The Latest Adventure News: May
YOUR LATEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
It's a big internet out there. We’ve collected just a few of the coolest adventure things we stumbled on this month that we think you might want to cast your eyes on.
See this as your monthly goody bag of digital outdoor musings, including inspiring adventure articles, events, race results, and other cool mountain stuff we have an inkling you'll love.
Results we loved
DarkFest
DarkFest
Some of the world's best freeride mountain bikers pushed the limits of the sport over five days at DarkFest in the Hellsend Dirt Compound in Stellenbosch, South Africa last month. The longest jump was 33.5m (120ft) on which Tom Isted pulled off a record-breaking backflip! Tom won the King of Darkness title, and Robin Goomes the Queen of Darkness.
Transvulcania
Trail runners endured soaring temperatures as they raced along volcanic ridges at the Transvulcania race by UTMB on La Palma on May 6th.
The event offers challenging courses: the Ultra (75km) is one of the toughest ultra trails in the world, Volcanes (50km) is an exciting journey along the route of the volcanoes, El Roque offers a challenge from the sky to the sea (from 2,427m to 0m / 20km), El Roque Promesas is for young athletes (20km), and Vertical Challenge (1.2km) boasts a dizzying and challenging ascent with spectacular views.
Dakota Jones was the first man to cross the finish line of the Ultra in 7h2m16s and Martina Valmassoi the first woman in 9h9m3s.
Crankworx Cairns
Emil Johansson from Sweden clinched the Slopestyle victory at Crankworx Cairns on May 20th, tying him with Brandon Semenuk’s record of 11 Crankworx Slopestyle wins.
As for the Dual Slalom titles, Aussie riders took over the podium taking home five of the six top spots across the two categories. However, no one took advantage of the new starting ramp quite like defending champs Caroline Buchanan and Jayce Cunning. The decorated athletes were able to hit the marks and precisely time each move on the track en route to successfully defending their Crankworx Cairns Pump Track titles.
Articles for your commute
#1 Originally published in Backpacker
Phoenix recorded one of its hottest days in April (40°C) since 1943, signalling a tricky – and hot - summer ahead for hikers. Such high temperatures aren’t abnormal in Arizona but they typically wait until May to soar quite as high as that. This could mean a particularly treacherous hiking summer ahead.
In 2021, the state implemented a pilot programme to close popular hiking trails when the National Weather Service issued high temperature warnings. Results were remarkably quick. Over the 2021 hiking season, rescues in the region dropped by 19% compared with 2020. These numbers dropped by an additional nine percent in 2022. Clearly, closing these popular trails kept hikers safer.
There’s no sign yet as to whether or not the programme will run again this year. Regardless, it looks like hikers will have to be extra vigilant this year with such extreme temperatures piquing so early in the season.
Photo by Christoph von Gellhorn
#2 Originally published in Travel & Leisure
Outdoor lovers, it’s time to unite in Buena Vista, Colorado! From flowing rivers to deep valleys and soaring mountain peaks, the charming town of Buena Vista is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. Located just two hours south of Denver, this small town is an adventurer’s haven.
The area offers something for every season. The summer season runs from June to mid-September with a comfortable, average temperature of 21 degrees Celcius. Activities range from hiking and white water rafting, to kayaking, mountain biking, and relaxing in hot springs.
Winter goes from November to March, offering a number of winter activities, including dog sledding, fat biking, snowmobiling, and skiing or snowboarding.
It seems to offer something for every seasonal outdoors person!
#3 Originally published in Adventure Journal
Take note: Burying your poop is out, bagging it is in.
For years the preferred method for disposing of your personal waste was digging a six-inch hole with your trowel and burying it underground. It was believed that the soil would break it down quickly. It looks like times have changed.
Research now shows that too many pathogens remain in the ground when we bury faeces, deeming the method unsafe.
Burying your poop in the backcountry in the past may have been fairly safe to do when there weren’t as many people seeking outdoor adventures. But numbers, in the US at least, show that more and more people are taking to the woods these days. For instance, in 2020, 7.1 million more people in the US participated in some form of outdoor recreation than in the previous year, for a total of roughly 200 million people, according to the Outdoor Foundation’s 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report.
If thousands more people now hike the same trails over a season, we’re talking about a minefield of waste seeping into the soil.
The answer now is to bag your waste and to dispose of it at home. There are a number of new methods for this, ranging from fold-and-go portable toilets to simple yet effective bags.
Events for your calendar
#1 Verbier Ultra
The Verbier Ultra is the autumnal trail running event in Val de Bagnes. It offers one of the most breathtaking panoramas in Europe, with five race distances ranging between two kilometres and 94km over four unique courses in Val de Bagnes and Verbier in Switzerland.
