Video: 7 Terrain Tricks From Ski-Mountaineer Greg Hill

In terms of skiing backcountry terrain, there are few people more experienced than Greg Hill. He's the guy that managed to ski 2 million feet (609,600 meters) of vert in a single year. That tells you that he knows a thing or two about surviving treacherous conditions in the mountains. As the ski season really starts to ramp up here in North America (today is the first day of winter after all!), this video arrives to help us be a bit safer out in the snow. It features Greg's 7 terrain tricks to help you get up and down the mountain, and come back home in one piece.

Video: Lorraine - Skiing Movies Don't Get Much More Beautiful Than This

When it comes to ski movies, they don't often come much more beautiful than this one. It is entitled Lorraine, after its subject Lorraine Huber, who explores untouched backcountry powder in breathtaking settings. The music in this one is wonderful too, setting the mood nicely. There is no dialog, just great skiing and unbelievable scenery. Don't miss it.

Lorraine. The Movie from Hanno Mackowitz on Vimeo.

SpaceShipTwo Makes Highest, Fastest Flight Yet

For the past few years, Virgin Galactic has been making slow, but steady, steps towards bring us the first commercial space flights for tourists. The program has had its challenges, and the initial passenger flights have been delayed numerous times, but last week the company took a major step towards launching the service when their specially designed, reusable aircraft, the SpaceShipTwo, made its highest and fastest flight yet.

The SpaceShipTwo is designed to carry two pilots and six passengers on a near-orbital flight that will even invoke zero gravity. It has been in testing for the past couple of years, and last Friday the rocket-plane demonstrated that it is nearly ready for prime time. The little ship is carried aloft by the WhiteKnight Two aircraft and is then dropped at an altitude of about 46,000 feet (14,000 meters). After separating from its sister-ship, the SpaceShip Two then ignites its engine and zooms up high into the atmosphere.

Last week, it soared as high as 71,000 feet (21,640 meters) and reaching speeds of Mach 1.4, or roughly 761 mph (1,224 km/h) in the process. Those are excellent marks all around and the incremental steps necessary before taking the aircraft up to the edge of space. After that happens, they'll be ready for commercial service. Right now, a ticket aboard the SpaceShipTwo runs $250,000, and reportedly 600 people have already put down a deposit to make a flight.

The video below shows us the test flight from last week, which was reportedly a resounding success in every way. Perhaps we've taken one step closer to commercial passenger spaceflights becoming a realy possibility.

Video: How the First Car Came to Nepal

This video is certainly a blast from the past. It is a brief look at how the first car was delivered to Kathmandu in Nepal. The vehicle in question was a 1938 Mercedes that was gifted to King Truibhuvan by Adolf Hitler, and was delivered by hand in 1940. At the time, there were no roads in the country, and just a few in Kathmandu itself.

Adam Ondra to Challenge the Dawn Wall in Yosemite

In January of 2015 the world was transfixed by one of the most difficult and audacious rock climbing expeditions ever. That's when Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Joregeson spent nearly three weeks climbing the Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park, widely considered the toughest big wall in the world. At the time, millions of people followed their ascent, including a large portion of the population who normally doesn't care about what happens in the rock climbing world. It was a pivotal moment for the sport, and an inspiring challenge to say the least. Now, another climbing star is hoping to repeat that epic feat, even as he climbs in Yosemite for the very first time.

Czech climber Adam Ondra has already made a name for himself as one of the best sport climbers in the world. But, he recently admitted in an interview with Black Diamond that he has never been to Yosemite Valley to go climbing before – something that he is about to change. Ondra arrived in the U.S. last week and is currently en route to the national park, where the has already announced plans to take on two of its most iconic routes – The Nose and the Salathé Wall. Both are considered to be extremely challenging, and and are amongst the most well known routes in the entire world.

But, Ondra has also told Black Diamond that he is considering an attempt on the Dawn Wall as well. He admits that he doesn't want to reveal too much about those ambitious plans since he hasn't even seen the route in person yet, but he would like to give the famous climb a go should the opportunity present itself.

For most climbers, attempting a massive climb like the Dawn Wall without first setting eyes on it would seem like a silly proposition. But as National Geographic Adventure points out, Ondra has already climbed similar routes on his first attempt, something that is known in rock climbing circles as "onsighting." Nat Geo further points out that the Dawn Wall carries a Yosemite Decimal System rating of 5.14d, which is incredibly tough for sure. But, there are three sport climbs rated 5.15c in the entire world, and Ondra is the only person to complete all of them. That is the most difficult rating in the entire sport.

Will he be able to complete the Dawn Wall? Only time will tell. Personally, I think he'll need to scout the route a bit and consider his options closely. Climbing the Dawn Wall isn't just about its difficulty rating. It is a long, grueling ascent that takes days to complete. Caldwell and Joregeson spent years in preparation, and both have a great deal of experience in Yosemite. Can Ondra make he climb? Of course he can. But, I think he'll need a bit more seasoning in the Valley before he does so.

If he proves me wrong, it will indeed be one of the greatest feats in the history of climbing. For now, we'll just have to wait to see if that is the case.

Video: Hang Gliding Off Half Dome (Circa 1977)

This short documentary was shot back in 1977 but it only now making its way out to the public. It chronicles the flight of three men – Rich Piccirilli, Jim Hanbury, and Brian Johnson – from the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Mid-flight Hanbury and Johnson release themselves from the hang glider and freefall to the valley floor below. This is a wonderful, nostalgic look back at a very different era in world of outdoor adventure. But it is lots of fun nonetheless.

 HALF DOME! (1977) from Randy Forbes on Vimeo.

Video: Life on an Arctic Expedition

Ever wondered what it is like to be a part of an expedition to the Arctic? This video will give you an idea. It was shot during a five month long journey through the Arctic by a team of researchers who simply turned the engines of their ship off for that time period and drifted with the ice. Their goal was to record the loss of ice and to study how that would impact the rest of the world. The results of their study will take some time to analyze, but as you'll see, the expedition itself was quite an experience.