Outside Magazine Wants To Give You $10,000 To Fund Your Next Adventure!

Listen up outdoor adventurers! Are you planning an epic expedition in the near future? Need some extra cash to help get your journey off the ground? Outside magazine is here to help!

Outside is seeking submissions for its 2013 Adventure Grant and is looking for one bold adventurer to give $10,000 to. To enter, all you have to do is click here and fill out the online form. It includes the usual information such as your name, address, and so on. You'll also be asked to write a brief (500 words or less) essay about what kind of adventure you have planned and share a photo of yourself or your team. Finally, you'll need to create a brief video, no longer than two minutes, that expresses your passion for whatever your adventure may be. Upload that video to YouTube or Vimeo, and you're all set to go.

Deadline for submissions is June 1, which means you don't have a lot of time to get everything you need together. Once the deadline passes, Outside editors will pick their finalists and those videos will be posted online where readers can vote for their favorites. Last year, readers selected Daniel Alvarez as their winner. The 31-year old from Tallahassee, Florida went on an amazing kayaking journey that began in Minnesota, followed the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and then continued along the coast until he reached the tip of the Florida Keys.

This is a great opportunity for anyone to find some funding for their big adventure. Be creative, pitch your idea well and who knows, we may just be reading about you in the pages of Outside next year.

A Costa Rican Stage Race on a Fat Bike?

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Fat bike, meet La Ruta de Los Conquistadores. Si, the famous Costa Rican race that climbs over 20,000 feet in three days. That bisects Central America from west to east. That transverses jungles, crawls up a volcano to 10,000 feet, is more pocked than a WWI minefield, and that begs for a full suspension 29er, or 27.5. What is doesn’t beg for is going fully rigid on a fat bike, four-inch-wide rubber sucking the mojo out of ever freewheel cruise on the flats.

Unless you’re Will Muecke and his buddies at Team CoreCo. Muecke is an equity investor based in Costa Rica, with his company closely devoted to Costa Rican causes, from community health concerns to funding the only bottle-to-bottle PET (plastic) recycling plant in Central America. And how does that add up to riding a fatty so far from snow and sand?

The short answer is that it doesn’t.

The long answer is that Muecke, an American, got the desire to race the  Iditadrod Trail Invitational, or ITI. Muecke is fit enough; he’s a La Ruta veteran and a masters-level rower, but you have to qualify for the ITI, which meant being in Alaska this past January. No sweat, he did that, qualified for ITI, and in the process got hooked on fat bikes and especially training on them so he’s ready to race the 2014 ITI.

And since nothing is better for training to race than racing, Muecke, who apparently has some influence in the Costa Rican race scene, managed to convince La Ruta organizer Roman Urbina to open a fat bike category for this coming October’s event.
You’d guess going fat would be grueling, but Muecke claims otherwise. “Getting back from Alaska, I rode my typical mountain bike routes on the fattie as just good training, but as the routes got more technical and the terrain steeper I discovered a couple of things.”

Muecke says his Alaskan-made Fatback tips the scales at 30 pounds, nine pounds heavier than his Niner Jet 9. “But the wide footprint provides tractor-like traction in loose and super-steep climbs. On pitches where I would normally walk, I had better climbing power and could spin my way up and through the crux sections of the climb without ever breaking rhythm.”

La Ruta is well known for its soul-crushing climbs; most racers, even the pros, find themselves walking, but Muecke says with a 22-tooth granny in front, he has enough torque for nearly every ascent; the only adaptation was to switch from a double to triple up front so he has more power on the molasses-slow flats.

Whether the category will grow is another story. Muecke is noncommittal, but running a fat bike in La Ruta is drawing a lot of publicity, both to the idea and to CoreCo’s causes, and that’s motivation for Muecke and his growing team of six fat-bike riders to keep at it.

Adventure bug hits Washington DC

Last week, Sally Jewell—former CEO of REI—took the helm as the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. This is great news for everyone who likes to hike, bike, run, ski, fish, paddle, climb, or explore the outdoors in any way. Why you should care? I’ll tell you.

The Department of the Interior, or DOI, oversees 500 million acres—approximately 20 percent of America, including our national parks, national wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management lands, and more. How many times have you enjoyed an adventure on these lands? I bet many! Secretary Jewell is now in charge of managing these, as well as the department’s 70,000+ employees. Suffice to say, it’s a pretty big job.

As with any political office, the Secretary of the Interior faces a delicate balancing act, juggling many interests. This is why we’re so pleased to have one of our own in this important position. Under Jewell’s watch, the DOI is poised to recognize outdoor recreation as a leading use of public lands—one that creates tremendous economic value.

The DOI website summarizes their mission this way: “The U.S. Department of the Interior protects America’s natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal communities, and supplies the energy to power our future.”

Notice that last part, about supplying energy to power our future. It’s been a pretty big focus of the DOI over the years, which is all fine and good. Of course we should harvest our nation’s energy resources. After all, DOI lands are rich with oil and gas resources that generate significant revenue for the government while also providing domestic energy for our growing population.

The trouble is, until recently, no one has given much more than a passing glance to how important outdoor recreation is to our economy. But by paying heed to the first part of the mission—protecting America’s natural resources and heritage—we can support a heck of a lot of jobs, and good-paying sustainable jobs at that—in technology, product design, manufacturing, sustainability, retail, global commerce, public land management, and more.

