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This week's episode of The Adventure Podcast should be of particular interest to regular readers of The Adventure Blog as we welcome polar explorer Eric Larsen  to the show. When I envisioned creating a podcast about outdoor adventure and exploration, having guests like Eric on was what I hoped to do and this interview certainly lived up to �� and exceeded �� my expectations. When I spoke to Eric he was in Punta Arenas, Chile preparing to leave for the Antarctic, where he will soon begin his attempt to set a speed record skiing to the South Pole. We talk about how he got started on his cold-weather adventures, what it's like to ski for hours at a time in the Antarctic and Arctic, what his strategy is for chasing the speed record, and much, much more. But before we get to the interview with Eric, my co-host Dave Adlard and I share the latest adventure news, with stories from the Himalaya, the Karakoram, and Antarctica. We also talk about the recent crowning of the adventure rac...

When we posted our last Antarctic update a few days back, American Colin O'Brady and Brit Lou Rudd had just run into their first seriously challenging conditions in the form of large and relentless Sastrugi. Today they've added a new element in the form of whiteout conditions, which make things orders of magnitude worse.  It is important to point out that both men have taken up the same journey �� a solo, unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent. But, they are following the same route, so whatever conditions one is experiencing, chances are the other one is enduring those conditions too. Since the two were dropped off on the ice 12 days ago they have provided similar reports on their progress as they intend to run parallel to one another from the Ronne Ice Shelf to the Ross Ice Shelf, via the South Pole. In order to maintain their "solo" status however, they won't be able to come in contact with one another at any point and they can't lend a hand to ...

If you like outdoor gear then you're going to love this week's Adventure Podcast. My co-host Dave Adlard and I are back from Denver, Colorado where we attended the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and saw lots and lots of new products that will be heading our way in the near future. With so many backpacks, boots, jackets, and other products to sift through, it is tough to pick our favorites, but we did manage to narrow our list down to six items that became the first winners of our "Best of Show" awards. Which pieces of gear impressed us? You'll just have to listen to find out. Because we spent the majority of the episode talking outdoor gear we skipped our regular gear segment this week. But, we did start the show as we usually do by talking about the biggest stories in adventure and exploration from the past week. Those stories include an attempt at the speed record for skiing to the South Pole, a record-setting swim around the United Kingdom, and a potentia...

We are now ten days into the 2018-2019 Antarctic expedition season and while most skiers are only now just preparing to get underway, both American Colin O'Brady and Brit Lou Rudd are finding their stride out on the ice. The two men are traveling solo but chasing the same goal �� the first unassisted crossing of the continent �� and unsurprisingly, so far they're on a similar trajectory in terms of conditions �� both weather and surface. Today, the two men used a word that every polar explorer dreads and it won't be for the last time I can assure you. The word that O'Brady and Rudd used in their updates was "sastrugi," which are incredibly hard ridges that form from blowing snow and ice. These ridges can actually grow quite large, often a meter or more in height, forcing skiers to go over or around them, but in any case slowing their progress greatly. They are a fact of life when traveling in the Antarctic however, and both men are likely to pass through a l...

While I was away at Outdoor Retailer last week, another polar explorer has announced his plans for the 2018-2019 expedition season in Antarctica. American Eric Larsen will set out for Punta Arenas, Chile this week with the intention of once again skiing to the South Pole. But this time, he's got his eyes on setting a new speed record for covering that route while also raising awareness of climate change at the same time. Larsen expects to leave for South America on Friday in preparation for his journey, which will cover roughly 700 miles (1126 km) starting at Hercules Inlet and ending at the South Pole. For Eric, that journey is a familiar one, as he has skied that route in the past, along with a full-distance expedition to the North Pole and climbing Everest within one year. He also guides in both the Arctic and Antarctic, leading "last degree" ski expeditions to the North and South Pole. What's different this time, is that he is hoping to complete the entire rout...

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for another episode of The Adventure Podcast . After flying solo last week, my partner in crime David Adlard returns, which makes for a better show all around. No one wants to hear me drone on by myself for too long, so I'm happy to have my partner back. As usual, we start the show off with adventure news, but since there were so many interesting stories to talk about we decide to do away with our usual format of including a main topic to give plenty of time to everything that is happening in the world of outdoor adventure and exploration that is happening around the globe. Those stories include the start of the expedition season in Antarctica, an impressive new first ascent in the Himalaya, the discovery of a historic shipwreck in the Black Sea, and a case of attempted murder at a research station on the Antarctic Peninsula. We do wrap up the show with some gear picks for the week, with both Dave and I sharing some thoughts on a new pr...

