Video: Adventure is Calling (Part 2)

A year or so back I posted a video that was made by three friends who quit their jobs to go off and travel across the U.S. for two months. Along the way they captured some amazing images of their journey and turned it into an inspirational short film called Adventure is Calling. Now, one of those travelers is back with a second video that continues on the theme of delivering inspiration to travel. This three-minute clip offers some stunning timelapse images from across the U.S. and Canada that will quite simply take your breath away. These are some of the most compelling outdoor settings that you'll find anywhere, and if you don't feel inspired to go find an adventure of your own after watching this, you should probably check yourself for a pulse. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Adventure Is Calling II from Shane Black on Vimeo.

Video: Hooké Ungava - An Expedition to No Man's Land

It isn't often that I post about a fly fishing, but for this video I'll make an exception. It is a short trailer for a longer documentary that follows a group of four friends who travel to a remote region of Quebec and Labrador to go fishing for Atlantic salmon and northern char. What makes this such an exceptional film is the location for sure. The landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful, and seldom visited by outsiders. Just getting to their fishing spot was an adventure, but seeing the places where they dropped their lines is enough for me to want to watch the full documentary. This is a remote, isolated, and nearly uninhabited place where it seems adventure abounds around every corner. Simply beautiful.

Hooké Ungava : An Expedition to No Man’s Land from HOOKÉ on Vimeo.

Video: Earth Porn - Volume 2: Alberta Water

Awhile back we had a beautiful video with the title of Earth Porn. It took us into the amazing wilderness settings of British Columbia, Canada, giving us some exceptionally beautiful shots of the landscapes there. Now, we're back with Volume 2 of the series, this time with a focus on the rivers, lakes, and waterfalls that can be found near Alberta. This short film is just as lovely as the first, with striking images that will leave you longing to visit these places for yourself.

EARTH PORN // VOL 2 // ALBERTA WATER from Christiaan Welzel on Vimeo.

Veteran Polar Explorer Trekking and Paddling the Boundary Waters

Veteran polar explorer Will Steger has set out on a new adventure this week. The 70-year old who has visited the North and South Pole, traversed northern Greenland, and traveled from Russia to Ellesmere Island in Canada, all by dogsled. But this time out, he's making solo journey along the Boundary Waters between the U.S. and Canada, trekking and paddling the remote region of Minnesota's northern border as he goes.

Steger launched his latest expedition yesterday. He'll begin by pulling a canoe behind him as he skis through the northern wilderness. That canoe will serve much the same way a polar explorer's sled would in both the Arctic or Antarctic, carrying his supplies and equipment across the snow. As he travels, he'll reach sections of the Boundary Waters that have thawed for the spring, and he'll transition to using the canoe in the more traditional way, but in the early days of the trip he'll be pulling it behind him as he goes.

The 200-mile journey started on Lake Saganaga at the end of the Gunflint Trail. Steger moved into the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario and continued out onto the border lakes of the Boundary Waters. Over the course of the next few weeks, he'll be traveling through a remote and rugged wilderness that sees few visitors at any time of the year, but will be especially empty so early in the spring. Along the way he'll find frozen waters just beginning to thaw with the arrival of warmer season ahead. As he makes his way further along the route, Steger will be forced to navigate through rising rapids, steep narrows, and a chain of interconnected rivers and lakes. He has brought enough fuel and supplies to last about four weeks, although rationing could stretch that time a bit further.

Due to an unprecedented spring thaw, Steger was forced to start his expedition a week earlier than he had anticipated. The rivers and lakes are already starting to swell with rising water, and it now appears that he could do more paddling than trekking along the way. But in the early stages of the trip he'll still be hauling the canoe-sled as he makes his way along the chosen route.

You can follow Will's progress on his official website. He is releasing daily audio dispatches from his expedition that will share the journey with listeners in a very personal way. Steger promises to give us insights into what crosses through his mind as travels, which considering his 50 years of exploration experience should prove very interesting. It should be fascinating to hear about the challenges of the journey from a man who has spent more time in remote, and very cold places, than just about anyone else on Earth.

