Antarctica 2016: Mike Horn Waits for Pick-Up

It seems that the 2016 Antarctic season is the one that never ends. On more than one occasion when I've posted updates recently I've said that the end is in sight. But, there is still one man out on the ice, and he is struggling to reach the finish line, where he won't find his lift off the frozen continent waiting for him after all.

Swedish explorer Mike Horn is the lone skier still making his way across the Antarctic. As you probably recall, Horn is in the midst of making a traverse of the continent via the South Pole using kite skis. He has completed nearly the entire journey, but hasn't quite reached the far side of the Antarctic just yet. But when he does, his time on the ice won't quite be over as he had expected.

While all of the other South Pole skiers have received outside assistance from a logistics company like ALE, Horn was dropped off on the coastline by his own ship, the Pangaea, which then planned to sail to the far side of the continent and wait for him. In fact, the ship was in place just last week, waiting for Mike to wrap up his traverse, which was hampered by either a lack of winds or whiteout conditions. But according to Mike, the Pangaea suffered an electrical failure and was forced to sail for Tasmania for repairs. That means that when he does arrive back at the coast in another day or two, the ship won't be there waiting for him after all.

Progress over the past week or so has been slow. Some days, all Horn can do is sit in place as the weather howls around him. The winds have been so rough that they have torn one of his kites – which he has since repaired – and left him unable to proceed. He hasn't posted an update since Sunday, but the online tracker on his website shows progress and it seems that Mike is now just a short distance from the coast. How long he'll have to wait for a pick-up remains to be seen however.

The austral winter is now starting to close in, and conditions will soon take a turn for the worse. Horn should still have time to get off the continent, and he is nearly at the coast. But, temperatures will be dropping dramatically in the days ahead and the storms will only become more powerful. Hopefully he won't have to wait too long for his ride.

We'll keep an eye on things and watch how the last few days of his expedition develop. Hopefully he'll be safely retrieved from the ice soon. For now though, he is safe and pressing forward as planned.

Gear Closet: North Face Ultra Extreme II GTX Hiking Boots

Finding the right boot for winter activities can be a real challenge sometimes. You obviously want something warm and comfortable that can provide good traction on snow and ice, but all too many times that comes at the expense of weight and bulk. That isn't the case with the new Ultra Extreme II GTX boots from The North Face however, as this is footwear designed for the cold and snowy season that doesn't have to make compromises for the sake of performance.

One thing is for certain, these boots definitely know how to make a first impression. Taking them out of the box for the first time, I was struck with just how lightweight they are, but was a little dubious about how well they would perform as a result. The boots look great too, and feature TNF's signature high quality build construction.

Last week I took these boots with me to Utah for a little pre-Outdoor Retailer adventure in the mountains near Park City. With plenty of snow on the ground I figured that would make a great test for this lightweight winter boot. I discovered that they performed better than I expected in most areas, particularly when taking part in winter activities such as snowshoeing and fat bike riding.

The boots feature a Gore-Tex liner that provides not only warmth and insulation, but a layer of waterproofing as well. My winter camping trip began with an evening of outdoor cooking and dinner shared with other writers and media folks, which ended up with most of staying out in the cold for more than four hours. Throughout that time, my feet stayed warm and dry, although by the time we were ready to call it quits for the night, my toes were starting to get a little frosty. But that is to be someone expected when you're standing around in cold weather conditions for extended periods of time. The next day when I set out on the trail for some snowshoeing, my feed remained plenty warm throughout the hike. Better yet, they also stayed dry, despite the fact the snow was quite deep.


Because these boots are so lightweight, they are also incredibly comfortable to wear, even on active excursions. Prior to setting out for Utah, I had only taken them out of the box and worn them around the house for a bit, but that was enough to tell me they wouldn't take long to break in. That turned out to be true, as after only wearing them for an hour or two, they were pretty much ready to go once I reached my destination. By the time I strapped on my snowshoes they already felt completely natural on my feet.

To give the Ultra Extreme II GTX boots plenty of grip on a variety of surfaces, The North Face uses a Vibram Icetrek outsole. This helps the shoes to stay stable in a variety of conditions, ranging from completely dry, to soaking wet, to frozen solid. Hiking in these boots on snow and ice, even without snowshoes, was a breeze, and I never once felt like they weren't up to the task. If anything, the grippy nature of the soles provided more confidence when tackling those conditions.

