Outdoor Sports Blog

Unconfirmed resources report that a Nepali climbing guide Lapka Tharka stripped naked on the world's highest peak, the Mount Everest (29.035 foot / 8,848 m high) or Sagarmatha like the mountain is called in Nepali. Lapka Tharka spent three long minutes bare of all clothes in freezing conditions. If the story is true he would be considered a god by Nepali Buddhists. Useful Everest Links.

Why do so many books and movies have the Alaskan wilderness as their backdrop? Why are the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and PBS filled with programs on Alaskan wildlife? The answer is because it is the last place on our continent that still maintains a remnant of the American wilderness in its unspoiled state, the dream of a frontier that we Americans treasure as part of our heritage. Soaring gas prices have us angry. Those with a stake in petroleum profits want us to believe opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling is the solution. It is not. Read more >>

As reported by Janet Wilson of LA Times the air quality in US National Parks is worsening. New data from the National Parks Service shows that air quality deteriorated significantly between 1995 and 2004 in the following 10 National Parks: Canyonlands, Craters of the Moon, Death Valley, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, North Cascades, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yellowstone. It seems that especially ozone pollution is on the rise. Breathing ozone can cause asthma attacks and lung inflammation etc. It also damages plants and other vegetation you find in the parks. For more details click here and read Janet Wilson's article . Useful Links: US National Parks

Already seven passed by since the earthquake in Pakistan on October 8, 2005. More than 73,000 people perished. More than a million got injured. But the situation in the Northern Areas was no reason for numerous daring mountaineers from all over the world to change their plans. 71 teams and a total of 614 climbers have ambitions to reach new heights in this part of the Himalaya in Pakistan. The Northern Region is home to five of the world’s highest mountains that are above 8,000 meters high (out of a total of 14). Zulfigar Ghuman’s article “Mountaineering continues, come hell or high water” provides insight into a possible future of this part of Pakistan, known for its extraordinary beauty. (Update April 1, 2016: the publisher removed above-mentioned article, consequently, we removed the dead link).

Birds and Their Watchers The quixotic madness that birds inspire in some people is one of the great mysteries of human behavior. Why will birdwatchers subject themselves to all manner of discomfort just for a fleeting glimpse of one of the winged creatures not yet on their life list? "Many of us were first lured into the twittering world of birds through their sounds," Click here to read full article "Birds and Their Watchers" by Rachel Hartigan Shea (The Washington Post). Useful Links: Why Birds Sing: A Journey Into the Mystery of Bird Song The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, a Son, and a Lifelong Obsession Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder

As reported by BBC News, a Nepalese sherpa has broken his own record for the most successful climbs of Mt Everest by scaling the peak for the 16th time, officials say. Appa Sherpa, 45, reached the 8,850m (29,035ft) peak while he was guiding a team of international climbers. Full Story

New Zealand Mountaineer First Double Amputee to Climb Mt. Everest New Zealand climber Mark Inglis has become the first double amputee to scale the world's highest mountain after loosing both legs in a climbing accident 24 years ago. The prosthetic legs had been no trouble, and when one snapped earlier this month he described the mishap as "a minor hiccup". In case something went wrong, he was carrying a spare set of legs as well as equipment to make necessary repairs. Inglis was a mountain rescue guide when he and fellow climber Phil Doole had both legs amputated below the knee after suffering frostbite in 1982 when trapped in an ice cave for 14 days on Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest peak. More about Mt. Everest here .

Officials at Arches National Park on Tuesday issued a statement reinforcing the park's long-standing rock-climbing ban on all named arches after Potter announced that he had successfully "free climbed" the nearly 50-foot-high southeast Utah icon using no protective equipment. Arches acting Chief Ranger Karen McKinlay-Jones believes Potter's actions on Sunday violated the intent of park regulations but said the park's solicitor advised against Potters prosecution because the statute "was not worded well." Read the full article here . Arches National Park

Wildlife under threat Spring is always my favourite time to go bird watching. Same thing in Scotland, where the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds started a summer program of excursions for birdwatchers. But the Scots are concerned about the future of their bird colonies. Waterfront development and global warming are serious threats. Will it have catastrophic results? Read more here .

Narrow Escapes in The Southwest With Narrow Slot Canyons and Raging Rivers, This Southwest Hike Is No Walk in the Park By Gary H. Anthes My tale of canyoneering in southern Utah begins in Northern Virginia. In my bathtub, to be exact. My daughter still laughs when she remembers finding me there one day in July, standing in 10 inches of water and 40 pounds of ice. I wanted to know what it was like to wade in 50-degree water... [Read more] Additional Zion National Park information.