With the Antarctic expedition season truly getting underway I thought sharing a video from the frozen continent would be fitting. In this case, we travel to that wild and untamed place where we get some stunning views of the ice, snow, mountains, and coastlines of one of the harshest, most inhospitable, and yet breathtakingly beautiful places on the planet. After watching this, who wouldn't want to visit this incredible place? Wild Antarctica from GALAXIID on Vimeo .

Last week we brought the news that the Antarctic expedition season as officially underway when the first flight out of Punta Arenas, Chile to the Union Glacier camp on the frozen continent took place. On that flight was American Colin O'Brady and presumably British polar explorer Lou Rudd . I say presumably because Rudd was known to be in Punta Arenas prior to the flight and like O'Brady he is making an attempt at a solo, unassisted traverse of the Antarctic. So far, we haven't heard a word from Rudd, but O'Brady had been updating his progress on social media and is now underway at last. After arriving at Union Glacier, O'Brady had to wait a few days before being flown out to his starting point on the Ronne Ice Shelf. Poor weather conditions at the landing zone prevented his Twin Otters aircraft from delivering him to the launching point. But it didn't take long for conditions to improve and over the weekend he was dropped off at long last and he began his lon...

Most of the major expeditions and adventurous endeavors that we follow here at The Adventure Blog rarely get coverage from mainstream outlets, that is unless something goes majorly wrong. But, Colin O'Brady's attempt to ski solo and unsupported across the Antarctic has garnered him a bit of publicity beyond the usual adventure/expedition news sites. In this case, it comes in the form of a profile that was published at Popular Mechanics a few days back, giving readers a bit of insight into what O'Brady faces as he prepares to set out on his 70+ day journey across the frozen continent.  The article does a fairly good job of giving readers the low down of what O'Brady is about to try to accomplish and the challenges that lie ahead. It shares a brief mention of Henry Worsley, who perished attempting the same journey back in 2016, and shares a passing reference to Ben Saunders' abandoned attempt last year. But, the article also makes it sound that skiing to the South P...

Yesterday I posted a story about the start of the Antarctic season and how two explorers in particular were ready to launch their expeditions. Now, we have confirmation that the first flight to Union Glacier has been successfully completed, and while the ALE staff are now busy preparing the camp for the arrival of other skiers next week, it now looks like Colin O'Brady and Lou Rudd are on the ice. Rudd has yet to update his location and status, but he was scheduled to fly out of Punta Arenas, Chile along with O'Brady, who posted the following message to his Instagram. View this post on Instagram I made it!!! I officially set foot on the Frozen Continent today- 24 hrs earlier than expected. Antarctica greeted with a stunning panoramic view on a blue bird day. The air temperature was a balmy -25C when I stepped off the plane, see the puff of frozen air coming out of my mouth in the photo. This place is incredibly enchanting; my body has a visceral reaction to its beauty. My...

Tomorrow we turn the calendar to November, which means the 2018-2019 Antarctic season is now officially upon us. The first flight out of Punta Arenas, Chile to the Union Glacier Camp by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) is scheduled to take place in the morning, weather permitting. And while that flight will mainly be made up of ALE staff who will begin the task of preparing the camp for the arrival of other skiers and travelers, there will also be two explorers looking to get out onto the ice as quickly as possible. For these two men, time is of the essence, and everyday counts as they both hope to make history independently of one another. The first two skiers to hit the ice this year will be Brit  Lou Rudd and American Colin O'Brady . Both hope to become the first to complete a solo, unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent, traveling from one point on the coast, to another, with a stop at the South Pole while en route. And while each of them will be traveling a...

Last week we posted a story that offered several interesting expeditions to keep an eye on in the upcoming Antarctic ski season that came our way courtesy of Explorers Web . Now, the site has posted part two of that round up , offering even more insights into who we'll be following across the frozen continent in just a few weeks time. Some of the intrepid explorers who make the cut this time out include Colin O'Brady who is about to undertake a solo, unsupported traverse of the continent, which he calls the "impossible first." We've discussed O'Brady's feats on The Adventure Blog in the past, as he has not only summited Everest, but he has also completed the Explorer's Grand Slam (last degree edition), amongst other accomplishments. This time out, O'Brady will attempt to ski from Ronne Ice Shelf to the Ross Ice Shelf, via the South Pole, completely alone and unassisted. If successful, it would be the first time anyone has done that. He leaves for...

