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: Unclimbed - Reaching the Summit in the Himalaya (Part 4)

In the latest episode of the ongoing YouTube series from Discover Canada entitled "Unclimbed" we join mountaineers Gabriel Filippi and Elia Saikaly as they continue to train and prepare for their attempt on three never-before climbed peaks in the Himalaya this fall. In this clip, we learn how the two men prepare for the unexpected and the worst accidents imaginable, something that is a real possibility whenever you venture into the mountains. As usual, this episode provides us with some great insights into what life on an expedition is all about, and the amount of work and planning that goes into an attempt to summit a big peak.

If you haven't watched the previous three episodes in the series, I suggest you do so. They are all excellent, and well worth your time. You'll find them here: Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3

At the moment, Gabriel and Elia are in Nepal where they are joined by Pasang Kaji Sherpa, as they prepare for their first ascents. We'll be following their progress closely in the days ahead.

Video: GoPro Hero 5 and Karma Drone Launch Video

A few weeks back GoPro announced the launch of its latest line of Hero cameras and its first ever drone – the Karma. What exactly do these new toys bring to the table for adventure filmmakers? Check out the launch video below to get a sense of what they offer. As you'll see, the image quality is stunning and the potential is limitless. The Hero 5 went on sale earlier this week, so if you want one you can grab it now. The Karma will be available on October 23. Interesting times indeed.

Meet the First Men to Fly Over Everest

If you've seen the big Hollywood film Everest that came out last year, you probably heard one of the characters deliver a line about how the team would be climbing at the same altitude as a commercial jetliner. Today, aircraft fly over or around the mountain on a regular basis, and no one thinks twice about it, but back in 1933 that still seemed like an impossible height to take an aircraft, particularly in an age when pressurized cabins were not necessarily the norm just yet. But two daring pilots made that flight, and lived to tell the tale. And they did so in a biplane that is down right ancient when compared to modern aircraft.

Mashable recently posted a story and some great  photos from that epic adventure that was called the Houston Everest Expedition because it was sponsored by a wealthy British philanthropist known as Lady Houston. She put up the money that allowed RAF pilot Douglas Douglas-Hamilton (aka Lord Clydesdale) and Colonel Stewart Blacker to attempt to fly a Westland PV-3 biplane over the top of the world's highest mountain, something that seemed incredibly dangerous at the time.

The two men took off from an airstrip near Purnea, India on the morning of April 3, 1933. They were accompanied by a second aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant David McIntyre and a photographer named S.R. Bonnett. The second plane was there to record the event for posterity and get some fantastic images of this daring flight. The photographer did not disappoint.

As it turns out, the mission was a test for both pilots and aircraft, as there was indeed no pressurized cabins. The four men who were aboard the two planes had to rely on oxygen masks to keep their wits about them and help them breathe at such an altitude. On top of that, it was rare for any airplane to fly at such heights at that point in history, and the small biplane struggled in the thin air just as much as her crew.

When the two planes approached Everest, high winds caused even more problems, forcing the planes to drop 1500 feet (457 meters). But in the end, they were able to climb back up to 29,029 feet (8848 meters) and pass over the top of the summit for the very first time. All four men were given high accolades with Lord Clydesdale earning the Air Force Cross for his leadership. Bonnett's photos and video footage were also used to create an Academy Award winning film called Wings Over Everest as well. You can watch that film below.

The story of this expedition is an amazing one. Today we take it for granted that we fly at such a height, but back in 1933 it was almost as if they were trying to go to the moon. Fortunately, they proved that aircraft are sturdier than was believed and that man can go to higher heights that was previously believed. It would be 20 years before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay would actually climb to the summit, but this intrepid crew helped lead the way.

Video: Skiing the Hardrock 100

The Hardrock 100 is considered one of the toughest ultramarathons on Earth. Held each summer in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, it challenges endurance athletes to cover 100 very tough miles (160 km) as quickly as they can. It is a difficult trail to run, even in the best of conditions, and no one has ever attempted to cross it in the winter. That is, until now. In this short documentary film we join ultrarunner Jason Schlarb as he attempts that very thing. In brutal conditions he sets off to test himself on the Hardrock trail in January, when swirling winds, deep snow, and cold temperatures are at their worst. Does he make it? You'll just have to watch the video below to find out.