With Jewell in charge of the DOI, we are better positioned to spread the message that our nation’s public lands and waters are foundational to outdoor recreation and the economy.
Jewell brings a plethora of great experience to the table. As CEO of REI, she managed a $2 billion company that is as committed to protecting outdoor recreation experiences as it is to making and selling great products. Before that, she worked as an oil and gas engineer and financier. Wow. What a combo! It’s not often that we get a DOI official with such a broad and unique perspective. She has the chops to understand the opportunities and challenges facing the DOI, particularly as recreation lands are disproportionately targeted for budget cuts.

Jewell’s appointment is a big deal because it shows that leaders in Washington are starting to get it. Like Senator Wyden said during Jewell’s confirmation hearing: “The economics of public lands have changed. Recreation has become a big business, and it will be good for the economy if it grows bigger. To do that, the department will need to give more attention to the opportunities that recreation on public lands provides for businesses than it has in the past.”

Outdoor recreation resources are renewable and can continue to sustain economic dividends for years to come. Just what sort of dividends? I’m talking about the $646 billion in consumer spending that outdoor recreation generates each year. And 6.1 million sustainable American jobs (more than twice as many as the oil and gas industry). And nearly $80 billion in annual tax revenue. These are big numbers. And they deserve significant consideration when choosing how to manage our public lands and waters.

When people play outside, their spending goes right back into the economy.

Explorer Julian Monroe Fisher Completes Phase Two Of Great African Expedition

Explorer Julian Monroe Fisher has completed Phase Two of his ambitious RailRiders 2012-2016 Great African Expedition, traveling overland through remote regions of that continent. 
Fisher began the journey in Juba, the capital of South Sudan back in January and followed the same expeditionary route taken by Sir Samuel White Baker and his wife Lady Florence Baker back in the 1860's. The route eventually took him across the border into northern Uganda, following in Baker's footsteps to the shores of Lake Albert.

This phase of the expedition follows a successful launch of the project last spring during which Fisher traveled overland from Cairo, Egypt to Khartoum, Sudan. Traveling solo, the anthropologist began his study of the Ethnographical make-up of parts of Africa. The plan is to compare the modern day dispersal of local tribes with historical records from the 19th century with similar data.

During Phase Two, Fisher was joined by British photographer and documentarian Jon Maguire as he traveled north out of Juba into the realm of the Mundari tribes. From there, the two men turned southeast, traveling into the Eastern Equatoria region of South Sudan. Next, their route carried them across the border into northern Uganda, where they were joined by David Baker and his daughter Melanie. David is the great-great grandson of Sir Samuel Baker, and together the group trekked to the location where the famed explorers became the first European to set eyes on Lake Albert. Marking the exact GPS coordinates of that point, Fisher was later able to provide the Ugandan government with the precise location, something they intend to use to promote the spot to travelers.

Fisher and Maguire now intend to make a documentary of their travels through South Sudan, which remains the planet's newest nation. Few know much about the country and its troubled history, and it is possible the film will give many of us our first glimpse into life in that country.

Phase Three of the expedition will follow the Kagera River through Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania before making a circumnavigation around Lake Victoria. The start of that phase of the expedition has yet to be announced.

Trek To Everest Base Camp And Raise Funds For Orphans At The Same Time!

One of the top adventure travel experiences for anyone who wants to experience the Himalaya is a trek to Everest Base Camp. The trip takes about two-weeks round trip and really immerses you in the landscapes and culture of Nepal along the way. Take it from me, I did this trek a few years back and absolutely loved it. Later this year, you can make that trek too and raise funds for a local orphanage in the process.

Non-profit organization Kids of Kathmandu has joined forces with adventure travel company Discover Outdoors to create a unique fund raising experience. Those looking to participate in the trek have two options. They can simply pay $2995 ($2895 if you register before April 30) to join the group or commit to raising $9000 for the Kids of Kathmandu. If that goal is reached, the cost of the trip is covered and the cash raised will go to support a very important project.

And what exactly is that project? KoK is looking to improve the quality of life in an orphanage in Bhaktapur by installing solar panels that will help provide power there. Anyone who has ever been to Nepal has probably experienced the rolling blackouts that are common there but by installing solar panels they hope to alleviate the downtime and provide the children living in this orphanage with electricity . The travelers who join this trek will also pay a visit to the orphanage so they can meet some of the children they're helping personally.

The trek is scheduled to take place September 26 - October 13 of this year.  To find out more and to sign up, click here.

The Himalaya, Everest Base Camp and a good cause? Sounds like a perfect adventure.

Felix Baumgartner Named Nat Geo People's Choice Adventurer Of The Year!

Skydiver Felix Baumgartner, aka The Man Who Fell To Earth, has been named the winner of the National Geographic 2013 People's Choice Adventurer of the Year. The award is given as a result of an online poll conducted of visitors to the National Geographic website over a two-month period running from November to January. Baumgartner edged out nine other very worthy candidates to earn this distinction after making a historic skydive last fall.

Felix gained worldwide attention last October when he rode a specially designed high altitude balloon up to the edge of space. When his capsule was approximately 39 km (24 miles) above the Earth, he stepped out and proceeded to free fall through the atmosphere. On the way down, he managed to become the first person to break the sound barrier with out an aircraft, reaching speeds in excess of 1357 km/h (843 mph) in the process. He also set a record for the highest ever skydive with his jump starting at an impressive 38,969 meters (127,853 ft).

