Expedition News

EXPEDITION NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Here are Highlights from our November issue. For a complete copy of each and every
issue, see the subscription information below.

November 1999 - Volume Six, Number Eleven

EXPEDITION NEWS

is a monthly review of significant expeditions, research projects and newsworthy adventures. It is distributed online and by mail to media representatives, corporate sponsors, educators, research librarians, explorers, environmentalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. This forum on exploration covers projects that stimulate, motivate and educate.

THE LONG WALK

For those of us who will never summit K2, cross Antarctica, or dive deep into caves, comes an expedition that is almost within reach of anyone. Almost. A Seattle couple plan to walk the length of Chile starting this spring, an effort they believe the average outdoor enthusiast can relate to.

Nina Page and Brendan Cowan have been together four years now, living, traveling and adventuring. This March they plan their biggest adventure of all - a 4,000 mile, 13-15 month "Long Walk" of Chile, from the desert volcanoes of the north, through the rugged glaciers and fjords of Patagonia, to the tip of South America.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PEARY

In the modern history of polar exploration, no one has duplicated the 1995 feat of Canadian Richard Weber and Russian Dr. Mikhail Malakhov who, in 122 days, traveled from the North Pole and back without resupply (See EN, July 1995). Weber and Malakhov were the first to trek roundtrip and unsupported from Canada to the Pole since 1909. No food caches were hidden midway, there was no resupply from the air, and no "reverse resupply" - the process whereby dogs or teammates are flown out in mid-trek. In fact, the Weber Malakhov Expedition expedition had no sled dogs, resorting instead to manhauling all the way.

Likewise, no one has ever been able to duplicate the claims of polar forerunner Commander Robert Peary who in three days of travel with 24 men, 19 sleds, and 133 dogs, is said to have averaged 44 miles per day. Now Weber, 40, and Malakhov, 45, will return to the North Pole "In the Footsteps of Peary," to apply modern polar experience to Robert Peary's claim that he reached the North Pole in April, 1909.

MAYA CANOE EXPEDITION SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO CLIMB ABOARD

It sounds like something out of Shackleton's era. Col. Douglas T. Peck of Bradenton, Fla. is looking for six to eight volunteer paddlers and two helmsmen for a "grueling, arduous, and uncomfortable" 400 nautical mile research voyage from the Yucatan to Florida to replicate the voyage of the ancient Maya seafarers.

EXPEDITION NOTES

Big Apple Bouldering

- A Manhattan climbing promoter is planning a bouldering championship at various sites in New York next spring. Scheduled venues for the North American Amateur Bouldering Championship include Grand Central Station, the Museum of Modern Art, and Lincoln Center. Ralph Erenzo of ExtraVertical is currently seeking $200,000 in sponsorship for a mid-June, 2000 competition open to both male and female climbers ranging in age from ten to over 50 years. The event will consist of a bouldering competition, public climbing, a climbing sculpture installation, and dance and music performances.

EXPEDITION MARKETING

Chisco is Ready to Go-

- Chisco, a sports accessory company based in Salt Lake City, is interested in providing product to expeditions. The company sells a variety of items for adventurers fleece bags; neck lanyards; shoe pockets; key chains; boot straps; clippers that hold down gloves and hats; and their signature product, The Band, an action sports watchband. Teams interested in using Chisco accessories on their expeditions are invited to tell the company where they're going, and why they believe its accessories would be beneficial. Contact Beirne Chisolm, Chisco owner and founder, at 801 972 5656; fax 801 972 5690; cs@chisco.com
 

IN MEMORIAM

Avalanche Claims Alex Lowe

- Alex Lowe, one of the world's best mountaineers, died last month in a 6,000-ft. avalanche on Shishapangma (26,291-ft.) in the Tibetan Himalaya. Lowe, 40, who was attempting to ski the mountain as part of the 1999 American Shishapangma Ski Expedition, was killed along with high-altitude cameraman David Bridges, 29, from Aspen, Colo.

NOLS Founder Paul Petzoldt Dies

- Teton climbing pioneer Paul Petzoldt, the man who started the National Outdoor Leadership School, died Oct. 6 at a nursing home in Topsham, Maine. He was 91.

MEDIA MATTERS

Times Square Matinee Traverse

- Who says explorers don't have a sense of humor? When New York Times columnist John "Explornography" Tierney wanted to test his theory that you needed the help of explorers to cross Times Square on matinee day with a baby in a stroller, he turned to David Breashears and Explorers Club President Alfred S. McLaren for help.

ON THE HORIZON

Pioneering Women Astronauts Honored -

On Dec. 8, the nation's most courageous and pioneering women astronauts will be honored by The Explorers Club in New York for their important individual contributions to the field of space research. The black tie award dinner will take place Wednesday, Dec. 8, 1999 at the New York Athletic Club, and will honor: Mary Cleave, Ph.D., Bonnie J. Dunbar, Ph.D., Mae Jemison, Ph. D., Rhea Seddon, Ph.D., Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph. D., and Kathryn C. Thornton, Ph.D. Keynote speaker is NASA Chief Administrator Dan Goldin and master of ceremonies is ABC-TV's Hugh Downs. Tickets are $250. (For more information: The Explorers Club, 212 628 8383; www.explorers.org ).

EXPEDITION CLASSIFIEDS

Zegrahm Expeditions -

Join ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS and the world's TOP EXPLORERS as we travel to the most remote and remarkable places on earth. Polar adventurer WILL STEGER joins us in December for a Millennium voyage to ANTARCTICA and its surrounding islands. Come spring, explorers FRED McLAREN and DON WALSH dive deep under the Arctic ice in high-tech submersibles to a legendary shipwreck. In July, oceanographer SYLVIA EARLE leads submersible expeditions to observe SIXGILL SHARKS. And in November, 2000, best-selling author CAROLINE ALEXANDER tells the story of explorer par excellence, Sir Ernest Shackleton, during our CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF SOUTH GEORGIA. For reservations/information: ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS, 1414 Dexter Avenue N. #327, Seattle, WA 98109. Phone: 800 628 8747, 206 285 4000; Fax: 206 285 5037; Web site: www.zeco.com; E-mail: zoe@zeco.com

Y2CAVE

- Spend New Year's Eve with your best friend in a 20 million-year-old Tarahumara Indian cave in the mountains of Copper Canyon, Mexico. Copper Canyon Hiking Lodges have a deluxe, week-long hiking adventure for $3,250 pp, including a night in the cave, great grub, fancy wines and Indian guides. Stay in a mountain lodge near Cusarare River, and its sister lodge, a 200-year-old hacienda, in the bottom of the canyon. 800 77MEXICO; coppercanyon@earthlink.net; www.sierratrail.com

China and Mongolia

- Membership is now available to join Global Research and Discovery's Year 2000 Archaeological Expeditions to these two, until now, closed countries. Join us as we return on our second expedition to Mongolia, working with the leading scientists from the University of Ulan Bataar ...or make history along with us as we undertake a first of its kind archaeological exploration within the People's Republic of China, working actively and in
cooperation with professors from the University of Peking. Expeditions are scheduled for late Spring / early Summer 2000. For more information contact Global Research and Discovery Network, 24 Orchard St., Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660; 201 641 7212; henkellang@aol.com .

EXPEDITION NEWS. is published by:

BLUMENFELD & ASSOCIATES, INC.
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USA
Tel: 203 855 9400
Fax: 203 855 9433
E-mail: editor@ExpeditionNews.com
Editor/publisher: Jeff Blumenfeld

Copyright © 1999 Blumenfeld and Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1526-8977.

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