Outdoor Sports Blog

Ice Breakup on the 1000-Island River

2011-04-25T12:28:00.000-04:00

Here's a short video showing the ice breaking up on the Thousand Island River in Laval, QC (Canada) this April.

It took me about ten years to be there at the right time to watch the ice breakup. Sorry for the bad quality of the video, it was shot with my cell phone.

Enjoy watching!

19 Black Bear Facts

2010-12-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

19 Black Bear Facts

I did a little research on black bears today and compiled a list of 19 black bear facts. Enjoy reading!

Oh, and check out the video at the bottom of this blog post, where you'll see a family of black bears getting tagged by scientist (and comedian Rick Mercer) in Algonquin Park in Ontario. You'll love it! But first read the black bear facts:

Approximately 600,000 black bears in live in North America.
In Canada, black bears still occupy the majority of their historical range apart from the intensively farmed parts of the central plains.
In Mexico, black bears were thought to have lived in the mountainous areas of the north but are now reduced to very few remnant populations.
Black bears have lost over sixty percent of their total traditional range in the US.
Black bears are certainly smart, timid and deceptive creatures, and usually strive at staying away from hitting the ground with humans.
Black bears are incredibly versatile and display an awesome variance in environment types, although they can be generally seen in forested regions with heavy ground vegetation and a good amount of fruit, nuts, and plants.
Black bears mate throughout the months of June and July.
Black bears are omnivorous and opportunistic.
Up to ninety percent of their total diet is made up of vegetative matter; blueberries and other berries, nuts, grasses, and many fruits.
Before winter hibernation, black bears seek to eat in excess of twenty thousand fat laden calories on a daily basis in making an effort to increase twenty to forty percent of its body mass so that it can support itself throughout the winter season.
Black bears are believed to be remarkably effective hibernating animals.
They get to sleep for many months without food, water, urinating or defecating.
Black bears have short, non-retractable claws providing them an outstanding tree-climbing capability.
Black bears with white-bluish coat are called Kermode bears or glacier bears and the distinctive coloration stages are merely present in coast of British Columbia, Canada.
Black bears use thick cover for daybed and dens.
Black bears and grizzly bears may well reside in the identical area but vary in behavior, habitat choice, and diet regime.
Male black bears go considerably larger distances than females, frequently spanning two to eight times the region of female black bears.
Female black bears generally start having cubs at 3 to 5 years old.
Despite the fact that black bears are categorized as carnivores, black bears usually are not active predators.

Internet Connection on Mount Everest

2010-11-05T12:50:00.000-04:00

The World Wide Web has reached Mt Everest. A spanking new communication tower is established at a height of around 5,200 meters. This means the base camp is now connected to the Internet.

Thanks to the hard work of the Nepalese ISP Ncell, mountain climbers are now able to make voice and video calls, hook up to the Internet, send and receive e-mail and revise their web sites, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Climbers reaching the top are now able to notify society concerning their accomplishment easily by means of the Internet. In the past this was just achievable through costly satellite equipment.

Age limit for Mt Everest

2010-10-14T12:54:00.001-04:00

Age restrictions introduced by the "Chinese Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) for potential Mt Everest aspirants.

According to the UIAA, the CTMA on 10 June decided to introduce age restrictions for Everest aspirants. In the future, only people older than 18 and younger than 60 years will receive permission to climb the mountain from the Tibetan north side.

The UIAA (Union International des Associations d'Alpinisme) welcomes the decision. According to them, young climbers would be missing not only the experience but also the maturity - so the UIAA President Mike Mortimer. On the other hand, Mortimer is not enthusiastic about the upper limit of 60 years. The boundary seemed "very arbitrary" and should be reconsidered. Older climbers often have a wealth of experience.

The CTMA is the official body issuing permits to climb Tibetan peaks. Whether the age restriction will also apply to other mountains in Tibet, has not been confirmed.

The decision was apparently triggered by 13-year-old Jordan Romero, an American climber who received much media attention in May 2010 as the youngest man who scaled Mount Everest.

