Here at ExWeb, when we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the wider interweb. Sometimes we’re a little too plugged in, and browsing interesting stories turn from minutes into hours. To nourish your own adventure fix, here are some of the best links we’ve discovered this week.
Dick Griffith – Legendary Alaska Adventurer: Dick Griffith has trekked 16,000km of Alaska and the Canadian Arctic. He was the first to raft infamous Lava Falls in the Grand Canyon and the first to explore the length of Mexico’s Copper Canyon. He is also considered the grandfather of packrafting.
The Last Sherpas of Europe: In Slovakia’s High Tatra Mountains, porters still carry loads of up to 100kg along rugged mountain trails, using skis, crampons and chains.
Up Close with Jim Milledge: Ninety-year-old Jim Milledge had a fulfilling career as a hospital physician specializing in respiratory diseases. He also pursued a “professional hobby” of high-altitude medicine, mainly in the Greater Ranges.
Women of the Matterhorn: A century and a half ago, on July 21, 1871, Liverpudlian Lucy Walker became the first woman to climb the Matterhorn. It was at least her 19th first female ascent. The nearby Dom, Weisshorn, Lyskamm, Rimpfischhorn, Castor, and Zumsteinspitze had already succumbed to her attentions.
John Muir in Native America: Muir’s romantic vision obscured indigenous ownership of the land — but a new generation is pulling away the veil.
An Appalachian Trail Horror Story: When we venture into the wilderness, we accept that there are certain dangers, like bears and snakes and crazy weather. Truth be told, a bit of risk attracts many people to the backcountry. But an aggressive human can be more menacing than any natural threat.
Endurance and The Great White Silence: A 3D virtual exhibition of the superb Antarctic photographs of Frank Hurley, Herbert Ponting, and Robert Scott. See more here too.
Steep Skiing Pioneer Patrick Vallençant’s Motto Was: You Fall, You Die: Vallençant was one of a handful of the men who defined extreme skiing in its infancy. Don’t mistake infancy for small. In some sports, the level of risk grows proportionately over time and improved technology. Steep skiing didn’t evolve like that.
One Man’s Attempt to Solve a Mystery at the Top of Mount Everest: The New York Times reviews climber Mark Synott’s book about the infamous Mallory and Irvine story in the context of exploration in the early 20th century.
How Polar Explorers Survived Months of Isolation Without Cracking: Their “vital mental medicine” included strict routines, sprightly tunes, and a vision of a happy ending.
