Duggars March For Life And More

The Duggars will be in Washington D.C. later this month for two events. Here are the details:

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 8am-9pm
Students for Life of America National Conference
Duggars to speak and receive the 2013 Defender of Life Award

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar will speak at the event, as will Josh Duggar, their oldest son. The family has not yet decided whether any other Duggars will be in attendance.

Tickets purchased ahead of time are $50 for students and $70 for other attendees ($45 and $60 if you register by December 31st). On-site registration is $60 for students and $70 for other attendees.

First Baptist Church of Glenarden
(one of the largest African-American churches in the D.C. Metro Area)
600 Watkins Park Dr.
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774

Click here for more details about the award.
Click here to register.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 12:00pm
Duggars to attend the 2014 Rally and March for Life in Washington D.C.
Rally takes place on the National Mall from 12pm-1pm; March follows at 1pm 
March ends at the building of the Supreme Court of the United States on Capitol Hill
Click here for more information 

Video: China Jam - Big Wall Climbing In The Tien Shan Range

Back in October, I posted a story about an expedition to China to climb big walls in the Tien Shan Range that was dubbed China Jam. In a nutshell, three Belgians, Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll, Nicolas Favresse and Stéphane Hanssens, and one Frenchman, Evrard Wendenbaum, traveled to the Chinese-Kyrgyz border to put up the first ascent of Kyzyl Asker, a 5842 meter (19,166 ft) tower with a 1220 meter (4000 ft) exposed face. It took the team two weeks to complete their objective, but eventually they were successful.

The team is now hoping to complete a documentary of their climb and they recently attempted to raise funds on Indiegogo to help complete the project. Unfortunately, those efforts did not succeed, but they aren't giving up just yet. A new site for taking contributions has popped online, giving us all another chance to help fund the film of this expedition. For a sample of what the footage looks like, take a look at the very impressive images in the video below. It looks stunning and I'd love to see this film get completed.

China Jam - Trailer from Evrard Wendenbaum on Vimeo.

Everest 2014: The Cost Of Climbing Everest

We may be just a week into 2014, but it is never too early to start thinking about the spring Everest climbing season. As many of you already know, year-in and year-out, one of the best sources of information on all things having to do with Everest is Alan Arnette. Each year, Alan provides excellent insights into what it takes to climb the mountain, while providing regular updates on conditions on both the North and South sides, while closely tracking the locations of the numerous teams attempting to scale its impressive slopes. Over the past few years, Alan has kicked off his annual coverage by first giving us a run down of just how much it costs to undertake an Everest expedition, and each year it is an interesting read. Yesterday, he posted the 2014 version of that report, and for those unfamiliar with the expenses of a major climb in the Himalaya, it can sometimes cause sticker shock.

As usual, the costs for climbing Everest have increased on both the North and South side of the mountain this year. But what's different for 2014 is that while the guide services at the high end of the spectrum have mostly held steady, it is the low-end companies that seem to have hiked their rates for 2014. He is also quick to point out that this type of expedition is not one in which you want to go cut-rate, but with prices ranging from $30,000 - $100,000 it can be confusing to decide to who to go with.

Alan breaks down the costs into different categories, giving readers estimates on climbing solo vs. as part of an organized team. He also discusses the differences in teams as well, which include Sherpa supported climbs, Sherpa guided expeditions and Western guided options. Each of those provides a different level of service, with some willing to spend less to do more on their own, while others pay considerably more for a safer, more full-service attempt on the summit.


With guided climbs costing in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $65,000, it is sometimes tough to see where the cost differences come from. Alan points out that sometimes it is just in the form of profit to help pay the overhead required to operate on the mountain, but it also often comes at the expense of services such as Sherpa support on the upper slopes or no bottled oxygen included in the price.

One of the more interesting elements of Alan's report is his comparison chart of the companies that operate on Everest. It gives the name of the organization, average team size, types of guides, previous summit success and of course the costs. The prices range from as low as $28,450 for an expedition on the North Side with Summit Climb, to $89,000 with AlpenGlow on the South Side that includes Western guides.

