When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. To nourish your adventure fix, here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Saving Lives at the Grand Canyon: This summer, the extreme heat across American Southwest has been fatal. Seven hikers have died from heat-related issues. Despite this, the number of visitors to national parks is increasing.
Now the rangers at the Grand Canyon National Park are trying to stop the problems before they arise. They patrol the trails advising hikers, handing out extra snacks, and looking for any warning signs.
The Link Between Action Sports, Addiction, and Sobriety: “Adrenaline junkies” is a name often given to people who do extreme sports. There is an element of truth to the name. Science has shown that athletes who do sports like surfing, skiing, and mountain biking can have withdrawal symptoms similar to those of substance abuse. So maybe it’s not so shocking that many athletes turn to other substances to chase the elusive high. Mikey Nixon explores the roles of both addiction and sobriety in surfing.
A Wild Stallion Tried to Kill My Horse: Will Grant set out on the Pony Express Trail from Missouri to California in 2019. In this excerpt from his book about the journey, he encounters a wild stallion rolling in a mudhole in Utah’s West Desert. It was right next to where he wanted to set up camp. Suddenly, the mustang charged at him and his horses.
Jamie Aarons broke the Munros speed record. Photo: Jamie Aarons
A Munros FKT
Mountain Air: Mountain Air podcast host Dan Aspel talks to Jamie Aarons about her record-breaking Munros Challenge. She summited Scotland’s 282 highest peaks in 31 days, 10 hours and 27 minutes.
The Longest Raft Race in the World: The Nepal government has approved the building of three dams across the wild Karnali River. One company is trying to save the river and its ecosystem. To publicize the issue, they launched the Great Karnali Quest, a 248km rafting race in November. Each team must carry everything they need for the multi-day expedition, as they battle Class II to Class IV rapids.
One of America’s Wildest Thru-Hikes is Disappearing: The Idaho Centennial Trail is a 1,900km route running through the state. But since it was created in 1990, almost no maintenance has been done. Now wilderness is taking it over.
Even when conditions were good, the trail was fairly difficult. But as wildfires create impossible tangles of deadfall and plants encroach, it is almost impossible. A group of Idaho thru-hikers are trying to save the ICT.
The 83-year-old Ukrainian Climber Coaching in Kharkiv: Russian troops took over the Ukrainian border city of Kharkiv at the start of the war. By September 2022, they retreated. A few months later, Liliya Samsonova returned to her home. The 83-year-old has coached many national and international climbers, and the war did not stop her. A lot of her equipment was looted, but she continues to coach her 50 young protegés.
Samsonova with some of her climbing students. Photo: Anna Svetlova
Car Stuck in Death Valley for Three Weeks: On July 4, two individuals got lost as they drove through Death Valley. They spent hours trying to figure out the correct route, then gave up and drove directly across the salt flat.
The flats are delicate ecosystems and driving off-road in the park is illegal. Soon, the car bogged down in the salt flat, and they abandoned it. They walked for hours to find help. One of them ended up in the hospital because of the heat. Weeks later, they are in court for driving off-road.
