Michel Fournier’s Record Skydive Begins Without The Record Seeking Skydiver!

Michel Fournier’s Balloon decided to take off without the record seeking skydiver today. The weather was perfect, Fournier was pumped and dressed for the attempt, yet, in the end, it would be the balloon that chickened out.

While filling the balloon with air, somehow it came loose and floated…up, up, and away.

I first heard about this on NPR radio, but now CNN has a nice post up about today’s unfortunate set-back for Michel. It is not known if he will continue on with this trouble plagued adventure–at first he was suppose to do this last year, then today, his balloon takes off without him. I think I would be questioning the reasonings behind all the set-backs.

From CNN:

Still clad in his bright yellow pressure suit, the visibly frustrated Fournier waved away cameras after his ride slipped away shortly after 5 a.m. (7 a.m. ET). There was no immediate word on how the effort was botched, but his flight crew was attempting to recover the balloon, according to his official Web site.

Fournier, 64, planned to start his “Big Jump” at 40 kilometers (25 miles) above the Earth’s surface and land safely — a risky proposition that French authorities already had barred on their territory.

To read more, Click HERE.

To Read More About Michel Fournier’s Attempt at a host of World Skydiving and Altitude Records, CLICK HERE.

Michel Fournier Postpones World Record Skydive

Michel Fournier’s attempt to break four separate skydiving records today…skydiving from more than 130,000 feet high…has been postponed till tomorrow due to high winds and weather.

To read more about this historic jump, please read the following post on The Adventurist.

To Read more about today’s postponement, head over to Breitbart.com

Michel Fournier’s Record Breaking Skydive of 130,000 Ft. To Take Place This Afternoon!

I ran an article almost a year ago about Michel Fournier and his quest to skydive from Outerspace (You heard it right, outerspace) Michel will be jumping more than 130,000 feet, through the atmosphere and back to earth on an attempt to break a record–by a mile. It actually could be quite more than a mile.

This record breaking attempt will be taking place in 32, 429 seconds from now–sorry, that is from the countdown on his own site. 32, 429 seconds just happens to be close to 4:30 pm this afternoon! In an attempt to fill you in a bit more on this cause, I have decided to go back and repost my original article on Michel and his record-breaking attempt. By the way, if you would like to watch, it will be played out on the Web at Michel’s personal website vie webcam.

Michel Fournier, 62, plans to be the first person to ever skydive from outerspace–back to Earth…a distance of 130,000 ft., and he is planning on doing it this year!

Michel Fournier Plans to jump from an atmospheric balloon suspended 130,00 feet in the stratosphere over Saskatchewan, Canada, breaking 4 records in the process. They are as follows: Read more

Conrad Anker and Apa Sherpa Joining Forces?

Conrad Anker, the man who became world famous for discovering George Mallory’s body on Mt. Everest, will be teaming up with his wife and Apa Sherpa to host a special “An Everest Evening.”  This event, scheduled for August 9th will take place in Snowbird, Utah.

Apa Sherpa, who holds the record for climbing Mt. Everest the most times, 17, will be discussing his recent success with the SuperSherpas Expedition this year.  Conrad Anker will also be talking about his own success on Everest this year as a part of his reenactment of the 1924 Everest Expedition of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine.

The two have decided to come together to support The Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation (ALCF).  The ALCF is holding the fundraiser to bring attention to the high-altitude workers of Nepal as well as raising money for the Khumbu Climbing School.

Presentations and slide shows of both previously mentioned expeditions will be taking place, as well as a few more surpise speakers.  The ALCF will also be holding a charitable silent auction.  Up for bids will be a donated Grivel wood ice ax signed by all Everest summiters in attendence.

This event will take place at the Cliff Lodge in Snowbird, Utah on August 9th, with things kicking off around 6:30 pm.  Tickets for this event will be $50 a piece.  For information, reservations, or tickets, you may call (800) 933-2147.

This looks to be a great event with alot of big names in Everest history taking part–and besides that, it is for a great cause.  If you are going to be in the Utah area the week of the 9th, why not take a sidetrip to Snowbird?

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

Massive Summit Push For Broad Peak is a Success!!

 

Trying to outrun an approaching storm system on Broad Peak, many climbers combined their efforts yesterday for one final push–landing them on the summit!

The Broad Peak summit was reached at 12:30 pm local time by the “Al Filo” Team and members are now trying to race down the mountain in a speed descent to try to reach Camp 3 before nightfall.

The successful summiters on Broad Peak include:

• Silvio “Gnaro” Mondinelli
• Marco Confortola
• Ivan Vallejo
• Gerlinde Kaltenbruner
• Ralf Dujmovits
• Fabio Iacchini
• Edurne Pasaban
• as well as others that are awaiting verification.

