicksetp this year, is hoping to grab the stage win that would give him the 24th of his career and put him in Yellow for the first time. He isn't a GC contender of course, but the Manx Missile has all the skills necessary to pull of this feat and wear the leader's jersey for a few days. That would be a change of pace from recent years when Fabian Cancellara as traditionally taken the first stage and worn Yellow for the first few days. But Spartacus has elected to sit out this year's Tour to concentrate on the World Championships. He will be missed.

The real GC contenders won't show themselves for the first week or so, but they will have to be careful to not let themselves fall too far off the pace either. Last year's champ Bradley Wiggins is out due to health issues, but even before his knee started giving him problems, Wiggins wasnt' exactly riding like a  defending champ. This has cleared up a potential problem for Team Sky, as they can now put all of their efforts behind young Chris Froome, giving him a real shot at winning the race. Some believe Froome could have won last year, although he wisely elected to ride in support of his teammate Wiggins.


Froome will face a challenger unlike any that Wiggins had to deal with last year however. Former Tour winner Alberto Contador, now with Team Saxo Bank, is returning to form and looking strong heading into the race. Contador has won seven Grand Tours in his career (five officially!) and is one of the best riders of the past decade. It is hard to believe he is only 30 and when in top form he is relentless in the mountains. Wiggins didn't have to face anything like an in shape and determined Contador last year.

Other potential contenders include 2011 winner Cadel Evans who suffered all kinds of bad luck last year. Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde could be in the mix as well and Andy Schleck is back in the race after sitting out last year with an injury. Young Tejay van Garderen looked like he was a rider on the brink last season too and if Evans falters early, he could step in to fill the lead position for Team BMC.

We could also have an excellent showdown between Cavendish and Cannondale Pro Cycling's Peter Sagan. They seem to be the top contenders for the Green Jersey, which Sagan took home last year. Both are fiery personalities and neither likes to lose. Considering how fast they both are, it should be fun to watch them duel it out on the road.

The organizers of the Tour de France have gone to great pains to make this year's race a very special event. The course has been carefully crafted to make the 100th anniversary a ride to remember. This is somewhat seen as an attempt to heal some of the issues that have hit cycling over the past year or so as well as a way to turn the page on one century and start a new one. It should be an excellent Tour to follow and I think fans of the race are in for quite an event this year. I believe that complaints that last year's race was a bit lackluster have not been ignored and we'll see more drama this time out. And I'm not talking about the kind of drama that comes along with someone throwing tacks out on the road. The real kind of drama as these supreme athletes push each other to the edge to find out who is the best rider.

I cant' wait for things to get started. Stay tuned for more.

Pakistan 2013: Teams Back On The Move, Romanians Continue On Nanga Parbat

Following the tragic events that took place in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat earlier this week there has been a lot of uncertainty amongst the climbers in Pakistan. The government and military there were quick to take action to try to maintain security while also investigating exactly what happened when gunmen stormed BC and killed nearly a dozen people, most of whom were foreign climbers. In the wake of those events, the Karakoram Highway was closed down for awhile and flights into Skardu were cancelled, keeping many of the climbers stuck in Islamabad while they waited for an opportunity to travel to their ultimate destinations. Thankfully the traffic has started moving at last and numerous climbers who were stuck in the capital are now on the move at last.

Amongst those climbers is Adrian Hayes who has his sights set on K2 this summer. Adrian updated his blog this morning with news that he has left Islamabad and arrived by air to Skardu where he reports a warm welcome by the locals. Next, he and the rest of his team, will head to Askole where they'll start the week long trek to Base Camp, but at this point they're just happy to be on the move.

Similarly, Mike Horn and his climbing mates have checked in from Skardu as well and are happy to be on the move at last. They're also heading to K2 as well and if all goes according to plan, they'll be paragliding off the summit. There is a lot of work to be done before then however, all of which starts with simply just getting into camp.

You can also add Jon Kedrowski to your list of climbers that have arrived in Skardu too. He is enjoying some downtime in his hotel today, with an excellent view I might add, while he waits to continue on to Askole as well. He notes that Skardu is a quiet, peaceful town where the locals seldom even bother to lock their doors. Geographically speaking it isn't all that far from Nanga Parbat, but it is isolated by a wall of massive peaks that also makes NP a world away.

There was good news for the Romanian team that remained on Nanga Parbat following the massacre there. The attack occurred on the Diamir Face where most of the teams were climbing and in the aftermath of the killings, Pakistani officials cleared BC and for the most part the teams are now heading home. But there was a lone Romanian squad on the Rupal Face that was awaiting word of their fate. They were afraid that they would also be asked to abandon their expedition and head home, but they learned yesterday that that will not be the case. They will be allowed to stay and continue their climb.

In related news, Pakistani officials say they have identified the attackers and are searching for them now. They say they remain at large but are confined to the Diamer district, where they are being pursued at this time. Identification was made after 30-40 suspects were taken into custody and interrogated over the past few days. I'm sure those "interrogations" were probably not a lot of fun for those involved, but hopefully those responsible for this heinous act will be brought to justice soon.

This is good news all around. It seems that the situation is starting to return to normal in Pakistan and the government has taken measures to ensure security is maintained. Earlier in the week we learned that there were soldiers in Concordia, a key crossroads on the trek to K2 and Broad Peak, so it seems that the threat of these militants is being taken very seriously. Hopefully now everyone can concentrate on climbing and not worry about another attack.

Be safe everyone!

Expedition Denali Update: Bad Weather Keeps Team From The Summit

There have been few updates from the Expedition Denali team this past week, although we did know that they were hoping to summit sometime in the past few days. On Monday they were at Advanced Base Camp, located at 14,200 ft (4328 meters) and were headed up to High Camp at 17,200 ft (5242 meters). After that, the team went radio silent while we waited for word on their progress.

Late yesterday we received an update at last and after 19 days on the mountain, the group is coming home without a summit. On Wednesday they made a bid for the top amidst good weather but as they approached 19,600 ft (5852 meters) storm clouds rapidly moved in and closed off any hope of topping out. Their latest dispatch indicates that there were 60+ climbers going for the summit at the same time and all of them turned back as thunder and lightning rolled into the summit.

With this summit bid over the team is now descending and preparing to head home. They fell 720 feet (219 meters) short of the summit, which has to be crushing, but after three weeks on the mountain it is time to come home. As I've mentioned before with this team, summiting Denali was a big goal, but they have aspirations well beyond that. They hope to inspire young people – especially minorities – to get active and become more connected with the outdoors. That work will continue long after they've left the mountain.

Congratulations to the team on a valiant effort. This story only underscores how challenging a Denali climb can be. The weather is incredibly unpredictable there and even though they were setting out under the best conditions possible, the window was slammed shut by sudden and unexpected storms. I'm sure there is a sense of disappointment amongst the climbers, but they did a fine job and their work with minority kids is only just beginning.

Everyone get down safe and come home soon.

Reminder: Win A BluRay Disc Of North Face

Just a quick reminder that there is still time to enter the contest I'm currently running to win one of two copies of the film North Face on BluRay disc. The 2010 film was just released in high-def on Tuesday but if you're lucky, you can score a cope courtesy of the Adventure Blog.

