Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing National Championship

The Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing National Championship is going down this weekend in Moab, Utah, one of the top adventure destinations in the U.S. The race got underway this morning at 8 AM local time, and will run through noon tomorrow, followed closely with a BBQ and Halloween Party!

The event features all the standard adventure racing disciplines including 15-25 miles of kayaking, 20-30 miles of trekking, and 35-45 miles of mountain biking. The course will also feature 2-3 miles of the always popular river boarding and a ropes course that includes a 350' Tyrolean Traverse. The race also has teams in various categories including a 4-person open and elite coed options as well as 2-person and solo categories as well.

The race will cap a full season of races in the Checkpoint Tracker series with a number of races held in a variety of locations around the country. The winners of the Moab event will be crowned the 2010 Checkpoint Tracker champions. Seems like it should be a fun and competitive event in a fantastic environment. I hope all the teams race safely and have a great time.

Joe Puryear Dies While Climbing In Tibet

37-year old Joe Puryear, one of the top alpine climbers in the U.S., perished while climbing in Tibet this week. The former Mt. Rainier guide was attempting to scale the 7367 meter (24,170 ft) Labuche Kang, located in the southern region of Chinese controlled Tibet, when the cornice he was scaling collapsed, sending him falling 1500 feet to his death.

Puryear earned a reputation as a fearless climber in the 90's when he put up new routes in a variety of places around the world. He was even hired by the National Park Service to be a ranger on Rainier where he could conduct mountain rescues if necessary. Joe also earned a living as a climbing guide, often working for some of the top mountaineering companies in the world.

You can read more about this tragic story and about Puryear himself in this article from the Seattle Times.

Gerber Tool Giveaway: Round 2

Regular readers know that I've been holding a contest for the past week to give away a Gerber Multi-tool This morning I selected a winner (Congrats to Suzanne Graham of Dublin, Ireland!) and I'm launching a second giveaway, this time for a Gerber Mini Fast-Draw knife. The version that I'm giving away has a serrated edge, includes a pocket clip to make it easy to carry, and comes with the same high quality that you expect from Gerber products.

Like the multi-tool that I just gave away, the Fast-Draw has been provided by OutdoorPros.com, a site that handles the full line of Gerber knives and other products, at great prices. I can't thank Josh and the crew at the site enough for providing some cool products.

So, here's the drill. If you've already entered the contest for the multi-tool, you'll automatically be entered again for the Mini Fast-Draw knife as well. You don't need to send me another e-mail. But if you'd haven't entered yet, simply send me an e-mail with the subject line of "Gerber Tools" to kungfujedi@gmail.com. Next week I'll randomly select another winner. Good luck everyone!

Everest Now Has 3G Cell Service

Visitors to the South Side of Everest now have more options for staying in touch while trekking and climbing in the Khumbu Valley. According to this story over at Mashable, Nepali cell phone company Ncell has installed a 3G base station on Everest, and tested it out by making the world's highest video call from 5300 meter (17,388 feet).

The story from Mashable says that the base station was installed "at the summit" but this article from Reuters says that it's actually in Base Camp, which makes more sense. The new 3G network will offer good voice coverage of course, but climbers should be more excited about the improved data service this will offer allowing for faster, more reliable Internet access while in BC, and climbing,for two months at a time. It should be a lot cheaper than using satellite as well.

Reading stories like this it never fails to amaze me how good cell service can be in other parts of the world. While I was in the Khumbu this past spring, our guides had cell service for much of the trek, yet I could barely get coverage in Yellowstone while visiting there in early September. Likewise on Kilimanjaro a few years back, when my guide seemingly had service all the way to the summit, and yet I get dead zones right here in Austin, Texas.

This is seriously great news for climbers though. They can now feed their iPhone addictions while acclimatizing in Base Camp. Big thanks to Rick from BestHike for sending this my way.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Season Finally Ends On Lhotse

The Fall Himalayan season has been slowly crawling towards the finish line for a few weeks now. While most of the mountains have been deserted for awhile, there have been a few lingering climbers hoping beyond hope that they would get an opportunity to summit. It seems for two of them, that hope has now been dashed.

ExWeb is reporting that the two Jordis, Corominas and Tosas, have now called it quits on Lhotse. The pair of Spaniards were attempting to climb along the South Face, but have been stymied by the conditions there, which included poor weather and lots of snow. While they waited, the two men had a go at the Lhotse Shar, and have made two separate bids up the face. But the conditions have been slow to improve and now high winds near the summit it have made any further attempts to climb the mountain nearly impossible. Because of these ongoing issues, they've elected to go home for the year.

Meanwhile, Marty Schmidt, who had been attempting a solo, alpine style attempt on Lhotse, gave up his attempt on that mountain in order to guide a client up Ama Dablam. Turns out that expedition isn't happening either, as when Marty joined his companion in the Khumbu Valley, the client revealed that he wasn't ready to make the climb and had decided to go home instead. With no interest in climbing Ama Dablam himself, Marty is now heading home as well.

Finally, ExWeb is also reporting that Alpine Ascents, one of the companies that Chhewang Nima Sherpa worked with while guiding in the Himalaya, has set up a checking account to accept donations to help support his family, for which is was the sole provider. The 19-time Everest summitteer went missing last weekend when an avalanche swept him off of Baruntse. Search and rescue operations were ceased after it was determiend that no one could have survived the accident. To make a donation to the fund, ExWeb says checks can be made payable to: “FBO Chhewang Nima Sherpa” and can be mailed to: Alpine Ascents International at 109 West Mercer St. Seattle, WA 98119. Contact AA for further details.

Scientists Ask For Alternate Serengeti Highway Route

I've mentioned the plans by the Tanzanian government to create a highway across the Serengeti on more than one occasion. Back in July, the controversial project was proposed as a way of increasing trade and helping stimulate economic growth, but at the possible expense of the delicate ecosystem that exists on the African plains. Some feared that the increased traffic would also disrupt the annual Great Migration, which sees millions of animals passing directly through the region.

Now, 290 scientists from 32 different countries have signed a petition urging Tanzania to find an alternate route around the Serengeti National Park, rather than going straight through it, to help preserve the spectacular wildlife that is found there. The scientists believe that the construction of the road "would result in severe, negative, irreversible impacts, with little mitigation possible." They even go so far as to say "The proposed road cuts through a critical wilderness area that is essential to the migration. The type of road surface matters little. The migration itself could easily collapse, with a devastating effect on all wildlife, the grasslands, and the entire ecosystem.”

The petition included a survey of the scientists asking them their thoughts on the impact of the road on the Serengeti Ecosystem. 85% of those surveyed felt that it was either inevitable or extremely likely that the migration would be disrupted and a stunning 98% answered the same way when asked if the road would have an impact on mortality rates.

The Save The Serengeti organization continues to work with these scientists, as well as conservation organizations and the travel industry to try to resolve these issues, but at the moment the Tanzanian government seems intent on moving ahead with the plan.

