January 30th, 2010 by admin

Never let it be said that billionaire adventurer Richard Branson doesn’t have a flair for the dramatic. Not only is the flamboyant Brit working hard to offer space tourism to the masses, he’s also looking to plumb the depths of the ocean too, promising to deliver personal underwater vehicles for the rest of us as well.

According to this story from Popular Mechanics, Branson has joined forces with Hawkes Ocean Technologies to design and build the Necker Nymph (or Deep Flight Merlin), which the entrepreneur will keep on-sight at his resort in the British Virgin Islands. The craft will shuttle two passengers, along with a pilot, around the ocean floor, offering amazing views of the scenery around them. Cost for a week’s rental? $113,000. Yikes!

As for Hawkes, they say that they are already at work on their next generation vehicle, which will be able to dive down as low as 35,000 feet beneath the surface. It’ll be powered by jet engine technology and will be controlled by a joystick much the same way as a fighter plane. The craft is expected to allow access to ocean depths that have not been readily accessed before. The cost for the prototype has reportedly already already surpassed $670,000 just in builder’s fees.

I have to say, these are pretty cool vehicles. Well out of my price range mind you, but I’d love to take one for a spin. What a cool way to explore the ocean, cruising along the Great Barrier Reef or off the coast of Belize would be amazing. I want one!

January 30th, 2010 by admin

It’s been far too long since we checked in on the Walking the Amazon expedition. You may recall, this is the unbelievably ambitious project in which British adventurer Ed Stafford, along with his companion Cho Sanchez Rivera, are attempting to walk the entire length of the Amazon River, something that has never been accomplished before. When they’ve finished this herculean task, they’ll have covered more than 4000 miles through thick, oppressive jungle, often referred to as The Green Hell.

Ed and Cho have recently reached the Brazilian city of Manaus, which is the largest city along the Amazon. With more than 1.8 million people, this is a town where they can rest, recuperate, and resupply before returning to the wild. Considering the long days and weeks the pair have spent slogging through the rainforest, it had to have been quite a shock to see an actual large, thriving metropolis for the first time in months. Most of the other settlements they’ve come across while trekking have been mostly very small villages, although there are occasionally towns of decent size along the river.

According to their most recent blog post, Manaus was indeed a bit overwhelming. Ed writes:

Cho and I wanted a place to recover and rest before our last push to the Atlantic - but Manaus isn’t that place for us. The prices are over double that outside the city limits and the industrial sprawl (now electronics assembly) is dirty and hectic.

Because of this, he and Cho have hopped a bus to another near by town, which is smaller and much slower paced. They’ll spend some time there repairing their rubber boats, used to ford streams and rivers, while they regain their strength and prepare to make the final push towards the Atlantic Ocean, which is roughly 900 miles away yet.

At this point, Ed has spent 667 days on this journey, having begun on April 2nd, 2008. I know that the original plan was to end sometime early this year, but the boys have been running a bit behind schedule, and the journey ahead of them will not be an easy one. I suspect they’ll be out on the trail for awhile yet.

As I’ve said before, this expedition continually boggles my mind. It’s such a massive undertaking, it’s hard to not be impressed with the sense of exploration and adventure. I hope the last long leg of the journey goes well for both Ed and Cho.

January 30th, 2010 by admin

The Rest of Everest gets back on the trail to Everest Base Camp this week with the release of Episode 128, entitled Immortalized in Nepal. You may recall that in the past few episodes, the trekking team has been stranded in Dingboche thanks to inclement weather in the region. Those back-to-back rest days could possibly throw off the schedule however, preventing the team from getting up to Base Camp.

The video gets off to a beautiful start when the trekkers step out of their tent to check the weather, and they are greeted with sunshine and clear, blue skies, much to the delight of all involved. After spending a couple of extra days in Dingboche, they all seemed eager to get a move on, and hopeful they’ll still make it to their planned destination of EBC. With the skies cleared, we get amazing views of surrounding peaks, including Lhotse, Everest, and Ama Dablam.

A few episodes back one of the trekkers celebrated his birthday while on the journey, and the Sherpa’s helped him celebrate it in style. This week, another member of the team gets to celebrate, as Megan turns 25 while surrounded by the Himalaya. Of course, the Sherpa guides couldn’t just let the occasion pass without celebrating, and to honor Megan’s big day they prepared a little surprise for her on the trail, spelling out birthday wishes in rocks along one of the slopes.

This video definitely gets back to being focused on the trek, with plenty of footage of the team hiking the route up to Base Camp. Not only does this video show the conditions that we can expect on such a trek, but it also shows the kind of camaraderie that these trekking groups experience while traveling (and suffering?) together in remote places. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if you’re interested in making this trek for yourself, it’s definitely worth watching this season of the podcast.

January 30th, 2010 by admin

At last weeks Winter Outdoor Retailer conference , a lot of new outdoor gear was shown off and introduced to the public. As I mentioned last week, much of what I saw, from afar mind you, was mostly evolutionary and not necessarily revolutionary. One product that did stick out however, was the new “Super Suit” from Champion that will be used by the Climb With Us Team this year on Everest.

