This would be a death sentence for almost any serious trekker.
Seems this guy — benjamin safari — is giving it a go.
I have NO IDEA why he’s carrying all that crap.
benjamin safari – MySpace
magic rock balancing video
Danny Brown put together an interesting art piece.
A short film that is played entirely in reverse and involves the “reverse destruction” of balanced rock sculptures. There is one character in the movie that appears to magically create these sculptures. Although the film is played in reverse it appears as the man who is doing his magic is going forwards in time.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via The Adventure Channel)
gorgeous Himalaya photos
Ian Parnell is a photographer and photo blogger. He posted some highlight pics on Planet Fear from 4 climbing trips to the world’s highest mountains.
A must read.
more photos – Visions Of The Himalaya
(via The Adventure Blog)
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.
‘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.
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.
larger version – flickr – Heartkins
more interesting photos tagged “Siachen glacier” on flickr
beautiful Mt Sanqingshan, China
Mount Sanqingshan National Park was recently added to the World Heritage List.
The photos are beautiful.
… a unique array of forested, fantastically shaped granite pillars and peaks …
larger original – flickr – Genek´s cards
It has some crazy cliffside pathways similar to those of Mount Hua (Hua Shan).
larger original – flickr – Vincent H P Liu
more interesting Sanqingshan photos on flickr
Mount Sanqing (Chinese: 三清山; Pinyin: SÄnqÄ«ng ShÄn) or San Qing Mountain – Wikipedia
(via The Adventure Blog)
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):
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. …
The scenery is stunning.
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.
yet more Autumn photos
Hiking Guide author John Soares has a blog called Northern California Hiking Trails. I’ve recently subscribed.
I liked John’s post on the Fall Colors in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon.
One of John’s books:
I really can’t get enough Fall photos.
Of all the great photo blogs I know, Batish is the best. Consistently interesting.
A couple of samples:
A Month of Autumn – Batish
best animal photos 2008
National Geographic chose some wonderful pics, including these two:
click through to National Geographic to see the rest – PHOTOS: Best Wild Animal Photos of 2008 Announced
(via the campingblogger twitter feed)
flying tents
Nothing like a good “Maytag†tent photo.
This tent belongs to the West Virginia Civil Air Patrol … All the cadets placed their day equipment into this tent, but no one noticed that it was not staked down. When all the cadets removed their equipment, a gust of wind knocked the tent over. (The top of the tent is facing down.) At the top of the tent is a screen so the tent was more like a parachute. The tent was in the air for about 15 seconds and reached an altitude of 30 feet. Photo by Rocco S. Rossetti
(via EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 Photo Gallery)
And another:
… at Maker Faire Austin, the lights went out. All power was lost in one whole area of the fairgrounds. It turned out that a dome tent from the camping area had taken flight in a dust devil and crashed into the power lines. Fernando Rizo got a couple of great shots of the tent moments before impact.
(via The Piton)
Leave a comment if you’ve ever had your tent take flight.
every hiker should have a blog
If you hike, you should share your photos and trip report with the world.
Popular blogger Tom Mangan gives the pitch:
… Heck, if John Muir were alive to day, he would have a blog. How do I know? Because the only thing as voluminous as Muir’s backcountry travels was the volume of his writings documenting them. Muir was eloquent, passionate and observant, and obsessive about writing it all down. If you are any or all of these things, why not put ‘em to good use and share with the world? …
Tom followed up with a second post: How to start a hiking blog
Read that. Or jump directly to WordPress.com.
It’s free. It’s easy. You will have your own hiking blog within 10min.
I’d recommend that blogging platform to John Muir too. It’s the same open source software running this site. And the same used by Tom.
Here’s a (somewhat dated) 4min introduction to how to start your own WordPress blog. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
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