It seems we're on the verge of watching one of the planet's great natural wonders be destroyed and disrupted right before our eyes. Having traveled the world, I'm often asked about my favorite place, and I invariably answer that it is the Serengeti. This news makes me very sad.

Expedition Idaho Adventure Race Moves Dates, Hires Kloser

Earlier this week I posted a story about a new expedition length adventure race scheduled to take place late in the summer of 2011. Now, just a few days later, race organizers have announced that they've moved the dates back a few weeks and have hired recently retired AR legend Mike Kloser to help with the event.

Expedition Idaho 2011 (website coming soon!) will now take place from August 14 - 20. The new dates avoid conflicts with both the Raid The North Extreme race, which takes place July 23 - 31 in the West Kootenays of British Columbia and the Gold Rush Adventure Race that ill go down on the West Coast form September 8-11. 

Kloser has joined the staff in order to focus on promoting the event both nationally and internationally, and his wealth of experience has already begun to have an impact on the race. Because of Mike's suggestions, the course designers are now bumping the length back up to 600km (372 miles) in order to offer a bigger challenge to the best teams in the world. 

As I mentioned a few days back, early bird registration is already open, offering discounts to teams who register before January 1st, 2011. For more information, send an e-mail to funnflip@msn.com, or you can call 208-664-0135.

The Amazon Continues To Reveal New Species

Yesterday I posted a story about the latest impossible2Possible expedition, which is taking place in the Amazon at this very moment. The expedition is there to help promote the subject of biodiversity, and what better place to do so then in the most diverse location on the planet. According to a new report however, the Amazon may be even more diverse in terms of plant and animal species that we thought.

The World Wildlife Fund released the new report that it entitled Amazon Alive: A Decade of New Discoveries 1999-2009. That report says that so many new species were discovered in the Amazon Rainforest over the past decade that they averaged one new species every three days. Think about that. One new species every three days for a decade. That is an astounding figure.

The number of new creatures species discovered includes 637 plants, 257 fish, 216 amphibians, 55 reptiles, 16 birds and 39 mammals. Amongst them are a new breed of anaconda, the first discovered since 1936, a bald headed parrot that is incredibly bright in color, a distinct species of the pink river dolphins that is found only in Bolivia, and a large, blue-fanged spider that preys upon birds.

This report highlights not only all the species that we know about in the Amazon, but hints at the hundreds that are still out there, waiting to be discovered. Of course, it also underscores why we need to protect the place and the amazing biodiversity there. Many of these creatures are already seeing their habitats threatened, which is also part of the message from the WWF.

I love stories like this one. It continues to remind me just how little we know about our planet and how many discoveries we're still making. Interesting stuff, and the report has some great images with it too.

Gerber Tool Giveaway: One Last Reminder!

Okay, I promise this is the last reminder for the Gerber multi-tool giveaway. At least for the the Octane Multi-Plier that I'm giving away this week. Starting Friday, I'll start another give away for a Gerber knife, but this week it's the Octane.

As I've mentioned before, entering the contest is super-simple. Just send me an e-mail at kungfujedi@gmail.com with the subject of "Gerber Tools" and I'll enter you into the contest. Easy as that. Come Friday, I'll randomly pick a winner, and announce who gets the prize. I'll also start the new giveaway immediately, and if you've already entered, you'll automatically get included in that one as well.

Big thanks to the gang over at OutdoorPros.com for providing the prizes.

End of an Era at National Geographic Society

The end of 2010 will also mark the end of an era at the National Geographic Society, as Gilbert Grosvenor steps down as the Chairman of the organization. Grosvenor has been leading the Society for more than 23 years, and this transition will mark the first time in Nat Geo's 122 year history that a Grosvenor has not held the position.

According to this story at the Washington Post, Grosvenor will be succeeded by John M. Fahey, who has been the President of the Society for the past 14 years. Grosvenor isn't stepping away entirely however, as he'll assume the role of Chairman Emeritus and will continue to have a voice in the direction of the organization. His daughter, Lexi Grosvenor Eller, will continue to serve on the board as well.

The Grosvenors are heirs to Alexander Graham Bell, who played a pivotal role in taking the Society from a small group of geographers to a brand that is now famous the world over. The organization has been run by Bell's descendants, including the Grosvenors, ever since. Over the years, that leadership has reinvented and reinvigorated the Society on a number of occasions.

The family influence on Nat Geo is a lasting legacy that you don't find in many other organizations these days. I'm glad to hear that they'll still have a hand in guiding National Geographic through the 21st century and beyond.

Chris Sharma Wins Unique Climbing Competition In Spain

Rock climber Chris Sharma is easily one of the best in the world at what he does, which is namely climbing up a wall like a spider. That was evident again this past weekend when he won a unique climbing competition held in Bilbao, Spain this past weekend.

The competition pitted Sharma and a number of other climbers, against one another on a 50-foot wall that hung over the waters of the local river. The competitors were tasked with climbing the wall without ropes, with the water below providing the safety net to keep them from harm. According to the Outside Blog, Sharma managed to complete the route to the top twice, while his closest competitor could only muster his way through about 2/3 of the route.

The video below gives you an idea of what the competition was like. Seems like it was a lot of fun!

Karl Meltzer Runs "the Human Express"

I'm not sure how this one escaped my notice, but I read about it last night and then caught another post over at the Outside Blog this morning. It seems that ultra-endurance run Karl Meltzer has just completed a 2064-mile (3321km)  run along the old Pony Express trail, beginning in Sacramento and ending in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The run was christened the Human Express and was sponsored by Red Bull. Karl got underway on September 15th and took just 40 days to finish the journey, which included him crossing the Rocky Mountains and a portion of the Great Plains. Along the way, Meltzer ran approximately 50 miles (80km) per day, but on the final leg he decided to take it up a notch, run 105 miles (169km) straight, so that he could reach the finish line at last. On one of his days in Utah, he even ran 23 miles, stopped to play nine holes of golf, then ran another 27 miles afterward. For the record, he reportedly shot a 44.

For fans of endurance racing, Meltzer is a well known figure. He has competed in a number of ultramarathons, and back in 2008 we followed along with his Appalachian Assault, during which he ran the length of the 2174 mile (3498km) Appalachian Trail in just under 55 days.

Congrats to Karl on another amazing accomplishment. Just wish I could have followed the run a bit more closely, but better late than never. On a side note, does anyone else's legs hurt just thinking about this?

Gear Box: Brooks-Range Adventure Racing Toolkit

The adventure racing community has been a abuzz recently with all kinds of great news. For example, this weekend gives us the CheckPoint Tracker National Championship in Moab, Utah, which promises to be an excellent event, and 2011 has no less than 3 expedition length races planned for North America alone. It seems the sport is as healthy as ever, and more and more outdoor athletes are seizing the opportunity to take part.

Jumping into adventure racing can be quite a daunting process. There is a lot of gear to buy and tons of skills to learn as well. And it's not just the shoes, bikes, paddles, and packs that you have to consider, there are tons of smaller items as well, like a lightweight but well equipped first aid kit or a headlamp that works in all conditions and has a battery that can last a long time.