If you've ever considered climbing Everest yourself, then Alan's Cost to Climb guide is a must read. It'll give you all the information you need for selecting the right guide service for your own climb, while weighing in all the factors to think about, including safety considering, which route to take, which company to go with and much more.

It also serves to get the adrenaline flowing for a new Everest climbing season. For fans of the mountain, April can't come fast enough!

Winter Climbs 2014: Settling Into Base Camp And Close Call On Nanga Parbat

The focus of the winter climbing season in the Himalaya remains squarely on Nanga Parbat this year, with several teams attempting to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. While conditions were less than favorable around the start of the New Year, things have improved somewhat now and acclimatization rotations have begun. The mountaineers have a considerable amount of work ahead of them in the weeks ahead, although one team narrowly averted disaster already and have had their decision to leave the mountain reaffirmed.

Last week I reported that German climber Ralf Dujmovits had decided to abandon his attempt at a solo summit on Nanga. While surveying the route, he noticed that there were two ice towers hanging over his intended path and he realized he would spend more than a day and a half climbing in their shadow. The two towers looked very precarious, as if they could collapse at any time, so Ralf decided he risk just wasn't worth the effort and decided to pack up his things and go home. Just a day after making that decision, Dujmovits and Polish climber Darek Zaluski narroly avoided an avalanche on the Diamir Face. Ralf wrote to Stefan Nestler about the incident saying that the duo were "very lucky" to have escaped unharmed. The two men descended to BC safely and are now presumably on their way back home.

Over on the Rupal Face, the team of Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Gottler have been in BC for a bit over a week now. Simone and David have both spent a night at Camp 1 as they begin their acclimatization process, while also shuttling gear up the slope. In a recent update to their blog, they reported on the journey to BC, where they indicated that security on the road leading to the mountain is quite high. Following a high profile attack by terrorists in the Nanga Parbat Base Camp this past summer – during which 3 Pakistani soldiers and 10 foreign climbers were killed – officials in Pakistan are keen to make sure everyone is safe moving forward. To that end, the climbers received a military escort to the mountain, and a guard station with ten soldiers now sits along the road that leads to the peak. That level of security will hopefully allow the teams to climb without fear of another attack and simply concentrate on the mountain itself.


There have been few updates from the Polish "Justice For All" team in the past week. In the last report, they were preparing to fix ropes up to 6000 meters (19,685 ft), with several team members already acclimatizing above 5000 meters (16,404 ft). Whether or not those rope fixing efforts have been successful has yet to be determined, but it seems likely that they would have completed the task by now, provided the weather has been cooperative.

Finally, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is preparing to arrive on Nanga Parbat soon. He'll attempt a solo summit along the Diamir Face starting in late January. After properly acclimatizing, he intends to climb in alpine style, while avoiding any sense of competition with any of the other teams.

It interesting to see so much attention focused on a single mountain this winter. With all of the other 8000 meter peaks now climbed in winter – save K2 – it seems Nanga is the prize that most are interested in. Considering the number of fatalities during the winter season in recent years, it would appear that unless there is a potential first ascent to be had, most climbers have decided the risks just aren't worth the rewards. If Nanga Parbat is finally climbed in the winter, the same level of attention could then be focused on K2, a mountain that is far more treacherous to climb at any time of the year.

Stay tuned for more updates as warranted.

Gear Closet: Icebug Anima2 BUGrip Winter Running Shoes

Considering the nasty weather that is sweeping across much of the U.S. and parts of Europe this week, it seems appropriate that I share my thoughts on the Anima2 BUGrip winter running shoes from Icebug. If you're a runner who refuses to move inside for the winter, but routinely has to deal with snow, ice and cold temperatures, then these are definitely the shoes for you.

Icebug is a Swedish company that designs excellent athletic shoes for dedicated outdoor enthusiasts. The company is relatively new to North America, but they are making a big move into the market now. You may not have heard much about the company in the past, but I'm willing to bet you'll be hearing a lot more about them in the future.

