Rick Jacobs Creature Gaining National and International Headlines

When I first put up the article on Rick Jacobs “Creature”, I had no idea the media interest that would ensue.  I caught word of this quite by accident while doing research for this site and thought it would be a fun post. 

Now after 60,000 visits in two days to The Adventurist–shattering all previous records on this site–it seems that this story is just beginning to take off–I have had close to 100 comments in two days flood to this site, over Jacobs Creature, and many more are commenting from around the world in some of the top forums on the web..

I did find the links to Mr. Jacobs photos.  These photos were released exclusively by Mr. Jacobs in hopes of finding out what this creature could be.  I posted the links to the photos.  Newspapers and media organizations, I am assuming, did not know where to find the photos–hence, the immediate blast in traffic to my site.  The photos are, now, pretty well widespread.

Fox News, CBS, CNN, as well as a host of other media in the United States, have picked up on Rick Jacobs story.  The United States isn’t alone.

India and China are both running stories in today’s papers and it seems like this just might catch a rather large International wave of publicity for Mr. Jacobs–who I have not seen any comments from since the article in the Associated Press.

There is definately a huge interest in these photos–through reader’s comments and posts we have been able to learn a lot about what might be creeping around in our woods.  While conducting a recent poll on Topix, where I am also an Editor, an astounding 60% of people believe that Bigfoot either could, or does exist.

Whether he does or not–whether he lives in Pennsylvania or not–is not for me to decide.  I have done my part and brought this to everyone’s attention in hopes drawing in a bit of discussion here–I had know idea how big that “bit” would be.

Thanks goes out to everyone who has stopped by the last couple of days with their comments and thoughts–without you readers, the discussion would not have been nearly as fun.

If anything else breaks on this story, if any more information becomes available, I will be sure to bring it to you.

For the Pole! Preserving Antarctica’s Past and More…

I ran across an interesting article featured in The Antarctic Sun, the official newspaper of the United States Antarctic Program, today.

Some of you may know that the United States has been in the process of erecting a new station in Antarctica over the past couple of years.  The station actually sits on stilts and is built to rise with the ice..possibly eleminating the need to shovel out every year as researchers and scientists make their way to the new station. 

Along with this new station, has also come a website redesign for The Antarctic Sun.  Now, rather than having to view the paper in .PDF format, you can just click a link.  The stories are now posted straight to the site, which makes it much easier..Good job guys (and gals).

One of this week’s features includes an article of a worker who is trying to work towards preserving some of the historical artifacts left behind in Antarctica.  Most of these items have been hoarded for years, and up until a few years ago, were housed in the old Station.  When plans came about for the new station, the items (Including one of Richard Byrd’s sweaters) were boxed away till the new station became available.

Upon retrieval, many of the items were either suffering from broken frames, or no frames at all.

That is where Mr. Jerry Marty and Andy Martinez come in.  Mr. Marty realized the value and historical significance of the items and decided to do something about it.

Andy Martinez was given the task of providing these items a “safe haven”.  He has come up with an idea to build frames out of the leftover materials from the old station–and then display them in the new station.  Bringing the old into the new.  Kind of a cool way to preserve the past, as well as recycle some of the materials that the old building left behind.

Now the newer frames help to line the walls of the new station and bring a sense of historical perspective to all the people who venture to the newest Antarctic station.  A great idea and a great way to protect our past..

It has also been noted that the new station has plenty of room to expand it’s collection of memorbilia from those involved in the United States Antarctic Project from the past, to the future.  This could quite possibly turn into the world’s coldest museum—

And More News From Antarctica:

A couple more little pieces concerning the world’s coldest continent.  Rather than run three sperate pieces, thought I would just include them all here..

ExplorersWeb has posted it’s list of all adventurer’s venturing to The South Pole and the Antarctic this year.  Looks to be a very busy, and possibly crowded year for the Pole.  I will be taking a look at some of these expeditions in the very near future.

Also, Kraig, over at The Adventure Blog has put up a nice piece regarding Antarctic Photographer Vladimir Malinski, who visited the continent back in 2003–stop by to checkout his great photos.

The Adventure Blog Takes a Look at Everest 2: Beyond the Limit

The Adventure Blog has put up a nice review covering the first episode of Everest 2: Beyond the Limit.

He says most of the first episode was climber introductions and getting to basecamp.  I posted the climber biographies of everyone taking part in this season’s series yesterday, but if you didn’t catch it, you can by clicking HERE.

Kraig did mention a couple of things of interest:

One early, compelling scene showed Tim standing amongst the memorials erected for climbers who have died on the mountain. The monument that he is standing next to is clearly labeled with the name of David Sharp, the climber who died last year on the mountain under controversial circumstances. Some people blamed Brice for not helping Sharp, and reportedly as many as 35 or 40 climbers stepped over and around Sharp as he lay dying in the snow. I was personally critical of the show last season for glossing over the controversy and barely touching on it in the shows final episode.