As impressive as this feat was, Baumgartner did have some good competition for the title of People's Choice Adventurer of the Year. Some of the other candidates included kayaker Steve Fisher, who completed the first descent of the world's largest rapids on the Congo River and climber David Lama, who free climbed Cerro Torre along the 1097 meter (3600 ft) Southeast Ridge. Ultrarunner Lizzy Hawker was also amongst the finalist for her fifth win at the famed Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and explorer Mike Libecki received the nod for this efforts to continually fill in blank spots on the map.

I have to say that I'm not surprised that it was Felix that went home with the title. After all, he probably received the most press of any of the candidates. His skydive, which was broadcast live over the Internet, held us all spellbound and it was amazing to watch him fall from such great heights. Congratulations to him and his entire support team for earning this honor. Definitely well deserved.

Sequestration Puts National Parks In Danger

March 1st passed with President Obama and Congress failing to come up with a new budget plan before midnight. The Sequestration process has now kicked in, making automatic cuts to the government's budget across the board. These deep cuts are going to have an impact on a number of services and programs that we'll likely be dealing with for weeks and months to come.

One of the most visible places where you'll notice sequestration having an immediate and direct impact is in America's national parks, which will now be forced to cut hours of operation, close visitor centers and cut jobs in an effort to meet the new budget demands.

Amongst the cuts that have already been made public are delayed openings for Yellowstone, Yosemite and parts of the Grand Canyon this spring. In the Grand Tetons, the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, and the Flagg Ranch Visitor Contact Station will all be closed for the summer. On Mt. Rainier the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center will also be shuttered, while in Denali the Eielson Visitor Center will see a delayed opening this spring. The National Park Service has even announced that five campsites inside the Great Smokey Mountains National Park will be closed for the year as well. Considering that is the most visited park in the entire system, it is sure to have an impact on visitors.

This is just the tip of the iceberg however and there are sure to be many similar reductions in service across nearly all the national parks. The dedicated staff at those locations will work hard to minimize the impact on travelers, but it many of the cuts will simply be too large to ignore. If you're planning on visiting a national park in the near future, I'd recommend checking ahead to see what impact the sequestration process is going to have on that particular park. I'd hate to have someone arrive at their destination, only to find that the park isn't open yet or some key services were not being offered.

It's a shame that it has come down to this, but this is economic climate we live in right now. Lets hope it all gets sorted out soon.

Whittaker reflects on Everest

On May 1, 1963 Jim Whittaker became the first American to summit Mt. Everest. His successful expedition was a result of months of preparation and weeks of hard work in the Himalaya that culminated with him reaching the highest point on the planet. Back then, Everest was a very different place than it is today, something that Whittaker reflects upon in an Op-Ed piece that he wrote for The Seattle Times that was published over the weekend.

In the article Whittaker talks about the massive changes that have come to the mountain since he made his historic climb five decades ago. He mentions that when he climbed Everest his team had to hire 32 Sherpas and 909 porters just to help get all of their gear and supplies to Base Camp, which was a 100-mile (160 km) trek back in those days. Today, a short flight puts you into the Khumbu Valley, making the walk in a mere 40 miles (64 km).

That isn't the only change however. Whittaker laments the fact that the crowds on Everest have grown so large, with some climbers lacking the proper skills, training and experience to take on such a massive peak. Whittaker's son Leif made his second ascent of Everest last year and we're told he had to wait at 28,700 feet (8747 meters) for more than an hour thanks to the traffic jams going up and down the mountain. The elder Whittaker feels that those crowds could be a disaster waiting to happen should extremely bad weather move in unexpectedly.

As we get closer to the start of new season on Everest I expect we'll see more pieces like this one. The 50th anniversary commemoration will no doubt also bring other media attention to the current climate for climbing on the world's tallest peak. But I doubt any of them will be written by anyone who has the same unique perspectives of Whittaker who really has seen the mountain evolve and change since he stood on top. This is definitely an interesting read from a man who knows what he is talking about.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes Pulls Out Of Antarctic-Crossing After Contracting Frostbite

One of the biggest upcoming expeditions that I have been anticipating is the first-ever winter crossing of Antarctica led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The 3200km (2000 mile) journey would test even the heartiest of explorers, exposing them to temperatures as cold as -90ºC/-130ºF as they battled incredibly high winds and massive snow storms in what some consider the most challenging polar adventure left to do. Today we learned however that Fiennes has now been forced to pull out of the expedition after contracting severe frostbite while training.

Fiennes and his teammates have been in the Antarctic for several weeks now, putting the final touches on their preparations to launch their trans-continental trek. He and his companions were on a training exercise when Fiennes took a spill, damaging his ski bindings in the process. The famous explorer than proceeded to remove his gloves to fix the bindings in -30ºC/-22ºF temperatures which caused the frostbite. He is now waiting evacuation from the Antarctic to return to South Africa to receive treatment.

This isn't the first time that Fiennes has had to deal with frostbite. The veteran polar explorer has contracted it in the past on his numerous expeditions to the cold regions of our planet. In 2000, while traveling solo to the North Pole he had to be evacuated for the same reason. It was not long after that that he famously amputated his own finger tips to remove the necrotic area after his doctor urged him to wait until they were more fully healed. It is likely that that incident had an impact on him contracting frostbite once again.

The rest of the team is still proceeding ahead with their plans. They will depart on the Antarctic crossing on March 21 with several members of the team on skis, while others drive support vehicles behind them. We'll be able to follow their progress at the Coldest Journey website.

