When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Sometimes we’re a little too plugged in and browsing adventure reads can turn from minutes to hours. To nourish your adventure fix, here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Photographer uses 200-year-old Victorian tech to capture epic shots on Isle of Skye: Simon Riddell took to learning a complex Victorian-era style of photography during the height of the pandemic. Now he is using the rarely practiced art form to capture photos of one of Scotland’s most picturesque areas.
A bold way down Denali: cutting-edge ski alpinism with Tiphaine Duperier: When their original plan for skiing the Cassin Ridge on Denali was no longer an option, French skiers Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein came up with a backup plan. Listen as Duperier recounts the preparation and execution of what became a sometimes treacherous descent of over 3,800 meters.
Alex Honnold Is a sneaky-fast trail runner. Here’s how It impacts his climbing: Most people consider trail running a sport in its own right. But Alex Honnold sees it simply as a way to more quickly reach his ascents. Though he proclaimed himself “not much of a runner,” he has completed two marathons and two 50k runs and done so rather quickly.
A deadly fall
Ben Nevis. Photo: Shutterstock
Teacher and ex-soldier killed when he fell 600m in an avalanche on Ben Nevis: Mark Bessel was an army veteran who taught children and led outdoor expeditions. The experienced climber’s untimely demise shows that no matter how well-prepared and knowledgeable one may be, anyone is susceptible to disaster.
Chris Weidner: Solid as a rock? How climbing can shatter our illusion of permanence: When one of the most idyllic cliffs for climbers simply collapsed into rubble on the glacier below, it was more than just a bummer for alpinists. It offered an opportunity for reflection on the brevity of the existence of even nature’s most solid structures.
New route on Cerro Arenales, Patagonia by Rebeca Caceres, Nadine Lehner, Isidora Llarena: A group of climbers spent 19 days embarking on a new route in Patagonia, to an area that had only been summited a handful of times. They pioneered their way to Cerro Silvia, making the first ascent of the peak named for legendary explorer Silvia Metzeltin.
Everest and Elizabeth: a 70-year anniversary
Photo: Shutterstock
The crowning of Everest — a nation waits: 1953 was quite the year for Britain. Queen Elizabeth II was coronated, and a British expedition summited Everest. Anthropologist Wade Davis recounts and analyzes the events that had the country buzzing that year.
Will Gadd on making a near-fatal gear mistake: Ice climber Will Gadd reflects on the borrowed carabiner that almost cost him his life. Overestimating your abilities can lead to disaster for even the most experienced adventurer. When Gadd let a member of his camera crew borrow his personal Grigri and carabiner on a particularly heinous ascent, he didn’t realize just how costly that decision could have become.
New 255-meter X 10 climb for Tim Miller and Jamie Skelton: After several attempts and several disasters including lost phones and broken ice axes, Tim Miller and Jamie Skelton made the first winter ascent of Stone Bastion. They recount their experiences of 13-hour climbing days and a particularly difficult crux. In the end, their determination paid off.