One of the the things that I like most about these boots is that they don't actually feel like you're wearing boots. The fit and comfort levels are more akin to an athletic shoe, albeit one with lots of ankle support. In fact, the UE II GTX's felt so good on my feet that I didn't bother to take them off for hours after we had left our snowy campground. Because they felt so great on my feet, and provided a nice level of warmth, there was simply no need, even after I had returned to Salt Lake City for the start of the convention.

If you're in the market for a lightweight hiking boot for active winter sports, these boots are more than up to the task, and with a price tag of $150, they are also quite a bargain in my opinion. Winter boots aren't cheap, and a good pair will generally set you back more than what The North Face is asking here. But as comfortable as these are on your feet, and as lightweight as they are in your pack, it is easy to recommend them for anyone who enjoys winter outdoor activities.

That said however, the Ultra Extreme II GTX is probably a bit too lightweight for extremely cold conditions. I used them in temperatures hovering around 20ºF (-6ºC) and had absolutely no problems, particularly when I was on the move. But if the temperatures dropped below 10ºF (-12ºC) I would have definitely wanted warmer socks at the bare minimum, and possibly warmer boots all around. Aside from that however, they performed exceptionally well, and I found myself truly falling in love with them. This is a great boot not just for winter sports, but cooler weather hikes as well, and I have a feeling I'll be getting a lot of use out of them in the weeks to come.

Nepali Government Slow to Honor Everest Climbing Permits From 2015

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

The Nepali government is once again dragging its feet on a decision to honor the cancelled climbing permits for Everest – and other peaks – from the 2015 season. As you'll no doubt recall, all expeditions were cancelled following the massive earthquake that took place there last April, leaving many mountaineers who were in the Himalaya to wonder what would happen next. After all, many of them spent upwards of $50,000 only to see their opportunity to reach the summit dashed by the natural disaster that devastated the country.

I'm sure as most of the climbers departed the mountains last spring went away thinking that their climbing permits would be honored at some point in the future. The precedent was set following the cancelled 2014 season on Everest after 19 porters were killed in an avalanche. Following those events, the Nepali government eventually announced that the climbing permits purchased for Everest and Lhotse that year would be honored for returning climbers for three additional years.

As you probably know, those permits are not cheap, and many mountaineers simply wanted reassurance that their investment was safe and the they would have another chance to climb Everest again. Last year, government officials took a very long time to make that decision, but eventually they came around and announced their plans to honor the permits. This year – to quote the great Yogi Berra – it's deja vu all over again.


Expedition leaders planning trips to Everest this season are already nervous about the decision, as they report climbers are waiting to see what will happen, and some have already started to cancel their plans. With the start of the season now about six weeks away, it is getting difficult to organize logistics and make travel plans. With no guarantees in place, some climbers are definitely taking a wait and see approach.

Personally, just like last year, I think the Nepali government will come around and make the right choice. They took their time then too, but eventually decided to honor the permits and allow climbers who lost the chance to climb Everest through no fault of their own, the chance to come back and give it another go. That will happen again here, it is just taking far longer than anyone would like.

We're already hearing that Everest is going to be unusually quiet this year because of the events of the last few seasons. But it is slow decision making from the Nepali government that leaves many wondering if it is worth it to even climb there at all. To them I would say be patient, wait for the glacially paced red-tape to be cleared, and have faith. I know at times it doesn't seem like it, but the right thing will be done eventually.

Video: Where in the World Are You? - Quest #35

It has been awhile since we've had a new addition to Richard Bangs' fun "Where in the World are You?" series, but he returns with this great video to test our knowledge today. He provides the clues, with plenty of great imagery from the place, and we're tasked with figuring out where he's at. This one is especially good, and as always the clip will inspire you to want to travel there.

Video: The Problem of the Wilderness in Alaska

Take a scenic journey through Alaska with this video, which is set to a famous quote from Bob Marshall called The Problem of the Wilderness. His words are extremely fitting as we wander through some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth. Alaska is an amazing place, with a wilderness like no other. It is a place that anyone who values truly wild places should see but for today, we'll just have to settle for this video. Enjoy.

