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
Pure Chaos: Last weekend, a colossal landslide from near the South Sawyer Glacier crashed into the Tracy Arm Fiord in Alaska. Sasha Calvey, Billy White, and Nick Heilgeist had just spent 78 days kayaking the Inside Passage from Washington. Camping on Harbor Island, they awoke to “pure chaos.”
The landslide had created a tsunami that swept across Harbor Island, taking all of their gear with it. One kayak was drifting half a kilometer offshore, one was lodged in a tree, and the last was resting on a nearby cliff.
First Female Ascent of Rainshadow: This spring, Belgian climber Anak Verhoeven made the first female ascent of Rainshadow (9a) at Malham Cove in the UK. It is an extension of Raindogs (8a) and was first climbed by Steve McClure in 2003. Verhoeven spent weeks figuring out the wall, slowed by an undercut that was causing a finger injury. Through meticulous tweaking of her technique, positioning, and finger taping, she finally succeeded on her fifth attempt.
Paddleboard deaths
Alarming Trend of Paddleboarding Deaths: The U.S. Coast Guard has released their 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics. While boating fatalities have fallen to their lowest levels in 50 years, paddleboarding deaths are disproportionately high. They account for one in every three recreational boating fatalities, with stand-up paddleboarding fatalities surging by 164% last year.
In total, there were 165 paddlesport fatalities and 556 boating deaths. A staggering 87% of victims were not wearing life jackets, and alcohol was identified as a leading factor in fatal incidents.
Kilian Jornet Q&A: This week, ultra-running legend Kilian Jornet hosted an “Ask Me Anything” session on r/trailrunning. Jornet had just announced his next project, which is to connect all 14,000-foot peaks across the lower 48 states of the U.S.
Jake Schmitt and Buddy. Photo: Kaitlynn Cline
Emotional support dog
Dog Helped Injured Hunter Survive for 11 Hours: Hunting guide Jake Schmitt has spent years working in Utah’s Uinta Mountains. He was driving a trail he knew well when his rear wheels began to lose traction. He knew his Polaris Ranger was going to flip and tried to jump out, but not in time. The vehicle rolled over him twice, shattered his ankles, broke his ribs, and left his legs at unnatural angles. With the vehicle and his satphone gone, he dragged himself along the mountainside for 11 hours to get back to his truck and call for help. All the while, he was guided by his loyal German short-haired pointer, Buddy.
Rescuers Find Body of Missing American Hiker: Spanish search and rescue teams confirm they have found the body of 27-year-old American hiker Cole Henderson. On August 8, they found Henderson’s body on the north face of Monte Perdido, the third-highest peak in the Pyrenees. The location was so remote that rescuers required a crane to airlift his body down.
Henderson had texted friends on July 9 from the nearby town of Torla, saying that he was beginning a solo trek and switching his phone to airplane mode.
Mirco Grasso and Samuele Mazzolini on the summit of Phandambiri in Mozambique. Photo: Mirco Grasso/Samuele Mazzolini
A first ascent in Mozambique
First Climb Established on Mt. Phandambiri: On August 6, Italian climbers Mirco Grasso and Samuele Mazzolini achieved the first ascent on the previously untouched east face of Mount Panda (Phandambiri) in Mozambique. They opened a new 19-pitch route over six days. On the 890m line, they needed 70 bolts before making a final scramble to the summit.
Popular Off-Roading YouTube Couple Dead After Accident: Popular off-roading YouTube couple Matthew Yeomans and Stacey Tourout died in a crash in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains. Known for their Toyota World Runners channel, the pair were discovered by search-and-rescue services after an emergency call alerted crews to a service-road accident. When the rescue team arrived, they found the couple’s vehicle 200m down a steep slope, and Yeoman dead. A helicopter airlifted Tourout from the scene, but she died soon after.
