National Park Service Raises Price Of Denali Climbing Permits

Earlier this week, the National Park Service announced that it was raising the price of climbing permits for Denali, the tallest peak in North America. The fee increase, we're told, is to help offset the rising costs of rescuing climbers on the mountain.

Beginning in the 2012 season, the cost of a standard permit to climb the 6196 meter (20,327 ft) mountain will increase from $200 to $350. Permits issued for climbers 24 years old and younger will cost $250. Fees were originally instituted on the mountain back in 1995 to help cover the costs of maintaining a Search and Rescue.

Denali is a challenging, difficult mountain to climb, and since it is one of the Seven Summits, it is also a popular one. As a result, it sees its fair share of traffic each year, and along with that traffic comes some concerns with accidents and injuries. To help protect the climbers, the Park Service maintains three camps at various altitudes, plus a high altitude helicopter used for rescues. The NPS also funds an educational program designed to help prevent situations that would require climbers to need a SAR team.

Personally, I think a $350 permit is still a bargain on this type of climb and I don't see this impacting the number of people on the mountain too an great extent. If it helps fund operations that make the mountain safer, than I think it is definitely a justifiable rate increase and one that most mountaineers would applaud as well.

Tackling The Tooth Traverse

I'm kicking things off this morning with another beautiful video from Renan Ozturk, who traveled to Alaska with friends Freddie Wilkinson and Zack Smith during a time of mourning and healing after the loss of friends Jonny Copp and Micah Dash, who died while climbing in China back in 2009. The trio took on what they call the "Tooth Traverse" in Ruth Gorge in what looks to be a pretty amazing project.

The video serves as a trailer for a bigger film project to come, which looks to be quite intriquing. Check it out below and then read Renan's thoughts on the subject on the North Face Never Stop Exploring Blog.


The Tooth Traverse from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Denali Update: It's Over For Alan

Alan Arnette's plans for summiting Denali came to an end over the weekend thanks to a suborn and persistent weather system that would not allow access to the top of the mountain. He and his team had been at High Camp, located at 17,500 ft (5334 meters) for seven days waiting for a weather window to open, but high winds and heavy snows continued to prevent them from mounting any kind of serious summit bids. As a result, they simply ran out of time, so Alan, along with the rest of his Mountain Trip team, are now heading home.

This Denali climb was the most recent in Alan's bid to climb the Seven Summits to raise funds for Alzheimer's research. After completing successful climbs on Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in South America, and Everest in Asia, he seemed poised to stand atop Denali as well. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with those plans, so this summit will have to wait for awhile.

Next up on the agenda is Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe at 18,481 ft. (5643 meters). Alan will travel to the Caucasus Mountains in August to take on that climb, before heading to Tanzania in September for the 19,340 foot (5896 meter) Kilimanjaro.

Having a climb called off due to weather is part of the game when it comes to mountaineering. That doesn't make it any easier or any less disappointing when it happens. According to his latest dispatch, Alan is now at Base Camp at 7800 ft on the mountain as he waits, along with about 45 other climbers, for extraction from Denali. The weather is much better at that altitude, and temperatures have risen high enough that they have to wait for the glacier to refreeze before a plane can come and retrieve them. if all goes well, the teams should be headed home today however.

I'm sure more than a few of them will be dreaming about Denali until next year, when they can return and give it another crack.

Waiting Out The Weather On Denali

As I've mentioned before, Alan Arnette is currently climbing Denali as the fourth leg of his Seven Summits for Alzheimer's project. Having already knocked off Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in South America, and Everest in Asia, he has been hoping to finish Denali, the highest peak in North America as well. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperating, and his window is starting to run short, as he awaits an opportunity to add one more summit to his already impressive resume.

According to his latest dispatch, Alan is currently sitting at High Camp on Denali, which is located at about 5242 meters (17,200 ft). He, and the rest of his team, are hoping that weather forecasts hold true, and the projected change in weather takes place tomorrow, which would clear the way for summit attempts on Thursday. If the high winds and snows continue however, his opportunity to summit may disappear. The expedition has set a deadline of July 17th, which is Sunday, for when they'll need to leave the mountain.

Alan and his squad, which is being guided by Mountain Trip, are making a late season climb, and as a result, they are practically the only ones on the mountain at the moment. That could prove to be very beneficial if they do get the opportunity to summit, as there won't be any traffic jams headed up to the 6196 meter (20,327 ft) summit. On the other hand, with all the snow that has been hitting the area recently, they'll be forced to break trail themselves. I'm sure at the moment however, they're just all hoping they'll get a crack at the summit.