What makes the Super Suit special you ask? Simple, it is just 3 millimeters thick. Yep. You read that right. The gear is very thin, and according to Champion’s PR, it still manages to provide the same level of warmth as a typical down parka worn on the mountain. Those traditional jackets are as much 40 millimeters thick, so as you can imagine, this is a significant increase in mobility while cutting gear weight at bulk at the same time. To put this into further perspective, Champion says that the suit, jacket and pants, are roughly the same thickness as your mouse pad.

You can find out a lot more about the Super Suit by clicking here. Much of it is marketing stuff, but you’ll get an idea of what kinds of gear they’ll be offering and what the team will be trying out while climbing on Everest in a few months. The prospects of this thinner, lighter, gear is really amazing, and if it performs as well as expected, it could be a major step forward in keeping us warm in remote places. At this time though, we still don’t know when it will be released to the rest of us and how much it is going to cost.

January 30th, 2010 by admin

For years, Mt. Washington, located in the state of New Hampshire here in the U.S., has been described as the windiest place on Earth, thanks to a 75 year old record for the highest wind speed ever recorded. The mark was set back in 1934, when gusts reached a speed of 231 miles per hour on the summit of the 6,288 foot peak, which is legendary for it’s incredibly bad weather.

Now, according to the Adventure Life, that record has been wrestled away from Mt. Washington, and the new crown has been handed over to the Aussies. It seems that when cyclone Olivia hit barrow island back in 1996, it generated winds of 253 miles per hour, smashing those light breezes on Mt. Washington.

Why did it take so long to discover these wind speeds? Apparently a group of scientists were recently combing through weather and climate data, and discovered the mighty wind. Once it was discovered however, the findings were reported to meteorological services, and the new record became recognized, taking a little pride away from those that live on and around Mt. Washington.

Never fear though. The mountain still has plenty to brag about. It is a challenging climb in good weather conditions, and it’s notoriously bad winters make it a tough test in the snow. It has even managed to make the list of some of the most dangerous mountains to climb. Not something you’d expect out of a peak that is less than 6300 feet in height.

January 28th, 2010 by admin

Earlier in the month I wrote several times about the Summit on the Summit celebrity Kilimanjaro climb, which saw musician Kenna lead a team that included the likes of actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, adventure photographer Jimmy Chin, and rapper Lupe Fiasco to the summit of the highest mountain in Africa. The group was climbing to raise awareness of the growing global clean water crisis, and to raise funds to deliver water to people in need all over the planet.

The climb might be over, but the cause remains the same. There are ongoing efforts to continue to get out the word about this very important subject. That that end, The Adventure Blog has teamed up with the Summit on the Summit crew to give away a Peak XV down jacket provided by First Ascent.

The rules are simple. First, and foremost, you must be a resident of the U.S. to be eligible to win. If you meet that criteria, all you have to do is head over to the Summit on the Summit blog at Tumblr, and find the answer to one simple question:

What is the minimum standard amount of water that the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees needs per person per day in liters?

Once you’ve found the answer, e-mail it to me at KungFuJedi@gmail.com with “Summit on the Summit” as your subject line, and type your answer in the body. I’ll collect all the entrants with the correct answer, and pick the winner from a hat. All entries must be received by Midnight EST, February 3rd to be eligible. The winner will get the awesome jacket that is kindly provided by the good folks over at First Ascent, who were instrumental in outfitting the Summit on the Summit expedition. The jacket has a value of $269 and is designed to keep us warm in the most inclement weather. This really is a great prize for whoever wins! Good luck!!

January 28th, 2010 by admin

Tourists visiting Machu Picchu in Peru have had a little surprise today, as torrential rainfalls in the region have caused massive flooding and landslides, stranding the travelers in the ancient Incan city. According to this story from the Guardian, the train that shuttles visitors to the site has been blocked by more than 40 landslides, effectively cutting it off for the foreseeable future. Rescue operations are underway however, with plans to airlift the more than 1500 people who have been stranded there for the past two days.

Located high in the Andes, Machu Picchu is one of the top tourist destinations in the entire country of Peru, with travelers flocking to it from around the globe. There are two ways of getting into the mountaintop fortress, either taking the 70 mile train ride or hiking for four days along the Inca Trail. Most take the train, although the trail has become increasingly popular with adventure travelers over the past ten years.

According to the story, ten helicopters have been designated to the rescue effort. There are conflicting reports however as to whether or not those efforts have actually gotten underway. Reportedly, the travelers have moved to a nearby hotel, which is booked solid of course. It is also being reported that food and water is now in short supply as well.

Talk about getting more adventure from your vacation than you were hoping for. It seems that everyone is okay at the moment, although two local residence lost their life in the mudslides. Lets hope they can evacuate the visitors in short order and everyone gets out safe and sound.

January 28th, 2010 by admin

With the Everest 2010 season beginning to loom ever closer, we’re starting to get more details on expeditions and plans for the spring. But no matter how much things change on the mountain, it remains steeped in history, mystery and legend, holding an allure over the climbers and general public alike.

