When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Sometimes we’re a little too plugged in and browsing adventure reads can turn from minutes to hours. To nourish your own adventure fix, here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
My Drowning (And Other Inconveniences): After a legendary career in adventure writing, Tim Cahill thought his story was over. Thrown from a raft in the Grand Canyon’s Lava Falls, he was trapped underwater and out of air. When he finally reached land, his heart stopped for several minutes. Then he came back — and decided to risk Lava again.
The Little-known Hiking Trail That Built Canada: It was used by First Nations, fur traders and early westward-migrating settlers. Now, local communities are hoping it could become the world’s next great long-distance hike.
China’s Ultramarathon Tragedy and The Survivors Threatened for Speaking Out: Last May, 21 competitors died at an ultra-running event in northern China. Hail, heavy rain and intense gales caused temperatures to plummet, and nobody seemed prepared for it. Only a small number felt comfortable talking about what happened — and some have been threatened for doing so.
Will Alex Honnold Stop Free Soloing When His Daughter Is Born? We Asked. He Answered: Alex Honnold is about to be a dad. This raises all sorts of questions. The most obvious one: Will he mind if she becomes an aid climber?
Life After Death
Alex Lowe and Conrad Anker in Antarctica. Photo: Gordon Wiltsie.
Alex Lowe Died 22 Years Ago: His Son’s Film Reckons With His Shadow: Alex Lowe’s death on Shishapangma in 1999 created the void that his sons, wife, and best friend still inhabit. Now Lowe’s oldest son, Max, has made an award-winning documentary about it.
Under The Ice: Freediving on its own presents extraordinary technical challenges, which become even harder when that diving takes place in sub-zero temperatures. Avaunt Magazine heads into the deep with free diver Magali Cote.
Everest: East Side Story: British climber Stephen Venables probably did the last interesting thing on Everest, when he climbed a new route up the Kangshung Face with Robert Anderson, Ed Webster, and Paul Teare in 1988. In this centenary of the first Everest expedition, Venables gave a brilliant talk to the Alpine Club. It intertwined his own personal Everest journey with the wider story of the world’s highest mountain and in particular, the early 1920s expeditions.
The Simple Joys of Planning A 12-day Hike — The Old-School Way: Luke Waterson decided on a last-minute holiday in Scotland. When he found that everything was booked, he ordered a stash of maps, planned a 440km, 12-day hike across Scotland — and left the next day.
