The U.S. and Mexico have announced plans to move ahead with the creation of a peace park along their shared border. Presidents Obama and Calderon met last month to sign an agreement that would protect the wild and untamed wilderness along both sides of the border near Big Bend National Park in West Texas, although concerns about security along that border do remain.
Big Bend has been a bit of a hidden gem in the U.S. national park system almost since it was established back in 1944. Located in a remote region of Texas, it attracts an average of just 300,000 visitors per year. That makes for a rather uncrowded experience considering its size, which is in excess of 1250 square miles. The park has miles of hiking and backpacking trail, and falls along the Rio Grande River, which offers up excellent rafting at certain times of the year. The park is an interesting combination of both harsh deserts and rugged mountains, and is home to a wide variety of wildlife including mountain lions, black bears, coyotes, golden eagles, and more.
Reportedly the wilderness on the Mexican side of the border is even more untamed and seldom visited by travelers, with herds of Big Horn sheep and even more bears roaming the area. That region is currently mostly unprotected however and the creation of the international peace park would change that, making both sides of the border an ecological refuge.
There are challenges to overcome to make the park a reality however. Opponents to the idea say that it will create security issues and could allow illegal immigrants and drug traffickers better access to the border. Supports of the plan point to the the Glacier-Waterton park which falls along the U.S.-Canadian border, as a model of success for this type of park. Of course, there aren’t a lot of Canadians trying to sneak into the States either.
For now, the plan is just a very basic idea, and the details on how the park will be organized and operated, remain to be worked out. But if, and when, it is completed, the park will be a new and amazing destination for adventure travelers looking to visit one of the lesser known and untrammeled regions in all of North America.
American sailor Reid Stowe just finished an endurance test that beats pretty much anything on the high seas.
He set off in a sailboat on April 21, 2007 and didn’t touch land again until he returned to port in Manhattan on Tuesday. That’s 1,152 days at sea.
His girlfriend Soanya Ahmad, who had no previous open ocean sailing experience, joined him for the expedition but had to return to land after ten months because she was feeling seasick. That “seasickness” turned out to be morning sickness, and the first thing Stowe got to do once getting home was to greet his 23-month old son Darshen. Ms. Ahmad says she and Stowe agreed that he would continue the trip. Ahmad told the BBC that he would have gone back to sea sooner or later anyway.
That’s one understanding woman, Stowe. You better keep her.
Stowe had to fight hard to make his dream come true. He originally wanted to leave in 1992, but he had trouble finding funding. One of the reasons for the expedition was to simulate the isolation and stress of a Mars mission, which would take a similar amount of time. The original plan called for a crew of six to eight, the number generally agreed upon to make an effective interplanetary team. It seems Reid had trouble convincing others to join him so he set off with only his girlfriend. Reid kept his sanity by practicing yoga and writing a book. Maintaining a ship for that long without refitting took a major effort too.
The Guinness Book of World Records is checking his claim and if verified, he’ll certainly become a new entry. Considering that he was tracked by GPS, things are looking good for Mr. Stowe.
With every journey to Everest, whether it’s going to the summit or simply trekking to Base Camp, the focus is always on the journey up. The news stories trumpet the fact that the climbers have reached the summit, rarely mentioning anything about the descent at all. When they do, it is usually because of some tragic accident that occurs on the way down, resulting in severe injuries or even death. But Ed Viesturs, America’s premiere mountaineer, is fond of saying that “the summit is only half way there”, and you can apply that same logic to a trek to BC as well.
On the way up the Khumbu Valley, trekkers struggle with the altitude gain, thin air, and challenging climbs up the steep slopes. As the days wear on, the hikers generally console themselves with the thought that going down will be so much easier. They tell themselves that on the descent, the air will start to get thicker, they’ll be fully acclimatized, and the trail will actually be going down the mountain. Going down is always easier, right? Turns out that isn’t completely true, and the trek back down the valley can still be quite the struggle.
