Reminder: October 14th is a National Day of Adventure

As I get ready to head out of the country once again tomorrow, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that next Friday – October 14, 2016 – had been declared a National Day of Adventure by Men's Journal and Victorinox, the company behind the iconic Swiss Army Knife.

While not an official holiday of course, the entire point of the NDOA is to encourage people to get outside, engage in their favorite outdoor activities, or perhaps even try something new. To that end, the two sponsors of the Day of Adventure have helped organize more than 30 events across the U.S. to give us all a starting point for getting our adventures off to a good start.

While I'll actually be in Spain on that day, I'll certainly take some time to hit a trail and do some hiking, or possibly even some snorkeling in the Mediterranean Sea. And since it is a Friday, hopefully some of you will take part in the celebration by heading out to enjoy your own adventures too. Why not skip out of work early, grab your mountain bike and take a ride on your favorite trail? Or, gather up some friends and take a scenic hike somewhere before grabbing some dinner and drinks afterwards. The whole point is to add a little excitement and adventure back into your life, something that hopefully we do on a more regular basis than one day a year, but it is a good place to get started never the less.

So, whether your like to ride, hike, run, paddle, fly, climb, or some other crazy outdoor activity, don't forget to set a little time aside to pursue that passion next Friday. After all, you'll never regret the days that you do the things you love, and you might just discover other passions along the way.

Get out there and enjoy!

Himalaya Fall 2016: Japanese Climber Begins Solo Summit Bid on Everest

While most of the big commercial teams are now winding down their expeditions for the autumn in the Himalaya, there are still some very interesting climbs to that are still ongoing. Not the least of these is Nobukazu Kuriki's attempt at a solo – without oxygen no less – along the North Side of Everest. Yesterday, we received word that the Japanese alpinist has now set off on his attempt at the summit, a place that has eluded him on five separate occasions in the past.

According to Kuriki's support team, he will climb along the Hornbein Couloir route in his attempt to reach the summit. There is some speculation that he will make that approach along what is known as the Supercouloir Route, which is a combination of a route opened by a Japanese team back in 1980 and the Hornbein. If all goes according to plan, he should potentially top out sometime in the next couple of days.

Kuriki himself has been updating his Facebook page with updates as he goes. His most recent post indicates that he has reached his high camp and will set off for the summit possibly late Friday or early Saturday morning local Nepali time. Weather conditions are reportedly quite good, and while there has been a lot of snow deposited along the route, Nobu appears to be making good time on his way up.

If you are familiar with Kuriki's previous attempts on Everest, you probably already know what a successful summit would mean to him. As already mentioned, he has made five previous attempts at a solo summit on the mountain, one of which ended in disaster. In 2012, the Japanese climber became stranded high on the South Side in Nepal, and had to be helped down by a rescue team. While he was stuck at altitude, he suffered severe frostbite to his fingers and toes. He ended up having nine of his fingers amputated, and yet he continues to return to the mountain on a regular basis to test his strength and determination. Hopefully this time his efforts will pay off. Hopefully he'll also get up and down safely.

Over on Dhaulagiri we're still waiting on word from the Altitude Junkies about their plans. The team has hoped to summit that mountain this past weekend, but turned back after finding unexpectedly deep snow at Camp 2. They had returned to Base Camp, where they were pondering their next move, but since that time there has been now word on their decision. It is possible they are waiting out the weather and hoping to launch another summit attempt in the next few days, but they could also be preparing to clean up BC and head home. For now, we'll just have to wait to see what happens.

That's it for today. I'll be keeping a close eye on Kuriki's progress and will post updates as we hear more.

Video: Climbing the South Face of Annapurna

In terms of pure altitude, Annapurna ranks 10th amongst the 8000 meter peaks, topping out at 8091 meters (26,545 ft). But when it comes to level of difficulty to climb, it ranks second to perhaps only K2. In fact, it is considered the most dangerous mountain on the planet by many thanks to its frequent avalanches and technical challenges, and yet it continues to hold an allure over many climbers who travel to its flanks each spring to have a go at the summit.

This video a short documentary about such a climb. In it, we join famed Swiss mountaineer Jean Troillet as he attempts Annapurna back in 2012. The clips gives us some impressive shots of the mountain, and provides plenty of insights into what it takes to take on such a difficult and dangerous climb. If you're a fan of Himalayan expeditions to the big peaks, you'll definitely want to watch this short-film, which takes us along on one of the toughest climbs of all.

Video: Nat Geo Tells Us Why it is so Hard to Catch Poachers

As the world's population of elephants and rhinos wanes dramatically, many countries across the globe have stepped up their efforts to combat poaching in Africa and elsewhere. This is a battle that has been raging for sometime however, and yet we continue to hear how poaching is having a dramatic impact on the number of these creatures that roam the wild. Why is it so hard to stop these illegal activities? In this video from National Geographic Live, Naftali Honig – founder of the EAGLE Network – tells us why it is so hard to bring these people to justice.