The Problem of the Wilderness from Tom Welsh on Vimeo.

Travel Tip: LeftOverCurrency.com

Frequent travelers take note; I've got a website that you're going to want to bookmark for future use. It's called LeftOverCurrency.com, and it gives us the ability to take all of that extra cash that we bring home with us from our adventures, and convert it back into money we can use. The site accepts a wide range of currencies, and offers very good exchange rates to ensure that you're getting the most value for the foreign money that you probably just have sitting around in a drawer somewhere anyway.

As someone who travels to foreign destinations on a regular basis, I always seem to come home with a few bank notes or coins in my pocket. Most of that cash ends up going into a box, along with other money that I've collected on my journeys. I currently have everything from Egyptian pounds to Nepali rupees, to Mongolia tögrögs rolling around in there, plus a few others too. But with LeftOverCurrency.com, I can get that money converted back into something I can use.

Here's how it works. Simply go to the website, select the currencies you want to exchange, and add them to your online wallet. After you've done this for all of the various types of money you want to swap out, you click on the wallet to see your current balance. Then, push the "Proceed to Exchange" button and fill out the information in the form to create your account. Doing this will lock in your exchange rate for 14 days, which allows you the time necessary to send your foreign currency in to be verified. After that, the website will either send you a check, or direct deposit your money into a bank or PayPal account.

The process works for wide array of currency types, including bank notes and coins that are even out of circulation. It is a quick, easy, and efficient way to get some real cash for the foreign money that you have left over, and your local bank won't accept. You can find out more by visiting the website and starting the process yourself.

Video: Annapurna's South Face With Ueli Steck

The most daring and impressive climb of last year, at least in my mind, was Ueli Steck's solo summit of Annapurna. The video below comes our way thanks to Mountain Hardwear and it is a two minute recap of that climb, plus a look back on the other defining moment of 2013 for Ueli – the conflict on Everest. It was a turbulent year to say the least, filled with difficult challenges and incredible triumphs.

Ueli Steck | South Face of Annapurna from Mountain Hardwear on Vimeo.

Gear Closet: iLand Fly Solar Charging System

As high tech gadgets have become more prevalent on our outdoor adventures, the ability to keep them charged while away from home has become more of a challenge as well. Over the past few years, we've seen some interesting and creative ways to power our high tech equipment, with some impressive options coming from companies like Goal Zero. Recently, I had the opportunity to test a new entry into the burgeoning solar charger market in the form of the iLand Fly, which isn't as powerful as some of its competitors, but still provides plenty of convenience for those who need a recharge on the go.

iLand has impressively packed a lot into the box with this product. Not only does it include a foldable, three-paneled solar cell, it also comes with a battery pack with a 2100mAh capacity. When that battery pack is plugged into the solar panel's USB port, it can collect and store a charge directly from the sun. That same battery pack can than pass along its charge to your gadgets at any time. A special USB cable, with changeable tips, allow you to charge just about any device that uses standard USB, mciro-USB, Apple 30-pin and or a few other plugs. A nice storage bag and cables that allow you to hang the solar panel from a tent or backpack, round out the package.

The included instructions indicate that it should take 3-4 hours to charge the battery pack using the solar panel. But, if you've ever used a solar charger like this in the past, you probably already know that the charging time is greatly influenced by how much direct sunlight it is able to absorb. On cloudier days, it'll take considerably longer to charge up the battery pack, even though it has a relatively low capacity.


When placed in direct sunlight, the solar cell is actually quite efficient at collecting light from the sun and converting it to energy. Considering how small the three panels actually are, I wasn't expecting much, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised at how well they performed. While the Fly won't win any races against other solar panels that I've tested, most of which are much larger in size, it more than holds its own.

The built in USB port on the solar panel itself is capable of charging our gadgets directly, including smartphones, cameras, GPS devices and other electronics. But iFly recommends that you actually charge your devices from the battery pack instead. This allows the solar panel to continually charge the pack, and then have a charge waiting for you whenever you need it. The battery pack is also far more efficient at passing on its charge to higher capacity devices such as the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S4.

