The Adventurist: A Call to All Outdoor Writers and Photographers!

I have just put the finishing touches on a new “Submit & Contact” Page here at The Adventurist.  I am hoping that this new feature will be accepted and used by all of my great readers.

This page goes into detail about a few things I am looking for here at The Adventurist–and ways you might be able to get involved.

Do you love Adventure Writing or perhaps Great Outdoors Photography?–Help me share your incredible talents with a much bigger audience!

Head on Over to the “Submit & Contact” Page, found on a tab right up above this article, and Share your Adventures with the World!

Also, if you are looking to put me to work, there is info there as well….

Cheers-

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

The Adventurist: Double Exposure

It has been brought to my attention that this site, “The Adventurist”, is once again being mentioned in a couple of different places around the climbing community.

As always, it is a great honor to be recieving recognition for something that is so enjoyable to do–as well as to know that I do have so many dedicated readers of this site, that not only enjoy the articles, but that are also spreading the word about “The Adventurist”.

The first site, “The MountainWorld Blog“, has been talked about recently on here as well.  This blog is ran by Jake Norton, a two-time Everest Summiter as well as fulltime Mountain Guide, Speaker, and Professional Photographer.

Jake is also giving kudos and recognition to some more of my friends as well, including Alan Arnette, Kraig over at The Adventure Blog, and Everest News. 

Here are a couple of posts I have done about Jake and “The MountainWorld Blog“:

Responsibility and Death on Everest:  A Response Comes In…”

Everest Trash or Treasure:  Climbers Debris Tells of Historical Past

I also suggest checking out Jake’s Blog, not only the front page, but dig into those archives–there is plenty of great Everest stuff to be found, as well as issues delving in to day to day motivation.  A great site and one that I have barely began to break the surface of.

The second site mentioning “The Adventurist” this week was Kraig’s “The Adventure Blog“.  It is basically mentioning my coverage of the recent death of Dawa Sherpa on Everest, you may find this article here:

Everest Claims First Life of the Season

You may also read not only ‘The Adventurist” coverage of this tragic event, but also all of the previous 2007 Everest Coverage by clicking

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007! 

A couple of things Kraig’s blog has been covering recently is his magnificent trip and excursion up Mt. Kilimanjaro and The Top 10 Gear of the past 5 years from Gear Junkie.  Both pieces are great and well worth the read.

The third and final mention for today comes from 7Summits.  For those of you not familiar with the 7Summits website, here is a little bit of information.  The 7Summits website, as it would suggest, pertains to the highest peak on each of the seven continents.

Currently 7Summits has a team in place on this years Mount Everest Expedition being ran by Alex Abramov and they are also sending out daily reports via their site.

“The Adventurist” was recently mentioned in the 7Summits Forum.  This forum is a congregation of climbers from all over the world, speaking whatever is on their minds, but particularly pertaining to the seven summits.

This particular 7Summits forum thread is dedicated to Everest: Beyond the Limit, The Discovery Channel’s successful Reality Show taking place in Real-Time on Everest.  You may find the Story they are discussing here:

Unarmed on Everest 2007

Once again, I want to give a big THANK-YOU to all three of these sites and my dedicated readers for bringing me such recognition in public.  Each and every mention of this website on other places around the Web is truly an honor and I am very humbled.  Thank-you.

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

Sir Edmund Hillary: Your Thoughts, Your Prayers

It is being widely reported today that Sir Edmund Hillary has been injured in a fall.  Sir Hillary was the first person, along with his climbing sherpa Tenzing Norgay, to summit Mt. Everest.  It has been noted that Hillary is not suffering “Life-Threatening” injuries and that his progress is going well.

Hillary is 87 years old and has recently taken up walking with a cane.  It is also being reported that Sir Edmund Hillary has been suffering from High Altitude Sickness for a number of years now.

In due respect for what Sir Edmund Hillary has come to mean and represent in the climbing community, I thought that it would be a good time for all of my loyal readers here at The Adventurist to wish Sir Edmund Hillary the best.  Today we keep you in all of our thoughts and prayers! 

You, the reader, may post your thoughts, prayers, and good wishes upon Sir Edmund Hillary here, as we all come together to wish him a fast recovery

The Complete Coverage! Everest 2007!

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click here!

As many of you might know, a couple of months back I mentioned that I would be setting up a Page on The Adventurist for the Everest 2007 Climbing season.

This page will be similar to the page covering the Mt. Hood Tragedy I covered in 2006 offering up all the links and stories as we publish them in one easily located space.