The BBC article linked to above indicates that Fiennes is absolutely devastated that he won't be able to join the team on this trek. Some believe that he saw this as a possible swan song to his career, capping an already impressive resume with one last grand adventure. Unfortunately that isn't going to happen. As soon as the weather clears, he will be on a plane back to South Africa.

Outdoor gourmet

Are you the kind of person who spends more time cooking over a campfire or backpacking stove than you do in your own kitchen? If so, there is a new website you'll definitely want to checkout and add to your bookmarks. It's called CampingRecipes.co and it is sure to become a popular resource for the outdoor crowd.

As you would expect from an online cooking site, Camping Recipes has a database filled with all kinds of suggestions for things to eat while out on the trail. It features hundreds of suggestions for healthy and tasty snacks and meals for when you're out on the trail. It even features full meal plans designed to provide plenty of calories for extended trips.

The site offers a solid search tool for finding new versions of your favorite recipes but it also provides plenty of categories to explore as well. For instance, there are vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.  There are also suggestions for car camping , backpacking and ultralight trekking, as well as recipes that don't require any cooking at all. Camping Recipes provides excellent choices for kids, low carb selections and even gourmet meals for the talented trail chef.

But what really sets this site apart from others is the wealth of information in provides specifically for backpacking. Not only does it provide the full recipe for the meals but it also provides calorie counts too. It also offers an estimated weight for carrying all the ingredients in your pack, which is helpful for those who want to know exactly what they're carrying with them when they hit the trail.

If you're looking to add some new options to your outdoor cooking repertoire, then head over to CampingRecipes.co now. While you're there, sign-up and join the community. You'll be abel to share some of your favorite trail-menu options, interact with others and review recipes.

Now if you'll excuse me, I suddenly find myself very hungry.

USA's 1st trail running conference comes to Colorado

Trail running in one of the most popular and fastest growing outdoor sports in the U.S., so it seems only natural that the first ever conference in North America focused on the sport should take place later this year. The inaugural Estes Trail Ascent is scheduled to take place June 20-22 in Estes Park, Colorado - one of the premiere trail running destinations in a state that is known for its amazing locations for all mountain sports.

The event is tailored for athletes, event organizers and vendors alike, with something to offer everyone. The daily schedule, which is still being completely filled in, will include seminars, speaker panels, a gear expo and of course trail runs – including a 5.9-mile (9.5 km) race that features 1900 feet (579 meters) of elevation gain.

Event organizers will be especially interested in the Event Director College. This first of its kind event will run at the same time as the trail running conference and is designed to give race directors all of the tools they need to focus on and build a quality event. Seminars and panels will share secrets on finding sponsorships, event management, marketing, public relations and more. Managers of successful trail running events across the U.S. will share their wisdom and knowledge that will allow the sport to continue to grow in new areas.

Registration for the Estes Trail Ascent is now open. If you're interested in attending, book your plans now.

It is great to see this kind of event cropping up in the U.S. for the first time. Trail running is popular with outdoor enthusiasts, so its wonderful to see the sport growing to the point that a conference of this type can take place. Estes Park is also a beautiful setting for the event as well and well worth attending just to spend a little time in the area.

Does The Amazon Still Remain Un-Paddled From Source-To-Sea?

An interesting story showed up yesterday. In it, a white-water kayaking guide by the name of James "Rocky" Contos contends that the river that has been previously thought to be the source of the Amazon isn't in fact the source at all. That would mean that all previous attempts to make a first descent of the waterway were starting in the wrong place and the Amazon has yet to be paddled source-to-sea.

Contos says that he made his discovery while using Google Earth to plan some new kayaking routes in Peru. Previously it has been assumed that the Apurimac River marks the furthest starting point of the Amazon, but he believes that its true source sits on the 18,363-foot (5597 meter) Nevado Mismi mountain, where the Mantaro River begins. By Contos' estimates, the Mantaro is approximately 50 miles longer than the Apurimac, giving it the distinction of being the furthest source.

If what Contos says is true, we'll eventually have to re-write the record books on the first descent of the river. As of right now, it hasn't been done. At least not by kayak. Contos shared his findings with West Hansen, who was launching his Amazon Express expedition last year, but the two had a bit of a contentious relationship it seems, which led to Hansen going the historical route and Contos using motorboats to complete a first full descent of what he believes is the Amazon River. The article has more details on the situation between the two men, which seems like it can best be described as frosty.

For now, we have to wait to see if there is independent confirmation of this new finding, which Outside speculates could lead to a rush of expedition paddlers heading to South America to attempt to become the first to run the Amazon from the "new" source to the sea. Regardless if it is proven or not however, I suspect there are some already planning to make the run, just so they can lay claim to it.

Travel destinations for 2013

We're now just about halfway through the month of February, which means we're far enough into the new year that we should be thinking about our own adventures for the year ahead. Our friends over at The Active Times are here to help with this task, offering their selection for the 30 best new trips for 2013.


The AT broke their list of suggested destinations and activities down into region, offering the best options for Africa, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe & The Middle East. Each of their selections in those regions is a wild adventure that is far from the norm and decidedly not for the traveler who likes to sit on the beach watching the world go by. On the contrary, these are active, often demanding, journeys that will be reward adventurous travelers with once in a life time experiences and satisfying cultural, physical and historical encounters.

For instance, one of the options for intrepid trekkers is a 100-mile long hike through Kenya's Tsavao National Parks. The trek takes 11 days to complete and guarantees some memorable animal encounters along the way. Other options include new backpacking options in Patagonia, exploring the Mongolian Steppe on horseback and mountain biking the Himalaya in Bhutan. No matter what activity or destination you love, there are some good suggestions here, most of which will fill your adrenaline quotient while also providing plenty of amazing experience that simply can't be found elsewhere.

