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.
Light Lines: Calum Macintyre and Verged Aasen came up with the Light Lines project in 2020. Aasen is a mountain photographer while Macintyre is trying to encourage the outdoor community to become more environmentally political.
Aasen wanted to film a ski descent of the couloir that splits the North Face of Norway’s Austabotntind mountain at night. He would be on the opposite peak, capturing the skier’s headlamp as it zigzagged down the dark mountain. The project turned into a list of 10 ski descents, and a way to bring the mountains, photography, and politics together.
My Ego Led To The Hardest Crash of My Life: Miles Clark led a film group of pro skiers and photographers in Alaska. The mountain they were on had three viable spines to ski down, and one that would not work.
They all agreed they should not ski it. When a photographer asked one of the women if it was possible, she said no. But Clark let ego get the better of him. Against his better judgment, he decided to give it a go. It was his last chance to work with this incredible photographer who was leaving the next day. He hiked up without a plan, and it backfired spectacularly.
Miles Clark on the spine before it all goes wrong. image: Keoki Flagg
Road tripping
The Ultimate American Climbing Road Trip: Converting a van to support life on the road is becoming more popular. With it, there has been a rise in people declaring they have found the “ultimate road trip.”
Climbers are no different. The problem with many of them is that their “ultimate” road trip focuses on a limited part of the United States near where they live. To broaden this limited vision, Climbing magazine came up with a road trip that hits the best climbing spot in every contiguous state.
50 Best Trekking and Walking Books of All Time: For many, hiking brings great joy, but sadly it can’t be done all the time. In those times when you can’t be on a trail, you can read about potential destinations or appreciate the well-written experiences of others. Here is a list of the 50 best walking books to inspire and inform your next trip.
On Piz de Puez in the Dolomites. Photo: Franz Anstein
New ski descent in the Alps
Probable First Ski Descent on Piz de Puez: Franz Austin tells of a likely new line he, Frederico Maremonti, and Andreas Tinelli skied on Piz de Puez on March 25 in the Dolomites.
The trio followed the summer trail to the saddle between Piz Dulled and Piz Puez and then took the ridge toward the west summit of Piz Suez until the couloir. Then they began the descent.
The Queen’s Ransom: This year, 30 people took part in the Queen’s Ransom, a five-day bike ride through the Sonoran Desert. Everyone pedaled at their own pace but had to stop at a designated campsite every night.
This was Julian Urbina’s third bike-packing trip. His group featured everyone from complete beginners to veterans. Urbina writes about his experiences on the technical route, what he learned, the mistakes he made, and the people he met.
Cycling the Queen’s Ransom. Photo: Julian Urbina
Straddling past and present
Mongolian Herders Trading Crypto and Microchipping Camels: Johan Nylander spent time with Mongolian nomads to research a book. He wanted to see how a society so tied to its nomadic roots was modernizing. He stayed with a herder and his family and enjoyed traditional meals, but also witnessed them break out a karaoke machine, microchip their camels, and use drones to monitor their herds.
Doing the Dochartys: When a leg injury from World War II forced Willie Docharty to go home and heal, he decided to train in the nearby hills in Ayrshire. He became hooked. He became the 13th person to complete the Munros and started looking for other lists to climb. Eventually, he made his own list of 1953 summits across Britain. Docharty published his lists in three relatively unknown books. Ian Thow delves into the Docharty list and the stories behind it.
