Antarctica 2013: Teams Close In On 90ºS

It is shaping up to be a busy week at the South Pole as a number of teams should wrap up their expeditions late in the week. It has been a long, tough season at the bottom of the world, and it will rapidly come to an end in a matter of a few weeks. For the skiers who are still pushing themselves across the ice, there are many miles to go before they rest. But with the end now in sight, most are finding a last bit of strength to get them to the finish line, where they can rest at last.

One team that has already visited the Pole and is now on their return trip is the Scott Expedition. Ben and Tarka continue to push forward despite the fact that they have now been enduring the Antarctic conditions for 80 days. Things are looking up for them a bit however, as they have now almost completely descended off the Antarctic Plateau and are starting to move faster as a result. Yesterday they covered nearly 25 miles (40 km) and they've now reduced their distance to 585 miles (941 km). That is still an awful lot of ground to cover, but hopefully things should start to get a little easier, despite their overwhelming fatigue. They'll pick up a supply cache at the top of the Beardmore Glacier at the end of the day today, which will fill the sleds once again but provide them with much needed supplies. From there, they'll continue on across the frozen expanse of a continent that I'm sure both men are ready to put behind them. At their pace however, they'll still have a few weeks to go before they are done.

Meanwhile, the husband and wife team of Chris and Marty Fagan are pushing towards the Pole with high spirits, even as they enter their 43rd day on the ice. With their food supplies starting to run low, they have now targeted Saturday as the day they hope to reach the South Pole. The weather is reportedly good there at the moment and hopefully it will stay that way. They'll need all of the conditions in their favor in order to finish on schedule.


Also hoping to wrap up his expedition on Saturday is South Pole cyclist Daniel Burton. After taking a rest day yesterday to recharge his own batteries, as well as that of his gear, he should be back on the trail today and heading south once again. He has passed the 88th degree and is closing in on 89, but the riding remains physically and mentally challenging for sure. Still, if all goes according to plan, Daniel will reach his goal of becoming the first person to ride their bike the full distance to the South Pole by next weekend.

Lewis Clarke and his guide Carl Alvey have reached another major milestone. They now have less than 100 miles to go until they reach 90ºS. After knocking off 19 miles (30.5 km) yesterday, they're now on track to reach the Pole by Saturday as well. Weather conditions have improved for the duo, but temperatures are still hovering around -39ºC/-38ºF, which is about how it was in much of the northern U.S. last week, the difference being that most of us don't have polar suits to keep us warm. If Lewis is able to complete these final 100 miles, and I don't see any reason he won't, he'll become the youngest person to ski the full distance to the South Pole, completing that journey at the age of 16.

Finally, Antony Jinman is closing in on the 89th degree, and as of yesterday he had just 78 nautical miles (144 km) to go until he is done. If he is able to maintain his current pace, that should put him into the Pole sometime on Friday. He has climbed to the top of the Antarctic Plateau, which means that the surface is flatter, but also that winds have increased and the altitude is higher as well. He is in good spirits, anxious to reach the end, but enjoying his time in the Antarctic none the less.

That'll wrap things up from the Antarctic today. Expect more updates throughout the week as the teams near the end of the trail.

Video: The Ultimate Descent - From Everest to the Indian Ocean

In 2011, Sanobabu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tshiri Sherpa completed one of the most difficult and unexpected adventures in recent memory. The two men began by climbing to the summit of Everest, where they then deployed a paraglider and launched from the summit, flying down the Khumbu Valley to Namche Bazaar,  where they then embarked on the second stage of their journey – a kayaking trip down the Sun Kosi River that would ultimately take them to the Indian Ocean. Along the way they faced Class V rapids and the real threat of drowning, even as the Nepal military was searching for them since their Everest flight wasn't exactly sanctioned.

This video is from a news report about this crazy expedition. It was obviously filmed not long after they made the climb, flight, and paddle. The clip was recently posted online however, and for those that don't know the story, it is an interesting one. It was quite the adventure going from the summit of the world's tallest mountain to the sea level in just a few short weeks.