Video: Kayaking the Stikine River with Rafa Ortiz

Canada's Stikine River is sometimes called the "Everest of Kayaking." Remote, wild, and difficult, it is often seen as the ultimate whitewater destination. In the video below we travel to that amazing river with pro-paddlers Rafa Ortiz and Isaac Levinson as they take on the Class V rapids that the Stikine is so famous for over a multi-day expedition through a very remote region of British Columbia.

Lamenting the Lost Arctic Season

We're about to enter a bit of a lull in the world of exploration and adventure. The winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat is likely going to wrap up later this week, with success on the mountain still far from certain. We're also a few weeks away from climbers departing for Nepal to begin the spring climbing season on Everest and other major peaks in the Himalaya. For those men and women, the remaining days of March will be the calm before the storm as they launch a two-month long odyssey to reach the top of the tallest peak on the planet. While that will certainly be a busy and interesting time as always, this year there is definitely something missing from my usual round-ups of adventurous pursuits, and it isn't hard to identify exactly what that is. With no full-distance expeditions set to launch for the North Pole from the Canadian side of the Arctic this spring there is a real vacuum in terms of challenging undertakings, and it is unclear if that vacuum will be filled ever again.

Typically this time of year there are several teams in Resolute Bay, Canada waiting to be flown out to their starting points on the ice. Those intrepid adventurers generally have big dreams of skiing unsupported to the North Pole, covering roughly 700 km (435 miles) in the process. Most don't make it. In fact, since 2010, only one team has actually been able to accomplish that feat, which I believe is the most challenging journey in the world today. Climate change has altered the Arctic in undeniable ways, and as a result, those skiing north now face impossible thin ice, massive rubble fields, open leads of water, and numerous other obstacles. It is a difficult, punishing experience that has simply become increasingly difficult as the years have passed. So much so that it now seems nearly impossible for anyone to travel on foot all the way to 90ºN.


I'm not the only one who thinks that a full-distance North  Pole expedition is now almost entirely out of reach. Earlier this year, Kenn Borek Air, the charter airline that has supported Arctic explorers in the past, announced that it was ceasing operations in the region. With the increasing dangers of flying into the Arctic, it simply was no longer economically viable for the adventurous airline to continue supporting explorers in the area, and as a result the company made the surprise move to pullout. This has left a few expeditions in the lurch however and has meant that there will be no skiers attempting to reach the North Pole from the Canadian side of the ice this year.

As someone who enjoys following the intricacies of an expedition, particularly a very challenging one, the lack of North Pole skiers this year has left me disappointed, although not surprised. I've been saying for several years now that an expedition to the top of the world would only continue to get more difficult until it was simply impossible to complete. I didn't expect that to happen so soon, but it is the reality that Arctic explorers now face. Climate change was going to put an end to these kinds of journeys sooner, rather than later, but it seems that economics killed off these expeditions first.

That isn't to say that the North Pole will go completely unvisited this year. The Russians will once again build the Barneo Ice Camp on their side of the Arctic, and there will be any number of "last degree" expeditions that launch from that temporary base. Typically, Barneo opens in late March and stays active for about three weeks, granting well-heeled travelers an opportunity to scratch another destination off their bucket lists. I imagine that the camp will only see increased traffic this season with more people funneling through on their way to 90ºN.

While Barneo, and its visitors, will provide some sources of adventure news in the days ahead, it simply won't be the same as following a small team of adventurers as they spend days out on the ice struggling to ski to the North Pole. I'll miss reading daily updates on their progress while cheering them on from afar. I'll miss hearing about their struggles to cover even just a few kilometers in a day, as the weather, surface conditions, and other challenges conspire to make the journey harder than anyone ever imagined. It is an end of an era in the Arctic and in exploration in general, and I'm not sure we'll ever see anyone make this journey again in our lifetime. It is sad to see this come about, but it only makes me respect the explorers who have gone that way before all the more.

So, while we'll dutifully turn our attention to the Himalaya – and rightfully so – that doesn't mean that I won't be lamenting the fact that the North Pole is now out of reach, and that another chapter in the age of exploration has closed for good.