Over the past week or two I've been lamenting the fact that I've been home for far too long. Lots of work and a few bumps in the road of my personal life have kept me firmly rooted at by base of operations for far longer than I would like. I'm hoping to change that soon, as the wanderlust is certainly becoming harder to ignore. I see plenty of tempting options on this list for places I'd love to visit and experiences I'd like to add to my travel resume. It's time for me to choose my next adventure. How about you?

Walking the Nile

Two British adventurers are preparing to set out on one very long and demanding expedition that will see them pass through seven countries, covering more than 4250 miles (6840 km), along the entire length of the Nile River.

Inspired by Ed Staford's record setting walk along the Amazon, Levison Wood and Simon Clarke have dubbed their adventure Walking the Nile. If successful, they'll become the first people in history to walk the longest river in the world from source to sea, and along the way they hope to encourage others to get off their couch and seek adventures of their own.

Their journey will begin in the highlands of Burundi and Rwanda before descending into the thick jungles of Tanzania and Uganda. From there they'll walk along the edge of Lake Victoria before entering the newest country on the planet – South Sudan. Crossing through the largest swampland on the planet, they'll move into North Sudan before passing into the Sahara Desert for the final leg of the expedition in Egypt. Wood and Clarke estimate that it should take them roughly 12 months to complete their adventure.

No date has been announced for the start of the expedition, but presumably you'll be able to follow progress online once they get underway. For now though, you can get a sense of what they are facing in the following video: http://vimeo.com/58469977

New Antarctic Research Station Opens

Halley VI, a new British Antarctic research station officially opened for business this week, welcoming the first inhabitants for an extended stay. The station, which is located along the Brunt Ice Shelf, just off the Weddell Sea, is designed to monitor the changing conditions and climate in the region. It will be the home for 16 scientists who will reside there throughout the long winter ahead. During the busier summer months, it can house as many as 70.

Built from a set of modular structures that can be easily moved, the Halley VI was designed to be comfortable even in the extreme conditions of the Antarctic. It is rated to withstand temperatures as low as -69ºF/-56ºC and a built-in set of hydraulic legs that can be raised or lowered to help the base withstand heavy snows. Previous research facilities have been crushed under the weight of Antarctic precipitation in the past.

The Halley VI has another trick up its sleeve that can help it survive where its predecessors failed as well. All seven of the interlocked modules can be placed on skis and moved to a different location, which will come in handy when the pack ice that it currently rests on begins to recede further. Considering the Brunt Ice Shelf moves about 700 meters in a given year, and doesn't rest over any kind of permanent ground, the mobility of the station could extend the life of the station greatly.

It has taken four years for the British Antarctic Survey team to complete the construction of the base and for now it will be manned by just a skeleton crew. As the Antarctic winter hits in just a few short weeks, those first inhabitants of the Halley VI will be cut off until the spring. At that time, the station will be resupplied and a full compliment of staff and maintenance crew will arrive on site. Until then, its going to be some very long and lonely days indeed.

Run a marathon this September

Outdoor athletes looking for a new challenge this year may want to consider the Pantagonian International Marathon, which takes place in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park on September 28. The race, which returns for its second year, promises runners a unique challenge in one of the most beautiful places on Earth while striving to also protect that amazing wilderness.

The 2012 edition of the marathon drew more than 400 racers from 17 different countries and this year's edition looks to do the same. Organizers of the event, who also put together the outstanding Patagonion Expedition Race, offer four different lengths for runners to run. Those lengths include 63k (39.1 miles), 42k (26.2 miles), 21k (13.1 miles) and 10k (6.2 miles).

And oh what a course this is sure to be. Torres del Paine features spectacular mountain vistas, pristine rivers and streams, crystal clear lakes and beautiful glaciers. Each of the routes shares parts of the same trail, which runs through the heart of the national park, giving runners an opportunity to experience this unique place in the best way possible – on foot!

The race isn't just about running through one of the most breathtaking places on the planet however as it also is used to raise awareness of the importance of protecting this magical place. The marathon is run in conjunction with  NIGSA, an organization dedicated ensuring the sustainable development of Patagonia, while spearheading conservation efforts to keep the region as pure and untouched as possible.

Registration for the event is now open with early-bird discounts running through the end of the  month. This is an opportunity to run a marathon (or longer!) in a place that many consider to be the last great wilderness on Earth. And while you're there, race organizers are also offering some great add-ons to help you enjoy the place even more. For example, you can go kayaking on the Strait of Magellan, tracking Vicuna in a conservation park or trekking in the Karukinka and Darwin Mountain Ranges. These options allow you to add even more adventure to your trip.

Sound like fun? Better get training now!

UK Comic Relief tackles the mighty Zambezi

I was pleased to see that the UK Children's charity, Comic Relief, were recently tasked with negotiating the mighty Zambezi River to raise money for disadvantaged children.

A number of UK celebrities are aiming to raise £1 million to help children in Zambia go to school, whilst also changing the lives of children in the UK and across Africa.

A topic very close to my heart, I was pleased to see how successful they were and that no-one was injured along the way! I tackled the Zambezi some years ago now and have since written a book which is available on Amazon Kindle. 

