Video: Adventure In Norway

This video seems to be a fitting way to end the week. It is a collection of amazing shots from Norway, another country that provides ample opportunities for outdoor adventure. It also happens to be stunningly beautiful, with rugged mountains, and remote wildernesses to explore. This 6-minute clip will give you an idea of what it is like there, so you can start planning your own adventures in Norway. Amazing.

Lofoten - A Photographic Adventure In Norway from Michael Fletcher on Vimeo.

Video: A Wild Double Drop Over A Waterfall In Norway

It has been awhile since we've had a good paddling video, and I'm not sure if this one actually qualifies. It is quite scary however, although it does look like a wild ride. It features kayaker Nathan Barbier making a double-drop on a waterfall in Norway. It manages to be both scary and painful looking at the same time. Ouch!

Nathan BARBIER (FRA), Carnage entry, Double Drop, Norway from Nathan Barbier on Vimeo.

Video: The Northern Lights Of Norway

The Northern Lights are a phenomenon that everyone should see at some point in their life. The eerie light dances across the night sky in an amazing display of multicolored illumination that can only be described as "otherworldly." The video below captures that amazing natural show, giving us a great look at what the aurora borealis looks like in Tromsø, Norway. Simply beautiful.

Northern Light's in Tromsø Norway from Fritz Dällenbach on Vimeo.

Expedition Amundsen 2014: The World's Toughest Ski Race

Looking for an endurance event to test your skills during the winter? Then look no further than Expedition Amundsen, an event that is billed as the toughest ski race in the world – and for good reason.

The race follows the same route that Roald Amundsen used while training for his expedition to the South Pole back in 1911. It covers 100 km (62 miles) across the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in Norway, which is a grueling stretch of land, even in the best of conditions. How grueling you ask? It is so tough that Amundsen himself was unable to complete the route. Later he said that training there was crucial to completing his epic journey across Antarctica and he said it was as tough as that expedition as well.

Competitors in the Expedition Amundsen race will traverse the route complete unsupported. They'll have to ski the trail while pulling a sled with all of their safety gear behind them at all times. The event only accepts solo entrants if they are sufficiently experienced enough to go it alone. Otherwise, athletes must enter in teams of two and three in order to support one another.

Last year, a massive storm hit the course in the middle of the race, forcing 60 of the participants to take shelter. They were hunkered down for 36 hours while they waited for the storm to pass. Considering the remoteness of the course, there was little other option for the racers, who were in the middle of the competition when the weather took a turn for the worse.


In another nod to just how challenging this race can be, not a single foreign competitor was able to complete the race last year. Only the Norwegian were able to navigate the entire course and reach the finish line. Their experience in harsh conditions seem to serve them well in this race.

The 2014 edition of Expedition Amundsen will begin on February 27 at 1 PM local time in the county of Telemark, Norway. Where else would it begin? It should be quite the event to follow.

Video: Ski Jump Caught On GoPro

The ubiquitous GoPro camera seems to be everywhere these days, as evidenced in the video below, which features ski jumper Anders Jacobsen training in Lillehammer, Norway. Of course, the camera catches a unique perspective as always, but my question is, where is this particular camera mounted exactly? Definitely a mystery to me!

Video: Norway - Home Of The Northern Lights

The only thing you need to know about this video is that it was shot in Norway and captures the Northern Lights in spectacular fashion. That pretty much says it all. Enjoy!

Home of The Northern Lights - NORWAY from Ole C. Salomonsen on Vimeo.

Video: Insane Cyclist Rides Bike Down Mountain Road - Backwards!

And now something from the "completely insane" category. Here's a video of a man riding his bike backwards down a road in Trollstigen, Norway. The road is 4.5 km (2.8 miles) in length and features a 10% grade. At times, the rider reached speeds in excess of 80 km/h (50 mph), which seems frightening when you're riding a bike the proper way. Don't try this at home kids.

Video: Journey To Bear Island

There aren't many expeditions that you can go on that allow you to ski, snowboard, climb and surf, but that is exactly what the Wegge brothers got when they visited remote Bear Island off the Svalbard coast. The video below is a teaser for an upcoming film of their adventure, which judging from these two minutes of footage looks like it was filled will all kinds of interesting activities.

