Must Read Interview: Henry Worsley of the 2008 Shackleton Centenary Expedition

Shackleton. Scott. Amundsen. Mawson. Each of these individuals exemplify the early days of polar exploration and adventure. Their names have been written down in history books around the world. Their adventures, trials, and tribulations have become the backdrop for many explorers and adventurers that still look to them for inspiration. They are men of myth, men of legend, and men of intrigue. Their stories still consume us and occupy a small part of our minds that will forever make us yearn to strive farther and harder, pushing our boundaries to their utmost limits.

Ernest Shackleton, whom most people regard as one of the greatest polar explorers to ever live, never achieved his dream of reaching the South Pole. He was turned back less than 112 miles away from his original goal. In 1911, Roald Amundsen would beat him to the mark. Although Shackleton wasn’t the first to reach the South Pole, he is still remembered fondly for laying the groundwork that would eventually lead to it’s discovery. Through the course of his explorations, Shackleton was able to break many previous records for farthest person south. Just not the first to the South Pole.

In 2008, the Shackleton Centenary Expedition is set to launch. This expedition, led by Henry Worsley, will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ernest Shackleton’s 1909 polar expedition aboard the Nimrod. The Shackleton Centenary Expedition will follow the same course, visit the same places, and hopefully reach the South Pole, much as Ernest Shackleton attempted to do in 1909.

Perhaps it runs in the family. Members of the Shackleton Centenary Expedition are directly related to those who were on the original Ernest Shackleton Expedition of 1909. It is a big undertaking that should draw up much interest in polar history, as well as help launch The Shackleton Foundation, a new charitable trust that will be used to honor the original crew of Ernest Shackleton’s expeditions, as well as celebrate the pioneering spirit, through grants and other means, to those who strive to help the less-fortunate of today.

I feel privelidged and honored to be able to present to you an exclusive interview with Henry Worsley, leader of the 2008 Shackleton Centenary Expedition to the South Pole:

Henry, first off, welcome to The Adventurist and thank-you for taking the time to speak with me. In 2008, you and your crew mates are planning on launching the Shackleton Centenary Expedition. How are things looking on your end? Are preparations going smoothly?

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2006 Mt. Hood Tragedy Update: Equipment Stash Found, July 2007 Search Results and More…

It has now been eight months since three climbers went missing on Mt. Hood.  At this time we all know that the body of Kelly James had been discovered inside a snowcave back in December.  What happened to the other two climbers?  Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke were never found.

Many people have been stopping by here still wondering about the other two climbers.  I get comments posted on a weekly basis asking me if the other two had been found as yet.

With the national media attention that this particular incident generated, I can kind of see why this is still a very big item in people’s minds.  Anytime there is a story without a conclusion, it leads to more questions than answers.  Rather than email each individual person that asks me what happened, I have decided to make this update. Read more

The Adventurist Interview: Hubert A. Allen, Author of Mt. Hood: The Deep Blue Zone

The Adventurist Interview with Hubert A. Allen

Author of Mount Hood The Deep Blue Zone: Story of the 2006 Climbing Tragedy

First off Mr. Allen, It is a pleasure to have you here at The Adventurist. The events surrounding the tragedy in December of 2006 still lingers deep in quite a few minds. Why do you think that this event, first off, triggered such a huge media reaction, and secondly, why has that attention seemed to continue clear up through today?

HA: Early in December of 2006 the media had already grabbed onto the case of the Lee family lost in the Oregon wilderness. It had a tragic end when the father, who tried to walk out, was found dead, apparently the victim of hypothermia and the mother and children were rescued in the vehicle they stayed with - 13 days out. Ironically CNN, for example, ran the final wrap-up story of the Lees just as the Mount Hood story broke. Mount Hood is several steps up in drama from a mud road in the forest. Basically, it on-upped the last incident at just the right moment. Unfortunately, as of this interview, they still have not recovered the bodies of the two other climbers. There is no closure. I am hoping by the end of summer the families will have their loved ones back and this physical aspect of closure will be fulfilled.

Much has been said about Brian Hall, Jerry Cooke, and Kelly James perhaps not being as prepared as they should have been. To myself though, these guys were experienced. They had climbed many times before together–they were looking for a fast ascent, so of course they carried as little as possible. They left behind notes, both at the rangers station as well as their vehicles and had a cell phone. How do you feel, being a mountain climber yourself, about their preparation?

HA: One important form of preparation is gaining knowledge of the mountain, the climb and conditions as they are. None of the three men had been on Mount Hood before. By the very timing of their effort, dedicating just a long weekend away from homes in New York and Texas to climb this 11,239 foot Mount Hood in December, they gave themselves no time to learn about the mountain. They did not adequately acclimatize - going from sea level to summit in a little over 48 hours. This is failing to prepare the body for a dangerously fast change in elevation - say 11,239 feet of elevation change in 48 hours My personal opinion is that they underestimated the mountain, the effort, and the climb itself. I now believe that the climbers brought with them all the gear needed to succeed on the mountain. However, through a series of decisions, they ended-up jettisoning most of the key survival gear prior to actually setting foot onto the North Face. The recent (July 2007) recovery of a cache of their equipment at a campsite above the Tilly Jane Hut but below the Eliot Glacier suggests they were in possession of a fairly extensive gear supply. However, when Kelly James was recovered he was far too lightly dressed for the conditions encountered. They really believed in the super-fast ascent and that they would be spending a mere matter of hours in ascent and descent of 11,239 foot Mount Hood.

Could they have done anything different that could have possibly saved their lives? Read more

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