There are few more inhospitable places on earth, which is probably why the poles make such an appealing
adventure destination. And of course some of the greatest stories ever told – Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton – were all
about going to these extreme places. But few people ever make the effort to get to the poles, north or south. But if
that is your dream – and I confess it is one of mine - then you might be interested in
this guide to getting there. From equipment, food (tip: “store
oil in tight canisters but remember that some oils (olive) freeze solid in cold whilst other (avocado) doesn’t.”) and
training to navigation and the inherent dangers of making such a trip, the site offers a good deal of real and useful
information about traveling to the poles.
Lynn Hill Profile
Lynn Hill was the first climber ever to make a free ascent in a single day of
The Nose on Yosemite’s El Cap. She’s one of the best known
female climbers in the world,
and Into Thin Air writer Jon Krakauer once said that “Lynn Hill isn’t just one of the best female
climbers in the world, she is among the greatest rock climbers of all time.” But Hill, who has been climbing rock faces
now for more than 30 years and wrote the book
Climbing Free, is also a mother and has been taking on other duties over the years. She’s now
serving as an ambasador of sorts for outdoors company Patagonia. The profile talks about Hill’s career and goes into
some interesting depth on her free climb of the nose of El Cap. A good read for climbing buffs.
Everest Base Camp
Now’s a good time to start planning that late springtime trip. And
here’s a recommendation that should satisfy the most
discerning adventure traveler: hike to Everest Base Camp. Yes, you fall short of summiting Everest itself, but with
those $20,000 per person peak fees, who can afford it? Besides, are you really in that good shape? Anyway, the trip I’m
recommending here is run by Mountain Sobek, one of the pioneers of adventure
travel. Here’s a brief description:
You’ll first visit delightful Sherpa villages, where you’ll meet the friendly people and soak up the colors, sights,
and sounds of village life as well as the spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism so prevalent in the Himalaya. Then you’ll
head to the rocky heights of Kala Patar (18,192′), where you’ll set your eyes on the awesome face of Everest, The Big
One, and trek to Everest Base Camp, with its views of 50-foot-tall seracs.
A bit pricey (about $3500 per person), but a definite once in a lifetime experience.
Outback Extreme
Here’s an insider’s account of the September 2004 X-Adventure race in Kalbarri, Western Australia. The
race described is
the final stage of the 2004 X-Adventure Raid Series, a 130-mile endurance race across the rolling sand plains,
river gorges, and pristine beaches of Western Australia’s Kalbarri National Park. The X-Adventure Raid Series is as
close as you can get to the professional tour. Brad Pennington, captain of Team Qantas, talks about what how nasty,
brutish and long the race can be.
Explorer Club Head Profiled
Today the Times runs a profile of Richard
Weise, the youngest president of the Explorers Club here in New
York (which also has some 30 chapters worldwide). Wiess, a former TV journalist, is trying to remake the venerable
institution’s image to make it more, well, hip (nevermind my disdain for that term), or at least more appealing to
younger folk (given that the average member’s age is currently 62). To be a member, however, applicants “must show
they have advanced the knowledge of the natural sciences, exploration or conservation.” So that leaves out most of us.