Over 70 people took off yesterday for this massive summit push, making there way through very cold tempertures and rising winds.

Silvio Mondinelli Bags 14th 8,000 Meter Peak

With Silvio’s successful summit of Broad Peak, he now becomes the 13th person in the world to land on top of the 14 tallest peaks. He also becomes the sixth person to do so without the use of supplemental O2 along his journey.  Two other Italians, Reinhold Messner and Sergio Martini have also mastered the 14 8,000 meter peaks.

Two More Closing In

Ivan Vallejos and Ralf Dumojvits have both been to Broad Peak before, but each of them stand a pretty good chance of accomplishing their respective goals of reaching the tops of all 14 8,000 meter peaks as well.  Ivan Vallejos now only needs Dhauligiri to complete his quest and Dumojvits is currently standing at 10 peaks.

Women Closing in as Well

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the leading lady on the quest for 14 8,000 meter peaks has made Broad Peak her tenth.  Edurne Pasaban is sitting one below with 9 at this momment.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the crafty Austrian, has accomplished her 10 successful summits without any supplementary O2.  She is married to the previously mentioned Ralf Dujmovits and between them now own 22 8,000 meter summits.

A Little Broad Peak History

Broad Peak stands at 26, 400 feet and measures up as the 12th highest peak in the world and the fourth highest in Pakistan.  It was originally labeled K3, and sits along the Pakistan-China Border.  It’s first ascent came on June 9, 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemburger, and Hermann Buhl, all members of an Austrian Expedition put together by Marcus Schmuck.

Hermann Buhl and Kurt Diemburger were subsequently killed 18 days later while trying to ascend a nearby peak, Chogolisa on June 27, 1957.

Free Climbing Everest’s Second Step: Controversy of Historical Proportions

The Background 

In 2007 a special expedition was undertaken to climb Mt. Everest in the same fashion–literally–as George Mallory and Andrew Irvine did in 1924.  This expedition was being led by Conrad Anker, the famous discoverer of George Mallory’s body on Everest in 1999.

For those of you not up to date on your Everest history, Mallory and Irvine perished on their fateful attempt to summit Mt. Everest leaving a slew of mystery in the wake of that fateful day in 1924.  Mallory and Irvine were close.  Real close, as a matter of fact, to becoming the first people to ever step foot upon Everest’s summit.

With the discovery of George Mallory’s body in 1999, more interest in Mallory and Irvine’s Expedition in 1924 has caught wind.  Did they summit or didn’t they?  There is perhaps one piece of evidence that could put this mystery to rest…yet it has never been found.  The Camera.  Mallory and Irvine carried a camera with them on their expedition.  It has led many to discuss the merits of the discovery of this holiest of Mt. Everest grails.  After 80 years in the blistering cold of Mt. Everest, could this camera inevitably hold the photos that would put this controversy to rest?  No one knows.

The Expedition

Conrad Anker set his sights on mounting an Expedition using the same equipment and clothing used in 1924 to see if a summit of the world’s tallest peak was actually plausible in 1924.  His attempt would be documented and filmed for a documentary and take place after the 2007 Everest season was essentially over.  This strategy basically would leave the slopes of Everest as they were in 1924–bare. 

Conrad Anker enlisted the help of a high-altitude newcomer named Leo Holding.  Leo Holding would be taking the role of ‘Sandy’ Irvine, where Anker would be climbing as George Mallory for their documentary.

Their climb began great but soon it became evident that their clothing and equipment could not stand up to the bitter cold and elements seen on Mt. Everest.  Anker and Holding had no other choice but to switch to their “High-Tech” climbing gear.

This in and of itself would lead many to believe that Mallory and Irvine would have been in deep trouble way before the summit, but there was still another interesting point to be made with this Expedition.

The Second Step

In order to recreate the Mallory and Irvine Expediton it was decided early on to climb without using “fixed lines”.  Anker and Holding would have no safety net.  This included  going over an area called “The Second Step”, without the use of ladders that were currently in place to allow climbers easier access of this treacherously steep part of the mountain.

Mallory and Irvine would have had to do the same, relying only on their equipment in hand and their sheer will to traverse this difficult area.  Could it be done?

The Controversy Brews

Conrad Anker and Leo Holding were successful in navigating the Second Step.  Within a matter of days news began to circulate that Conrad Anker and Leo Holding had done what seemingly no others had done before them.  Climbed the Second Step without support.

Miss Elizabeth Hawley, the famed Everest Expediton Recorder and Journalist seemingly stated that this feat had not been done since a Chinese Expediton in the 1960’s.