Video: Trailblazers - The Ultralight Movement

This short film is the first of a new series that comes our way from The Dyneema Project, which is a commercial program that is looking to use that space-age material in outdoor gear to make it lighter and stronger. The film gives us a glimpse at the growing movement amongst outdoor athletes, mountaineers, backpackers, and others to go ultralight when traveling in the backcountry, something that can come as a bit of a revelation when you begin to explore the possibilities. While this video is meant to promote these products, it is done in an interesting way and with some outstanding scenery too. The short documentary is a look behind the curtain of the outdoor industry, with insights into where it is currently heading.

Adventure Racing World Series a Success in China

Earlier this week an epic adventure race took place in a remote region of China, marking the debut of the the Adventure Racing World Series in Asia. By all accounts it was a successful first race with just minutes separating the top teams in what promises to be an exciting new addition to the ARWS in the years to come.

The Xtrail Expedition race took place in the Altai Mountain region of China, not far from the border with Mongolia. The event covered 300 km (186 miles) or rough terrain, which the top teams were able to complete in just a few days time. In fact, in a sport that requires hours and days to complete, the three podium finishers were separated by less than 20 minutes, which is a testament to how strong the 28 teams competing in the race truly are. Of those 26 were international squads, while the other two were local Chinese racers.

The winners of the race were the Thule Adventure Team, which completed the grueling route in just 36 hours and 16 minutes. They were followed closely by Team Adventure Medical Kits, who were 14 minutes back, with Haglofs Silva coming in third another 4 minutes behind. The rest of the teams staggered in over the hours that followed, with the course officially closing on Wednesday of this week. Yesterday, the coed teams of four left the region and began the long journey home.

After such an auspicious debut, it seems that the Xtrail race may be a great new addition to the AR World Series. Having visited the part of the world where the event took place myself this summer, I can attest to how beautiful, rugged, and remote it truly is. With the addition of this race to the schedule, the ARWS now has events on six continents, which is an impressive feat in and of itself, and an indication of just how healthy the sport of adventure racing is at the moment.

Now, all eyes will turn towards Australia in November. That will be the host country for the Adventure Racing World Championship, where the 2016 world champs will be crowned. At the moment, it looks like it could be quite an interesting showdown between the best teams on the planet, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Longest Running Streak in History Ends After 52 Years

Like me, I know a lot of Adventure Blog readers are regular runners. Not only is it a great way to stay in shape, it helps me to unwind and let go of some stress, while also being an excuse to get outside for an hour or so everyday. On average, I run six days a week, usually taking Sundays off for a rest. Probably the longest I've ever gone without a break is 35 days or so, as part of a fitness challenge. That's not a bad streak for an amateur. It also isn't anywhere close to the record set by Ron Hill, a former Olympic athlete from the U.K. who just saw his string of uninterrupted running days end this past weekend.

On Sunday, Hill took his first day off from running in 52 years, 39 days. The streak began back on Dec. 21, 1964 and continued through January 28, 2017. That's 19,032 days for those keeping track at home. Hill said that he went out for his usual run on Saturday, but after just 400 meters his heart began to hurt, and that he final 800 meters of his 1 mile jog, the situation got worse. So, he decided to hang up his running to determine what went wrong, saying "There was no other option but to stop. I owed that to my wife, family and friends, plus myself.”

Over the course of his very impressive streak – which is a world record by the way – Hill ran at least one mile each and every day. For more than 52 years, no matter how he was feeling, what the weather was like, or what other events were going on in his life, Ron went out for a run. It must have felt incredibly strong for him to not do that on Sunday.

Streak runners are quite proud of their impressive string of days that they run at least one mile, and American Mark Washburne tries to keep tabs on the longer streaks that are underway in various parts of the globe. Now that Hill's has come to an end, he says that the next longest streak belongs to Jon Sutherland, a 66 year old who lives in West Hills, California. His current streak sits at 17,417 days, which is about 47.5 years. He still has a long way to go to catch Hill, but at his age it could be done, provided he stays healthy and determined. Perhaps even more amazing, is that Washburne has averaged 11.2 miles per day over the course of those years.