In 2001, the Nepalese Temba Tshiri had set a record on Everest when he reached the summit at 16 years of age - but lost several toes and fingers due to frostbite. Then, in 2003, Nepal set the minimum age at 16 years - without, however, setting an upper limit.

Lindsay Griffin of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) said that there are however exceptions to the CTMA restriction. In exceptional circumstances, the CTMA might grant a permit for climbing Mount Everest outside the age range, "if they can present a medical certificate confirming that they fit are enough for the climb. It is believed that this is addressed to the older climbers."

Sources: UIAA, BMC

Banff National Park Canada - 125th Anniversary

2010-10-03T21:17:00.001-04:00

Canada's oldest national park celebrates its 125 anniversary. From August to November, the park has a number of anniversary events, culminating in Mountain Film Festival in early November.

Turquoise blue lakes, hot springs and wild ravines: Banff National Park in the Canadian province of Alberta is a tourist magnet. Every year, around five million people visit the park that was founded in 1885.

The park covers about 6600 square kilometers. Banff National Park Canada is part of the Rocky Mountain UNESCO World Heritage Site. Banff is one of currently 42 national parks here in Canada.

Useful resources:

Enjoy a short video from Parks Canada:

Hiking Vacation

2010-09-23T20:31:00.004-04:00

Hiking vacation - Having spent some of my best days in the outdoors hiking for days and weeks I cannot recommend this type of healthy outdoor activity enough. No matter if you're looking for a short day hike or something more challenging, it'll always be worth your while.

Today I present an article from Alan LeStourgeon about hiking vacations. Enjoy reading :-)

********************

Take A Hiking Vacation
If you are in the mood for a hiking vacation then you will probably want to consider the many trails in either the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee or Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

Of course there are many other parks and trails throughout the United States but these two destinations offer some of the most scenic and majestic mountain vistas available.

Both the Smoky Mountain National Park and Rocky Mountain National park offer different levels of trails for your hiking vacation.

Hiking Vacation - Quality Time Well Spent

Whether you are taking the family for a casual vacation or are looking for more adventure and exercise in a very strenuous hike, either location can accommodate your plans.

There are more than 850 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains, more than enough to keep you busy for your hiking vacation.

With the miles of trails available, my favorite in the Smoky Mountains is the hike to Chimney Tops. The Chimney Tops trail is a mildly strenuous hike with some incredible views. The last 50 yards is very steep, with a spectacular view at the very top. It is a 4 mile round trip that is well worth the effort.

While the Smoky Mountains are exceptionally beautiful, the grandeur of the Colorado Rockies is unmatched in the continental United States.

Majestic snow covered peaks rise out of the plains to reach heights above 14,000 feet in the case of Long's Peak and more than 60 other peaks rise above 12,000 feet.

Within the 416 square miles of the park there are 355 miles of hiking trails. My favorite hike by far is the hike to Chasm Lake a the base of Longs Peak.

The hike is a 9.5 mile round trip that changes in altitude from 9,000 feet to almost 12,000 feet. This is a fun, scenic hike, but it is moderately strenuous, so be well prepared with food and water.

Preparing For Your Hiking Vacation
Tens of thousands of people hike the trails of our national parks every year without incident and hiking vacations can be an enjoyable and invigorating experience.

However, it is essential that you are prepared for your hiking experience.

This is a nobrainer, but one of the biggest mistakes hikers make is not realizing the total length of the hikes they are on. If the sign at the trail head says that the hike is 4 miles, remember you have to hike back also, making that an 8 mile round trip.

Don't forget food and water. While food is needed on hikes of 3 to 4 miles and longer water is an essential on every hike. Even short hikes at higher altitudes can cause you to get thirsty faster than you would think.
You will also need the proper gear for hiking. I can't stress this enough, hiking boots are an essential part of a hiker's equipment, just as a water bottle and back pack are.