Stay tuned for updates later in the week. Hopefully there will be at least one more successful Denali climb this season.

Alan Arnette On Denali

While I've posted a few times on the start of the climbing season in the Karakoram, I have barely mentioned the attempts on Denali so far this year. As many of you know, the 6196 meter (20,327 foot) mountain, located in the heart of Alaska, is the tallest peak in North America, and a formidable challenge at any time of the year. Most climbers attempt the peak in June and July in an attempt to avoid the worst of the weather there, although conditions can be unpredictable and dicey year round.

Fresh off his successful summit of Everest this past spring, Alan Arnette has traveled to Alaska and has already been sending back some excellent dispatches from the road. Alan set off on his latest expedition on Saturday and arrived in Base Camp yesterday, where he reports that his team has the place all to themselves at the moment. The climb itself begins in ernest today, with the team, which is being led by Mountain Trip guides, heading up to Camp 1, located at about 2408 meters (7900 feet). They'll now spend a few nights there before going back down to BC as part of their acclimatization process.

This is the fourth leg of Alan's 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer's project, during which he is hoping to raise $1 million for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. Having already finished off Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcaqua in South America, and Everest in Asia, Denali is the toughest of the climbs left on the schedule. It is also a mountain that Alan is familiar with, having attempted it on two occasions in the past. He's hoping that third time will be charm however, and that this time, he'll stand on the summit.

Follow along with Alan's adventure with regular updates on his blog. He always offers great insights into what ever climb he is on and shares his experiences in a wonderful manner. I'll post updates has he heads up as well.

7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Alaska's Aleutian Islands

Alaska's Aleutian Islands were rocked by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami warning was in effect for the coastal areas of Alaska from Unimak Pass to Amchitka Pass. (Source)

The warning covers an area from 80 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor to about 125 miles west of Adak.

Details here.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages.

More reports from Sacbee, and Fox News.

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First Kayak Run Of The Season - Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Ah... spring time! When we all start to head outside once again and enjoy all the great outdoor activities that we missed during the long winter months. Like the paddlers in the video below, who took their first run of the year on Sixmile Creek on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The video was shot back on April 24th of this year, and gives you an idea of what the area is like in the early spring. There is still plenty of snow on the ground and ice in the river, which makes it all the more challenging.

Four Climbers Injured, One Dead on Denali

While most of our attention has been drawn to the Himalaya over the past few weeks, some daring climbers have been making spring attempts on Denali. One of those climbs went bad last week, leaving one climber dead and four others injured on the West Buttress of the mountain.

According to this story at the Alpinist, six climbers set off for their final summit push on the 6196 meter (20,327 ft) Denali on May 11th. They began the day at High Camp, located at 5242 meters (17,200 ft), in conditions that were said to be excellent, although high winds were in the forecast for later in the day. One member of the group elected to stay in camp due to the forecast, while Tony Diskin, Jeremiah O'Sullivan, Beat Niederer and Lawrence Cutler, along with their two guides Dave Staeheli and Henry Munter, headed for the summit.

Part way up the mountain, Diskin turned back. Suffering from frostbite on his fingers, he was assisted down the mountain by Munter. When the pair arrived at High Camp, they gathered up the climber there, and moved further down the mountain. Meanwhile, the others continued to go higher, eventually reaching the summit late in the afternoon. On their descent, O'Sullivan tripped and fell, dragging his teammates, who were all roped in, down the glacier for about 300 feet. He broke his leg in the fall, and the report says that Niederer also dislocated a shoulder and that Staeheli broke a rib.

 With the team in bad shape, Staeheli attempted to call for help, but was unable to get a radio signal and the satellite phone was damaged in the fall. The guide sent Niederer and Cutler, who was uninjured, down the mountain to seek help, while he attempted to drag O'Sullivan in a bivy sack, giving up after just a few hundred feet.

At about this time, the winds began to pick up and temperatures began to drop, so Staeheli made the decision to go down to High Camp with Niederer and Cutler to try to organize a rescue, leaving O'Sullivan on the mountain above 19,000 feet. They stumbled down the mountain, and at one point, Staeheli and Cutler became separated from Niederer, who went missing somewhere on the descent. Stumbling into High Camp, the guide and his lone remaining client, were aided by another team that has also gone up to the summit that morning.