What this does is it allows all of my loyal readers an easier way to follow along with the Everest 2007 season as it happens, as well as lets you keep track of what HAS happened up to the latest story.  At the top of this site, you will now see a headline that reads “The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click Here!”, by clicking this, you will now have access to every story concerning the 2007 Everest Climbing season.

I hope you enjoy this convenient way of staying on track with the happenings on Everest this season.  It is really shaping up to be a great season with many stories breaking daily.  You will now find them all here!

Mayor and Former Deputy Minister to each try Everest in 2007

It seems like EVERYONE is wanting there shot at Everest this season.  I mentioned Orlando Bloom yesterday, and today news reports are circulating that the Mayor of Prague is leaving in two weeks for his attempt at the world’s highest mountain.

The Mayor of Prague, Pavel Bem, has been given an unpaid leave of absence from his city duties to take part in this season on Everest. 

His absence from Prague is disapproved by some in his country as wel as by the King himself, but this is not going to stop Pavel Bem from trying one of his life long dreams.

Also, Former Deputy Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Khalid Yunus, has arrived in Kathmandu for his attempt on Everest as well.  It seems like the politicians are trying to draw attention to their respected countries by doing something that few people ever have the chance to do–Climb Everest.

Datuk Khalid Yunus said that he is climbing Everest to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Malaysia.

Both of these stories are coming from the ABC of Mountaineering website.

14 Year Old To Kick Off Seven Summits Quest

Pictured above (in the red shirt) is 14 year old Canadian Brandon Schupp.  Brandon is embarking on a journey that will hopefully land him on the 7 highest summits on 7 different continents, all in hopes of raising awareness and money for Canadian Children Fighting Cancer.

Brandon’s Quest had it’s beginnings last year as the 13 year old Schupp climbed the Mountain of Good Hope, a 10,000 foot peak in Canada, and dedicated each foot of the mountain to one kid with cancer.  The climb helped raise $140,000 last year for the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

2007 has sparked a new campaign, The Seven Summits.  Brandon is hoping to raise more than $1,000,000 on his quest to become the World’s Youngest Seven Summiter–and do so before he turns 18.  The previous record for the youngest person to summit all 7 of the highest peaks on the 7 continents currently belongs to a 20 year old.  If Schupp is successful he will also become the youngest Canadian to ever summit Mt. Everest as well.

In order to kick things off right, Brandon Schupp will be embarking upon three expeditions in 2007 alone.  Mt. Elbrus and Mt. Kilimajaro will start things off on a 21 day expedition beginning August 4–where he plans to try a back-to-back summit attempt of both of these peaks.  This expedition will be followed up on December 16, 2007 with another 21 day Expedition to Mt. Aconcagua.

The first three summit expeditions are currently going by the name of “Brandon’s Dream: Mountain of Hope”.  This Expedition plans to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $65,000 total and Brandon is currently embarking on a massive fundraising drive to help support his campaign for 2007.  Any extra money made will go directly to the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

If you might be interested in sponsoring Brandon for his upcoming 7 summits quest, you may find out more by going to www.brandonsdream.com .

The Adventurist: The Top 15 Stories of the First Quarter–2007

2007 is shaping up to be a great year in the world of adventure–The Everest Season is around the corner and Michael Fournier will be skydiving from outerspace!  Yep, you read that right.

Let’s take a look back at the Top 10 Stories featured here during the first quarter of 2007.

1. Mt. Everest 2007:  What Does a Climb Cost?
2. Grizzly Man Timothy Treadwell:  Adventurist or Idiot?
3. The Adventurist:  The David Tait Interview
4. I am 17, Going to Climb Mt. Everest Next Year….
5. Everest Back-to-Back:  The David Tait Double-Traverse Expedition 2007
6. Who Should Pay for Search and Rescue?  The Controversy Ends…
7. A Guide for the Extreme Sports Enthusiast:  What are some of these?
8. OuterSpace Extreme: Michael Fournier and the 130,000 Foot Skydive
9. River Swimming The Amazon
10. The Laneo Phenom
11. To Hell and Back:  Life and Death on Mt. Everest
12. The Mt. Everest Chronicles:  Who was Sir George Everest?
13. Ueli Steck Annihilates Eiger Speed Record
14. Super Sherpas!  The Quest for Everest
15. The Khumbu Icefall

And there you have it.  I hope you enjoy taking a look back at some of the excitement that has been happening around here thus far in 2007 and will keep coming back for all of your adventure needs.

To Hell and Back: Life and Death on Mt. Everest

Recently, I have been carrying on a conversation with my good friend Mr. Alan Arnette on some very key issues that are drawing media attention as well as criticism.

