Category: alpine

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Banff Mountain Film Festival – best books

Last year I stayed the entire week in Banff for the famous festival … and was somewhat disappointed.

This year — though it’s only an hour away — I’m giving it a complete miss.

Here’s the first review I’ve seen online:

I arrived at the Banff Film and Book Festival last night to find snow flurries and white-capped gorgeous Canadian rockies surrounding the Banff Center, and where last night a few Outside colleagues took top honors at the Book Awards. Out of 113 entries from 14 countries, these were the winners:

1) Outside contributing editor Nick Heil’s book, Dark Summit, The True Story of Everest’s Most Controversial Season, won the John Whyte award for Mountain Literature. …

2) Former Hardway columnist Mark Jenkins’ book, A Man’s Life: Dispatches From Dangerous Places, a collection of his popular Hardway columns, won the Adventure Travel writing award. …

3) The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek by Sid Marty won the Canadian Rockies award, which celebrates regional talent.

4) Mont Blanc by Mario Colonel won the Mountain Image award for best photography.

5) Fallen Giants by Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver won the mountaineering History award. It was annouced that the book also has been nominated for a Pulitzer.

6) Lofoten Rock by Chris Craggs won the Mountain Exposition Award.

7) The Grand Prize was shared by Sid Marty’s The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek, and The Wild Places, by Robert McFarland.

8) Fatal Tide: When the Race of a Lifetime Goes Wrong by David Leach received a special mention.

Tons of terrific authors are in attendance at the Festival this year, including Jennifer Lowe-Anker (author of Forget Me Not: A Memoir, about her life with Alex Lowe); Maria Coffey (author of Explorers of the Infinite); Topher Donahue (author of Bugaboo Dreams); climber Majka Burhardt (who gave an inspiring presentation about her book, Vertical Ethiopia); and Dr. Geoff Tabin, author of Blind Corners: Adventures on Everest and the World’s Tallest Peaks (who gave a hilarious and moving presentation about his work performing cataract surgery in the Himalaya, and whose projects were written about by Dark Summit author Nick Heil in Outside and filmed by Serac Adventure Films’ Michael Brown.

—Mary Turner – Outside – The 7 Best Adventure Books at Banff

This is the one I added to my “to read soon” list:

A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes
Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes

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Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal

My buddy Grant Assenheimer just emailed:

Leaving tomorrow for the Annapurna Base Camp.  Have to get my permits today, pick up a sleeping roll and sleeping bag and some chocolate and I’m good to go.  Haven’t managed to find anyone to go with me yet but I’m not going to let that slow me down.  Should be able to find someone in Pokara and, if not, surely on the trail!  No guide or porter…I agree with you and don’t think it is needed at all!!
 
I’ll send you a pic!

abc.jpg
larger version – flickr – mikemellinger

more interesting photos of Annapurna Base Camp

My own solo trek to ABC in Nepal was one of my personal best hikes.

Here’s an excerpt from my 1998 trip report:

… Access to the Sanctuary is via an intensely scenic gorge; a narrow, winding trail through dense bamboo and huge trees. You scramble over river boulders; gnarled, polished hardwood roots; traverse the most recent avalanche tracks; climb bamboo ladders.

There are no permanent settlements here. This is the only major trekking route in Nepal subject to serious avalanche risk. Occasionally backpackers are trapped at basecamp when tons of snow collapse into the gorge from the unseen. On November 11, 1995 a freak early winter storm resulted in the death of 63 people in Nepal. This caused a bit of unease when it started raining, hailing, and snowing while I ascended to the notch of the Sanctuary gate.

The basecamp itself is bleak. An eerie calm. No wind, though clouds swirl in every direction up on the mountain tops. The scene is dominated by huge, white, vertical Annapurna — one of the most difficult faces ever climbed. On Christmas day 1997 an avalanche here killed Anatoli Boukreev, the Tiger Woods of high altitude, and subject of the best seller, The Climb. …

Annapurna Sanctuary – trip report

annapurna.jpg
original – flickr – Gianni Scopinaro

related: besthike Annapurna Circuit information page

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trek the Pakistan / India border?

The Indian army has gone ahead with plans to allow trekkers to visit the disputed Siachen glacier, despite protests from Pakistan. Three civilians were among 42 members of an expedition which left Leh in Ladakh on Wednesday for the glacier area, an army spokesman told the BBC.

It is not the first time that civilians have been to Siachen, between Pakistani and Indian-administered Kashmir.

But new Indian plans for “adventure tourism” there have angered Pakistan.

