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 adventure fix, here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Hiking an ancient Japanese pilgrimage route with the last monk of Hongu: Two adventurers set out on a self-guided hike along an ancient Japanese pilgrimage route. Along the way, they take part in ancient practices and rituals with the monks of the region.
The Marten Hartwell story: It has been 50 years since bush pilot Marten Hartwell set out to bring a nurse and her two critical patients to a hospital. It turned out that both he and his plane were ill-prepared for the flight. When they did not show up at their destination, a weeks-long search in subzero temperatures ensued.
The fall and rise of kayak touring: Despite speculation that sea kayaking has gone out of fashion, it turns out that just the length and style of trips have changed.
The world’s hardest climbs
Photo: Shutterstock
The 10 hardest sport climbs in the world: Sport climbers thrive on scaling walls once thought impossible. Check out the top boundary pushers of recent years and the 5.15c and 5.15d routes they’ve sent.
‘My watch thinks I’m dead’: For several years, Apple phones and watches have had integrated tech that senses falls and collisions, and contacts emergency services on their users’ behalf. But recently, there have been many cases of watches and iPhone 14s calling 911 on perfectly healthy skiers. It seems that these latest upgrades have become a little too sensitive.
A daring sea rescue, a dead fish, and the house from ‘The Goonies’: In a story that just gets weirder the more you read, a man narrowly escapes with his life as his boat founders in rough water. Fortunately for him, the coast guard was nearby on a training mission. After his rescue, they learned that he was a wanted criminal…for some rather strange crimes.
I can’t skate, so I went ice biking: Those not so sturdy on ice skates need not count themselves out of icebound adventure just yet. Ice biking takes a bicycle frame and replaces the front tire with a skating blade as well as a few other stabilizing upgrades. This allowed Alison Karlene Hodgins to take on the Nestaweya River ice-skating trail.
Skull found in 1997 finally linked to missing hiker
Grizzly. Photo: Shutterstock
Human skull found nearly 50 years later reveals missing hiker killed by bear: The family of Gary Frank Sotherden finally received some closure. DNA analysis has shown that a skull found in Alaska in 1997 belonged to the hiker, who went missing in the 1970s. After splitting with his partner, Sotherden succumbed to a bear attack, as revealed by marks on the skull. Only his glasses and some identifying gear were initially found.
The four highest unclimbed walls in Canada: The Canadian Rockies are well known for their great walls, but a few faces remain that have never had a first ascent. Check out these highest unsent walls and see if it gives you the itch to pave a new path.
Think being a TV survivor is hard? Consider the crew: Survival show participants inspire audiences with their grit in extreme situations. But we often overlook the show’s crew. They do the same thing while creating quality content. The producer-director of Primal Survivor: Over the Andes explains what it’s like to work in such conditions.
