Dramatic Everest Rescue Caught On Video

by Kraig Becker on

A dramatic rescue took place on Mt. Everest this past weekend where photographer and filmmaker Corey Richards had to be evacuated from the mountain by helicopter. Much of the incident was captured on film, which offers insight into high altitude mountaineering rescue operations that can be employed to save a climber’s life.

Richards was climbing the world’s tallest mountain as part of the co-sponsored National Geographic/North Face team that is preparing to tackle Everest’s seldom visited West Ridge. As part of his normal acclimatization process, he had made his way up to Camp 2, located at about 21,000 feet, and while there, he began to experience chest pains and was having trouble breathing. Fearing an impending case of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), better known as altitude sickness, Corey’s teammates sprung into action to help ensure his safety. After putting him on supplementary oxygen, ten other climbers loaded him into a plastic sled and started to lower him down the mountain.

The original plan was to take him to Camp 1 where he could be picked up by a helicopter, but the weather worsened as they descended, and they were forced to assist him all the way back to Base Camp at 17,500 feet. Along the way, the 28-year-old Richards had to periodically get off the sled and walk across large crevasses on out-stretched ladders.

Upon reaching Base Camp, Richards was taken to the village of Lukla, located at a lower altitude in the Khumbu Valley. Once there, high altitude doctors were able to examine him and they determined that it was best to send him back to Kathmandu for recovery. He is reportedly there now, feeling much better and weighing his options for potentially returning to the team.

Update: The video has been changed to no longer allow us to embed it here on Gadling. To check it out for yourself click here.

New Mapquest Website Allows Visitors To Explore National Parks

by Kraig Becker on

A new website, powered by MapQuest, is giving travelers a unique way to plan their next visit to America’s National Parks. The site, which has launched in beta form, features detailed profiles on all 58 National Parks in the system and provides visitors with information on their history, available activities and much more.

As you would expect, the site offers readers the ability to locate national parks close to home simply by using a map of the U.S. It also lists each of the parks by state, as well as alphabetically, making it extremely easy to find the specific destination you’re looking for. Clicking on the name of any park on the list will open its corresponding guide which includes a general overview of the park itself as well as information about wildlife in the region, insights on what to expect while visiting and useful tips on what to do while you’re there. You’ll find those tips are highly specific to the individual parks, offering suggestions for fishing, hiking and climbing in Grand Teton for example, while also providing options for paddling and scuba diving in Isle Royale.

MapQuest has included plenty of great images to help give readers a good sense of the landscapes they’ll experience while visiting the parks and there are a number of excellent videos as well. For example, the video below serves as an introduction to Yellowstone and includes commentary and insights from several of the park rangers. These videos are a great way to learn more about the parks they feature and are likely to inspire visits to those places too.

This new site is an excellent resource for planning a visit to any national park in the system. If your summer travel plans include a stop in Yosemite, The Great Smokey Mountains or any other national park, do yourself a favor and bookmark MapQuest National Parks now.

For These Ladies, Paragliders Offered The Ultimate View Of Iceland. (Video)

by Kent Wien on

Paragliding pilots have the ultimate perch to get out and see the world. For two Icelandic women, a planned camping trip to the highlands of their country turned into one of the most mesmerizing videos I’ve come across.

In July 2011 two girls borrowed a 4×4, filled it with camping gear and paragliders and drove up to the Highlands of Iceland.

They experienced a new side of their own country, found some extreme flying spots and quaint people, learned how to drive across rivers, up mountains and how to read maps.

4 weeks later, having killed the vehicle, they returned and made this film:

I can think of no better excuse to travel than to take up paragliding and meet other pilots around the world. In fact, I plan to do just that. Stay tuned.

Want to learn to really fly? If you live in the U.S. look up a paragliding school close to you. It’s less expensive than you think.

Travel For The Inexplicable Human Connection

by Grant Martin on

Editing a contribution to the site from Jill Paris the other day I was reviewing her bio at the end of the article and took note of the reason why she travels: “for the inexplicable human connection.”

Those connections affect all of us when we travel, whether we know it or not, and it’s a big part of what makes the journey so special. For me, personally, I have wonderful stories of meeting random groups of friends on the steps of Montmartre as well as terrible, dark confessions of trips gone awry and of love lost. But the threads of all of these narratives help weave the tapestry of my life, and with them, I’ve become a better and stronger person.

Luke Rudkowski’s journey through France were affected by a kind stranger named Joel, the sort of person that opens his home to travelers and greets them with kindness and compassion. It’s a story of budget travel and of short lived relationships of the road — and it’s told perfectly above.

Video: Yosemite In Timelapse

by Kraig Becker on

Timelapse videos seem to be all the rage on the Internet these days but when they look as amazing as the one below, you can understand why. The 4 minute-44 second clip was shot in Yosemite National Park by filmmaker Shawn Reeder and it only serves to remind us just how beautiful that place actually is.

If you’ve never experienced Yosemite for yourself, there is no better time to go than in the spring. The crowds remain at a minimum and the weather is generally warm and comfortable, although snow can remain at the higher altitudes. Additionally, the winter run-off makes the park’s numerous waterfalls flow at top capacity making the already picturesque valley even more magical. Find out more about Yosemite and all the national parks at NPS.gov.