Please have a look on their website and support this excellent cause. http://www.rednoseday.com/whats-going-on/challenges/hellandhighwater

A 3000-Mile Journey Through The American West On Horseback

A lot of people don't realize it, but the American west still has herds of wild horses that inhabit portions of the country. It is estimated that about 37,000 of the animals still roam the west today and these strong, sturdy creatures are uniquely adapted to their environment. That makes them a particularly good choice for a new equestrian expedition that is set to get underway on March 15th. That is when a group of four riders will set out on a 3000-mile long odyssey that will form the basis of a new documentary entitled Unbranded.
In few short weeks, riders Ben Masters, Thomas Glover, Ben Thamer and Jonny Fitzsimons will embark on their adventure, starting at the border of Mexico and heading north. Their route will take them more than six months to complete, crossing through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana before finishing at the Canadian border. Along the way they'll pass through such amazing locations at the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.

The four men will ride this trail with 17 horses, each of which were previously wild mustangs. Their journey wouldn't be possible without these amazing animals and the film that they will shoot will be a testament to the partnership between rider and horse. Through this film they hope to not only recapture the spirit of adventure in the Old West but also share with viewers the story of these wild mustangs, many of which are available for adoption to those looking to add a high-quality horse to their stable, ranch or farm.

The route that the team has elected to follow is a custom one that they've selected themselves in an effort to experience the true back country of the places they'll be visiting along the way. The path will lead along portions of the Arizona Trail, Great Western Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, passing through deserts, canyons, mountains and plains along the way. It should make for a stunning and dramatic backdrop to their adventure.

Operation extreme cold

In writing this little blog of mine I've been privileged enough to make the acquaintance of a number of amazing men and women who do some incredible things. When I hear from those folks, either by phone or email, I always make sure to give them special attention and listen closely to what they are thinking and planning. One of those people is explorer Mikael Strandberg, a man who has pushed the limits of human endurance on a number of expeditions to far flung corners of the globe. So when I received an email this weekend detailing Mikael's next adventure, you can bet that I read the note with keen interest.

In that email Mikael announced Expedition Extreme Cold, a journey through one of the harshest and bitterly cold environments on the planet. This adventure will take Strandberg deep into the heart of Siberia, where he'll spend time traveling with the Eveny, a group of nomadic reindeer herders who have learned to survive in that beautiful, yet unforgiving place.

Mikael's journey will begin in Oymyako, Siberia – one of the coldest inhabited place on the planet. In Oymyako, the average temperature falls below freezing for seven months of the year and the ground is permanently frozen. In the months that Strandberg will be traveling in the region, temperatures will routinely drop below -60ºC/-76ºF as he makes his way through a wild, mountainous region that few people ever visit.

Shackleton Epic Expedition Set To Begin

For my money, the greatest story of survival in history is that of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the members of his crew on the Endurance expedition. In a nutshell, Shackleton and his men sailed for Antarctica where they hoped to make a traverse of the continent. Upon their arrival, their ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the pack-ice and the crew became stranded, before losing the vessel eight months later. Abandoning their ship, the men then set up camp on a floating iceberg, where the mostly stayed for another five and a half months before loading up life rafts and setting out for the nearest land. That happened to be Elephant Island, which took them five days to reach by sea.

Elephant Island was the firs solid ground they stood on for more than 497 days but it was hardly a hospitable place. Shackleton knew that they couldn't stay there for long and that he needed to go for help, so after two weeks on the island he and some of his crew, set off for South Georgia – 800 nautical miles away – in one of the lifeboats. Two weeks later they reached the remote island where they knew the could find help, but first they would have to traverse a mountainous region that had never been crossed before. Shackleton and two of his men hiked 32 miles in 36 hours to get help and eventually they were able to save the men left behind. Most amazing of all in this tale is that not a single member of the crew lost their life during this ordeal that lasted more than 18 months.

I'm not the only one who finds this story fascinating and at the moment there is a team of adventurous souls who are preparing to reenact a portion of the harrowing tale. The crew of the Shakleton Epic expedition has spent the past few weeks preparing to take on the challenges of the Southern Ocean as they follow in the British explorer's footsteps, sailing in a small boat from Elephant Island to South Georgia and then traversing the island just as Shackleton and his men did.

10 most remote national parks

Want to get REALLY away? Not like the most remote part of Yellowstone, where you're a mere couple of days walk from a road. How about some places where you are more likely to run in to a bear than a human? Ok, well here are 10 of the most remote national parks on Earth...

1. Kronotsky Zapovednik, Russia

The Kronotsky nature reserve, 4,000 plus square miles of roadless tundra, active volcanoes and geysers on the East coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, falls under a protective status fairly unique to Russia: zapovednik. As David Quammen wrote in National Geographic in 2009, the Russian government's designation of "zapovednik" translates to a "restricted zone", set aside for the study and protection of flora and fauna and geology; tourism limited or forbidden; thanks for your interest, but go away.” Scientists are permitted entry, but only for research, and only 3,000 other visitors are allowed, and then only for one day (there are no overnight accommodations for visitors), and for about $700 US per person via helicopter. For five hours.

2. Torngat Mountains National Park, Canada

No designated campsites, no facilities, no trails, no signs in this park in northern Labrador. Enter by (charter) plane and figure out where you want to go in this wild tundra land full of untouched mountains, polar bears, and caribou. Don’t get lost. And don’t get eaten: “Parks Canada recommends that a visitor engage the services of a trained Inuit polar bear guard when hiking in the park.” Another option: Travel to Torngat Base Camp, the main access point to the park, and hire a guide/bear guard. Packages start at about $1,000 per day, including travel to and from Base Camp, which is a 45-minute charter boat ride from the Saglek, an old U.S. Air Force radar station, reached by the once-weekly flight from the airport at Goose Bay. Torngat Base Camp is open seven weeks every year, from July to early September.