Skiing the Hardrock 100 from Schlarb-Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

Video: Exploring Alaska from Above with Paraglider Paul Guschlbauer

Paul Guschlbauer is an Austrian paraglider who traveled to Alaska – one of the world's last great frontiers – to explore the region from above. What he found there was an epic wilderness that remains remote and untamed, even in the 21st century. Paul flew across this amazing place in a 60-year old airplane, finding beautiful landscapes and amazing adventures along the way. This short video takes us along for the ride, and will leave you wanting more. See Alaska the way the famous bush pilots do, and marvel and just how spectacularly beautiful the state truly is.

Video: The Art of Climbing

This video takes us to the Rätikon Mountains of Switzerland where we join professional climber Kilian Fischuber ons a tough route known as Headless Children. As he makes just the second free climb of this mutli-ptich 250-meter (820 ft) wall, he begins to see an intersection of his two passions, climbing and art. On this wall, he sees colors that are not unlike a painting, adding a surreal element to the entire experience.

Video: Climbing Downpatrick Head Sea Stack in Ireland

Located just 80 meters off the coast of Ireland, the Dún Briste sea stack is an indelible part of one of that country's most iconic landscapes – Downpatrick Head, where St. Patrick himself is said to have built a church centuries ago. While certainly an enticing challenge, the sea stack is seldom climbed, but last month that's exactly what Iain Miller and Paulina Kaniszewska did. In this short video, you'll see them paddle out to the rock face, make their ascent, and take in the views at the top, which include the remains of an old lookout post from World War II.

You can find out more about their experience by reading their account of the climb here. It looks like it was quite a fun adventure. Thanks for sharing Iian!

Video: Welcome to the Birthplace of Extreme

This video takes us to the French town of Chamonix, which is widely regarded as one of the best outdoor playgrounds in the entire world. Renowned for its exceptional skiing and mountain biking, Chamonix is also the launching pad for trekking and climbing expeditions in the Alps, as well as the most popular BASE jumping and wingsuit flying destination on the planet. Here, we'll see a group of wingsuit pilots taking flight over the iconic village, while some work to overcome their fears. Chamonix is quite an impressive place to do just that.

Video: Mountain Biking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal

As a mountain biker myself, I can't imagine a better place to ride than in the Himalaya. In this video, we travel to the famed Annapurna Circuit where riders go from Manang to Mustang, passing by Tilicho Lake – the world's highest at 4920 meters (16,141 ft) and crossing over the Mesokanto La Pass at 5121 meters (16,801 ft) as well. As you can imagine, the scenery is spectacular and the riding looks exceptional, even if the trails aren't specifically made for a bike. I'm going to need to add this to my every-growing bucket list of things to do at some point, and after watching this you probably will too.

MTB Lines of Tilicho from Bimal Gurung on Vimeo.

Video: Moments in the Italian Dolomites

This video takes us to the Italian Dolomites with professional photographer Gürel Sahin as he captures some of the beautiful landscapes that exist in that place. Over the course of the clip, he shares with us his love for nature and passion for photography, two things that come together to create lasting memories of the places he visits in his journeys. Those are the moments that stay with us for the rest of our lives, and are captured in the images that he takes. He finds plenty of them in these mountains.

MOMENTS with Gürel Sahin - Dolomites, Italy from Palatina Media Group on Vimeo.

Video: Mountain Biking Revelstoke

Primarily known as a ski destination, Revelstoke has quickly become a great place to mountain bike too. In this video, we travel to British Columbia with our friends from Teton Gravity Research to explore the possibilities of riding the many trails that can be found at the mountain resort, and beyond. If you love beautiful scenery and great mountain biking, you'll certainly appreciate this clip. And remember, it's not winter yet. There is still time to ride Revelstoke this season.

Video: How Would You Describe America's National Parks?

In this video, photographer and filmmaker Corey Arnold traveled to America's national parks where he challenged the next generation of travelers and explorers to describe the landscape there. Some of their responses were surprising, others were revealing, and some were downright insightful. The result, is this short clip which not only includes lovely shots of the landscapes they saw, but these individuals sharing their thoughts on the natural spaces around them.