Fortunately for aspiring and veteran adventure racers alike, Brooks-Range has an invaluable piece of gear that will soon find a permanent spot inside your gear box. Their Adventure Racing Toolkit contains several items that new racers probably won't even know they need yet, while the experienced athletes will appreciate their usefulness and quality straight away.

The toolkit contains four items, two UTM plotters, an all weather #311 fieldbook, and a field organizer. The plotters come in two sizes, a larger one that is perfect for pre-race planning of routes between checkpoints, and a smaller pocket sized plotter that is perfect for making course corrections while in the field. The larger plotter offers multiple map scales and conversion rates, which makes it very useful in the hands of skilled navigator.

The fieldbook is durable, well made, and still lightweight. Better yet, it is water resistant, which means it'll be useful even when the weather turns bad, which we all know will happen at some point. Because the weather has been known to turn bad on occasion, in a race or just on a day hike, the field organizer may just be the most useful item in the entire toolkit. The organizer is waterproof and six distinct pockets to help organize your important paperwork, such as your race passport or notes containing special instructions. There are also several slots for holding a pen or pencil and a handy spot to place your pocket UTM plotter too. The whole thing seals up nice and tight with a velcro strap, helping to keep the items within even more safe and sound.

These items certainly aren't the sexy gear that we all like to shop for when it comes time for an adventure race. We'd much rather check out the latest pack or the hot new new mountain bike. But each of these items are also highly useful and important to have along on a race, whether it's a sprint, 24-hour, or expedition length competition. This is the kind of toolkit you purchase, throw in your gear box, and forget it's there. That it until you need them. Then you'll be very glad you have them with you, and you'll be glad that Brooks-Range put this little kit together for you as well. Order online by clicking here. MSRP: $45.70.

Expedition Amazon 2010 Is Underway

A few weeks back I posted a story about Expedition Amazon 2010, the latest adventure sponsored by the impossible2Possible organization. At that time the group, which includes four youth ambassadors along with adventurer and i2P founder Ray Zahab, his partner Kevin Vallely and a few others, were still ramping up for their trip to the Amazon Jungle, but this week they are in Brazil and beginning their journey.

The expedition consists of a 200km (124 mile) trek through the jungle that is expected to take eight days to complete. Along the way, the team is stopping in jungle villages, meeting with the locals, and immersing themselves in the culture there. They are also making the trek to promote Biodiversity, which is the theme for i2P's efforts for this year as 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. The Amazon is one of the richest, most diverse, places on the planet in terms of species of plants and animals.

The team began the trek this past Saturday, and they are now several days in. You can read about their experiences and progress on the expedition's blog, which can be found by clicking here. The posts include some great photos and videos from the Amazon, where it looks like everyone, especially the youth ambassadors, are having a great time.

One of the key elements to any of the impossible2Possible expeditions is their outreach with schools, and this expedition is no different. The team is connecting directly to classrooms through the use of modern satellite technology, and this allowing hundreds of classes and thousands of students to take part in the adventure. Those kids, grades K-12, are learning more about the Amazon, the cultures there, and the importance of Biodiversity.

The expedition should run into next weekend and after that, Ray and Kevin will begin to focus on their planned run across the Atacama Desert in Chile, which is scheduled to take place in January of 2011. Lots of big things planned for this amazing group.

Beware The Birds of the Falkland Islands

National Geographic always captures some amazing video of wildlife. Over the years, they've brought us great images from a variety of locations around the globe of some of the most beautiful and intelligent animals on the planet. But the video below is in a class all of it's own. Captured on a recent expedition to the Falkland Islands, the short clip shows us some local birds, known as Johnny Rooks, who are aggressive, destructive, and down right scary. If there is a lesson to be learned here, it's to make sure your campsite is well protected. I'd suggest guard dogs, but I think the dogs would lose.

New Phone Offers Both Cell and Satellite Service

Travelers who frequent remote locations just got an interesting new option for staying in touch while on the go. AT&T and TerreStar have teamed up to bring us a new phone called the Genus that will offer the ability to seamlessly transition off of AT&T's 3G network and onto satellite service.

According to this story over at the Nat Geo Adventure blog, the Genus is a smartphone running Windows Mobile 6.5 (Which doesn't make it all that "smart" at all! Ha!) that strongly resembles a Blackberry. It comes equipped with a physical keyboard, a 2.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, and the ability to record both audio and video. 

Those specs lag behind pretty much every other smartphone out there, except the Genus has that one trick up it's sleeve in that it can jump to satellite service when necessary, which will probably be pretty often considering AT&T's coverage. (Ha again!) You can even surf the web and send e-mails from the device, although Nat Geo says that it costs $5/megabyte, so go easy on the tweeting. 

There is one rather large caveat to the Genus however. It seems that it only works in North America for now, which greatly reduces its usefulness for most people. They even go so far as to say that it works best in the U.S., and while cell coverage is far from universal here in the States, I have rarely ever wished for satellite service when I couldn't use my cell. 

Still, the phone represents a nice step forward in the satellite phone market. I'm sure we'll soon see similar devices that offer better worldwide coverage, which will make them a real draw for adventure travelers. The Genus is available now for Government and Enterprise customers. Others will be able to get it later in the year at a price of $799. 

Adventures In Scotland

Yesterday I wrote a piece for travel blog Gadling.com in which I asked if Scotland was the next big adventure destination. It turns out I might not be the only one who thinks that way, as the Outside Blog published a post today that lists their selection of the top 10 adventures in Scotland.

In 2008, more than 3 million adventure trips were booked for Scotland, generating revenue in excess of £900 million. That number is expected to increase significantly in the next three years, when Scotland is expected to see a 70% increase in the number of visitors who are there to take part in some kind of adventure vacation.

If you're thinking about making just such a trip, you may want to check out Outside's list. They have recommendations for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and kayaking your way through the famed Scottish Highlands and beyond. After taking a look at their suggestions, you might be surprised to find some really diverse and interesting ideas for outdoor activities to pursue while visiting.

With November nearly upon us, it's time to start planning our adventures for 2011. Where destinations are you considering for next year? Is Scotland one of them? I'm in the early stages of thinking about where I'd like to go next year with places like Botswana, the Galapagos, and Antarctica all being strongly considered. It's nice to keep our options open. :)

Reminder: Gerber Multi-Tool Giveaway

Just a quick reminder that I'm giving away a Gerber Octane Multi-Plier to a lucky winner this week. This multi-tool is a great addition to your gear closet for sure, with plenty of uses around the house or out on the trail.

Entering the contest couldn't be easier. All you have to do is send me an e-mail with "Gerber Tool" in the subject line and I'll automatically enter you to win. The winner will be chosen completely at random, and I'll announce who it is on Friday of this week when I'll also begin a second contest to give away a Gerber knife as well.

The prizes for this contest have been provided by OutdoorPros.com who have a great selection of Gerber knives and other products available for sale. If you haven't checked out their selection yet, you definitely should, as they have great prices on the Gerber line.

Good luck everyone!

Top 5 Reasons Expedition Races Struggle In The U.S.

