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.
The Strange Brain of the World’s Greatest Solo Climber: After his recent ground-breaking, ropeless climb up a 101-story building, we look back on an article written about Alex Honnold 10 years ago. Famed for his free soloing, he takes on feats that would terrify other people. Neuroscientists were convinced Honnold’s amygdala was not firing properly, and he agreed to a set of brain scans. This article explores his extraordinary brain and why Honnold can tackle life-threatening ascents with remarkable calm.
More recently, Honnold himself addressed the amygdala question:
First Ascent of ‘Out of the Dark’: Mountain guides Simon Gietl and Vittorio Messini have made the first ascent of Out of the Dark on the formidable north face of Laserz Peak in the Lienz Dolomites. They describe the 270m route as “winter climbing with an interesting mixed and ice section in the last third.”
The kindness of strangers
We left Everything to Cycle the World: Bernardo Bacalhau and Jule Noah set out from Singapore in early 2025. They planned to spend the next year, or possibly longer, cycling back to Portugal. However, the trip ended unexpectedly after three months on the road. Bacalhau has created a one-hour video about the journey, and the pair discusses a particular day in Thailand when they learned to accept the kindness of strangers.
Greatest Whitewater Descents of the Century (So Far): With the help of some of the world’s best kayakers and canoeists, here is a list of the best whitewater descents since the year 2000.
From the first descent of Tibet’s Tsangpo Gorge and ground-breaking journeys down Africa’s Congo and Lukuga rivers, to a historic source-to-sea paddle on the Amazon and remote whitewater in Papua New Guinea, each expedition highlights modern paddlers pushing the boundaries of their sport.
The Walker Who Climbed his 1,000th Hill at 73: In 2024, veteran hillwalker Jeff Kent climbed Roseberry Topping in Yorkshire, his 1,000th hill in England. He has had a lifelong passion for walking and spent much of his time mapping England’s lesser-known peaks.
Kent has compiled a comprehensive list of England’s 3,805 hills between 1,000 and 1,999 feet (300m-610m). He discusses naming the list in honor of his parents and the years he spent documenting and climbing.
Photo: Sue Bell
The Sycamore Gap
If a Tree Falls: In 2023, Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham cut down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. Sitting in a dip in the landscape, the tree was a beloved spot for photographers and hikers, and even featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
The pair cut the tree down with a chainsaw in the dead of night, and it soon made national news. Their actions led to a criminal trial, and across the country, people spoke of their devastation that the tree had been cut down. This journalist attends the trial to figure out why the tree’s destruction inspired so much emotion.
The Path of Least Resistance: Aaron Rolph writes about his 700km e-bike journey across the Balkans. Rolph and two friends started in Montenegro and made their way across Kosovo and Albania, testing the limits of their battery-assisted bikes along backcountry trails, up steep climbs, and through national parks.
Surviving on a remote island
Meet 13 People Who Survived on Deserted Islands: Here are seven true stories of 13 castaways who found themselves completely isolated on various islands around the world. From Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who inspired the classic novel Robinson Crusoe, to a group of Tongan teens who survived for over a year on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and an Iñupiat seamstress who spent two years stuck on Wrangel Island above the Arctic Circle.