Do not try to hike a rocky trail in your tennis shoes. At the least you will have very sore feet and you could twist your ankle, making the rest of your hiking vacation an unpleasant experience, not to mention getting back to the car an adventure. Please get yourself some decent hiking boots. Your feet will thank you!

A hiking vacation can be an exhilarating experience for the serious hiker or for the whole family. You will get to see some beautiful scenery that you just can't experience by passing by in your car or RV.

Plan your vacation, decide on a destination, get your equipment ready and off you go to the great outdoors.

Alan LeStourgeon operates the successful web site http://www.vacation-cabin-rental.com where you can find comfortable cabin rentals, recreational information and information on building and decorating your own cabin.

YHBV5QXT5V6Q

Yellowstone Hiking

2010-09-19T23:35:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Yellowstone Hiking

Yellowstone National Park has over 1100 miles (1800 km) of blazed and mapped hiking trails. Some of them have been used for hundreds of years. Several of these Yellowstone hiking trails were the sites of historical events.

Yellowstone hiking trails are known for various geysers, hot springs and other geothermal features. Hikers will have many opportunities for viewing bald eagles, ospreys, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, Coyotes, Bighorn Sheep, pronghorn antelope and free-ranging herds of bison and elk.

With fresh air in the lungs and boots on your feet hike along...

Beaver Ponds
One of Yellowstone's shorter loop trails then wanders through both meadows and forest. Black bears and Wild Flowers usually dominate the flora and fauna of this part of the world.

Fairy Falls
197-foot Fairy Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Yellowstone, The longest and most scenic route starts at the Fountain Flat Drive barricade.

Grebe Lake
A trail used mainly by fishermen and backpackers, the trail goes to Grebe Lake, which make up the headwaters of the Gibbon River system. Deer and moose are oftentimes spotted along the trail and at the Lake.

Grizzly Lake
Starting out in a meadow, then climbing 250 feet up a ridge and traveling through burned forest, the route offers excellent views of Mount Holmes and the Gallatin Range.

Lost Lake
An easy trail, which starts behind Roosevelt Lodge (Tower Junction) then, goes into the forested hillside, coming to a fork, going westwards to the Lost Lake which is about quarter of a mile away.

Monument Geyser Basin
This is short but steep hike, where you can see the stunning view of Elk Park meadow and the wandering Gibbon River leading to Monument Geyser Basin, a small geyser basin.

Osprey Falls
Whether you start south of Bunsen Peak on the Bunsen Peak road or north of Bunsen Peak on the other end, you will be traveling about three miles along the road to reach the breathtaking Osprey Falls Trail.

Specimen Ridge
This trail takes us to the lip of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at the one mile point, then to east reaching the top of 9614-feet Amethyst Mountain.

Storm Point
This Yellowstone hiking trail offers a good view of Yellowstone Lake, off the beaten path.
Start from the Indian Pond parking area, then drops into the tree line until you reach Storm Point.

Yellowstone River
Starts at the Yellowstone River Picnic Area and rises up to the eastern lip of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. There are some spectacular views of the Canyon and River from this trail.

Recommended Yellowstone hiking and backpacking guide-books:

Killer Whale vs. White Shark

2009-11-28T12:01:00.000-05:00

Who is winning the battle? The Orca also know as Killer Whale, or the Great White Shark?
Well, as it turns out the Orca carries the name 'Wolf of the Sea' for a reason...

See this rare video footage yourself:

Cheap North Face Coats

2009-04-07T16:50:00.005-04:00

I'm hunting for some good deals on cheap North Face coats.

After digging around with different online stores I ended up finding what I was looking for in the Altrec Outlet Store
. The prices there seem to be excellent. The selection by far greater than expected.

As an example, the woman's Denali Jacket - a popular soft shell - is a the time of this writing 31% (!) off. That's $112.99 instead of $~~164.95~~.

