Copp and Dash Conquer Shaffat Fortress

The Alpinist is reporting that an American team of two climbers have mastered a highly-technical problem in India’s Zanskar Mountains.  The team of Jonny Copp and Micah Dash made the first ascent of an 1,100 meter rock wall known as the Shaffatt Fortress.

The two Colorado natives climbed the 21 pitch, 5.11 grade Fortress from a new route they designated the Colorado Route.  This new route took the pair of climbers from August 8-11 to finish and included some pretty scary momments.

The pair also said they witnessed rare snow leopard tracks and found some ancient pottery along the way.  If you would like to read the complete trip report and details, check out The Alpinist for their special report.

BREAKING NEWS: ADVENTURIST STEPHEN FOSSETT’S PLANE MISSING

BREAKING NEWS–BREAKING NEWS–BREAKING NEWS–BREAKING NEWS

Stephen Fossett Missing!  September 4, 2007

 

Stephen Fossett, the man who single-handedly flew a hot air balloon around the world in 2002 to set a world record, is missing.  The FAA has announced that Mr. Fossett took off in his single-engine Balanca yesterday morning at 8:45 am but failed to make it to his destination.  Search efforts for the missing plane are currently being undertaken.

Stephen Fossett, 63, from Beaver Creek, Colorado is a world famous aviation adventurer.  After his successful 2002 flight around the world in a hot air balloon Stephen would undertake a few more high-risk challenges in the efforts of pushing the boundaries of aviation.  In 2005, Fossett became the first person to fly a plane around the world without refueling and is also credited, along with his co-pilot of setting the mark for the world’s highest altitude reached in a paraglider–50, 671 ft. in August of this year.

Stephen’s big noteriety in the aviation field though still remains his 2002 Hot Air Balloon flight that took him 19, 428.6 miles around the world.  Fossett had tried the feat previously 5 times, with more press building for each successive attempt.  Two of the failed attempts resulted in Mr. Fossett having to be rescued after the Balloon went down in treacherous waters of the Ocean.

According to FAA personnel, Fossett had failed to file a flight plan.  This has hampered the Civil Air Patrol, who is in charge of the search and rescue, from being able to find Mr. Fossett’s plane.  It is known that Stephen Fossett was planning on flying from a private airstrip south of Smith Valley in western Nevada, but didn’t return as he had planned.

A friend of Mr. Fossett’s tipped the authorities off to the missing plane and a search is ongoing.  The search is being coordinated by the United States Air Force’s Rescue Coordination Center in Langley, VA with help of the United States Civil Air Patrol.

According to the online Encyclopedia site Wikipedia, Stephen Fossett holds or has held 116 different world records in five different sports, of which 80 are still standing.  Mr. Fossett was also the founder of his own Securities company based out of Chicago, IL–Marathon Securities. 

More from Wikipedia regarding todays news:

According to CNN News, the search for Fossett began about six hours later (from time of take-off). He was flying in a single-engine, Citabria Super Decathlon — a plane capable of aerobatics — with tail number N240R, according to CAP. Fossett, though, had no parachute, which is required for aerobatics. There has been no sound from the plane’s emergency locator radio beacon, which goes off if there is a hard impact.

Fossett took off on Monday with enough fuel for four to five hours of flight, according to Civil Air Patrol Maj. Cynthia S. Ryan. Yerington is south of Carson City, near the California border.

^[7] There is speculation that Fossett made an unplanned landing, possibly crashing, in western Nevada.^[8] A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson noted that Fossett apparently did not file a flight plan.^[9][10]

^{Please note that this information is from Wikipedia and cannot be confirmed as altogether factual at this time.}

 

 

Alan Arnette Arrives In Kathmandu!!

 

My good friend Alan Arnette has posted his first dispatch from Kathmandu today.  Many of you will know that Alan is currently off preparing to climb the world’s 14th highest peak, Shisha Pangma. 

Shisha Pangma will be Alan’s second major step in his efforts to land back at Mt. Everest in 2008.  Earlier this year, Alan went to Denali where a slight health concern forced him to abort his attempt.  After confering with doctors and getting the green light to continue his climbing, Alan subsequently climbed 12 of Colorado’s 14,000 ft. peaks.  Now, it is off to Shisha Pangma in the Himalayas.