Adventure World Magazine published a thoughtful piece today on why expedition length adventure races don't fare well in the U.S. The article offers up five reasons why major races struggle to stay afloat and attract teams here in the States.

The article, written by AWM editor Clay Abney, defines an expedition race as being at least 72 hours in length. Clay says that it's not a true expedition race unless sleep strategy comes into play, and I tend to agree with him. Heck, with some of the top teams in the world, even racing for three days without sleep isn't a major issue. Still, the three day events means that it takes more than a weekend to complete the course, and with the rise of so many 12, 24, and 36 hour races, you have to make a distinction somewhere.

Amongst the five reasons that Adventure World feels that expedition races struggle in the U.S. are expenses and an overly large list of mandatory gear. Clay acknowledges that these races are expensive to produce, which forces entry fees to go up. But when you factor in travel costs, the price of buying all the gear needed for the event, and possibly having to pay for a support crew as well, and the costs go up quickly. If you're coming in from Australia or Europe, international airfare will hit the bottom line very hard as well.

Clay also cites redundancy as an issue, as some races recycle the same venue on a yearly basis. He also points out that at times the AR calendar can be quite full, which means they cannibalize one another in terms of the number of teams that can race in each event. 40 teams that can race in two events well spread out will be forced to choose one over the other if they are scheduled too close to one another. Add a third event to the mix, and teams will elect to simply compete in the race that is closest to home.

One very interesting reason that these races struggle, in Clay's opinion, is that they are not strategically located. He notes that most of these major races take place in the western U.S., and for good reason. The wilderness is scenic and spectacular, and there are plenty of great venues to host a course. But he also points out that more than half of the U.S. population lives within 500 miles of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which opens it up to being a great destination for a big race provided the proper course is designed there. An expedition race held in the eastern part of the U.S. would at least have a large population base to draw from, which holds a certain appeal as well.

This article comes on the heals of the news that a new expedition race has been announced for Idaho next summer and follows the Gear Junkie's recent open letter to race directors imploring them to make some changes to their races.

I love the discussion and buzz that has come up around the sport in recent weeks as it seems that people are looking forward to 2011, and what appears to be a prosperous year ahead. With the future looking bright, it does seem like a good time to examine what works and what doesn't for the sport.

Everest Climbing Legend Missing On Baruntse (Updated!)

Update: According to this post, from Alan Arnette over at the Outside Blog, the search has been called off. After using the helicopter to survey the area, the SAR team determined that it was impossible that Chhewang Nima could have survived the avalanche.

My condolences to his family.

Nepali climbing legend Chhewang Nima Sherpa has gone missing on Baruntse following an avalanche on that mountain this past weekend. He is an extremely experienced guide who has reached the summit of Everest on 19 separate occasions.

According to this story from the BBC, Chhewang Nima was fixing ropes to the summit of Baruntse at an altitude of roughly 7045 meters (23,114 ft) on Saturday when he was hit by the avalanche, which sent him over the north-east face of the mountain. Fellow climbers immediately began the search, but have not had any luck in finding him thus far. A helicopter was expected on the scene today to aid in the rescue operations.

Located in eastern Nepal, Baruntse is 7129 meters (23,389 ft) in height and has distinct summit with four unique peaks. Chhewang Nima was leading a group of climbers for Shangra-La Treks and Expeditions on the mountain when he went missing.

Lets hope there is still a chance for rescue. Nima has been a steadfast figure on Everest for a number of years and it would be a shame for him to perish this way. After two days of searching, it certainly doesn't look good, but he is an experienced and tough mountain guide, so you never know where he may be located, just waiting for help.

New Expedition Length Adventure Race Announced For Idaho In 2011!

Over the weekend a new expedition length adventure race was announced for North America in 2011. This new race promises to offer unique challenges and an interesting format, while also bringing the sport back to its roots from which it was founded at "The Raid."

Expedition Idaho 2011 is scheduled to take place from August 27 - September 3 of next year, in the northern part of the state in the wild and untouched regions of the pan-handle. The course, which has been four years in the making, will be 500+km (300+ miles) in length, and will feature the usual AR disciplines of trekking, mountain biking, and paddling. Additionally, teams will also face sections that incorporate inline skating, ropes, and of course navigation, with a few surprises added into the mix.

The teams will be competing for a minimum of $14,000 in prize money based on 12 teams entering the race. Expedition Idaho organizers promise that at least 30% of all entry fees will go to back to the teams as part of the prize package, thus the more teams that enter, the larger the prize will be. If the number of teams hits 40 for example, the prize money will swell to more than $50,000. 

The entry fees also include two nights stay at a local hotel for before and after the race, and transportation of all participants, along with their gear, to and from the Spokane airport. There will also be a pre- and post-race party and the promise of potential reduced airline and accommodation rates as well. 

Expedition Idaho is brought to us by the same team that put together the highly successful Adventure Sports Week, which has also be held in Idaho over the past couple of years, so you know they have plenty of experience in adventure racing and events of this size. They are hoping to generate significant television coverage and other media support as well. 

The official website for the race has not launched yet, but will soon. It will be found at: ExpeditionIdahoRace.com soon. Before it goes live however, you can e-mail your questions to funnflip@msn.com or simply call 208-664-0135. 

Organizers of the event are doing everything they can make this as affordable of a race as possible To that end, they have already announced Early Bird Registration, even before the website is up. The details directly from the race director are as follows:

For the first 10 teams to register and pay your $1500 deposit, the entry per team will be only $3600!! After January 1, 2011, or after 12 teams have registered, the cost will move to the regular entry fee of $4000 USD. For our friends to the north, we will accept Canadian $ at par! We will have an international discount to help overseas teams make this race work as well.

It seems that we have a great new, expedition length race on the horizon, and northern Idaho is an excellent place to hold it. I'm sure we'll hear a lot more about this in the weeks ahead, but it is beginning to look like 2011 will be a big year for adventure racing.

Now This Is A Climbing Wall!

We've all seen some pretty cool climbing walls in our time. I've personally seen everything from your standard gym wall to some fairly challenging outdoor walls and even a floating climbing wall. But I've never seen anything like the climbing wall featured in this story over at OhGizmo!

Located in the town of Groningen in the Netherlands, this climbing wall is part of the Klimcentrum Bjoeks, a climbing gym that seems to have plenty to offer every level of climber. The Excalibur wall, as it is known, stands 37 meters (121 ft) in height and offers an overhang of 11 meters (36 ft). According to the story, there are routes on the wall for beginners all the way up to very experienced climbers, and is said to be the tallest climbing wall in the world. Very cool and impressive stuff. Looks like fun!

Tips For Drivers From A Cyclist

I'm sure every road cyclist out there has at least one story about how an otherwise distracted driver has nearly taken them out. I know I have more than my fair share, and while I love the feel of the open road while on my bike, I'm also always constantly aware of the traffic, and probably even a bit too cautious at times.

