Video: New Zealand's Waters Of Greenstone

Just in case you need further proof that New Zealand is one of the most spectacular places on the Earth, we have this video to help sway your thoughts on the subject. It was shot in and around some of the most iconic landscapes in Kiwi-land, and it features some outstanding shots of a variety of bodies of water that exist there. The timelapse is captivating and beautiful. Definitely worth a watch.

The Waters of Greenstone from Nathan Kaso on Vimeo.

Antarctica 2016: Two More Skiers Close in on the Pole

With time starting to run short at the bottom of the world, the teams skiing to the South Pole this season – and possibly beyond – are starting to feel the pinch. Most still have plenty of time to reach their final destination, but some are now altering their plans. With just three weeks to go until the season wraps up, it is crunch time on the Frozen Continent, and we should expect more arrivals at 90ºS shortly. In fact, two of the explorers should be at that point today.

First up, Emma Kelty expected to arrive at the Pole either yesterday or today, but she hasn't posted an update on where she is at just yet. She was closing in on her destination a few days back, but elected to slow down and savor her final days on the ice instead. Now, she should be at the Amundsen-Scott Research Station, although we're still awaiting word confirming that arrival.

If you've been following Emma's expedition you may be asking yourself why these are her "final days" on the ice. That's because she has decided to pull the plug on her efforts to ski back to Hercules Inlet. Because of a late start to the season – mostly due to weather delays – she simply doesn't have enough time to cover the 1285 km (700 miles) to get back to her starting point. On top of that, she has been battling a lung infection, which she has recovered from now, but it also served to slow her down some. Add in the fact that her supplies are dwindling too, and you can understand why she has given up on the idea of the return trip. Hopefully she is resting comfortably at the Pole right now, and awaiting a return flight to Union Glacier.

Emma isn't the only skier who is closing in on the South Pole. Mike Horn has made short work of his kite-ski journey, finding favorable winds over the past few days. Yesterday he covered 170 km (105 miles) alone, and is now within the last degree. That means that if he has any kind of wind today, he should arrive at the Pole in short order. Of course, this is just the midway point of his expedition, as he'll continue on to the coast where his shim – the Pangea – will be waiting to pick him up. Unlike most of the other skiers, Mike isn't working on a set timeline because he has his own lift off the continent. That said, if he continues at his current pace, it won't take him long to reach the coast again and continue on his Pole 2 Pole journey.


Finally, the Reedy Glacier Team of Keith Tuffley, Rob Smith, and Eric Phillips are also nearing the South Pole, although they still have a couple of days to go. The trio of explorers have opened up a new route to 90ºS by becoming the first people to traverse the glacier. They are also within the last degree of the Pole, and now expect to finish next Monday, January 9. The final days aren't going to be easy however, as the three men report bitterly cold conditions as the near the finish line.

That's it for now. I'll post another update sometime next week as we check in to see where everyone is at. The return skiers should be heading back at top speed now, while others will be wrapping up their expeditions altogether. It is a busy time as we near the end of the season.

Video: POV Footage of David Lama Climbing Lunag Ri

Last fall, mountaineers David Lama and Conrad Anker traveled to Nepal to attempt the unclimbed peak known as Lunag Ri. While they were unable to summit, they did manage to reach the mountain's massive headwall, which was an accomplishment in its own right. This video takes us with those two men as they go up that rock face, and using POV video shot from a helmet cam, we get an excellent idea of what it was like for them on this climb.

Winter Climbs 2014: Big Update From Polish Team

The winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat is proceeding at a good pace at the moment. The weather has finally improved and heading into the weekend, it appears that the teams should have an opportunity to acclimatize higher on the mountain. With just over two months to go in the winter season, the expeditions to the mountain have gone about as well as could be expected so far. Patience is the key to a winter climb on an 8000 meter peak, as the weather will truly determine if and when the climbers can proceed.

On Tuesday, the Polish Justice For All squad posted their first update in more than two weeks. It began with a nice message about the reality of travel in Pakistan, where many westerners have been led to believe that the people are hostile and unfriendly. That couldn't be further from the truth and the Poles have had nothing but warm encounters with the Pakistani people. After 50 days in country, they report that they feel safe, welcome and lots of friendly feelings from everyone that they have met along the way. Far from what they had expected based on how the media portrays the country.

The rest of the report has given us a break down of what the team has been up to over the past couple of weeks, which essentially has been acclimatizing and shuttling gear up the mountain when the weather has permitted it. So far, they've been stashing equipment in Camp 1, and have gone a little higher, which has put them at approximately 5400 meters (17,716 ft).


