Articles tagged “adventure travel”

Filter the Adventure Travel category by popular activities:

Biking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking, Paddling, Scuba diving, Skiing, Surfing

Floods in Kenya disrupt safari industry

by Kraig Becker on

Last week, flash floods swept through the Samburu National Park in northern Kenya, sending travelers scrambling for high ground, while campsites, 4×4 vehicles, and even bridges were swept away in just moments. The same area was afflicted by a major drought just last fall, which also disrupted travel through the region, but now it faces an entirely different problem, that could have even longer lasting effects.

According to the BBC, more than 17 tourists on safari had to be evacuated by helicopter following the flash floods, which also took out a local elephant research station. Most of the travelers were from the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, and some of them were forced to scramble up trees to avoid the rush of water that resulted when torrential rainfall caused the Ewaso Nyiro River to swell out of its banks.

Tourism is an important part of the Kenyan economy, and the classic safari is at the center of that trade. The Samburu National Park is one of the top safari destinations in the entire country, and many visitors flock to the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro as well. Many of the traditional big game animals are plentiful there, with elephants, zebras, hippos, and giraffes all in abundance.

While the waters have already begun to recede, the washed out bridges will need to be replaced before normal travel in the area can be restored. There is no time frame as to when that will happen, but visitors are still getting the opportunity to visit the park, although alternate routes are necessary for the time being.

Maine ski resort to charge for backcountry rescues

by Kraig Becker on

Sugarloaf Mountain, a popular ski resort located in Maine, has had enough of skiers and snowboarders going out of bounds and then requiring a rescue. In fact, they’re so fed up, that following two recent incidences, they have decided to charge the snowboarders who were rescued for the expenses incurred during the operation.

The two incidences in question took place on Friday, February 26th and the following Monday, March 1st. In both cases, snowboarders elected to ignore warning signs and fence lines, to leave Sugarloaf property and move onto privately held lands. When they became lost, search parties needed to be organized, with volunteer firefighters and Sugarloaf search and rescue teams going into action.

The first rescue involved five snowboarders, and cost a total of $2300 spread out between the local fire department and the resort. At $460 each, these boarders are getting off on the cheap side however, as the second rescue operation required the extraction of four out-of-bounds offenders, and extended to 15 hours in length. As a result, the tab came to just over $8350 or $2087.50 each. That makes for an expensive day out on the slopes.

All told, about 500 man hours were spent on the search and rescue operations, which convinced both Sugarloaf, and the Carrabassett Valley Fire Department, that they would send the bill to the people that were rescued. They argued that the snowboarders made a conscious choice to go out of bounds, and as a result, they would have to be held responsible for their own actions. Perhaps a big fat bill in the mail will help convince them to stay on the proper slopes next time.

Polar explorer sets out for second pole

by Kraig Becker on

We’ve mentioned Eric Larsen a couple of times in the past few months. First, when he set off on his Save the Poles expedition, and again when he reached the South Pole, the first of three extreme destinations he has planned for this year. During the course of 2010, Larsen expects to reach all three “poles”, which includes both the North and South Geographic Poles, as well as the summit of Mt. Everest, as he works to raise awareness for alternative clean energy sources and ways to reduce carbon emissions.

With the start of the 2010 season for arctic expeditions hitting last week, Larsen has now begun the second stage of his endeavor. Eric and his companions, Antony Jinman and Darcy St Laurent, set out from Cape Discovery in Northern Canada last week. Ahead of them is a 450 mile unsupported journey to the top of the world, which means that they are dragging all of their gear and supplies behind them in sleds, while they cover the distance on skis, battling the most extreme weather and terrain on the planet.

In his first updates from the ice, Eric says that so far, the journey north has been colder than the weather he experienced in Antarctica. The miles have been harder so far as well, with large areas of open water and giant ice fields impeding their progress. As a result, the team has not covered a lot of mileage so far, and negative drift has worked to deprive them of some of the miles they have achieved.

If successful in reaching the North Pole, Eric will be two-thirds of the way to his goal. He plans to head to Everest in the fall, and a successful summit there would make him the first person to ever reach the “three poles” in a single calendar year.

2010 Iditarod begins today

by Kraig Becker on

Following the ceremonial start in Anchorage yesterday, the 2010 Iditarod officially begins today with 71 mushers, and their dog sled teams, setting out from Willow, Alaska on a two week long odyssey through some of the most remote and rugged wilderness that North America has to offer. Over the course of the next two weeks, they’ll face challenging weather conditions, endless miles of snow covered trails, and each other, as they race to the finish line in Nome.

Officially known as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the event began back in 1973 as a way to commemorate the famous 1925 race against time in which dogsled teams delivered a diphtheria serum to Nome, saving dozens of lives in the process. Since then, however, it has earned the moniker of “the Last Great Race”, thanks to its incredible length and challenging conditions. The mushers and their teams will cover over 1100 miles on their journey, while dealing with sub-zero temperatures and whiteout conditions.

The odds on favorite to win this year’s race is three time defending champ Lance Mackey, although he’ll be pushed by past champions such as Jeff King and Martin Buser. And should one of these dog sled racing legends falter, there are a host of young racers preparing to leave their mark on the race, such as Dallas Seavey, son of former champ Mitch Seavey. Both father and son, hope to contend this year.

To win the Last Great Race, the competitors will need incredible endurance, perfect strategy, and even a little luck. But most of all they’ll need a great team of dogs. These canine athletes are born and bred for pulling a sled, and they are impressive to watch in action. As such, their safety and health is of the utmost concern, with vets on hand at all checkpoints, and mushers taking great precautions to ensure that their dogs are well cared for.

At 10 AM local time today, the 2010 race will get underway. Expect the winner to cross the finish line in roughly 10 days, with the rest of the teams spread out over the following week. The winner will take home a nice fat check and a new pick-up truck.

Sierra Club seeks applicants for best internship on Earth

by Kraig Becker on

The Sierra Club has the best internship on Earth, and they’re currently seeking qualified candidates to fill that role for summer 2010. If you’re between the ages of 18-25, a U.S. citizen, or permanent/legal resident with a valid work permit, and have a love for the outdoors, you may be just the person they are looking for to serve as the Outdoors Youth Ambassador Intern this year.

The lucky person hired for the position will spend the summer based out of Sierra Club headquarters in San Francisco, but will spend much of their time traveling the country. During the months of June, July, and August, the intern will be hiking, rafting, and generally enjoying the outdoors as part of the Sierra Club’s youth programs. They’ll then create a video blog of their experiences, and share them online for all to see, as they work closely with the Inner City Outings, Building Bridges to the Outdoors, and Volunteer Vacations programs.

For eight weeks of work, the intern will have all of their travel expenses covered, receive a $2500 stipend, and be outfitted with $2000 worth of gear, courtesy of The North Face and Planet Explore. They’ll also have the opportunity to work for one of the coolest organizations around, while playing in some of the best outdoor environments in the U.S. What could be better than that?

To find out more, you can read the FAQ by clicking here, and if you’re ready to apply for the position, click here. Applications are being taken through the end of March, so don’t wait too long!