Video: Into The Light - Episode 4: Aftermath

It turns out, the third video of the Into the Light series that I posted a few days ago wasn't the final clip after all. Earlier today, I received word of this fourth video, which features climbing legends Chris Sharma and Stefan Glowacz reflecting on their accomplishment of climbing the longest cave ceiling in the world. After spending two weeks climbing in a dark cave, in the middle of a hot, dry desert, what did they do to refresh themselves? Go deep-water soloing of course!

Video: Into The Light Episode 3 - Climbing A Cave In Oman With Chris Sharma And Stefan Glowacz

Today we have the third, and final, episode of the Into the Light series, which features legendary climbers Chris Sharma and Stefan Glowacz taking on a secret project in Oman. It turns out the two men were working a route inside the Majlis al Jinn cave, which gave them the chance to traverse the longest cave roof in the world, which took 13 pitches to complete. Quite an impressive project to say the least. Watch the video below to see them do what they do best. Great stuff.

Adventure Film: Journey Into The Empty Quarter With Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron

Last year at this time, adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron were in the midst of an epic journey across the Empty Quarter, a massive desert that stretches across parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. They were following in the footsteps of the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, covering 1000 miles while dragging a cart full of water, food and other supplies behind them for most of the way. It was a difficult, massive undertaking that pushed the two men to their limits and tested their determination at every stage. Now, a year later, the film of that expedition is available, giving us a glimpse of what they went through for the first time.

I was given an preview copy of the film, which is entitled Into The Empty Quarter, and had a chance to watch it last night. Like all good adventure films, it shows both the highs and lows of the expedition, of which there were many of both. The 53-minute long movie opens with Alastair first reaching out to Leon via email to see if he would be interested in joining him on the expedition. Leon was keen to take on the journey himself, and the two men were soon in the planning stages.

Unable to afford camels to help carry their gear the way Thesiger did, the two men designed a cart that would serve that purpose instead. That cart would become a source of frustration at times, almost bringing the entire expedition to a halt before it could get started. Thankfully some last minute medications allowed them to move forward, although dragging 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of gear would never become an easy task.


The film takes us on a journey that begins on the busy streets of Salalah in Oman, than moves into the remote, desolate desert, before ending in the chaos that is Dubai. Along the way, Alastair and Leon met friendly, interesting people, witnessed stunning landscapes and endured hardships that surprised even them. This turned into a journey that was so much more than crossing an open desert while following in the footsteps of their hero. The spirit of the adventure is captured well in the film and gives you a sense that this was a difficult slog, while simultaneously inspiring viewers to want to do something similar themselves.

My favorite segment of Into The Empty Quarter was when the boys were moving out of the desert and yet still had 200 miles to go before they reached the finish line in Dubai. As they marched, many passing vehicles stopped to generously offer them water, fresh fruit, good food and even ice cream. This kindness shown to them by strangers clearly moved the two explorers, and as a viewer, it was impressive to witness as well.

The movie made its debut at the Royal Geographical Society back in November, and it is also being submitted to film festivals as we speak. I would be willing to bet that it will become a staple on the adventure film fest tour in 2014. It is an interesting, beautifully made film that inspires a sense of exploration and adventure from beginning to end, and I get the sense it'll be a fan favorite with those who watch. Watch the official website for announcements of future screenings, but if you simply can't wait, you can also purchase a copy of the movie as well.

For a sense of what it is all about, check out the video trailer below. It is definitely worth picking up and would make a great stocking stuffer heading into the holiday season.

Video: The Desert Challenge Ultra-Marathon Race

In 2014 an amazing new competition is set to take place with ultra-marathons being held in Jordan and  Oman, which will set the stage for a bigger, longer race to follow. Known as the Desert Challenge, this epic set of races is set to become one of the top endurance events on the ultra-running calendar.  The video below gives us a glimpse of what to expect out of this competition. As you might imagine, it won't be for the feint of heart.

The Desert Challenge from TransArabia on Vimeo.

Tales From The Empty Quarter

Yesterday I shared a video teaser for a documentary film coming out later this year called Into The Empty Quarter. The film follows adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron as they follow in the footsteps of the famous explorer Wilfred Thesiger on a 1000 mile (1600 km) journey across the Empty Quarter – a massive desert that stretches over parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. We'll have to wait until this fall for our opportunity to see the movie but we can learn more about that journey now thanks to a story written for The Clymb by Alastair himself. 

The article, which you'll find by clicking here, provides plenty of insight into what it is like to trek through one of the hottest and harshest environments on the planet. The two men were inspired to attempt their expedition due to tales of Thesiger's exploits in the region, and Alastair says he had been planning such a journey for more than 15 years. In truth, he was probably dreaming about the Empty Quarter since he was a child and he first learned of the British explorer's exploits. 