In my opinion, the movie is one of the finest climbing films to come out in some time. It tells the true story of German climbers Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser, who attempted to make the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger in Switzerland. Along the way they find themselves in a competition with a pair of Austrian climber, only to find themselves joining forces as they struggle to survive just to get off the mountain alive. It is a great film with fantastic landscapes, excellent cinematography and solid acting. Chances are if you're reading this blog, you're going to really like it.

To enter the contest all you have to do is drop me an email at kungfujedi@gmail.com with a subject of "North Face." Then, in the body of the email, tell me what mountain the men in the film are climbing. That's it! Do that, and you'll be entered to win. On Friday afternoon I'll pick two winner and get these DVD's shipped out as soon as possible.

Good luck! Oh! And here's the movie's official trailer to give you a better idea of what it's about.

Video: Humans Are Awesome GoPro Tribute

It's been awhile since we had one of those "people are awesome" videos, but the one below makes up for the long wait. It shows all manner of men and women doing extraordinary things, often in some fairly extraordinary places. As the name implies, much of the video was captured on a GoPro camera, which gives the footage an even extra personal touch. Lots of fun, inspiring stuff here. Enjoy!

Himex Boss Russell Brice Weighs In On Climber-Sherpa Conflict On Everest

The Everest climbing season may be long over at this point, but one story continues to get plenty of attention weeks later. The conflict that took place between European climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith and the Sherpa team fixing ropes high on the mountain both shocked and saddened the mountaineering world. A loss of tempers is one thing but threatening the lives of the three western climbers is a completely different situation altogether and while it has been two months since the high profile incident took place, the repercussions of the event are likely to be felt for months and years to come.

One of the more respected figures on Everest is Russell Brice who has been coming to the mountain for decades both as a climber and expedition leader. His company, Himalayan Experience, is one of the larger and more well organized groups on the mountain each year and Brice is most certainly a leader in the Everest community. It was him who helped broker a deal between the three climbers and the Sherpas that helped bring a semblance of peace to the mountain following the conflict this spring and two of his best Sherpas were part of the group that had the initial run-in with Ueli, Simone and Jonathan. Brice has mostly kept quiet about the situation, preferring to let it play out within the "Everest family" if you will. But now, he has shared his thoughts on the entire affair in an interview with the BMC.

In the interview, the no-nonsense Brice doesn't really do much to dispute the story that Simone and Ueli have shared with the media. He does take umbrage with the fact that they spoke to the media at all however as part of the "peace accord" that was made in Base Camp. One of the conditions that came out of those talks was that the European climbers wouldn't talk to openly with the press. Russell feels that that portion of the agreement was ignored by Ueli in particular. He goes on to say that the Swiss climber wanted to press charges against those who has assaulted him, which would have involved getting the police and government officials wrapped up in the conflict. That didn't happen, but Brice says that the ringleaders of this assault would most certainly be dealt with in other ways within the Sherpa community.

The article offers some excellent insights into Sherpa culture, the Everest climbing community, life in the Khumbu, the economics of guided expeditions and much more. It is a good read all around and I highly recommend you take a look. Lots of interesting stuff for those who can't get enough news about Everest.

Big thanks to my friends over at EpicTV for sharing this story yesterday. Its has some very important message that I think many will find interesting.

Team Cannondale Launches Cannondale Gazette Just In Time For Tour de France

With the 2013 Tour de France now just two days away the riders are busy getting themselves ready for the grueling three-weeks of riding ahead. In these final days they're continuing to fine-tune their bikes and bodies in what promises to be one of the more special Tours in recent memory. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the race and to celebrate Tour organizers have pulled out all the stops, both in terms of the course and the pomp and circumstance that will go along with the ride.

The Cannondale Pro Cycling Team is amongst those that are getting ready for Le Tour and on the eve of the race getting under way, they have launched the second issue of the Cannondale Gazette with an issue dedicated to the greatest pro cycling event in the world that was made in partnership with peloton magazine. The digital mag, which also has editions available for iOS, Android and Kindle devices, features introductions to the team's riders, a look at the bikes they'll be riding and a preview of some of the more important stages. There are also insights into traveling in France including a selection of the best wines to be found there.

The 32-page e-magazine is slick and well done and serves as a great primer for getting you in the mood for the Tour. Excellent photography is featured throughout the Gazette and there are even some historical shots from early editions of the race that will give you a new found respect for the riders of by-gone eras.

Cannondale has a lot to be excited about heading into this year's Tour. Their brash young rider Peter Sagan emerged from last year's race as a true force to be reckoned with, claiming the Green Jersey and three stage victories in just his first foray into the Tour. As a former Junior World Champion in mountain biking he has also shown that he can climb. With this full skill set, he could one day be a contender for the Yellow Jersey as the overall winner of the race.

As you can probably tell, I'm getting excited for the start of this year's Tour. Only a couple of days to go now. I can't wait!

Video: Rios Libres Episode 4 - The Movement

Today we have the fourth – and final – episode of the Rios Libres web series, which over the past few weeks has introduced us to the threats that the rivers in Chilean Patagonia currently face. Corrupt officials in that country sold the water rights to those rivers to multi-national companies based in Europe. Those companies now intend to build hydro-electric generating dams along those rivers, which will have a lasting, and possibly irreversible, impact on the environment.

In this episode we get a chance to see exactly what is at stake here. Patagonia is one of the most dramatic and breathtaking landscapes on the planet and its future is now in jeopardy. We are at the crossroads as to where this issue will go next, but we can all sign an online petition asking Chile's president to reconsider construction of the dams. If those projects move forward, we could lose one of the last truly great wildernesses in existence.


Episode 4- The Movement from Rios Libres on Vimeo.

Pakistan 2013: Nanga Parbat Empty, Progress Elsewhere

The tragic events that occurred on Nanga Parbat this week have left the climbers in Pakistan stunned and saddened. It has been a difficult couple of days, even on the peaks that are nowhere near the site of the murders and fear and uncertainty have taken hold to an extent. But these teams are there for a reason and work has continued across the Himalaya and Karakoram despite the unexpected challenges that have arisen.

It should come as no surprise that the teams have all but abandoned Nanga Parbat altogether. Many climbers avoided the massacre simply because they were in Camp 1 and 2 when the gunmen attacked Base Camp on the Diamir Face. Those men and women were escorted safely off the mountain as soon as the Pakistani military could get onsite. A lone Romanian team remains on the Rupal Face where they await word if they will be forced to leave as well. The climbers have expressed that they would prefer to stay and attempt to climb the mountain, but the Pakistani government may ask them to depart in order to maintain safety.

Elsewhere, things are much quieter. The German team climbing Broad Peak has now gone up to Camp 3 as part of their acclimatization process and only learned of the events on Nanga Parbat upon their return to BC. They indicate that Pakistani military has moved into the area and have secured the trail to Concordia, a cross roads for those trekking to BP or nearby K2. The Germans say that the weather has been perfect for the past two weeks, although there are indications that a storm could bring snowfall before the end of the week. After that, they'll start eyeing the summit and hope to have an opportunity to make their push starting as early as this weekend.

