Another Expedition Prepares Search For Amelia Earhart

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart is one of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th Century. The pioneering aviator went missing somewhere over the Pacific back in 1937 as she attempted to fly around the world, and there have been a host of search parties ever since. Now a new team says that they have found clues to her whereabouts and they believe that they have discovered her final resting place at last.

According to this story from Discovery.com, researchers now believe that Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan crash landed on Nikumaroro Island, an uninhabited atoll that is part of the tiny nation of Kiribati in the South Pacific. They believe that not only did they survive, but that they attempted to use the plane's radio to signal for help on numerous occasions. Some of those SOS attempts were recorded and the researchers studied them, concluding that 57 of the 120 transmissions that were examined have some credibility as belong to Earhart.

The research team behind the study says that they believe that Earhart and Noonan were able to continue broadcasting signals until the plane was eventually pulled out to sea by high tides a few days after the crash. They have reviewed tidal data for July 2nd through the 9th of 1937 as well, and that data holds well to their theory. The thought is that the two survived the crash and lived on the island as long as they could before eventually dying there.

If the radio signal evidence wasn't enough, explorers have also found another clue on Nikumaroro. While searching for evidence of Earhart's eventual resting place, they found five fragments of a glass jar. When that jar was reassembled it was discovered to be Dr.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬H Berry's Freckle Ointment, which was on the market at the time of Earhart's flight. It was also known that she not only had freckles but didn't like them, and used cosmetics to cover them up or in an attempt to remove them altogether. Some of the researchers believe that this jar belonged to the aviator.

Next July the team intends to mount an expedition to the island to search once more for the aircraft. Of course, this will be just the latest attempt to find her and while efforts in the past have provided intriguing clues, the mystery of what happened to Earhart has yet to be solved. It should be very interesting to see what it is they discover.

Outside Announces Finalists For Adventure Grant

In celebration for its 35th anniversary, Outside magazine is giving away a $10,000 adventure grant to help fund what it calls a "smart, creative, and (perhaps) slightly foolhardy endeavor." Over the past few months they've solicited entries for the grant and now they've announced the five finalists on the Outside Facebook page.

The five finalist are certainly a diverse group. They include Daniel Alvarez, who hopes to paddle from Minnesota to Key West Florida; Quinn Langbauer and Mike Tassels Richard, who intend to cycle across Siberia; long disance hiker Ben Mayberry who will travel the American west on foot and pack raft; Ali Bayless and Hannah Bassett who want to sail the California coast in search of people with dream jobs and  Chase Berenson and Charla Hughes who dream of traveling the length of Thailand in a tuk-tuk.

Each of these is a unique adventure to say the least and all of them sound like fun. You can visit the Outside Facebook page to find out more about them and watch videos from the finalists. Then, cast your vote for the one that you think is most deserving. The winner will be awarded the grant!

Video: Why Space Exploration Is Needed

In the video below we once again find astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson arguing the importance of exploration and space travel for the entire human race. Tyson gives us an inspiring reminder of how landing on the moon made the entire planet come together for the first time and explains why we need to continue pushing towards those destinations beyond Earth. It is an inspiring message that is being spread by Penny4NASA.org,  a group that is calling on the U.S. government to expand the budget for the space program and set new goals for NASA.

This is an inspirational way to start the day!

Video: Old Man River Project - Chapter 8

The Old Man River Project continues this week with another wonderful video from this expedition along the length of the Mississippi River. In Chapter 8 of the series, which you can watch below, the team has moved into the deep south and the nature of the river has changed to reflect that. The landscapes are more wild and untamed than they were previously, but they are more serene too. They crew has now been on the water for more than three months, and they've reached Louisiana at last, but they still have many miles to go until they reach the Gulf of Mexico and unfortunately they have to say goodbye to one of the team.

Debunking The Myths About Everest

As I mentioned in my Everest wrap-up post yesterday, the season may be over but the analysis and speculation continues, particularly in the mainstream press and those that are outside of the climbing community. Earlier today British climber Mark Horrell, who recently summited the mountain on the North Side, wrote a very thoughtful and interesting piece in which he addresses five common myths about Everest that the media tends to perpetuate. I found it to be a good read and I thought you would as well.

In the article Mark discusses his experiences on Everest this past season and his thoughts on traffic jams, the challenges of the climb and sensationalist journalism. He then proceeds to discuss some of the things that journalists who are not climbers continually get wrong when they write about Everest. For example, because of the fact that more than 500 people topped out this year there is a common belief amongst media types that climbing the world's tallest peak is no longer difficult. This is of course not the experience of those that are there and as Mark points out from his own experience, it was anything but easy. He notes that his summit push took six days, and on Summit Day itself he climbed for 18 hours round trip. He says on most days he would arrive at camp and immediately get sick. He lived on very little food, as his appetite was destroyed be altitude, and dehydration dogged him much of the way. Fortunately he did not have to deal with bad weather, as he mentions that many times climbers are also going up in extremely cold conditions on top of the physical ailments they are dealing with.