The update also discusses the departure of Marek Klonowski, who is traveling home to be with his partner Ida as they prepare for the arrival of their baby in a few weeks. The team will obviously miss Marek, as he is described as being one of the main engines driving the expedition forward. His leadership means a lot to the group, who will never the less continue on without him. Marek has had four previous attempts on Nanga Parbat in the winter, and that kind of experience is hard to replace.

Also leaving Base Camp soon is Michal Dzikowski, who was on the expedition in a support role, helping the team carry gear. His allotted holiday time is just about up and he needs to return home to his job and normal life. His departure will drop the team down to four members, which will make it challenging moving forward, even though they knew he wouldn't be there for the entire climb.

Fortunately, the Poles have a great relationship with the team they are sharing BC with. The North Face squad of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali. The two groups have been sharing information about the weather and the route, and while they haven't been coordinating their climbs directly just yet, I don't think it would be a surprise if they joined forces for an eventual summit push.

Simone and David moved up the mountain last week, shuttling gear to C1 at 5600 meters (18,723 ft) and spending some time at altitude to acclimatize. They were warned by their meteorologist to be back in BC by Tuesday of this week, so they descended early to avoid bad weather. When they arrived back in Base Camp, the skies were clear and the weather was great, so they thought they may have made a mistake by descending. Later that evening, the skies clouded over and the snow began to fall, so they were glad for such accurate weather predictions.

Since then, the conditions have been dicey, but the forecast says things should begin to improve tomorrow. If that proves true, they're prepared to head up the mountain and probably begin taking supplies to C2. They could possibly spend a few nights at that location this weekend, working in any chance to acclimatize that they can.

Finally, Daniele Nardi is expected to arrive on the mountain next week. He'll be climbing the Diamir Route solo and in alpine style. Hopefully, we'll get some updates on his progress once he gets settled in and starts his expedition.

Stay tuned for updates as we get them.

Video: TravelSmith Travel Tip #7 - Keeping Track Of Luggage Requirements

Our friend Richard Bangs is back once again this week with another helpful travel hint for those heading off on an adventure. This time, he shares some ideas on how to avoid expensive surprises at the airport in terms of fees for overweight luggage, something he learned the hard way on an expedition to Antarctica.

Search for Missing American Climbers in Pakistan Called Off

Last week the news broke that American climbers Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson had gone missing while climbing the Ogre II in Pakistan. At the time, we had heard that desperate family members had launched a GoFundMe page asking for donations to help pay for a search and rescue operation, with the climbing community responding by donating more than $197,000 to help with those efforts. But today we get the sad news that the search for the two men has been called off, with both now presumed to be dead.

Dempster and Adamson were last seen climbing the 7285 meters (23,901 ft) mountain, which also goes by the name of Baintha Brakk, back on August 22. At that point, they were moving up the slopes with the hopes of making a summit bid on the a peak that is considered one of the toughest in the world. Their camp chef reported that he could clearly see their headlamps on the ascent, but later clouds moved in, shrouding them from sight.

Since then, there has been no sign of the men, who were due back in Base Camp by August 26. A few days later, the search and rescue operation was launched, although those efforts were thwarted by poor weather.

This past Saturday, September 3, two helicopters were finally able to get into the air and survey the landscape on and around the mountain. The crews of those two teams, aided by mountaineer Thomas Huber, made an extensive search of the routes that Kyle and Scott had intended to ascend and descend by, as well as the rest of the mountain as well. Those searches turned up no signs of the missing men, and by the end of the day the helicopters returned to their base empty-handed.

Experts now believe that considering how much time has passed since they were last seen, and the ongoing poor weather in the area, that there is very little hope that the two men could have survived this long. With that sobering thought in mind, they have now called off further search operations.

This is obviously sad news for the mountaineering community, but more so for the friends and families of the two missing men. My condolences to those who were closest to them.

Winter Climbs 2016: Internal Turmoil for International Team on Nanga Parbat

There still isn't a lot of news to report from Nanga Parbat, where weather conditions have deteriorated to the point that all the climbers are now stuck int heir respective Base Camps waiting for a summit window to open. It is unclear as to when that will happen at this point, but for now everyone sits and waits.

That said, it seems that the weather isn't the only thing has deteriorated in recent days. ExWeb is reporting that a rift has grown between Alex Txikon and Daniele Nardi, causing their team to splinter.  Alex will continue to work with Ali Sadpara, Simone Moro, and Tamara Lunger, but it is unclear what Daniele's plans entail at this point. It is highly likely that he is headed home, but that has not been announced just yet.

The two climbers apparently had regular disagreements as to how to proceed with the expedition, and it appears there was even a lot of tension around behavior while in Base Camp. The friction between the two became too great to continue working together, which resulted in the parting of ways.