Of course, one of those enduring mysteries is whether or not George Mallory and climbing companion Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, ever reached the summit when on their fateful 1924 expedition. At the time, the pair were outfitted with the best equipment that was available, but despite their best efforts, the failed to return from the climb, perishing high up on rocky face.

It would be nearly another 30 years before Hillary and Norgay would reach the top of the highest mountain on Earth. But the question has always remained, were Mallory and Irvine first? Did they actually make it to the top? Was it even possible with the gear they had at the time? Experts have weighed in on the matter for decades, with some thinking it was not only possible, but probable, while others dismissed Mallory and Irvine out of hand. The debate was further compounded because the bodies of the two men were never found. Most argued that they would never know the answer for sure, unless we could find the pocket Kodak Camera that the two men carried with them. It could, in theory, offer photographic proof that they had topped out.

The debate went back into full swing back in 1999 when Mallory’s body was discovered at high altitude on Everest. It was a major discovery, and gave us some clues as to what had happened to the two men. But unfortunately, there was no camera on the body, and Irvine remains missing to this day.

Fast forward to 2010, and gadget site Gizmodo is reporting that a new expedition in search of Irvine and the camera will get underway this spring. Gizmodo cites Tom Holzel, an “Everest Historian” who claims to have used high resolution satellite photos to scour the mountain looking for signs of the missing climber. Holzel says that he has spotted an “oblong blob” that he believes is the body of Irvine, and he’s banking on the camera being on the body as well. The expedition will reportedly climb to the “blob” and determine what it is once and for all. And if it is indeed Mallory’s missing partner, Holzel has given them instructions on how to handle the nearly 90 year old camera in order to have the best chance of recovering photos.

As I’ve said before, the camera has become the Holy Grail of Mountaineering. People have been searching for it for years, and all have come up blank. Of course, Everest is a big mountain, with lots of ground to cover, which hasn’t helped in the process. But it’s also quite likely that the camera may not even be there any more. It could have been dropped along the way, or exposed to the elements, causing it to corrode and disappear. And even if it is found, it’ll take a miracle for the film to not have already been exposed. Still, we all love a good mystery, and it would be fun to know for sure, whether Mallory and Irvine ever stood on top. But again, as I’ve said before, does it really matter? They may have reached the summit, but that’s only half-way. You have to get back down again for the climb to be considered successful in my mind.

January 28th, 2010 by admin

Austrian Felix Baumgartner is set to challenge two amazing skydiving records later this year, as he attempts to jump from the edge of space, setting a new record for highest altitude, and while in free fall, he hopes to break a 50-year old speed record, by breaking the sound barrier.

Sponsored by Red Bull (Who else?), Baumgartner hopes to ascend to 120,000 feet with the help of a giant balloon filled with helium. The 600-foot wide balloon will carry a specially designed canister up to where the atmosphere is thin, with Baumgartner tucked away inside. It is estimated that it will take roughly three hours for the skydiver to reach the designated height, at which time he’ll rotate the capsule’s door open and leap out, setting the new record for high altitude jump in the process.

He’ll then proceed to free fall for some time, and with the air so thin at that altitude, Felix’s support crew expects him to reach supersonic speeds in about 35 seconds or so. If their calculations are correct, he’ll set a new speed record as well. As he descends, He could drift as much as 150-200 miles from his starting point. The team hopes to prove that an astronaut could survive a similar jump were they forced to abandon a spacecraft on re-entry.

As of now, there is no target date set for when he’ll make the jump. The team is hoping that it will happen this year, but they are still clearing some logistical hurdles. They will be conducting a number of test jumps at lower altitudes while they work out the final details and look for a proper weather window to make the leap.

For more on the story, check out the Fox News article found here.

January 28th, 2010 by admin

Back in September I wrote about a “lost world” that had been discovered near Mt. Bosavi in a very remote section of Papua New Guinea. At the time, the place was just beginning to be explored by a team of scientists and a film crew from the BBC, but they had already discovered some amazing new species, including a giant rat and a variety of new spiders.

Now, nearly six months later, WideWorld Magazine has a follow-up story with more information on the place. The article talks about the logistics of getting to this amazing place, and how the filmmakers went about enlisting the aid of the local tribesmen who had no concept of the technologies they would be using there.

Mt. Bosavi is located in a previously unexplored region of Papua New Guinea. The once active volcano had been silent for some time, and its caldera has collapsed many millennia ago. As a result, a nearly impenetrable wall of rock has been built up around the region, forming a unique ecosystem that has been virtually cut off to the outside world for thousands of years.

This fascinating story from WideWorld not only shows us what it was like to explore this remote area for the first time, it also talks about how the BBC worked to get the footage they wanted and needed to make a documentary about the expedition. While scientists and explorers struggled to penetrate the interior of the lost world, equally talented cameramen came along for the ride, capturing a place that no man had ever looked upon before.

Really amazing stuff. I’m hoping desperately that this documentary will somehow make its way stateside. I’d love to watch this all unfold.