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.
Mountain Biker Rides Kilimanjaro: Mountain bike guide Daniel Cristancho, 22, hiked Mount Kilimanjaro just so that he could ride back down. The catch: You have to carry the bike to the top. After four days hiking with filmmaker friends through the five distinct climate zones, they topped out. What followed was a spectacular but brutal 26km descent.
Climbing mentors
Why Climbing Mentors Still Matter: Paulina Pena found her climbing mentor when she was 10. Her first coach introduced her to multi-pitch climbs, competitions, and the climbing community. She reflects on the importance of mentors, who turn daunting firsts into memories, offer encouragement, and remind us that climbing happily matters as much as climbing harder.
Eugene Espy Has Died: Eugene “Gene” Espy passed away on August 22 at the age of 97. He was the second person to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail, and at least one historian thinks he may have been the first person to complete the trail in full.
In 1951, when Espy departed from Mount Oglethorpe, the trail did not exist as it does today. There were few route markers, thick undergrowth, and he could go a week without seeing anyone. He made it to the northern terminus in 123 days, an impressive time even by today’s standards.
Solo hiking versus hiking with a partner
Here’s What I Learned on My First Solo Trip: After years of trekking and more than 17,000km covered with his wife, Grayson Currin decided to set out on a solo challenge. He wanted to complete the 340km Tahoe Rim Trail in under a week. Without his usual partner to lean on, every detail fell on him.
Currin wondered if solo hiking would be more meaningful than thru-hikes with a partner, or if it would change his perspective on the hobby. It didn’t, and he realized they are completely different activities. He liked proving he could do it alone, but also couldn’t wait for his next thru-hike with his wife.
Fourteen-Year-Old Saves Paddleboarder: In April, paddleboarder Gavin Bowden, 60, wiped out on a powerful wave at Saunton Sands in Devon, UK. The board whipped around and struck him above the forehead, briefly paralyzing him.
Oscar McCrae sprang into action. A member of the local lifesaving club since he was six, the 14-year-old McCrae hauled Bowden onto his board and then held him there in rough waves. Unable to get to shore, they had to wait half an hour for a rescue boat.
Oscar McCrae signaled ‘surfer in distress’ to his father on shore after getting to Bowden. Photo: Neil Phillips
The outdoors is for everyone
The Mountains Don’t Discriminate: This year marked a milestone for Black Trail Runners (BTR), a UK-based charity co-founded by Sabrina Pace-Humphreys. Six years ago, she was standing on the start line of the Grand Trail 50k Courmayeur and realized she was the only woman of color. BTR has been trying to boost black representation in trail running, and this year, seven BTR runners competed in various Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc events.
A Climb For Kei Taniguchi: Japanese climber Kei Taniguchi was a trailblazer. With partner Kazyua Hiraide, she was the first woman to be awarded the Piolet d’Or after her 2009 southeast face ascent of India’s Kamet.
In 2013, Taniguchi saw an image of the unclimbed northeast face of Pandra (6,673m) in Nepal. Three years later, she attempted the peak but was turned back two-thirds of the way up. A month after the attempt, she died. Now, her biographer, Akihiro Oishi, has climbed the route in tribute.
Bikepacking in Japan. Photo: Hans De Neve
Bikepacking Japan
Japan’s Forgotten Roads: Hans De Never and his partner were intrigued by bikepacking in Japan. Japan’s cities may be futuristic in some ways, but on the hidden Rindo (ancient forest roads), you find yourself surrounded by nature. At some points, the trails are almost invisible, at others, the pair were scrambling over the debris from landslides with their bikes.
