Video: The 17-Million Year Old Grand Canyon is Still Teaching Us New Things

In this video, we join 17-year old Katie Winkelman as she takes part in a youth group that is exploring the Grand Canyon on foot and by raft. While in the Canyon, she learns a lot more about how it was formed and its continued importance in the lives of more than 40 million people who depend upon the Colorado River – which carved the dramatic landscapes there – for fresh water. The health of this place, and the waters that pass through it, are incredibly important, which is why we must continue to strive to protect it.

Video: Thru-Hiking the Grand Canyon - A 650-Mile Challenge (Part 1)

Throughout 2015 and 2016, photographer Pete McBride and journalist Kevin Fedarko set off to make a sectional thru-hike of the Grand Canyon in an effort to document the threats that that National Park now faces. Along the way, they faced more challenges than they had anticipated, as the journey was more difficult and dangerous than they had ever impinged. This video takes us along with them into the canyon, to experience much of what they saw while they were there. It is Part 1 of a 3 part series, which promises to be an amazing adventure with some important revelations to be had along the way.

Video: Thru-Hiking the Grand Canyon - Between River and Rim (Part 2)

Last week we had the first video in a three part series that follows photographer Pete McBride and journalist Kevin Fedarko as they make the very difficult thru-hike across the Grand Canyon in an effort to explore the challenges that the national park currently faces. In part 2 of the series, we return to the trail, where Pete and Kevin are now 200 miles (321 km) into their journey as winter begins to set in, bringing a new set of obstacles for them to overcome. This is an amazing look at the Grand Canyon as most of us never get a chance to see it, and it is well worth your time to watch in its entirety.

Whitewater Rafting Team Narrowly Misses Grand Canyon Record

A team of eight whitewater rafters missed setting a new speed record for rowing down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon this week when their raft was punctured in the attempt. The group spent nearly 40 hours out on the water, but came up short in their epic attempt to cover the 277 mile distance as quickly as possible.

The 8-person squad, which includes the 6-man U.S. Whitewater Rafting team had been planning the Grand Canyon run for years, but received new incentive in 2016 when a new speed record was set. For years, the time to beat had been 36 hours, 38 minutes held by Kenton Grua, Rudi Putsches and Steve Reynolds since 1983. But last year, solo kayaker Ben Orkin set a new record by running the entire stretch in just 34 hours and two minutes.

Unfortunately for this team, the final time was 39 hours, 24 minutes, but they were slowed down greatly in their efforts thanks to the punctured raft, which couldn't be fixed properly while on the water. That left one of the raft's tubes almost completely deflated, causing way too much drag to overcome. A strong headwind didn't help their efforts either.

Still, the team wasn't feeling sorry for themselves. They seemed to enjoy the adventure, even though they didn't set a new record along the way. After all, traveling through the Grand Canyon is always an amazing experience, and for some it was the first go at the Colorado River. There is no word yet on if they'll return to try for the record a second time, but something tells me we haven't heard the last of this crew.

Read the entire story about their rafting expedition here. It has a lot of great moments and some big challenges that they faced along the way.

Scientists Discover Massive Canyon in Antarctica

It is fascinating to me how much we are still learning about our own planet. It seems that despite the fact that we are sending space probes and rovers to other Mars, Pluto, Jupiter, comets, and other celestial bodies, we continue to discover new things right here at home. Case in point. Last week it was revealed that a team of researchers have discovered a massive canyon under the ice in Antarctica. It's so big in fact that it could dwarf even the Grand Canyon itself.

The canyon was discovered using satellite imagery and ground penetrating radar that was pulled along behind snowmobiles and small aircraft. This giant gorge is located in the western region of the Antarctic near the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands. It is said to be buried under several miles of ice, but its dimensions are staggering to say the least.

According to preliminary estimates, the canyon is believed to be 3 km (1.9 miles) deep, and more than 25 km (15.5 miles) across. It is also believed to run more than 1000 km (621 miles) in length, and even more amazingly it reaches 2000 meters (6500 feet) below sea level at certain points. In comparison, the Grand Canyon 1.8 km (1.13 miles) deep and stretches for 433 km (277 miles) in length.

The scientists studying the Ellsworth region aren't sure how old the canyon is exactly, although they do know that Antarctica has been covered in ice for at least 34 million years. Over that time, the glaciers that cover the area have shifted dramatically, ranging in thickness while shaping the surface found underneath them. Because of its immense size, it is believed that it was ice – not an ancient river – that carved this massive gorge.

Unlike the Grand Canyon, it is unlikely that humans will ever see this natural monument. Because it is covered in snow and ice, it would take millions of more years – not to mention dramatic shifts in climate – for it to ever reveal itself. Still, it is fascinating to know that this place exists, and it makes you wonder what else is still out there, hidden under the ice.

Grand Canyon Paddling Speed Record Broken Twice in Three Days

The speed record for paddling the length of the Grand Canyon was first set back in 1983, when three river guides rowed a wooden dory down the 277.1 mile (446 km) stretch of the Colorado River in 36 hours and 38 minutes. For more than three decades that mark stood as the time to beat, although very few people actually attempted to break it. But this past weekend, that record was broken not once, but twice, by two independent teams who didn't even realize that they were both hoping to achieve the same goal.

Outside magazine has a great piece on their website explaining the entire story, and it is an interesting one. Essentially, no one really cared about this speed record until author Kevin Fedarko wrote a book called The Emerald Mile back in 2013 detailing the 1983 record row. That sparked a renewed interest in trying to beat the old record within the paddling community, with kayakers Ben Orkin and Harrison Rea trying to set a new record last January. They failed in that attempt, coming up an hour and ten minutes short.

But last week a new team of paddlers hit the water with the hope of chasing the record. Ben Luck, Ryan Casey, and Matt and Nate Klema set off on January 20, with Matt actually reaching the finish line in 35 hours and 5 minutes, shaving an hour and a half off the previous record. Of course the foursome were ecstatic over their success, but they soon began to hear rumblings of another kayaker who was about to attempt the record himself.


Ben Orkin, who had missed setting the record last year, was back out on the river on a solo mission this time. He had no idea that the other team was even trying to set the record, let alone that they had already accomplished that goal. He was preparing to put-in the Colorado on Saturday morning when he received an email from Ben Luck informing him of the new time to beat. Knowing that he'd now have to go even faster than he had previously thought, Orkin moved forward with his plans.

The paddle wasn't an easy one. Orkin grew exhausted after paddling for hours on end completely on his own. He also flipped his kayak in some of the rough rapids, costing himself precious time. But in the end, he was able to best Matt's new record, covering the distance between Lee’s Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs in 34 hours and 2 minutes, 57 minutes faster than the two-day old record.

You can read a lot more about this story on Outside Online, where more details of these record-setting paddles are shared. The interesting thing to watch now will be how many more people will attempt to kayak the Grand Canyon, and just how low this time can truly go.

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.