Over on the Gasherbrums the Polish team is now in Base Camp and beginning their acclimatization rounds. Artur Hajzer is part of this squad that hopes to bag both GI and GII in the same season. They're also scouting the area for a possible return in the winter. We all know how much the Poles enjoy their winter climbs in Pakistan.

Al Hancock and Adrian Hayes have their sights set on K2 this summer, but at the moment they can't even get out of Islamabad. Adrian reports that the Pakistani government has halted travel for foreigners into the mountains for the time being while they sort out the situation and look to secure the area. As a result, a number of teams (and trekkers) are currently stuck waiting for an opportunity to leave the capital and get on with their adventures. There is no indication as to when that might happen, so for now they sit and wait. He does note that things are absolutely safe in Islamabad and that his team has heard from a number of Pakistanis who have expressed outrage and sympathy over the Nanga Parbat murders.

These stories give you an indication of where things are at in Pakistan at the moment. Some of the teams are waiting their opportunity to move out of Islamabad while others are either already on their mountain or in transit now. Those that were on Nanga Parbat are mostly back in the capital now and are preparing to head home. I can only imagine how they must feel.

I'll post more news as it comes in.

bigblueproject: Face To Face With An Elephant On A South African Road

I wanted to take a moment this morning to plug a cool project that I contributed a story too that I think a lot of you will really enjoy. It's called bigblueproject and the concept is simple, yet brilliant at the same time. The project's creator, Burkhard Gruess came up with the idea of soliciting contributions of photos and travel stories then connecting them to a location on a map. Visitors to the site are presented with a map of the world with pins planted in various places where someone's story took place. Clicking on the pin will bring up that story and a single image that corresponds to it.

Burkhard kindly asked me to submit a story back when bbp was still in its conceptual stages, but I had a difficult time finding an opportunity to put something together. He circled back around a few months ago and asked me for a submission again, and this time I could really see what he was building and quite frankly I was very impressed. I loved the concept and the stories and images that people were sharing were excellent.

Of course, now I was excited to be a part of the project but still had a difficult time finding a spare moment to put something together. Yesterday, Burkhard nudged me once again and having a bit of a lull in my schedule at the moment, I went to work on getting something together. He's already posted my photo and story today, which you'll find by clicking here.

My contribution to bigblueproject involves a run in I had with a big bull elephant while visiting Kruger National Park in South Africa a few years back. The massive creature was wandering down the center of one of the main roads and was none to happy to come across the minivan that I was riding in along with a group of other writers and our guide. If you've ever been in a vehicle that has been charged by a full grown male elephant, who happens to be looking for a girlfriend, you'll understand.

Anyway. I hope you enjoy the story and the bigblueproject.

Video: The Road To Karakol

In 2011,  Kyle Dempster traveled solo to Kyrgyzstan in search of some new places to climb. With little understanding of the language, a vague idea of where he was headed and basic plan, he set out on his mountain bike in search of adventure. That's exactly what he found, but more so in the journey and less in the climbing itself.

Throughout the journey he recorded his escapades, talking to the camera as he went. When he returned home, the footage sat unedited or watched for months, until he turned it over to friend and fellow climber Fitz Cahall, who turned it into an award winning short film. The results of that editing can be seen below and it is 25 minutes of adventure porn that sure to inspire feelings of wanderlust. If you have the time to kill, you're definitely going to enjoy this.

Big tip of the hat to the Adventure Journal for sharing this today. Excellent and inspiring stuff.

Win North Face On BluRay

North Face, one of the finest climbing films of the past decade – if not of all time – comes out on BluRay disc today. If you're a climber, actual or armchair, you'll probably love this film, especially if you have a sense of history for mountaineering. The movie chronicles an attempt to climb the North Face of the Eiger back in 1936 with two teams – one German, the other Austrian – in a race to become the first to complete that feat for their respective motherlands. As is often the case in these tales, these things don't necessarily go quite as planned.

I caught the film when it was originally released back in 2010 and I've had the opportunity to watch it now on BluRay and I can honestly say that it is one of the more intense and gripping films that you could ever hope to see. The acting is fantastic, the cinematography is outstanding and the attention to detail is wonderful, particularly in vintage gear that is on display. This is a top notch film in every way and should not be confused with the likes of Cliffhanger or K2.

As I mentioned yesterday, I have two copies of North Face to give away to readers. If you own a BluRay player and would like to win a copy, simply send me an email at kungfujedi@gmail.com with a subject that reads "North Face" and in the body of the message, tell me the name of the mountain the teams in the film are attempting to climb. That's all there is to it. I'll take entries all week long and pick winners late in the day on Friday. Good luck! I know that you'll enjoy this film!

Expedition Denali Update: Team On Summit Push?

It has been a couple of days since we last heard from the Expedition Denali team, who should be getting close to making their final summit push. The climbers have now been on the mountain for 17 days and as of Saturday, everything was ready for them start moving up one last time. In their last dispatch they were waiting at 14,200 ft (4328 meters) and if the weather was good they were planning to climb up to 17,200 ft (5242 meters) on Sunday. That would have put them into position to summit yesterday and yet no word has come. We can only assume that they are currently in a holding pattern as they watch for a weather window to open.

You'll no doubt recall that the Expedition Denali team is the group of African American climbers who have set the goal of summiting Denali in an effort to inspire young people – and especially minority kids – to become more engaged with the outdoors. The climbers hope that their adventure will encourage others to seek their own. With that in mind, their expedition is being filmed and will eventually be turned into a documentary to help spread the word of their accomplishments and show youth of color that they too can chase their dreams.

Their efforts have already started to pay off around the country. Youth groups who have been following the climb have begun launching their own "10,000 Steps to Denali" activities to show support for the team. That is the number of steps they estimate it will take to climb from High Camp to the Summit, and while the kids they are inspiring won't be carrying heavy packs through snow and ice and in thin air, they are still seeking their own adventures none the less.

For now, we'll all have to wait to see if and when the team can top out. They've put in all the work and they are ready to go, but until the mountain cooperates, they'll just have to sit tight. Lets hope they get their opportunity soon.

Watch for updates at the Expedition Denali website and on Facebook and Twitter.

Pakistan 2013: Names Of Nanga Parbat Victims Released

The mountaineering community continues to be stunned by the events that took place in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat this past weekend. Late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning a group of armed militants stormed the camp, grabbed several foreign climbers, tied them up and shot them in the back of the head, execution style. This left 11 dead, including a Pakistani guide and a cook. The names of the fallen are as follows.

Ukrainian Victims:
Igor Svergun
Kashaev Magomedovich Badawi
Konyaev Dmitry Sergeyevich

Chinese Victims:

Rao Jianfeng
Yang Chunfeng
Honglu Chen (held dual US/China citizenship)

Lithuanian Victim:

Ernestas Marksaitis (ExWeb says he was the only member of his team in BC, the rest were in Camp 1)

Slovakian Victims:

Anton Dobes
Peter Sperka

Nepali Victim: 

Sona Sherpa

There have been some reports that Base Camp has been shut down on the Diamir Face while the authorities in Pakistan investigate the incident. Yesterday the military was even turning back climbers traveling to the mountain. There is no word yet if the camp will be shut down for the season and as you can imagine there is still a lot of shock and grief that people there are dealing with. 

