21st Century Altai

As a young adventurer, its easy to become despondent in the belief that everything has been done and that there is nowhere left to explore. At least, that is, without doing something so extreme as to require decades of experience or being extremely dangerous. We set about planning our expedition with an inflatable globe and a pin (used sparingly) with the objective of identifying remote yet accessible mountainous areas of the world. A trip to Stanfords, several reports from the Royal Geographical Society's database and a conversation at the Explore conference later, it became apparent that no one was climbing in the Russian Altai.

With only the aid of a 20-year-old piloting map, we were quickly able to identify un-climbed and accessible mountains. After the best part of year in the planning, I set off with five team mates to climb and explore the Altai Mountains. We succeeded in summiting several Siberian mountains which are all believed to be first British ascents. - EXPEDITION REPORT Abstract A team of six travelled to the Russian Altai mountains, establishing a base camp in the South Kurai Range and successfully climbing to five summits.

All peaks are thought to be first British ascents and it is possible that four of these had not previously been climbed. Some team members also spent a few days in the Northern Chuysky range at the end of the trip. What and Where is Altai? The Altai (or Altay) is both a mountain range and a Republic. The mountains span across quad-border of China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia. As we understand, climbing is possible in all four of these countries with Mongolia the most popular and explored; China, perhaps, the least. The Altai Republic is a region of Russia whose people and culture are quite distinct from the rest of the country. (There's also a region called Altai Krai next door but I shouldn't worry about that for now).

Reasons Not to Go to the Altai

In planning this expedition, we received no small amount of negative feedback about the area and timing of the trip. This was to the extent that we considered canning the whole thing on several occasions. We were told that the rivers would be too high, there would be too much snow, the roads would be covered in permafrost and unpassable, the roads would be covered in snow (and unpassable), we would need snowshoes, snow conditions would be bad and so forth. One charming gentleman even replied to our advert for team members with these words: the time for this trip is July! whose bright idea was the timing you suggest and why??? is the timing an indicator for the level of thought you guys have put into the project? now that would be scary. Needless to say, he didn't get an invite. Anyway, two things happened as a result of this: Firstly, we dithered for too long and couldn't get border zone permits to climb near Mongolia where we had hoped. Second, we decided that whilst the information wed received might indicate sub-optimal climbing conditions, this trip was to be about more than pristine snow conditions, it was to be an adventure and those can be had whatever the weather. So, we agreed unanimously to give it a go. You'll get the gist from the rest of the report but we had a fantastic time, the conditions were fine, rivers weren't scary, there was no permafrost or snow on the roads and the snow shoes didn't come out of our bags.

The Team - Tim Moss, Nancy Pickup, Matt Freear, Spike Reid, David Tett, Marc Bullock.

Read more, download the expedition report and see the professional photographs

tim@thenextchallenge.org

The Myth of Mustang: Trekking in Nepal

Join world-renown and award-winning Himalayan trekking guide Nima Sherpa and The Explorer's Passage founder, Jeff Bonaldi as they head into Kingdom of Mustang and the lower Himalayas. Begin your journey in the colourful streets of Kathmandu and head onto the winding trails at the base of the Tibetan Plateau, while following in the path of the Second Buddha, Guru Rinpoche.

You will journey by car, plane, and on foot deep into the Himalayas and discover one of the most remote and sacred regions on Earth. This 10-day journey will immerse you in the culture and history of the Nepalese people and provide you with once-in-a-lifetime adventures along the way.

You will even have the option to fly around the peak of Mount Everest!Join the adventure today by calling 855-208-6800 or emailing us at info@explorerspassage.com. Pricing: $2,650 (5 Guests) $2,500 (6-8 Guests) $2,300 (9-11 Guests) $2,150 (12-14 Guests) $2,100 (15 Guests)Also Required: $475 (Internal Airfare) $550 (Mustang Permit Fee)

Rock Climbing in Malta

Hello,

My name is Dino and I am a qualified instructor with thirty years experience and I decided to open a Rock Climbing shop in Malta because it is an up and coming destination for Rock Climbing and whilst on holiday I found that there was actually no dedicated Rock Climbing equipment shop on the island so we are the first to give the climbing community this service.

We also provide many courses these include Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Deep Water Soloing, Sea Level Traversing, we also offer equipment for hire .Our courses start from as little as 45 ,and we cater for all abilities and ages ,we have had climbers from as young as 7 years of age up to 70 years young , check out our website and Facebook pages to get an idea of what we can offer you on your trip to Malta.

Look forward to being of service to anybody visiting Malta.

Dino Citrone

GoClimbMalta

Rio 3 Peaks

3 peaks, 2,000m, 12 hours, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Sound good? The second run of a new event incorporating the spirit and essence of the classic British 3 Peaks challenge in the stunning setting of Rio de Janeiro takes place in November this year.

