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.
Precipice of Fear: One of the world’s best free riders, Jeremie Heitz has pushed the sport to its limits. He speaks to Simon Adam about his move from conventional competitive skiing to extreme free riding.
The gradient is often twice that of expert-level terrain, and the sport combines back-country skiing and alpine mountaineering. Heitz talks about his experiences, films he has made, and friends he has lost in the mountains.
New Warren Harding Movie: Batso is Hollywood’s latest foray into climbing. It tells the story of Warren “Batso” Harding, Dean Caldwell, and Beryl Knauth.
In the early 1970s, the trio took on the challenge of the Wall of Early Morning Light on El Capitan. Ethan Hawke will play Harding, Daniel Radcliffe is Caldwell, and Jessica Biel is Knauth.
A Valley Shrouded in Snow and Secrets: Showkat Nanda was not 100 percent sure why he wanted to visit the Gurez Valley. But he had grown up in northern Kashmir, hearing stories of the snowy Himalaya. The images he saw of Gurez reminded him of them.
A sensitive military area, the valley used to be off-limits. Nanda spent a few weeks with the residents of Gurez. They guided him around the valley, told him about their traditions, and voiced their concerns now that tourists can enter their community.
Isolated hamlets in Gurez Valley. Photo: Showkat Nanda
Rabid coyotes and vicious warthogs
Hiker Kills Rabid Coyote: A man was hiking in Johnstone, Rhode Island when a coyote attacked him. The canine bit his leg and the hiker pinned the coyote and cut off its air supply, eventually killing the animal.
Later, the hiker tested positive for rabies. Authorities suspect the same animal bit another hiker a day earlier.
His Best Friend Was a Warthog. It Almost Killed Him: In October 2022, Austin Riley sat in a pool of his blood, convinced he was going to die. He had been doing chores on the family ranch when his beloved pet warthog almost killed him.
Waylon, the warthog, attacked him without warning, stabbing Riley 15 times with his long tusks. By the time his family got him to hospital, he had lost half of his blood. He needed 10 surgeries.
Excalibur: In 2023, Stefano Ghisolfi made the first ascent of Excalibur. Rated F9 b+, it is the hardest sport route in Italy and one of the hardest in the world.
The North Face has released a film about Ghisolfi ‘s two-year journey to climb the route. Ghisolfi worked on the project with other top climbers. He finally made the summit of the 40° wall on Feb. 3, 2023.
Terror in Lake Tahoe
Forty-five Seconds of Terror at Palisades Tahoe: On Jan. 10, an avalanche hit the GS Bowl beneath KT22 in Lake Tahoe. It was the first day this season that the slope was open to skiers and snowboarders.
The avalanche buried at least four people, and one man died. People there on the day share their experiences. Some were caught up in the avalanche, others watched the disaster unfold and helped to dig others out of the snow.
Charles Barrett Convicted: On Feb. 13, Charles Barrett, an accomplished climber, was found guilty on three charges of sexual assault. The three victims were all female climbers.
After assaulting them, Barrett continued to stalk and harass them. Over 14 years, women filed nine restraining orders against Barrett. He now faces life in prison. A judge will sentence him in May.