The North Face continues its preview of its upcoming documentary about last year's expedition by a team of climbers to Queen Maud Land in Antarctica. This time out, we join the crew as they complete some epic first ascents in the region, experiencing some joy in the challenging and difficult environment of the frozen continent.

The Antarctic ski season is still more than a week away from officially getting started and already we're starting to get some strange stories from the frozen continent. According to reports , a Russian researcher by the name of Sergey Savitsky has been charged with attempted murder after he stabbed a coworker at the Bellingshausen Station, a scientific research facility located on King George Island, which is part of the Shetland Islands that fall along the Antarctic Peninsula. It seems that Savitsky suffered a mental breakdown over the course of the very long, and isolating, winter that is now coming to an end in the Antarctic. This led to the stabbing, which allegedly took place back on October 9. Since then, the Russian researcher has been placed under house arrest and will remain so until December 8, which is probably the date that he is scheduled to rotate out of Bellingshausen and head home to Russia. By then, the austral spring/summer should be in effect, allowing personnel...

We have a seasonal holiday theme for this week's episode of The Adventure Podcast as we take a turn for the spooky. My cohost Dave Adlard and I explore some of the allegedly haunted spots in America's national parks, and elsewhere, with stories of headless ghosts, Civil War apparitions, and crying spirits. If you haven't heard these tales before, they'll make good stories for the next time you're huddle around a campfire. Before delving into that topic however, we start by taking a look at the latest adventure news, with updates from the Himalaya, a look at a winter expedition to K2, and an adventurous couple who are driving across Antarctica in a solar-powered buggy. As usual, we also wrap things up with our latest gear reviews, this time sharing a new jacket from Eddie Bauer and interesting new ways to up you camp-cooking game. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the play button in the embedded episode below, or you can choose to download us on Apple Pod...

In a few weeks time, some very adventurous explorers will begin the annual ski season in the Antarctic, with many traveling from the coast at Hercules Inlet to the South Pole itself. If you've ever wondered what kind of gear they need to take with them for an 800+ mile (1200+ km) journey, this video will help give you an idea. It was filmed polar explorer Mark Wood, who made that journey a few years back. In the clip, he shares the ten most important pieces of kit that an Antarctic skier has with them.

If you follow the regular patterns of the adventure seasons, you probably already know that climbing in the Himalaya this fall is nearing an end, while the Antarctic ski season will soon be ramping up. In a matter of just a few weeks time, the first South Pole skiers will hit the ice, starting their own personal journeys across the frozen continent. As usual, we'll be keeping an eye on some of the biggest and most interesting of those expeditions, bringing updates on the progress of these explorers. A company called Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions handles most of the support and transportation for those looking to make a trip to the bottom of the world. They make regular flights out of Punta Arenas, Chile and maintain a semi-permanent camp on the ice at a place called Union Glacier. According to the company's internal schedule, the first flight to Union Glacier will take place on November 1, carrying only ALE staff and supplies. That will give the team an opportunity to ge...

As we steam straight on towards the start of the 2018-2019 Antarctic ski and climbing season, this video takes us back to last year when a team of North Face climbers traveled down to Queen Maud Land to make some first ascents on several rock walls and snowcapped peaks. TNF has slowly been releasing short teaser videos about this expedition and today they bring us one that shows just how difficult and demanding the weather conditions there can be. Climbing in the Antarctic isn't easy, even for the likes of Conrad Anker , Jimmy Chin , and Alex Honnold .

The North Face continues its series of videos about the team of climbers that went to the Antarctic last year with another short, but sweet, clip giving us a glimpse of their experience. This time out, we get a sense of the awe and wonder they felt in this expansive place, far from civilization, and about as remote and wild as you can get on our planet. The sense of scale is incredible, even in the short clip. Most of these videos are just a tease for what will likely be a much longer documentary, but they are still wonderful to watch. Check it out below.

Now that the fall Himalaya climbing season is starting to wind down, we'll turn our attention south to Antarctica where in a matter of a few weeks the first skiers will be setting out for the South Pole. As with every Antarctic season there will be a number of fascinating expeditions to follow, some more traditional than others. But this year, there will be an interesting vehicle-based journey to follow as a husband and wife team set out to drive an electric vehicle to the very bottom of the world . Dubbed the Clean2Antarctica expedition, the plan is for Liesbeth and Edwin ter Velde to travel 2400 km (1491 miles) on a round trip journey that begins at the Antarctic coast, goes to the South Pole, and then back again. They are expecting the entire trip to take about five weeks to complete, with plans to get underway sometime in November, which is traditionally when the Antarctic season truly gets underway. But what makes the Dutch couple's adventure such a unique one is that the...