It is clear that iLand built this system with outdoor adventurers and travelers in mind. Not only does it neatly fold up into a very small package, marking it easy to toss into your backpack and take with you anywhere, but it also weighs in at a mere .36 pounds (163 grams). For those looking to travel light, it is an excellent option. The solar panel is also water and dust resistant, which means you can take it with into the field without fear of damaging any of the components.

Because it was designed to be small and compact, the Fly has a somewhat limited capacity for charging. While it can handle a smartphone, mp3 player, or compact camera without too much trouble, it won't be adding much of a charge to your iPad for instance. That probably limits its usefulness on some expeditions, although it does make the perfect travel companion for those who don't need anything more.

If you're in the market for a small, efficient, and useful solar charing system for your adventures, the iLand Fly is a great option. It is compact enough to take with you just about anywhere and provides enough juice to keep all of your smaller electronics fully operational. Typically, the system is sold for $149.99, but for the holidays it was on sale for just $99.95. That deal is still being offered both on the iFly website and at Amazon. That makes it a highly affordable option on top of being an efficient one.

Video: The Ibis Expedition - In Search Of The Ultimate Sleep

The video below is in reality a commercial for Ibis Hotels and a promotion they are having for finding the "Ultimate Sleep." But, it is also a rather funny and clever spot that shows adventurers out in the wild, where they are attempting to sleep at the top of a mountain. It is all rather tongue in cheek, but enjoyable none the less. At the end, the video points to ibis-expedition.com, although there doesn't really seem to be much going on there at the moment, other than a beautiful shot of Roraima, the "Devil's Mountain" in the video. Maybe there is more to this promotion to come.

IBIS EXPEDITION - Ultimate Sleep [TRAILER] from The Skeeto Lounge on Vimeo.

Lonnie Dupre Headed Back to Alaska for Winter Climb of Mt. Hunter

Polar explorer and mountaineer Lonnie Dupre has announced his next expedition, and it will once again take him to the extremes of Alaska during the winter. Dupre famously climbed Denali – the tallest peak in Norther America at 6190 meters (20,310 ft) – solo and in January in 2015, and now will head back to Denali National Park to climb yet another difficult mountain.

In January, Dupre will travel to the Alaska Range to attempt to scale Mt. Hunter, perhaps the most technical of all the peaks within the national park, and one of the toughest in North America. The 4441-meter (14,573-foot) mountain is known for its very steep slopes and heavily corniced ridges, which can make an ascent at any time of the year treacherous. In winter, climbers also face harsh weather conditions as well, including heavy snow, high winds, and subzero temperatures.

Those conditions are nothing new for Dupre however, who has traveled in many of the extreme locations of out planet during the winter. His experience on Denali (it took him several attempts to complete that climb) will pay off here as well, although he'll be facing even more difficult climbing conditions, although the Mt. Hunter isn't nearly as tall.

Dupre has dubbed this expedition "Cold Hunter One," and he aims to head toward the mountain in the first week of January. From there, he'll begin making the ascent in alpine style, carrying all of his gear and supplies with him as he goes. Of the expedition he says: “This project is the culmination of all my years of experience wrapped into one challenge, where every ounce of food, fuel, gear and clothing matters.” He goes on to add, “All calculations are based on the absolute minimum my body needs to survive. I’ve allowed 4 days for storms; weather will be a leading factor to the success of the climb."

We can add this expedition to our list of major winter climbs this year, along with the just announced attempt by Alex Txikon on Everest without bottled oxygen. Both should be interesting to watch unfold.

Himalaya Spring 2016: North Side Route on Everest Could Open Today

As the spring climbing season on Everest continues we could reach a major milestone on the North Side of the mountain today, while on the South teams continue to wait and watch the weather forecasts. Summits pushes are still at least a week from getting underway, but we're nearing the endgame of a season that had to bring some sense of normalcy to the mountain, and so far it has done just that.

So far this year we haven't had a lot of news from the North Side of Everest in Tibet. That's mostly because there are fewer climbers there, and things have just been moving along about as smoothly as possible. The teams have been making regular acclimatization rotations, and for the most part there hasn't been any drama to speak of. Now, we get word that the ropes to the summit could be in place as early as today. On that side of Everest, the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association handles all of the installation of the ropes rather than the teams themselves, and according to their latest updates they say that they "hope to go to the summit on the 5th." Meaning that if all goes as expected, the work will be wrapped up today and the route to the summit will be complete.

