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.
Five Years in the Wild: Dianne Whelan discusses how her plan for a 500-day journey across the newly completed Trans Canada Trail turned into a 1,862-day odyssey through nearly 24,000km of wilderness.
Experience The Grandeur of the Italian Alps: Events at the Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo games have taken place at locations across the Italian Alps. This selection of stunning images captures the snow-capped peaks, winding trails, frozen lakes, and rustic villages of the region. They provide plenty of inspiration to visit the mountains that backdropped the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The peaks of Cimon della Pala and Cima Vezzana emerge from fog and low clouds. Photo: Vittorio Ricci
Polar medal winners
The Search for the Fifth Shackleton Medal Winner: Nominations are now open for the fifth Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions. The annual award was established in 2022 to mark the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s death. It honours individuals whose work contributes to the safeguarding of the Arctic and Antarctic.
With a £10,000 prize, the award celebrates individuals across the fields of exploration, glaciology, environmental advocacy, climate and wildlife research, and international cooperation.
These Legendary Ice Caves Opened for the First Time in 11 Years: For the first time in 11 years, the iconic ice caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin have opened to hikers. A handful of lucky visitors made the nine-kilometer trek across frozen Lake Superior to see the sandstone caves, covered in ice pillars and chandeliers.
The National Park Service (NPS) can only open the caves to the public when the ice on the lake is thick enough to support foot traffic. Although the NPS has temporarily closed them again because of an incoming storm, they are hopeful that there will be more opportunities for visitors to see the ice-covered caves before the season ends.
Caves in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Photo: Joel Deutmeyer Photography/Travel Wisconsin
Alpine ski racing
Downhill Racing: Veteran skier Arnold Lunn reflects on the evolution of alpine ski racing. Looking back to 1898, when skiing was the hobby of a few eccentrics, he charts how downhill and slalom events emerged. He contrasts the adventure and snowcraft of early ski mountaineering with the experience of the modern racer, touching on the role of national pride and politics in international competition.
The Pop That Changed My Season and the Run That Gave It Back: Jason Wilson recounts his first day back on the slopes after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. First came the awkwardness of gearing up in a bulky knee brace. Next, he found a gentle blue run to test his leg. After a few runs of slow and tentative turns, with ski schools zipping past him, he realized he was skiing like a 90-year-old, even though his knee felt fine. He decided to get out of his head and trust his body.
Heavy snowfall in Northern California led to the Tahoe avalanche. Photo: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
The Tahoe avalanche
How California’s Snowpack Contributed to Deadly Tahoe Avalanche: Changing weather patterns in the Sierra Nevada played a role in the Tahoe avalanche that killed eight backcountry skiers. Dry, sunny periods made the top layer of snow loose, and the subsequent arrival of a powerful winter storm dumped heavy new snow on this fragile base. Avalanche experts explain that these weak layers were once unusual in the region and how the changing winter conditions complicate avalanche forecasting and decision-making for backcountry guides.
The Climbing Mecca in the Middle of the Next Total Solar Eclipse: On August 12, Mallorca will find itself squarely in the path of a total solar eclipse, a celestial event that graces any given spot on Earth once every 360 years. For climbers, this presents a rare opportunity because Mallorca is one of the world’s foremost deep water climbing destinations. Here is everything you need to know about combining the once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event with a climbing trip on the Spanish island.
