Men's Journal Looks at the 24 Greatest Feats of 2015

As the final days of the year slip off the calendar, it is a good time to look back and reflect on some of the things that happened in 2015. As usual, it was a busy year, filled with great stories of exploration and adventure. So many in fact, that you sometimes forget everything that happened. Fortunately for us, Men's Journal has put together a great little slideshow highlighting the 24 Greatest Feats of the past year.

Some of the amazing accomplishments that earned a spot on this list include the first winter crossing of the PCT, the longest time spent in space by an American, and Freya Hoffmeister's circumnavigation of South America in a kayak. Scott Jurek's speed record on the Appalachian Trail gets a nod as well, as does Dani Arnold's new speed record on the Matterhorn.

I won't spoil all of the entires on the list, but I will say paging through the MJ slideshow is a bit like taking a walk down memory lane. It reminded me of so many great things that happened this year, a lot off which we covered right here on The Adventure Blog.

For my money, the greatest feat of 2015 occurred all the way back in January. That's when Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson completed the first free climb of the Dawn Wall in Yosemite. For a brief time, the world was transfixed by a pair of rock climbers taking on the hardest big wall on the planet, and they did not disappoint. It was an amazing way to start the year, and it still stands as one of the most impressive climbing accomplishments ever.

With 2015 quickly fading away, now is a good time to look back on these great adventures, before e start looking ahead to those that will come in 2016. It was a great year. Here's to many more!

South African Mother-Son Team To Pedal Across the Atlantic

Yesterday I posted a story about a Frenchman who is preparing to cross the Atlantic on SUP board. Today we have word of another Atlantic crossing, this time under pedal power.

South African Davey Du Plessis and his mom Robyn Wolff plan to set out in the next few days, depending on the weather conditions. They'll leave from Cape Town with the intention of pedaling their custom made boat all the way to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Their journey will cover an estimated 6450 km (4007 miles), and is expected to take anywhere from 90-150 days to complete.

The mother-son crew are obviously in for a big adventure out on the high seas, but they are undertaking this epic journey to help raise awareness of how man is causing the mass extinction of life across the globe. Through our own actions, we are having a deep, and lasting, impact on the planet that is resulting in a sever loss of life that will be irreversible. Davey and Robyn hope to bring this cause to the forefront of world issues through their efforts. You can find out more about his issue at ExtinctionSix.com.

If Davey's name sounds familiar, its because he made world-wide headlines back in 2012 when he attempted to travel the length of the Amazon River, but was attacked by gunmen, shot, and left for dead. His story was a brutal reminder that not all of the challenges that we face while traveling through remote areas are due to Mother Nature. Other humans can still be a major threat too.

Davey and his mother intend to set out before the end of November, so they are starting to run low on days. But they are prepared to be begin when the weather allows them to, and they know that the ocean may not be all that accommodating to their schedule. They'll make their Atlantic crossing in  a boat that has no sail or motor. Instead, it has been outfitted with a specially created pedal drive that will allow them to make progress as if they were pedaling a bike. The boat was also made from sustainable materials to help make it safe for the environment as well, and it it is outfitted with the standard equipment you would expect on an ocean crossing, including water purification system, GPS navigation, and emergency radios.

Good luck to Davey and Robyn on this voyage. It should be an amazing one.

Frenchman to Attempt Atlantic Crossing on a SUP Board

A Frenchman by the name of Jarossay Nicolas has set quite a goal for himself. In January, he intends to launch a specially built stand-up paddle board from the African Coast on which he will attempt to become the first person to SUP across the Atlantic Ocean. He expect to spend 75 days at sea as he paddles towards the Americas, covering approximately 4000 km (2500 miles) of open water.

The key to his survival on the Atlantic Ocean is the 21-foot long, custom built SUP board. Large and ponderous looking, it has never the less been built to help him survive for two-and-a-half months at sea. It features a host of high tech gadgets to help with the crossing, including GPS navigation, emergency beacons, radios, and a water purification system that is capable of producing 3.5 liters of fresh water per hour. The board also includes a 7-foot long storage compartment that will be packed with freeze dried food for Nicolas' meals, and an emergency suit in case he experiences bad weather along the way. It is even large enough for the man himself to squeeze inside in dangerous situations.

It appears that the Frenchman will be paddling alone and without a safety boat on this voyage. He will be in daily contact via satellite phone with a friend back home, but will not have the luxury of a boat following along to help avert disaster. Should he run into problems, he could be days away from anyone who could assist him. Tropical storms are less common during the time of year that he'll be crossing the ocean, but they can happen, and this tiny craft would have a difficult time surviving such an onslaught.

You can find out more about the SUP crossing of the Atlantic at Nicolas' official website, and on Facebook. Big thanks goes to the Gear Junkie for sharing this story.