At first glance, the Anima2 running shoes look a lot like many other running shoes you'd find on the market. They are a bit on the flashy side, but regular runners are use to unique color combinations on shoes that really make them stick out in a crowd. These shoes have an aggressive sole that makes them well suited for trail running in all kinds of conditions, and the waterproof uppers keep your feet warm and dry, whether you're running on snow, slush, ice, mud or even dry trails. In short, they're an excellent trail shoe that is comparable to just about anything else you'll find on the market.


But what really sets the Anima2 shoes apart from the competition is the patented BUGrip system, which integrates a series of steel studs into the rubber sole to provide unprecedented grip in slick conditions. In the case of these shoes, there are 19 such studs, each working independently of one another to provide traction as needed. It is an impressive and sophisticated approach for giving runners the absolute best grip possible in some of the worst conditions imaginable.

Over the holiday break, I had the opportunity to put these shoes to their paces in a variety of unique conditions, including snow, ice and slush. Icebug's BUGrip system performed extremely well in each of those circumstances, providing a sure grip no matter where I went. When paired with the waterproof uppers, my feet stayed warm and dry, even in ankle deep snow, and I ran more surefooted than I had previously thought possible. For runners who often take on poor winter conditions, this is certainly a shoe you'll want to have in your closet.

On top of the excellent performance the Anima2 shoes bring to the table, they also happen to be quite comfortable. The shoes have thick padding that cradles the food nicely, providing yet more support for runners on the road. It's a rare combination of shoes that provide this kind of performance and are also comfortable on the foot.

As much as I really like these shoes, I have to say that I mostly preferred them in the bad conditions. When I ran on a dry trail with these shoes, there was something about the way the spikes felt that just didn't quite jive for me. On a regular trail, I'd still prefer a pair of regular trail shoes. But in the slop of the mud, ice and snow, there is no question I'd much rather have the Anima2's on my feet.

Also, I'd recommend getting a pair of gaiters to wear over these shoes, as they don't keep the snow and slush out of the top all that well. Aside from that, they are just about perfect for foul weather running.

MSRP: $155

Video: Adventure Is A Way Of Life

The title of this video pretty much sums up how I feel. Adventure is most certainly a way of life. The clip below, which comes our way courtesy of Garchois Films, features some stunning images that are sure to inspire a sense of adventure. Welcome to 2014!

adventure is a way of life, welcome to 2014 from Laurent Jamet on Vimeo.

Video: Kayaking The Zambezi River

Looking for a healthy dose of adventure to jump start your week? Then look no further than this video, which follows kayaker Mat Dumoulin as he paddles the amazing Zambezi River in Africa. The scenery is quite spectacular and the white water looks insane. What more could you ask for?

Kayaking the Zambezi river - Mat Dumoulin from Dumoulin mathieu on Vimeo.

6 Great Soft Adventures For 2014

If you missed my list of 10 Big Adventures for 2014 or your looking for something a bit less demanding for your own escape, then you'll want to checkout the 6 Best Places for 2014 as selected by Richard Bangs. Richard, who hosts the television show Adventures with Purpose, posted his selections to HuffPo last week, offering travelers a great selection of destinations for the year ahead.

The list is actually a series of videos which don't actually reveal the destination outright, but instead give viewers clues to exactly where Richard is as he shows off the attractions there. At the end of the video, we can then click on an object in it to reveal the exact location. For an example, check out the clip below, and then start making your plans to travel later this year.

Antarctica 2013: Speed Records, Resupplies, And Agony At The Bottom Of The World

It has been another very active couple of days in the Antarctic, where the explorers continue to press ahead with expeditions to and from the South Pole. At this point in the season the teams still out on the ice are really in the grind. They've been skiing (and in some cases biking!) towards their goal for days, and while the end is in sight, there are still many miles to cross before the season is finally done. It can be a very tough, agonizing stage of the journey, both mentally and physically, as most now found out.

