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.
Desert Towers in Saudi Arabia: With two partners, Stephan Gerber spent three weeks last January in Saudi Arabia, driving 4,600km around its deserts in search of unclimbed sandstone towers. He likens the terrain to that of southern Utah, but far more remote and largely unexplored.
In some areas, local authorities stopped them and informed them that climbing was prohibited. Still, the trio made 12 first ascents near Wadi Al Disah, Bajdah, and Wadi Dham.
Alone in the Arctic Winter: Every year, Tom Wall of the Cycling366 YouTube channel takes a solo winter bikepacking trip. This year, he chose to go to northern Finland. After landing in Rivaniemi, he caught a train to Kemijärvi and then pedaled north into Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
His 23-minute video shows his journey with a heavily loaded bike and trailer. He pushes slowly through knee-deep snow toward the wilderness huts he plans to stay in, embraces solitude and wild camps on a frozen lake before returning south.
Skin kayak returns home
The Vatican Held this Inuvialuit Kayak for 100 Years: A century-old Inuvialuit kayak that had been held in the Vatican Museum collection since the 1920s has been repatriated to Canada. It was one of 62 indigenous cultural items that the Vatican returned to the Canadian Museum of History, after years of advocacy by Inuit, First Nations, and Métis leaders. The kayak was hand-built from driftwood, sealskin, and sinew and originally used near the Mackenzie River Delta.
I Triaged Patients During the Deadly Patagonia Storm: Emergency room doctor David Zonshayn was hiking John Gardner Pass on the O-Circuit in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park on November 17 when a blizzard with hurricane-force winds struck.
The routine trek quickly morphed into a disaster that claimed five lives. Caught amid knee-deep snow and 200kph gusts, Zonshayn and other hikers retreated to a base camp. He and another doctor then turned one of the huts into an improvised emergency room, where they treated hypothermia and attempted to rescue as many hikers as possible.
Setting out across the glacier below the Breithorn (4,164m). Photo: Derek Franz
High Places: Derek Franz writes about a recent climbing trip in the Swiss Alps with a group of experienced climbing journalists and led by North Face (TNF) athletes. Initially, this was to have been a media junket to Everest Base Camp and Lobuche East in Nepal to test out the new TNF kit.
As civil unrest erupted in Nepal, he was rerouted to Switzerland. The team tackled a line on the Breithorn Half Traverse. Franz describes the glacier crossing, as well as the physical demands and elation of moving up steep alpine terrain.
Super-Mom leads kids down the Mississippi
Single Mother and Seven Kids Finish Paddling the Mississippi River: Single mom Nikki Bettis and her seven youngest children have completed a 3,780km paddle down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. They spent just over three months on the water.
In 2023, Bettis completed the Appalachian Trail hike with all 15 of her kids. Here, she discusses using the experiences as an immersive, hands-on classroom and the biggest challenge of the trip — other people. She had originally expected the river conditions to be the greatest difficulty, but found that with thorough preparation, she felt confident on the water.
Warren Miller: Photo: Warren Miller Entertainment
Skiing Needs Warren Miller’s Words: Ski magazine pulls together some of its favorite holiday-themed skiing columns from Warren Miller. These Warren’s World essays are a mix of dry humor, nostalgia, and reflections on how skiing is much more than a sport. This selection embraces the evolution of skiing and values experiences over accolades.
How to Avoid Divorce When Sailing As A Couple: For lots of sailing couples, living on their boat and sailing the world is the big dream, but it is not always easy to do. Couples who have succeeded share their candid advice on how to avoid divorce when sailing together.
While it is a little different for everyone, all stress the importance of clear communication, mutual up-skilling, and fair division of responsibilities to avoid resentment and stress. Many couples also recommend each person being clear about their expectations, and making big decisions and planning together so that no one feels sidelined.