The weather took a turn for the worse and a rescue wasn't possible until the following day. Helicopters were able to go up the mountain, where they pulled both O'Sullivan and Niederer off the high slopes of Denali. O'Sullivan was alive, but need immediate attention, while Niederer showed no signs of life at all, and was later declared dead. At this time, the cause of his death is not known.

For the full story, be sure to read the account by the Alpinist. It is a sad tale, with a set of circumstances that put the guides and other climbers into a bad position. It was almost as if things were going to turn sour no matter which decision they made. This will no doubt be one of those mountaineering stories that are debated for a long time.

My condolences to Niederer's friends and family for their loss.

Michael Ferrara Aborts Attempt To Ski Across Alaska

Over the weekend, Michael Ferrara ended his attempt to cross Alaska, south to north, on skis, citing dry weather conditions and a nagging injury as reasons for pulling the plug. Ferrara, who had launched the expedition to raise awareness of the issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder amongst emergency response personnel, announced his decision in a blog post on the Born Out There Blog.

Michael's journey began back in March when he, along with his dog Lhotse, hit the trail on their cross country skis. Along the way, he ran into a number of challenges, including a lack of quality snow, difficult routes, ever changing weather, and more. In mid-April, Ferrara suffered a sprained knee while in town, of all places, and that put him on the shelf for a few weeks. During that period, he watched what little snow there was in the southern region of Alaska dwindle further, and his recovery time seemed to lag on.

Still, if you read Michael's post, you see that he got a lot out of his journey, even if he didn't come close to reaching the geographic destination at the finish line. He found new friends along the way, re-discovered how much he loved the Alaskan wilderness, and had a great time on his skis for a few weeks. What else could anyone ask for out of their adventures?

Alaska Ski Crossing Delayed

Last week I told you about Michael Ferrara, who planning to ski the length of Alaska, south-to-north, in an effort to raise awareness of the high numbers of emergency response personnel who suffer from of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Michael, along with his dog Lhotse, were hoping to get underway at the first of the month, but it turns out there have been some logistical delays that are preventing them from making progress.

In a blog post to the First Ascent Born Out There Blog, Ferrara indicated that he has been stuck in Talkeetna in part due to bad weather in the area. While the calendars may say that it is spring for most of the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, in Alaska, it is still quite cold and wintery. The path ahead of him is a bit problematic as well, with a river that has just opened up, and a challenging path through the wilderness. Michael is also plagued with a broken stove at the moment, and he doesn't really want to set out until it is fixed. The problem is, getting it fixed in Talkeetna this time of year isn't an easy prospect.

But, things are looking up. A couple of locals have given him some route advice and he currently scouting an alternate path that may allow him to get underway more quickly. He still has to deal with the broken stove, but at least he has a potential plan for moving ahead. With more than 800 miles of wilderness to cross, you can bet he's anxious to get underway.

As for Lhotse, he seems to be a bigger attraction than his owner. The dog will follow along on every mile of the expedition, and he seems to be quite the hit with the ladies, both canine and human, in Talkeetna. In his dispatch, Michael has this to say about his best friend:

"As we walk around town the ladies all come out from the backyards and alleys to greet him. He’s got about three girl dogs who follow him around town. Brad Pitt, I tell you."

Sounds like someone is having an adventure in Alaska!

Winter On Denali: Video Brings Challenges Home

Back in February, Christine Feret and Artur Testov made a bold attempt to summit Denali in winter. The 6196 meter (20,327ft) mountain, located in the heart of Alaska's wilderness, is a challenging climb in the best of conditions, but in the winter the weather adds an entirely new dimension.

Obviously, most of us will never get an opportunity to get anywhere close to the mountain during the winter, which is why the video below is such a good one. It shows the conditions that Christine and Artur had to deal with on their expedition, including poor weather, sub-zero temperatures, and tons of snow.

Oh! And if you've ever wondered what it looks like inside a snow cave, than this video is for you. The duo stayed in snow caves the entire time, and there are several portions of the video that capture that experience. (Warning: This video may make you say "Brrrr!")`

Adventurer Set To Ski Across Alaska

Add the First Responder Recovery Project to your list of cool expeditions that are going on at the moment. It is the brainchild of Michael Ferrara, who is planning to ski more than 900 miles across Alaska, south to north. Along the way, he'll be posting updates to the Outside Online Blog, which notes that Michael's course will take him from the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean.