We've been following the Scott Expedition for two and a half months now, and Ben and Tarka have now rounded the Pole and are headed back towards their starting point at the Scott Hut along the coast. But last week the boys were forced to call in a resupply as they were starting to run dangerously low on  food and fuel. On top of that, the physical toll of the expedition has really hit the team hard. They had hoped to pick up speed on the return trip, but so far that hasn't happened. Over the course of the past few weeks, their blog updates have hinted at the struggles they had been facing, but Ben and Tarka did a good job of hiding just how difficult the journey had been, and how close to the edge they were playing their dangerous game. In the end, they came very close to having to call off the expedition altogether, as they misjudged how difficult it would and pushed themselves to the very limits. To get a true sense of what they were up against, I'd suggest you read this blog post from last Thursday. It'll give you a true sense of just how incredibly rough the mission has been so far. Needless to say, the resupply may have saved their lives, or at the very least has allowed them to continue. The drama isn't completely over yet however, as the duo continues to face challenges, including a bout of hypothermia, even as they have reached their first supply depot on the return trip. Now 74 days into their journey, they still have roughly 740 miles (1190 km) to go, with the clock ticking towards the end of the season.

While the Scott Expedition continues its long, cold march back to the coast, another explorer has wrapped up his expedition as expected. On Saturday, Richard Parks reached the South Pole, completing his speed record attempt in an impressive 29 days, 19 hours, and 24 minutes. That is five days off the record pace he had hoped to set, but still good enough to give him the fastest time by a Brit to the the Pole in solo and unsupported fashion. I'm sure Richard is a bit disappointed at not getting the record, but considering the conditions he faced, he should be quite proud of his efforts. It hasn't exactly been a good year in the Antarctic and in order to break the record in the future, conditions will have to be nearly perfect. Parks had little time to celebrate his achievement at 90ºS, as he has already returned to the Union Glacier Camp and will soon be making his way back to Punta Arenas, Chile, and then home to the U.K.


Aussie kite-skier Geoff Wilson has also completed his expedition at last. After 53 days of catching the wind, he has traversed the continent via the South Pole and now arrived at Hercules Inlet, where he is reportedly exhausted and happy, but still waiting for extraction to Union Glacier. In his latest blog post from today, he reports that he is down to his last full meal, so he is hoping that weather conditions improve soon. High winds are keeping flights in Antarctica grounded for now, but the forecast is reporting better weather ahead. Geoff says that he won't starve, as he has a few other scraps to keep him going, and plenty of fuel to melt snow for water. But by now, he is ready for a big meal and a warm bed.

16-year old Lewis Clarke continues to make good progress in his efforts to become the youngest person to ever ski to the South Pole. He and his guide Carl Alvey have now crossed the 87th degree and covered more than 500 miles (804 km) in the process. They've now entered the massive sastrugi field that is located at that point on the map, which is slowing them down some and making progress much harder. Still, with less than 200 miles to go until they reach the Pole, Lewis is doing quite well. They should be on track to reach the finish line sometime next week.

Also now inside 87ºS is South Pole cyclist Daniel Burton, who continues to extend his record for riding the longest distance in Antarctica. Every day continues to be a struggle for Daniel, but he shows remarkable resolve in his efforts to become the first person to ride his fat tire mountain bike the full distance to the South Pole. He's dealing with the sastrugi as well, and reports that they continue to grow in size. As tough as they are to ski over and around, I'm sure they are just as challenging on a bike, which has precarious balance in the high winds and slick surface conditions of Antarctica. If all goes well, there is a good chance that Daniel will wrap up his expedition next week as well. He has continued to increase his mileage, although the challenge is still quite great.

Finally, husband and wife team Chris and Marty Fagan are pushing ahead toward the Pole. It is now the 35th day of their expedition and they have just 12 days to reach 90ºS before they run out of food. Unless they go on half rations, that means they now have less than two weeks to cover the remaining 160 miles (257 km) that remain. That average out to 13.5 miles (21.7 km) per day to reach their goal. Certainly doable, but they'll need to push hard over the last stretch.

