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.
Caving in the Canadian Rockies: Rat’s Nest Cave is the fourth-largest cave system in Canada. It is one of the few places where you can go on a cave tour with no man-made assistance. No pathways or lights help you find your way.
For a few hours, Madigan Cotterill feels like she is in an Indiana Jones film, squeezing through small passageways on her stomach, climbing up slippery rock, navigating through various caverns, and learning about the history of the caves.
He Memorized the World With Google Maps. Now He’s Exploring It: In 2021, Trevor Rainbolt spent months hunkered down, memorizing the world. He knew every inch of Google Street View and became well-known on GeoGuesser.
The GeoGuesser game shows a random image of a stretch of road anywhere in the world. Rainbolt could figure out where it was using the scantest information from the photo: a few road signs, the color of the soil, or a particular species of plant.
A year and a half later, he was no longer content with seeing the world through photos. He applied for a passport, sold his apartment, and headed off to experience the world in person.
Sea nomads of Indonesia
Seafaring Nomads Settle Down Without Quite Embracing Life on Land: The Bajo people have lived on the sea for centuries. Even their homes sit on stilts in open water. Historically, they only came to land during storms or to get supplies. But over the last four decades, Indonesia has been developing areas on land for them.
Now, many Bajo split their time between sea and land. Some have left their ocean homes completely. There is concern that the Bajo people are losing their culture and identity.
Zausiyah, in her 60s, and her husband, Mawardi, around 72, have remained in their ocean hut. Photo: Muktita Suhartono
Mount Everest on AllTrails: Until a few days ago, Mount Everest was on the AllTrails app. Before its administrators removed it, user Steven Potter shared the hilarious description and reviews.
AllTrails helpfully details that it is a “challenging route” and that the “trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.” One person declared that there is “way too much snow…and don’t even get me started on the hills.” Another reviewer felt their Crocs were perfectly acceptable footwear for the “moderate to easy trail.”
Knowing your limits
Knowing When to Turn Back: As we head into summer, people will head out in droves for their next adventure. But how many know when to turn back?
Over the last two decades, Justin Housman has seen two near misses. In both cases, the men involved showed signs of altitude sickness but pushed on regardless. Sheer luck saved their lives.
Do You Weigh Less on the Summit?: “Do I weigh less on” is a popular question on Google. The options for the end of the question range from “on Mars” to “on top of a mountain”. An expert explains the science behind the question.
The first important point is to distinguish between mass and weight. Go to the International Space Station, and you will be weightless. Stand on the scales back on Earth, and your mass won’t have changed. To a much lesser extent, the same is true at the top of mountains. Stand atop Mount Everest and you will weigh approximately 0.3% less than you did looking up at it.
Looking back to the pinnacles of the East Ridge. Photo: Dan Bailey
Crowd-free scrambles in Scotland
Classic Scramble, The East Ridge of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair: Dan Bailey ventures off the beaten track for some crowd-free scrambling in Scotland. For him, location is key.
Fisherfield is a network of Scottish lochs and peaks. Among them sits the East Ridge of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair (MCFM). The 1,000m peak looks like a relaxed hill climb from a distance. However, there is plenty of scrambling, and the top of Sgurr Dubh turns from broad and grassy to narrow and rocky with a series of sharp shattered towers.
Dozens of Hikers Airlifted From Havasu Falls: In early June, a severe gastrointestinal illness struck visitors to Arizona’s famous Havasu Falls. The outbreak affected hundreds of hikers.
Rescue teams airlifted many to safety because they were too ill to walk. At one point, a line of 100 sick people was at the canyon’s emergency helicopter pad. Over 300 people reported catching the bug. No one is sure how the outbreak started.
