When we're not outdoors, we're finding adventure by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we discovered this week.
Should Yosemite Close Half Dome Cables? : Grace Rohloff was descending Half Dome in Yosemite in early July when she fell off the steep granite section of the slope on metal cables in the rain.
Rohloff is the seventh hiker to die in the area since 2006. Should authorities remove the cables (first installed in 1920)? Legendary mountaineer Alex Honnold disagrees. He believes the danger lies in the mountains themselves. They are inherently risky and cannot be made 100 percent safe.
A cursed ship and the fate of its sunken gold:In 1746, the Prince de Conty sank off the coast of France, taking a considerable amount of gold with it. Nearly 300 years later, some of the gold ended up in the hands of an elderly Florida couple who were eventually arrested for trafficking a “national treasure belonging to France.”
The Bonhomme William took 30 minutes to sink after being attacked by an orca. Photo: Robert Powell
Orcs strike again
Another sinking Orca yacht: Robert Powell was the skipper of his Beneteau 393 Clipper. Before leaving Portugal on July 23, he checked the latest orca reports. Since no orcas had been sighted in the area, he decided it was a good time to sail to the Greek islands.
While sailing off Punta Camarinal in the Strait of Gibraltar, Powell felt something hit the boat. Two young orcas were ramming into it. He tried to outrun them, but to no avail. Three more orcas joined the group. The orcas broke the rudder and split the hull. By the time the rescue boat arrived, the yacht was already half submerged.
Six images of Gabriel Medina claiming everyday things:The photo of Gabriel Medina hovering above the waters of Tahiti with his surfboard reflecting him perfectly could be THE image of the 2024 Olympics. Where else could it fit in?
Gabriel Medina fits perfectly into football. Photo: Inertia Magazine
Saved by SUP
From prison to eight-time SUP world record holder: Four years ago, Dave Haze was in prison. It was his second stint in prison. Broken, he started reading stand-up paddleboard magazines. Once locked up, he came up with a list of challenges to complete on a SUP.
Since his release from prison, Haze has stuck to his plan and set eight SUP world records. His 2024 goal list is ambitious: he will attempt to break 33 world records in 33 countries in 66 days.
The best climbing movie trailer of all time? : Asgard Jammingreleased in 2009, follows a climbing expedition on Baffin Island. The trailer has the same wacky style and Baffin Island location as The pleasure of sleepand both films star Sean O'Driscoll. Fifteen years later, some argue that this film remains the best climbing movie trailer ever made.
Family reunion goes wrong
Thirteen people rescued on Arizona hiking trail: A family reunion in Arizona nearly turned disastrous last week. Despite a heat warning, 13 hikers from an extended family set out on a morning hike. All had to be rescued, and three children were hospitalized. The group got lost and ran out of water. Local authorities dispatched 65 firefighters to find the family.
Tuva Stavo makes the first female ascent of Arctandria: Tuva Stavo made the first female ascent of the Arctandry on Store Blamann in Norway. It is a 400m trad 8a+ climb on the north face of the granite monolith.