It has been a strange year for mountaineering news. During the Everest season we were all shocked over the conflict that erupted between the climbers from Europe and the local Sherpas, which could have cost some people their lives. This situation isn't at all like that one and the senseless violence is even more alarming. Pakistan has always been a safe place for trekkers and mountaineers, but that may no longer be the case. Lets just hope this is an isolated incident and not the start of some awful new trend. 

I continue to offer my condolences to the friends and families of these victims. 

Movie Review: 40 Days At Base Camp

Way back in October of 2011 I told you about a new documentary that was in the works entitled 40 Days At Base Camp. As the name implies, the film chronicles a full season on Everest, examining what life is like in BC on the tallest mountain on the planet. The film was shot during the 2011 climbing season and has been available on DVD for some time. Is also now available in digital format on the iTunes store for a very reasonable $7.99 for standard definition and $9.99 in high-def. It can also be rented for $3.99 and $4.99 in those same resolutions.

I watched the 54-minute documentary last night and thought that was quite good. Director Dianne Whelan has managed to pack a lot of content into a compact space, telling the story of climbers looking to summit the mountain while also managing to touch on such subjects as climbing culture, climate change and overcrowding on the mountain. Those topics are handled deftly and honestly without getting heavy handed. It's clear that the filmmaker knows and understands her subject matter and presents it well to an audience that may know nothing about climbing Everest or may be intimately knowledgeable on the subject.

That said, there were a few times where I felt the narration got a little overly dramatic. It didn't happen often and it wasn't consistently so, but it did happen from time to time. Perhaps this was a personal feeling, coming from someone who has been to BC and knows the Everest climbing routine fairly well.  The mainstream crowd probably wouldn't even notice and the added dramatic effect may help hammer home a point. For the most part, the narration was spot on however and told the tale of a single climbing season quite well.


As with most films of this type, much of the joy in watching it can be found in the gorgeous shots of Everest in the Himalaya. Whelan managed to catch some beautiful imagery from Nepal and as a result, this documentary is a bit like mountain-porn for those of us who can't get enough of that sort of thing. There were even some early moments that showed the trek into BC where I recognized where they were at on the trail and I got a little wistful missing that hike.

If you're the kind of person who can't get enough of Everest, then you'll certainly want to catch 40 Days At Base Camp. It does an excellent job of giving us a glimpse into what life is like in BC during a typical climbing season. While it doesn't break a lot of new ground, it is one of the better documentaries on climbing Everest to come out in a long time. If you're new to the Everest climbing scene, then this film is a nice intro to life on the mountain. You'll learn a lot about what it takes to summit the world's tallest peak and you'll come away with a better understanding of the issues that it faces in the 21st century. Be warned though, the film will leave you wanting more and a quick glance at the calendar tells me we're a long way off from the next climbing season.

Rent or buy on iTunes now. Watch the trailer below.


40 Days At Base Camp- Trailer from Andrew Coppin on Vimeo.

Video: 2013 Tour de France Course In 3D!

We are now just five days away from the start of the 2013 Tour de France or as I like to call it "the most wonderful time of year." Le Tour will get underway on Saturday with the riders skipping the traditional prologue and going straight for a 213 km (132 mile) opening stage that runs from Porto-Vecchio to Bastia on the isle of Corsica – a destination in France that has never played host to the race before. From there, it'll only get better. Since this is the 100th Anniversary of the world's biggest bike race, you can expect all kinds of pomp and circumstance, not to mention grueling riding, throughout the three week event. Personally, I can't wait for it to begin!

Adventure Tech: Android Powered GPS By Garmin

Garmin, one of the leaders in consumer GPS technology, has taken the wraps off a new handheld device today that looks to be a promising new entry for outdoor enthusiasts. At least those with some extra cash to spend.

The new Monterra is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter (read: July or August) and will be powered by the Android operating system that is so common on many mobile phones these days. In fact, Garmin's new device resembles a mobile phone in many ways, simply lacking the ability to actually make calls.

The device comes equipped with built-in WiFi, enabling the user to download updates and add apps to the Monterra without ever connecting it to a a computer. It also features an 8-megpixel camera, 6GB of internal memory (expandable through the use of microSD cards) and a 4-inch touch screen that has been optimized to be used in the outdoors without the need for battery-crushing backlighting. As you would expect, the handheld is ruggedized and waterproof (IPX7) and can run off of either the included rechargeable battery pack or AA batteries. It includes Bluetooth 3.0, NFC technology, an FM radio complete with NOAA weather, a UV sensor for keeping track of the intensity of the sun and a barometer/altimeter that measure not only your changes in altitude but possible changes to the weather as well. Preinstalled apps will enhance functionality further and the Google Play Store will obviously be available to get Angry Birds on this bad-boy as well.

There is no word on exactly which version of Android the Monterra is running but I suspect it'll be the most recent release of Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) that is available when it begins shipping. Battery life remains a questions as well, but that is always the case with a GPS device these days. Prices start at $650 for the base unit with a built-in world map while $700 will get you a version preloaded with U.S. Topo maps as well.

This looks like it'll be a great device and I'm sure it'll be a hit with the geocaching crowd considering how easy it should be to add cache's to the device. The price seems a bit steep but it seems like it packs in a lot of functionality. If it can provide good battery life, this may just be the new GPS handheld to beat.

Expedition Gobi: Ray And Kevin Are Off And Running

Yesterday, ultrarunners Ray Zahab and Kevin Lin began their 2300 km (1430 mile) trek across the Gobi Desert. The two men, who once ran the length of the Sahara together, hope to spend the next 35 days running an average of 65 km (40 miles) per day. Along the way they'll face remote and difficult terrain, extremely dry conditions and a host of other physical and mental challenges.

One of the biggest obstacles to their success is simply the logistics of being resupplied. Because the Gobi is so remote and lacking in infrastructure, Ray and Kevin's support team will have very few opportunities to provide them with fresh water along the way. They expect to receive just one supply drop each day, which isn't much considering the locations they are traveling through.

On their first day out, the two endurance athletes were able to cover 61 km (38 miles). That's not too bad for what these guys call a "warm-up." The video below gives you an idea what the start of their journey was like and we can look forward to similar videos moving forward as they continue the run.

You can follow Ray and Kevin's adventure at Gobi2013.com or on Facebook and Twitter. I'll be thinking of these guys tonight on my run, which will be a mere five miles.


Expedition Gobi - Day 1 61 Km from GOi2P on Vimeo.

Climbers Murdered In Nanga Parbat Base Camp

I'm sure by now many of you have heard the tragic news that came out of Pakistan this weekend where a group of gunmen stormed Base Camp on Nanga Parbat and killed 10 climbers there. The incident took place in BC on the Diamir Face at approximately 10 PM on Saturday evening when the gunman stormed the camp, tied up the climbers and proceeded to shoot them. The dead include three Ukrainians, two Chinese, two Slovakians, one Chinese-American, one Lithuanian and one Nepali. The killers also shot and killed a Pakistani guide.

