Paraplegic climber summits Kilimanjaro!

by Kraig Becker on

A few days back we posted a story about paraplegic athlete Chris Waddell attempting to climb Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, under his own power. When that story was written Chris was still in the midst of his climb, and was camped on the mountain at 18,000 feet. Yesterday, he completed his epic journey, and became the first paraplegic to reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.

The details of Chris’ final push to the top of the mountain remain a bit thin at the moment, but the most recent update to his blog shared the news, saying: “This just in… It’s official ! … Chris is the 1st paraplegic to summit Kili, unassisted! This is wonderful news and we are so very excited. Today is a very, good day! Congratulations to Chris Waddell & the One-Revolution team on a successful summit of Mount Kilimanjaro!!!!” A second update later in the day said that the team had returned to Kili’s crater, where they were spending the night, and that there would be further updates today once they had descended the mountain and returned to their hotel.
In order for Chris to go up Kilimanjaro, he and his team, had to put together a special cart that he could propel using his hands. He essentially peddled the cart, using just the strength of his arms, all the way to the top of the 19,340 foot mountain, dealing with widely varying terrain, plenty of loose rock scree, and the effects of altitude along the way.

For Chris, this is just another amazing accomplishment for a guy who hasn’t let his disability stand in his way. He wanted to make the climb to inspire others, and I think it safe to say that he did just that. Congrats to him and his entire team.

Should a medical exam be required before a major trek?

by Kraig Becker on

Physicians and politicians in Australia are calling for mandatory physicals for any trekkers preparing to hike the Kokoda Track according to Aussie newspaper The Age. The Kokoda is a difficult and remote trail in Papua New Guinea, which has claimed the lives of three hikers this year alone. The track runs 60 miles in length through a region where the Australian military fought a pitched battle with the Japanese during WWII, and it has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years.

The latest person to die on the Kokoda was a 38 year old man named Paul Bradfield who was hiking the trail as part of a fund raising effort for a children’s charity. Before the hike he was believed to have been in good health and spent weeks training for trip. The exact cause of his death is still unknown, but it is believed that he suffered a heart attack while hiking. The other two people to die on the trail this year were also quite young as well. One was a 26 year old man, and the other a 36 year old woman.

This story brings up an interesting debate. Should a physical be required before embarking on any major trek? At what point does a government begin enforcing such requirements and how exactly do they do so? At the moment, Australia has no requirements of the trekking companies that operate on the Kokoda, but they are developing a “code of conduct” for those hiking the trail, and are now strongly considering the requirement of a medical check as well.
While three deaths is certainly something to be concerned about, it is also a very small number when you consider that 6000 people take on the Kokoda each year. Similarly, on Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, roughly ten people die in a given year as well, usually due to altitude sickness. But that too is a small number when you consider the thousands that climb the mountain each year. Should these relatively minuscule numbers of deaths cause a change in policy that will effect all the trekkers that go to these places? And would a mandatory health check have saved these three hikers to begin with?

On the other hand, there is a certain inherent danger to these kinds of trips, and obviously anyone can be at risk, no matter what condition they’re in. Wouldn’t a responsible traveler want to ensure their safety by having a physical anyway? Don’t they owe it to themselves and their families?

If Australia does institute a change, it’ll probably require the tour operators to be the ones that have to enforce it by requiring all hikers to show proof of a medical examination before they join the trek. The question is should they make this change, and if so, should other major treks around the world follow suit?

100 urban adventures for the city dweller

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for something to do today as the weekend quickly comes to a close? Then look no further than Outside Magazine’s list of 100 Urban Adventures. As you can no doubt tell, it contains some of the best activities to do in the great outdoors while remaining well within some of the largest cities in the U.S.

Outside turns its attention on such urban centers as New York, Boston, and Chicago, amongst others. Some of their suggestions for outdoor fun might come as a surprise, even to those that live there. For instance, plenty of people have probably considered paddling around Liberty Island to get a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty from inside a Kayak, but did you also know that you could go bouldering in Central Park?