From Alan’s dispatch today in Kathmandu:

Kathmandu! What a city. After leaving Colorado early Thursday morning, I finally arrived in this wonderful city. Nothing has changed. The last time I was here was in 2003 for Everest. The arrival at the airport was what I expected - organized chaos.

From there, Alan goes into detail of finding his luggage, trying to figure out what time it is in Kathmandu, and finally meeting up with his Project Himalaya teammates.  It sounds like Alan is glad to be back in Kathmandu, even though not much has changed since Alan was last there in 2003 while attempting Everest for the second time.

Alan has sent back a few nice pictures of the scene outside the airport in Kathmandu.  He is also promising to try his hand at a little videography while he is on this expedition.  Alan will be trying to post daily reports of his trip to Shisha Pangma–before, during, and after his attempt at the 14th tallest peak in the world.

Remember that Alan is climbing solely for charity.  That is the whole reason he decided to try to head back to Everest in 2008.  His mission is trying to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research.  100% of all money donated to Alan’s charitable cause will be going to this effort. 

If you would enjoy following along with Alan as he makes this attempt on Shisha Pangma, you may do so by following this link to Alan Arnette’s Shisha Pangma Expedition.  I will also be posting coverage as this climb progresses.  If you are feeling a bit geneerous, perhaps you could even help Alan with his cause by making a donation at the following link.  I know Alan would appreciate all of the help and support he can get.

Climb On My Friend and have a safe journey!  We are all watching!

Pete Absolon, NOLS Leader, Killed by Intentionally Thrown Rock

It was stated earlier in the week that Pete Absolon had been killed while climbing near Lander, CO.  New information is surfacing that suggests that Pete, a leader for the National Outdoor Leadership School, may have become the victim of an intentionally thrown rock–that was not intentionally meant for Pete.

A hiker on a trail above the cliff Pete was climbing intentionally threw a 10-20 pound rock over the side of the cliff, not knowing anyone was climbing in the vincinity.

At this time, no charges have been filed, but the incident is still under investigation.  The person involved in throwing the rock remains nameless at this time, but says that the killing of Pete Absolon was a complete accident..

This is pretty sad news.  A few years back we had a couple of kids here in the city I live in throw a cement block from the top of a roadway, onto the interstate, killing one person.  They claimed it was an accident that they didn’t mean to kill the person, yet…stupidity is not above the law.

If you want to play in the outdoors  1) respect the outdoors and 2) never take anything for granted.  A man has now lost his life over a brief momment of stupidity that could have very easily been avoided…and another may now find himself in more trouble than he ever dreamed of.

Alan Arnette: Lessons From Denali

My good friend Alan Arnette has made a new post on his site regarding his recent attempt on Denali.

If you will remember, Alan ended up suffering from an unknown stomach issue and had to be medi-vaced off Denali.

The good news is that Alan is doing better now, the bad news is that he is still unsure of what exactly happened….AND he is leaving for an expedition to Shisha Pangma in 5 weeks, the world’s 14th tallest peak.

Alan is definately pushing himself to the limits.  All of this is in hopes of getting back to Mt. Everest for a third attempt on the world’s highest peak in 2008.  His previous two attempts have ended early due to high altitude health issues, but he is hoping his third will finally land him on the top of this elusive peak..

Alan’s first major step was his recent trip to Denali–that ended rather mysteriously.  Stage two will now take him to Shisha Pangma.

Alan has been confering with his doctors and specialists about what might have happened on Denali, and still, no answers have been straight forward.  He is hoping that it was a one time deal and that all is well now.

Alan is climbing to benefit Alzheimer’s Research, a very personal mission on Alan’s behalf, and one I think alot of us can relate to.  If you would like to help support Alan’s project of getting back to Everest, he would like for you to make a small (actually he would prefer a very, VERY LARGE-haha) donation to:

Once more, Alan has all the funding he needs for his expedition and 100% of the proceeds to this fund will directly benefit Alzheimer’s Research.

If you would like to read Alan’s latest post about his thoughts looking back on Denali as well as his recent research into his health issues, as well as some very beautiful photos, please stop by his site and read this POST.

Boulder, CO to hold Michael Reardon Rememberance and Fundraiser

Spot Bouldering Gym in Boulder, Colorado will be holding a gathering on Thursday, July 28 to remember Michael Reardon and to help raise funds for Marci and Nikki Reardon.