The Verbier Ultra aims to inspire people to excel and to make Verbier and the Val de Bagnes the world's #1 autumn resort, known for its breathtaking trails, the warm welcome of the Bagnes community and its local products.
Whether you are a runner, a spectator, a volunteer, or a partner, the Verbier Ultra aims to offer you an unmissable weekend so that you can redefine the impossible and surpass yourself!
WHEN: 9 - 10 September | Pre and post race party 8 - 11 September
WHERE: Collèges de Bagnes, Chemin du Collège 17, Le Châble 1934 Val de Bagnes
HOW: Find more information here
#2 Ultra Skyrunning Madeira
The Skyrunner World Series is bringing five incredible skyrunning races to the Ultra Skyrunning Madeira event in Portugal next month. This race is as fun as it is challenging, with unimaginable terrain. Runners head up over the clouds towards the highest point on Madeira to watch the sun rise around them.
Be prepared for the 45-km Madeira Sky Race, the 4.8-km Santana Vertical Kilometer, the Santana Sky Race with 23km, the 10km Furão Sky Race, and the Kids Sky Race.
WHEN: 16 - 17 June
WHERE: Santana, Madeira
HOW: Find more information here
#3 Marathon du Mont-Blanc
The legendary Marathon du Mont-Blanc is coming back to Chamonix next month. With eight courses for runners to choose from, and the longest route going up to 92km, the event is one of the most technical trail races in France.
Registration for this year’s races is already full except for the Young Race Marathon and Mini Cross. However, supporters and spectators are encouraged to go and watch the event for some serious trail running inspiration.
WHEN: 22 - 25 June
WHERE: Place du Mont-Blanc, Chamonix
HOW: More information here
#4 Minotaur SkyRace
The Minotaur SkyRace is the only North American race in the Skyrunner World Series and it's coming to Crowsest Pass in the Canadian Rockies!
Whether you’re looking to qualify for the prestigious SkyMasters race or you’re simply looking for a one-of-a-kind race in North America, expect rugged, remote, and technical courses in the high alpine and an unforgettable experience with two races: 33.5km and 10km.
WHEN: 24 June
WHERE: Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
HOW: More information here
#5 Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB
Embark on a trail running adventure of a lifetime at the Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB® in one of the top ski resorts in the US: Snowbird in Utah.
Dig deep to unleash your inner grit and be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the Wasatch Mountains.
There’s a distance and a challenge for every runner, and registration is still open for the 28km! This course is held on the exact same trails as the signature 50km route, giving runners the same captivating views of the summit of Snowbird.
WHEN: 21 - 23 July
WHERE: Snowbird, Utah
HOW: More information here
#6 BC AdventureSmart
Learn how to educate outdoor lovers with BC AdventureSmart's outdoor educator training webinars - all about personal preparedness and decision making for outdoor recreation.
Each webinar covers a specific topic, including K-9 Safety & First Aid with Backcountry Aid + Rescue Kit, and BC Wildfire Service with Meteorologist Brett Soderholm, amongst other ones.
Bonus: Attendees get a free 1-month Explore voucher!
WHEN: 15, 29 June / 13, 18 July / 3 August
WHERE: Online, anywhere
HOW: Find more information here
WHO can attend: Outdoor educators, guides, outdoor recreation management & tourism university students, media/journalists, search and rescue volunteers, teachers, tourism representatives, front line staff/volunteers (hospitality), social media influencers & outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone interested.
#7 Camp Strava
Watch and listen to 300 of the world's most inspiring athletes, explorers, community builders, event organisers, and brands who came together for Camp Strava on May 17th.
WHEN: Anytime from 17 May
WHERE & HOW: Strava YouTube channel
May’s movies
In the summer of 2022, three amateur trail runners set out to run across Iceland.
Scotswoman Julie Hewison, Frenchwoman Marie Gamen, and American Carol Passarelli planned to run the famed north-to-south traverse, spanning 340km, in just eight days – a trail that most hikers complete in a few weeks.
A moving story of partnership and perseverance, GRIT follows the trio, getting up close and personal with the extreme physical and mental demands that ultra distances entail, and confronting the question: what is pushing the limits, and what is going too far?
Two trail runners, Kaytlyn Gerbin and Jenny Abegg, set out to complete the North Cascades High Traverse in six days. The only previously recorded completion took 28 days.
Amongst challenging, rugged mixed-alpine terrain, the duo make the route look easier than it actually is, keeping up their smiles and positive attitude throughout the journey.
A family feat
Fourteen-year-old Rowan and his mountain guide father, Jonathan Gormick, successfully completed the three-day Spearhead Traverse from Blackcomb Mountain to Whistler Village.
Just take a look at their day-to-day route breakdown below to see how impressive this feat was:
Dig into the father-son team's adventure below:
See you out there!
Team FATMAP