The first dispatch from Alaska was posted yesterday, with the news that Ferrara had arrived in Anchorage safely, along with his traveling companion, Lhotse. Lhotse is Michael's dog, and from the sounds of things, he gets more attention than his master. He'll also be trailing along on all 900 miles of this journey. Michael also announced a slight change in his route, but since he hasn't set off yet, it is mostly a logistical thing. At the moment, he's still finishing up his gear prep, and is busily cutting weight in hopes of going lighter and faster.

While skiing 900 miles through Alaskan backcountry should be quite an adventure in and of itself, Ferrara isn't going just because he enjoys the outdoors. He is hoping to raise awareness of the high level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that is found amongst emergency response personnel. As a man who has spent 30 years of his life as a first responder in some form or another, Michael knows how important those men and women are, but he also knows the stress that that job can bring.

If all goes as planned, Ferrara should complete the expedition sometime in May. While most of us will be enjoying the warmer temps of late spring by then, in Alaska there will still be plenty of snow and ice. Especially in the north.

Be sure to follow Michael on his blog and the Outside Online Blog as well. And on a side note, I'd like to say that Lhotse may be the coolest name for a dog EVER!

2011 Iditarod: John Baker Wins In Record Time

The 2011 Iditarod has its winner! Experienced musher John Baker became the first person to finish the 1131 mile route, arriving in Nome this morning. Baker claims his first ever Iditarod championship, and he did so in epic fashion, completing the course in record time. It took Baker just 8 days, 18 hours to finish the race, besting the old record, held by Martin Buser, by two hours.

The only other musher who has crossed through the checkpoint at Safety is Ramey Smyth. He is now on the stretch run to Nome, where he'll easily claim second place. Behind him, currently running in third is Hans Gatt, followed by Dallas Seavey and Hugh Neff, all of whom are through White Mountain, which means they have less than 77 miles to go until they reach the finish line.

Other mushers of note include Deedee Jonrowe, who is in tenth place coming down the stretch and Lance Mackey who is running in 16th place. Baker's win snaps Mackey's run of four straight Iditarod titles, which as been an impressive run over the past few years.

While a winner has been crowned, the race will continue over the next few days as more teams arrive on Front Street in Nome. The front runners will all stagger in over the next few hours and into this evening, but the back-of-the-pack racers are still hundreds of miles away from Nome. The Last Great Race, as it is known, is an outstanding test of endurance and skill, and just finishing is an accomplishment. Lets hope the rest of the teams get the chance to do just that, and come home safe and sound.

Congrats to John Baker on the very impressive win!

2011 Iditarod: John Baker Only Musher In And Out Of Elim

2011 Iditarod continued throughout the weekend, with mushers battling for position out on the course. The leaderboard has been shaken up some, with a number of familiar names, as well as fresh ones, appearing in the top ten.

As of this writing, the man out in front is John Baker, who is the only person to enter, and depart, the Elim checkpoint. Elim falls at the 1008 mile mark, which means for Baker, there is less than 123 miles to Nome. His next closest competitor is Ramey Smyth, who is through Koyuk, and steaming his way to Elim now. He is followed by Hans Gatt, Sebastian Schnuelle, Hugh Neff, and Dallas Seavey. That group ranks 3rd through 6th place respectively, and are the only mushers that are also through the Koyuk checkpoint.

Other names of note include DeeDee Jonrowe, who is running in 8th place and is into Koyuk and four-time defending champ Lance Mackey, who finds himself in the unusual position of 17th place, and far off the pace.

A quick look at the leaderboard shows that Baker is running a bit over 8 mph with his dogs at the moment, and none of the other competitors are close to that, save for Dallas Seavey. With Nome in sight, I think it is safe to say that this is Baker's race to win or lose at this point. It isn't over by any stretch of the imagination, but he's been running well all weekend long, and seems to have a strong team that is poised to arrive in Nome in just a day or two. If the weather holds, and the dogs keep up their pace, it will be very tough to catch him.

Look for the race to be officially over by Wednesday.

2011 Iditarod: Sebastian Schnuelle Out In Front Through Anvik

It has been a few days since I posted an update on the Iditarod, and a lot has happened in that time. The top mushers are now into the Anvik checkpoint, which falls at the 624 mile mark, leaving just 507 miles to go until the finish line in Nome. As of this writing, Sebastian Schnuelle is the leader of the race, and the only musher out of Anvik, but a host of sled drivers are chasing him, including some rather big names. Meanwhile, a former champ was forced to withdraw following an injury.