He then went on to talk of the appearance of Maxut and Vissily–the first two to make a successful summit this year.  Although Maxut and Vissily were not a part of the larger Himex–Discovery Channel Expedition, they none the less made the program for circumstances that I can’t relate here without giving a ’spoiler’..tune in next week to find out what all the drama was about…

Many of us who followed the Discovery Channel Expedition, as it was occuring this past spring,  can kind of see that the program is pretty much going in line with what took place.  This first episode was very early on in the Expedition.  The next few episodes should pick up the pace and get everyone’s hearts beatin a little faster..

Ten Things Every Backcountry Skier Should Know

WildSnow.com has just finished up a great series of articles titled “Ten Things Every Backcountry Skier Should Know.”

The articles are great and very useful, and there probably isn’t a better time of year to post this material–as we are all beginning to get itchy to hit the slopes–

WildSnow has some interesting views by some people who should know what to do–including Chris Davenport, Aaron Ralston (Yes, that Aaron Ralston), and Andrew McLean.

Here are a couple of items from the list I thought interesting:#7  Fix a broken Ski Pole with Duct Tape and pocket knife.  (I know, Duct tape still amazes me, too.)  and #5 –Start a fire in the snow–while you are shivering.  Perfect time to learn how to do this properly before you actually end up in a situation where your life depends on it.

Nice post.  Go check it out for the rest of list.  Just click the titles and it will bring up the in-depth articles. 

EverestVietnam 2008: Ready For First Challenge–4,095m Mt. Kinabalu

EverestVietnam 2008–the reality program trying to place the first Vietnamese climber on the summit of Mt. Everest is well underway.

Participants have been narrowed down to a select few after some very public auditions–and the first part of the training to get to Mt. Everest has already taken place.  Participants recently journeyed to Mt. Fansipan for their first experience on a true Mountain.  Fansipan, although a pretty nice climb, was more of a trek.  No mountaineering gear ect. was required.

The next stage, taking place today, will test them all a bit more.  The 4,095m Mt. Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia.

Hopeful members of the “Conquering Mount Everest” Expedition (notice the name-change) were allowed to take a 5 hour, fully paid shopping tour before this next test, allowing them to purchase some much needed equipment.

The group was also joined by Lekpak Sherpa for some added training and advice.  Lekpak has summited Mt. Everest on three sperate occasions, and I am sure his expertise is a much valued asset.

You cannot conquer Mount Everest with only physical strength,” emphasised the Sherpa coach in the training. He said that the three most important things that climbers must have are correct behaviour, physical strength and communication skills.

“Maintaining psychological balance and team-work skills are extremely important for the conquering of Mount Everest. The spiritual factor always plays the key role if you want to stand on the World’s Roof.

Some pretty good advice, but I still have to question how safe this project is going to be.  None of the participants have any high-altitude experience.  I guess we will all have to just roll the dice and see.  Hopefully safety is the chief concern.  I understand no one from Vietnam has ever set foot of Mt. Everest’s Peak, but I think they should have went with some experienced climbers for their first venure to the world’s highest peak.

Source:  Vietnam.net 

Cracking the Sherpa Gene Code: Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa Involved in New Study

Apa Sherpa, the man who has climbed Mt. Everest more than any other human being–17 times–and former Record Holder for the fatest climb up Everest, Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, are currently taking part in a new study at the University of Utah.

Over the years the Sherpa people have become legendary for their abilty to climb high altitudes and carry heavy loads in the Himalayas.  Even today, the Sherpas are relied upon heavily to move camps and supplies up and down Mt. Everest, as well as many other peaks in the Himalayan region.  They can withstand loads up to their own body weight and climb with ease to 29,000 ft.  Now researchers are trying to figure out how and why their abilities are so much more advanced than other climbers.

Apa and Lhakpa Gelu, who have been residing in the United States for a couple of years, are leanding a hand in this research project. 

The study would soon reveal a lot of details about the unique high mountain climbing capabilities of the Sherpas,” Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) said.

Initial research efforts, taken during this past spring’s SuperSherpa Expedition, have shown that the Sherpa Genes may have just evolved after nearly 5,000 years in the high altitude–

This is definately a cool study.  With Apa and Lhakpa Gelu, two of the world’s most famous mountain climbers, on board–it should be a great chance to try to figure out just how they do what they do.  Who knows, we might just learn something new about these amazing people!

