Kilian Jornet Named National Geographic 2014 People's Choice Adventurer Of The Year!

Ultrarunner Kilian Jornet has been named the 2014 National Geographic People's Choice Adventurer of the Year. Jornet, who edged out 12 other Adventurer of the Year candidates, won this honor following a voting period that saw more than 75,000 people cast online ballots.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you've read my regular reports on Kilian's exploits. For my money, he is amongst the top endurance athletes in the world today. His ability to scramble up and down a mountain at unbelievable speeds is remarkable, something he demonstrated on two of Europe's most iconic peaks last year. It took him just five hours to conquer Mont Blanc, and he set a record on the Matterhorn, going up and down that mountain in 2 hours and 52 minutes.

In announcing the winner of this year's People's Choice award, National Geographic Adventure's online editor Mary Anne Potts is quoted as saying: “We believe that Kilian exemplifies the spirit of adventure in the truest sense of the word. He has demonstrated over and over that limits are meant to be pushed, and his growing list of remarkable accomplishments is truly inspiring.” She went on to add “We received a record number of online votes from our fans across the adventure community, and we’re thrilled to call Kilian the National Geographic 2014 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year.”

I am happy to say that Kilian would have been my choice for Adventurer of the Year as well. His incredible feats in the mountain have been simply amazing. Other than Ueli Steck's solo summit of Annapurna, I'm hard pressed to think of anyone who has come close to what the Spaniard has accomplished. I'm happy to see him earn this much deserved recognition.

Congratulations to Kilian on this honor.

Yet More Gear From Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2014

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market came to an end this past weekend, bringing to conclusion the unveiling of another round of amazing gear that we'll all be clamoring for in a few months time. While the bi-annual gear-fest is now behind us, the previews of the what was revealed there continue to pop up. If you haven't gotten your fill of gear news lately, check out these options:

The Gear Junkie always has excellent coverage from OR, and this winter edition was no different. The GJ crew have revealed their choices for the Best in Show, with some fantastic products getting the nod. For instance, they liked the new North Face Origami jacket, which is impressively cut from a single piece of cloth. They also liked the Black Diamond Jetforce avalanche survival system and the Outdoor Research Lucent heated gloves, amongst other items. This is only part 1 of the Gear Junkie's "Best in Show" winners, so expect more to be posted soon.

Trailspace continued their excellent coverage of the show right through the final day. They posted not one, but two Day Three previews. The first gives us their take on a new headlamp from Princeton Tec, new mittens from Outdoor Research, and yet another look at the North Face Uno jacket. The second preview gives us a glimpse of women's apparel from Black Diamond, snowshoes from Easton, and packs from Lowe Alpine.

That ought to quench your gear-thirst for a few months. The Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is just seven months away!

Video: Rock Climbing Role Reversal

Since it's Monday, I'm sure there are more than a few of you that could use a good chuckle to help make it through the day. This video can certainly help. It features husband and wife rock climbers Mark and Janelle Smiley as they swap roles for a day on the crag. The humor obviously plays on some stereotypes that are common with male and female climbers, but that doesn't make it any less funny. I'm pretty sure we all know both men and women who fit these roles, which makes it all the better.

Rock Climber's Role Reversal from Mark Smiley on Vimeo.

Will the Everest 2017 Season Be One for the Record Books?

The start of the 2017 spring climbing season on Everest is still a couple of months off, but already there are climbers, guides, and Everest junkies all over the world who are gearing up for its start. Amongst them is mountaineer/blogger Alan Arnette, who always follows the climbing scene on the Big Hill closely and provides excellent insights as to what to expect and thoughts on events as they are developing. With a new season on the horizon, Alan is currently looking ahead and says that we can expect big things this year.

In an article posted to his blog yesterday, Alan says that 2017 is looking like a year for the record books. Two months before the first climbers start to arrive in Kathmandu, he is already predicting a record number of summits and many new climbers in Base Camp. This is in part because of the low cost operators who have begun taking over the mountain. This has allowed an influx of climbers from India and China in particular, and since those operators don't mind dealing with large groups of clients. In some cases, more than 100 at a time.

But beyond that, there are a number of stories to watch this year that should prove of interest. For instance, Alan notes (as we have here at The Adventure Blog) that Ueli Steck is planning to return to attempt an Everest-Lhotse Traverse. He also mentions the Indian survey team that will be measuring the current height of Everest to see if the 2015 earthquake has had an impact on that number. And as if that wasn't enough, Alan also notes that Nepali Min Bahadur Sherchan will be on the mountain in an attempt to set a new record for the oldest person to summit. At the age of 86, Min Bahadur says he is still in good shape and ready to go.

Of course, this is probably just the tip of the iceberg in terms of storylines and drama that we'll see on Everest this spring. As always, it will be a never ending source of inspiration and motivation, and probably a bit of controversy along the way too. It wouldn't be Everest otherwise. Stay tuned for regular reports throughout the spring as events unfold.