Other topics that Mark discusses include whether or not someone climbs the mountain as part of their "bucket list," whether or not traffic jams played into the deaths this year and if walking past a struggling climber shows a lack of compassion.

As I said, it's a very interesting read. I've been planning a similar piece for Gadling.com, as the crowd there is much more mainstream and has a different view of climbing than we do here. I'll probably write that piece next week, but Mark has managed to put into words much of what I've been feeling on the subject as well.

ExWeb Lists 2012 Pakistan Climbing Expeditions

The Everest season is barely over and it is already time to look forward to Pakistan and the upcoming climbs in the Karakoram. While the summer season isn't nearly as busy as spring in the Himalaya, it will still be filled with plenty of drama and intrigue as some of the top climbers in the world take on the toughest peaks on the planet.

As usual, ExWeb has the definitive list of expeditions and they've begun updating that list to reflect the new season ahead. Most are scheduled to take place in June and July, with Gahserbrum I (8080m/26,509ft) and II (8035m/26,362ft), a well as Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft) getting the early attention. After that, K2 (8611m/28,251ft) will take center stage with no fewer than three expeditions currently set to take on the toughest climb in the world.

Climber Sophie Denis has big plans for the months ahead. Not only is she scheduled for K2 in July, but she'll warm up on Gasherbrum I and II first. She's also stenciled in Shisha Pangma (8013m/26,289ft) for the fall as well, which seems like quite an ambitious scheduled at this point. She'll be joined on K2 by Canadian Al Hancock and a large Korean team as well.

Elsewhere, 73-year old Carlos Soria has plans to climb Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) in September as he continues his quest to nab all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. In addition to this peak, he'll also attempt Annapurna and Dhaulagiri this year.

Interestingly enough, ExWeb also has two expeditions listed for the Trango Towers in July as well, both by Korean teams. One is listed as a "Free Climbing" expedition, which should be quite the challenge to follow. The Towers are made up of some of the most dramatic rock faces you'll find anywhere on the planet and are a difficult mix of high altitude mountaineering and technical rock climbing. The tallest, known as the Great Tower, is 6286 meters (20,623ft) in height, but features a prominence of 800 meters or about 2625ft leading to the top.

Of course we'll be following all of these and more once the Karakoram season gets into full swing. The first of these expeditions is scheduled to get underway next week, so stay tuned for updates.

Gear Closet: Osprey Zealot 16

Backpacks are a lot like tools. You definitely want the right one for job at hand. It use to be that you would simply buy a pack or two in the sizes that you needed and then you'd make them work for what ever outdoor pursuits that interested you. The same daypack could be used for hiking, mountain biking, skiing or what ever other activities that you needed it for. Now however you can buy a pack specifically designed for the sport you need it for, and like having the the right tool for the job, it can make all the difference. 

Take for example the new Zealot 16 from Osprey, a pack designed from the ground up for mountain bikers. With its ample storage, well padded shoulder straps and belt, integrated AirScape suspension and built-in media pocket it has just about everything a rider could ask for when hitting the trail. Throw in a 3-liter hydration bladder and a Lidlock helmet attachment, and you have a pack that can match just about anything else on the market in terms of features. But we all know a checklist of features is only useful when comparing packs at the gear shop.

Fortunately the Zealot performs well in the real world and puts all of those great features to good use. For instance, all of that storage is perfect for carrying your gear, particularly if you're a downhill rider who carries plenty of armor with you on your rides. The main compartment is practically cavernous, and zippers that run the length of either side of the bag make it easy to gain access to everything inside. Smaller pockets help to keep your gear well organized as well, including one in the bottom that features an integrated pouch for storing tools. Small, yet still useful,  pockets on the hipbelt and shoulder straps round out the package.

As a big fan of Osprey packs, I had high expectations of the Zealot before I ever put it to the test on the trail. I was impressed with the heavy, durable materials from which this pack is made, and while they do add a bit of weight (the pack is 2 pounds/.92kg) it feels like it can stand up to just about anything. That same high quality construction is applied to the belts and straps as well, which when secured properly, lock into place and keep the pack from moving around too much. 

All of that just meant that the Zealot easily passed the eye test, but I had yet to try it out in the field. It only took one ride to discover that it is the perfect trail companion however, particularly if you're going on a longer ride. It's large hydration reservoir is perfect for those hot days and the AirScape suspension does an admirable job of keeping air flowing between your body and the pack itself. These suspension systems continue to improve and I'm impressed with how well they work, particularly on these smaller packs.  I was also impressed with how comfortable the pack is to wear, easily carrying a large load without impeding movement.

The Zealot is easily the best dedicated mountain biking pack that I have ever used and I consider it a real steal for $149. It is clear that the designers are riders them selves as the bag has plenty of nice touches that you'll appreciate the more you use it. If you're in the market for a new backpack for your spring and summer rides, do yourself a favor and grab this pack. You'll be glad you did and you can thank me later.