The Antarctic season isn't over yet, and there still plenty of drama to come as we head down the stretch. Stay tuned for more updates in the days ahead.

Travel Stories From FlightNetwork.com

It has been a couple of weeks since I've shared some of my more travel related stories from FlightNetwork.com, one of the sites I contribute to on a regular basis. The blog there contains lots of good stories for travelers with tips on where to go and what to do when you get there. Additionally, there is general travel news, gear reviews, and much more. Here's a sampling of what is on offer there:

• 10 Big Adventures For 2014
• 52 Passengers Rescued From Stranded Antarctic Ship
• My New Year's Travel Resolutions 
• National Geographic To Bring Iconic Maps To Google Engine
• Tips For Moving Abroad

Duggars Walkin' In A Winter Wonderland

Residents across the United States are bracing themselves for a record-breaking cold front. In Northwest Arkansas, temperatures are hovering around 0 degrees Fahrenheit, with a high of 13 on Monday. Thankfully for the Duggars, snowfall has been minimal, and meteorologists are predicting above-freezing temperatures for the rest of the week. How is the weather in your area?

The Duggars enjoy an afternoon of sledding after a snowstorm in 2011

Large dumps of snow are few and far between in Arkansas

More Courtship News

We know you all enjoy occasional updates from the Bates family. Over the course of the past two months, two Bates children (Zach and Erin) tied the knot, and two more started courtships. Alyssa's courtship with John Webster began in November, and the New Year brought news of another budding relationship. Michael, the second oldest of Gil and Kelly Bates' 19 children and the oldest girl, entered a courtship with Brandon Keilen. Here's a photo:

The Adventure Blog Facebook Page Launched

A quick announcement that is probably long over due considering how prevalent social media has become in our lives these days. I've just launched a new fan page on Facebook for the Adventure Blog and would like to encourage anyone who wants to follow my blog through FB to "Like" it. It should provide a direct feed of all of the content that publish here, plus other stuff as well. For those who don't get my daily updates in their email or don't always have time to drop by here directly, this could be a good option for staying current on what is going on in the world of adventure at the moment.

I've added this option for a couple of reasons. First, for the past few years I've been encouraging readers to become "friends" on Facebook as I always enjoy hearing from everyone and my blog stories always fed directly into my feed there. But recently that hasn't been the case and most of posts were not showing up on Facebook any longer. I've read that FB is doing some things to curate items that are automatically sent to the feed, and while my Twitter updates continued to go to the site as expected, anything directly from my blog was lost in the ether. Creating this page has seemed to have solved that problem.  For the record, my Twitter feed still gets all the updates and more as well.

The second reason for making the change is that I'll also be whittling down  my friends list on Facebook. I have far too many people that I don't know on there and it has kept me from sharing things with my friends and family for the simple reason that I didn't want to post some things for the entire world to see. So, over the course of the next week or two, I'll shortening up that list to make it more manageable as well. If you get "unfriended" it isn't personal. I promise! But to those who I actually know, and have met, or I'm on a first name basis, never fear. You'll remain on my friends list.

So, if you'd like to start (or continue!) getting the Adventure Blog in your feed on Facebook, please drop by the new page and "Like" it. I'd be very appreciative and it'll be an efficient way to continue to get the content I produce here. Thanks to everyone for dropping by my little corner of the Internet. Your kind words and shared love of adventure make this blog a labor of love.

Explorer Returns To South Sudan Despite Looming Civil War

If you have been keeping up on current events lately, you probably already know about the turmoil that is going on in South Sudan, the youngest country on the planet. The nation was formed following a long struggle against leaders in Sudan, but almost since the day the nation first gained its independence, political struggles and old rivalries have threatened to break it apart. That all boiled over in mid-December and now the country is in open conflict with factions that have been rivals for years falling back into old familiar territory now that their common enemy had been defeated. At the moment, thousands of South Sudanese citizens are displaced and hundreds have been killed. It is, at times, a violent and unpredictable place, where foreigners are discouraged from traveling to.

