The Latest Adventure News: January
Photo by Jon Williams
Your latest adventure and outdoor news from around the world…
This month, get ready for some awesome outdoor events, inspiring articles, adventure films by pro athletes, and an incredible sporting feat - read on!
Outdoor Events
Don’t miss out on awesome upcoming outdoor events
Photo by Ben Tibbetts
London Mountain Film Festival
You don’t have to live near mountains or even nature to transport yourself to them. No matter where you are in the world you can immerse yourself in breathtaking nature and adventures at the London Mountain Film Festival.
Expect to watch spectacular adventure movies, including Beyond Begbie by FATMAP Pro Ambassador, Nat Segal!
WHERE: Streaming online
WHEN: 20 February - 5 March
HOW: More info here
Fort William Mountain Festival
Moving further north in the UK to the nation’s Outdoor Capital, the Fort William Mountain Festival welcomes you to watch and listen to outdoor experts doing what they do best: showcasing the great outdoors.
From talks by outdoor leaders to sensational adventure film nights, you won't be disappointed.
WHERE: Fort William, Scotland
WHEN: February 16 - 19
HOW: More info here
Banff mountain film festival
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is launching soon to locations around Europe. Don't miss your chance to watch some inspiring adventure films from the big screen, making you feel like you’re actually there.
WHERE: Europe-wide
WHEN: February - April
HOW: More info here
Night skiing at Les Planards
Take your daytime skiing and snowboarding skills to the night as you get active with evenings of night skiing at Les Planards in the heart of Chamonix.
WHERE: Les Planards, Chamonix
WHEN: Every Monday & Wednesday in February
HOW: More info here
Who to look out for this season
Pro snowboarder and FATMAP Ambassador, Erika Vikander is competing in the Freeride World Tour- where FATMAP is the official mapping provider thanks to our brand new partnership.
Keep a lookout for how she does throughout the competition. We're rooting for you, Erika!
When & where Erika will compete:
Baqueira Beret, Spain: Jan 28 - Feb 2
Ordino Arcalís, Andorra: Feb 4 - 9
Fieberbrunn, Austria: Mar 11-17
Xtreme Verbier, Switzerland: Mar 25 - April 2
Articles we know you’ll love
Get inspired by reading these outdoor and adventure pieces
Photo by Ben Tibbetts
Article #1 ~ originally published by Mpora
Not only humans go on snowy mountain adventures - dogs do too! Man’s best furry friends can be spotted alongside their humans bounding along snow-capped hills in the depths of winter, just as eager to enjoy the outdoors as their human counterparts.
Some dogs are out there in a recreational sense, embarking on ski tours just like humans, but others are part of search and rescue organisations. These dogs help search for missing people.
Martin Searle, a former Outdoor Guide and long-term member of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, told Mpora: “Charlie [his dog] has had two ski touring seasons. He was just over a year old for his first, but soon learnt to run along with the skis instead of in front of them. He is a short-coated dog so he feels the cold. We always have a coat for him and as long he is warm he is super happy on the hills. He loves snow. Pointers have huge, slightly webbed, feet so are great in water and on snow and they just love to run. Alongside a bike, person or skis, he is happy!”
Just take a look at these dogs and see how at home they are in the snow.
Photo by Fabienne Lang
Article #2 ~ originally published by Stade Magazine
“Mountain trails etched themselves into the creases of my brain, becoming as familiar as the folds of a well-used map.” This is how Fabienne Lang describes her passion for hiking in Stade Magazine’s article. For some people like Fabienne, hiking was as natural as breathing. For decades she loped up trails and watched myriad sunrises glowing over tall peaks. She felt at one with herself and nature. However, life sometimes takes over and we lose track of our passions, losing parts of ourselves along the way.
On a recent hiking trip to Slovenia, Fabienne explains her personal and physical trials and tribulations as she trekked up Mount Triglav - the country’s tallest mountain. She explains how you sometimes have to push yourself past your imaginary limits to realign with yourself. You never know what you’ll discover along your route.
Sometimes, you have to hike higher to ground yourself.
Article #3 ~ originally published by Spectrum News 1
You love winter adventures but the biting cold forces you back indoors with chattering teeth. Sound familiar?
Not to worry, there are a bunch of tips out there for increasing your resistance to cold weather. In fact, our body has an impressive ability to acclimate to colder temperatures - if you train it (or are born into it).
People have always lived in a wide variety of climates. To adjust to these climates, humans have adapted physiologically, genetically, and culturally. The Inuit people of the Arctic, for instance, have higher metabolism rates to produce additional body heat.
Research has proven that humans will evolve to the cold with time, but how do our bodies react to the immediate shock of frigid temperatures if we haven’t grown up in the Arctic?
Here are a few suggestions so you can make the most of the fresh winter weather without suffering:
Fight the cold with cold: head outdoors, lower your thermostat, and take cold showers
Increase your activity: Work out regularly and shovel the driveway. AKA: move
Eat well: Keep a well-balanced diet and eat good fats to fuel your body over winter
Our best movie picks this month
We don’t know about you but we love adventure films. And this month did not disappoint in the world of outdoor movies!
Below are two breathtaking and inspiring films by FATMAP Ambassadors doing what they do best: making the most of the mountains.
Nikolai Schirmer is back, this time in Chamonix's slackcountry to ride the Aiguilles d'Entrèves traverse – one of the region's most epic faces. Alongside him is another skiing legend, Ross Hewitt.
Nikolai masterfully creates atmosphere, suspense, and expectation in this short movie, Topside, and his excitement throughout is palpable.
The movie encapsulates a story of camaraderie in an incredibly striking alpine setting where danger and death lurk in the background, just a rock, a slip, or a wrong turn away.
Antti Autti comes at us with the second episode of his Arctic Line series called Twenty. In this episode, Antti dives into an important part of snowboarding culture: risk-taking. What is an acceptable risk? Is it worth it?
Antti gets into trouble in an avalanche while exploring the high country around Kilpisjärvi, Finland, and at Bárrás in Norway, forcing him to face his approach to risk-taking.
His honesty, openness, and vulnerability alongside awe-inspiring mountains and incredible snowboarding prowess will keep you avidly watching until the end.
a sensational sporting feat
Photo by Clement Delhaye
The American skier, Mikaela Shiffrin, triumphed at Kranjska Gora in Slovenia on January 8th on the Podkoren 3 slope, securing her 82nd career FIS Alpine Ski World Cup victory. Mikaela is now on equal footing with fellow American Lindsey Vonn for the women's record and moves into a tie for second overall in all-time wins.
The 27-year-old powered home first in both runs to leave her rivals trailing in her wake, winning in a combined time of 1:52.53. She now stands just four wins behind Ingemar Stenmark’s iconic overall record of 86.
Speaking to FIS TV immediately after her second run, Mikaele said: "I was so nervous this run. I have a rash on my face, I was so nervous! I don't know why, maybe it's because of 82. I only wanted to ski well… I can't believe it.”
"It was a fight,” she continued, “but it was pretty amazing conditions and I got a report from the coaches that just said everything is fully attackable so you have to go for it. I've been in this position (before) and I've given it away, and today I wanted to go for it."
Second place for the Kranjska Gora giant slalom went to Federica Brignone of Italy with an extra 0.77s. Third place when to Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami with an additional 0.97s.
See you out there!
Team FATMAP