I'll be thinking of both of these men when I set out on my run later today. Both are definitely impressive. I know that after my 30+ day streaks that my body was fatigued and ready for a break. I can't imagine going years without taking a rest day.

Winter Climbs 2016: Nanga Parbat Team Reaches Camp 3

If you've been following the unfolding climbing season on Nanga Parbat you already know that the lone remaining team on that mountain has launched a summit bid. A weather window is expected to open over the next couple of days, and the four climbers are now moving up with the hopes of taking advantage of an opportunity to reach the summit at long last.

On Monday of this week, Alex Tkikon, Ali Sadpara, Simone Moro, and Tamura Lunger set off from Base Camp for Camp 2, located at 6100 meters (20,013 ft). They had no trouble reaching that point later in the day, but as ExWeb reports, they were unable to go higher yesterday. High winds hit the mountain yesterday, keeping the team pinned down in C2. At times, it looked like they might have to scrub their summit bid altogether, but thankfully the winds quieted down later in the day, allowing them to continue upwards today.

With a quieter day today, the four teammates were able to climb up to Camp 3 without incident and are now firmly encamped there at 6700 meters (21,981 ft). The latest forecast says conditions are calm and beautiful at the moment, with favorable conditions expected to last into the weekend.

When Alex and Ali climbed to C3 a few weeks back they had determined that fixed ropes were not needed above that point. That means they could conceivably move faster on the higher flanks of the mountain, as not much snow has fallen at those altitudes in recent days.

If all goes according to plan, the team should move up to Camp 4 at 7100 meters (23,293 ft) tomorrow. Once there, they'll evaluate the current weather window, their physical condition, and other variables before deciding what will happen next. If everything is going as expected, they'll then proceed towards the summit.

We'll continue to watch this story develop over the next few days and keep our fingers crossed that everyone gets up and down safely, summit or not.

Video: The Living Landscapes of Colorado

We'll end the week with this beautiful video shot in Colorado where the stunning colors of autumn are in full display. We all know that Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in the U.S., but this is a great reminder of just how amazing the landscapes there can be. All it takes is one clip like this one, or a brief visit to the state, to understand why the people that live there love it so much.

Colorado - A Living Landscape 4K from Jason Hatfield on Vimeo.

Gear Closet: Light & Motion GoBe+ 700 Spotlight

When it comes to creating headlamps and other high performance lights for use in the outdoors, it is really tough to top the products that Light & Motion puts out. The company creates bright, durable and efficient headlamps and cycling lights, often incorporating unique elements into their design that really sets them apart from the competition. But their new GoBe line of lights raises the bar even higher, delivering a bright, powerful light that can be used in almost any environment. Recently I was fortunate enough to test out the GoBe+ 700 spot, their new flagship product that delivers performance unlike anything you've likely seen before.

Unlike most of the other lights I've tested from Light & Motion, all of which were headlamps, the GoBe is closer in shape to a traditional flashlight. But to call it a "flashlight" greatly undersells exactly what this product can do. For starters, it is bright. Very bright. On its highest setting, it is capable of putting out as much as 700 lumens. How's that for bright? It's medium setting is still good for 325 lumens, while low and extended modes are 100 and  50 lumens respectively. There is also an SOS mode if you need to signal for help, which is also at 100 lumens.

The GoBe uses a rechargeable battery to power its lamp and naturally its burn time varies greatly depending on which mode you're in. On its highest setting, it can only run for about 1.5 hours while in extended mode it will light up the area for a full 24. A handy light integrated into the handle gives the user visual cues as to how much charge remains. When the light GoBe does run low on juice, it is recharged via USB on a computer or a wall adapter using its own proprietary USB cable.