As noted above, Schnuelle is currently running in first place, with Hugh Neff in second. John Baker holds down the third spot, with Lance Mackey still lurking in fourth, and Ray Redington, Jr. rounding out the top five. Other names of note include four-time champ Martin Buser, who was in the lead for much of the early going, falling back to sixth place through Anvik, and crowd favorite DeeDee Jonrowe is racing well in 10th place having left the Shageluk checkpoint.

Hugh Neff was actually the first person to reach the Yukon, arriving in Anvik ahead of the pack. Fans of the race will know that that honor awards him a gourmet meal cooked by the head chef from the Millenium Hotel in Anchorage. That meal is cooked over a campstove and is a seven course affair where they receive a 7 course meal prepared over a campstove. It is quite a prize for the person who earns it, and the "8th course" isn't bad either. That consists of $3500 in cash!

Many of the teams will now take a mandatory eight hour rest break in Anvik before heading out on the trail once again to start the final push for Nome. It appears that Schnuelle has made the calculated risk of skipping that break for now, in an effort to put some distance and time between himself and his competitors. We'll see if that pays off down the line.

There has been another scratch from the race as well, this time taking a big name out of the race. Mitch Seavey was forced to withdraw when he cut his hand while opening a bale of straw for his dogs at the Ophir checkpoint. Apparently the cut was quite deep and severe, which prompted him not only to leave the race, but also get airlifted to a hospital for stitches.

The race is really starting to heat up now, and we'll start to see the front runners using different tactics to try to jockey for position. With 500+ miles yet to go, it is still anyone's race, but the race tacticians will likely start to take over in the next few days.

2011 Iditarod: Buser Still Leads, Mackey In Second Into Takotna

The 2011 Iditarod continues today, with a host of mushers into Takotna, where many are taking their mandatory 24-hour layover that is designed to give the drivers and their dogsled teams a much needed rest. The checkpoint falls at the 419 mile mark of the 1131 mile race, and is often a place where the front runners really start to put a distance between themselves and the pack.

The first musher into Takotna was Martin Buser, who has been running at the front for the past few days. Running in second place behind Buser is four-time defending champ Lance Mackey, who is about an hour and 45 minutes back, with Sebastian Schnuelle running in third, another 18 minutes down. Hugh Neff is currently in fourth place and Ray Redington, Jr. is holding down fifth at this time. Other mushers of note include father and son Mitch and Dallas Seavey, who are in 6th and 9th place respectively.

Buser earned himself the 2011 Penair Spirit of Alaska Award for being the first racer into the McGrath Checkpoint. Given out annually by Penair Airlines, the award is a custom made "spirit" mask and a $500 credit for shipping freight. That probably comes in handy when it comes to getting that sled back home, huh?

Since yesterday's update, two more mushers have scratched from the race, including Iditarod veteran Paul Gebhardt, who was down to just 8 dogs when he arrived at Nikolai. With 700-miles of racing ahead of him, Gebhardt elected to step aside for the safety of team. Jessica Hendricks also withdrew from the race in Nikolai.

2011 Iditarod: Buser Leads Into Nikolai

As I mentioned last week, the 2011 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race got underway over the weekend, with 62 mushers and their teams setting out from Willow, Alaska on Sunday after the ceremonial start in Anchorage the day before. They're now two days into the event, which is an 1131 mile dash to Nome through some of the most remote backcountry in a state that specializes in remote backcountry.

As of this writing, the top racers have reached Nikolai, which is approximately 347 miles into the race. The first person to reach that point was four time champ Martin Buser, who seems to be racing well at the moment. Just minutes behind him was Robert Bundtzen and Hugh Neff, with Ray Redington Jr and Lance Mackey rounding out the current top five. Sebastian Schnuelle is the only other musher into Nikolai so far.

The trail conditions at the front are said to be good, but as more dogs and sleds chew up the route, it said to be getting kind of gnarly for those further back in the pack. Five time Iditarod champ Rick Swenson, who is currently running in 28th place, injured his shoulder when he took a fall on the Happy River Steps between Rainy Pass and Rohn this morning. He has elected to continue racing, but the extent of the injury is not known.

Two mushers have withdrawn from the race, which actually isn't a bad attrition rate two days in. Both Zoya DeNure and Melissa Owens elected to not continue upon reaching Rainy Pass. DeNure withdrew for the best interest of her dog team while Owens suffered an a pre-race injury to her leg, which she re-injured somewhere out on the trail.