Before you begin that descent, most of the trekkers who go to Everest Base Camp make one more big climb. One of the little known facts about this trip is that when you are actually in Base Camp itself, you don’t really get great views of Everest. Sure, the mountain is just a stones throw away, but you can’t see the summit, and it is hard to take in the true beauty of the mountain. Instead, you have to climb up Kala Patthar, an 18,192 foot (5545 meters) peak not far from Gorakshep, to get your true photo opportunities. Trekkers will set out as early as 4 AM to get to the top of Kala Patthar before sunrise so they can catch the first golden rays of the sun as they shine across the summit of Everest. The views are spectacular but the climb is killer. After that, it is indeed time to go back down the valley, toward the promise of thicker air. But as I noted already, the way down isn’t quite as easy as you would suspect. After reaching Base Camp there is a bit of a psychological let down, as there is a tremendous sense of accomplishment and a feeling that you’ve reached your goal. But “the summit is only half way there”, and there is still plenty of trekking to be done to get back to Lukla, and eventually Kathmandu. With the visit to Everest over though, it is more difficult to stay focused and motivated.
Following more than a week of hiking in the Himalaya, your legs are tired and the rigors of the trail really begin to take their toll. Those tired legs make going down the larger slopes very challenging, and you’ll find yourself as exhausted at the end of the day as you did when you were going up. Fortunately, you are able to make much better time heading down the Khumbu, and what took eight days to cover while going up, takes just four on the way back down.
As you descend, the air does indeed become thicker and you begin to feel like you can breathe a bit easier. Unfortunately, that can cause an irritation with the delicate bronchi in the lungs, which have already been damaged by the dust and the cold, dry air on the way up. This means that that case of the Khumbu Cough that you picked up on the way up the valley is likely to get worse on the way down. In my trekking group that was certainly the case, as we all hacked and wheezed our way along the trail. In my case, I returned home with a fairly minor cough, only to find that it got dramatically worse. Khumbu cough and severe jet lag are a potent combination.
For the most part, on the return trip down the Khumbu Valley you’ll stop at a number of the same places you did on the way up, although we took a different route, which passed through Pheriche instead of Dingboche, offerng some new and unique views along the way. Of course, all trails lead back to Namche Bazaar and eventually Lukla, where you’ll be ready to bask in the relative comfort there, while sipping a coffee at the fake Starbucks. From there, it is a short flight back to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, which marks an end to your Himalayan adventure.
It isn’t until after you’ve had some time to reflect on your journey that you can truly appreciate it. Trekking in Nepal is an amazing combination of a physical challenge, cultural immersion, and spiritual discovery. The views are enchanting, the people are warm and friendly, and the Buddhist mountain culture is peaceful and unique. It is unlikely that you’ll go home unchanged from your journey, and before long, you’ll be dreaming of seeing the Himalaya once again.
The global intelligence firm Stratfor has published an interesting primer on situational awareness, which is a fancy way of saying that you should pay attention.
The article is based on the obvious premise that most crimes such as kidnapping, robberies and terrorist attacks take several steps to complete, and that if someone is sufficiently aware of their surroundings they can spot the crime unfolding and react. The sharp-eyed street vendor who stopped the Times Square bomb is a perfect example.
Stratfor says that travelers and others who may be in harm’s way must get into the mindset of situational awareness. You should trust your gut instincts because often your subconscious has picked up on something your conscious mind hasn’t had time to process. People should practice being in a state of relaxed awareness similar to defensive driving. Enjoy life, but study your surroundings. Is that protest in front of the government building attracting some angry cops? Is that group of young men staring at you out of more than just curiosity? Who is standing near the ATM you want to use?
Relaxed awareness doesn’t mean being paranoid, it simply means that you should keep your eyes open and your mind active. Enjoy your vacation, but don’t leave your brain at home.
Unlike certain news organizations, Stratfor doesn’t exaggerate threats to grab readers. Their articles are meant to make you safer, not make you scared. As they say in the primer, “The world is a wonderful place, but it can also be a dangerous one.”
Words to travel by.
Photo of 2007 Bastille protests courtesy David.Monniaux via Wikimedia Commons.