3. Central Island National Park, Kenya

Sibiloi National Park is a three-day, 560-mile drive in a four-wheel-drive vehicle from Nairobi or a 2.5-hour flight to one of two airstrips in the park. Within Sibiloi is 2,400-square-mile Lake Turkana, and within Lake Turkana is Central Island National Park, a volcanic island containing several craters, three of which contain saline lakes. It’s a 4.5-mile boat ride from the western shore of Sibiloi and is believed to be home to the world’s largest population of Nile crocodiles, in addition to zebra, giraffe, kudu and gazelles. Bring your sun hat — temps often hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Darien National Park, Panama

The Darien Gap is one of the thickest undeveloped swamp- and forest lands in the world, population a couple thousand people. An expedition crossing it by off-road vehicle in 1978 took 30 days and by the time they’d hacked their way through to the other side, the side where they’d started had grown over again. Darien National Park, Central America’s largest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers more than 2,200 square miles of the Darien Gap. Monsoon forests reach up to 160 feet, and bush dogs, spider monkeys, and jaguars are a few animals that call Darien home. Visitation is not high, in part to its accessibility — the tiny village of El Real is reachable only by boat or plane — but also partly because the population of drug smugglers and paramilitary groups who hang out in the jungles there.

5. Pulu Keeling National Park, Australia

North Keeling Island is a .46-square-mile uninhabited coral atoll and Australia’s smallest and hardest to reach national park. To get there, you’ll first jump on an 1,800-mile flight from Perth, Australia, to the Cocos Keeling Islands. From the main Cocos atoll, a 1.5-hour inflatable boat ride gets you as close as safely possible, and then you have to swim over the reef to get onto the island. Once on the island, you must be guided around North Keeling Island by park staff or other permitted tour guide. Visitation to the park is so closely regulated to protect the sensitive species that call the island home, including the red-footed booby — the island is one of the most significant red-footed booby breeding colonies in the world.

6. Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island

Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world — 1,300 miles from the nearest inhabited island (Pitcairn Island, population 100), and more than 2,000 miles from mainland Chile. A large chunk of the 63-square-mile island is a Chilean national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its 887 moai statues, giant stone heads that dot the landscape.

7. Quttinirpaaq National Park, Canada

Quttinirpaaq is one of the places in the world where SPOT satellite messengers don’t work — because it’s so close to the North Pole. For years, polar expeditions launched from Ellesmere Island, where Quttinirpaaq is located, in extreme north Nunavut, right near the top of Greenland. Fly in from Resolute Bay, pop. 250 (one-way charter flights are only $15,000!), and check out the expanse of rock and snow — but don’t expect any powder; it’s a polar desert here.

8. Wapusk National Park, Canada

Wapusk and nearby Churchill, in northern Manitoba on the Hudson Bay, are the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Access to Churchill, population 900, is by plane or train only, and access to Wapusk National Park is limited (to protect the people from the bears and vice versa), and almost completely by licensed tour operators — one of whom transports up to 40 visitors in custom “tundra buggies” to Cape Churchill for polar bear viewing. Ten-day polar bear viewing tours cost about $1,100 per day.

9. National Park of American Samoa

In 2011, the National Park of American Samoa had its biggest year ever: 8,716 visitors. In 2006, only 1,200 people visited. It’s the only U.S. National Park located south of the equator (because American Samoa is south of the equator). As the NPS website says, “unless you live in American Samoa, more than casual planning is required to visit the park.” Only one major carrier, Hawaiian Airlines, flies to American Samoa, a 5.5-hour flight from Honolulu. But hey, once you get there…well, the park is split amongst three islands, so you’ve got a couple more flights from Pago Pago to the Manua. But then, solitude for snorkeling, scuba diving, and hiking.

10. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska, U.S.A.

The secret’s out about this place, which saw an all-time high of more than 11,000 human beings in 2011. Hanging above the Arctic Circle, Kobuk Valley is 1.7 miles of terrain with no roads or trails, but a couple of (seasonal) ranger stations, 25 square miles of sand dunes, and is a highway for half a million migrating caribou every year. Access is by bush plane from Kotzebue or Bettles. See also: Alaska’s Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Gates of the Arctic National Park.

Through Utah’s Grand Gulch

Photograph courtesy Peter Sustr

You know you work in the outdoor industry when your coworker announces that he’s spending eight days of vacation walking 82 miles alone through Utah canyon country, eating only quick boiled meals, salami, and Snickers. Then he knocks it out in six, charging 17 miles on the final day to retrieve the bike he stashed to ride back to his car.

Meet Peter, a backpacking fanatic who describes his technique as “fast and light.” He likes to go solo because he can travel at his own pace, push as hard as wants, and completely disconnect from the outside world.

Photograph courtesy Peter Sustr

Peter’s a pretty easygoing guy in day-to-day life. But when it comes to backpacking, he gets serious, with planning and spreadsheets and charting everything down to the kilocalorie. He brings only the essentials, carrying less so he can do more. On this trip, even though night time temperatures were expected to drop to zero degrees, he didn’t even bring a tent—just a free-standing tarp, quarter-length sleeping pad, and warm down bag.

