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.
Letting Go: For Lisa Paarvio, a surf-and-ski expedition to Senja, Norway, became an unexpected lesson in relinquishing control and embracing uncertainty. She and three friends had planned the trip for years. They went in hoping for perfect Arctic conditions, but after their wetsuits froze solid and a sudden blizzard hit them while they were skiing, they quickly realized the weather would control their trip. Only once all expectations were abandoned did they see the difficult conditions as opportunities for memorable experiences.
12 Small Joys of Bikepacking: There are obvious reasons to fall in love with bikepacking. The main one is the freedom it gives you to explore. But after decades of traveling by bike, Lucas Winzenburg also thinks bikepacking journeys bestow a number of small joys: how everything tastes better after a day of pedaling, the satisfaction of using everything you packed, getting away from the tourist traps, and finding the perfect campsite.
David Sturge wins Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his close-up of a harp seal pup blending into the snow and ice off the coast of Newfoundland. Photo: David Sturge/CWPY26
The Winner of the 2026 Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year Competition: David Sturge of Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador, has won the 2023 Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year. His photos show harp seals and their pups on pack ice. From over 10,000 entries, a panel of judges selected 18 photographers across different categories.
A scorching pace on the Pacific Crest Trail
An Ultrarunner Broke the Pacific Crest Trail Speed Record Weeks After It Was Set: Nick Fowler has broken the Pacific Crest Trail speed record just weeks after Aurelien Sanchez set one. The 38-year-old ultrarunner completed the 4,265km trail from Canada to Mexico in 45 days, 17 hours, and 47 minutes, finishing around two and a half hours faster than Sanchez.
Even more impressively, Fowler completed the journey entirely self-supported. His record still needs to be officially verified by Fastest Known Time using GPS and photographic evidence.
Nick Fowler sets a new speed record on the PCT. Photo: Nick Fowler
Hiking Norway’s Heavily Monitored Russian Border: Kirkenes sits on the border between Norway and Russia. Scenic trails pass through forests and tundra next to the Pasvik River, but watchtowers, cameras, military patrols, and frequent yellow-and-red border posts are constant reminders that you are being watched.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, security has increased. Despite various restrictions, hikes along the border are becoming increasingly popular among cruise passengers and visitors.
15 Best Places to Experience Bioluminescence: Bioluminescent creatures create some of nature’s most extraordinary displays, from glowing cave walls and forests filled with fireflies to beaches and oceans that shimmer blue at night. Over 90 different species are bioluminescent. Here are 15 of the best places to see these natural light shows.
Wildfires burn on Grayson Lake. Photo: CBC News
A close escape from burning forests
Paddler Shares Escape From Wildfire: Murray Muir, 70, and five friends were on a three-week canoe trip in Ontario’s remote Wabakimi Provincial Park when they found themselves surrounded by wildfires. On day five of their trip, storms and lightning hit, and the group noticed smoke surrounding their camp on Grayson Lake.
They packed their canoes and tried to move across the lake, but fires blocked several routes. Eventually, they found a small rocky point, which they later dubbed Salvation Point, and sent out an SOS. They sheltered on the rocks, repeatedly soaking themselves and their equipment with lake water while flames burned on both sides of the lake. After surviving the night, they paddled to a larger section of the lake and waited at a lodge for evacuation the following day.
SUP Deaths Have Quadrupled in Recent Years: Data from American Whitewater shows that at least 12 fatal stand-up paddleboarding accidents involving ankle leashes have occurred between 2020 and July 2026. There were just three between 2015 and 2020.
Experts say the problem is that ankle leashes are designed for oceans and lakes, not rivers. In fast currents, leashes can become caught on rocks and other obstacles, pinning the paddler underwater and making the ankle release difficult to reach.
