National Geographic Student Expeditions expand for 2010

by Kraig Becker on

The popular and successful National Geographic Student Expeditions program is gearing up for another outstanding year, adding new options for high school students looking for an adventurous and educational escape this summer. The lucky travelers have their journeys enhanced further by the inclusion of National Geographic experts and trip leaders designed to deliver travel experiences unlike any other.

Of course, many students spend their summer traveling, but the Student Expeditions program offers some unique options that aren’t available elsewhere. While on their journey, each student will select an “On Assignment” project in the area of interest that includes photography, travel writing, filmmaking, exploration, archaeology and ancient culture, climate and geology, marine biology and conservation, Earth science, and wildlife and conservation. Those projects can take such forms as a photo portfolio, a travel film, or a short story, with a focus on capturing the culture and natural wonders of the locations visited.

The students are guided in their assignments by handpicked experts, such as National Geographic photographers, writers, or researchers who join their expeditions for anywhere from three to seven days. These experts are generally well known in their field and offer years of experience and expertise to the next generation of explorers on the trip. For example, when traveling through Tanzania, the students will be joined by Anna Estes, a wildlife ecologist who has conducted research in the Ngorongoro Crater, while those selecting Australia as their destination of choice, will see the country with photojournalist and filmmaker Ulla Lohmann.As if that wasn’t enough all of National Geographic’s trip leaders are college graduates who are working in journalism, photography, science, and similar fields. Each has insightful and extensive knowledge of the destination the students will be visiting, and in order to ensure the best experience possible, the ratio of trip leaders to students is roughly six or eight to one.

The 2010 schedule offers 15 exciting trips, lasting three weeks in length, to such destinations as Costa Rica, Iceland, Peru, China, India, and more. New to the schedule this year are expeditions to Alaska, Hawaii, and Tuscany. You can check out the entire list by clicking here, and high school students interested in joining one of these trips can fill out an online application here.

For a great look at what one of these trips is like, check out this wonderful video from a student expedition to Peru. Why couldn’t this have been an option when I was in high school?!?

New device will let you text, twitter from remote places

by Kraig Becker on

The Consumer Electronics Show has been going on in Las Vegas the past few days, with a host of new gadgets and gizmos being announced, including everything from new digital camera, ebook readers, and even 3D LCD TV’s. One product that was announced, and may be of interest to travelers heading to remote places on the planet, is the Earthmate PN-60w, a hand held GPS device from DeLorme and SPOT, that will allow adventurers to more effectively communicate from locations that are not covered by cell service.

The new device pairs one of DeLorme’s GPS units with SPOT’s next generation Satellite Communicator, to send custom message from the backcountry. The Earthmate wil have all the regular features you’d expect from a GPS, including base maps, in this case covering the entire world, navigation, electronic compass, and so on. But it will also wirelessly pair with the Communicator, allowing the user to type text messages and send them to friends and family back home via satellite.

For its part, the Satellite Communicator allows for adventure travelers to call for help, should the need arise, from nearly anywhere on the planet. It also lets the user to share tracking information and custom messages that can easily be interfaced with Twiter, Facebook, Geocaching.com, and SPOT’s own SPOTadventures.com.

The Earthmate PN-60w will be available later this spring, but pricing, for the device and the communications service, have not yet been announced. If DeLorme and SPOT stay true to form however, you can expect global communications to become available and affordable for the average consumer.

Utah ski resort offers 30-year pass, with a catch

by Kraig Becker on

Utah ski resort The Canyons is offering skiers and snowboarders the chance to buy a season pass that is good for 30 years and can be loaned to friends and family. But, as in all things that seem too good to be true, there are a few caveats to the deal.

The passes are available for $5000 each, and eligible buyers are limited to buying just two. Unlike ski passes from other resorts, these can also be shared with friends and family on days and weekends that you’re not using them for yourself, which is unique in and of itself. So what’s the catch you ask? Well, in order to be eligible to take part in the deal, you have to own or purchase a condo at the Canyons, which will set you back a minimum of $675,000.

But for those that are in a position to take advantage of this deal, it really is a bargain. The $5000 pass breaks down to just $166 per year. That same pass would cost others $1099 a year, and because the pass can be loaned out to others, it is possible to make a little money on the side by renting it out for the weekend.

The Park City resort covers more than 3500 acres and spans eight mountain peaks, offering skiers and snowboarders plenty of winter fun. Averaging more than 355 inches of snow each year, the Canyons has earned itself a reputation as one of the top destinations in Utah for hitting the slopes.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, if you sell the condo, the pass goes with it.

British climber rescues himself, heads straight to the pub

by Kraig Becker on

A British climber earned legendary status earlier this week when he managed to not only drag himself down the mountain on a broken leg, but then elected to make his first stop at the local pub upon reaching civilization.

According to U.K. newspaper the Daily Mail, 44-year old Sean Moore was climbing on the 11,423 foot tall Mulhacen peak in Spain’s Sierra Navada mountains on Sunday when he fell, breaking his leg in the process. He then spent the next two nights alone on the mountain, with high winds, sub-zero temperatures, and heavy snow falling around him, before he decided to hobble down the mountain on his broken leg. Upon reaching the town of Granada, he wandered into a local bar, where the patrons immediately alerted the local authorities.

Moore’s wife had reported him missing on Sunday when he failed to return from Mulhacen, the tallest peak in mainland Spain. On Monday, search and rescue teams went to work on the mountain, but their efforts were hampered by the poor weather conditions. They began to fear the worst before the Brit turned up in the local pub.

At last report, Moore was still in the hospital in Granada, having been treated for exposure and recovering from surgery on his damaged leg. His injuries are described as non-life threatening however and he is said to be recovering nicely. There is no word on whether or not he had a drink in the pub while he waited for the ambulance.%Gallery-67351%

Summit on the Summit: celebrity Kilimanjaro climb begins today!

by Kraig Becker on

Standing 19,340 feet in height, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa, and a popular trekking destination for adventure travelers. The mountain requires no technical skills to reach the summit, but remains a significant challenge none-the-less, which is why it often serves as the location for high profile, fund raising climbs.

One such climb, dubbed the Summit on the Summit, begins today with a number of celebrities joining the expedition, which hopes to raise awareness about the need for clean drinking water around the globe. The SOTS website says that more than 1 billion people do not have access to potable water and that every 15 seconds, somewhere on the planet, a child dies due to a water-related disease, such as malaria or typhoid. The expedition has partnered with the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, the UN Refugee Agency, and Playpumps International in order to deliver clean drinking water to remote places around the globe while educating the developed world about this growing problem.

The Summit on the Summit expedition is the brainchild of musician Kenna, who invited a few of his friends along for the climb. He is joined by rapper Lupe Fiasco, actor Jessica Biel, and adventure photographer Jimmy Chin, amongst many others, on the eight day climb that will take them to the Roof of Africa, passing through five unique climate zones along the way. If everything goes according to schedule, the team will stand at Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, next Wednesday.

The expedition has multiple ways for us to get involved and follow along with the team as they make their way towards the summit. The official website offers a slick interface with all kinds of information on the mountain, the climbers, and their cause. You can also follow their progress and get updates through the team’s Twitter feed, which is found at @SOTSK. They have been tweeting about their experience since their arrival in Tanzania yesterday evening.

But more importantly, you can contribute directly to the cause by sponsoring a foot of the climb. The team hopes to get all 19,340 feet sponsored before they are done, with all funds raised going directly to providing clean water for people in need all over the planet. It’s a great cause with a dedicated crew, and it should be fun to follow along.