With the summit open, the North Side teams will start to look at their schedules and weather forecasts to determine the best time to start a summit bid. Some of those teams are now wrapping up their acclimatization process, so they'll return to Base Camp to rest and regain their strength before starting up. But it won't be long now before they start thinking about the final push.


Meanwhile, on the South Side, the rope fixing efforts have reportedly stalled out after reaching 7900 meters (25,918 ft). Minor avalanches along the Lhotse Face have kept the team that handles those duties from going higher. The teams have organized the rope fixing work on the Nepali side of Everest, and it seems they had a meeting yesterday to start plan their strategy moving forward. The hope is that the weather will hold, and the avalanches will cease, in order to allow the rope-fixing Sherpas to finish the job.

The concern amongst expedition leaders on the South Side now is that the summit schedule could get backed up, or more teams will try to take advantage of a narrow weather window, causing traffic jams on summit day. But its too early to worry about that at this point, and for now the focus should be on getting the ropes in place and acclimatizing for impending summit bids.

Finally, we have no real update from Shishapangma regarding Ueli Steck and David Göttler's new route on that mountain. The duo are still in BC and waiting for a good weather window. But, there is more information on their plans. Ueli and David hope to make a direct ascent on Shisha, and then potentially make a traverse down the opposite side. The weather will dictate if that is possible, but it does give us an idea of these two talented mountaineers' plan for the days ahead.

That's all for now. More to come soon.

Adventure Tech: GoPro Unveils the Karma Drone at Long Last

It seems like we've been waiting a very long time, but today GoPro finally took the wraps off of its highly anticipated Karma drone, giving would-be filmmakers yet another tool to help them create their outdoor and adventure travel masterpiece.

By now, we all know what a drone is, and how it can be used in a variety of ways. Over the past few years, the drone market has matured dramatically, with companies like DJI leading the way. But this is GoPro's first foray into UAV's, and in order for the company to make a dent in the industry – and possibly reverse its flagging fortunes – it knew that had to deliver something different and unique. Was the Karma worth the wait? We'll have to hold on a bit longer to know for sure, but it certainly is intriguing.

The Karma is a small, sleek looking quadcopter with a foldable design that makes it easy to transport. It comes with its own custom built controller, complete with a touchscreen built right in. The controller is said to be very beginner friendly, and the drone has a number of autonomous features that help to make it easy to fly. Still, it doesn't appear to have anything close to the level of independent control as something like the DJI Phantom 4, which is equipped with a host of sensors to allow it to safely navigate on its own without a pilot.

Being a camera company first and foremost, GoPro clearly put a lot of thought into capturing outstanding footage from its other devices. With that in mind, the Karma comes with a specially built 3-axis stabilizer designed to hold an action camera. This stabilizer can also be removed and attached to a new product called the Karma Grip, which can be mounted on a vehicle or held in your hand to get great, super-stable shots as well.


One area that the Karma may score big over its competition is in price. The drone on its own will retail for $799, which is a good price for something as small and transportable as this UAV. There will also be a $999 bundle that will include the new Hero5 Session camera, and a $1099 version that will come with the new Hero5 Black, both of which were announced today too. It isn't clear when the drone will be available for sale, but it is expected to hit the market in late October.

In terms of what these new cameras bring to the table, those looking to upgrade will have some intriguing incentives to do just that. The Hero5 Black comes equipped with 12MP sensors, voice control options, a 2" touchscreen, electronic image stabilization, 4K video at 30 fps, and possibly even GPS baked right in. Best of all, it is now waterproof without the need for an additional housing.  The smaller, more affordable Hero5 Session shares most of these same features, but has a 10MP sensor for photos and video instead. Both will ship on October 2.

Both cameras now have the ability to automatically upload video to the cloud for sharing and editing as well. This new service gives you access from just about any computer, smartphone, or tablet, but will require a subscription fee to use.

I'm looking forward to seeing how he Karma performs and get some reviews. It definitely looks intriguing. As for the new cameras, they received some nice upgrades, but appear to mostly be evolutionary steps. I'm sure they'll continue to perform up to GoPro's high standards.