Dutch Adventurer to Ski 1200 Miles Across Canada

Over the past three years, Dutch adventurer Yuri Klaver has been working on an epic project that he calls his Arctic Venture. The idea of this expedition it to travel under his own power from Nome, Alaska to Greenland on foot, skis, and by kayak. When he finishes, he hopes to have covered more than 6000 miles (9656 km), crossing through some of the most remote areas of Alaska and Canada – not to mention the North Atlantic – in the process.

Early next week Yuri will set off on the third stage of that journey – a 1200 mile (1931 km) expedition across Northern Canada on skis. Over the coming months he hopes to travel from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Resolute Bay in Canada. He'll start by retrieving his trusty kayak from storage and filling it with supplies. It will serve as his sledge as he pulls it along behind him across the Canadian arctic, with all of his food, fuel, and other gear with him.

According to Yuri, he expects the trip to take approximately 6 months to complete. He hopes to arrive in Resolute sometime in September. In the meantime, he is preparing for the unexpected while traveling above the Arctic circle. He has been training with how to deal with polar bears, poor weather conditions, and fragmenting of the ice. He'll use a large caliber handgun to keep the bears at bay and has developed an alert system to help protect his tent at night. His kayak/sledge will also help him to continue to make progress even when the frozen surface conditions begin to break up, and paddling will be the only option.

Klaver is no stranger to remote expeditions. Back in 2012 he attempted to cross the Bering Sea from Russia to the United States. That journey ended prematurely when he was rescued by Russian border guards a week into the trip. His 2013 phase of Arctic Venture was more successful however, as he paddled for two months along the Bering Sea before going upriver at the Noatak River in the wild and remote Brooks Range of Alaska. Last year he returned to that spot, as he traversed the Brooks Range on skis, and paddled down the Colville River. In 2015, he'll now continue this massive undertaking by pressing on towards Resolute Bay.

On Monday, Yuri will depart from the Netherlands for Alaska where he will organize his gear and travel back to his ending point from last year before hitting the trail in early March. You'll be able to follow his progress on his website where he posts regular updates from his adventures.

Video: The Wild Northern Rockies

Shot in British Columbia, this amazing short film captures the breathtaking landscapes and vistas of that region – and it's numerous national parks – in spectacular fashion. The wonderful scenery has to be seen to be believed, and the exceptional shots of the local wildlife only add to the allure of this video. The Northern Rockies are wild indeed, and that can be easily seen in every shot of this wonderful film. Enjoy!

The Wild Northern Rockies from Marty Mellway on Vimeo.

Video: Kayaker Drops 35 Meters Over Keyhole Falls

Professional Kayaker Aniol Serrasolses recently traveled to British Columbia, Canada to paddle the amazing looking Keyhole Falls. His hope was to drop this legendary waterway, which features an approach down a narrow canyon, and whitewater that gushes over the falls at more than 3000-cubic meters per minute. The video below captures that 35 meter (114 foot) drop in stunning fashion and from multiple perspectives, including from within the cockpit. Not for the faint of heart, this one will certainly get your heart pumping.

Video: Mountain Biking Squamish

Squamish, British Columbia is an amazing outdoor playground, as is evidenced in the video below. It features mountain biker Sid Slotegraaf as he goes up and down some of the amazing trails that can be found there. At the moment, the place is probably covered in snow, but come spring, this will be just the place for a great ride. It's never too early to start planning.

The Patrol: Up and Down Squamish from Transition Bikes on Vimeo.

Two Norwegian Scientists Exploring the Arctic Ocean via Hovercraft

Two Norwegian scientists are on the expedition of a lifetime in the Arctic Ocean. The two men – 73-year old Yngve Kristoffersen and his partner Audun Tholfsen – have been exploring the mostly-unknown region of the world between Canada and Greenland aboard a hovercraft since last August, braving extreme cold, inhospitable weather, and months without sunlight for their research.