A good number of color options are available too. Here's a product description:

The North Face Women's Denali Jacket

No other fleece piece feels like The North Face Denali Jacket. The reasons are versatility and smart design. The Recycled 300-series Polartec® fleece fabric offers exceptional insulating warmth that easily works as a middle layer during winter skiing or as an outer layer while backpacking or camping in the summer. The North Face reinforced key abrasion areas along the elbows and shoulders so you don't have to worry about the frayed pilling and worn fabric found on cheap fleece pieces. The North Face also designed their Denali Jackets to zip into other shells made by The North Face, although keep in mind that you'll need to verify that the jacket is matched in the same exact size and is deemed zip-in compatible by The North Face.

Warm and plush Recycled 300-series Polartec® fleece fabric with DWR
Rugged and laundered two-ply nylon overlays along shoulders and elbows
Zippered hand pockets
Zippered left chest pocket with vertical opening
Standard fit tapers slightly along torso but allows for inner layering potential
Elastic bound cuffs and hem cinchcord help seal in warmth
The North Face logo on left chest
Weight: 20.4 oz. (578 g.)

North Face on Sale at Altrec Outlet

Winter Camping

2008-03-01T17:08:00.004-05:00

Winter Camping

Did you ever think about camping out in snow and cold? You should. Winter camping is not only fun, it can be – if done the right way – a real adventure and an experience that you wont miss anymore. And there are no bugs ;-)

My first winter camping trip dates back when I was approximately 15 years old. I made every mistake in the book. However, that didn’t keep me from trying again and I learned through trial and error what it takes to make winter camping a great experience. I can’t remember any winter since where I didn’t pitch my tent in the snow, sometimes on a lonely summit often deep in the woods, sometimes sleeping in snow caves or just in a bivvy bag.

First, I had the idea to write up a list of tips on how to prepare you for a night out in the woods or on a mountain when I received an email from fellow winter camper Jim Muller, who runs WinterCampers.com. As the name suggests, Jim dedicated his site to winter camping. If you’re playing with the thought of trying it out I highly recommend to check out his Web site.

You’ll find a wealth of information, such as:

Winter camping gear lists
The 10 essentials
Tons of related articles
Tips on how to prepare your trip
And much more…

Here’s the link: http://www.WinterCampers.com.
Let me know what you think!

Yellowstone National Park - Old Faithful Live

2008-02-07T20:16:00.000-05:00

Did you ever want to see the famous geyser Old Faithful live?

Well, technology makes it possible. Yellowstone National Park installed a live streaming and full-motion web cam near the Old Faithful and it is possible to see other geysers as well.

And if you are lucky you can even watch some wildlife. When I checked the web cam earlier a curious fox run across...

How can you view the web cam? Simply visit www.nps.gov/yell and click on "Photos & Multimedia". Once you arrived on the landing page you can launch your Media player and enjoy.

US Bird Species at Risk

2007-12-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

According to a recent report by the National Audubon Society as well as the American Bird Conservancy, 25% of all bird species in the United States are at risk of extinction.

Main reasons for these alarming numbers are – how could it be different - human activity causing habitat loss and global warming. The introduction of alien mammals and plants also causes the number of many bird species to decline.

If you like to dig deeper and find out which kind of birds are on the endangered species list, visit the web site of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Here’s the direct link to the page where you find lots of additional information.

http://www.fws.gov/Endangered/wildlife.html

Yeti alive?

2007-12-08T14:18:00.001-05:00

Members of the US science fiction program “Destination Truth” claimed to have found footprints of the legendary Yeti not far from Kathmandu in Nepal.

The Yeti is a legendary creature that is supposed to live in the Himalayas. The legend says it’s half human, half ape – somehow a little bit like Bigfoot also known as Sasquatch.

The footprints are 33 cm (that’s almost 13 inches) long and 23 cm wide (slightly more than 9 inches).

Joshua Gates from “Destination Truth” said he’ll continue his investigations. However, Ang Tshering Sherpa President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said it is unlikely that the footprints are really from the famous beast. Yetis, so the legend says, are supposed to have only had four toes, but the images showed five toes and he thinks it is the footprint from a Himalayan bear.

Numerous expeditions, mountaineers, explorers and other individuals searched for the Yeti since generations but no one ever was able to provide evidence that the Yeti really exists.

Famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who was one of them, wrote a book about his personal investigation and searches for the Yeti. You can check it out here: Reinhold Messner: Yeti.

Links

2007-11-23T15:10:00.004-05:00

West Coast Trail Gets Makeover

2007-09-09T12:25:00.001-04:00

The Canadian Government will partially finance the cleanup of one of our countries most famous hiking trails, the West Coast Trail. Initially, this great hiking trail was built to give shipwreck victims a chance to get out of the wilderness. The West Coast Trail, part of the Pacific Rim National Park stretches over 77 km from Bamfield to Port Renfrew.

More info on the West Coast Trail here.

Day and Section Hikes: John Muir Trail

2007-08-31T11:08:00.000-04:00

The John Muir Trail, a dream of many hikers and backpackers is one of the best long distance hiking trails in California – if not in the whole US. 211 miles long, the trail leads from the Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney. You will experience mountains up to 14,000 feet high, a landscape sprinkled with countless lakes, canyons and breathtaking granite cliffs.

However, who has the time to hike 211 miles? Kathleen Dodge wrote a book “Day and Section Hikes: John Muir Trail” and it is for people who do not have the time to hike the whole trail in one shot.

Bow Hunter Kills Grizzly with Knife

2007-08-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

A mother grizzly with three cubs attacked a bow hunter who was exploring locations in the Grande Prairie area for the upcoming bow-hunting season.

The man successfully defended himself with his hunting knife, stabbing the grizzly multiple times while suffering serious injuries himself. He now is recovering in the hospital.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Darcy Whiteside said, they found the grizzly mother close to the place where the attack occurred and that she had died quickly from the inflicted knife wounds.

The game wardens assume that the orphaned grizzly bear cubs are somewhere in the area. Whiteside said they now try to trap the three cubs to relocate them into a remote area.

Osprey Packs Employees Ride Bikes to Work

2007-07-24T11:58:00.000-04:00

Osprey Packs, Inc., the well known Cortez, CO based industry leading backpack manufacturer can be proud of its employees. During Colorado’s “Bike to Work Day” on June 27, 2007 18 out of 23 people from Osprey Packs enthusiastic staff chose to travel to work by bike. That is a total commuting distance of 244 miles or 393 kilometers.

Gareth Martins, Director of Marketing for Osprey said: “We're thrilled that nearly 100% of our staff biked to work today. It is our hope that Osprey can set an example for other local businesses as to how important and fun not driving your car to work can be”. Martins pointed out that more than 50% of Osprey Packs employees are using carpools throughout the year, walk or ride a bike to work.

What does that mean for the environment?

Osprey’s workforce prevented an estimated 12.2 gallons (approximately 46 liters) of gasoline from being burned, assuming a consumption of 1 gallon per 20 miles (11.9 liters per 100 kilometers) for an average car. They calculated an estimated 340 pounds (154 kilograms) of carbon emmission has been prevented from being released into the atmosphere. That’s about 28 pounds per gallon or 3.3 kilograms per Liter fuel.

To motivate their employees, Osprey Packs offered prices worth $1,500 for everyone who participated. In addition to Bike to Work Day, the Osprey Sustainable Transportation Program provides monetary encouragement for non-motorized commuting to workers during the year. Since its beginning in 2006, the program has seen 2,217 individual non-motorized trips with $1108.50 paid in rewards to Osprey Packs taff.

SAVE THE EARTH! Gear That Gives Back- Environmentally Sound Products From Backcountry.com

Hiking Partner

2007-07-20T01:48:00.000-04:00

Who needs a hiking buddy?
Speedwalking Robot is perfecting its hiking ability

German scientist from the University of Göttingen developed a walking robot that is able to adapt its gait to the slope of an incline. “RunBot”, so the name of the robot, simulates the neuronal principles that enables humans to adjust their gait when the terrain changes.

