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.
Land of Horses: Ashley Parsons and her partner long dreamed of an adventure through Kyrgyzstan. After a year of planning, they had a 1,600km route mapped out. They landed in Kyrgyzstan and bought three stallions, two to ride and one to carry their bags.
The duo were careful to check the ground they were asking the horses to walk over, but one day they took the wrong path. A horse slid down some loose rock and was stranded in a precarious position over a fast-flowing river.
Surfers to the Rescue: A new survey reveals how far surfers are willing to go to help someone in distress.
In a New Zealand survey of 418 surfers, the vast majority said they had rescued someone in the ocean. On average, each person had rescued three people they had seen someone struggling. Amongst surf coaches, the figure jumped to 16 rescues each.
Billy Meredith on the Appalachian Trail. Photo: Billy Meredith
The Triple Crown in record time
Billy “Wahoo” Meredith’s Record-Breaking Triple Crown: For most hikers, the Triple Crown — the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail — takes years. Only 20 people have completed all three in a year.
But Billy “Wahoo” Meredith has broken the speed record, completing the 12,092km in 234 days. He speaks about the ups and downs and how spontaneous generosity was the key to his success.
The iPhone SOS App Saved My Life: Grayson Haver Currin was hiking the Continental Divide Trail when his wife disappeared. They started the day the same as any other: They packed up their kit, kissed, said goodbye, and then set off. The pair walk at different speeds and would spread out during the day’s walk.
But when Grayson stopped for water and waited for Tina to catch up, she never arrived. He searched for a day and a half before he had an epiphany. He could use the SOS app on his phone.
Fishing in the John Day River. Photo: Austin Trigg
Planning a Trip on the John Day River: The John Day River runs through Oregon. Almost 250km of it is classed as “wild and scenic.”
You need a permit to float your boat on the river. Permits are limited and somewhat complicated to get. Here is a guide to the entire process, including the best places to access the river and camping sites.
Six Rockies Ice Climbs with Low Avi Hazards: The Ice Climbing Avalanche Atlas aims to provide information about avalanche risks in the Rockies. But here are half a dozen ice climbs with little to no avalanche hazards.
10th Mountain Division troops training near Vail. Photo: Vail Resorts
Elite ski soldiers
In the Footsteps of the 10th Mountain Division: In 1942, the U.S. Army built Camp Hale in the valley below Homestake Mountain, Colorado. It became the home of the 10th Mountain Division, a group of elite ski soldiers.
Many of the ski troopers eventually settled in the area and were crucial to the growth of the outdoor recreation industry there. A hiker writes about tackling Homestake Mountain and the respect it gave him for those who came before.
Dartmoor Camping Case Reopened: The Supreme Court in the UK has allowed landowners to appeal the wild camping on Dartmoor case. Last year, landowner Alexander Darwall argued that he couldn’t remove people from his land because of wild camping traditions. He eventually lost the case, but will now be able to appeal and reopen a bitter dispute.