The 18-month long project has a number of goals, not the least of which is mapping a massive deep-sea ridge that runs from Ellesmere Island all the way to the North Pole. But they are also searching for a large meteorite that is believed to have crashed into the ice millions of years ago, as well as conducting research into what the Arctic was like back then, when the water was much warmer, and unique species of sea turtles and crocodiles lived there.

The two men have been living in a small hovercraft for the past four months, using it not only as their means of transportation, but also as a mobile research lab. The hovercraft is a vehicle that is well suited for travel in the Arctic, where the ice can get so thick at times that only specially equipped ice breakers are capable of breaking through. Riding on a cushion of air generated by two large turbines, their sturdy craft glides along above the ice however, rarely encountering any surface conditions hat it can't maneuver over or around.

The scientists will often park the hovercraft on an ice flow and stay stationary for days while they take samples of the ice and record atmospheric conditions. At other times, they're on the move, off to another location to explore a new area of the Arctic. As they go, they have witnessed the way the ice moves, breaks apart, and shifts, giving them a rare glimpse of the powerful forces that are at work at the top of the world. During their time exploring this part of the world, they have discovered indications of a tectonic fault line in the region and spotted a strange new species of fish that resembles an eel living in the cold mud of the sea floor. They have even stumbled across a Russian submarine patrolling the Arctic as well.

In a few months, Tholfsen will be airlifted home and replaced with another scientist, but Kristofferson will stay for the entirety of the expedition. You can follow their ambitious mission at the expedition's official website, which has more information about their goals, and regular updates on the team's progress as well.

Video: Journey to the Stikine and the Sacred Headwaters

The Stikine River of British Columbia is considered one of the best whitewater destinations on the entire planet. This short film takes us to that amazing place with a group of kayakers who are looking to explore that remote and beautiful destination. But the Stikine is under threat from developers who want to dam the river or mine the landscapes that surround it. The documentary not only shows us how amazing the Stikine is, but also how endangered it is as well.

Journey to the Stikine and the Sacred Headwaters from Mountain Mind Collective on Vimeo.

Video: Technical Mountain Bike Freeride in Squamish, British Columbia

If the holidays have left you bereft of an adrenaline fix, perhaps this video will be of assistance. It features professional mountain bike rider Aaron Chase as he screams down a fairly technical singletrack trail in Squamish, British Columbia. Captured using a helmet cam, it gives us a great idea of what it is like to ride these amazing trails, with much of the route not meant for your average rider. This one is guaranteed to get your heart pumping.

Video: Clouds and Mountains - Timelapse From the Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies are the setting for this beautiful timelapse video, which captures some of the amazing landscapes there, and delivers them to our screens in bright, vivid colors. The timelapse photography from this three-minute video is nothing short of spectacular, and definitely worth a watch for anyone who loves alpine settings.

Clouds and Mountains: 5D Mark III Time Lapse + BMPC 4K from Mohammed al_husayan on Vimeo.

Video: The Night Watchman - An Adventure Photographer in Whistler

This wonderful video follows photographer David McColm as he travels into the backcountry near Whistler, British Columbia to capture some fantastic shots of the landscapes there, and specifically timelapse images of the Northern Lights. It gives us a glimpse of the lengths that David, and other photographers like him, go to just to get the best shot possible. In addition to watching him work, which should prove interesting to other photographers, the video also provides some excellent examples of his work as well. Great stuff.

Video: An Outdoor Adventure Through the U.S. and Canada

When Andy Best, a rising star in the outdoor photography world, set out on a road trip earlier this year, he had no idea the places his adventure would take him. Andy spent three weeks traveling through Albert, Canada, and five U.S. states, shooting this video as he went. Along the way, he covered nearly 10,000 miles (16,000 km), while living out of a rooftop tent from Treeline Outdoors that was affected to the roof of his Jeep. As you'll see, it was an incredible journey, filled with breathtaking scenery and unforgettable landscapes. Nothing quite compares to a good road trip that allows you to discover all kinds of adventures along the way.

 Andy Best + Treeline Outdoors = Adventure from Andy Best on Vimeo.