That is the environment that explorer and anthropologist Julian Monroe Fisher is facing as he returns to South Sudan to continue his work there. He departs Austria today to launch the third phase of his Great African Expedition, a four year, multi-phase plan to explore the ethnographical make-up of central Africa and study how it has changed over the past two centuries.

Julian has also been instrumental in developing a new long distance trekking route dubbed the "Sir Samuel and Lady Florence Baker Historical Trail." This new route, which begins in South Sudan and runs into Uganda, is more than 500 miles (805 km) in length and has been designed for backpackers and long distance hikers. The hope is that the trail will draw a much needed economic boost to the region, which lacks jobs and other resources currently.

On this visit, Fisher plans to hike the entire length of that route for the first time. That could be risky however, as the trail begins near the town of Gondokoro, which is located not far from the capital of Juba. That area has been hit hard by the current civil unrest in the country.


When I heard from Julian earlier in the day he was just preparing to leave for Africa. His contacts in the country assure him that he will be safe and that they will do what they can to securely deliver him to the trail. For his part, the explorer says that he is not concerned about his own safety and welfare but instead would like to call attention to what is happening in South Sudan. Much of the conflict stems from long standing ethnic disputes between the Dinka and Nuer people, which Fisher compares to the 1990's conflict in Rwanda. He hopes his efforts will help draw a focus on the South Sudanese conflict that will hopefully prevent another genocide like the one that took place in Rwanda.

The current expedition is set to last up to two months and Julian will post updates from the field as he goes. Hopefully he'll not only get the chance to hike the trail that he has been helping to develop but he'll remain safe along its entire length. His mission there is a good example of explorers visiting dangerous places with the hope that they can help improve conditions there in the future.

Video: Erik Weihenmayer Talks Paddling On The Rio Marañon In Peru

Adventurer Erik Weihenmayer is certainly one inspiring individual. Not only is he the first (and to date, only) blind person to climb Everest, he has also managed to compete in adventure races, compete in mountain biking events, and a number of other outdoor activities. He has even taken up kayaking, which must be terrifying for anyone who doesn't have the use of their eyes. Next year Erik plans to paddle the length of the Grand Canyon and as a training exercise for that expedition, he recently traveled to Peru to take on the Rio Marañon, which presents some similar challenges. In the video below, he talks about that adventure.

Thanks to Lou-Phi for sharing this video.

Rio Marañon with Erik Weihenmaye​r from peter gandesbery on Vimeo.

Winter Climbs 2014: Dujmovits Abandons Solo Nanga Parbat Expedition

Yesterday I posted an update on the winter climbing scene in Pakistan where several teams are hoping to make the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat this year. So far those attempts have been stymied by bad weather conditions that have included high winds, cold temperatures and lots of snow. But with the forecast improving over the next few days, it seemed as if the climbers were preparing to truly get their acclimatization process under way at last. For one climber however, the risks on Nanga are just too great, so he has elected to pull the plug and go home.

As noted in my previous update, German climber Ralf Dujmovits was hoping to make a solo climb of the mountain and had recently arrived in Base Camp where he had been weighing his options for the best approach. What he found was that his intended route was far more difficult to find that he had anticipated and that it was was more dangerous as well. Ralf discovered that there were two massive ice towers precariously balanced just above where he would be climbing. He also estimated that it would take him approximately a day and a half to move past those towers, which would have been an awfully long time to be stuck under their shadow. So, weighing all of this information out and considering how fearsome Nanga Parbat is in the winter under the best of circumstances, he decided it was best to pull the plug on the expedition rather than tempt fate.

With the decision made, Ralf will now leave Pakistan and head for home. He knew that climbing the mountain solo in winter was going to be a major challenge no matter what, but the conditions even more dangerous than he had anticipated. I think the term "discretion is the better part of valor" is an apt one here.

This won't be the only solo attempt on Nanga this season however. Daniele Nardi will be arriving in Pakistan later in the month and he will attempt a solo summit along the Diamir face too.