A friend of Michaels has put this together to celebrate the life of his good friend Michael Reardon, who was tragically swept out to sea this last week.  As of this posting, his body has yet to be found.

The gathering, hosted by Spot Bouldering Gym, will feature food and drinks, a Michael Reardon slide show, as well as a climbing gear raffle to help benefit Michael’s family.

If you would like to show your support of Marci and Nikki in these trying times, it is highly reccommended that you try to make this event.

Spot Bouldering Gym in Boulder, Colorado is one of the premier climbing gyms in the world.  The 10,000 Sq. Ft. facility features free standing boulders up to 18 ft. high, as well as rocked walls and roped climbing.

If you would like to learn more about Spot Bouldering Gym or about this Special Michael Reardon event, it is encouraged that you email them at shout@thespotgym.com

The cost will be a $10 donation at the door

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

Alan Arnette’s Denali Health Scare and Update

We have all been following along with my good friend Alan Arnette and his year long effort that will hopefully land him back on Mt. Everest for a third time.

This past week Alan was doing a “training” climb on Mt. Denali, North America’s tallest peak.  He seen this as a stepping stone to his eventual goal–but the stepping stone decided to give Alan a run for his money, as we will see.

From Alan Arnette’s Post:

We climbed higher and soon I could see the top of the headwall at 16,100’. I was feeling strong, comfortable and confident. Actually I was enjoying the climb and feeling secure - then it happened.  

A hit to my stomach that took my breath away. I stopped in my tracks bringing my rope to an abrupt halt. I bent over to catch my breath. What the Fu*K? I asked myself.

I pushed as I consider what was happening. Was I drinking enough? I had a liter at breakfast and another half at the break. Eaten enough? Cream of wheat for breakfast and a Cliff Bar an hour ago. Warm enough? Yup, needed to zip down to stay cool and was comfortable. OK, covered the basics, what else. I felt like I had diarrhea. What had I eaten… the same as the others. So, probably no food problem including food poisoning.

Needless to say, the next few hours seen Alan getting worse.  His condition had deteriorated to the point where Medical Evacuation from Denali was intitiated.

To speak with Alan you will understand two things immediately.  1) Climbing is his life and 2)  Getting Home Safe is the only option.  Being a climber though–being on that mountain sometimes plays havoc with your instincts.

These guys sometimes put in years of training for just one climb.  Alan has put in years of training, definately has the experience to know when to say when–yet even at that point, it is a very hard decision.  I encourage all of you to check out his personal report of this expedition–this is as real as it gets and Alan puts it into words perfectly..( Click Alan’s Denali 2007 Report).Now on with the story..

Alan was airlifted by helicopter off of Denali and then taken to a nearby hospital.  The Doctors were baffled as to what Alan’s problem could be.  The next couple of days seen Alan return back to his home in Colorado and a much anticipated reunion with his wife.

At this current time, Alan has updated me that he is now feeling about 90%.  He is awaiting a meeting with his specialist and nutritionist to see if they might know what went wrong.  Does this problem slow Alan down though?  Not one bit.

He recently emailed me a few images of a climb–that is right–a climb that he has done since returning back from Denali.  He took on his local Long’s Peak in Colorado.  I am sure that this was both for the physical workout as well as the mental workout after suffering such a scary momment a week earlier, and at     14, 256 feet, Long’s Peak provided just what Alan needed..  This trip went well for Alan and he says that his training schedule is moving forward as planned. 

Alan’s next stop will be the Himalayan monster peak of Shisha Pangma.  Standing at 26, 335 feet tall, it is the world’s 14th largest peak.  Alan will be heading to Tibet at the Beginning of September for this journey, with a preliminary summit date of October 8.

Alan’s crusade back to Mt. Everest has been inspired by his cause to help raise awareness for Alzheimer’s Research.  This is a very personal cause to Alan, as well as alot of us, as this disease has touched so many lives.  Unless you have been there, you just don’t know.  And if you have experienced this disease in your own family, friends, and associates–then perhaps you would like to give Alan a hand in his quest.  You may do so by making a donation through the following link.

We are all glad to hear that Alan is doing well.  I will be bringing you updates as his Quest for Everest in the name of Alzheimer’s Research picks up throughout 2007.  If you would like to visit Alan’s own website which includes his own updates, as well as a Climber’s Forum, by all means stop over and let him know I sent ya.  You may do so by clicking Alan Arnette.