ExWeb Talks North Pole Logistics with Victor Boyarsky

A few weeks back we received news that Kenn Borek Air has ceased operations in the Arctic. The company, which goes by the motto "Anytime, Anywhere...Worldwide" has been a stalwart on the Canadian side of the North Pole, shuttling explorers to and from the ice for years, and helping with the logistics of operations in that part of the world. But its sudden departure from the scene has left some teams in the lurch. Several groups had already contracted with Kenn Borek for the 2015 and 2016 Arctic seasons. Those intrepid adventurers are now wondering what they can do to overcome this obstacle, with some considering jumping to the other side of the planet, and skiing to the North Pole from Russia instead.

With that in mind, ExWeb caught up with Victor Boyarsky, the owner of VICCAR, a company that specializes in logistical support in the Arctic and Antarctic. Boyarksy's organization offers assistance on both the Russian and Canadian side of the ice, although at this point, VICCAR will only be able to offer rescue operations and evacuations from the ice, as the company mostly works out of the Barneo Ice Camp, which is erected every year on an ice flow located around 87º or 88º N latitude.

In the interview. Victor provides some history on the Russian Start to the Geographic North Pole, which is traditionally located at 81º.2N, 95.5ºE. Originally, that point was a good place to store fuel and other supplies for helicopters heading into the Arctic, but it also became a place to drop skiers off as well. The fueling point is still used by aircraft on their way to Barneo, but in 1995 it was first used to launch an expedition to the North Pole as well. It has been used routinely since that time as the starting point from that side of the ice.


ExWeb indicates that they have inquired with other airlines to see if anyone will step up to fill the vacuum created with the departure of Kenn Borek, but so far no one has said they'll begin supporting the North Pole skiers. That means that explorers planning on heading to the Pole may have to shift to the Russian Start instead, or abandon their plans of going to the North Pole altogether. Without air support, not only will it be incredibly difficult to get to the starting point on Ellesmere Island, it could be incredibly dangerous to try to operate in the Arctic without the safety net of a rescue flight coming to retrieve them.

Skiing to the North Pole has always been an incredibly difficult endeavor. In fact, I believe it is the toughest expedition in the world today. At the moment, it seems that there will no longer be any operations conducted from the Canadian side of the ice, at least for the foreseeable future. Whether or not we see more expeditions heading to the Russian side remains to be seen.

With the North Pole season just a few months away, it will certainly be interesting to see how this will all unfold. My guess is, we'll see a few expeditions cancelled this year, and possibly rescheduled for 2016 instead. It is likely to be a quite season in the Arctic in 2015.

Video: New Documentary to Take Viewers on Epic Traverse of Remote Canadian Mountain Range

This video is a teaser trailer for a new documentary entitled Colours of Edziza. The film follows a diverse team of friends and adventurers as they trek through a remote mountain range in the Tahitian First Nation region of British Columbia in Canada. This part of the world remains largely untouched by outside influences, and the team discovered a land that is as rugged, as it is beautiful. Along the way, they also discovered how to work together to overcome the challenges they faced on their traverse of two different mountain ranges.

The filmmakers for this amazing looking documentary are hoping to complete their project, and have launched an Indegogo campaign to raise the funds they need to finish the film. As I write this, they have raised about $10,000 CAD for the project, and are looking to get to $25,000 CAD. I think after watching the trailer, you'll see that this is an interesting adventure doc that deserves to be seen. If you agree, perhaps you can help out a bit with their goal.

Video: Sanctuary

If you're looking for a bit of serenity in the middle of a hectic week, this video just might do the trick. It features some lovely timelapse imagery shot in Colorado, Alaska, and Canada over this past summer. When mixed with soothing music, it is three minutes of visual bliss.

Sanctuary from Taylor Caraway on Vimeo.

Video: Canada - Only the Winds (Timelapse)

Shot in Western Canada this past September, this video showcases just some of the many spectacular landscapes that Canada has to offer. The timelapse images give us a glimpse of snowcapped peaks, dense forests, and serene alpine lakes, all set to music that is as peaceful and tranquil as the landscapes themselves. Truly beautiful.

Canada - Only The Winds (Timelapse) from toulousi on Vimeo.