Stay tuned for more updates. With over 700 miles yet to run, the race is obviously up for grabs, but there are some big names already hanging around at the top. If Lance Mackey is anywhere close to the front in the latter stages of the race, will anyone bet against him?

The "Last Great Race" Begins This Weekend!

The Last Great Race, also known as the Iditarod, gets underway this weekend, with the ceremonial start in Anchorage, Alaska taking place tomorrow and the proper start from Willow on Sunday. The annual event is amongst the longest and most challenging sled dog races in the world, with this year's course covering 1131 miles between Anchorage and Nome.

The Idiatrod has two routes that alternate each year, with the 2011 version taking the southern route through Shageluk, Anvik, and Grelying. Depending on the weather, the race should take roughly 10-15 days to complete. The top teams can cover the distance faster however, as long as the conditions are right.

The field is once again deep and talented, with a number of former winners hoping to cross the finish line in first place once again. Chief amongst them is Lance Mackey, who flirted with retirement after winning the race for the fourth straight year in 2010. Mackey is back to try to claim a fifth title, and heading into the event he is definitely the man to beat.

Keep an eye out for Dallas Seavey as well. He's coming off a huge win in the Yukon Quest a few weeks back, and has plenty of experience despite his 23-years of age. Seavey is also the son of former champ, Mitch Seavey who is hoping for another win as well. Other notables to watch include Hans Gatt, Martin Buser, and Sebastian Schnuelle.

Watch for regular updates on the event over the next few weeks. It is always one of my favorite races to watch each year, and the Iditarod never fails to provide plenty of excitement and drama. This year will be no exception I'm sure.

Denali Winter Ascent: Weather Thwarts Climb

After having limited Internet access for the past day and a half, I'm finally getting back online and starting to get caught up on everything that has been going down in the world of adventure. Updates may continue to be on the slow side for the next day or two, but things are progressing and improving.

One of the expeditions that I've been watching closely has been the winter climb of Denali in Alaska. Artur Testov and Christine Feret had been attempting that very difficult mountaineering feat, and when we last checked in with them, they were heading down to reassess their options. It turns out that the options were not so good, and so they decided to pack in the expedition and head home for another year.

The weather on Denali in the winter is fickle to say the least, and this is the second time that it has played havoc with Artur and Chritine's attempt to summit the mountain. Much like last time, the pair spent several days huddled in a snow cave waiting for an opportunity to move up, but once again that opportunity never came.

The challenge wasn't finished when they decided to end the expedition however, as the descent was a harrowing one, marred by very high winds, lots of snow, and cold temperatures. You can learn more about that part of their climb by listening to the audio dispatches that are available on the expedition's blog.

Standing 20,327 feet (6,196 meters), Denali is the tallest mountain in North America and due to the northerly latitude that it falls on, it is a challenge to climb at any time of the year, let alone in the winter. Fortunately, Artur and Christine made it down in one piece and without significant injury. Perhaps they'll be able to give it a go next year.

17-Year Old Wins Junior Iditarod

Over the weekend, 17-year old Jeremiah Klejka claimed victory in the Junior Iditarod, completing the 180 mile course in 1 day, 11 hours, and 46 minutes. The race, which is open to teens between the age of 14-17, serves as an annual precursor to the 1100+ mile Iditarod, which will get underway next weekend in Anchorage.

This was Klejka's third running of the Junior and he hopes it will be a springboard to the much bigger event in years to come. The high school junior has been mushing since he was six years old, when both he and his sister took up the sport. Sister Jessica won the event back in 2008.

Anitra Winkler came in second place, about 26 minutes behind Klejka. Third place went to Emily Krol, who finished another 22 minutes back.

In other Iditarod news, the National Geographic Adventure Blog has post today on the "Last Great Race," which not only gives a bit of detail on the event, and what it takes to compete, but also goes into musher Oswald “Newton” Marshall's techniques for staying warm on the trail. You see, Oswald is from Jamaica, which isn't exactly a hotbed of dogsledding champions. But he loves to race none-the-less, even though the cold may have a bigger effect on him than some of the other racers. To keep the blood flowing, Marshall will sometimes stay active by dancing.

The article also talks about four time winner Lance Mackey and his fight with cancer. It's an excellent read all around and a great way to prepare for the Iditarod this weekend.