(Editor’s Note:  The Images in this article are the Property of Alan Arnette and represent his 2007 Long’s Peak Climb.  Alan has granted me special permission to publish these images, but they may not be republished without contacting Alan Arnette for permission.)  J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

$5000 Charge for Wilderness Rescue Ignites Debate–Again.

A Kansas man has been billed $5000 for a wilderness rescue after he injured his ankle while hiking along a steep hillside.

This debate has been raging for well over a year now–whether or not people in the wilderness, when accidents happen, should be liable to pay for their rescue.

Kansas is only one of a number of states who have been looking in to billing people that have come to need a rescue involving local authorities.  Colorado also has a similar law in place and one is also currently making the rounds in Utah.

The great Blog, Two-Heel Drive ran by Tom Mangan, tipped me off to the forementioned article featured in the June 18th issue of Rocky Mountain News discussing this incident, as well as the debate raging in Kansas.  You may read the whole article HERE.

As far as Colorado is concerned, there has recently been news that another individual will be billed $7500 for his subsequent rescue as well.

This is reigniting a big debate amongst outdoor enthusiasts.  Should they be charged or shouldn’t they?  I have already expressed my own opinion on this matter as it pertains to climbers needing rescued–(please see story posted HERE, for my opinion.)  How much is to much?

Alot of us go out and try to enjoy the peace and solitude of the outdoors for 1) it is great exercise, 2) it gets you away from the hustle and bustle of cities…and PEOPLE, and 3) It is alot cheaper to walk a trail then drive a car.

If all of us ran the risk of having to pay $7500 for rescue after a badly twisted ankle PLUS our own medical bills, would we still be outdoors?

Alot of the previous debate over this issue has occured mainly over climbers getting stranded high on mountains, as in the two incidents that have occured in the past year on Mt. Hood. More and more though, we as individuals are seeing this pop up for some things that seem–dare I say mundane?

I think the political motivation behind this issue has jumped from saving lives to making money, and in a sense, infringing upon our own freedoms to explore nature and the outdoors.

Perhaps a few people have taken advantage of the system.  Perhaps a few have ended up where they never should have been in the first place without the experience or guidance they needed to be there.  Is this a reason to Pigeonhole a whole section of the American population? Instead of going out to “Get Away From It All”, that “All” is slowly trying to step in and even take away the essence of being out there.

Read more

Alan Arnette and the BIG Announcement!!

My good friend, Alan Arnette, has made a big announcement today.  Over the course of talking with him this past week, he has quietly given a couple of clues…

Our first clue came by way of his own website a couple of days ago when Alan mentioned his climbing plans for 2007.  We will get to that in a minute.  The second clue came in an email that he would have a further..”Bigger” announcement..

Anyone who has been around The Adventurist knows that I hold Alan Arnette in the highest of esteem.  Alan, not only with his own site but through his emails as well, has definately taught me a thing or two about what I do.  If there is something missing, if a fact is not all correct–or there are more details, Alan is always there to share this information in an informative, yet very encouraging fashion.  I thank him for that.

Alan Arnette symbolizes everything I strive for as an “Adventure” Journalist.  His specialty is Mt. Everest.  Which also happens to be a very high priority of my own–but in my mind I will always be number 2…

Now for the Announcement:

Alan Arnette has informed me through email that he is tentively working out a schedule that will land him back on the slope of Mt. Everest in 2008.  This will make Alan’s 3rd attempt–and hopefully his first successful summit!  On the two previous attempts, Alan has been turned back due to illness.

Alan has set himself a schedule that, to say the least, looks tiring in and of itself–But Alan knows his limits.  In his earlier email, Alan tipped me off to this information and said I may do anything I deem fit with this information, so here is what I am going to do.  I am going to let Alan tell you about this journey and the reasonings behind it..

From Alan Arnette

Standing at 27,200′ on the icy slopes of Mount Everest in 2003, I lectured myself between gags that this was it. No more. I was too old and my body was just not fit for high altitude mountaineering. After all it was only 363 days earlier that I had stood on this exact same spot suffering convulsions and made my own decision to return to the South Col before it was too late. Those experiences have come to shape my life in ways I never imagined. They are memories I never hope to forget. And now I am going back.