The Esurance Blog has posted a short, but well done article, entitled "Whose Road Is It Anyway? Tips for Drivers from a Cyclist" in which they make some great points for drivers to think about when sharing the road with cyclists. For instance, they point out that drivers should be aware of the cycling laws of their state and know what cyclists can and can't do while on the road. Knowing those things may help them alleviate frustrations with riders and even keep them from hurting someone. The story also stresses the importance of safety at all times when dealing with cyclists as well.

Living in Austin, Texas, a place that Lance Armstrong calls home, I can tell you that there are a lot of cyclists on the roads at various times. Being one myself, I always give them plenty of room and respect, but that isn't often the case when I'm in the saddle. I've had cars cut me off numerous times, and just last week I was nearly hit by a driver coming from the opposite direction who strayed into my lane. He also happened to be talking on the cell phone at the time. Perhaps I should have told him to put down the phone and read this article, but I was too busy holding on tightly to my handlebars at the time.

Freya Hoffmeister Talks Paddling Around Australia on Video

Freya Hoffmeister has earned the distinction of being named Canoe & Kayak magazine's Adventurer of the Year. In case you've forgotten about Freya, she's the woman who circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia in a kayak. The journey took her 332 days to complete, covering more than 14,000km (8700 miles). In the video below she talks about that journey, mentioning that she just always tried to keep Australia on the left and just kept paddling. It is a pretty amazing feat for sure and the video offers some insights into what it was like for her.

127 Hours Spawns 127 Defining Moments Contest

As a lot of reader already know, the new film by Academy Award winning director Danny Boyle, 127 Hours, is set to begin hitting the big screen on November 5th. The film chronicles the story of hiker Aron Ralston, who became a household name a few years back when he was cayoneering in Utah and had and became pinned under a boulder, trapping him for days, until he amputated his own arm to escape.

To celebrate the release of the film, Outside Magazine is launching the 127 Defining Moments Contest, in which entrants are asked to submit their own life altering moment to share with the world. 126 of those entrants will be selected to go along with Aron's to create the 127 Defining Moments. Each of the winners will receive great gear items from First Ascent, Sierra Designs, Larabar and CamelBak. Ten Grand Prize winners will also receive a full line of First Ascent gear for their next adventure.

Head on over and enter your Defining Moment. Who knows, it may be put up there with Aron's and you could win yourself some great swag. The contest ends November 12.

Check out the trailer for the film below. It looks amazing!

Himalaya Fall 2010: More From Lhotse (Updated!)

Update: ExWeb is now reporting that Marty has abandoned his attempt on Lhotse due to high winds and dangerous conditions. He'll now descend back to BC and proceed to Ama Dablam, where he'll guide a client up the mountain.

We have a bit more information on what's happening on Lhotse at the moment as three climbers make very different attempts on the mountain amidst bad weather conditions. It seems things are deteriorating quickly in the Himalaya, and these men want to take advantage of one last window to see if they can summit.

According to ExWeb's latest reports on the mountain, Marty Schmidt has proceed up to the Western Cwm where he evaluating the conditions on the Lhotse face today. He says that he has three different weather reports, each indicating that wind and snow are in the forecast, it's just a matter of when they'll arrive. Because of those reports, he was hoping to evaluate his position this morning (local time) and decide if he could have a go at the summit along the normal route. He's been making a solo, alpine style ascent, which has put him into a good position to summit provided the conditions are right.

Meanwhile, the Spaniards, Jordi Corominas and Jordi Tosas, who are climbing along the South Face of Lhotse, are reportedly headed up the mountain today as well. They're also hoping to take advantage of the proposed weather window, although their home team reports that there is a lot of snow high on the mountain which may make it impossible to reach the summit along their proposed route.

Stay tuned for updates. It seems that we'll know if these bold climbers have a chance to summit in the next day or two.

Gerber Multi-Tool Giveaway

I've written several favorable reviews of Gerber multi-tools including this recent one of the Crucial and this one from earlier in the year when I posted my thoughts on the Mini-Remix 2 and the Strata. So far I've found their products to be very durable and useful in the field, offering lightweight but versatile tools, often with unique designs.

Now, I have a couple of Gerber products to give away, courtesy of OutdoorPros.com, who have a fine selection of Gerber knives and other products available to purchase on their site. The first item I have to give away is the Gerber Octane Multi-Plier, which features nine other tools to compliment the pliers themselves, including a blade, two screw drivers, a wire cutter and the always essential bottle opener. It is made of stainless steel and offers the same solid, durable construction that you've come to expect from the Gerber name, yet weighs just 5 ounces. It makes a great addition to your backpack whether you're out on a day hike or hitting the backcountry for an extended trip. 

To win the Octane Multi-Plier all you have to do is send me an e-mail with Gerber Tools as the subject line. I'll collect all the entrants and select a winner completely randomly at the end of next week, when I'll have another piece of Gerber Gear to give away. Send your e-mail to: kungfujedi@gmail.com to enter. You don't need to include anything else in the message, but if you want to send a nice note to butter me up, it wouldn't hurt your chances. ;)

Good luck!

The Rest of Everest Episode 142 and 143

Since I was out of touch for most of last week I missed an episode of the Rest of Everest and had two to catch up on. Both episodes continue the Everest Base Camp Trek that took place on the South Side of the mountain last year, and both induce plenty of nostalgia from my own trek this past spring.

Episode 142: Snot Rocket: In this episode, the team finally begins to breathe easy, quite literally, as they drop below the treeline and head back towards Namche Bazaar. This episode contains the usual trademark amazing scenery and offers wonderful insights into a trek int the Khumbu Valley, but you'll have to watch to find out how it gets that awesome title. You'll also get acquainted with the yaks that are common on the trail and the all-too-familiar sound of their bells. You can view this episode by clicking here.

Episode 143: High Bridge Hijinks: This episode marks the last full day of trekking for the group, as they continue to make their way back down the valley. It opens with a great shot of a dog sitting on the side of the trail just taking in the view, as if he was captivated by the beauty of the Himalaya as well. Those views are on display once again, as the group returns to Namche Bazaar, which is a good landmark both going up and back down the valley. This episode also shows off some great views of the highest bridge on the trek as well, which is quite something to see and cross. View this episode by clicking here.

Two other elements of note. First, if you're interested in making one of these treks for yourself, you can join Rest of Everest producer Jon Miller, along with his partner Chris Marquardt, as they make another trek/photography workshop in the Himalaya next year. Registration is now open for the 2011 trip which will be to the remote mountain of Mt. Kailash in Tibet. Find out more at HimalayanWorkshops.com.

Finally, as I write, this Jon is also busy twittering away from the hospital where he and his wife Heidi have just welcomed their second son, Christopher Wolfe Miller, into the world. Congrats Jon!

Overland From London to Cape Town

WideWorld Mag posted a very cool story yesterday about an adventurous trio of Brits who set off from London this past weekend to drive overland to Cape Town, South Africa in an attempt to break the record for that drive. The current record the drive is 13 days, 8 hours, and 48 minutes, meaning the team will hae to drive almost non-stop if they hope to set a new record.