Before I start the conversation on this post, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Arnette’s background.  He has been on Everest 3 different times–he has faced life and death during his years of climbing not only on Everest, but also on the likes of Cho Oyu and other 8,000 er’s.  He is a very respected member in the climbing community and continues to run his own site dedicated to Mt. Everest and climbing in general.

I personally hold him in high-esteem, not only as an authority figure in the climbing world, but also as a friend.  It is with great pleasure that I will now attempt to piece together this very informative–sometimes controversial–but highly enlightening conversation that Alan has given me permission to publish.  I will publish this conversation as it built with emails between the both of us.  This began on March 11–with my first email: Alan’s comments will be in blue.

“Hey Alan,

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your interview with TA Loeffler…hearing what it is like from a first time climber getting ready to take the adventure of a life is always interesting…I personally liked the part where she said she feared the Khumbu Icefall. Sounds like that is most people’s biggest obstacle.

Congrats on the Interview, and Thanks for bringing it to us!”

Thanks Jason (J),

Tomorrow’s interview is with Paul Adler. Yes the Icefall is the most deadly part of the south route in modern times. As you may recall, last year 3 Sherpas died when a serac fell and in 2005 climber Mike O’Brien died in the ‘Fall. I had communicated with him prior to his climb so it hit me hard. He was climbing with his brother…

But this is what Everest is all about: hopes, fears, death, life and living.

,

Very nicely put.  Yes, I do remember the Sherpas tragic fall.  I have also seen some amazing photos of the icefall.  I know you have been there…How scared were you?  Personally, I like to think I could do it, but get me standing there on some of those ice ledges…and well..the story might change.You know, you mentioned taking Mike O’brien’s death hard…I guess since I am sort of in the same line as yourself, that is my biggest fear as well.  Someone I have talked to and personally gotten to know dying on Everest..If you have spent any time over on my site, The Mt. Hood tragedy I covered last year really hit me hard as well–I was talking to the family and friends of the three lost climbers daily–it actually hit me so hard that I quit writing for over a month…I soon came to the realization that what I was doing for these families and friends of the climbers, by giving them an outlet, was far more important than my own personal feelings.  I am still not over it…but Alan, what we are doing is right.  If we didn’t chronicle what was taking place in our time as people have done before us, these people would be dying without ever having their stories told.

I am actually glad you mentioned that to me.  That shows me that I am not alone as far as my inner feelings go about these things.  You try to stay neutral, but when you do this day in and day out, you are bound to get wrapped up from time to time.

I am only praying that this year’s Everest experience will be better than last years…or at least safer.  I hate to say it though–it is getting more and more crowded–people are risking more and more.  The place is not a joke, yet it seems that many take it as such.  I am afraid people will die–

But on a good note, there are some great climbs taking place this year, and I am getting more excited by the day–I just hope they all come prepared for hell, but don’t ever witness some of the tragedy that has taken place the last 10 years.

Hey, one last question….how were you prepared mentally for your Everest Experience?  You knew everything that came before you, so how did you put that out of your mind–or at least in the back, to concentrate on your climb?

Yes, following climbers or knowing them and losing them is hard and is life. I buried one of my teammates on Cho Oyu in 1998. It was a moment of disbelief that it could happen. But, we went on to go for the summit the next day. Callous? Selfish? I do not pretend to make a judgment but only to state that he was there to climb as were we. Death is part of climbing big Hills - full stop. As I have written before, if you are afraid of dying, you are already dead.

As for the icefall, it is not a conscious fear you experience - kind of like driving on a crowded highway. You know someone may swerve into you at any moment but you steer straight and steady in the belief that it will not happen to you. There are many seracs standing 10 stories high all around. You know that some may fall at any time but you cannot let that thought occupy your mind or you would never go on. It is all a matter of ??? when they fall and who is around. If you let fear grip you, you will not climb higher.

As for preparing mentally, I used a lot of visualaton. I saw myself in the Icefall, on the Lhotse face and more. I carefully thought about my steps on the ladders, clipping into the fixed ropes. I thought about melting snow, cooking breakfast, breathing oxygen - all the details it takes to do something major.

But in the end you take each day, each step one by one. You focus on each detail as a small part of the big picture. By breaking it down into bite size steps, it is manageable - kind of like a life goal. If you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. So by taking it step by step it is understandable and manageable.

Jason, I had read your coverage of the Hood accident. Yes it was tragic but it is also common. Climbers climb, climbers die. That is what they/we do. No one wants to die while climbing but it happens. Those left behind suffer the most. They ask all the questions no one can answer. But those closest to the climbers know that accidents happen and, sadly, it can be the fault of the climbers or it just happens. If you read about the spouses of Jean Pierre Lafelle, Scott Fischer or Rob Hall or any of the other “famous” climbers they all have a common theme. Not the cliché of “they died doing what they loved” even though that may have been true. But rather, they knew the risks - we knew the risks - and it happened. No self pity. It just happened.

