Adventure
Fjällräven Polar is an annual expedition developed to show that with the right knowledge, equipment, and support, anyone can learn to appreciate nature and become an Arctic explorer.
Read more about the Fjällräven Polar 2023 expedition.
Dick Proenneke in “Alone in the Wilderness” is the story of Dick Proenneke living at Twin Lakes in the Alaska wilderness.
Dick retired at age 50 in 1967 and decided to build his own cabin on the shore of Twin Lakes. He filmed his adventures so he could show his relatives in the lower 48 states what life was like in Alaska, building his cabin, hunting for food, and exploring the area.
Bob Swerer has used some of the footage from Dick’s films and created 4 videos about Dick, “Alone in the Wilderness”, “Alone in the Wilderness part 2”, “Alaska, Silence and Solitude” and “The Frozen North”. They can purchase from Bob Swerer Productions at the DickProenneke.com website.
Below are some excepts from these films.
Practical Boat Owner » Cruising legend Jimmy Cornell reflects on his many years of boat ownership and his quest to create the best liveaboard boat for bluewater adventures.
Racer Joshua Haulli and dogsled team approach Camp 1. (Source » Canadian Geographic) Copyright © Dustin Patar
Story and photography by Dustin Parr »
It was cold, colder than usual for the time of year. Some 45 kilometres to the northeast, the Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) airport would tally the low of minus 31.8 C as the coldest April 18 of the last 20 years. But the sun was shining, a clear indication that the darkness and true chill of winter had been washed away by the embrace of an early High Arctic spring.
Here, at the frozen mouth of the Iqalulik river on the northwestern corner of Qikiqtaaluk (Baffin Island), a small camp began to take shape. Not so slowly, a mix of well-worn white canvas tents seemed to pop out of the equally white sea ice, joined by others of bright orange and yellow.
As the tents went up, organized activity flurried around them. Plywood, blankets, sleeping bags and stoves were pulled from their resting places deep inside the qamutiit (traditional Inuit sleds) and placed inside the tents. A small number of saw-or shovel-wielding campers ventured out to where the sea of snow drifts was undisturbed, seeking the best snow and ice for drinking and cooking water. Another group, also gripping saws and axes, chopped whole frozen Arctic char and seals into small, manageable portions for dogs. Those too young to help out kicked a soccer ball through the snow.
Increasing numbers of people are taking to woodlands and wildernesses to learn ancient survival skills and rekindle a lost connection with the natural world.
Human beings are extinct in the wild. The majority of us would be clueless in a true survival situation, having been coddled and cosseted by the comforts of civilisation. Cloistered away in our homes and offices, with fresh water at the turn of a tap, warmth at the touch of a button and food delivered to our doors, we have lost touch with the natural rhythms and resources that keep us alive. The acquisition and practice of survival skills seeks to redress this imbalance, and it has a name: bushcraft.
“With camping, you’re just existing in an outdoor environment,” Prideaux said, as we set off into the woods in search of edible mushrooms. “Bushcraft is about interacting with it in a meaningful way; knowing where your break points are with the environment.”
Gareth Andrews (left) and Richard Stephenson (Right)
Devon Bolger, New Zealand Herald »
A New Zealand doctor and his brother-in-law are attempting something that’s never been achieved in Antarctica before — the first unsupported crossing of the icy continent.
Richard Stephenson, 40, from Dunedin, and his brother-in-law Gareth Andrews will begin the 2600km journey with little more than a sled and some skis.
They are expecting it to take about 110 days and will start in November next year.
The pair will begin at the edge of the ice shelf and make their way across the continent, to the other ice shelf, by skiing while dragging their supplies in a sled.
UK-based outdoor and clothing equipment brand Montane and Wired for Adventure teamed up to put together a short list of the most remote places to visit in Europe.
Ollie Rooke, writing for Wired For Adventure »
Ushguli – Georgia
While there’s some debate as to whether Georgia resides in Europe or Asia, we simply had to include this small settlement. A collection of tiny villages located at the foot of Shkhara mountain (5,193m), Ushguli sits at 2,100m above sea level and is therefore one of the highest inhabited settlements on the continent, but it’s also one of the most remote. »
Hoy, Orkney – Scotland
Although Hoy is the second largest island in the Orkney archipelago, a small clutch of islands off the coast of Scotland, it’s still tiny by most standards. Despite covering just 55 square miles and housing around 400 people, this diminutive island draws intrepid travellers to its shores with the lure of adventure at the edge of the UK. »
Kirkenes – Norway
Tucked away in the far north-eastern corner of Norway, the small town of Kirkenes lies at the very edge of mainland Europe. Just a few miles from Norway’s only land border with Russia, and 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the area is transformed into an icy wilderness during winter. And it’s this time of year that is best to visit, when travellers can observe two unique natural phenomenon. »
Standing all alone in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands are undoubtedly one of the most remote places in Europe. Made up of 18 major islands and countless smaller ones, the Faroes’ closest neighbours are Scotland and Iceland, both located over 200 miles from its shores. »
Read the whole article on Wired for Adventure »
Following Colin O’Brady’s claim to have completed the first unsupported and unassisted crossing of Antarctica, the polar adventure world came together to point out the inaccuracies of the 33-year old American’s highly publicised and inaccurate claims. They then set about to develop a standard of definitions relating to polar travel.
So in the wake of the O’Brady saga, veteran polar guide Eric Philips, along with other senior members of the polar community, decided that standardization was overdue in the polar world. Over the past two years, they developed The Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS), which was launched earlier this week.
What drives us to get too cold and too tired, to battle with fear, in the name of adventure?
Follow the originators of The Outdoor Swimming Society, ‘swim twins’ Kate Rew and Kari Furre, in this hauntingly beautiful look at cold water swimming in the UK.
(UK, 2018, 6m:40s)
Director and Producer: Amanda Bluglass
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