Man arrested for stealing glacier in Chile

by Kraig Becker on

Late last week, law enforcement officials in Chile detained a man for allegedly stealing part of a glacier from inside Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, located in the Patagonia region. It is believed that the thief intended to sell the ice to various clubs in the capital city of Santiago, where it would be put into expensive designer drinks.

Police stopped the man, who was driving a large refrigerated truck, for a routine traffic violation, but were surprised to find that he had five tons of ice hidden in the back. Upon further examination, they discovered that the ice had come from the Jorge Montt Glacier, which is located not far from where the man was apprehended. So far, the driver has only been charged with theft, but officials are considering extending the charges to violating a national monument as well, since the ice came from inside a national park.

It is estimated that the five tons of ice would have sold for about $6300 had the man been able to deliver it to is buyers in Santiago. That doesn’t seem like a lot of money for harvesting so much ice.

Global climate change has played havoc on glaciers throughout Patagonia, and the Jorge Montt is no exception. Scientists say that is is currently retreating at a rate of about a half-mile per year, which is an alarmingly fast pace. The question now of course is how much of that is due to these nefarious ice thieves?

Airport Carbon Accreditation program grows in Europe

by Chris Owen on

Europe’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program is now boasting fifty-five major European airports as members and making a significant dent in carbon emissions. The voluntary program has a four-level rating system that assesses and recognizes the efforts of airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutral operations for all emissions over which the airport has control.

“It is clearly helping to move European aviation onto a more sustainable footing,” European Union Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas told the Associated Press. “Genuine progress on greening transport … can only occur when the regulator’s work is complemented by citizens and businesses taking action of their own.”

Airports are changing airport vehicles to electric or hybrid power, installing solar panels to generate the airport’s own electricity, and involving the entire airport operation. Airlines, air traffic control, ground handlers, baggage handlers, catering companies, refueling trucks, passenger shuttle transport, airport maintenance services, emergency services, police, border control and retailers are all held accountable and encouraged to make a positive impact.

Aircraft engines are probably what we think of as major contributors to the carbon emission tally. At participating airports, specific taxiing techniques are used to reduce fuel burn. Apparently, common taxiing routes are not always the most fuel efficient, especially if the aircraft has to overcome steep taxiway elevations, sits still waiting for cross traffic to clear and/or many sharp turns.

Like some cruise ships, ground power is provided to parked aircraft. Instead of having them leave their engines running, aircraft plug in to land power, further reducing emissions and possibly making for more breathable cabin air quality too.

The 55 major European airports participating in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program account for over half of all passenger traffic from Europe’s 400 plus aviation facilities. That’s up from 43 accredited airports last year who achieved a reduction of 729,689 tons of greenhouse gases, equivalent to removing around 180,000 cars from the roads.

Participating airports include London’s Gatwick and Heathrow; Frankfurt; Munich; Amsterdam; Brussels; Zurich; Geneva; and others.




Flickr photo by Christoph Mendt

Trek the Colombian Andes in El Cocuy National Park with Mountain Madness

by Laurel Miller on

Acclaimed Seattle-based adventure travel company and guide service Mountain Madness debuts its newest trip on February 4th: an excursion to Colombia’s El Cocuy National Park. Although Colombia is often characterized as being mostly tropical jungle or coastline, the Andean Cordillera Oriental crosses a significant portion of the country. The El Cocuy trip will allow trekkers to explore glaciers, alpine lakes, and remote colonial villages.

Mountain Madness owner and president Mark Gunlogson has years of experience as a mountaineering guide all over the world, and the company is renowned for its reputable and distinctive trekking trips and alpine climbing schools, particularly in South America and the Himalayas. For this inaugural El Cocuy adventure, Gunglogson will lead five other trekkers and climbers as they “explore this area’s potential for adventure travel. The team hopes to dispel the myth of danger with travel in Colombia and open up a new, cutting-edge trip.”

Activities will include mountaineering, trekking, rock climbing, and cultural exchange, a Mountain Madness hallmark. Check out the company’s blog for dispatches from El Cocuy. Buena suerte, team!

Video: How to self-arrest with an ice ax

Number of permits for Yosemite’s Half Dome could be cut

by Kraig Becker on

The number of permits available on a daily basis for Yosemite‘s popular Half Dome hike could be reduced in number starting next year – if a National Park Service proposal goes into effect. The move could be made in an effort to make the hike up the iconic mountain less crowded, and therefore safer, following the death of a hiker this past summer who fell while descending on the steep slopes.

The Half Dome hike is amongst the more popular attractions in Yosemite, despite its strenuous and daunting nature. The trail to the summit is 8 miles in length and wanders up the side of the massive rock slab, requiring hikers to use metal cables to help stabilize them both on the way up and down. It can be a treacherous walk, particularly if bad weather sets in, and traffic jams, like those seen in the photo to the right, are not uncommon along the way.

Last year, the Park Service began requiring a permit for the hike, limiting the number of people on the trail to just 400 per day. That was way down from the 1200 that it would sometimes see on busier days before the permit system went into effect. Under the new proposal, which is currently open for public comment, the number of permits issued would be reduced to 300, cutting crowds even further.

Cutting back on the number of people on Half Dome will have the added benefit of helping to protect the environment there as well. Large crowds can have a adverse effect on any ecosystem, and by reducing the number of visitors, the region is more likely to stay protected and viable for future hikers to enjoy as well.

We’ll have to wait and see if the number of permits available does indeed get cut for 2013, but it almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. All around, I think it’s a good move, although travelers will have to plan further ahead if they hope to hike Half Dome.

TripAdvisor survey reveals WiFi is a traveler’s top amenity

by McLean Robbins on

TripAdvisor has released the results of its first-ever 360 degree survey, and the results are in – amenities are king, particularly when those amenities include WiFi and breakfast included with the room rate, but turndown service is of little import.

Of the travelers surveyed, 54% said they have canceled a lodging reservation because they found better amenities at a different property.

According to travelers, the five most important amenities are:
1. WiFi
2. Breakfast Included
3. Loyalty Points
4. Restaurant
5. Shuttle Service to Local Attractions/ Airport

The least important amenities are:
1. Turndown Service
2. Pets Allowed
3. Spa
4. Tours/Excursions/Activities
5. Room Service

Internet is king

Some fun stats:
· 88% of travelers expect Wi-Fi Internet access to be free of charge in all lodging types
· 41% of travelers have never paid for Wi-Fi Internet access.
· 65% said they have used free Wi-Fi Internet in an accommodation’s lobby or common areas to avoid paying for in-room access.
· 93% of accommodations report offering some form of free Wi-Fi Internet access to their guests.

More than 1,000 U.S. travelers and more than 600 U.S. hotel representatives were polled.