Video: The World Beyond The World

This three-and-a-half-minute video is as beautiful and mesmerizing as anything that I've seen recently. It features narration based on the words of Robert Marshall's "Alaska Wilderness: Exploring the Brooks Range" from 1939, with unbelievable photos taken from an expedition into that region from 2013. It is a very creative and wonderful clip that will inspire you to get out and explore. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The World Beyond the World from Paxson Woelber on Vimeo.

Brooks Range Traverse Cancelled

Last week I posted a story about an attempt by Aussies John Cantor and Evan Howard to make the first ever winter traverse of the Brooks Range in Alaska. The expedition was expected to take up to two months to complete and cover more than 1000 miles (1600 km) in the process. The duo knew that to be successful, they would need to endure incredibly high winds, bone chilling temperatures and a host of other difficult conditions. Yesterday, about a week and a half into the journey, they were forced to pull the plug and abandon the expedition altogether, as fears for their safety grew.

 Early on, John and Evan admitted that the conditions were more challenging than they had expected. Posting to their Facebook page, the hinted that the extremely cold temperatures and high winds were making progress incredibly difficult. But as the week progressed, they seemed to hit their stride to a degree and gained confidence in their ability to make progress across the arctic landscape they were passing through. Weather conditions improved a bit as well, with the winds dying down to a degree.

But last night, they posted a new update that indicated that Cantor had contracted frostbite in one of his fingers early on and it has continued to worsen over the days. If he were to stay out on the trail, there is the real possibility that he could lose the finger altogether, and put both himself and Evan at greater risk. On top of that, the chance of a rescue operation being safely conducted in their remote location became a factor too. So, with that in mind, they decided the wisest option was to pull the plug and head home.

This is a good reminder that not all expeditions are successful. The world is still filled with wild and difficult places, and the Brooks Range is one of them. The conditions there are trying at the best of times, and during the winter they are all but inhospitable. I'm sure John and Evan are disappointed in having to go home, but it sounds like it was the right decision.

Two Adventurers Attempting Winter Traverse Of The Brooks Range

Located in the extreme northerly regions of North America, the Brooks Range is an 1100 km (683 mile) mountain range that stretches across parts of Alaska and Canada. Largely uninhabited, save for a few inuit villages, these mountains are remote, rugged and demanding in the best of times. During the winter, the extreme cold and large amounts of snow, makes them an incredibly inhospitable place that few people ever experience. Earlier this week, a pair of intrepid explorers set out on an epic journey to attempt to traverse the region during the coldest, most demanding time of year.

On Tuesday, January 7, John Cantor and Evan Howard began what will eventually be a two-month long expedition that will cover approximately 1700 km (1056 miles) of total distance. Traveling on dogsleds and skis, while pulling sleds filled with supplies and gear behind them, they will attempt to make the first winter traverse of the Brooks Range. They set off from the village of Kotzebue and hope to eventually wrap things up in Kaktovik, provided the weather cooperates with them over the next eight weeks.

John and Evan are posting updates to their Facebook page and two days in, they are already finding the expedition to be tough going. So far, strong headwinds have made it difficult to make much progress, and John has indicated that it has been even tougher than they had anticipated. Considering where they are at, I would expect they'll face similar conditions in the days ahead, but hopefully they'll get their legs under them after a week or so on the trail. Much like traveling in the polar regions, I'm sure it'll take some time to acclimate to the conditions.

Last year, the two men went on a training expedition to the Brooks Range to get an understanding of what they'd be dealing with. The video below is footage from that exploratory excursion. It looks like a beautiful place but also one that will be testing them at every step of the way.

Thanks to reader Jack McClure for sharing this great adventure.