Here at ExWeb, when we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the wider interweb. Sometimes we’re a little too plugged in, and browsing interesting stories turn from minutes into hours. To nourish your own adventure fix, here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
‘I Was Surprised Every Day’: Welsh Mountain Runner’s 189 Peak Challenge: Outdoor editor and proud Welshman Will Renwick is close to completing a three-week, 500-mile journey across Wales — after nearly giving up on day two. Renwick is running from south Wales to north Wales via every single mountain in the country.
Photo: Joe Bradshaw/BLM
The Hero Myth of Wildland Firefighting: The frequency of wildfires in North America and other warm climates seems to be getting worse with each passing year. Emily Shepherd argues that it’s not heroic to fight a problem that could have been averted with responsible policy. It’s tragic.
Taking Time To Tell: The Future of Trip Reports: Australian mountaineer and sometime ExWeb contributor Damien Gildea has penned a thoughtful piece on the future of expedition trip reports. As usual, Gildea focuses on honesty and integrity as a core theme.
Honey, I Shrunk Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc Shrinks A Metre Since Last Official Measurement In 2017: French experts say that the mountain has lost an average of 13 centimetres in height every year since 2001.
Adventurer Jon Turk On The Myths We Love And Die For: Trained as an organic chemist, Jon Turk realized early on that he wasn’t cut out for the buttoned-down life of a research scientist. So in 1971, he put his Ph.D. in a drawer and a canoe on his 1964 Ford Fairlane. He floated down the Mackenzie River, carried over to the Yukon, and never worked a day as a chemist.
Stoke Films Are Very White. Two New Entries Are Trying to Change That: As a gentrified Brit, I have no idea what ‘stoke’ means, but I do know it’s well-used by ‘bro’ climbers and skiers. Anyway, for decades, many ski and snowboard films have excluded women and disabled and ethnic minority athletes. ‘Mountain Revelations’ and ‘The Approach’ aim to bring new energy to the genre.
Behold, I have Returned From A Hike: Friends, family, followers — gather whatever social media posts you possess of your pets or fancy latte art, and lay them at the altar of my nascent wilderness infatuation. I demand a sacrifice! There is a new force dominating your social media, clad in breathable synthetics, as our ancestors foretold.
Crag Notes: Shifting Seasons: In the space of a few days, the bustling valley scene cross-fades into quiet streets and deserted mountains. The peace and quiet is eerie; Chamonix is an alpine ghost town. But there’s also beauty to be found. European larch trees gradually fade from green to amber, signaling the arrival of autumn. And the mountains prepare for their annual dusting of frost and snow.