According to the scientists, the walking robot uses reflexes driven by peripheral sensors to adjust its movement when the ground changes from flat to slightly uphill. In addition RunBot features integral control circuits that make sure that the joints are not overstretched. They also guarantee that the next step is initiated not earlier but when the foot touches the ground.

Now when a slope needs to be climbed - the hiking robot knows this by screening the surface with an infrared eye – the built in circuits adapt to a simpler neural network by changing a couple of parameters.

Florentin Wörgötter, research scientist at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience at the University of Göttingen, said that RunBot will fall on its back at its first endeavour to climb a slope. That is because the robot needs yet to learn to react correctly with a change of gait to the visual input through its infrared eye. But after a few trials RunBot will learn from its failures. Every trial strengthens the connection between infrared eye and movement control, Wörgötter said.

Finally the hiking robot learns to control gait length and body posture and off it goes.

Click here to see the video of RunBot’s “climb”.

Click here to read the full study.

Mountain Madness

2007-07-11T01:30:00.000-04:00

Mad about Mountains

"I think the key, at least in my life, is living the moment. It's like right now. And it's not 'I should have done this and I should have done that.' Because when you're dead, you're dead. Life is really for the living. You can't bring your life with you when you die. No matter how many medals you own and how many peaks you climb, it's not going to mean anything to you when you're six feet under. ..."If I die today, I don't think, 'Oh, I should have had 2.5 kids and the minivan.' I'm really content and happy with whom I am today." (Christine Feld-Boskoff when asked by a reporter “if there is anything you'd regret if you died climbing?”)

Chris Boskoff was owner and CEO of Mountain Madness since 1997, the Seatlle-based adventure travel and mountain guiding service that made headlines in connection with Scott Fisher’s death on Mt Everest in 1996 (see Jon Krakauer’s book “Into Thin Air”).

Chris, who climbed six Eight-Thousanders in her career, went missing in November 2006 after climbing Genyan Massif in China’s Sichuan Province together with her climbing partner Charlie Fowler. After a rescue mission had been initiated Fowlers body was recovered on December 27 last year. Due to winter weather search teams had to stop their efforts and were not able to locate Boskoff.

Eight months later now, on July 3rd, Chris Boskoff’s body was found by SAR-teams. Boskoff and Fowler are believed to have died in an avalanche.

When asked how long she’ll keep climbing, Chris Boskoff answered "For as long as I can or until nature finally says, 'Hey, that's it.' Her passion and contagious smile will be missed in the climbing scene…

Resources:
Mountain Madness Web Site
Jon Krakauer “Into Thin Air”

Colin Fletcher

2007-07-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

Discover the Backpacking Secrets of Colin Fletcher - The Father of Modern Backpacking

Colin Fletcher, the California hiking and backpacking icon, has died. He was 85. Fletcher was known to many outdoor sports enthusiasts as the father of modern backpacking. He was also an effusive and prolific writer who published seven books over time. Some of them became bestsellers and drew quite some attention.

This article will look at the life of Colin Fletcher, the books he wrote and their impact in the hiking and backpacking scene.

Colin Fletcher was born in Wales on March 14, 1922 as the only child of Herbert and Margaret Williams Fletcher. During World War II he served in the British Royal Marines, spent years in Africa farming and worked as prospector in Canada. In 1956 Colin moved to California.

In 1958 Colin Fletcher was thinking about getting married. But he wasn't sure. So he decided to engage in "contemplative walks" to find out and hiked the whole length through California from Mexico to Oregon. Six months later he got married, but the marriage lasted only weeks… You can read about his experience in his first work "The Thousand Mile Summer- in Desert and High Sierra" (published in 1964).

Colin's first bestseller was "The Complete Walker", first published in '68. The book is considered to be the "Backpackers Bible", a comprehensive guide that describes and discusses all aspects of wilderness travel. The fourth edition has been published in 2002 with the help of Chip Rawlings. "The Complete Walker" should be part on any hikers or outdoor sports enthusiasts' library! You'll find great advice on gear and techniques and especially many tips on how to lighten your gear, build your camp, cook your meals etc. etc.