Alastair and Leon knew that in order to make the trek on foot they would need to get creative. So, they built a homemade cart that was capable of carrying all of their gear and supplies, and most importantly their water. When fully loaded, that cart weighed nearly 700 pounds (317 kg) and the two men spent just one day training with it before leaving for their start in Oman. 

Just a few hours into their epic journey Alastair and Leon discovered that their cart was practically useless. When loaded with all of their supplies, it was nearly impossible to steer. The entire adventure was in jeopardy before they even truly got underway. They spent three days looking for a fix and for someone that could help them implement it. When they did, they were able to launch the expedition in ernest and what followed was at time glorious and heartbreaking, exhilarating and exhausting and inspiring and frustrating all at the same time. 

Read Alastair's account to get the fully story and you'll have a greater appreciation for what they accomplished. It'll also get you more excited to see the documentary when it is released in a few months too. 

Video: Into The Empty Quarter HD Trailer

Last year, adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron set off on a journey to cross the Empty Quarter, a massive desert in Arabia that stretches throughout parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. It was a 1000-mile (1609 km) journey on foot into one of the most remote places on our planet as they followed in the footsteps of Wilfred Thesiger, a British explorer who famously traveled through the desert on his best known expeditions.

This fall, a documentary about Alastair and Leon's journey will be released. That film is entitled Into The Empty Quarter and it will give us, the viewers, an opportunity to witness their adventure first hand while catching a glimpse of the amazing desert that enthralled them and Thesiger. The trailer for that film can be found below and based on what is shown here, it looks like a movie we won't want to miss.

Announcing The Desert Challenge Ultramarathons, Two Races Across Two Deserts In 2014

Attention ultrarunners! Are you looking for a new challenge to add to your race schedule in 2014? If so, the the newly announced Desert Challenge may be just what you're looking for. The event will feature two races, in two very different deserts next year, both of which will lead up to a third event which has yet to be named.

The first race is called the TransOmania and as the name implies, it will be taking place in the country of Oman. The full course will run coast-to-coast across that country, covering a distance of 300 km (186 miles). Two shorter routes, one 200 km (124 miles) in length, the other 130 km (80 miles), will also be available, each running through the very heart of the Wahiba Sands, a beautiful desert with diverse landscapes and wildlife. The TransOmania ultramarathon is scheduled to take place in January.

The second race in the Desert Challenge will be the TransArabia, which will run from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea in Jordan. This race will feature three courses that include lengths of 300 km , 200 km and 100 km (62 miles). Competitors will of course run non-stop, passing through the spectacular Wadi Rum desert and the incomparable Petra along the way. The TransArabia is scheduled to take place in November of 2014. 

The two races are being managed by Raid Sahara and my friends at Lost World Racing, both of which have years of experience organizing long distance running events in extreme environments. They've come up with an interesting new concept in desert races, beginning and ending on coastlines, while still featuring plenty of wide-open desert along the length of the rest of the course. Both races will be tough and demanding, yet incredibly rewarding at the same time. These two new ultra marathons are set to make a very big splash on endurance scene next year. 

The Desert Challenge was just announced yesterday, so there isn't a lot more information available just yet. the website domain for the TransArabia race has been claimed, but as of this writing, the site hasn't launched just yet. Keep an eye on the page for future updates. 

On a side note, I visited Jordan last year and had an absolutely wonderful time. The country is beautiful, with a rich and ancient culture. The people there couldn't have been more friendly and visiting both Wadi Rum and Petra were amongst the highlights of my travels. The fact this race will put you right into the heart of those environments is amazing. 

Stay tuned for more information soon. 

Alastair Humphreys And Leon McCarron Announces Expedition Through The Empty Quarter

Adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron have announced that they are joining forces to take on a new expedition that will be as demanding and difficult as anything they've ever done. The two men plan to follow in the footsteps of one of Britain's greatest adventurers, Wilfred Thesiger, as they trek 1000 miles (1600 km) across the Rub' al Khali, better known as the Empty Quarter.

Stretching across parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, the Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world. Its reach is vast, covering an estimated 251,000 square miles (650,000 sq km) with not much more than sand dunes, sometimes towering hundreds of feet in the air, in all directions.

Al and Leon set out on their adventure next week. They intend to walk through Oman and the UAE in much the same style as Thesiger. But while he had camel trains and a series of wells to help him find his way, our two intrepid explorers will instead pull specially designed carts, containing all of their supplies and gear, behind them. Their intention is to make a short documentary about Thesiger, the man who has inspired them in so many ways.

The video below was released to serve as a teaser for the upcoming expedition. After the jump, you'll find another video that gives us a glimpse at what they can expect while in the desert. Amazing stuff all around.


Empty Quarter Expedition Teaser from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.

And here's a look at the Empty Quarter itself.

Empty Quarter - George Steinmetz from George Steinmetz on Vimeo.