Xtreme Peaks: Peak Freaks Take On Mt. Kilimanjaro For New Years
December 25, 2008
Mt. Kilimanjaro Photo: Peak Freaks
The Peak Freaks expedition company will be heading to Tanzania for their yearly New Year’s Mt. Kilimanjaro climb. The team will be lead by Tim Rippel and will be taking off on December 27th. The Mt. Kilimanjaro expedition has become a yearly New Year’s tradition for Peak Freaks and offers the opportunity to climb one of the famed seven summits on one of the world’s biggest holidays.
This year’s New Years itenerary includes a 3-day/3-night wild African safari. Ther Mt. Kilimanjaro climb and safari can be purchased together, or you have the opportunity to partake in each of these trips on their own.
The Peak Freaks website ofers more information on pricing, what to expect, and what is involved in such a magnificent New Years expedition. I couldn’t think of a cooler way to spend New Years than looking over the African Savannah from the top of Africa’s highest peak. Go check out their site for more information.
Xtreme Profiles: Fred Beckey “The Lone Rebel”
December 18, 2008
Fred Beckey photo by Rod Mar NYT 2008
Fred Beckey is one of climbing’s greatest warriors. Some people won’t recognize his name. Most of his greatness came before many of us were born. Some of his greatness came before many of our parents were born. Oddly enough, Fred Beckey is still climbing. Even more odd–he is 85 years old and has recently been profiled by The New York Times. So who is this guy?
Wikipedia doesn’t carry much information on Fred. Maybe that’s because many people probably know some of his accomplishments, or even read many of his books, but his name is just ‘normal’. That factor couldn’t be further from the truth. The one interesting thing that Wikipedia does have up, is the following quote:
Fred Beckey has achieved enduring recognition as the most imaginative, persistent, and thorough explorer and mountain investigator of the Cascade Range Wilderness. He was noted as “one of America’s most colorful and eccentric mountaineers,” and is unofficially recognized as the all-time world-record holder for the number of first ascents credited to one man. In addition to being the author of the Cascade Alpine Guide series, Beckey is also the author of Mountains of North America, The Range of Glaciers: Exploration and Survey of the North Cascades, and a personal narrative, Challenge of the North Cascades.
This quote is being attributed to Mountaineers Books. To look at Fred’s history and accomplishments might shock you:
Fred Beckey has made more first-ascents, the first person to top out on any given summit, than anyone else in the world. His very first attributed climb happened to be a first-ascent of Mt. Despair in 1939. His last? Who knows, it could be years from now. Fred Beckey is still rounding up climbing partners to tackle unknown peaks in Spain. That was his plan for 2008. After more than 70 years of climbing some of the world’s toughest and unknown peaks, Fred Beckey is still going strong. He has never had a major injury, never taken a major fall, but has been around when many of his friends and climbing partners have succumbed to tragedy.
Fred Beckey has also written the book on climbing. Literally. He has actually written a few books that now stand as all-time classics of mountaineering literature. These include the following taken from Wikipedia.
Xtreme Video: The Verticle Frontier
December 15, 2008
This is the trailer for the documentary “Verticle Frontier”. Verticle Frontier takes a look at the history of climbing in Yosemite National Park. I am told that this movie is available thorugh Netflix if you would have an interest in seeing it.
Xtreme Geography: Bhutan “Land Of The Thunder Dragon”
December 13, 2008
Bhutan is one of those countries that you don’t hear that often about. Bhutan lies between India and China, which may factor in to why this nation is often overlooked on people’s vacation planners. That may be why Bhutan could also be one of the world’s best kept secrets.
Bhutan is situated near Nepal and lies smack-dab in the middle of the Himalayan mountains. It’s seclusion from nearby neighbors has forced the nation into a state of poverty. Most Bhutan’s live on less than $1,000 per year. This majestic Buddhist nation didn’t even have a paved road till the 1960’s, something else that may attest to it’s seclusion.
The “Land of the Thunder Dragon” name comes from the turbulent weather brought on by being in the Himalaya region. Often violent storms will sweep down on the nation from the upper altitudes and bury it in high winds and snow. Bhutan’s weather isn’t always turbulent though. Especially if you arrive before the monsoon season that begins near the start of June.
Xtreme Gear: Oakley Classics Radar Range w/ VR28 Black Lens 60% Off
December 11, 2008
Xtreme conditions call for Xtreme gear. Whether your running an ultra-marathon in the Sahara, or taking a nice jaunt up Mt. Rainier, one of the toughest elements to face is usually the sun. Oakley sunglasses have been around for nearly 20 years. In that time, they have established themselves as one of the leaders in outdoor, big adventure, extreme condition eye wear. Sports athletes swear by them.