A branch of the Pakistani Taliban has taken responsibility for the action which is the first of its kind against mountaineers. They say that the killings were in retaliation for an American drone strike that killed one of their leaders.

Nanga Parbat, much like the other 8000-meter peaks in Pakistan, is located in a very remote region of the country. It takes days of travel just to get to BC and it is far from any major cities or towns. Regional police have moved into the area now however and have closed it off to travelers. There have even been reports that some climbers who were still in transit have been turned back for now. Alan Arnette estimates that there are more than 50 climbers still on Nanga Parbat and he says that eight Sherpas were fixing lines higher up the mountain when the attack happened. There is no word yet if the teams will be allowed to stay or if they'll be forced to leave BC. There have been no reports of violence on any of the other big peaks in the country at this time.

While everyone who travels to Pakistan knows that the country has some dangerous areas the mountains have always been safe to climbers. Most visitors say that the capital of Islamabad can be challenging, but once you've left the city behind and head out into the countryside, it is a safe place to be. There are militant factions throughout the country, but for the most part they have left the mountaineers alone. It is too early to say if this will become a trend and climbers will begin to think twice before traveling there, but it certainly is unsettling news.

My condolences go out to the friends and families of those who were senselessly murdered. They traveled to Pakistan thinking they were going on an adventure and their lives were taken by violent men seeking revenge against a group of people who had nothing to do with the drone strike that sparked this incident.

It is all such a waste.

Win A Copy Of North Face On BluRay!

In 2010 an amazing German climbing film called North Face saw a limited release here in the U.S. It chronicled the true story of an early attempt to scale the North Face of the Eiger in Switzerland in back in1936 when it was a matter of national pride as to who would claim a first ascent. The movie follows two mountaineers, Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser, who set out to scale the Eiger in the name of German pride. The two men get into a bit of a competition with two Austrian climbers to see who will be able to claim the summit first. Before too long the two teams have to join forces as they end up battling for their lives on one of the most brutal and unforgiving mountains in all of Europe.

You can read my thoughts on the film from when I originally saw it back in 2010 here. In brief, I thought that it was excellent and was amazed at the acting and action, not to mention the attention to detail in the gear that the men used in the climb. In 1936 their equipment might have been state of the art, but you'll find it down right primitive. That adds to the level of tension throughout this film. Since I first saw it three years ago, I have caught the film a couple of more times and I've actually come to believe it is one of the best climbing movies ever made. If you haven't seen it, I'd urge you to do so. I think you'll find it is every bit as gripping and intense as I do.

On Tuesday of this week (June 25) North Face gets released on BluRay for the first time and I've been lucky enough to see it before its hits stores. As you would expect, the visuals look amazing in high definition and the sound is fantastic as well. The scenes on the mountain are simply stunning and the picture quality is pristine. Watching it alone this past weekend I found myself drawn into the story once again as the disc really enhances the experience.

If you would like to add a copy of North Face to your library, I have two BlueRay discs to have away. To win a copy for yourself, all you have to do is send me an email to kungfujedi@gmail.com with a subject line of "North Face". In the body of the email, just tell me the name of the mountain they are climbing in the film. That's it! I'll take entries all week long and late in the day on Friday I'll pick two names to receive the BlueRay disc. That time frame is a bit shorter than when I've run some contests in the past, but I'm heading out of the country next week and I want to be sure I get these discs sent out to the winners before I go.

Good luck to everyone! I'll be posting some reminders throughout the week.

Video: The Last Great Climb Trailer

Earlier this year, climbers Leo Houlding, Jason Pickles and Sean Leary traveled to Antarctica to attempt  to make the first ascent of Ulvetanna Peak, an incredibly tough technical climb in an incredibly tough environment. A documentary film covering the expedition is in the works and the trailer for the video, which will be called The Last Great Climb, is below. According to the website for the film, it won't be available until December 1 of this year, but after watching the brief clip below, it looks like it's going to be excellent. Can't wait to see it.

Video: Highlining In Venezuela's Lost World

Deep in a remote section of Venezuela is an area known as the Lost World. It is a wild and untamed place that is famous for its table-topped mountains, including Roraima, the inspiration for the fantastic Pixar film Up! Recently a team of climbers visited the Lost World where they filmed themselves highlining over some impressive open spaces. A teaser for what will presumably be a much longer film is below and it is spectacular.

Roraima is on my bucket list of places I'd like to go someday. Seeing this spectacular setting only gets me more interested in visiting the place. Oh, and the highlining is amazing too. Enjoy!

Venezuela Salto Angel Highline Expedition WEBTEASER from HALSUNDBEINBRUCH FILM on Vimeo.

Dave Cornthwaite Exits Go Trek Expedition

I want to take this opportunity to send a note out to my friend Dave Cornthwaite who had to make the tough – but correct – decision to step away from the current stage of his Expedition 1000 project. Over the past few years we've watched Dave accomplish some amazing things, including stand-up paddleboarding the length of the Mississippi River and swimming for a 1000 miles (1600 km) down the Missouri River. Yesterday we may have seen him do the bravest thing yet – step away from an expedition when you know that you're at your physical and mental limits.

For nearly two months Dave, and his companion Squash Falconer, have been zipping around Europe on ElliptiGO bikes, traveling through the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France and other countries. They've covered nearly 2000 miles (3218 km) in the process and have enjoyed their time on the road. But awhile back, Dave was carrying his ElliptiGO bike down a flight of stairs in Zurich when he slipped and injured his back. Like a true adventurer, he shrugged it off and vowed to soldier on, but as the days passed the injury didn't get any better and in fact it got worse. Mile after mile he continued to ride his bike, even though his body was telling him it needed a rest. Finally, a few days ago, Dave reached his physical limit and simply didn't have any more gas left in the chamber. In order to look after his health, he knew he had to leave the expedition, but that would mean admitting failure, something that he had never had to face on his previous journeys.

Squash will continue on with the final two weeks of the trip. She'll go from Nice to Paris, their intended finishing spot, on her own. But Dave will now head home for a much needed and much deserved rest. The Expedition 1000 project has been his main focus for several years now and I'm sure a little time off to recuperate and recharge the batteries will do him some good.

Get well soon mate and rest well knowing that you made the right choice. You know there are many more adventures to come, more opportunities to say yes more and of course more boobs to be saved. You're an inspiration to many and we'll all be pulling for a speedy recovery.

More Data Supports Theory That Amelia Earhart's Plane Has Been Found

I wrote about this a few days ago at Gadling.com, where it has garnered quite a bit of interest, so I thought I'd share it here as well.

A few weeks back I posted a story about how Amelia Earhart's plane may have been found at long last.  Last summer a of group of researchers with The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) went to the remote island of Nikumaroro in the South Pacific, where they believe Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan crashed while attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1937. A few years ago, a jar of anti-freckle cream dating back to that era, that was also consistent with a brand that Earhart used, was found on the uninhabited island, which led to the expedition to explore the waters off its shores for signs of Earhart's missing Lockheed Electra aircraft. The team found nothing however and they returned home early and dejected.

