Top American alpinist perishes in the Himalaya

by Kraig Becker on

Joe Puryear, one of America’s top mountaineers, fell to his death last week while climbing in the Himalaya. He was just 37 years old, but had earned himself a reputation as one of world’s elite climbers, having put up routes in all of the planet’s major mountain ranges, including the Andes, the Himalaya, and the Alps. Joe had reached the summit of more than 30 mountains in the Alaskan Range alone and made more than 80 successful climbs up Mt. Rainier in the state of Washington, where he was a mountain ranger.

Puryear was attempting to make just the second ascent of the remote Labuche Kang, located in Tibet. The 24,170 foot (7367 meter) tall mountain remains largely unexplored even in this day and age, which made it all the more alluring to Joe and his climbing partner David Gottlieb. In the midst of that challenging climb, Puryear fell through a cornice and plummeted hundreds of feet to his death, bringing a premature end to his adventurous life.

Joe is survived by his wife Michelle, who shared his passion for adventure and climbing. She posted her final goodbye to her husband on the expedition’s blog.

The video below comes to us courtesy of the Today Show and offers more insights into Joe’s life.

[Photo credit: Joe Puryear]

Bali company offers ‘best dive job in the world’

by Kraig Becker on

Continuing the recent spate of “best job” offerings that began with Australia's tourism efforts, the Indonesian-based company Blue Season Bali is offering the Best Dive Job in the World which will give one lucky winner the chance to live in Bali for seven months while undergoing training to become a PADI dive instructor. That training alone is worth more than $15,000.

The contest, which began this past Saturday and runs through February 28, 2011, is a simple one to enter. Interested “applicants” can either submit a one minute video or a 500 word essay answering the question “Why I want to change my life and become a PADI Instructor.” Once the contest closes, Blue Season Bali will review all the submissions and select one winner to join them in paradise.

The contest is open to anyone who will be 18 years of age, or older, when the contest closes on February 28th. You don't even need to have any dive experience to win, just a love for water, an adventurous spirit, and a willingness to work and play hard, while learning new skills that could lead to a new job and a major change in your lifestyle.

The actual prize consists of the PADI instuction of course, but also seven months single accommodations in Bali, a full compliment of scuba gear, certification and exams that are fully paid, unlimited diving for seven months, and much much more. To review the entire package, click here and to learn more about the contest, watch the video below.

[Photo credit: Scott Sanchez via WikiMedia]


Viceroy Snowmass offers ski season bargains

by Kraig Becker on

With over 20 inches of snow already on the ground, and more in the forecast soon, luxury ski resort Viceroy Snowmass, located near Aspen, Colorado, is preparing for the ski season ahead. In order to entice both early and late season visitors, the mountain resort is offering a great deal that include pampering both on and off the slopes.

Viceroy has announced that visitors who book three or more nights between November 25 and December 22 of this year, or between January 4 and March 31, 2011, will receive $150 in credit per night of their stay, which can be used for a variety of options during their visit. For instance, those credits can be applied to ski and snowboard rentals, lift tickets, lessons, or even spa treatments. Rooms start at $225 per night and go up to $675 for a luxurious studio lodge.

Viceroy Snowmass opened in November of 2009, creating a new standard for luxury ski resorts in Colorado. In addition to their world class skiing and snowboarding runs, visitors can take part in cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, snowmobiling, and more. And when visitors are done playing in the mountains, they can rest and recuperate in the 7000 square foot spa and treat themselves to a gourmet meal in one of the resort’s fine restaurants, and after dinner they can retire to their comfortable and well equipped rooms. The Viceroy’s 173 ski-in/ski-out accommodations include fireplaces, HDTV’s, private sundecks, and much, much more.

The Viceroy isn’t just a winter destination however, as there are plenty of things to do there all year round. Visit during the warmer months and you’ll be treated to some excellent hiking trails, gondola served mountain biking, horseback riding, fly-fishing, paragliding and plenty of other outdoor adventures.

To learn more about Viceroy Snowmass and to book your visit, click here.

Mt Everest now has cell phone service

by Kraig Becker on

Nepali cell phone company Ncell announced this week that they have activated a cell tower in Mt. Everest base camp, providing reliable 3G coverage on the mountain for the first time. To commemorate the launch of the service, the technicians completed the highest altitude video call ever from 5300 meters (17,388 feet) on the mountain.

Ncell’s service will replace expensive, and often unreliable, satellite phones, which can be easily disrupted by bad weather and technical issues. Sat phones have been the defacto standard on Everest for years but the new cell service offers not only improved voice communications, but also a relatively speedy data connection all the way to the summit, located at 8849 meters (29,035 feet). That data connection will allow for photos, audio, and even video to be shared by climbers.

The new cell tower won’t just provide coverage for climbers and trekkers on and around Everest however. It will also give Nepali citizens living in the Khumbu Valley the ability to make phone calls for the very first time. The remote region has few modern conveniences, but in a country that only has cell coverage for about a third of its people, this is a big step forward for communications. Ncell, and it’s partner TeliaSonera, plan to spend about $100 million to expand coverage to 90% of Nepal’s population by the end of next year. Considering the challenges of travel in the Himalaya, that will be quite a feat.

It is impressive that visitors to Mt. Everest can now make a phone call, even while standing on the summit. Now if only AT&T could eliminate the dead zones in my home town. Then I’ll be really impressed.

Scientists recommend alternate route for proposed Serengeti Highway

by Kraig Becker on

Back in July we posted a story about how the Tanzanian government had approved the construction of a new highway that would cut directly through the Serengeti National Park, which is home to a spectacular array of animal life. Officials explained how the new road was necessary in order to facilitate trade and continue economic development in the region, and that they expected the highway to have little impact on the Serengeti ecosystem. Unfortunately, the 290 scientists, from 32 different countries, who signed a recent petition, disagree with that sentiment.

Those scientists, who represent more than 50 different universities worldwide, are recommending that Tanzania find an alternate route around the Serengeti or face severe, negative, and irreversible damage to the environment there. Of most concern is how the increased traffic would impact the annual migration that takes place on the Serengeti plains during which time, millions of wildebeests, zebras, antelopes, and other animals travel across the region, playing an important role in helping the ecosystem to not only survive, but thrive. The fear is that if the migration is disrupted, it could lead to a complete collapse of that ecosystem.

The petition includes a survey of those same scientists in which they give their thoughts on a variety of topics in regards to the road. For instance, 85% of those surveyed said that they felt that it was either inevitable or very likely that the new highway would become a disruption or obstruction of the migration. Furthermore, 91% answered the same way when asked if they thought it would introduce invasive plants, animals, and diseases to the region.

The scientists join conservationists, international organizations, and the travel industry in condemning the plans to build the road. While all parties involved respect Tanzania’s desire to expand its economy, they also recognize that the Serengeti is a natural resource that is fragile and could easily be altered beyond repair.

While the local government is planning to move ahead with construction plans, the Save the Serengeti organization is still hoping to find an alternative solution. Personally, I hope they can too.