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.
From Death Valley to Denali: In the coming days, Oli France begins cycling from the bottom of Death Valley to Denali in Alaska. He will then climb the highest peak in North America.
This is part of a larger project where he aims to get from the lowest point of each continent to the highest point through human power. This is the second part of the challenge. Its first continent was Africa.
The allure of a remote Caribbean island: Mona Island is located halfway between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Over the centuries, it has hosted indigenous communities, pirates, prisoners, scientists and refugees.
The island sits in the middle of Mona Passage, a notoriously rough body of water and a popular route for migrants. Many migrants find themselves stranded on Mona and must be evacuated from the wildlife reserve by rangers living on the island.
The bloody corridor
Cody Townsend finishes “The Fifty”: In 2019, professional freeride skier Cody Townsend began riding all 50 of North America's classic ski runs. He completed 46 lines. Line 46, The Bloody Corridor, it was a full circle for him. Twenty years earlier, it was the first big mountain line he skied.
But now Townsend says he's done with “The Fifty.” He will not film the remaining four lines and is unsure if he will complete them.
“Whether Bjarne (Salen) and I complete 50 or not is a question I continue to search for the answer to,” Townsend says in what may be his final video of the series.
An interview with Siebe Vanhee: Siebe Vanhee has made ascents all over the world. Many have been first ascents and first free ascents. Recently he was part of the team that completed the first free ascent of the Storm Riders in Patagonia.
Vanhee talks about her first attempt at the wall, moving from the sport to big wall climbing, how Belgium (a country without big walls) has produced so many talented big wall climbers, and her return to Dawn Wall of Yosemite.
Leszek Naziemiec emerges from the Yukon. Photo: Piotr Sadurski
The Yukon Odyssey by Leszek Naziemiec: Last July, Leszek Naziemiec swam 250 km of the Yukon River. He talks about his move from organized events to personal challenges, his love of cold water swimming and how he prepares for it.
Pakistan Travel Policy
Travel influencers embroiled in Pakistani politics: When Cynthia Ritchie visited Pakistan, she fell in love with the country. A year later, she moved there and ended up creating a trailer for a documentary she planned to make about her new home.
The documentary never materialized, but the trailer, oddly enough, inspired social media influencers to promote Pakistan as a new vacation destination. While some appreciated the positive attention from their country, others felt it distracted from serious national issues.
Descent of Dajianshan Falls. Photo: BASE Magazine
Hunting for happiness through adventure in Taiwan: In February, Sofia Jin set off to discover the world of adventure in Taiwan. The island is not a famous adventure destination, but the possibilities are plentiful.
Focusing on rock climbing, cycling and water sports, Jin raced down Dajianshan Waterfall, scaled Long Dong Cliffs and cycled through Yangmingshan National Park. This first part of an upcoming series explores whether adventure can lead to happiness.
Fifty other classic climbs in North America: In 1979, Steve Roper and Alex Steck published Fifty classic North American climbs. To date, no one has completed them. Owen Clarke suggests 50 other classic climbs on the continent; most are slightly more accessible than those on the original list.