Kraig, from The Adventure Blog, was the first to notice some discrepencies coming in the reporting.  ExplorersWeb posted an article the same day mentioning:

Earlier today, Pete Poston reminded how Theo Fritsche had free-climbed the Step back in 2001, without supplementary O2. Poston based the information on interviews by Austrian Jochen Hemmleb.

In an email to ExWeb today Jochen also mentions a previous free-climb of the infamous rocky outcrop, achieved in full-monsoon conditions and w/o O2 by Spaniard Oscar Cadiach.

The Adventure Blog questioned ExplorersWeb on this issue, which in turn made it a very public issue with many people from the climbing community chiming in.

Why Is this Issue Important?

Facts on Mt. Everest have the tendency to get blurred, scrutinized, and even changed.  This is not something that is new.  Climbers are very often in the position with few others around to back their stories.

All we have to go on is the history that has been placed before us.  Mt. Everest is a place like few others.  Many people try to make their own mark on Mt. Everest every year by being the first…the fastest…the highest…

Without proper dialogue and questioning of facts, Mt. Everest becomes a very tough place to follow along with.  In keeping with the true spirit of Everest it is essential that these facts be researched and laid out before becoming a public vocal point for the “Prove you right or wrong” crowd.

Miss Elizabeth Hawley and ExplorersWeb are very much two of the top news sources for the climbing community.  Each of them are well respected for their Integrity and News Reporting, yet over this issue they had conflicting reports that were essentially being given to the public at a cost that arose doubt within the historic confines of Mt. Everest and the public that finds this of interest.

Kraig at The Adventure Blog done a fantastic job of reporting on this difference of historic opinions, representing both sides to it’s fullest extent and staying with this story as it developed.  If you would like to read his full coverage and see where it leads, check out his June Archives for 2007.

First Pluto is Demoted, and now The Nile?

That is right.  The world we live in and beyond is vastly changing at a rate that not many of us are to fond of.

Pluto has been written off the planet charts (even though I agree with my daughter, most of us will still consider it a planet in our world of “underground” knowledge) by scientists, now it is just a large rock floating in the abyss..

Add to that, the recent unravelings of the World’s Longest River…The Nile, you think?

Think again.  The Amazon.  That is right.  Scientists have recently discovered that the Amazon River is approximately 176 miles longer than originally thought and now extends into the Southern reaches of Peru, making it the NEW world’s longest river.

The 176 miles of new Amazon, will place it at roughly 4, 225 miles long–making it 65 miles longer than the Nile.

Scientists sponsored by The Brazilian Institute of Science and Statistics, have placed the new Amazon beginning in the Southern Mountains of Peru.

This has to be disheartening to at least one individual–Martin Strehl–who laid claim earlier this year to completing the first swim that went the full distance of the Amazon…

This just goes to show that no one is ever happy being in second place..

It will be interesting to see how Egypt takes this news as well..Perhaps the Nile will grow soon, too…

I can slowly see Mr. Martin Strehl’s great accomplishments in the World of River Swimming being wiped off the charts..Perhaps he had swam one river to many..and p’d off the wrong folks…

$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

Free-Climbing the Second Step: A New Controversy Brewing..

In the past two weeks, numerous reports of Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding’s, successful summit of Everest have been reported.

Many of you will know that Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding set out a couple weeks ago to try to prove that George Mallory could have successfully summited Mt. Everest, by doing it themselves in equipment that would have been used in Mallory’s day–although made more recent.

Their findings are being reported two different ways.  The first, is that they were successful…the second is that they had to put aside the look-alike 1920’s equipment and make their final push in high tech gear of today.  To be honest, this would lead you to believe that Mallory and Irvine couldn’t have summited in the gear that they had.

Another controversy has seemed to have erupted recently over Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding’s subsequent free-climb up the Second Step.  The two, in order to do it as Mallory and Irvine, removed the ladder ascending the Second Step and decided to free climb it.  Many people, including Elizabeth Hawley, the Mt. Everest Expeditions local historian and news source, seem to be confused on the merits of free climbing the second step…

The Adventure Blog has posted a nice piece on whether this was the first free climb ever, the first one since the 1960’s as Elizabeth Hawley claims, or just another one that has fallen into the cracks of misreporting.  ExplorersWeb contends that there are actually a few people who have done this on the Second Step and that Anker and Haulding are just the most recent.

We all know it isn’t done often.  More people go for the much easier and safer, by using the ladder, but the controversy arises in part, by a message left by The Altitude Everest Team claiming that this was a true first.  No matter how it plays out–it is very unlikely this is a true first as way more than one source agrees that it has been done at least once before and possibly numerous times.

I credit Kraig over at The Adventure Blog for this fine piece of investigative reporting–I will be watching to see if he can come up with some truth and what the facts are surrounding this situation–well done Kraig.  Now go read his fine piece HERE.

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