The expedition is fittingly enough entitled Max Adventure, which seems perfect for this type of journey. The three men making the drive are Mac Mackenney, Chris Rawlings and Steve Mackenney, who will be spending the next fortnight in the cramped quarters of a Land Rover Discovery as they cross through three continents and 21 countries, cover over 16,000km (10,000 miles) in the process.

The expedition isn't just about making an epic drive however, as the boys hope to raise funds for the Help For Heroes organization, non-proft that works diligently to offer practical help for British soldiers wounded while serving their country. You can find out more, as well as donate to the cause, at the Max Adventure fundraising page located here.

On a side note, does anyone else think that this sounds like the ultimate road trip to take with some buddies? Load up in a Land Rover and hit the road? Sounds like a complete blast to me, although I wouldn't want to do it to break any kind of speed record. I'd much rather take my time and see the landscapes and cultures along the way. Maybe I need to upgrade the Adventure Blog Mobile to a Discovery and take this show on the road.

Inspired by Inspired by Iceland

Back in July, Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke made a solo unsupported trek through Iceland. It turns out while he was there, he fell in love with the country, which inspired him to make the video below, which was in turn influenced by the Inspired by Iceland campaign. The video clearly demonstrates that spending so much of his time alone in remote places has caused Lou-Phi to go slightly silly. Enjoy! :)

Himalaya Fall 2010: Lhotse Update!

While most of the climbers have now packed it in for the season, and the mountains are starting to fall silent until the spring, Lhotse sill has a few climbers looking to top out from both sides of the mountain. ExWeb posted an update on their progress yesterday.

First up is Marty Schmidt who is climbing the 8,516m (27,940 ft) mountain in solo and alpine fashion along the normal route. As of Tuesday, he was at the 6000m (19,685 ft) mark and was looking to head up to the Lhotse wall yesterday. If the weather holds and the conditions around the summit are good, he hoped to complete the climb today. There has been no update on his progress yet, but it's likely that he made the final push this morning and is now headed back down the mountain. ExWeb says he'll move over to Ama Dablam next, where he'll guide a client.

The other team on Lhotse consists of Jordi Tosas and Jordi Corominas, who are working the peak along the South Face. On Monday, they were in BC and evaluating the conditions, which seemed to be improving, and on Tuesday they moved further up the face. If conditions continue to get better, they are expected to make an attempt on the summit in the next few days. They have already acclimatized up to 6500m (21,325 ft) and are now ready for the final push.

These climbers seem to be the last on the big peaks in the Himalaya this season, although there are still plenty of climbs that are taking place on some of the "lesser" peaks in the region. Soon, the weather will change once again, and they'll all be shut down save for a few bold winter expeditions. Spring seems like a long way off at the moment, but the season will be here before we know it.

CheapTents.Com Interviews Adventure Racer Mike Kloser

CheapTents.com has continued their string of great interviews, this time posting a very insightful piece on adventure racing legend Mike Kloser whose Team Blackwater finished second at the recent AR World Championships held in Spain. Kloser is one of the most successful adventure racers of all time, having won nearly every major title in the sport over the past 13 years of racing.

In the interview, Mike talks about a wide variety of things including what motivated him to get into adventure racing back in 1997, his favorite pieces of gear, and his choice for the top location he has ever raced in. He also discusses what he believes to be his biggest sporting achievement (which may surprise a few people), as well as his picks for his favorite and least favorite AR disciplines.

Once again, the CheapTents crew were kind enough to let me tag a few questions on to their interview, giving me the opportunity to quiz Mike on a few things as well. Thanks guys!

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to meet Mike at Primal Quest Montana a few years back and he is a really amazing guy. Not only is he incredibly talented as an athlete, but he's also very intense, yet still approachable and easy to chat with. It seems that he is getting ready to ride off into the sunset and call an end to his adventure racing career, and I have to say that he will indeed be missed. There are a lot of great endurance athletes in the sport, but few will ever match the career that Kloser has put together. I'm sure he'll still be racing in some individual events for a long time, but we probably won't see him in any of the big AR races again. There are a lot of his competitors who are probably happy to hear that.

Currents - Episode 7: Quebec

I've posted several episodes from the web show Currents in the past, and the past and it never ceases to be an impressive and well made production. The latest episode dropped a few days ago, and it is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

The Currents program is designed to raise awareness about river issues around the globe, while also offering up some great white water action. This episode is no exception to that theme, examining a plan by the local government to build dams across some of the best paddling rivers in the Province in order to generate hydroelectric power. There is a grass roots effort in place to try to preserve the environments on those rivers and keep them fully navigable.





Currents - Episode 7 - Quebec from Five 2 Nine Productions on Vimeo.

Study Finds That Altitude Sickness Common on Kilimanjaro

According to the BBC, a new study found that nearly half of the climbers on Kilimanjaro suffered from altitude sickness, demonstrating just how dangerous a trek up the highest mountain in Africa can be. Traffic on the peak has increased in recent months thanks to a few high profile celebrity climbs, which has led to even more travelers on Kili's trails, many of which are unprepared for the challenge.

Researchers camped at 4730m (15,518 feet) on the mountain for three weeks, while conducting studies of the condition of the trekkers. They used the Lake Louise consensus scoring system, which records common altitude sickness symptoms such as headache, sickness and fatigue, and as a result they found that 47% of all the climbers tested exhibited some signs of distress, including headaches, vomiting, loss of coordination, and problems sleeping.

Even more interesting, the study says that the effects can begin to set in as low as 2500m (8,202 feet), with 75% of all people who go above 3000m (9,842 feet) having mild symptoms. Further research indicated that neither anti-altitude drusgs nor rest days seemed to have a major impact on whether or not someone became ill. The route taken to the summit had no real effect either, although acclimatizing on another near-by peak did work as an effective measure for preparing for the climb.

I can say first hand that altitude sickness can be a real problem on Kili. You'll hear plenty of people tell you that if you're in reasonably good shape, you'll have no problems, but when I went, there were plenty of people suffering. One group reported that nearly all of them had gotten physically ill, and they were dealing with tremendously bad headaches. While I didn't have those issues, I did have an awful time trying to sleep, which is not a fun feeling after some very long days of hiking. My advice is to rest well before beginning the hike, and go slowly (Pole, pole!) while on the mountain.

Andrew Skurka Answers Reader Questions At The NG Adventure Blog

With his Alaska-Yukon Expedition now fully behind him, long distance hiker Andrew Skurka has had some time to reflect on his latest accomplishments and share some thoughts on that journey, while also answering a host of other questions,  in his latest post for the Nat Geo Adventure Blog.

The questions range from "What would you do without your mother?" (Andrew's mom handles logistics) to "How do you avoid encounters with grizzly bears?", with just about everything in between. Andrew talks about how he plans for his trips, how he calculates the food he'll need, and even his love life. (He is decidedly single, as hiking for 6-7 months at a time isn't always popular with the ladies.)

