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.
Slowing Down on Slovenia’s Juliana Trail: The 268km Juliana Trail loops around the foothills of the Julian Alps in Slovenia. The trail, which opened in 2019, has 16 sections. Peggy Orenstein writes about her nine-day experience on the route in the middle of a wet spring.
Arctic Artist: John Franklin enlisted George Back for his first overland arctic expedition because of his artistic talent. As the explorers set out in 1820, Back detailed what he saw and made notes and maps as they moved south to Fort Providence. Over the next year, he created a remarkable artistic catalog of what they had experienced.
A sketch of partially decomposed animal skulls by George Back. Photo: Library and Archives Canada, ACC. NO. 1994-254-2.180R
Hiking in Spain Taught Me to Stop to Smell the Pork: Most hikers set out with at least a rough itinerary. They also typically carry a favorite go-to trail snack. But habit and scheduling take away from some of the serendipity of new places. After living in Spain for six years, Megan Lloyd and her husband have found that one of their favorite hiking pastimes is seeking out hidden gems of restaurants in the middle of nowhere.
Climbing ice in Africa
Will Gadd Climbs New Ice Routes in Africa: Will Gadd saw a photo of Tim Larsen ice climbing in South Africa. Before he knew it, he joined Larsen in Africa. He was blown away by the quality of the ice, baboons at the top of climbs, and the knowledge shared by locals and Larsen.
By the end of the trip, he had opened up four new routes. Now he has released a video about the experience.
The iPhone’s Satellite SOS Feature is Saving Lives: In 2022, Apple created an emergency feature that could summon help via satellite when out of cell phone range. Some feared it would make hikers more reckless, but in the last 12 months, the feature has saved several lives.
In L.A. County alone, there have been over a dozen rescues this year, of people with broken limbs, serious head injuries, and stranded vehicles. Some sheriffs have called the automatic alert system a game changer, allowing them to reach seriously injured people much more quickly.
Designing surfboards for women
The Differences in Shaping Surfboards for Women: As the number of female surfers increases, it has become clear that surfboards are designed for men. Men and women have different proportions of muscle, body fat, and bone mass. As most surfboard designers are men, the boards are generally made to be more effective for male surfers. The designers make what will work for them. But these don’t necessarily achieve the same performance for women.
Nigel Foster on Lake Toba. Photo: Nigel Foster
A Chat With Nigel Foster: Renowned kayak designer and paddler Nigel Foster talks about his lifelong love of kayaking and canoeing. His love of sea kayaking began in 1975 when he took his first multi-day solo trip around the south coast of England. It gave him a sense of freedom that he had never felt before. He chats about the books he has written, what he looks for in a kayaking partner, and the challenges he has faced on expeditions over the years.
Two More 8b+ Boulders for Katie Lamb: Katie Lamb made two successful 8b+ climbs earlier this year, in Squamish, British Columbia and in Mizugaki, Japan. She is thought to be the first woman to have successfully climbed both routes. This means she has now solved eight 8b+ boulder problems around the world.