New Film Takes Us on an Iranian River Adventure

Way back in March of this year I told you about a new documentary that was in the works. The film followed the travels of U.K. adventurers Tom Allen and Leon McCarron as they traveled through Iran, following the Karun River from source to sea. The duo traced the origins of the river to the Zard Khu mountains, and then followed its entire length to the Persian Gulf, covering some 720 km (450 miles) on foot, packraft, and bike.

Along the way, they discovered a country that was not at all what they expected. The Iranian people were warm and inviting, greeting Tom and Leon with respect and friendship. This runs counter to the way the country is often portrayed in the media, particularly as Iranian leaders clash with the West on some fundamental political issues. But the Iranian people didn't let those geopolitical conflicts influence how they felt about their visitors from he U.K., and as a result they came to call the country the "friendliest place on Earth."

That film is now complete, and it was just released earlier this week through digital distribution on the Internet. You'll find more about it on the official website at KarunFilm.com. You'll also find a list of screenings for the doc, as well as instructions on how you can host a screening of your own. Tom and Leon are hoping to show the film to as many people as possible, as they would like to use it as a vehicle to inform others about just how welcoming the Iranian people truly are. While they set out on a grand adventure, they discovered that their film was as much about the people of Iran as it was their own expedition.

Below is the trailer for the documentary. If you'd like to watch the entire video, visit the film's official website.

Karun: Misadventures On Iran's Longest River (Official HD Trailer) from Tom Allen on Vimeo.

National Geographic Announces 2015 Adventurers of the Year

It is that time again. National Geographic has announced their picks for the 2016 Adventurers of the Year, with some familiar faces earning a spot on the list. Many of these men and women are people that we've followed here on The Adventure Blog, with some surprise picks to go along with those that are a bit more obvious and expected.

Falling into that latter category, I'm sure no one will be surprised to hear that Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson made the cut. After all, these two men held the world spell bound last January as they climbed the incredibly difficult Dawn Wall in Yosemite. Their climb took 19 days to complete, and for much of that time rock climbing gained widespread mainstream media attention, something that doesn't happen very often.

Others who earned the title of Adventurer of the Year in 2015 include a female team of cyclists in Afghanistan who are breaking new ground, long-distance kayaker Freya Hoffmeister, who completed her circumnavigation of the South American continent, and skies Chris Davenport, and Christy and Ted Mahon, who became the first people to make ski descents of all 53 14ers in Colorado. Scott Jurek also made the list for his speed run along the Appalachian Trail, as did Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, and Benny Marr for their first descent by kayak of a river in Papua New Guinea.

As usual, these men and women are incredibly inspiring, and demonstrate a commitment to pushing the limits of what we believe we are capable of accomplishing. They are climbers, paddlers, explorers, conservationists, cyclists, and so much more. You can check out the entire list here, and vote for your pick for the People's Choice Adventurer of the Year by clicking here. The winner of that category will be announced in February.

Also get a look at these amazing people in the video below.

Outside Has Your Bucket List for 2016

We still have about six weeks to go until the calendar turns to 2016, but already many of us are looking ahead to next year to start plotting our outdoor adventures. If you're starting to think about what you'd like to accomplish in the new year, than you'll want to take a look at this article from Outside magazine, which is filled with suggestions on what to include on your bucket list.

The story includes 46 different suggestions for adventurous pursuits that would make just about anyone envious. If strung together, these suggestions add up to 365 days of adventure, giving us a full year of amazing experiences. Of course, very few of us could actually manage to do all of these things in a single year, but the article will definitely plant the seeds of things to do in the future.

Some of the suggestions include driving a car as fast as you can on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah. There is even a link to the registration form that will allow you to do just that. Outside also recommends taking a paddling trip in Maine, Utah, or Oregon, as well as going bobsledding in Lake Placid, New York. Other options include catching the Northern Lights in Iceland, facing your greatest fear, no matter what it might be, and taking a solo camping trip to just about anywhere.

Whether you're a climber, hiker, skier, mountain biker, or all of the above, you'll find something of interest on the list. In fact, one of the things that makes this "bucket list" so much fun is the diversity of activities that includes. There are options for visiting the Grand Canyon, meditating at a wilderness escape, and opportunities to experience wildlife like never before. In short, there is a whole lot of adventure options packed into this one article.

One of the best things about reading an article like this for me is that it opens my eyes up for new opportunities. Sure, I've been fortunate enough to do some of the things already on the list, but there are plenty of amazing experiences to be had, many of which I didn't even know existed. So as I start to turn my attention to 2016, and think about the things I want to do and the places I want to go next year, I always appreciate a few suggestions. You'll find plenty of that and more on Outside's list. Check it out for yourself here.