Video: Adventure Travel in the Alaskan Arctic

I came across this video on Richard Bang's YouTube Channel and thought it was worth sharing. It is a short film made be adventure traveler Connor Callaghan, who takes us along with him to Alaska where we enjoy a taste of some of the amazing scenery and activities that are available there. Alaska happens to be one of my favorite destinations, as it is brimming with great opportunities for outdoor adventure. Take a look at the clip, then put it on your list of places to see.

Video: Unclimbed - Reaching the Summit in the Himalaya (Episode 3)

We continue the excellent series of mountaineering videos from Discovery Canada entitled Unclimbed: Reaching the Summit today with episode 3. As you may recall, this set of clips follows mountaineers Gabriel Filippi, Elia Saikaly, and Pasang Kaji Sherpa as they prepare to take on two unclimbed peaks in Nepal this autumn. In this episode we see how Gabriel and Elia train for the high altitude conditions that they'll face on their expedition. Extreme may not be a good enough word to describe their approach.

Video: Introducing the GoPro Karma

Last week, just before I left for my backpacking trip to Bryce Canyon, GoPro introduced its first drone, the Karma. I barely had enough time to share some thoughts on this new UAV before I skipped town, but this video does a great job of showing off what it can do. While it doesn't look like a revolution in drone technology, it does appear that it will be an affordable solution that has a lot to offer those looking to add a drone to their collection of gear. From what I've heard, the footage that it captures is quite good, and the fact that it can fold up and be easily transported makes it a good choice for use in remote locations. Looking forward to learning more about it in the days ahead. It should go on sale on October 23. Here's a sneak peek at what to expect.

Video: Meet the World's First All-Female Anti-Poaching Team

The Balule Nature Reserve in South Africa a team of women called the Black Mambas has been training for the past three years to combat illegal poaching in the region. They are the first all-female squad to take on such a mission, with their main goal being to protect the wild elephants that roam the area. In this video, brought to us by National Geographic, we join the Mambas as they go out on patrol, searching for the hunters who are looking to kill the animals in the preserve where they work. The short film is an inspiring look at this team of dedicated and tough women who are looking to make a difference with Africa's wildlife. It is really an interesting story.

Video: A Highliner Talks About Fear While Suspended 2800 Meters Up

This short, but beautiful video, takes us up to 2800 meters (9186 ft) as we join highliner Hayley Ashbury as she walks a thin rope across two spires on Torri del Vajolet, a peak located in the Italian Dolomites. While doing so, Hayley shares a quote from the book Dune by Frank Herbert about controlling her fear, something that seems very fitting considering where she is at in the clip. This is 90 seconds of pure terror wrapped up in an incredibly well shot video.

Highlining 2800m in winter.'Hayley'- 90 seconds about fear. (Dir. Stian Smestad Music by Nils Frahm) from Stian Smestad on Vimeo.

Video: Kilian Jornet's Everest Summit Dreams Live On

Yesterday the news broke that Kilian Jornet has abandoned his plans to make a speed attempt on Mt. Everest due to very poor weather conditions on the mountain. Deep snow made him cancel that attempt, but while his dream of a speed ascent may have been postponed, they are no over. Clearly he will return again in the future to have another go at the world's highest peak.

In this video we get a bit of a recap of what Kilian has been up to over the past couple of years. It is a review of his Summits of My Life project to date, with a bit of inspiration to help us all move forward. It is a nice tribute to one of the greatest mountain athletes on the planet today, and definitely worth a look for those who follow his exploits.

Video: The Last Rhinos - Would Legalizing the Sale of Their Horns Save Them?

Here's an intriguing video to say the least. It follows the efforts of John Hume, a man living in South Africa who happens to own five percent of the world's rhino population. Hume sued the government in South Africa to legalize the sale of rhino horns, arguing that if you sold them on the open market, it would bring the number of rhinos killed by illegal poachers down dramatically. It seems that when removed safely and properly, the horns will grow back, and the animal won't be killed. Could this be the answer to saving Earth's engendered rhino species?

National Geographic - The Last Rhinos from Brian Dawson on Vimeo.