Patagonia adventure race looking for photographers

by Kraig Becker on

Aspiring photographers take note. The Wenger Patagonian Adventure Race have teamed up with the U.K. version of National Geographic Traveler to offer adventure travelers and photographers the opportunity of a life time. They’re giving away a trip to Chile to experience the race first hand, and cover it, as one of the race’s official photographers.

The next edition of the race will take place February 8-16 of 2011, and will feature coed teams of four trekking, navigating, mountain biking, and kayaking their way across hundreds of miles of Patagonian wilderness. You could be there to experience it for yourself, simply by going to the contest entry page, filling out the form, and uploading three sample photos that you’ve taken. From the entries, race organizers will select a winner, who will receive round trip airfare to Chile, as well as accommodations and ground transportation while in country. They’ll also receive full access to the race course, where they be tasked with capturing the excitement and drama of the race, set against the dramatic back drop of the Andes Mountains.

Patagonia is amongst the most beautiful and remote areas in the world. It has long been a popular destination for backpackers, climbers, and paddlers looking to experience one of the last untamed wildernesses on the planet. For the past seven years it has played host to the Patagonian Expedition Race, which is a competition like no other. This year, it will feature 15 coed teams racing through Chile’s wild expanses, as they battle each other, the environment, and some of the most unpredictable weather on the planet.

Even if you’re not on hand to experience Patagonia itself, be sure to go back to the race’s website in February to follow all the action as it unfolds.

Gap Adventures introduces new trips for 2011

by Kraig Becker on

As the final days of 2010 rapidly slip away, it is time to look to the new year for new opportunities and adventures. With that in mind, travel company Gap Adventures announced a host of outstanding new trips last week, offering up fantastic options for travelers looking for unique experiences.

Gap Adventures is amongst the top adventure travel companies in the world, offering hundreds of affordable trips to far flung places across the globe. These newly announced offerings are no different, giving travelers more than 100 new trips to choose from in 2011.

The new trips have been designed to offer a little something for everyone. For example, the Columbia Coffee Trails adventure is perfect for coffee lovers everywhere. They’ll visit some of South America’s top coffee plantations in search of the perfect brew, while exploring lush landscapes in Columbia, a country that his quickly becoming a top destination for travelers.

If coffee isn’t your thing, perhaps you’ll find an adventure more to your liking in Africa. New offerings to that continent will get travelers off the beaten path and into remote villages, where they’ll experience cultural immersion, spectacular landscapes, and fantastic wildlife. And if climbing Kilimanjaro has always been on your “bucket list,” Gap has made it easier and more affordable than ever with new options for that classic trek.

Gap has new adventures on every continent, ranging from the island of Sumatra to the deserts of Egypt, to the highlands of Guatemala and beyond. So whether you want to go to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, or somewhere in between, you’ll find plenty of fantastic opportunities in Gap’s back catalog or in their new offerings. To check out all the new trips, click here. But be warned, there are so many great trips to choose from, you may have to select more than one.

Artist plans exhibition at the summit of Everest

by Kraig Becker on

The Louvre, the Met, and the Hermitage. Without a doubt, three of the most prestigious art galleries in all the world. But if 78-year old artist Ranan Lurie gets his way, you can soon add the summit of Mt. Everest to that list.

Lurie has announced plans to place three acrylic-on-canvas works of art on the 29,029-foot peak. These small pieces are a part of a much larger project consisting of dozens of individual works that has been on display at the United Nations for some time. That project, entitled “Uniting Painting” stretches over 600 feet in length and has been a focus of Lurie’s artistic talents for more than 40 years.

While the details of just exactly how those paintings will get to the summit have not been elaborated on, we can assume that Lurie has commissioned a team of climbers to carry his works to the highest point on the planet when the Everest climbing season gets underway next spring. If all goes according to plan, the world’s highest art exhibition will probably take place sometime around mid-May, 2011.

Lurie hopes that by displaying his art in the High Himalaya, he can send a message to the world about the scope of his works and the uniting message he hopes to convey, which is that no matter what our race, creed, or culture, art is a common denominator.

Help select the next World Heritage Sites in the U.S.

by Kraig Becker on

As most travelers know, the UNESCO World Heritage Sites are amongst the most spectacular places in the entire world. The list, which currently consists of more than 900 unique locations across the planet, recognizes those places for their cultural or physical significance. But that list is constantly being evaluated and updated, with some sites being removed when they are threatened or altered, and others being added as their significance becomes more apparent.

The U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, which operates as a Federal Advisory Commission to the Department of State, has just opened a 30-day call for public comments on the current list of places that are being considered for World Heritage status. During this phase, the general public is invited to weigh in on the nominees, and express their opinion on whether or not those sites are worthy of UNESCO’s very esteemed list.

There are a total of 13 sites under consideration, with nine falling under the “cultural” category. Those sites include: Civil Rights Movement Sites, Alabama; Dayton Aviation Sites, Ohio; Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio; various Thomas Jefferson Buildings in Virginia; Mount Vernon, Virginia; Poverty Point National Monument and State Historic Site, Louisiana; San Antonio Franciscan Missions, Texas; Serpent Mound, Ohio and various Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings throughout the country. Additionally, there are four sites up for nomination in the “natural” category as well. Those sites include: Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, American Samoa; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia; Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona and White Sands National Monument, New Mexico.

The call for comment went out on Tuesday, Dec. 14, so the process has already been set in motion. For more information you can read the official entry into the Federal Registry by clicking here. If you would like to share a comment with the Commission, you’ll find the contact information for doing so, including mailing address, by clicking here.

This is a great opportunity to get some historically and culturally significant sites recognized by UNESCO. If you would like to see one, or more, of these sites added to the World Heritage list, be sure to share your thoughts now.

[Photo credit: National Park Service]

Permits now required on Yosemite’s Half Dome everyday of the week

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service has announced that permits will now be required everyday of the week for the iconic Half Dome in Yosemite National Park during the 2011 summer season. The move is designed to prevent overcrowding on the trail that leads to the summit and is expected to make the steep hike safer for all involved.

Earlier this year, the park service announced that permits would be required on the weekends, but they found that that simply moved more of the crowd to weekdays. On average, about 400 people hike the trail on those weekdays, as opposed to about 800 on the weekends. With that in mind, the NPS capped the number of available permits to 400 per day.

To add another level of planning to the process, permits can not be obtained on site at the park. Instead, they’ll need to be purchased up to four months in advance through the National Parks Reservation System. The price of the permit is a mere $1.50, but you’ll now need to know exactly when you plan to make the hike and order your permit accordingly.

The “trail” to the summit of Half Dome can barely be called that. A set of cables run up the side of the rock face, which give hikers something to hold on to as they pull themselves up the granite slab, which has wooden beams spaced out along the way. On busy days, the lines can be slow and if someone slips, it is easy to take down others with them. The new permitting system will hopefully take away some of the crowding, and make the entire experience a safer and more rewarding one for all involved.

If you’re planning a trip to Yosemite in 2011, you’ll definitely want to ensure that you get your hands on a permit for Half Dome plenty early. It is one of the most popular things to do in the park, and definitely worth the trip.It would be a shame to go and not be allowed on the hike.

[Photo credit: Sjoplin via WikiMedia]