Standing in Gorakshep, the tiny Nepali village that sits nestled in the Himalaya at 17,000 feet (5184 meters), it is difficult to not feel an air of excitement. The town is the last stop before climbing up to Everest Base Camp, and while it is spartan in its amenities, the view is one of the most spectacular that you’ll find anywhere.
Of course, a major part of that excitement stems from the fact that in order to reach Gorakshep, you have to spend at least six days hiking through the Khumbu Valley. It isn’t exactly an easy walk either, with thin air and major gains in altitude conspiring to sap the energy from your legs and challenge your lungs to take a full breath. But, you are bolstered by the thought that your ultimate goal is very close now, and it won’t be long before you stand in the very shadow of the tallest mountain on the planet.
The trek from Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp isn’t an especially long one in terms of distance. It is, however, a tough scramble through a rock field created from the loose scree being pushed down the valley by the Khumbu Glacier. For the entirety of the hike, you’ll actually be walking on the glacier itself, but for the most part you won’t even notice, as the trail is covered in multiple layers of rock and dirt. Those conditions, combined with the increasingly thinning air, make the last few hours up to BC a tough slog that will leave your already tired legs aching even more.The final leg of the trek puts you right in the heart of the Khumbu Valley, and it is quite a sight to see. Besides the spectacular mountain scenery, which I’ve described multiple times throughout this series, you’ll have plenty of other amazing views. For instance, while the glacier is indeed covered in boulders and dirt, there is still plenty of visible ice, with numerous glacial lakes filled with icy blue water dotting the surface. Ice caves, formed by water running under the ice, offer a glimpse of the world beneath the glacier as well, and it seems there is an extensive network of passages just waiting to be explored. The tent-city that makes up Base Camp is also visible from far down the valley, with the bright yellow and orange tents tantalizingly close, and yet so far away.
Over the course of those final hours on the hike up to Base Camp, I noticed that the winds had started to pick up considerably, and for the first time, I was in need of my warmer clothes. Many members of my trekking group had donned multiple layers a few days back while at lower altitudes, but for the most part, I was fine with my lighter gear even as we climbed. On that day however, I had donned my base layers and wore a heavy fleece for the final approach to BC, which was made all the more challenging thanks to the chilly, constant breezes that kicked up dust, making it even more difficult to breathe.
Not long after departing Gorakshep we caught a glimpse of what makes climbing Everest so potentially dangerous. As we walked, we could hear various rumbling noises, sometimes high on the slopes above us, sometimes coming from somewhere below us, out on the glacier. The noises were a bit unnerving at first and those feeling only got worse once we caught a glimpse of what was making them.
The first avalanche we saw was not far from Base Camp, on the far side of the Khumbu Icefall, and it swept down the mountain with a force and a fury that only nature can muster. We would see no less than three more avalanches over the course of the next few hours, and we heard plenty more on the mountains around us. Meanwhile, down below, out on the glacier, large chunks of ice were collapsing under their own weight, making it abundantly clear to everyone passing by exactly why the icefall is considered the most dangerous place on Everest.
Throughout the afternoon, Base Camp is visible up the valley, and you can see it from a long way off. But for quite awhile, it feels like it isn’t getting any closer, no matter how far you walk. Your lungs gasp for air, your legs burn, you’re exhausted from the climb, and it can be a bit disheartening at times to see how far off the camp remains. But eventually, you top a ridge and it appears at long last, and you find yourself scrambling up the last rocky portion of the trail to stand at your ultimate destination.
Finally reaching BC gives you a sense of relief, satisfaction, and exhilaration all at the same time. For many of us who made the trek, visiting Everest was a dream come true, and while we were “only” at 17,600 feet, it is probably as close to the summit as we’ll ever come. The actual “camp” can be a bit anti-climactic if you see ht location as just a destination to add to your list, but when you take in the whole experience, you’ll understand that an Everest Base Camp trek is more than the sum of its parts.
Sitting there looking up at the mountain, I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be. Sure, the hike is a challenging one and for a lowlander like me, it was difficult to breathe at times, but the view is definitely worth the walk. If you should ever make the trip for yourself, make sure you take time to sit back and take it all in. There are few places on the planet that can match the view.