Thanks to my friends at the Adventure Journal for sharing this one.

BEAR ISLAND TEASER from weggebros on Vimeo.

Kapp To Cape Cyclists Complete 18,000 KM Ride In 102 Days

Way back in August I wrote a post about Reza Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, two long distance cyclists who were embarking on an epic ride from Nordkapp, Norway to Cape Town, South Africa. Their plan was to cover the 18,000 km (11,184 miles) distance between those two cities in just 100 days. Yesterday they completed that ride and they missed their target goal by just two days.

Reza and Steven faced all kinds of challenges as they rode through 14 different countries on their journey across Europe and Africa. Along the way they faced nasty winds, surprisingly bad weather and unexpected illness. The latter of those challenges was what ultimate prevented them from completing the ride in the expected 100 days. Despite all of the difficulties they had to overcome on their ride, the duo still only missed their scheduled arrival by two days. That is pretty impressive considering the number of miles they had to ride in such a relatively short time.

The video below was shot following their arrival in Cape Town yesterday. Not only did that mark the end of the expedition, Reza and Steven also announced that they had raised £20,000 ($32,375) for Azafady, a nonprofit that is working to build schools in Madagascar.

Congratulations to Reza and Steven on completing their incredible ride. In order to reach Cape Town yesterday, they had to average 176.5 km (110 miles) for 102 days straight. Those are impressive numbers indeed.

Video: Timelapse Over Norway's Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock in Norway is a 604 meter (1982 ft) cliff that overlooks Lysefjord fjord. It is a popular landmark that draws hikers from all over to take in its sweeping views. Today, you can visit the rock through this beautiful timelapse video, which is likely to inspire you to want to go and see it for yourself. It seems like a fitting way to end the week.

The Pulpit Rock - Norway from Kjetil kaasa on Vimeo.

French Team Sailing To The North Pole

A pair of French adventurers are attempting to sail from Barrow, Alaska to Spitsbergen, Svalbard in Norway via the North Pole this summer. That's a distance of 3300 km (2050 miles) by way the croew flies. But this route is seldom straight and easy as they pass through the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean and it's massive ice flows.

Sébastien Roubinet and Vincent Berthet set out from point Barrow in early July and have been attempting to make their way to the North Pole ever since. The voyage has not been an easy one however as they have encountered more ice this summer than they had expected. Often times they find themselves sailing south just so they can find an open waterway that will allow them to continue towards the Pole. The weather hasn't been all that cooperative either as they have at alternating times battled high winds that were too dangerous to sail and lacked wind altogether, becoming becalmed while they wait for an opportunity to move ahead.

They are making this unprecedented journey aboard a specially designed catamaran that can capture the wind to help sail both around and over the ice. They've named the boat Babouchka and for the most part it has performed remarkable well in very tough conditions. But travel has been extremely sporadic. Some days they are only able to cover just 3-4 km (2-2.5 miles) while on their best day they managed to cross 194 km (120 miles).

A few days ago Sébastien and Vincent crossed over the 78ºN latitudinal line. That means they still have a long way to go before the reach the North Pole, located at 90ºN. The duo are hoping that surface conditions will be more stable as they head north, possibly allowing them to cover longer distances more easily. Since the Babouchka is capable of traveling over both water and ice, they are looking forward to a time when they aren't necessarily battling both.

You can follow the two men on this epic journey on the expedition's official website. After five weeks out on the Arctic Ocean, their tale is a compelling one to read. But with such a long way to go yet, it will be interesting to see if they can actually complete this expedition at all.

Cyclists To Attempt 18,000 KM Ride In Just 100 Days

Starting today, two long distance cyclists will embark on an epic ride that will have them pass through 14 countries, on three continents, in an attempt to cover 18,000 km (11,184 miles) in just 100 days. The duo will go unsupported throughout the journey, averaging more than 180 km (112 miles) per day while carrying 30 kg (66 pounds) of equipment with them at all times. As is often the case these days, this expedition is being undertaken for a good cause as well.

The two men who will attempt this ride are Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, each of whom has a great deal of experience in endurance cycling. Back in 2011, Reza set a record for the fastest crossing of the Sahara Desert on a bike, while Steven has undertaken several long distance cycling expeditions as well. They'll need all of their considerable skills and experience to get through this journey however as it will be a tough one to complete.