Adventurer To Attempt To Swim Around Ireland

In my opinion, there are very few tests of endurance as grueling as a long distance swim. Spending hours in the water, generally isolated and alone, even with a support team, can be a mentally and

physically exhausting experience. Long distance swimmers burn calories quickly and are usually hungry and bordering on dehydration most of the time. It is a very tough activity, even for the hardiest of individuals, which is why I have enormous respect for those who take on such a challenge. Later this year, adventurer Ripley Davenport will attempt just such an undertaking when he will try to become the first person to swim around Ireland, covering a distance of roughly 850 miles (1367 km) in the process. 

The circumnavigation swim isn't set to get underway until sometime this summer, but the official website for the round Ireland swim is now online. Ripley says that he'll be swimming clockwise around the island country, starting at Derrynane, County Kerry. His route will take him out into the Atlantic Ocean before moving around the crown of Northern Ireland, through the Northern Channel, and turning south into the Irish Sea. From there, he'll swim across the Saint George Channel and into the Celtic Channel, as he once again returns to the Atlantic, and back to his starting location.

A support team will shadow Ripley aboard a yacht while he makes his swim and a paddler in a kayak will be close at hand at all times. Davenport will be in a wetsuit to help protect him from the chilling waters he'll face along the way and he'll carry a GPS tracker so we can all follow along with his progress as well. In preparation for the full journey, he also plans to make a 30-mile (48 km) open water swim in May as a prelude to the start of the challenge. 

Ripley will undertake his swim around Ireland in an effort to raise funds and awareness for MS Ireland, an organization that supports those suffering with Multiple Sclerosis in that country. Davenport was diagnosed with the disease back in 2011 and yet he continues to seek adventure at every opportunity. Being able to complete this swim will be an epic undertaking and a way of demonstrating that those with MS can still accomplish great things.

Good luck to Ripley. We'll be following along later this year. 

A Song For Josie Duggar

Enjoy this heart-felt song that a viewer wrote about Josie Duggar. (YouTube video embedded below)

Video: Dreamscapes In Timelapse

If you're looking for a beautiful and inspirational way to kick off a new year, than look no further than the video below. It features some amazing landscapes captured in timelapse and the results are nothing short of spectacular. Definitely a great way to start 2014.

Dreamscapes from Jonathan Besler on Vimeo.

Video: Paragliding The High Atlas Mountains

In April of 2013, two friends set out to traverse the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco by paraglider. The video below is a short film of that journey, which took 13 days to complete. The dialog of the film is all in French, which makes it difficult to understand much of the time, but the footage more than makes up for it with stunning scenery along the way. This is a great example of a unique adventure and a very cool way to explore a new region.

Traversée du Haut-Atlas en "Vol-Bivouac" from Guigui on Vimeo.

Winter Climbs 2014: News From Nanga Pabat

The winter climbing season is now in full swing with most of the attention this year being focused on Nanga Parbat. As previously noted, there will be three teams attempting to make the first winter ascent of that 8126 meters (26,660 ft) peak, with all of them now on the mountain and taking a long look at the challenges that await them.

The Polish Justice For All Team, which has been in Pakistan the longest, is reporting that they have gone as high as 5500 meters (18,044 ft), where they have stored gear in anticipation of eventually shuttling it up to Camp 1. But poor weather, including high winds and heavy snows, have kept them in Base Camp for now. The forecast indicates that things should be improving over the next few days, which will allow them to push ahead with their acclimatization and scout their intended route up the mountain.

The North Face Team consisting of Simone Moro, David Gottler and Emilio Previtali are also in BC where they are awaiting improved weather as well. They arrived after Christmas but have quickly set up camp but have been stymied by hurricane force winds thus far. With the weather set to take a turn for the better, they'll hopefully be able to start their acclimatization as well.