One of Colin Fletcher's best known books is "The Man Who Walked Through Time". In it he describes his journey "of the first trip afoot through the Grand Canyon". A must read for every serious hiker.

Colin was already 67 when he started another big solo adventure. He hiked and paddled 1,750 miles (about 2,800 km) down the Green and Colorado Rivers. You can read about this expedition in the book "River: One Man's Journey Down the Colorado, Source to Sea" (1997).

Colin Fletcher's most renowned books, The Complete Walker and The Man Who Walked Through Time, are often attributed with having inspired generations of people to take on hiking and backpacking, which later sparked a worldwide trend.

Annette McGivney, Southwest editor of Backpacker Magazine said: "Colin was sort of the founding father of modern backpacking, the first person to write about going out for an extended period and being self-sufficient".

On June 12, 2007 Colin Fletcher died of complications related to old age and head injuries he suffered six years earlier in 2001. Back then Colin was walking to a town meeting and was struck and seriously injured by a car while crossing a country road.

Lost Wilderness

2007-07-04T23:45:00.000-04:00

An article in the journal “Science” reports that 83% of our planets surface is domesticated. Only 17% remain untouched wilderness without human inhabitants, crops and infrastructure such as roads and night-time lights noticeable by satellites. Only 17%! These data are based on a report from 1995. Now the situation probably has worsened. Pretty scary!

The report continues:

Fifty percent of the earth’s surface is used for agriculture such as crops and grazing. More than half of all woodlands have been lost and converted to land. On a number of continents the largest land mammals have been eradicated. The oceans are crisscrossed with shipping lanes and the Europeans obviously don’t like sand on the beach that much: 22,000 km (13,670 miles) of coastline in Europe have been paved.

As if this is not enough the paper continues to report that once wild rivers are now tamed behind dams. Due to widespead damming almost six times as much water worldwide is held in non-natural storage as is free-flowing.

Seven Summits

2007-06-25T15:36:00.000-04:00

Seven Summits –Seven Continents – Seven Months

Swedish Adventurer Sets New Guiness World Record

It’s unbelievable! It seems nowadays that each year sees a number of records and world records in the mountaineering and climbing scene. As you might suspect 2007 will be no exception with the latest feat of Swede Frederik Strang who climbed the Seven Summits in less than 7 months. From the hyped up challenge to the mountains itself, the history, the critique, Seven Summits draws much attention in the world of mountaineering and adventure. This article will explore some of the aspects of climbing the seven highest peaks on all seven continents.

The Mission

Fred had planned to climb the “Seven Summits” - the seven highest peaks on the world’s seven continents – in just seven month. He started his in the spring climbing season of 2006 with Mt. Everest (8,848 m / 29,029 ft), it was his second time he summited the world’s highest mountain. Strang then raced from one continent and its highest mountain to the next in his quest against time. 6 months and 6 days later he reached the summit of Mount Vinson (Antarctica, 4,897 m / 16,067 ft) and completed his superficial challenge. Fred Strang’s record has been approved by Guinness World Records for the fastest combined ascent of the seven summits on all continents.

The Seven Highest Mountains on the Seven Continents

Let’s take a closer look at these mountains, where they are located and how high they are.

1. Mount Everest / Asia / 8,848 m (29,029 ft.)
2. Denali (Mount McKinley) / North America / 6,194 m (20,320 ft.)
3. Kilimanjaro / Africa / 5,895 m (19,340 ft.)
4. Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) / Oceania / 4,884 m (16,023 ft.)
5. Mount Elbrus / Europe / 5,642 m (18,513 ft.)
6. Aconcagua / South America / 6,962 m (22,841 ft.)
7. Vinson Massif / Antarctica / 4,897 m (16,067 ft.)
8. Kosciuszko / Australia / 2,228 m (7,308 ft.)

There are two Seven Summits lists existing. The “Bass” list which includes the first 7 mountains in the list above and the “Messner” list. Reinhold Messner, famous Italian mountaineer and first person to climb all fourteen 8,000er’s, revised the Bass list replacing Puncak Jaya with Kosciuszko in Australia, claiming Oceania is not a continent.

