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.
Tara Dower and Kilian Jornet Awarded FKT of the Year: The Fastest Known Time website has awarded both Tara Dower and Kilian Jornet FKT of the Year awards for 2024.
Dower completed the Appalachian Trail in 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes, beating the previous record by over 13 hours. Jornet’s Alpine Connections project saw him traverse all 82 4,000m peaks in the European Alps in just 19 days.
When A Paddler Dies, We Are Too Quick To Judge: When there is a kayaking accident, people are quick to point out what the person did wrong or suggest they weren’t prepared. Sometimes, they explain what the victim would have done differently. Tim Shuff urges those in the paddling community to stop assigning blame, particularly when they don’t know what happened.
Allan Austin on Western Front. Photo: Brian Evans
A climbing trailblazer
Allan Austin Obituary: Yorkshire climber Allan Austin has passed away at 90. Austin pioneered approximately 700 new routes and displayed an unwavering commitment to climbing ethics.
Austin started climbing in his early 20s. Initially going for brute strength over technique, he threw himself into the sport for two decades before retiring in his 40s. Over those 20 years, he was known for his bold ascents. Of particular note were his solo first ascents of challenging routes like Western Front and The Wall of Horrors.
Bikepacking Across Mexico: Dan Camp is bikepacking from Alaska to Patagonia. Not unusual, okay, but his videos are very good. His most recent one chronicles his 1,100km journey through Mexico. Despite tropical storms, floods, and steep mountain passes, he falls in love with the country.
Amphitheater Mountain’s long approach
This 5.9 Is Worth the 32km Approach: Amphitheater Mountain sits in the Okanogan National Forest, Washington. It has huge potential but is often overlooked because of the 32km approach hike with 1,300m of elevation gain. Brooke Jackson took the hike to climb Pilgrimage to Mecca (5.9), first climbed by Darin Berdinka and Owen Lunz in 2004.
Learning to Confront Your Fear: In December, Keri Wallace ran the West Highland Way in 28 hours and 19 minutes. It is the first time a woman has run it, and possibly the only time anyone has run it solo and unsupported at this time of year.
Wallace chose to run even though many sections would be in the dark. Like many women, Wallace’s anxiety goes up when solo running at night. Her curiosity about this fear led her to delve into how different anxieties are, depending on your gender.
Photo: Keri Wallace
How risky is too risky?
“Now I’m the Idiot Jumping off a Cliff”: Many see climbing as a dangerous sport, but death rates are low. BASE jumping is significantly more dangerous, with an average of one death per 2,500 jumps.
Brian Laidlaw had never considered the sport until someone offered to take him tandem BASE jumping. Half of Laidlaw’s research made him feel better about taking up the offer, the other half made him feel worse.
The Tortoise Trackers Who Found Human Bones: For decades, teams of wildlife field technicians have been scouring the Mojave Desert in Sierra Nevada for endangered tortoises. They frequently stumble upon human remains.
One such discovery was the body of Linda Sue Anderson, a mother of three who vanished from Las Vegas in 1991. Her body was identified over 30 years after she disappeared.