Those who have followed my site the past eight years know a lot about me … perhaps too much! I appreciate the special relationship I have with my visitors. I have many new friends and in fact some of my best climbing partners I met by way of this site. So in that spirit, I will be chronicling the next year through a series of reports on my way back to Everest.

However, there is something I think is much more important.

As mentioned on the home page, I have two areas of interest now that I have retired: Alzheimer research and the environment. My Father passed away in late 2006 and my Mother is now 81 and suffers from Alzheimer. This is a devastating disease that we know little about. It impacts over 5 million Americans today and a new case is diagnosed every 72 seconds! The funding for research is very low compared to Cancer and heart disease. I want to use this site to raise money for research and raise the public’s awareness of Alzheimer’s, the impact on individuals and their families and ways you can get involved before it is too late. To make this as real as I can over the internet, please visit my “Memories are Everything” page on my personal experience and I think you will see why this is a cause worth supporting.

I am finalizing the details of how to raise money and to make sure it is spent in the most efficient, effective and honest manner possible. My goal is to identify a promising research project or Doctor and target the funding in a specific and measurable manner. I want to avoid the large organizations that take too much of a donation for their overhead. I will announce the details soon.

At age 50, I fully understand what I am signing up for! And I am dedicating the next year of my life to these goals. However, my climbing priority, as it always has been, is to do my best and return home safely to my family. If it becomes obvious that I can no longer perform at altitude or some other factor enters into this plan, I will stop. It is as simple as that.

I will be doing a series of climbs to tune my body to be in the best possible shape for the Everest attempt. I have designed a schedule that provides time at altitude, builds new skills and allows for sufficient recovery times between climbs. Here is the plan:

First, I am so fortunate to live in Colorado. So Patrick, Robert - my closest climbing partners - and I will go for 14 - 14ers this year. We already have a traverse of Pikes Peak under our belts.

In June, 2007, I will return to Alaska for Mt. McKinley or Denali, as it is better known. I climbed Denali, 20,320 feet or 6,193 meters, in 2001 but was forced back due to bad weather at 17,200′ at Denali Pass. So the first step on the Everest road is to reach the summit of Denali.

Next I will be climbing the 14th highest peak in the world, Shishapangma in Tibet. Shisha is 26,335 feet or 8027 meters. This will be a true test of my ability to perform at high altitude. I will take my time and carefully acclimatize to give me the best possible chance. The expedition will start in Katmandu, fly to Lhasa and the drive over the Steps of the Tibetan Steps. The six week expedition will be my fifth climb on an 8000m mountain.

January 2008, along with my closest climbing friends, we will travel to Mexico and climb the 18,880 foot, 5754 meter volcano, Orizaba. This will be a nice warm up for Everest but it will be great to spend time with my friends who will go for their personal altitude records.

Finally, comes Everest. I have not made my decision on which side to climb or who to go with. There are many details still to be worked out.

Please make regular visits to the site for updates and especially consider donating to the Alzheimer fund when it is established. The goal is to raise $100,000 before my summit bid in May 2008. If you are already make donations elsewhere, perhaps this is a year you can consider an alternative or a little bit more for this important cause.

If you are interested in making an early donation to the research fund, pursuing sponsoring this effort or joining a climb, please contact me. Or just say hello!

Kraig over at The Adventure Blog has taken particular notice to the issues that Alan is trying to raise with his next journey to Everest. I, myself, am taking notice as well. Both of my great-grandparents died of this terrible disease. Imagine, if you will, having a very large life–filled with family, friends, loved ones…for 70+ years….now imagine waking up and not knowing the husband/wife laying next to you–the history you have shared for 50 years–imagine not remembering anyone. Each experience after 70 becomes new again–yet each time, you just don’t remember doing it before..This disease is a terrible, terrible thing…

Let’s all take the time to head on over to Alan Arnette’s and wish him our support for this great cause and the coming years as he tries to make the Everest Summit a reality…He deserves it.

The Adventurist will be covering Alan’s Journey in the days ahead, so be on the lookout for the latest updates–or just head on over to Alan’s yourself and check out his wonderful site.

I would also like to put out a personal invitation for Alan.  I would love to Interview you as I have recently done with David Tait (found just below this post) about this adventure..drop me a line and we will work it out.  Wishing you the Best Alan!

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