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.
Felled at the Last Hurdle: Over six weeks, Jake Evans attempted to follow the Scottish Watershed, a little-traveled line tracing the spine of the Highlands from the English border to Duncansby Head. Evans was hoping to become one of only a handful of people to complete the more than 1,000km hike during meteorological winter.
For weeks, he trudged through deep snow and endured brutal winds alone. With just days to go, he decided to tackle one more Munro. A violent gust near the summit of Ben Klibreck hurled him to the ground, breaking his ankle and bringing the expedition to an abrupt end.
How a tragedy unfolded
California’s Deadliest Avalanche Turned on One Choice: Joshua Partlow speaks to professional backcountry skier Cody Townsend and various guides from Lake Tahoe about the recent avalanche near Castle Peak in California’s Sierra Nevada. The avalanche killed nine people.
The group of experienced skiers and guides found themselves in the path of a massive slide during a winter storm. Despite warnings of high avalanche danger, decisions made that day, including a route choice that took the group beneath avalanche-prone terrain, turned it into a tragedy.
Graphical representation of inReach SOS calls from 2025. Photo: Garmin
Garmin releases its rescue stats for 2025
Why Hikers Called for Rescue in 2025: New data from Garmin inReach reveals that hikers and backpackers continue to make up the largest share of backcountry rescue calls worldwide. According to its 2025 report, the most common reason people triggered an emergency alert was injury, followed by medical problems such as altitude sickness or heart issues. Lost or stranded parties also figured prominently in the tally.
Triple Murder Near Capitol Reef National Park: A series of murders has taken place near Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park. The Utah Department of Safety reported that two women were found dead while hiking near a trailhead in Torrey, Utah, on March 4. Another was killed at her home in a nearby town.
Authorities say the suspect, 22-year-old Ivan Miller, allegedly targeted the victims to steal vehicles and money after becoming stranded in Utah, sparking a multi-state manhunt that ended with his arrest in Colorado.
Vlodymyr Vasylyshyn. Photo: Taras Pozdnii/Kuluar Tourist Club
Ukrainian Mountaineer Dies in Battle: The Ukrainian climbing community is mourning Vlodymyr Vasylyshyn. The alpinist, mountain guide, and combat medic was killed in battle on January 5, 2026.
Raised in the Carpathian Mountains, Vasylyshyn climbed Mont Blanc, Mount Kazbek, and Mount Kilimanjaro. He dreamed of attempting Manaslu in the Himalaya, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, he set aside those ambitions and joined the army, where he repeatedly risked his life to evacuate wounded soldiers.
Sea kayaking myths
Sea Kayaking Myths Busted: Toby Story wants to debunk some of sea kayaking’s most common misconceptions. Drawing on decades of guiding experience, he argues that you don’t need elite fitness, expensive gear, or extreme conditions to enjoy paddling on the ocean. In reality, sea kayaking can be accessible to everyone and offers a unique way to explore the coastline.
A Surfer Examines Robert Duvall’s Most Famous Line Ever: In Apocalypse Now, Robert Duvall as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore utters one of the most famous lines in cinema. As he surveys a surf break amid the chaos of the Vietnam War, he declares, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
Surfer and writer Sam George revisits that iconic moment and explores how surfing unexpectedly found its way into one of cinema’s most intense war films, and what he thinks the best line from the film actually is.
What European Mountain Guides Really Think of American Clients: According to European mountain guides, American skiers don’t always appreciate how different the terrain, culture, and logistics can be in the Alps compared to the US. Guides say hiring local expertise is the difference between wasting time navigating the unfamiliar and accessing the best lines on the mountains.
This isn’t a criticism; the guides praise American clients as technically strong, cautious, and eager to learn, but stress that in the Alps, local knowledge is the key to a successful overseas trip.