Winter Climbs 2016: Teams Go To Work on Nanga Parbat

It has been a couple of weeks since we posted any updates from Pakistan, where at least five teams are now preparing to attempt the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in winter. As I'm sure most of you know, Nanga is one of just two 8000-meter peaks that have yet to be climbed during the very difficult winter season. The other major peak that holds that distinction is K2, which will have no visitors this winter at all. But over the past few years, there has been progress made on Nanga Parbat, and this year just might be the one that sees a successful summit at long last.

The first team on the mountain this year was the Polish Justice For All squad. They actually arrived in the region as far back as the middle of November, and have been busy acclimatizing ahead of the start of the winter season. Once the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere passed on December 21, they immediately went to work and have been busy fixing ropes and establishing camps ever since. They have now reached an altitude of about 5500 meters (18,044 ft) and have been shuttling gear up to their intermediate camps before heading higher on the Schell Route.

Elsewhere, Adam Bielecki and Jacek Czech have arrived in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat after spending several weeks acclimatizing in the Andes in South America. Adam says that the snow is already quite heavy on the mountain, but the pair have managed to establish Camp 1 at 4900 meters (16,076 ft). They have since returned to Base Camp where they are catching their breath, warming up, and planning the next move.


The international team led by Alex Txikon, and consisting of Daniele Nardi and Ali Sadpara arrived on the mountain a few days back and have already gone to work too. They've already taken 70 kilograms (154 lbs) up to C1, which is located at 4850 meters (15,912 ft) using snowshoes and sleds to aid in the process. So far, the team reports that the weather has been good, but that is expected to change in the next few days, when heavy snow is in the forecast.

Italian climbers Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger reached Nanga Parbat on December 27, and have joined forces with Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz, who spent a considerable amount of time on the mountain last winter. They have been acclimatizing over the past few days, and most likely have established their first camp as well. As part of the process, the group has now gone as high as 6000 meters (19,685 ft) and spent a couple of nights above 5500 meters (18,044 ft) as well. They're now back in BC resting, and sorting through some logistical issues, including the fact that the porters are now requesting 5 times the price that they agreed upon to shuttle gear up to BC. Such are the challenges of an expedition to Pakistan.

For the most part, the winter climbing season is only now just getting underway. Some of these teams are prepared to stay on Nanga Parbat throughout the entire winter if necessary, although weather conditions will dictate any chances they have of actually reaching the top. For now, they are all being patient, taking their time, and watching the forecasts closely. We'll be watching their progress just as closely in the days to come. This could be the winter season in which history is made.

Video: There And Back Again With The Scott Expedition

Last week, Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere completed their epic journey across Antarctica following the route that Robert Falcon Scott took a century earlier. The boys are still stranded at Union Glacier while they wait for the skies to clear long enough for them to make a flight back to Punta Arenas, and then eventually home. In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy the video below, which is a short overview of the expedition and some of the challenges they faced along the way.

Winter Climbs 2017: Expeditions Now Underway

Winter is here, and that means we'll have some interesting expeditions to follow closely over the next few months. A few weeks back it seemed like there would be little winter action this year, but there are a couple of good stories to watch unfold, including some in the Himalaya, including the first winter expedition to Everest in quite some time. Let's start there. 

Spanish climber Alex Txikon and climbing partner Carlos Rubio, along with a small support team, spent the New Year in Nepal, where they are currently trekking to Everest Base Camp. They plan to climb the highest mountain on the planet during the toughest season of them all. Alex and his team arrived in the Khumbu Valley on December 29, and have slowly been making their way towards Everest ever since. The trek is the start of the acclimatization process, but they should reach Base Camp later this week. Once there, they'll likely spend a day or two getting settled and surveying the landscape before they start the process of moving through the Khumbu Icefall and traveling up to Camp 1 as the climb truly begins.

Meanwhile, Elisabeth Revol has set her sights on climbing Manaslu during the winter. She trekked to BC on that mountain last week, and arrived there on December 28. Since that time, she's been focused on acclimatizing and getting settled in preparation for her first rotation up the mountain, which should come soon. Elisabeth says that conditions are cold and windy, as you would expect in the Himalaya during the winter months. 

Solo climber Lonnie Dupre is preparing to depart on his winter expedition as well. Dubbed Cold Hunter One, he plans to climb the 4441 meter (14,573 ft) Mt. Hunter in Alaska, which is a cold, remote, and technically difficult mountain in just about any season, let alone winter. You may recall that Lonnie made a solo summit of Denali in January a couple of years back, and he expects this expedition to be just as challenging, despite the big difference in altitude. He is preparing to depart for Base Camp today, weather permitting. As usual, he'll catch a bush plane out to this starting point when conditions allow.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that a pair of climbers have launched a winter expedition in the Karakoram as well. Qudrat Ali and Samiya Rafiq first planned to take on an unclimbed 6200 meter (20,341 ft) peak in the region near Khurdopin Pass. The two climbers will then push on up through that pass as well, which is the highest in the mountain range at 5790 meters (18,996 ft). Conditions are expected to be brutal with temperatures dropping as low as -30ºC/-22ºF, with high winds and heavy snow likely. The expedition began back on December 24, and is set to wrap up on January 12, so it is a brief but tough excursion into the mountains. 

That's it for today. Expect more updates on these expeditions as the season unfolds.