L&M sees their GoBe lights as part of a larger system. With that in mind, they have built several mounting options for use in a variety of activities. The model I tested came with a bike mount that firmly held the light in place on my handlebars and illuminated the trail quite nicely as a result. Other mounts include a photo ball, a video locline, and a YS mount. Additionally, there are six different light heads available, which can be swapped out on the GoBe to extend its functionally further. Some of those include one head that provides a wider focus of light and another designed for search and rescue operations. Between all of these mounts and detachable heads, the versatility of this light really shines through. Pun fully intended.

The GoBe has also been designed to be rugged enough to take with you on all your adventures and it feels like it could survive just about anything. It also happens to make an excellent light for divers, as the system is rated to go down as deep as 120 meters (393 feet). That's an impressive depth for any light to function, let alone one that is as bright as this one.

Light & Motion ships the GoBe+ 700 with the flashlight body, head and body splash caps, a USB charging cable, handle bar mount, lanyard and more. All in all, it's an impressive package, with everything you'd need to use the light on just about any expedition. They also shipped me the Search Head, which focuses the standard beam down from a 60º spread, to a very tight 8º. This turns the light into a narrow, intense beam that makes the GoBe seem like a completely different product.

As with L&M's other products, this type of performance doesn't come cheap. The model I tested carries a price tag of $299, which is a pretty hefty cost to say the least. But this product isn't meant for someone just looking for a spare light to have around the home. It is for the active adventurer who needs a powerful, high performance light for a variety of activities. This is a light that you can mount on your bike, take on a hike, or on a dive deep under the ocean. It is unbelievably bright and versatile, which is everything you could ask for out of a product likes this one. For the person that meets that description, this is a light that is worth every penny.

Video: Into the Arctic in Norway

We'll wrap up a busy week here at The Adventure Blog with this breathtaking video. It is nearly three minutes of some of the best landscapes on Earth. Shot in the Norwegian Arctic, it shows us just how stunningly beautiful that part of the world truly is, with vistas that were meant to inspire adventures. Simply wonderful.

Norway: Into the Arctic 4K from Raphael Rogers on Vimeo.

Video: Kayaking The Flooded Streets Of The UK – Behind A Truck!

The U.K. has been battered by some incredibly awful weather in recent months, with heavy rains, flooding cold snaps, snow and more. All of that rain has brought flooding to some areas, where some outdoor enthusiasts have decided to turn lemons into lemonade, by kayaking on the flooded roads. But not content to just paddle through the streets, these industrious (read crazy!) lads decided to pull their boat behind a truck. The results look like fun. Well, except for the final run that is.

Kayaking on flooded Essex Roads from UncleAlbert on Vimeo.

Off to Outdoor Retailer

We've only just returned from a bit of a holiday break, and its time to hit the road once again. Tomorrow, I'll be headed off to Salt Lake City to attend the 2016 Winter Outdoor Retailer show where I'll get a chance to take a look at the newest outdoor gear scheduled for release later this year.

The show itself doesn't actually begin until Thursday, but I'll be joining a few other media folks on an overnight camping excursion tomorrow before some of the official festivities begin on Wednesday. This means that once again, updates are likely to be sparse for the week ahead, at least here on the blog itself. I will be sharing thoughts and images from the OR show floor on my Twitter feed, as well as on The Adventure Blog Facebook page. Follow either of those to catch a glimpse of some of the best new gear that I come across along the way.

If you'd like to read a preview of what to expect from the show, I've written three of them that will be going up at Gear Institute over the next few days. The first one is live now, and the others will follow on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each takes a look at ten interesting items that will be revealed at the event.

Hopefully things will get back to a normal pace around here next week. It's time to get focused on 2016, and some of the fun adventures ahead. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Video: Xavier De Le Rue Rides the 55º Mallory Couloir in Chamonix

Over the years, we've seen big mountain snowboarder Xavier De Le Rue ride some impressive lines in some incredibly remote locations. But for his latest video he stayed close to home in Chamonix, France where he took on the impossibly steep Mallory Couloir, on the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi, which features a 55º slope. As you can imagine, this run wasn't for the faint of heart, or those lacking in skills. Check it out in the video below, which first begins with some fun shredding in the Alps before making way to the main event.