Meanwhile, a few days back Alex and Ali attempted to climb up to Camp 1 in order to clear the route from the heavy snow that had fallen. Alex feel through the snow and found himself almost completely buried and was having a difficult time even breathing. Fortunately, his friend was able to dig him out, and both men descended back to BC as a result.

A few days later, they were joined be Simone and Tamara when they made a successful push back up to Camp 1. The team carried some supplies to that point, and were able to fully reopen the route. Alex and Ali took the opportunity to scout the situation above that point and saw that they weather had altered the route considerably .They will likely have to do some serious work to get it ready for another summit push.

That's it for now. Hopefully we'll see the weather improve soon, giving them a chance to move up. But at the moment, the waiting game continues.

2016 Winter Outdoor Retailer Round-Up

This weekend I returned home from the 2016 Outdoor Retailer convention, where hundreds of companies were showing off their latest gear designed to make our lives a lot easier on our adventures. As the name implies, this version of the show is heavily focused on winter activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. As a result, much of what was on display is designed to help keep us warm in the cold temperatures, while enjoying our favorite winter sports.

For those who couldn't attend the show, I thought I'd share some of the gear round-ups that have been posted around the web, starting with the ones that I personally wrote over at the Gear Institute. Not only did we publish three show previews (read part 1, part 2, and part 3), we also shared our selections for the best new gear that was on display at the show. Those items were chosen because they brought something, new, unique, and exciting to the gear market.

But we weren't the only ones combing the halls of the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City checking out the new products. The Gear Junkie also posted their picks for the best gear they saw there too, as did Outside magazine, and even Popular Mechanics got in on the act, although I haven't seen their awards selection posted just yet. (Update: Here's the link to the Popular Mechanics awards)

Most of the gear that was shown at OR won't arrive on store shelves until next fall and winter. In some cases the products are still being developed, and they won't be ready to go for a several months. But that means you'll have plenty of time to save your pennies, because a lot of the really great pieces of gear won't come cheap. Still, there are some truly amazing things in the works as our gear continues to get more sophisticated and technical. It is certainly a great time to be an outdoor enthusiasts, as it is now easier than ever to be comfortable and warm, even in harsh environments.

Remembering the 1996 Everest Tragedy

Today will be another solemn one on Everest, even as teams prepare to launch their summit bids. That's because May 10 marks the 20th anniversary of the terrible tragedy that claimed the lives of eight people back in 1996, which at the time was the most tragic day in the history of the mountain.

The story is a well known one by now, chronicled most famously in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and more recently the big-budget Hollywood film Everest that was released last year. Teams heading to the summit that day included the Adventure Consultants led by Rob Hall and the Mountain Madness squad which was led by Scott Fischer. Both of those men perished in the attempt, as did several of their clients who were caught in massive storm that hit the mountain with an unexpected ferocity. Delays in reaching the summit also played into the tragedy that still haunts the mountain to this day.

Twenty years on, the events of that tragic day back in 1996 have been eclipsed by even darker days over the past two years, and yet somehow the wounds still remain fresh two decades after the event. The decisions made during that infamous summit push have been examined to death, with just about everyone remotely involved with Everest sharing their opinion of what could and should have been done. It is easy to be an armchair mountaineer however, and the days for weighing in on what happened are long past at this point.

Today, Everest is both a very different and very similar place to what it was back in 1996. There are still some guides, Sherpas, and support staff working there that were on the mountain when the tragedy occurred. Those men and women have helped to shape the modern climbing scene there, making it safer. Technology has helped in that area as well, improving communications and providing better weather forecasts that helps climbers avoid getting caught out in inclement weather.


The legacy of the 1996 climbing season on Everest is one of improved safety and cooperation amongst the teams there, which has resulted in greater success amongst those who come to climb. In some ways, that has made Everest a victim of its own success, leading to overcrowding and long summit lines at times.

But perhaps the most lasting impact of the 1996 season can be seen in the media that covered the tragedy than, and continues to watch Everest now. Most of the time it seems that the mainstream media only covers the mountain when something bad there. They know that accidents on Everest make headlines, while hundreds of successful summits are not as alluring. That's why we've seen so much about Everest in the media over the past few years, but this year we're likely to see very little. So far, 2016 has been a by-the-books season, with very few issues. There is nothing tragic to report, at least so far. And with the summit pushes now underway, you'll probably have to get your news about successes and failures from sources that are more invested in the mountaineering community, rather than those who are simply looking for sensational headlines.