Aimed as a challenge for those looking to dip their toes in the water of fitness/adventure challenges, the Rio 3 Peaks, also aims to both raise awareness ofstreet childrens rights across the world and funds to support the ongoing work in this area.The challenge itself: beginning and finishing in the target time of 12 hours, with a total ascent of over 2000m and taking in the 3 most iconic peaks in Rio with spectacular views:1. Morro Dois Irmaos 550m high (The two brothers hill situated above the Vidigal community)2. Pedra da Gavea 840m high3. Corcovado 710m high (Christ the Redeemer)This is not just any challenge.

A highly rewarding part of the event is the chance to experience Rio's favelas, which are the heartbeat of the city, visit the street children's projects we work with, play football (if you want to!) and spend time meeting inspirational children and project leaders who are bringing about change in their country.What are you doing this autumn? If youre bored of the same old challenges and you are looking for one you will never forget then join us in trekking the 3 mountain peaks of Rio de Janeiro finishing at the iconic Christ the Redeemer. We are seeking 24 UK/International and 26 Brazilian trekkers by July 2014. If you're looking for an adventure challenge with a difference, look no further!

Essential Gear for Adventure Cycle Touring

If you're wondering what gear you'll need for an adventurous cycle tour of any length or budget, Essential Gear for Adventure Cycle Touring has got you covered. Written by veteran bicycle adventurer and author Tom Allen and drawing from the experiences of over other 50 long-distance cycle tourers, the 257-page digital guide covers in detail the foundations of equipment choice for a bicycle journey, the six main categories of gear, how and where to buy each item, and common mistakes and myths to watch out for - plus how to get all of this within your budget, no matter how small.

This summer, Explorers Connect members can get a 20% discount on Essential Gear using the promo code EC 2014 at checkout.

The code is valid until July 31st 2014. Read more about the guide and what's inside at http://gearforcycletouring.com.

Norwegian climber - question on mountains

I'm looking for a Norwegian mountaineer familiar with Nansen to lead a first ascent of a famous coastal mountain. as part of a maritime expedition to East Greenland in 2016. It will be filmed for television.

The mountain is bare rock and only about 3,000 feet, but is famous for several reasons. It should be a scrambling proposition rather than a hard technical climb. How do I go about finding one on his site?

jackdgama@hotmail.com

Along the Ring of Fire

In early November 2014 I'm setting off to trek the Te Araroa trail - a path that runs for 3,000kms down the length of New Zealand.

By doing so, I'm hoping to raise both awareness and a combined NZ$30,000 for two charities. Money raised will change the lives of 30 children and young people; allowing ten Kenyan children to go to school on an all-expenses-paid full years scholarship through People, and 20 Tanzanian young people to take part in a life-changing expedition with Raleigh International. Walking North to South and depending on fitness and weather the journey should take approximately 4-5 months.

The trail will take me over mountains, ridges, through valleys, plains, and forests, along coastlines, across a volcano or two, and, at least in parts, along the Pacific Ring of Fire. All money raised through my blog will go direct to the charities. A further NZ$10,000 needed to fund the trip will hopefully come from corporate backers. Fingers crossed... 

For more information, contact me at - rob_candy@hotmail.co.uk

Quest for the Pole of Inaccessibility

In February 2015 I'll leave Ellef Ringnes Island in Arctic Canada to trek to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, the furthest point from land at the heart of the Arctic Ocean.

I'm part of a team of 28 people taking part in the challenge as part of the Ice Warriorproject, founded by eminent polar explorer, Jim McNeill. Our mission is to become the first people to reach the pole and to ground-truth satellite data of ice thickness in the Arctic. I consider it to be taking the temperature of the planet in the fragile polar environment that acts as an early warning system to the rest of the planet. We'll also be counting the number of polar bears we see, noting their condition and location. In total I hope to spend 20 days on the ice and cover 200 miles on skis, dragging a qajak that weighs as much as me. After I've completed my stint I'll swap over with another team member and flown back to advanced base camp to continue to assist with the science and logistics of the expedition.

This journey follows on from The Cycle Diaries adventure I completed in December 2012. It is quite different in nature! Besides not cycling it I'll be part of a larger team and operating in an extremely hostile environment. It also costs more than my bicycle, tent. and 16 months supply of cheese sandwiches so corporate sponsorship is needed. The need to approach people for money combined with the thought of travelling across an ever diminishing layer of ice that rests upon a raging ocean at temperatures as low as -40C while being at the mercy of hungry polar bears fills me with a great deal of trepidation.

But that is precisely why I'm doing it. 

For more information - www.arcticandy.com