Reza and Steven set out this morning from Nordkapp, Norway which actually sits above the Arctic Circle. They'll now ride south to Cape Town, South Africa and their eventual finish line. With that route in mind, they've named their endeavor the Cycle Kapp to Cape expedition. Over the next 3+ months, their route will take them through Finland, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran. They'll then hop a flight to Egypt and resume the pedaling through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and on into South Africa.

While the two cyclists hope to set a speed record on their way to Cape Town they have bigger, more altruistic goals in mind as well. They are attempting to raise £28,000 ($43,320) to build new schools in Madagascar. Reza and Steven are working in conjunction with Azafady, a nonproft that is striving to eradicate poverty and environmental damage in that country and they believe a good education is key to achieving those goals.

You'll be able follow the riders' progress through their blog, Facebook page and Twitter stream. Since they have just gotten underway this morning, there isn't much to report just yet, but expect plenty of updates from the road soon.

Good luck boys!

Video: Expedition Amundsen - The World's Toughest Ski Race

There are so many amazing athletic competitions taking place on our planet that it is impossible to keep track of them all. Take for instance, the Expedition Amundsen race that took place a month ago on the mountain plateau of Hardangervidda in Norway. The race is 100 km in length (62 miles) through some of the toughest and most remote backcountry in all of Europe. To put it mildly, this is a tough race under the best of conditions.

But the 2013 edition of the race didn't take place under the best of conditions. Part way through the event, a storm rolled through the region, stranding 63 of the 136 competitors in their tents for more than 36 hours. They sat out the storm before proceeding to the finish line, where the race leaders were able to cross before things took a turn for the worse. All told, 51 racers were forced to withdraw due to the extreme weather and difficult conditions.

The video below gives you a sense of what this race is all about. It looks like it was brutal out there, but fortunately everyone got home in one piece.

Svalbard Solo Expedition: Four Weeks Alone In The Arctic

Traditionally this is the time of the year when arctic expeditions begin to ramp up, particularly with skiers attempting to go to the North Pole. As I've mentioned numerous times in recent weeks however, that is becoming a more difficult prospect with each passing year and fewer and fewer adventurers have set their sights on that difficult journey.

But that doesn't mean the arctic doesn't have plenty to offer in terms of other challenges and there are still plenty of opportunities to explore its icy landscapes. Take the Svalbard Solo expedition for example, which will send Liam Wilton on a month-long journey through Norway's Spitsbergen island, the largest in the Svalbard archipelago.

Wilton intends to set out in early-March on what will be a 450 mile (724 km) unsupported and unassisted ski expedition through the Arctic. He'll spend the first week acclimatizing near Longyearbyen, the largest settlement on Spitsbergen. Those early days of the expedition will give him the opportunity to get use to the cold temperatures while also testing his gear and supplies. Once he completes that work, he'll launch the expedition proper, heading north to the furthest reaches of the island.

Liam has set a goal of covering approximately 15 miles (24 km) per day, which would mean he should finish the route in about 30 days. Along the way he intends to shoot video of the landscape and his travels through it with the intention of making a short film about solo arctic travel when he returns home.

The expedition is still a couple of weeks from getting underway and Wilton is busy getting his gear sorted and last minute travel details worked out. You'll be able to follow his progress on SvalbardSolo.com or through his Twitter feed.

Good luck Liam! Enjoy the experience.

Video: Kayakers Have Close Encounter With Whale

One of the things I love about kayaking is how close it allows you to get to nature. Of course, at times that can mean getting a little too close to nature. Take for example the sea kayakers in the video below, who were paddling off the coast of Norway this past weekend when they came across a humpback whale. Just how close did they get? You'll have to watch the video to see for yourself, but lets just say it's closer than most of us would feel comfortable with. I also learned from this video that certain words are universal in meaning and pronunciation, no matter the language.

Tip of the hat to my friend Laurel over at Gadling for sharing this video earlier. Very nice find.

Video: Wingsuit Flight Over New Zealand

It has been awhile since we had a really great wingsuit video. The one below will certainly change that however. It features GoPro athlete Alexander Polli floating through the air above New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway as he effortlessly soars through canyons, buzzes rock towers and generally plays chicken with gravity. Consider this your shot of adrenaline for the day.