Alpine mountaineering is a game of roulette. Beck Wethers once said about climbing Everest “put a bullet in the chamber, put it to your head and pull the trigger- that is climbing Everest” I am not sure it is that random but there is some truth to it. Personally I have turned back from more mountains than I have summitted. Why? Fear, Fatigue, Common sense? Don’t know but I do know that I am here today with my family and enjoying my previous climbs and looking forward to the next.

The summit is not the goal for me. It is the experience. That said, not reaching my goal always leaves me wanting, leaves me empty. Perhaps that is why I always return to my mountains.

People everywhere–that aren’t involved with the “climbing community” question why..Why would you risk your life…why would you do something so crazy….how can you put something before yourself and your families…..Is it personal selfishness?

With the Mt. Hood tragedy I had the chance to talk with quite a few people involved-from the Sheriff ahead of the rescue efforts, to the Search and Rescue teams and to the family and friends of the three lost climber’s–everyone was making a pre-assessed judgement–that basically these guys were nuts..

The media brought up the “selfish” issue–they brought up that the climbers should pay for their rescue–yet if you talk to anyone involved, it was a totally different story.  Sheriff Joe Wampler stated they were all “just doing their jobs”  the family stated what you said about the risk involved–and well the SAR team has a great article in National Geographic: Adventure making it very clear that they were not forced to take on this mission, but were all volunteers.  Yet, these arguments in the press still linger…

I do believe what you said and it goes along with a saying of my own–if you aren’t living every day like it is your last, you are already dead. 

To many times people rush to judgement without knowing anything what-so-ever about the people they are talking about.  That was the whole basis behind The Adventurist when I started it…yeah, I heard these really great stories of risking life and death–but through the media, they were only names on a page.  I wanted to know more about the people involved–and it looks like a lot of others want to know the same.

I found your last email very interesting.  For one you are a climber that HAS been there..You have lost friends and associates on the mountains–yet, you understand that this is all a part of what you do.  You have given me a greater insight into the climbers mindset than I think anyone else could have done-

I also feel like this needs to be more understood in the public…

Alan, would you mind if I put up a post on this conversation?  I think it is important that people understand the basis of “how” and “why” coming from a climbers viewpoint-

The Beck Weathers quote was great, I haven’t heard that one before, but it does ring very true.  In today’s world of media hype and publicity stunts surrounding Everest, I hate to say it, but I think tragedy will be striking on shear ignorance of what Everest is.  You put up a recent post about Everest being a “joke” in the climbing community–and I CANNOT believe people are thinking it is a cakewalk, but they do–it is sad, and tragedy will continue to happen, probably even more so, as more and more people strive to be great at a place they know nothing about.

Sure you can go ahead and reprint our conversation. Another essay I wrote may be of interest - http://www.alanarnette.com/stories/whyiclimb.htm

To clarify my “Joke” posting. Yes, there are many in the climbing community that see Everest as a “non-worthy” goal primarily due to the over-commercialization. I would bet however that 99.9% of those who say that have never been to Everest or to an 8000m mountain. Without being too preachy, the big Hills are in a league of their own. As you say, they are not “cake walks”. My point about the Dutch climber in shorts was not so much that he shouldn’t climb, it was that his style is irreverent to the mountain. You see, I believe  and a lot of others do as well - that mountains are a special part of the planet. Yes, I know they are geological uplifts from eons ago but for me they represent another level of our life and existence on the earth. They provide an opportunity to test, learn and live. The same could be said about deserts, oceans and downtown London or New York - each is valid for the person doing the exploring.

What I find interesting is when the critics call for “stopping dangerous activities” or demanding compensation for S&R or putting climbers or explorers down. And, as you say, without first hand knowledge. If their criticism is valid for climbers then it must follow that it is valid for window cleaners, traffic cops, road construction crews and anyone else who does a “dangerous” job. The argument could be that those people do not have a choice and that climbers put them selves in dangerous situations. Nonsense. Everyone has choices. The outcome is dependent on preparation, judgment and luck.

Sorry to go on, I don’t think you were asking for more but this subject is close to me.

Alan

No apology is needed.  If anything, more needs to be said by some of the climbers that have been there!

Inside, people know Everest isn’t a joke–but recently, right after I read your post, I found an interesting one where a 17 year old had been training for marathon running–he said it wasn’t a big enough challenge and with his conditioning..and a mention of Ueli’s attempt–he said he was going to make a run at Everest next year, because it seemed easy…That is my case.  I wrote an editorial about this issue myself.