Adventure Blog Interview: Jeff Evans of Travel Channel's Everest Air

 Jeff Evans inside a rescue helicopter at Everest Base Camp

On Wednesday, October 26, the Travel Channel will debut an all-new show entitled "Everest Air." The six-part series, which was shot in Nepal this past spring, follows a high-altitude rescue team that provided medical assistance, support, and evacuations of climbers on and around the world's highest peak.

For two months during the 2016 climbing season, a dedicated and experienced team of Sherpas and helicopter pilots, led by experienced mountaineer and medic Jeff Evans, went to great lengths to rescue climbers, guides, and local Nepalis living in the Khumbu Valley alike. "Everest Air" will give us a glimpse of what those operations were like, and how Jeff and his squad impacted the lives of those they helped.

Recently, I had a chance to chat with Jeff to get his thoughts on the show, the Everest climbing seven, what it was like conducting high altitude medical operations, and a lot more. It was clear from our conversation that this wasn't just a television gig for him, but a chance to give back to both the mountaineering community and the Nepali people.

An adventurer and outdoor athlete, Jeff grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where a love of the outdoors was instilled at a very young age. As he grew older, he immigrated west to Colorado where he attended college at UC Boulder where he studied medicine as he worked towards becoming a physician's assistant. While there he also continued to hone his climbing skills, which would later take him up some of the more famous routes in Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and Joshua Tree National Parks. Later, he would branch into mountaineering as well, and eventually become a guide – and conducted search and rescue operations – on Denali in Alaska. In 2001, he even summited Everest along with blind climber Erik Weihenmayer, a long time friend that he would share many adventures with.

Last year, following the tragic earthquake that hit Nepal, Jeff returned to that country to help lend a hand. His experience as a search and rescue operator, along with his training as a medic, allowed him to play a vital role in the difficult days that came after that natural disaster. His deep love for the Nepali people, and a place that has given him so much throughout his climbing career, spurred him into action then, and was a major reason why he wanted to return once again this year to be a part of "Everest Air."

Working on a patient at EBC

"Initially, I was contacted to be a consultant for the show," he tells me when we spoke over the phone.  But after he inquired as to whether or not the production team had a medic on staff his role as part of the series evolved quickly. "They called me back the next day and asked if I could be on a plane to Los Angles. The rest is pretty much history," he says.

But before he officially took the gig, Jeff says he told the producers that if he was going to be a part of the team, they had to truly be of service on the mountain. He didn't want the show to revolve around rescuing rich, inexperienced mountaineers who found themselves out of their element on Everest. He wanted to have a meaningful impact beyond the privileged foreign climbers that showed up in large numbers in the Himalaya. He said that the show's creators agreed with his vision, and promised that they weren't going to Nepal to exploit Everest for ratings – it was a promise they stuck to throughout filming.

Jeff and the members of his team gathered in Kathmandu on April 1, and stayed in the country until June 1. During that time, they made 89 total flights and conducted 38 rescues, of which 24 of those operations were in support of locals, including assisting a Nepali woman who had suffered a miscarriage. For Jeff, this was exactly what he had hoped for – assisting mountaineers in need, but more importantly lending a hand to locals who were in dire need of medical attention.

Most of the ailments that the foreign climbers suffered typically revolved around altitude sickness, with both pulmonary and cerebral edema being very common. But, over the course of two months they also helped individuals who suffered other injuries as well, including a broken back, a bowel obstruction, and one person that had taken a 30-foot fall. "Had we not been there," Jeff says, "more people would have died on Everest this season."

Despite his experience as a medic and a climber, adjusting to flying through the Himalaya in a helicopter took some time. "At first I wasn't comfortable in the back of the helicopter," Jeff tells me. "They're just not meant to be flown at those altitudes," he adds. But over time, and as he got to know the talented pilots, he learned to trust them more. "By the end of production, I was getting along just fine."

Jeff with Bhaila Sherpa of Alpine Rescue Services

When I asked if Jeff had seen any of the completed episodes for "Everest Air" just yet, he tells me that he hasn't. But, when he was asked to do some post-production voice over work, he did get a look at the footage we'll all see on our television screens in a few weeks time. "It looks intense," he says, which should tell viewers something considering he was actually there when the events took place.

Jeff tells me that he is proud of how production went in Nepal, as he and his team stuck to the values they had hoped to adhere. Mainly, help those in need and make a difference in the local communities, something that will be evident when the show debuts. He also says that the entire production crew showed a great deal of respect for the individuals the medical team were assisting, something that runs counter to the reports we've heard from another television network crew that was operating on Everest at the same time.