As usual, Andrew is very candid and offers excellent insights into his lifestyle. He even talks about how he has gotten to the point that his "job" is to hike, which I have to say is a pretty good gig if you can get it. One thing I found very interesting in the article was that Andrew says that he is now done with long-distance trail hiking. He seems to now prefer wilderness adventures that get him deep into the true backcountry where he has to navigate and find his way. The challenges of a long trail hike are not enough for Andrew any longer, and it is easy to see why.

This is an excellent read for those thinking about a long distance hike of their own. Lots of very useful tips and hints to help with planning and logistics.

Nat Geo Offers Expanded Line of AdventureMaps

Last week Nat Geo Maps, the arm of the National Geographic Society that oversees the production of all the great map products that the organization produces, announced that they are expanding their line of AdventureMaps, adding nearly 60 new destinations before 2012.

As of now, AdventureMaps mostly covers Central America, the Caribbean, and the various trekking regions of Nepal. But the new maps will expand the coverage to include parts of Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South America and beyond. The first new maps are expected to begin shipping next month, with 30 new regions covered by next summer. Amongst the new destinations are Argentina, Bali/Lombok/Komodo, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador/Nicaragua/Honduras, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand.

The line of AdventureMaps are especially geared well for the adventure traveler, offering all kinds of great information such as top surf destinations, dive sites, kayak put-ins, hiking trails and more. The maps are water proof and tear resistant, and use biodegradable paper that is environmentally friendly, and they fold down to a small footprint while still offering an abundance of helpful information.

I personally own a couple of these maps and think they are wonderful. They really do offer some great info for adventure travelers and I'm always impressed with how durable and useful they are. I'm excited to hear that they are expanding the line to include some great new destinations, and if you're planning a trip abroad in the near future, you may want to consider checking adding one of these maps to your packing list. At $11.95, they really are a great bargain.

The Adventure Life Becomes Adventure Journal

The Adventure Life has been a constant source of great stories and images since it was launched back in 2008, and I have linked to it numerous times over the past couple of years. Yesterday, site editor Steve Casimiro announced that the site is changing it's name to Adventure Journal, as it continues to expand it's audience and deliver rich content.

Steve does a great job of explaining the change in this post that appeared on the site this morning, but before he gives us the reasons for making the change, he is also careful to let us know that much is staying the same, including the layout, format, and content. As for the "why?" he has this to say:

"Adventure Journal better articulates the scope, mission, and ambition of where this website is going. When I first started it as a blog in 2008, an ambiguous name felt right, but today, as a commercial online magazine with a broad readership base, growing traffic, and advertising support from the biggest names in the outdoor space, a specific, tangible, and descriptive moniker is more appropriate. Hopefully, when someone hears “Adventure Journal” they’ll understand it without too much further explanation."

Makes perfect sense to me!

One thing that is changing is that the site has now launched it's Print Store which will allow us to buy prints of some amazing photos from the likes of Jimmy Chin, Ami Vitale, and Steve himself, amongst others. There are some stunning images available, and it's hard to keep the credit card in the wallet once you start flipping through them. Just giving you a warning now.

If you're fans of the site, you may also want to "Like" the new Facebook page as well, which can be found by clicking here.

All in all, it seems that Adventure Journal has a bright future ahead of it with a nice of mix of what we've come to expect and a few new surprises as well. Update your bookmarks accordingly!

Soldiers To The Summit: Success on Labouche

A few weeks back I wrote about a team of injured vets who were trekking and climbing in the Himalaya. Dubbed the Soldiers to the Summit expedition, the 12 men, each of whom had suffered an injury in service to their country, were being led by a group of former Everest summitteers, including Erik Weihenmayer. The plan was for the solider to either trek to the summit of the 18,512 foot tall Kala Patar or make the more challenging, technical climb to the summit of the 20,075-foot tall Labouche.

While I was away last week the team accomplished their goals with some of the men going up Kala Patar, where they were treated to spectacular views of Everest, while others made the climb up Labouche. You can read a full account of that climb by clicking here, but essentially the vets were separated into two groups, Team Alpha and Team Bravo, who went up the mountain at different times to account for their different speeds. The two teams set out from High Camp at 1:15AM and 2:00AM local time on October 13th, with the first climbers topping out around 9:00AM that morning.

It was a long and exhausting climb but a rewarding one for these soldiers who have long dreamed about going on a Himalayan adventure. According to their most recent dispatches, the team is now back in Lukla, and awaiting a flight to Kathmandu. It sounds like it was a highly successful trek for everyone involved, and congratulate everyone for chasing their dreams and passions without letting their injuries slow them down or become an excuse. Each of you is an inspiration to those of us back home.

Check out the video below to learn the climbers' thoughts on Summit Day. Good stuff!

Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely Announce "What's Next"!

While I was away last week, ultra-runners Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely announce their plans for their next adventure as well. The two men have quite a history of traveling for long distances across remote and demanding environments, and their next expedition will be no exception in that department either. Last week, Ray announced on Facebook that the pair would be crossing the Atacama Desert in Chile on foot saying: "I have been promising for weeks to fill you in on whats next...what is the January i2P Expedition...well, here it is ! Over 1100 kms of running, roughly 80 kms per day, sporadic resupply."

The quote was accompanied by a brief video that had Ray explaining a bit about the run, which will throw him and Kevin into one of the driest places on the planet. He notes that they'll only have the potential to get water about once per day, so it'll be a challenging expedition from that stand point alone. They'll also average approximately 80km (50 miles) per day, which sounds amazingly brutal.

Of course, they'll be undertaking this expedition under the umbrella of the impossible2Possible organization, which means they'll also be reaching out to hundreds of classrooms and thousands of students along the way as well. They'll also be focused on the theme of biodiversity, which is at the center of all of i2P's activities this year.

Ray and Kevin are certainly no strangers to these kinds of long distance tests of endurance. Earlier this year, as you may recall, they ran the length of Lake Baikal in Siberia during the winter. On that journey they managed to average more than 50km per day, covering the entire 640+ kilometers in just 13 days. The Atacama Desert will be a completely different challenge, but considering that Ray has already run across the Sahara, I think he knows what he's getting himself into.

I'll obviously post more on this as the expedition takes places.

Mountain Biking Montana

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Montana. The state is a spectacular playground for outdoor enthusiasts, and no matter what your passion, be it skiing, hiking, climbing, or what ever, you'll find a great place to do it in Montana.

Case in point. If you're a mountain biker, you'll want to check out this article over at the Huffington Post. It gives a few details of a great ride called Mile Creek, and while the text of the story will have you ready to hit the trail, the video, which I've posted below, is even more convincing. Great stuff!


Montana's Best Singletrack? from MercuryCSC on Vimeo.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Solo Summit Bid On Lhotse

There was a lot of news from the adventure community while I was mostly out of contact last week. I'm regrouping and getting back to my schedule now, so expect the usual updates to resume. Bear with me while I work to get everything sorted out and report what's happening!

Of course the big story last week, which I did find time to post updates on, was Eric Larsen's successful completion of the Save the Poles Expedition. Eric reached the summit of Everest, which brought to an end his amazing journey that began last November when he set out for the South Pole. He would reach that point in early January of this year and then later went on to the North Pole in April. That left just Everest, which is sometimes called the "Third Pole" on his to do list for 2010. Last week he checked the mountain off his list as well, as he and his Sherpa guides became the only team to reach the top during the fall season. By doing so, Eric became the first person to visit all three poles in a single calendar year. Pretty impressive to say the least.