What some of these guys are doing to draw publicity to their climbs, is in turn, influencing the ones to follow.  It will be these kids who have no prior experience who see this–that I am scared for.  Albeit, everyone has a reason and something that has set off their own personal challenge with Everest–but, the next generation need to know the facts.  People die, it isn’t a game.

You know, I have been doing this for only 5 or 6 months now..as far as following what is taking place day to day.  In a way, what has amazed me is the openess that everyone has accepted myself into this world of Everest and mountain climbing in general.  I have met and talked with so many people that I never even dreamed about making contact with when I first started doing this.  You and I, as well as a couple of others that I am aware of–can sit here and talk about these issues, and in all honesty, become friends–when in the real world, we should be competitors–That is what I find so interesting in the climbing world.  Everyone is out to help each other. 

The Mountains draw you in–the stories, they bring you home.  There will never be enough time to cover every facet–every journey–that these lives are taking–but through us, maybe some of these stories can be told that otherwise wouldn’t be.  It has been a pleasure for me to get to know yourself.

Everest alone could probably warrant it’s own monthly publication–but you add in everything else taking place–and it could definately take a lifetime to just prick the surface. 

After you told me about your incident taking place on Cho Oyu, I went to EverestNews.com–curious, of course–and read the dispatches of this climb.  Now I know a little bit more about what you were talking about.

I am sorry for your loss on that climb–but also glad you made it safe to do it all over again in so many other places.  So where is your next journey going to take you?  You have got to have something burning in your head…haha.

Talk to you later Alan.

As you can tell, this was a very enlightening conversation with someone who has been there.  Some of these points hold very true in today’s world of climbing and I thank Alan for acknowledging some of these great issues with his personal insight.

Got an Adventure to Tell? Tell Your Story Here!

Once in awhile I like to open up a post to let you, my readers, have a voice….I want to know YOUR Personal Adventure Story.  This is your chance to let the world know how cool you are and at the same time, maybe it will influence others to go out there and live that Adventure they have been dreaming about!

You may post ANY adventure, not just climbing…I am looking for hiking, kayaking, extreme sports, hunting, fishing,…anything outdoors that you had a great time doing and discovering… Read more

I am 17, going to climb Mount Everest next year…..

An Adventurist Editorial

 

I recently noticed some “hits’ coming to this site from the forum over at Let’s Run, so naturally I wanted to see what the buzz was about.  Here is what I stumbled upon…

I am 17, going to climb Mount Everest next year…..

So I am basically asking you guys should I do this with or without help? I know that I will not be the youngest to ever scale it but I do know that some joker intends to climb the thing wearing just a shirt, so I think I have a chance.

I was originally going to run a Marathon at the end of the year but I can already run as far as I want and I don’t feel it would be a gruelling challenge so I am posting here to see whether you guys think this is a good idea?

Someone please smack me and tell me that this is not SERIOUS!

The debate has been raging recently recently, with a very good commentary found on this very issue over at my friend Alan Arnette’s great site, about Everest becoming sort of a “joke” in the climbing World.

The climber that this kid mentions, is none other than the Dutchman Wim Hoff.  An experienced climber–even with his publicity antics.

The problem with this whole issue is this:  Wim Hoff has publicly announced that he plans to climb Everest in Shorts this year…the media has picked this up and spun the story for publicity, without including that Wim is an EXPERIENCED climber. 

The sad part about this media frenzy taking place without all of the facts is this:  Now there are going to be countless people thinking that Everest is a walk in the park–1 in 8 people on Everest DIE–that is a fact.

So now people think because one guy SAYS he is going to climb in shorts, that this majestic mountain must not be that bad or big of a deal…Wim hasn’t even began..no one knows if he will make it or not..or even how much of the climb he is going to do in shorts, but one thing is for certain…he is leading many people to think that Everest is a cakewalk–

I am 17, going to climb Mount Everest next year…….

Years and years of training go in to an Everest Expedition…

Scott Fischer……..Rob Hall…….

These men had a vast amount of training, had all the knowledge in the world…were two of the top climbers EVER..yet even with all of their experience and training, Everest took their lives.

I am really hoping that this is a joke–but it has brought home a very big issue in the world of climbing..

How many antics…how much bad publicity for these idiotic stunts will it take before people start flocking to Everest on a wim of it being easy…only to become another frozen body entombed on Everest….

Do your training, Do your research–and Learn the Respect that has come with the price of Death on the mountain…and even then, if the stars line up right…you might not make it out alive.

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