The Oakley Classics Radar Range sunglasses takes the styling from yesterday and adds the technology of today. These glasses are tuned to prevent sweat and rain from building up on the lenses, sort of like built in windsheild wipers–without the blades. You want more features? Check these out:
Xtreme Sports: Simon Dumont Breaks ‘Highest Air’ Quarterpipe Record-An EXPN Flashback
December 11, 2008
Simon Dumont has broken the world record for achieving the most air on a quarterpipe. His magnificent feat was witnessed by Guinness Book of World Records representatives, as well as a representative from Fédération Internationale de Ski, one of the world’s leading ski organizations. Simon Dumont’s record breaking attempt occurred in Bethel, Maine, at the Sunday River Ski Resort, just down the road from where Simon calls home.
Simon Dumont has been classified as a skiing prodigy since he first strapped on the bindings. In recent years he has risen to fame during the yearly X-Games competition, and has won a few medals to go with his ’skiing prodigy’ name.
Xtreme Expeditions: Dog Sledging The Can-American Border
December 10, 2008
Xtreme Expeditions generally takes a look at some of the current expeditions taking place around the world. The first installment looked at Jon Bowermaster and his return to the Antarctic continent. The second installment will be taking a look at an adventure that YOU still have the opportunity to join.
If you have ever dreamed of being driven around the arctic by a pack of dogs aka. Jack London style, then you will get a kick out of the adventure being proposed by Snowball Expeditions. Snowball Expeditions is currently offering a dog sledging adventure that will trace part of the Canadian-United States border. This will be your chance to mush a team of dogs in the frozen tundra of arctic like terrain–if you have ever been in northern Minnesota or Montana, then you know the winters can be quite dreadful and rival anything the arctic has to offer.
Xtreme Endurance: Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
December 9, 2008
The 2nd Annual Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge will be kicking off on Friday. This adventure race will be pitting coed teams of four against a six stage, desert romp that features six different disciplines (including the very interesting ‘camel hiking’). The winning team will take home a share of a $230,000 prize purse.
The Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge will have participants showing their skills in sea kayaking, camel hiking, cross orienteering, mountain biking, adventure running, rope activities, and in-line skating. That is a pretty varied list of events that will require all sorts of different skill sets.
Xtreme Peaks: 2008 Winter Himalayan/Karakorum Expedition List
December 5, 2008
The fall climbing season in the Himalayas and Pakistan has just about ended. Teams are now going through their gear, packing it up, and moving on. After a couple of nice summits during the fall climbing season, the attention now falls on winter. Xtreme Adventurer.com posted an article a week or so back that took a look at the meaning of climbing in winter. It is the most dangerous and grueling time of the year to attempt some of the world’s tallest peaks. There are actually a few of these peaks that have never been summited in winter. Last year, not a single team was able to top out on the higher elevated peaks in winter. These include the Karakorum range (Pakistan. Home of K2) and the Himalayas.
So what do we have to look forward to this year?
Xtreme Profiles: Reinhold Messner “The World’s Greatest Mountaineer”
December 4, 2008
Reinhold Messner has played many roles in life. World famous mountain climber, Arctic and Antarctic Explorer, desert trekker, speaker, politician, and even museum curator. Messner’s epic climbs will forever be remembered as some of the most grueling, horrifying, and glorious moments ever achieved by a true adventurer and a true mountaineer.
- First to Climb Mt. Everest without Oxygen
- First To Climb Mt. Everest Solo
- First To Scale all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks
- Third person to summit the Seven Summits (highest mountain on all seven continents)
- First Ascent North Face The Eiger
- First Ascent and new route up Nanga Parbat
- First AScent and new route up Gasherbrum I
Besides his great mountaineering achievements, later on in life Reinhold embarked on many more Xtreme adventures:
He has been to the top of the world’s highest mountains, stopped in at the North and South Poles, and continues to embark on adventurous journeys to the far ends of the world.
Reinhold’s adventures have not come without a price. In 1970, while attempting to climb a new route on Nanga Parbat, Reinhold’s brother Günther Messner would tragically be killed while trying to navigate the descent of Nanga Parbat’s Diamir Face. Reinhold and his brother had successfully summited and put up a new route by way of the Rupal Face. Reinhold Messner would come leave Nanga Parbat with three less fingers, seven less toes, and a brother that would be forever on the mountain. Reinhold stayed behind to search for his lost brother, while his teammates packed up and left the mountain. Reinhold Messner would go home empty handed.
