Video: All-Star Team of Antarctic Climbers Share Story on CBS This Morning

It is always great to see mountaineering and exploration get some mainstream press in this day and age. In this case, it comes from the television show CBS This Morning, which recently shared video footage from an expedition that we covered way back in December in which Alex Honnold, Cedar Wright, Conrad Anker, and a host of other great climbers traveled to the Antarctic to take on a group of challenging peaks. Those three men were on set to talk about their adventure and you can watch the interview in the video below.

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Men's Journal Presents the 25 Most Adventurous Men of the Past 25 Years

Men's Journal has released another interesting article that is sure to spur some heated conversation. This time out, the magazine has posted its selection for the 25 most adventurous men of the past 25 years, making their picks based not only on the amazing feats that these men managed to pull off, but also their "consistency and commitment" for taking on big adventures. Also, as the name of the article implies, these gentleman have been mostly active over the past two-and-a-half decades, which has led to some big names potentially being left of the list. Even still, while those that made the cut are obviously deserving of some serious recognition, I can think of at least one or two names that didn't make the cut that would certainly have been on my own personal list.

As usual, I'll leave the bulk of the list for you to discover on your own, but will mention a few of the more familiar names that you'll find there. Not only did Conrad Anker earn a place amongst the top 25, his buddy Jimmy Chin is on the list too. Their joined by the likes of Alex Honnold, Eric Larsen, and Erik Weihenmayer as well. 

All of the entries on the list include a profile of the individual with a few paragraphs explaining why they deserved a mention. In some cases there is a break down of their defining expeditions and moments, while for others it is an overview of their entire career. All told, the article serves as a good introduction for these men, most of whom are still very active today. 

It is obviously very difficult to break down a list such as this one and select just 25 people to put on it. I'm sure there was a group of explorers and adventurers who didn't make the cut that are impressive in their own right. But, I was surprised to not find Ueli Steck on the list, as he redefined what was possible in the mountains over the length of his career. Kilian Jornet didn't make the cut either, nor did Simone Moro, who has four first winter ascents of 8000-meter peaks on his resume. Of course there isn't room for everyone in the top 25, but Ueli's omission is puzzling in particular. 

Still, it is hard to argue with the guys who are on MJ's list. They are all inspirational men who have pushed boundaries in their respective areas. To find out who did earn a spot in the rundown, click here. 

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All-Star American Climbing Team Putting Up New Routes in the Antarctic

Yesterday I noted the success of an international team of climbers in the Antarctic who completed the second ascent of a rock spire called the Spectre. Not to be outdone by their European counterparts, a group of all-start climbers from the U.S. is also down south and has been putting up some impressive routes as well.

The very strong team of climbers includes the likes of Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold, Cedar Wright, Savannah Cumins, and Anna Pfaff. The group is also joined by cameraman Pablo Durana, who is documenting the expedition to Queen Maud Land, where they are focused on opening new routes in an area rich with possibilities.

According to this story from Planet Mountain, Honnold and Wright have been exploring different routes near the famous Ulvetanna cathedral. The entire team arrived on the frozen continent on December 1, and immediately started scouting out six different peaks that surround their base camp, which includes Holtanna, Hollstind, Kinntanna, Stetind, Hel and, obviously, Ulvetanna itself.

Reportedly, Honnold and Wright first joined forces with Cumins and Pfaff to climb the 2650 meter (8694 ft) Holtanna, before they moved on to establish three new routes in the region, including a 400 meter (1312 ft) line up Mount Fenris. Meanwhile, Anker and Chin have been focused on a project of their own which involves a new route up Ulvetanna.

As you can imagine, we'll be keeping an eye on their progress for the rest of the season. It should be interesting to see what this incredibly talented group can do. Hopefully we'll get some awesome video footage out of it.

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Video: The North Face Athletes Question Madness - Conrad Anker and Alex Honnold

Yesterday, I shared a video that launched a new brand campaign from The North Face that invited us to "Question Madness." The campaign celebrates the 50th anniversary of the company, which has become synonymous with outdoor adventure and exploration. Today, I have two more videos from that exemplify what the company is going for by introducing viewers to some of their sponsored athletes. In this case, those two people are mountaineer Conrad Anker and rock climber Alex Honnold. Check them out below.

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Video: National Geographic Live! - The Call of Everest

I missed this video when it was released a couple of months back but in this case, it's better late than never. It is a 30-minute look of the past, present and future of climbing on the world's tallest peak. It features mountaineers Mark Jenkins and Conrad Anker, amongst others, who share their experiences from Everest.

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