The 1996 climbing season will always have an impact on the mountain, and those who lost their lives continue to serve as a reminder to take care when dealing with Mother Nature. I'm sure I won't be the only one thinking about those people today, even as the next generation of climbers go in search of their own Everest ambitions.

Video: How to Survive an Unexpected Night in the Backcountry

Despite our best laid plans for outdoor adventure, sometimes things don't go as expected. On occasion, this can lead to being stranded in the backcountry overnight, when you had originally planned to just be out for the day. What should you do in these occasions? The video below – hosted by none other than Timmy O'Neill – can help. At a little more than two minutes in length, this clip if filled with good suggestions on how to comfortably survive the night outdoors, even when you haven't planned for it. Some of the information is just good logic, and probably something that many of you already know. But, there are also some solid pieces of advice that could make a difference should you find yourself in this situation in the future.

Video: Riding Whistler's Mountain Bike Trails on a Cyclocross Bike

We've seen some epic mountain bike videos over the years here on The Adventure Blog. We've even seen some set in Whistler, Canada before. But this one is a unique breed to say the least. The clip follows pro-rider Yoann Barelli as he takes on Whistler Bike Park's A-Line and Dirt Merchant trails, which in and of itself would be fun to watch. But in this case, Yoann is actually riding a cyclocross bike, which is certainly not designed for this kind of abuse. Check it out below.

Video: The Art of Climbing

This video takes us to the Rätikon Mountains of Switzerland where we join professional climber Kilian Fischuber ons a tough route known as Headless Children. As he makes just the second free climb of this mutli-ptich 250-meter (820 ft) wall, he begins to see an intersection of his two passions, climbing and art. On this wall, he sees colors that are not unlike a painting, adding a surreal element to the entire experience.

Video: Lansdcapes Caught in a Timestorm

This video serves as a showreel for a company called Timestorm Films. It is some highlights of their best work, which includes a number of spectacular landscapes captured in timelapse fashion. You'll find everything from majestic alpine settings to beautiful urban environments on display here, each more spectacular than the last. The two-minute clip is a great example of some of the impressive work that is being done by filmmakers who are using some impressive tools and technology to create amazing projects.

Timestorm Films 2016 Showreel from Martin Heck | Timestorm Films on Vimeo.

Men's Journal Gives Us 51 Last Minute Gift Ideas

Okay, if you're still looking for the perfect Christmas gift for someone on your shopping list this year, and my 10 last minute gift ideas, nor Nat Geo's 31 suggestions, and Outside's list of 20 stocking stuffers for under $20 hasn't been much help, than perhaps Men's Journal can be of assistance. The magazine has posted it's selection of last minute holiday gifts as well, and it is lengthy one, offering 51 options for procrastinators. 

Not all of the items on the list are specifically geared for the outdoors or travel, but there is still a lot of things that men (and women!) are going to like. For instance, some of the items that get the nod from MJ include a sweet cycling hat from Rothera, a fun daypack from Cotopaxi, a cool camera from Nikon, and a headlamp designed for runners from Nathan. You'll also find a number of interesting books, some useful gadgets, pants from Fjällräven, and a even a kayak from Perception. 

All in all, this is a fairly wide list of suggestions for gifts for just about anyone in your life. Obviously here at The Adventure Blog we focus more on the outdoor and adventure travel items first and foremost, but there are all kinds of other great ideas as well for just about any type of personality. If you truly are stumped, perhaps this will at least provide a few ideas to help you get just the right thing for your loved one. If not, you're probably going to have some problems, as obviously the clock is ticking on the holiday shopping season. 

Check out the entire list at MensJournal.com. 

Video: Thru Hiking the Grand Canyon - Thirst and Threats in the Godscape (Part 3)

Today we have the third – and final – video in the National Geographic series that follows photographer Pete McBride and journalist Kevin Fedarko on 650 mile (1046 km) thru-hike of the Grand Canyon, as they explore the threats that that place now faces. They've discovered that amongst those threats are environmental issues, climate change, encroaching commercial interests, and more. As their journey nears and end, the two men face a challenge of their own – potentially running out of water in a remote corner of the national park. Find out how their expedition wraps up in this installment of the series.

Men's Journal Has 25 Gifts for the Adventurous Dad

It's nearly June, which means Father's Day is just around the corner. If you're looking for the perfect gift for dad this year, Men's Journal is here to help. They've created a list of 25 gifts for the adventurous dad in your life with some great suggestions that even those of us who aren't dad's can appreciate.

Some of the items that make MJ's list include the Timex Expedition Scout watch, which blends classic good looks with modern sensibilities, and the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 II, which is widely considered to be the best point and shoot camera on the market today. You'll also find a drone, an inflatable stand-up paddleboard, and an awesome camp stove from BioLite.