The two sides have fought and argued over the 5,500m-high glacier – described as the world’s highest battlefield – for decades. …

The expedition has been made possible because of a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan which has held for almost four years. …

Officials say that India has decided to open 200 peaks, including four on Siachen, to climbers as part of a national “adventure park” project to attract more tourists.

BBC

‘Adventure park’ is the term being used now by India. But some dreamers have called the proposal a “peace park“.

This looks more like posturing to me. I doubt I’ll be heading for the Kashmir border — the World’s Highest Battle Field — any time soon.

India has perhaps 5,000 troops on the Siachen glacier, while Pakistan has fewer than half that number. Harsh weather in claims many more lives than fighting.

siachen.jpg
original – flickr – more photos from this set

It must be a beautiful, but boring, military outpost.

The beautiful coincidence point of Siachen and Baltoro glaciers (75 km & 64 km respectively).The two longest non-polar glaciers in the world.More than 60 peaks (above 7000 metres) of Karakoram mountain range are clustered around the both two.Baltoro glacier contains 28 peaks above 7000 metres with 4 even above 8000 metres & the Siachen glacier contains 32 peaks above 7000 metres.

glaciers.jpg
larger version – flickr – Heartkins

more interesting photos tagged “Siachen glacier” on flickr

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trip report – Ausangate Circuit, Peru

Ausangate is our #4 best hike in the world.

That’s a demanding 70km (43.5mi) plus sidetrips recommended only for confident hikers acclimatized at high altitude.

The best trip report I’ve seen yet was posted on Photodiary of a Nomad. That’s a couple who have documented “4000km of walks, with detailed descriptions and over 8000 photos”.

From Ausangate Circuit (part 1):

ausangate.jpg

At 6372m, Nevado Ausangate is the highest mountain in the Cuzco Region.

The mountains were sacred to the Andean people and Apu Ausangate was considered one of the most important deities, the origin of alpacas and llamas and the source of many legends. It stands somewhat isolated from the rest of the Cordillera Vilcanota, a massif with several distinct peaks and many glaciers lining the hollows and slopes between them.

To circumnavigate this massif, you need to cross four major passes, two of which are over 5000m, while the valleys that head off in different directions are home to quechua-speaking mountain people whose daily lives have changed little in centuries. To trek the Ausangate Circuit provides not only the opportunity to experience the alpine landscapes of the high Andes, but to see how life was, and still is, like in its harsh environment. …

ausangate3.jpg

The scenery is stunning.

ausangate2.jpg

I highly recommend you click through to check it out: Ausangate Circuit (part 1)

What to hike Peru yourself?

Check our besthike Ausangate information page.

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hiking in Lebanon?

Not once have I heard of any hiking in Lebanon.

lebanon-map.jpg

Yet before the Lebanese Civil War started in 1975 it was called the “Switzerland of the East”. Beirut the “Paris of the East.”

Even today Lebanon has six ski resorts. It’s a beautiful country.

2423850364_0a54a08f27.jpg
larger version – flickr – LLP

Guided walks are advertised: Hiking and Trekking – LebanonTourism.com

There’s even a long distance trek: Lebanon Mountain Trail – 44okm (275mi)

Fareed Abou-Haidar suggests that this country could be a major draw for hikers. (If only their security could be ensured.)

2419511034_80525132f8.jpg
larger version – flickr – LLP

See more gorgeous photos of Lebanon on the Dark Roasted Blend blog.

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photos – Maroon Bells, Colorado

Mark posted photos of one of the best hiking areas in the world. And one that I’ve never visited.

The famous Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado. I’ve heard it said that this is the most photographed spot in Colorado.

maroon-bells.jpg
larger version

Aspen-Maroon Bells-Independence Pass 2005 photos – flickr – markwgallagher

MAROON BELLS LOOP – besthike information page

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climber found alive on Mt Adams

We climbed Mt Adams this summer. It was a walk in the park.

Not so for Derek Mamoyac who fell when snow gave way under his feet.

2008281289.jpgA 27-year-old Oregon climber who survived five days on southern Washington’s Mount Adams with a broken ankle told rescuers he ate centipedes and drank water from creeks as he tried to crawl to safety. …

… ate centipedes and other bugs after running out of food early in the week. He drank water from creeks.

He was wearing water-resistant pants, insulated boots and gloves but was still very cold. …

adams.gif

Missing climber found alive on Wash. mountain – AP

Thank God for the search dog.

(via Sierra Blogging Post)

related news reports – Google

Be careful out there.