But once they had a chance to begin examining the sonar data their remote vehicles used to map the waters off Nikumaroro, they discovered an odd anomaly in one of the readings. Upon further examination, it became clear that whatever it was that they had detected, it wasn't a rock or other natural formation. They came to the conclusion that there was something large and manmade in those waters that looked an awful lot like the fuselage of an airplane. The team was cautiously optimistic that they may have discovered the Electra and possibly bringing to an end one of the great mysteries of the 20th century.

There were problems with the data however as the image was incomplete. The sonar reading had what are known as "ping drops" during which not all of the sound waves from the device are picked up upon their return. This can happen due to environmental issues or equipment malfunctions, but it results in an incomplete image of whatever is out in the water.

To fill in some of those gaps, the TIGHAR team turned over their data to a company called Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc., which is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. OIC then ran the readings through their own computers in an attempt to get a more complete picture of whatever the object is that is resting on the ocean floor just off the coast of Nikumaroro. The company was able to restore some of the dropped pings and get a clearer image of the anomaly then was possible with the original data.
 And what did they find? You might expect that after further analysis, the object doesn't appear to be a plane at all. But in this case, you would be wrong. The enhanced data from OIC only further supports the theory that this could be Earhart's plane. Whatever the object is that the TIGHAR team discovered, it is the same size and shape of a Lockheed Electra aircraft.

Of course, the team would like to go back and examine the object first hand, but putting an expedition together to do just that is expensive and time consuming. Their last journey to Nikumaroro cost $3 million, which was partially financed by the Discovery Channel to create a documentary on the team's findings. There is no word yet if Discovery is game for another go, but there is certainly a lot of interest in the outcome of this story.

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart has been one of those stories that has fascinated me my entire life. To think that we might actually learn about her ultimate fate at long last is exciting. For those that wonder, if Earhart and Noonan did crash on Nikumaroro, their story probably didn't end well. The island doesn't have any kind of fresh water and there are few things to eat as well. Their existence on the island was probably rather brief and not especially comfortable.

Video: A Full Night's Sky Over The Great Basin National Park

Here's an interesting video that none of us will have time to watch in its entirety, even though it is beautiful enough that you might want to. It features nearly 6.5 hours off footage of the night sky, shot in realtime, from the Mather Overlook in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. If you watch it long enough, you'll be able to see the stars start to move over time as we follow their trail across the sky. This would be fantastic on a high definition TV for those nights you're "camping" in the basement or on the living room floor because your regular campsite got rained out.

The Stars and Their Courses from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

Video: Images Of Adventure From Camp 4 Collective

Camp 4 Collective has released their 2013 highlight reel which is meant to show off the incredible work that they produce. We already know they're fantastic at their jobs however, so the video ends up inspiring ideas for future adventures while showcasing some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet. If you're looking for a bit of adventure in a three-and-a-half minute dose, then look no futher than the video below. It's breathtaking images will have you lacing up your boots and spinning the globe looking for your next destination for sure.

Tip of the hat to the Goat for sharing this.

CAMP4 COLLECTIVE 2013 REEL from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Max Lowe Sets Sights On Denali Summit

While we're on the subject of Denali, I wanted to point out this excellent article that was posted to the National Geographic Adventure Blog a few days back. It was written by Max Lowe, the sun of legendary climber Alex Lowe and stepson of Conrad Anker. Max and some friends are currently in Alaska and are attempting to climb Denali this spring, but the article reads like a young man who is charting his own course and not necessarily following in the footsteps of his two famous fathers.

For those who don't know, Max's father Alex is considered one of the greatest alpinists of all time. He put up first ascents all over the world and was known not only for his great skill and precision in the mountains but also as a great person as well. Hi nickname was the "the Lung with Legs,"which is an indication of how strong he could climb even at high altitude. Sadly, Alex was killed on Shishapangma in 1999 when he and teammates – Anker and David Bridges – were struck by a massive avalanche.

Alex and Conrad had been great friends and climbing partners for some time, and when Anker returned home he found himself grieving for the loss with Alex's wife Jennifer. Over time, they two fell in love and got married. Conrad then became the step father for Alex's sons Max, Sam and Isaac. This has obviously given Max two very strong role models to follow on his own alpine adventures.

But as I mentioned, Max seems to be plotting his own course on Denali and beyond. He is an accomplished photographer and writer, and seems inspired to chronicle his own adventures. The piece that he has written for Nat Geo is thoughtful and honest, with some great insights into his team's effort to climb the tallest mountain in North America, then make a ski descent. The article also lists some of his favorite gear that he'll be taking along on the trip.

The story was posted on June 15 and Max and his team were set to depart for Denali on June 8. That means that if everything is going well, they should soon be approaching their summit bid as well. After reading this story, I'd certainly welcome a follow-up with his thoughts on the climb.

Expedition Denali Update: Eyeing The Summit

The climbing season on Denali is in full swing with numerous teams already moving up and down the mountain this summer. In fact, there have been a steady stream of summits dating back to late-May, with good weather contributing to early success. The season will continue for a few more weeks before wrapping up in early July, which should allow for quite a few more climbers to top out before the summit is closed for another year.

One of the more high profile teams on the mountain this year is of course the Expedition Denali crew. This is the team that is made up of all African American climbers who are not only looking to reach the summit, but they're also hoping to use their adventure as a catalyst for inspiring minority youth to engage more fully with the outdoors and spark some adventures of their own. With that in mind, the team is making a documentary of their climb, which should help in that endeavor. 

Right now, the climbers have been on 20,320-foot (6194 meter) mountain for approximately 12 days. According to their most recent dispatch, they seem to be making great progress as well. Two days ago they were in Advanced Base Camp at 14,200 feet (4328 meters) but were planning on heading up to 16,000 feet (4876 meters) yesterday to fix ropes and drop a gear cache. With that out of the way, they feel like their acclimatization should be just about over. They intend to take a day or two of rest, before heading up to High Camp (17,200 ft/5242 meters) tomorrow or Saturday, at which time they'll be waiting on a weather window to make their summit bids. 

So far, things have been going quite well for the team, who have been receiving lots of media attention for their climb. It seems their efforts to inspire minority youth are already paying off as well, as their "10,000 Steps to Denali" program are already encouraging kids all across the U.S. to be more active outside. 

The weather on Denali has been more cooperative so far this season as compared to last year. Hopefully that trend will continue and the Expedition Denali team can get up and down the mountain safely very soon. 

Rowers Look To Set New Speed Record On Yukon River

Next Wednesday marks the start of the 2013 Yukon River Quest, an annual canoe and kayak race down the Yukon River in Canada. The course runs from White Horse to Dawson City and covers a distance 715 km (444 miles), making this the longest yearly race of its kind in the world. The grueling event is a marathon that tests the strength and endurance of everyone who enters as they face a number of challenges along the way.

