When we're not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we discovered this week.
When Artificial Intelligence reinvents the polar regions: While AI has proven a valuable tool for some polar researchers, AI-generated viral videos are increasingly presenting unrealistic images to the public. With many people struggling to distinguish real videos and photos from fakes, how might this wave of AI content affect researchers and photographers?
Remembering Arthur Frommer: Arthur Frommer died last week at the age 95. Stationed in Germany in 1953, Frommer found an affordable way to tour Europe. He lived like a local and avoided luxury hotels and tourist restaurants. He later launched the influential guide Europe on 5 dollars a day. By encouraging travelers to seek an authentic experience, Frommer championed what we now call sustainable travel.
Management of the Greenland Arctic Track: Lisa Germany has what many consider to be a dream job. It manages 20 trails in the municipality of Qeqqata in Greenland. Among them is the famous Arctic Circle Trail. Until 2022, the ACT was relatively unknown. Today, 1,000 people do it every summer. Germany discusses the pros and cons of her job and why she was drawn to Greenland.
A ship in the Vendée Globe race. Photo: Reuters
Another solo sailing record
New 24-hour distance record in the Vendée Globe: The 24-hour single-handed monohull distance record was once again broken during the Vendée Globe race. This is the third time that someone has broken the record since the start of this round-the-world race. This is also the second time that Yoann Richomme has broken the record. Richomme traveled 579.86 nautical miles in 24 hours.
Those at the front of the race work hard to stay in a fast, low-pressure system and gradually move away from the chasing pack.
Hiker 'woefully unprepared' on frozen Mount Washington: Authorities call for 'woefully unprepared' hiker to be fined after rescue on Mount Washington.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Wardens advised Tristan Murrin not to hike to the summit due to difficult conditions. He ignored them and took a hike to “beat the storm”. At the summit, Murrin broke into a State Park sno-cat vehicle and refused to get out until someone drove him down the mountain.
The Trans Dinarique. Photo: Joanna Chmara
Connect the Balkans by bike
The Trans Dinarique: The Trans Dinarica is a new 5,500 km cycle route that connects eight Balkan nations. Stretching from Slovenia to Albania, the trail winds through national parks, UNESCO sites, the Dinaric Alps and a lot remote villages. This summer, Joanna Chmara cycled the route from Podgorica, Montenegro, to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A great year for women in the mountains: It's been a great year for women in the mountains, and the American Alpine Club is highlighting two notable all-female teams. The first is a team of four Slovenes who made the first ascent of Lalung I (India) via an east-west traverse. The second is an Italian duo who opened a new route on the south face of Pik in the Ak-su valley in Kyrgyzstan.
The Lyngen Alps. Photo: Pete Elliott
The Lyngen Alps
Sailing to ski: Lyngen Alps: Hidden in the Arctic Circle, Norway's Lyngen Alps offer a spectacular mix of sailing and skiing. Last year, Pete Elliott took part in a six-day sailing and skiing trip.
Starting from Tromso, the group sailed to Vannoya. There they landed and put on their ski gear, then strapped their skis to their backs and headed towards Vanntinden. Climbing for three hours, rocky beaches and trails transform into snow-capped peaks around deep fjords. At the top, they turned around and raced down the slopes to the boat.
Skiing is not about conquering the mountains: Earlier this year, Black Diamond released a video of skiers sliding down an untouched powder slope. For Conner Ryan and many others, the video's ending was shocking.
“We own this range,” someone says off-camera at the end of the video. Ryan, who is Lakota, thought it was an unnecessarily aggressive end to the post. For many Native Americans, using phrases like this brings back memories of violence. When he said this on social media, hundreds of people offered their support but were quickly overwhelmed by a hellscape of racist and bigoted comments.