Video: Fledglings - Paragliding with Climbers Cedar Wright and Matt Segal

Climbers Cedar Wright and Matt Segal feel right at home scaling a tough route on a challenging rock face. But recently they both have gotten into paragliding as well, which gives them a new avenue for channeling their adventurous spirits. This video, which comes our way courtesy of The North Face, takes us on an incredible journey with Cedar and Matt as they hone their skills as paragliders before traveling to Mexico to climb and fly from the top of Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in that country at 5636 meters (18,491 ft). As you can imagine, the views from the top, and the flight back down are amazing.

Gear to Upgrade Your Car Camping Experience

Not everyone likes to load up their backpack with all of their gear and hike into the backcountry. In fact, many love to stay in a more accessible campsite and enjoy some amenities while they enjoy their time outdoors. For those folks, National Geographic has posted some suggestions on gear that can up your next car camping escape, bringing more comfort to the campfire.

Amongst the gear that Nat Geo recommends is a Yellow Jacket 4 mtnGLO tent from Big Agnes, which has enough room to sleep four and is even tall enough for many people to stand up inside. Mountain Hardwear's Lamina Z 22 is the sleeping bag of choice, with Klymit's Insulated Static V sleeping pad providing extra comfort.

Additional gear that earns a nod include a warm blanket, a hammock, a comfortable camp chair, and a portable battery pack to keep your mobile devices charged up while away from home. All of the gear is easy to pack up and carry with you when you hit the road, which makes it perfect for summer trips or just family camping outings close to home, or even in the backyard.

Check out all of the gear on Nat Geo's list by clicking here.

Himalaya Spring 2016: 4 Deaths in 5 Days Cast Shadow Over the Himalaya

Despite the fact that the spring climbing season in the Himalaya seems to be proceeding about as smoothly as can be expected following the challenges of the past few years, there are still some dark clouds hanging over the big mountains. The Himalayan Times is now reporting that four foreign climbers have lost their lives in the past five days, breaking the sense of safety and serenity that has hovered over the region so far this year.

Two of the deaths came on Shishapangma, where a Swiss climber named Patrik Mattioli and an Austrian named Jon David Johnson fell from a fixed rope into a crevasse. The accident occurred on April 24 at 6200 meters (20,341 ft) as the two men were climbing up from Advanced Base Camp. They were apparently killed immediately.

Meanwhile, over on Everest, a Japanese climber named Hidenori Hagi passed away in Base Camp on the same day. He was being treated for altitude sickness at the time, but succumbed to the illness. His body was retrieved and flown back to Kathmandu.

The fourth death also occurred in the Khumbu Valley yesterday. An unnamed Korean climber died of altitude sickness while returning from Lobuche Peak. Details on the incident remain sparse, with local officials still investigating the incident, although it seems to be a simple case of HACE or HAPE claiming another life.


Altitude sickness is a common occurrence in the Himalaya. According to the Times, at least seven people were evacuated from Everest Base Camp over the past three weeks while exhibiting symptoms of the illness. Another 110 patients have been treated in EBC for HACE or HAPE as well.

The altitude sickness treatment center in Pheriche in the Khumbu Valley shared even higher numbers. They indicated that 9 people had to be evacuated from the area, while 250 have been treated for altitude sickness.

While these numbers seem high, they are generally in line with what you would expect from the spring climbing season. It is not uncommon for people to take ill at altitude, but those symptoms aren't always life threatening or dangerous. Some are quite mild, with headaches or mild nausea common. That said, a friend of mine collapsed twice above the Khumbu Icefall on Everest last week and had to be evacuated from the mountain. Had he gone much higher, the situation could have become dire, but fortunately he was able to be pulled off the mountain safely and is now home and recovering. Hopefully that will be the case for most who run into trouble.