When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Do You Know the Marree Man?: The Marree Man is an enormous figure carved into the Australian desert; head to toe, he measures 3.2km. The Marree Man was first revealed via an anonymous fax in 1998, and for 26 years, people have been trying to figure out who created him and why. Some locals love the artwork, while others want it removed because it is on Indigenous land and has damaged native plants.
Countdown to the Search for Amelia Earhart’s Plane Begins: At the start of November, a new expedition is setting out to try to solve the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. A team from Purdue University, the Purdue Research Foundation, and the Archaeological Legacy Institute will spend three weeks on Nikumaroro Island. In 2020, a visual anomaly was spotted in one of the island’s lagoons.
The Lycian Way. Photo: Shutterstock
World’s most beautiful hiking trail
Turkish Hiking Trail Named The Most Beautiful in the World: Time Out has named the Lycian Way in Turkey as the world’s most beautiful hiking trail. The 540km trail was the first long-distance hiking route in Turkey. Originally a trade route connecting settlements across Lycia, the trail runs from Ölüdeniz to Geyikbayırı through ancient ruins, dramatic cliffs, and secluded beaches.
Who We Are Is How We Climb: Valerie Karr is researching the ways that human factors shape climbing outcomes. Skills and gear are only part of the equation when it comes to failure or success; our habits and social interactions also play a huge role. By studying these, you can find patterns.
Karr and her climbing partner, Pete, set out to climb the East Ridge of Disappointment Peak. She is the less experienced climber, used to partners who talk to her every step of the way. This climb was very different, showing her first-hand how elements like authority gradients, partner communication, fear, fatigue, and complacency can influence a climb.
Nicky Spinks, 57, on Crib Goch while racing the Snowdon Skyline in 2024. Photo: Tanya Raab/Skyrun Eryri
Gender differences in endurance races
Do Older Women Have Endurance Superpowers?: Keri Wallace examines why veteran female runners frequently excel at ultra-distance events. Ageing inevitably brings reductions in muscle mass, aerobic capacity, and cardiovascular output for both men and women. However, women have been understudied in sports science due to their changing hormones. Now, research is showing that women and men age differently, and hormones play a crucial role.
There is evidence that women are often better at tactical pacing, self-care, coping with sleep deprivation, and nutritional planning. Some research also suggests that freedom from earlier-life constraints, such as often being the main caregiver for children, gives them a competitive edge.
First Ascents and New Routes on Stunning Peaks in Tibet: The Nyanchen Tanglha range in Tibet features many unclimbed peaks. After Tamotsu Nakamura wrote a series of articles on them in 2003, there was a flurry of climbing activity in the area. But this boom was relatively short-lived because of difficulties with permits and access. Now, Chinese climbers are discovering the area. Xia Zhongming reports on three ascents by Chinese alpinists in late 2024, including a new route on Manamcho (6,264m) and first ascents of both Chuchepo (6,613m) and Jiongmudazhi (6,590m).
El Capitan. Photo: Shutterstock
Unauthorized activity in Yosemite
Shutdown Brings More BASE Jumpers and Drones to Yosemite: National Parks across the U.S. are struggling during the federal government shutdown. The shutdown has put over half of the National Park Service staff on furlough, with no indication of when this will end. Yosemite National Park is still open, and the lack of staff has led to a dramatic surge in unauthorized activities such as BASE jumping off El Capitan and the use of drones.
A Radical Reading List on Cartographic Power, Perspective, and Possibility: Maps have always fascinated Kanya Kanchana. She views them not just as navigational tools, but instruments of power. This reading list weaves together essays that challenge how we think about maps, what they show and hide, how they are made, and how mapping shapes our understanding of the world.