Now call me a wimp if you will, but if it’s that cold, I want a little more insulation. Not Peter. No, he’s done this before and he knows that a couple of ounces of salami before bedtime can keep your core cozy as your body burns through the fatty meat.

Peter charted an ambitious route through Grand Gulch Primitive Area in southern Utah. It wasn’t any sort of official loop—just a journey of his own making. This is remote and rugged backcountry, meaning there are some trails, but no established campsites, trail signs, or pansy wayfinding aids. A lot of the time you’re wandering though the desert following rocky escarpments or creek beds. Sometimes the only way Peter could keep track of his whereabouts was to count the number of side canyons he’d passed that day.

It sounds like an adventurer’s paradise to me. Plus the desert is an enchanting place. You’re nowhere, but somewhere—amidst a landscape that at first blush seems repetitive, but on closer examination reveals endless nuance and character.

Perhaps no one expresses this magic better than Edward Abbey, who penned the famous “naturography” Desert Solitaire. His prose paints the pages with streaks of sand, stone spires, canyon sunrises and soulful reflection: “…life nowhere appears so brave, so bright, so full of oracle and miracle as in the desert.”

As Peter said, “It’s an area that holds its cards tight to its chest, but once you get spellbound by the place, it opens up its heart, which then opens up your eyes.”
The beautiful thing about this sort of excursion is that everyday worries melt away and you completely immerse in the moment. There are no appointments or schedules or places to be. Time slows, measured only by the arc of the sun across the sky and the rumble of hunger in your belly. It makes it easier to absorb your surroundings, notice little details, and appreciate the gift offered by each precious second of time.

Somehow when you’re outside exploring, there’s less judgment. Every physical sensation, view or emotion is just part of the experience. You might be cold, tired or hungry—or relaxed, excited and energized. It doesn’t matter. It just feels great to be living. As Peter described, it’s a challenge: How are you going to make the most of this time?

It might take a dose of the backcountry now and then to remind us, but this is a lesson we all would do well to apply every day. You only get one shot at this life. And your life is only what you make of each moment. Cherish it! Celebrate what it feels like to be alive. And whenever you start to feel disconnected, get yourself outside!

10 adventure opportunities for the year ahead

These is my top tips for the coming year, offering suggestions for great destinations and activities for those looking to add a little adventure to their life.

Some of the options that I included on my list this year are things like going camping in Antarctica, mountain biking in the Himalaya and taking a walking safari on the Serengeti. But rather than just throwing out some suggestions on amazing things to do, I also link to a variety of adventure travel companies that can actually provide that experience. For instance, Quark Expeditions actually offers an option on one of their itineraries that will let you camp for a few nights on the Antarctic Peninsula, something that very few people ever have the opportunity to try. It also happens to be something that I would love to do if I ever make my way down to Antarctica.

When I've written similar pieces like this one in the past, I've always included one of my ultimate dream trips on the list and this one is no exception. It's no secret that I love Africa and enjoy any opportunity I can get to go there. For me, the ultimate bucket-list trip through Africa would be a journey from Cairo to Cape Town overland. That is to say, driving, taking busses, ferries, etc. It turns out,Intrepid Travel offers just such an excursion with their 117 day Discover Africa Tour. If you have four months to kill, and you're looking for the ultimate way to visit Africa, this would be my recommendation.

One of the things I love when I write story like this one is hearing from travelers who didn't know that some of these trips were even possible. It happens nearly every time I do something like this list and I always get a kick out of providing a few new dream adventures for someone who wasn't even aware they were possible. Hopefully that will happen again this time, as I feel I've dug up a few really unique travel opportunities for those with an incurable case of wanderlust.

I hope you enjoy the suggestions and good luck with your 2013 adventures. Here's to a new year filled with new possibilities.

> 50 countries in 424 days!

Travel can be an amazing educational tool at times, helping to engage young people in subjects that are often seen as "boring" or "unimportant." History, culture and geography all come to life much more vibrantly when students have the opportunity to make a more direct connection with a place that comes alive in some very fascinating ways.

That was exactly the premise behind the Trekking the planet expedition, a 14-month journey undertaken by the husband and wife team of Darren and Sandy Van Soye. The duo set out on January 28th of last year and have been circling the globe ever since. During that time, they have managed to visit 40 different countries on six continents, most of which have been in the developing world. The expedition has another three and half months to go before it is done, and the Van Soye's hope to add another 13 countries to their passports before heading home.

Making this kind of journey is a dream for many of us who have longed to hit the open road for an extended period of time. And while Darren and Sandy have had numerous adventures on their world-spanning adventure, they didn't set out just for their own enjoyment and enrichment. They conceived Trekking the Planet is a tool for helping to reach out to students in classrooms and help engage their curiosity about geography more fully. With that in mind, they've established a series of geography education modules that highlight the various places that they have visited. Those lessons are designed to work in classrooms with students ranging in age from 6 to 17 and can be modified to fit nearly any type of curriculum. Their lesson plans have been so successful in fact that they are now followed by 55,000 students in 850 classrooms spread out over 20 countries.

While on the road, the Van Soye's prefer to travel on foot as much as possible. As a result, they have often found themselves in a number of places that are far from the beaten path. Their journey has taken them to a number of remote regions, including the Mustang region in Nepal, into the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia and along ancient Bedouin trails in Jordan. This approach to travel allows them to get closer to the people living in the countries they visit and have experiences that are out of the norm. They've even had the opportunity to speak at 18 different schools along the way, allowing them to share their adventures even more directly with students in different countries.