There are equally interesting adventures from the other cities as well. Go sailing on Lake Michigan while in Chicago, horseback riding through the Hollywood Hills in L.A., or trout fishing a short distance from downtown Seattle. These are just a sample of some of the adventures on the list and chances are you’ll find something on it that will appeal to what ever level of activity you’re up for.

But what if you don’t live in any of these cities? My guess that no matter where you live, you’ll find similar hidden outdoor adventures right under your nose. Take a look around, and you’re likely to find all kinds of interesting things to do. But hurry, the weekend is slipping away fast.

Classic Trek: The Overland Track, Australia

by Kraig Becker on

Australia is a country with plenty of remote backcountry and an abundance of good hiking trails as well. It is an adventure travelers paradise, with opportunities to backpack your way through unique environments that include deserts, mountains, rain forests, and more. Perhaps the most famous of all of the Aussie trails is the Overland Track, located in the southern most state of Tasmania.

The 40 mile long Overland Track runs from Cradle Mountain to Lake St. Clair, and is well known for its pristine beauty. Generally speaking, it takes roughly five to six days to complete the trek, which is mostly over moderately difficult terrain that can vary greatly in nature. In addition to the usual path, there are a number of extensions for those looking for a longer experience, including a loop around the lake and another that runs to the summit of Cradle Mountain.

While the Track can be hiked in either direction, most choose to go North to South, as it allows hikers to pass through the region with the most volatile weather first, and make no mistake, the weather can be volatile on the Overland. Because of its southerly location, backpackers will have to deal with consistently high winds, as well as regular, and often heavy rainfall. Winter hikers will have to face the potential for heavy snow as well.
But those that brave the weather are treated to amazing scenery that was carved by retreating glaciers during the last ice age. The results are sharply contoured mountains, rock gorges, and plenty of thick rain forest surrounding the trail. This mixture of alpine and jungle trekking helps to give the Overland Track a unique feel, although it is regularly compared to the Milford Track in New Zealand, which is also a well known trek.

Aside from the scenery, there is plenty of very unique wildlife to be spotted along the way too. Trekkers often spot large lizards, wallabies, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and even platypus along the way.

A series of trekking huts can be found at regular intervals along the route, offering those hiking the trail a place to sleep and escape the elements. The huts are unattended, and visitors can stay in them free of charge, although they are open on a first-come, first-served basis. They do tend to fill up quickly and because of this, trekkers are encouraged to bring tents with them just in case there is no room at the inn when they arrive.

The best time to walk the Overland is from December to May, as the weather is a bit more mild and consistent. Roughly 8000-9000 visitors hike its length each year, which means that it is mostly uncrowded, even during the high season. No matter when you come however, be sure to bring plenty of gear for all weather conditonis, as it can change quickly and can even be potentially dangerous.

As if you needed one more reason to visit Australia, add the Overland Track to your list of great treks of the world and then take the adventure for yourself. You’ll be rewarded with an experience that you won’t soon forget.

Update: It has been brought to our attention that there is a new system in place that requires anyone hiking the Overland Track between November 1 and April 30 to book their trek in advance and pay a facility fee before they set out on the trail. For more information on these requirements and the Overland in general, click here.

Summer 2009 a record setting one for Yellowstone

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service has announced that it was a record setting year in Yellowstone, with nearly 2.3 million visitors crowding into the national park in June, July, and August. This is an increase of 124,000 over the previous record which was set back in the summer of 1999. Even more interesting, visitation to Yellowstone is up 8.1% for the year-to-date over 2008, and easily surpassed the record for those months as well. Back in 2007, 2,511,790 people went to the park between January and August, while this year that number stands at 2,654,378.

A number of factors are probably contributing to these increased numbers. For example, in the summer of 2009 we have enjoyed cheaper gas prices over 2008, which means more people are willing to drive for their vacation. On top of that, the global economic conditions have caused some travelers to scale back their plans to travel internationally, with many choosing to stay closer to home and travel within the U.S instead.

Of course, here at Gadling, we’d like to believe it was all of those reminders about the fee free weekends that we posted throughout the summer when every national park was free for one weekend in June, July, and August. Those weekends surely helped Yellowstone reach this new record as well. It probably didn’t hurt that President Obama took his famil on vacation there too.