Eric has been posting updates on his blog, including the story of his successful summit bid. As of yesterday, he was making his way back down the Khumbu Valley and had reached the town of Pheriche. That means he's likely to be into Namche Bazaar today, and back in Kathmandu by Thursday or Friday, depending on weather and flights. I'm sure he's enjoying the walk back down, but it has to be a bit bittersweet as well. Again, congratulations to Eric on accomplishing his mission.

While Everest may have fallen silent until the spring, its neighbor, Lhotse, still has a few climbers attempting the summit, including Marty Schmidt who set off on a solo summit push on Sunday with the hopes of topping out tomorrow, weather permitting. If successful, this will be Marty's fourth 8000 meter peak this year having already knocked off Makalu and both the Gasherbrums earlier.

ExWeb posted an update yesterday with news on a host of summits across the Himalaya, including news from Shisha Pangma, Manaslu, Ama Dablam and more. It seems that the season is rapidly coming to a close, and it has been a bit of a mixed bag. Weather hounded teams on all of the big peaks, but that didn't stop some of the more adventurous climbers from reaching their goals. Now, we'll start to look toward the spring, when the region will get very busy once again.

[Photo Credit: Eric Larsen]

Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Summits Everest, Completes Save The Poles Expedition!

Major congratulations are going out to Eric Larsen this morning as he and his Sherpa guides have reached the summit of Everest this morning amidst calm, but steady winds. While details of the climb are yet to be released, Larsen did send a tweet back from the top of the world saying "Everest summit!" That was approximately four hours ago as of this writing, and at this point he and the Sherpas are making their way back down to Camp 4 for some much deserved rest.

The summit of the highest mountain on the planet holds great significance for Erich today. Not only are he and his guides the last team on Everest at the moment, they are also the only ones to nab the summit this fall, which has been marked with incredibly bad weather, he has also finished his Save the Poles Expedition at long last, having now visited the North and South Pole, as well as the top of Everest, which is sometimes called the "Third Pole," all in the same calendar year.

I've been following Eric's progress since his expedition was announced last year, and updated frequently on his progress to both the Poles and now his Everest expedition as well. It is extremely gratifying to see him complete the task he set out to do. It has been one heck of a year for the explorer, and I think he deserves a nice break on a beach somewhere. Of course, he'll most likely decide he wants to complete the Adventure Grand Slam and go off and get the rest of the Seven Summits, but for now, I'm sure, life is good.

At least have a steak at the Rum Doodle when you get back to Kathmandu Eric! Congratulations on a job well done. Now finish what you started and get back down safe.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Larsen In Camp 4, Summit Bid To Come!

We've got a very brief update this morning on Eric Larsen's progress on Everest. In fact, as of this writing, he hasn't even posted an update to his blog just yet. Instead, he's sent out a Tweet using his DeLorme Earthmate that simply says:  "At a windy C4 - south col w/clouds coming"

Those few words do tell us a lot however, as we now know that Eric, along with his Sherpa guide Chhering, are now at Camp 4 on Everest, and will be attempting the summit later today. They'll likely rest now until 8 or 9 PM local time, and then begin their final ascent.

Unfortunately, the tweet also tells us that the winds haven't died down just yet, and the two men may still face rough weather on the way to the summit. Perhaps the clouds moving in will signal a shift in conditions however, giving them just the window that they've need to top out. The forecasts have been saying that such a window would open at the end of the week, but that it would be a narrow one.

If successful, not only will Eric have reached the "Three Poles" in a single calendar year, something I've written about a lot since the expedition was announced, he'll also have made a very bold climb on Everest. Aside from his guides, Eric is alone on the mountain, and as the Fall Himalayan season winds down, he's practically alone in the range. There are a few other teams still out there, but not many.

Keep any eye out for summit news tomorrow. With any luck, he'll have a great opportunity to complete his journey.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Larsen In Camp 3, High Winds Predicted For Summit Day

As the Fall Himalayan climbing season grinds to a finish, all eyes are on Everest and Eric Larsen as he attempts to finish off his Save The Poles Expedition in epic style. The polar explorer has already been to both the North and South Pole this year, and he's hoping to complete the hat trick by knocking off Everest as well. But it isn't going to be easy, and as the last man standing on the mountain, he's got his work cut out for him. Worse yet, the weather may not be all that cooperative either. 

According to his latest dispatch, Eric reached Camp 3 today with winds that were on the rise, but still allowed him and his Sherpa guides to move forward. It was a long, slow slog up the Lhotse Face that involved few words and lots of heavy breathing. 

Eric admits that they are playing with a very narrow weather window, and order to take advantage of it, they'll need to be quick and have a little luck go in their way. The forecast for the next few days indicates that high winds are expected on Friday, his projected summit day. 

The plan now is to move up to C4 tomorrow and rest for most of the day. If the winds aren't too blustery, he'll make a go at the summit with the hopes of topping out on Friday morning. It's going to be a tough climb if he can pull it off, and if he does, it'll be the only summit of the season. 

Wingsuit Video To Start The Day

Yesterday we got the word that Felix Baumgartner would be denied his attempt at setting a new world record for skydiving, at least for now. Today we have a great video of Jeb Corliss demonstrating what all the fuss is about in this video that shows off the use of a wingsuit. We've seen these videos before of course, but this one is pretty amazing for the scenery that Corliss is flying through. The video really does give you a sense of the speed and freedom these suits give to skydivers, and this looks like an absolute blast. (Warning: The music included in the video might make your ears bleed)

Thanks to Rocky over at The Goat Blog for the heads up on this one. Very cool video.

Record Skydive Attempt Put On The Shelf

Way back in January of this year I wrote about Felix Baumgartner and his attempt to set a new record for the highest skydive in history. Recently, Baumgartner has gotten a lot more attention as he neared the attempt, which would see him take a hot air balloon up to 120,000 feet then jump out and fall back to Earth. At that altitude, he would also break the sound barrier, achieving super sonic speeds on his descent.

Today, Baumgartner's chief sponsor, Red Bull, pulled the plug on the project, at least temporarily, as they fight off a multi-million dollar lawsuit from another person who the company had worked with previously in an attempt to break the same record, which is now over 50 years old.

According to the press release sent out by Red Bull today a "Mr. Hogan" is claiming ownership of certain elements of the attempt, and is suing the company for millions of dollars. In that press release the company says:

"Red Bull has acted appropriately in its prior dealings with Mr. Hogan, and will demonstrate this as the case progresses. Due to the lawsuit, we have decided to stop the project until this case has been resolved."

So, for now the jump is on hold, which has to be an enormous let down for Felix. Hopefully this will get back on track soon. After all, who doesn't want to see a man float to the edge of space, then jump out of his balloon, only to shatter the sound barrier as he hurdles toward the Earth? Sounds great to me!