The year, a two-man team of rowers has decided to challenge the speed record for the race down the Yukon. Steve Price and Colin Angus hope to beat the current time of 49 hours and 32minutes to paddle from White Horse to Dawson City. That record was set in 2008 by a six-person team paddling a voyager canoe, who actually had to take a mandatory 10 hour rest, which was included in their time. So, with that in mind, Steve and Colin are actually aiming at rowing non-stop with a target time of 39 minutes as their goal.

Since rowers aren't allowed in the Yukon River Quest, the two men won't actually be competing in that race. They will however be running concurrently with that competition when it gets under way next week. Because they won't be official entrants of the YRQ, they won't have to adhere to the mandatory 10 hour rest time either, so they intend to push on, non-stop.

They'll be rowing a boat that was designed and built by Colin to be fast yet stable in the Class II and III whitewater they'll face along the way. The 16-foot (4.8 meter) rowboat tips the scales at a mere 56 pounds (25.4 kg) which should hopefully make it light and fast on the water. This will be the first shakedown cruise for the vessel, which is called the Oxford Wherry.

Colin and Angus intend to row the boat non-stop with each man taking two-hour shifts. You'll be able to track their progress via their SPOT page when they get underway next week.

Good luck guys!

Video: Crossing The Darién Gap

The Darién Gap is a rugged, remote region of nearly impassable jungle that separates Panama from Colombia. How rugged you ask? It is such a difficult environment that even today there are no roads that cross through this area, forcing travelers along the Trans-American Highway to find an alternate means around.

In the web series Hasta Alaska, which is featured on the The Adrenalist website, our intrepid adventurer enters the Gap and must find a way through. The results of those efforts can be seen in this short film below, which gives us a rare glimpse inside the interior of the Darién region, which is fraught with poisonous snakes, nasty insects and other wild beasts. This is a true-life adventure through a truly untamed portion of the world.

Hmm... after watching this, I suddenly want to go explore the Gap myself.

Blog Plug: Mama Fitness - How To Get Back Into Shape After An Extended Time Off

If you read my blog or social media outlets with any regularity, you probably know that I'm a fairly active person. I like to run, love to ride my bike and just about any excuse to go outside is fine by me. Personally, I enjoy the benefits of healthy living for its own sake, but I also know that staying fit pays off when I travel to some far flung location to go hiking, climbing or some other great activity. I consider my almost daily workouts to be paying it forward on rewards that are yet to come.

We all know that staying in shape is actually easier than getting back into shape, particularly if you've let your workouts lapse for any length of time. That is exactly the subject of a new series of blog posts that my friend Angela Chenus is writing on her website. She recently returned from a vacation to Rocky Mountain National Park, which was active but also got her off a routine of healthy eating and regular exercise. Now that she's back home however, she is ready to get focused on getting back into shape and with that goal in mind, she has laid out a plan to get there. She calls that plan Mama Fitness.

As the name implies, these blog posts are mostly written from the perspective of a mom who wants to improve her physical condition after having a baby, but there are good tips for anyone who has been thinking about starting to get back into shape. I love the no nonsense approach Angela takes to starting her routine, which is basically don't make excuses and find some time to exercise where ever you can. One of the most common excuses I hear is "I don't have the time to workout," although in my mind it is a matter of making it a priority and finding the time.

The other key to success is staying focused and dedicated to your workout schedule, even when you're not really feeling like it. Newsflash! None of us ever feel like it, there are always other things to do that are more fun and enjoyable. But to see significant gains and improvements, you have to stay dedicated. There are days when the hardest part of my run is just getting out the door. But once I get underway, I feel better and when it is over, I feel great.

Anyway, if you're looking for helpful tips to get yourself motivated and back on track, be sure to read Angie's blog and the plan that she is putting into place. She has even shared some nutritional tips and recipes that might prove helpful as well.

Video: Beyond The Drop - Kayaking Mexico's Rio Tulijá

I haven't come across a really great kayaking video for awhile but the wait for the latest short film from Teva was certainly worth it. The video below is entitled Beyond the Drop and it features a team of six pro-paddlers who travel to Mexico to take on the Rio Tulijá, an amazing looking river with a series of five amazing drops. But the film is more than just that as it mixes local culture, the fun of exploring a river and joy of like-minded people coming together for a common goal. Excellent stuff.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing.

Pakistan 2013: Teams Go To Work

The summer Pakistani climbing season is starting to get a bit busier as more teams are now arriving in their respective base camps and have started the acclimatization process. After spending days trekking to their start positions, most are only now getting settled and turning their attention to the task at hand. Much like climbing Everest, or one of the other big Himalayan peaks in Nepal or Tibet, they'll now proceed to build a series of high camps and stock them with gear in preparation for an eventual summit pushes. But we're a long way from that and there is still a lot of work to be done.

Of course, the crown jewel of climbing in Pakistan – if not the world – is K2 and as usual there are a number of talented teams who will be testing themselves on what is arguably the toughest mountain in the world to climb. Amongst them is the three-man squad of Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Kobi Reichen who intend to climb in alpine style and without bottled oxygen. Weather permitting, Mike and Fred also hope to paraglide from the summit, but that remains a pipe dream at point. The three men arrived in Islamabad a week ago and there has been little word on their progress thus far. Presumably they are on their way to Base Camp at the moment along with a slew of other teams.

Also returning to K2 this year is Canadian climber Al Hancock who is on the same expedition as Adrian Hayes. Al attempted K2 last year but was forced to turn back due to bad weather. He's hoping his fortunes will be better this time out. The team will gather in Pakistan this Friday and intend to depart for Skardu on Sunday.

Basque climber Alex Txikon will be joined by his climbing partners Ferran Latorre and Felix Garcia on K2 this summer as well. They arrived in Pakistan this past weekend and are now en route to BC. They're being followed closely by an 8-person, all-Japanese team that is led by 46-year old Kitamura Seiichi. An international squad, consisting mostly of climbers from Australia and New Zealand are also headed to the mountain. Elsewhere, the teams have already started working their routes. For instance, the German team on Broad Peak arrived in BC last week and has slowly watched a small tent-city spring up around them as other teams arrive. Base Camp is located at 4800 meters (15,748 ft) and the team has already established Camp 1 at 5700 meters (18,700 ft). At the moment they're focused on shuttling gear to Camp 2, where they'll also acclimatize for a few nights. Once they've finished that process, they'll already have climbed as high as 6400 meters (20,997 ft). 

A team of Polish climbers is en route to Broad Peak after arriving in Pakistan over the weekend. Their objective is not to climb to the summit necessarily but instead they hope to recover the bodies of their fallen comrades –Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski – who died while making the first winter ascent of the mountain. This expedition will be a difficult one for all involved, even if they don't go to the summit. Maciej's brother Jacek is on the team and he will no doubt wrestle with a lot of emotions while on the mountain. 

Over on Nanga Parbat, poor weather has made for tough going so far. A Romanian team has established Advanced Base Camp and climbed to C1 last week on the Rupal Face. But heavy snow has put a halt to their efforts for now. Other teams on the Diamir route have faced similar weather conditions, which has made it very difficult to fix ropes for those climbing on that side of the mountain.