History of the Seven Summits

U.S. amateur mountaineer and business man Richard Bass first had the idea to climb the seven highest mountains on all seven continents and was the first person in the world to finish the quest. Canadian mountain climber Patrick Morrow from British Columbia was the second climber to complete the Bass list and first on the Messner list. As of early 2007 almost 200 mountaineers climbed all seven peaks on the seven continents.

The Superficial Challenge

The term “Seven Summits” describes the seven highest mountains on each continent. The difficulties to reach the summits of these mountains vary widely. Some are socalled trekking mountains and their normal routes to the top do not require any extraordinary climbing skills.
While it certainly can be the “big adventure” for an individual with the financial resources, the physical fitness and mental strengths to endure all the hardship and risks that come with mountaineering, this type of adventure lost a lot of its value. Numerous guiding services offer packages and lure striving but often unexperienced mountain climbers into paying immense amounts of money to reach “big seven” – often at the expense of their clients’ safety (see Jon Krakauer’s excellent book “Into Thin Air” about the ’96 desaster on Mt. Everest).

Resources

Richard Bass: Seven Summits
Patrick Morrow: Beyond Everest – Quest for the Seven Summits
Jon Krakauer: Into Thin Air

Glacier National Park

2007-06-14T15:39:00.000-04:00

No more glaciers in Glacier National Park?

Park officials see global warming as the main reason why glaciers and snow caps are retreating in Glacier National Park.

The park, located in Montana, was once home to some 150 glaciers. The past 150 years slowly but surely melted 124 (!) of them away, centimetre by centimetre, inch by inch. National Park officials estimate the last glacier in the park will have vanished in less than 25 years from now.

Elsewhere in the world it’s not much better. Temperatures in Antarctica have risen dramatic in the last 50 years! Not much better in the Canadian Arctic. Temperatures rose to 3 degrees Celsius above normal. And a gigantic 66 square kilometres (that’s 11,000 football fields!) chunk of ice, the Ayles ice shelf, broke off Ellesmere Island in the Canadian North. It was one of the last six ice shelves – floating ice connected to land – left in Canada.

Government and state officials are beginning to see how serious the problem of global warming is. Even the recent G-8 summit in Germany put the worldwide rising temperature on its agenda. If this will make a difference is another story…

Images of the calving of the Ayles Ice Shelf can be seen on the Web site of Environment Canada.

One Man's Wilderness

2007-06-11T09:14:00.000-04:00

When I lived in Austria I had rented a small log cabin in the mountains. Even though not considered as wilderness area, it was located on a pretty remote place in the eastern Alps. In my ‘best’ year I spent 120 (!) days on the cabin throughout the year and this while running my sales agency full time.

The cabin measured only 6 x 4 meters and was equipped with a simple woodstove. There was no electricity; the water came from a small creek with the tendency to dry out during the summer. The only ‘luxury’ was a gas lantern since I read a lot and didn’t want to ruin my eyesight.

The simple cabin-life has something very special and whenever I come across literature about that topic it draws my attention.

One Man's Wilderness - An Alaskan Odyssey by Sam Keith and Richard Proeneke (1973) is such a book. In 1968 Richard ‘Dick’ Proeneke – 50 years old at that time – retired to live his dream. His dream was to live alone in the Alaskan wilderness.

Dick took action. He went out in the bush to find a spot for his cabin and to acquire the necessary skill to build the log cabin using natural resources. During the eighteen month of construction he chronicled his progress in a journal, took pictures and videos not only of the cabin but also the land as well as observations of flora and fauna.

Sam Keith, a friend of Richard compiled the journals into the book in 1973. If you’re interested in the wilderness living, or maybe even carry that dream inside yourself too, you will enjoy the book, a really good read. If you’re interested in purchasing the book at Amazon, you can do so by clicking here: One Man's Wilderness - An Alaskan Odyssey or the image below.