There really is something for just about every kind of dad on this list. Whether they're a hardcore outdoor nut, gadget enthusiast, or aspiring athlete, you'll find some cool suggestions for gifts for your father too. Best of all, most of the items are fairly affordably too, so you won't have to break the bank to find the right gift either.

Father's Day is still a few weeks off, but it's a good time to start planning. Check out the entire list here.

Antarctica 2016: The End in Sight

Update: It seems the information I received on Emma Kelty's condition was incorrect. While she did go to the hospital as reported, it was to receive a round of antibiotics and not for other reasons stated below. She was also out on the ice for 50.5 days as well.

It has been more than a week and a half since we last posted an update on the progress of the various Antarctic skiers. Over that time, a lot has happened, with several comings and goings from the South Pole, arrivals back at the coast, and other happenings – both good and bad. Now, as the end of the season is in sight, there is much to tell.

We'll start with Johanna Davidsson, the solo female skier who reached the Pole in record time a few weeks back. After setting that impressive mark, Johanna wasn't content to just get on a plane and fly back to Union Glacier, but instead kite-skied back to the coast. She completed that trip quickly as well, wrapping up her return trip on January 10. It has been a very productive season for her to say the least.

The other female skier that we watched closely this season was Brit Emma Kelty, who spent 52 days out on the ice skiing from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole. She reached that point back on January 5, and was then flown back to Union Glacier having abandoned her attempt at a return trip after running out of time. A few days later she flew to Punta Arenas, Chile as well where she was immediately hospitalized  for dehydration, a lung infection, and a bad case of polar thigh. That last ailment strikes the upper legs in very cold conditions, and is caused by the friction of fabric and skin when rubbed together over a long period of time. It can cause extreme irritation and even a nasty infection, which can be very painful if left untreated. Unfortunately, Emma wasn't able to do much about it until after she was off the ice, which had made for a painful wound. Thankfully, she was released from the hospital last week, and flew home to the U.K. on Friday the 13th.


The six-man British Military team has been skiing back to the coast from the South Pole and making good time. They now report that they are less than 60 nautical miles (69 miles/111 km) from the coast, and completely wrapping up their round-trip journey across the Antarctic. The return journey hasn't been an easy one however, as they have traveled across the Shackleton Glacier. The weather has been difficult as usual, and just today the squad made a navigational error that caused them to have to descend down the side of a mountain, rather than backtrack to correct their course. Still, they are on track to reach the finish line in the next few days, and should be ready to fly out of Antarctica ahead of the final deadline of January 27.

Swiss explorer Mike Horn is still in the midst of his traverse of the frozen continent. After reaching the South Pole via kite-ski on January 9, he has since resumed his journey to the far side of the continent. But, the winds have been very light, which has meant slow travel so far. After two days of not covering any distances at all, Mike reports a gentle breeze today that is helping him move, albeit at a very slow pace. But unlike the other skiers out on the ice, Mike isn't reliant on ALE to get him off the continent. He'll ski to the western coast, where his own ship the Pangea will pick him up as he resumes his Pole 2 Pole expedition.

Finnish skier Risto Hallikainen – who reached the South Pole back on December 28 – is on his return trip to the coast as well. His latest update came last Friday, when he reported that he was halfway to his goal. Risto will be racing the clock to return to Hercules before the final flight out, but right now things look like they are going according to plan.

Finally, Keith Tuffley, Rob Smith, and Eric Phillips reached the South Pole back on January 9 as well, following a very tough slog across the frozen continent. The trio opened a new route across the Reedy Glacier, reaching 90ºS after crossing 605 km (375 miles) in 34 days. It is believed that they are the first team to explore this part of the Antarctic since it was first surveyed more than 60 years ago. The team spent little time at the South Pole and returned to Union Glacier a few days later, before departing back to Chile, and home.

That's it for now. As you can see, the season is wrapping up very quickly at this point. Our next updates will only have a few teams to report on. Soon, another season will come to an end.

Video: Scenes From Machu Picchu

One of the most spectacular displays of ancient architecture found anywhere in the world, the mountain fortress of Machu Picchu needs little introduction. But this beautiful video takes us high into the Peruvian Andes to share some amazing views of this spectacular place. The wonderful music gives the clip a tranquil feeling that makes it a joy to watch, so just sit back and take it all in.

And if you haven't been fortunate enough to visit Machu Picchu yourself just yet, my friends at Mountain Travel Sobek can make that journey are a reality. Check out all of their options for visiting Peru and start thinking about your own adventure in the Andes.

Machu Picchu from irenaVision on Vimeo.