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.

Outside Gives Us the 5 Best Pieces of Gear From Interbike

A few weeks back, some of the top brands in the cycling industry descended on Las Vegas for the annual Interbike International Expo conference. Each year, that convention lays out the latest trends in the cycling industry and gives us a sneak preview of the best new products that are coming in the months ahead. And while reports indicate that attendance was a bit down this year, there were still some interesting things to show of. In fact, Outside magazine has collected their five favorite items that they saw at Interbike, and has posted them online for eager cyclists to discover.

The list includes a $20 bell from Kong, a sweet bike from Rawland Cycles, a new hitch-rack from RockyMounts, a light from Fabric, and a bike helmet with bone-conducting technology that allows you to safely listen to your tunes on a ride. Each of the products on the list is distinct and different, but each brings some good innovation to the table as well.

While not quite as exciting as Outside's list of favorite gear from Outdoor Retailer back in August, cyclists will no doubt appreciate these items nonetheless. After all, technology is making our rides safer and more enjoyable than ever before, and this is just a small sampling of what is to come in the weeks ahead. Plus, each of these five products was impressive enough to catch the attention of Outside editors, which should tell you that they are all very impressive in some way.

Fall may be in the air, but it isn't time to hang up your bike just yet.

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.

Himalaya Fall 2016: New Report Indicates 90% of Nepali Liaison Officers Never Report to Base Camp

Last week we posted a story about how none of the Nepali liaison officers assigned to Base Camp on Manaslu have reported for duty this year, despite teams paying a fee to cover their expenses and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation requiring them to be there. In all, there are 18 teams on that mountain this fall, and not one of them has seen their "LO" since they left Kathmandu. But now now, a new report from The Himalayan Times indicates that this isn't an isolated incident, and that 90% of all liaison officers never leave the capital or arrive at the mountain they are assigned to cover.

The role of liaison officer is to serve as a communications tool for climbing teams and to monitor activity on the mountains to ensure that everything is done according to regulation and in a safe manner. They are also there to coordinate rescue operations and assist in helping sick or injured climbers getting back to Kathmandu where they can be treated. But most of those duties are falling on the guiding companies, who coordinate those efforts themselves.

Nepali law states that an LO must be assigned to every climbing team heading out to a mountain, and that the liaison officer accompany that team to BC, where they will stay for the duration of the expedition. Unfortunately that isn't happening, despite the fact that teams pay $2000 in fees to pay for the LO's services. That money seems to be getting pocketed, with no real value being added for the climbers in anyway.

With several high profile disasters on Everest and other mountains in recent years, the Nepali government has vowed to make climbing in their country safer. Despite those claims however, there doesn't seem to be any significant strides being made in this area. The fact that after two deadly avalanches on Everest in 2014 and 2015 there still hasn't been a change in operations is quite telling. 80% of the LO's report that they've actually been to the mountains, although records indicate that they have never stepped foot out of Kathmandu.

As far as expedition leaders go, they have found that there is no sense in complaining or calling out a specific LO. If they do, they suddenly find it much more difficult to obtain climbing permits or they are charged fines for minor rules infractions which may or may not actually be true. In other words, if you report on the liaison officers you'll find working in Nepal is a much more difficult proposition than you first imagined.

In Nepal, the job of being a liaison officer carries some level of prestige, and most get appointed to the position as a political favor or after providing some level of service to the Prime Minister or other government officials. Because of the stature of the position, a culture has permeated throughout the LO's that allows them to get away with not doing their jobs, but still collecting the fees paid by climbers. For this to change, the Nepali government is going to have to force them to start following the letter of the law and reporting for duty as expected. Until then, Nepal can talk all it wants about how it is going to improve safety in the mountains. Having good communications and someone who actually does the job they are assigned would be good start.

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.