Everest 2: Beyond the Limit–An Inside Look at the Team

Just a last minute reminder to have your DVR’s ready as the premier of Discovery Channel’s second season of Everest: Beyond the Limit airs tonight at 10pm eastern. (check your local listings)

This season promises to be a great one.  Yesterday I posted the Official Discovery Channel release about the upcoming season, and while I am at it, I thought I might give you a rundown of the climber’s involved in this season’s program.  This release is also coming from The Discovery Channel.

Team Profile of Everest 2: Beyond the Limit:

RUSSELL BRICE
Expedition Leader, Himalayan Experience (New Zealand)

This will be Russell’s 18th year on Everest, and as expedition leader for Himalayan Experience, no one knows the risks quite like he does. In his own words, “80 percent of my friends are dead.” Controversy surrounds the ‘King of the Mountain’ following the 2006 expedition – the second deadliest season on record, and Russell is known as a tough leader. Though climbers pay a $40,000 fee to join the Himalayan Experience team, Russell has final say as to whether or not climbers progress far enough to actually attempt a summit.

ROD BABER
Climber (England)
Rod Baber, 36, gained a Guinness World-Record for ascending the 47 European summits in the shortest time. In between summits, Rod now runs a climbing center in the west of England, where he and his colleagues teach anyone from corporate business teams to young offenders how to deal with heights and fear, instilling interpersonal skills in their charges along the way. He’s planning to make the first ever cell phone call from Everest’s summit.

BETSY HUELSKAMPClimber (California, USA)
A Los Angeles-based journalist, 46-year-old Betsy interviewed Tim Medvetz last year following his 2006 attempt, and was inspired to give it a go herself. Her motto has always been, “if you are not living life on the edge, you are missing the view!” Betsy has been featured in motorcycle documentaries (on Discovery Channel, TLC, National Geographic Channel and Travel Channel) and writes for numerous biking magazines. She’s an ice climber, trekker, bungee jumper, diver, Kung Fu black belt, and has worked much of her adult life as a personal trainer.

MOGENS JENSENClimber (Denmark)

A former elite Iron Man, Mogens Jensen is a chronic asthma sufferer who is determined to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. A schoolteacher turned professional mountaineer from Denmark — a country with no mountains — Mogens attempted to summit in 2005 and 2006. Last year on entering the Death Zone, Mogens was hit by altitude sickness – and for almost two weeks after he returned home, he continued to suffer blurred vision and loss of balance. Is he dangerously obsessed? This year, Russell wants him to abandon his ambition to climb without oxygen.

TIM MEDVETZClimber (California, USA)

A fun-loving risk-taker who designs Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Hollywood, California, Tim Medvetz stands 6’5″ (a disadvantage for high-altitude mountaineering) and has a metal cage around his spine, metal plates in his head and his left leg is held together with pins and rods — the result of a near-fatal bike crash. Tim surprised everyone last year by making it as far as camp 4, before falling victim to summit fever. Climbing too slowly and running low on oxygen, he engaged in a heated argument with Russell Brice, who ordered him to turn around. Tim credits Russell with saving his live, but how far will he push himself to succeed this year?

MONICA PIRISExpedition Doctor (England)
Born in Oxford to Spanish parents, she is truly bilingual. Monica Piris spends her summers rock-climbing in the Spanish Pyrenees, her winters skiing and ice-climbing, and in between earns the money to fund her hobbies by working as a locum doctor in English emergency rooms. In 2006, she completed a Diploma in Mountain Medicine – and her trip to Everest is the next step in her ambition to become a specialist high altitude doctor. She will follow Russell to North Col, from where she can best monitor the team’s health. Along the way, she’ll tend to numerous climbers on other expeditions who fall ill while trying to reach the summit.

DAVID TAIT
Climber (England)
David is planning a world-first “double-traverse” of Everest with Phurba Tashi. His goal is to summit from the north side, then descend down the south side, where he’ll reverse and climb up the south side and down the north. David first attempted a summit in 2004, but his body just couldn’t cope with the extreme altitude. In 2005 as part of Russell Brice’s team, he made it to the summit. That year, David’s climbing buddy, Brett Merrell, went through the same disappointment David had a year prior. David could relate and offered to pay for Brett to try again – and he did in first season of Everest: Beyond the Limit. David’s generosity stretches beyond other climbers. A millionaire fund manager, he is on the board of the NSPCC (National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children). Abused as a child himself, David plans to raise money for the charity close to his heart.

PHURBA TASHISherpa
Phurba is Russell’s most experienced Sherpa – his lead guide, or “Sirdar.” He has summitted Everest an incredible ten times. He is Russell’s eyes, ears, arms and legs on the mountain. Incredibly strong, even at high altitude, he is entrusted absolutely with the climbers’ safety. Last year Phurba was on the spot to deal with two climbers’ near mutiny on summit day. This year Phurba will be attempting the double traverse with David Tait – if successful, an Everest first.