With just six episodes to show us the entire spring climbing season, "Everest Air" is likely to be quite the action packed show. Obviously they won't be able to show us all of the rescues they conducted, but you can count on plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments for sure. When I asked Jeff if there were any particular rescues that stood out the most, he quickly rattled off a string of different situations that came to mind. In the end, he settled on the operations they conducted that helped the local Nepalis the most as the ones that he'll always cherish.

As viewers, we'll get to decide which of the team's adventures are the most entertaining and dramatic.  "Everest Air" will debut in three weeks time on the Travel Channel starting at 10 PM Eastern Time. Be sure to tune in or set your DVR's accordingly.

Stunning Photo Gallery Highlights the Beauty of Antarctica

When ever we think about Antarctica, images of frozen, windswept landscapes stretching from horizon to horizon usually come to mind. While that isn't altogether completely inaccurate, the icy continent can also be a place of unspeakable beauty as well. It is a wild, remote, and spectacular place that remains largely untouched by man, and while few of us will ever get the chance to actually see it, it is a memorable place nonetheless.

Recently, the website Mashable posted a gallery of jaw-dropping photos that were shot in the Antarctic. Each image was taken by Alasdair Turner, who spends three months each year living at McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf, working with scientists and researchers who are conducting a wide variety of experiments.

While there, Alasdair gets a chance to experience the Antarctic that is unlike what adventurous travelers see along the coastline. Instead, he gets to travel into the interior of the continent, which is the highest, driest, and coldest place on Earth. The landscapes that are found there are indeed often covered in snow and ice, and they can be vast and forbidding. But, as you'll see in the photos, they can also be incredibly gorgeous too.

I haven't had the chance to visit Antarctica yet. It is the only continent I haven't been to, and it his extremely high on my bucket list. One day, I'll get there. But for now, I'll have to settle for these photos, which only serve to increase my desire to see this amazing place. I think they'll probably have a similar effect on you.

Himalaya Fall 2016: Climbers Make Controversial Speed Ascent of Cho Oyu

Amidst all of the other summits of the big mountains in Nepal this past week, there is one interesting story that has captured the attention of the mountaineering community and created a bit of a rift at the same time. This controversial expedition has caused some to reconsider how to train for their high altitude endeavors, while others find it to be unconventional enough to label it as "unfair means." Either way, it could be part of the future of climbing as others pick up on the approach.

Last Sunday, Adrian Ballinger – of Alpenglow Expeditions – and his partner Emily Harrington completed a successful summit of Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain on the planet at 8188 meters (26,884 ft). That in and of itself wasn't too unusual, as a number of teams topped out during a great summit window last weekend. But, Adrian and Emily did it just ten days after leaving their home in California, something that has been unheard of until now.

Typically on a big Himalayan peak it takes weeks to acclimatize to the altitude. Most climbers arrive in Kathmandu two months prior to their projected summit date. They then travel to their respective base camps, follow a set process for acclimatization by going up and down the mountain several times, and wait for good weather to make a summit bid after their bodies have acclimated to the thin air. That can sometimes take 4-6 weeks, depending on conditions and the climbing schedule.

But Adrian and Emily trained back home using altitude tents to simulate the conditions they would find on the mountain. These tents were able to create an environment that closely approximates the thin air of a big Himalayan peak, but it allows them to stay home, sleep in their own beds, and have the comforts that they are typically accustomed too. Meanwhile, a support team established a Base Camp for them on Cho Oyu, making it ready for their arrival.


Two weeks ago, Ballinger and Harrington left the U.S. to fly to Nepal and then traveled to Tibet to reach the mountain. By the time they reached BC, they were fit, acclimated, and pretty much ready to go. Once the weather window opened last week, they were able to safely climb to the top, taking two clients who had prepared in a similar fashion along with them.

This approach to acclimatizing at home and shortening the length of an expedition isn't new. In fact, it is something that Ballinger and Alpenglow have been working on for some time. The company's Everest expeditions are just a month in length thanks to this novel program, and now he has proven that he can shorten the time considerably on shorter peaks too. This allows clients to spend less time on a potentially dangerous mountain, while having to be away from home for fewer days too. That makes it vacation friendly as well. The downside? An Alpenglow expedition is considerably more expensive than the competition.

This new approach has rankled some in the mountaineering community in the past, but this new Cho Oyu speed ascent has many talking once again. For some, it is an innovative new way to climb in the Himalaya, while others feel like it is still a bit unproven and could be potentially risky. There are those who see it as a bit of "cheating" – for lack of a better word – as well. Those detractors tend to be old school climbers who often consider the use of bottled oxygen as a performance enhancing drug too.

Either way, this could be the future of mountaineering. Alpenglow will of course continue to pursue this novel training technique with the idea of attracting more clients who want to climb on the big peaks, but don't necessarily have two months to dedicate to that proposition. As Ballinger and his team continue to refine their methods, I'm sure more than a few other climbers and guides will be looking to employ similar techniques to aid their expeditions as well.