Video: Paddling Norway

Ever wonder what the paddling scene in Norway is like? Well wonder no more. The video below, which comes our way courtesy of the White Box magazine, will not only give you a good indication of some of the kayaking options in that country but may also have you booking a trip of your own. The scenery is simply amazing and the rivers look extraordinary.


WHITE BOX - Ticking Boxes - Norway Update 2 from Adrian Kiernan on Vimeo.

North Pole Return Adventure Complete!

Norwegian explorers Audun Tholfsen and Timo Palo have completed their arctic adventure at last. The two men, whom I've written about a couple of times throughout their journey, arrived at Longyearbyen a few days ago, closing out a 1600km (994 mile) expedition that took 72 days to finish.

The two men launched their excursion on April 23, starting at 90ºN and heading south towards Svalbard. Using skis and kayaks they crossed vast open areas of ice and ocean, enduring incredibly bad weather, daunting surface conditions and the occasional polar bear while en route.

Audun and Timo estimate that of the 1600 or so kilometers that they covered in their journey about 400km (248 miles) of that was done in a kayak. The rest of the time they were on skis and pulling their gear, including the kayaks, behind them. That's a lot of miles to cover on foot in some of the toughest conditions on the planet.

Now that they've been back for a few days the two men report that they are in good physical condition and recovering nicely from the challenges of the expedition. They say that they've missed hot showers and pizza the most, and I suspect that they are enjoying both right now. They promise to share more information on their adventure once they've had a chance to rest and settle in, so be sure to watch their website for any future updates.

Congrats to both Audun and Timo on a job well done. Those pizzas and hot showers have been well earned mates.

North Pole Return Adventure Update: Still Heading South

It has been over a month since I posted an update on the progress of Audun Tholfsen and Timo Palo, the two Norwegian explorers who were dropped off at the North Pole back in April and have been making their way south ever since. The boys have had their struggles over the past weeks, but they continue to make good progress and are slowly, but surely closing in on the finish line at last.

While on their journey, Audun and Timo have traveled by ski and kayak as they make their way towards Longyearbyen, on the island of Svalbard. The entire excursion will cover approximately 1400km (870 miles) once it it completed and will mark the longest and most challenging North Polar expedition of the year by far. As of yesterday the duo were at about 82º30' north latitude, which would put them squarely in the Arctic Ocean. But since the area is still mostly frozen, they continue to use a combinations of skiing and paddling to make progress.

The two explorers have been making periodic updates to their blog in which they share the experiences of their travels. Those experiences have included nasty storms that have lasted for several days, dealing with broken equipment, polar bears, difficult terrain and more. All of those things have made the journey a challenging one, but they are still on track to finish sometime late this month, provided they don't encounter more unexpected challenges.

Its great to see that one of the North Pole expeditions is doing well and continuing forward. It's beginning to look like more expeditions will be starting at 90ºN in the future instead of ending there.

North Pole 2012: Two Skiers Heading South From 90ºN

While I was away last week the 2012 Arctic season all but came to an end. The Barneo Ice Station closed up shop for another season and most of the arctic explorers called it quits on a season that was already lacking any major expeditions. But just when you thought it was over for good, one team has started an epic journey that actually began at the North Pole.

Norwegian explorer Audun Tholfsen has joined forces with Estonian Timo Palo to launch their North Pole Expedition that will see them travel on skis and in kayaks from the 90ºN to Longyearbyen, the largest city on the island of Svalbard. The entire journey is expected to take upwards of two months to complete and will cover approximately 1400km (870 miles).

On their website, Audun and Timo talk about the biggest challenges that they will face along the way. They believe that the sea conditions will present the most difficulty, which is why they're using kayaks to cover the large open areas of water. Their skis will serve them well early on in the expedition, but as they travel further south, they'll be increasingly reliant on their boats as well. They also indicate that Arctic rubble fields and the ever present danger of polar bears will be of concern as well.

The two were airlifted to the North Pole on April 23 and started traveling shortly there after. Their blog doesn't provide any updates since that point however, so it is hard to determine how they are faring thus far. Hopefully we'll get some updates on progress soon however as this is one of the few big adventures to take place in the Arctic this year.