Ralf Dujmovits hopes to make one of the most epic climbs in mountaineering history by going solo on Nanga above 5500 meters. After acclimatizing on Aconcagua in mid-December, he barely stopped home in Germany before heading to Pakistan. He is now on the mountain and reports that conditions are not great all around. His intended route passes below two precarious ice columns, which appear as if they could collapse at any time. Worse yet, conditions there are making for slow going, and his route would leave him in the shadow of those columns for a good day and a half of climbing, a risk he's not sure he wants to take at this point. The heavy snows have covered the intended route as well, which is making it difficult to spot. All of these challenges are in play, before he has even begun the ascent of Nanga, which is considered one of the most dangerous and difficult mountains in the world.

ExWeb is also reporting that Daniele Nardi will be heading to Nanga at the end of January and will be attempting a winter ascent as well. That is a bit of a late start to a winter climb, but should still provide plenty of time if conditions are right.

Finally, on a different note, Lonnie Dupre had been planning on having another go at a solo-summit of Denali in Winter, but has delayed that attempt until December of 2014. After three consecutive years on the mountain, he'll now take this January off and look ahead to next. As someone who has followed each of those previous expeditions, I'll miss following Lonnie's adventure this year.

More updates soon, as there will likely be more winter expeditions added shortly.

Antarctica 2013: Expedition Updates!

After a holiday hiatus, it is time to get back to work and caught up on everything going on in the world of adventure. That starts with checking in on the happenings in the Antarctic, where despite the holidays the teams have remained busy, including some reaching the South Pole at long last.

Chief amongst those reaching the Pole were the Scott Expedition, which arrived at 90ºS on December 26. That was the culmination of more 63 days out on the ice and was a major milestone for Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere. But, if you've been following their journey you already know that the South Pole was only the halfway point of the expedition. The have now made the turn and are headed back towards the coast, which will be their ultimate finish line. With that in mind, they are taking a rest day today and are still looking at another 770 miles (1239 km) to go before they are done. With the clock starting to tick on the current Antarctic season, they still have a long way to go as time begins to run short. Fortunately, the return trip should be faster and easier.

Also arriving at the South Pole was Aussie Geoff Wilson. He has been kite skiing to the bottom of the world for weeks now, and even though he arrived bruised and battered, he has also started his return journey. The winds will be more favorable on the way back to the coast as well, which should make that portion of the expedition much quicker. Still, Geoff has taken his share of lumps on the expedition so far, and he's not done just yet either.


Richard Parks is nearing 90ºS as well and should arrive possibly as early as today or tomorrow. There hasn't been an update from him in a few days now, but based on his average distances covered, he should be quite close. His opportunity to break the speed record for skiing from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole has come and gone, but he is still putting in a tremendous effort as he nears the end of the expedition. It appears that he'll finish up in roughly 30 days, which is impressive to say the least.

As of yesterday, Lewis Clarke still had 269 miles (432 km) to cover in his bid to become the youngest person to ever ski to the South Pole. In recent days that has become all the more challenging thanks to the endless amount of sastrugi that are covering the ice. It has been a tough slog thus far and the challenges of the journey have taken their toll, but the 16-year old remains determined to reach the finish line and set the new record. That looks like it is still a couple weeks off however.

Antarctic mountain biker Daniel Burton continues to push forward in his quest to become the first to ride the full distance to the South Pole. In an effort to pick up the pace some, he has dropped extra gear and supplies and now looks to cover an average of 20 miles (32 km) per day. Adding in three rest days to the schedule, Daniel now estimates he'll reach the South Pole around the 20th of January. That is nearly three more weeks of hard riding before he is done. That date will also start to get close to the end of the season as well.

Finally, Chris and Marty Fagan continue their push towards the South Pole. The husband and wife team are now 206 miles out from their finish line, with the two endurance athletes making solid progress on a daily basis. They are dealing with more sastrugi as they near the end as well, but seem to be taking these challenges in stride and are moving forward with a positive attitude. At their current pace, they'll probably wrap up their expedition around the middle of the month.

That's all for today. I'll post more updates tomorrow and as news breaks.

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