Teams are now approaching Base Camp on the Gasherbrums too, with several squads targeting either GI, GII or both mountains. Amongst them is the Polish team of Artur Hajzer and Marcin Kaczkan who are still making their way to the massif. They will be attempting the double-summit this summer for sure. Also, it seems paragliding may be the new craze in mountaineering, as ExWeb has an interview with Sofie Lenaerts who hopes to make a slol flight from GII later in the season. 

More news to come in the days ahead. The Pakistani climbing season is still ramping up and it should prove quite interesting as we get deeper into it. 

Gear Closet: Yurbuds Ironman Focus Sport Earphones

I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but slowly over th years I've become a runner. Sure, I ride both my road and mountain bike regularly, but more often than not I'm lacing up a pair of running shoes and hitting the road or trail. Multiple times a week I'm running anywhere from 8 to 10 miles and occasionally even more. Some days the only way I can get through those miles is to don my iPod, put in the headphones and just grind it out. Thankfully I have a solid library of great music and numerous podcasts to keep me entertained for hours on end.

While I generally put a lot of thought into which shoes I put on my feet, what kind of clothes I wear and even the socks that are best for long distance runs, one of the things that I have seldom thought about is the headphones I use while running. Generally I look for something inexpensive, comfortable for extended use and resistant to the sweat that inevitably comes along with a long run in Texas. Recently, after burning through yet another pair of cheap earbuds, I thought I'd try something different, so I splurged a little – not a lot – to try a pair of Yurbuds, which have reportedly been designed by athletes, for athletes.

Because I go through a set of earbuds about every 6 - 12 months, I've often been reluctant to spend much money on a more expensive pair. Fortunately, Yurbuds produces the Focus Ironman series and sells them for just $29.95, which is not a lot more than I was paying for the previous models I was using from a competitor. With that in mind, I set my expectations accordingly and went home to give them a try.

To say that the Yurbuds are a revelation would be a massive understatement. Not only was I immediately blown away by how much louder and clearer they were than the other earbuds I had been using, but they also produce far better sound across the entire spectrum. I was amazed at how much better my iPod sounded and I didn't even have to crank up the volume to hear my music or podcasts over passing traffic.

Despite that much higher volume and clearer sound, the Focus earbuds still keep me safe while out on a run thanks to their ability to pass ambient, outside sound through. This makes it easy to not only hear things around you but also hear voices. I appreciated that they perform so well yet don't dangerously isolate me from the outside world when working out.

On top of providing great audio performance, the Focus earbuds are also quite comfortable. They utilize Yurbud's Twistlock technology that allows you to slide them into your ear and give them a slight twist to hold them in place. Once they are there, they don't move at all and you can pretty much don't have to worry about them for the length of your run. The moldable and padded earloops are soft enough that you can actually forget you have them in, which hasn't always been the case with other models that I've used. While using some lesser models from competitors I sometimes couldn't wait to get them off my ears when I finished my run. The Yurbuds are so good however, that they are the first "sports" earbuds that I've used that I would actually consider wearing when I'm not working out.

I've only been using the Focus earbuds for a couple of weeks now, so it is too early for me to weigh in on their longterm durability. My hope is that they will last much longer than the six months or so that I got out of the previous earphones I used while running. I can say that the certainly feel light years better than the models I've used in the past. They feel like they can hold-up to a lot of punishment and they are certainly well shielded against sweat and rain.

Yurbuds seems to have thought of everything with these headphones and considering how well the $30 pair performs, it makes me wonder just how good their higher end models are. They must be exceptional indeed, because the Focus models offer exceptional performance in a small, lightweight and comfortable package. They even come with an high quality cloth carrying case that comes in handy when you want to toss them into a gym bag or gear case for race day.

If you're like me and enjoy listening to your tunes while running, you owe it to yourself to try a pair of Yurbuds the next time you need to replace your earphones. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how great they really are and how much they can make your workouts an even more pleasant experience.

Video: Highlights Of The Redbull Divide And Conquer

The Redbull Divide and Conquer is a three-stage race during which a three-person team has one member of their team cover each leg. This year's event took place on June 8 on Vancouver's spectacular North Shore. The video below gives you an idea of what it is all about, but judging from how amazing each leg of the course looks, I'd have a hard time deciding which discipline I'd want to do the most. It all looks spectacular to me! And as a side note, I'm jealous that hose living in Vancouver have this outdoor playground right in their backyard. It looks beautiful.

Video: Rios Libres Episode 3 - The Alternatives

Episode three of the four part Rio Libres web series has been released, continuing the exploration of the issues that the wild rivers of Chilean Patagonia face now that multinational corporations are threatening to build dams throughout the region. In this episode we explore some alternatives to the hydroelectric plants that will irrevocably change the landscape in the south in order to power the mining operations in the north – a region where solar power is more viable than just about any other place on the planet.

This has been an excellent series so far, but it's painful to think about what they are potentially doing to Patagonia.


Episode 3- The Alternatives from Rios Libres on Vimeo.

Is Big Brother A Threat To Travel And Exploration?

Unless you've been living under a rock these past couple of weeks, you've probably heard about the scandal here in the U.S. dealing with the National Security Agency collecting user data from various sources on the Internet and tracking phone calls. The entire affair has reopened the debate about how much access the government should have to the private information on its citizens and what exactly those citizens should know about how it is used. For their part, the NSA, the President and other elements of the U.S. government have defended their surveillance techniques by saying that they are necessary in order to keeps tabs on terrorists and to maintain American security. And judging from the reaction from the average person here, most people don't seem to mind all that much.

But what if Prism and the other NSA programs are just of the tip of the iceberg? Where does it all end and what else is going on that we don't know about? Are these programs a threat to our ability to move about freely? And what about explorers who often travel to places that are deemed by the U.S. government as locations that harbor terrorists? For instance, right now there are a numerous climbing teams in the mountains in Pakistan, which is a country that is known for being friendly towards extremist anti-American groups. After all, this is the country in which Osama Bin Laden was able to stay well hidden for years.

Some of these questions, and more, are explored in an article written by CuChullaine O'Reilly, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and founder of the Long Riders Guild. The article is entitled "Threats to Travel" and it was posted on the blog of explorer Mikael Strandberg a few days ago. It is an interesting read to say the least, particularly if you enjoy traveling to remote places or you are an explorer of those places.

In the article, CuChullaine discusses the growing length of America's "No Fly List" which prevents anyone on it from getting on a commercial airline bound for the States or traveling inside the country. It is estimated that that list now contains as many as one million names, having grown from just 16 prior to 9/11. He also takes a look at some of the steps taken historically by oppressive states to restrict the movement of citizens and sees some eerie similarities here.

The article is a long one, but it poses some important questions about what is and isn't acceptable in the modern age of travel and exploration. It is also very thought provoking, taking a good look at how government actions can have a profound impact on our ability to move about freely. At first glance, some of the actions and programs enacted by the U.S. government and other countries may not seem like much of a threat to explorers, but underneath they could have repercussions that could be felt for decades to come. This is definitely an interesting read.