DARIUS VAICIULIS
Climber (Lithuania)
A cell phone dealer from Kaunas, Lithuania, who works across Eastern Europe, Darius climbed Cho Oyu three years ago with Russell Brice. Darius is married with children aged 11 and 3. His family is worried about his latest adventure, but supportive. “I tell them it is my dream – I have to go.”

KATSUSUKE YANAGISAWA
Climber (Japan)
At the age of 71, Katsusuke hopes to become the oldest person to ever summit Everest.

FRED ZIEL
Climber (California, USA)
Fred is a physician and family man from South Pasadena, California, where he runs the local Diabetes Care Program. His passion for climbing and mountaineering dates back over 30 years, and he’s completed successful ascents on both rock and ice throughout North America and Asia. This marks his third trip to Everest.

Canoe Trip Turns to Backwoods Horror Story

While following up on some of the new links I have added to this site, I came across a pretty horrific story over on Ranger Gord’s Campfire Stories blog.

The article, The Worst Canoe Trip Since Deliverance (funny title I might add, but after reading I now know why..yikes!), takes a look at one family’s planned journey for a canoe outing that seemingly left them scrambling for their lives from a group of outdoor thugs.

I am not sure how many of us have had a similar experience in the outdoors–running into a band of drunken madmen–but I always go by the theory of alcohol and guns don’t mix in the wild.  Luckily the family ended up being safe and the people in question were arrested, but a harrowing tale none the less.  Especially when your kids are right there with you.  Always keep a weary eye–90% of people aren’t bad, but those other 10% can ruin what was going to be a great time—really, really fast.

Post your thoughts or similar experiences through the comments section, I might be able to use them on this site.

Summits Reported on Jannu and Annapurna I

A few late season summit reports have been coming in:

Probably the most noteworthy is a single Solo effort that has placed Slovenian climber Tomas Humar on the peak of Annapurna I.  Humar summited Annapurna via the South Face on October 28th and was the only member of his expedition group, Asian Trekking, to do so–

From ExplorersWeb:

If the report is confirmed, this would not only be an incredible feat, but also a  sweet revenge for Tomas, who got in trouble on Nanga Parbat in 2005. Attempting a new route on the sheer Rupal face, climbing alone in very bad conditions, Tomaz got stuck in a labyrinth of Ice and unsettled snow, unable neither to climb further up nor to descend due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. He was trapped on a ridge with snow slides running around him, crouched in a tiny snow-hole for six days.

Now we all know that Tomas survived this ordeal and lived to climb another day.  Great job, Tomas!

Valery Babanov and Sergey Kofanov Summit Jannu

This news is coming from October 20th on EverestNews (I know it is a little late, but still–better than nothing).  Valery and Sergey left most of their equipment behind on their final summit push.  They had a tent, a stove, and NO sleeping bags!  They were forced to spend the night in the tent–uncovered except for their clothes– at 7,600 meters!  The two eventually made their way  up:

On 6 a.m. they started again to climb up to the top. Soon, at 9:30 a.m., there was a radio contact from the summit with Olga Babanova in the base camp. They were making photos and were going to go down by the same way.

Much credit goes out to these two great expeditions.  This fall climbing season has been filled with snow and high winds, with many teams coming off the mountains with little good to say.  The avalanche risk was just to high for many climbers.

African Lion Loose in West Virginia–An Update

I recently posted an article about a hunter in West Virginia claiming to have spotted a male African Lion while in the woods.  A reader to The Adventurist has brought an update on this story to my attention.  Thanks Dualio…

From The Charleston Daily Mail:

The 20 pounds of chicken left earlier in the week by exotic animal expert John Forga was entirely gone and scratch marks were found on trees that had been scented with cologne, but there was still no definitive evidence of the big cat’s existence.

A special camera set up in the area should provide a few more clues.  The camera, specially designed to be triggered by motion using an invisible laser beam, will be checked by authorities in the coming day.

A special team of animal control officers, as well as members of the Environmental Protection Agency and Jim Shortridge, the man who first brought the supposed big cat to the public’s attention, will be heading to the camera site to see what has possibly been captured on film.  If their findings do indeed indicate an African Lion on the loose in Greenbriar County, West Virginia–the authorities will then take measures to bait and trap the suspected animal using a bear trap.  Upon capture, the lion will then be turned over to a zoo or shelter for such large animals.

I am not so sure that I would want to be out there searching for a lion in the woods of West Virginia–hopefully these guys can figure out what the heck it is then deal with it in a respectable manner–without injury to themselves or the endangered African Lion.

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