Challenge

Epic Skimo

November 13, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) involves climbing a mountain on skis or by carrying them and descending on skis using varied ski touring, Telemark, backcountry skiing and mountaineering techniques. A recreational as well as competitive sport, skimo requires a high level of physical ability and stamina along with technical know-how and skills. Enthusiasts enjoy the adventure, variety of terrain, extreme challenges, and pushing limits.

In the mountains, you may find a ‘Netherworld’ … “where pain, grief, joy and exhilaration mix into moments of transcendent beauty”.*

In 2018, ski mountaineers, Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison, completed the first ski descent of the 27,940-foot (8,516 m) Mount Lhotse, part of the Everest massif and the fourth-highest mountain in the world. An incredible accomplishment when you consider the extreme challenge of just climbing to the summit of Lhotse (less than 400 climbers have summited Mount Lhotse and at least 20 have died trying), and there have been about a dozen failed attempts to ski down. Video documentary, Lhotse, tells the story of Hilaree and Jim’s extraordinary climb up and ski descent with personal and expert commentary and mind-blowing photography of this “mini-miracle” skimo adventure.

In 2016, Aaron Rice set out to climb and ski 2.5 million vertical feet in the backcountry without using climbing assistance from motorized equipment (e.g., chair lifts, helicopters), challenging the world record of 2 million vertical feet set by Greg Hill in 2010. It’s an epic endurance test as Aaron must chase after snow around the world and ski more than 330 days in order to accomplish his record breaking goal. Watch this amazing journey in the short video 2.5 million, filmed, directed and edited by Tyler Wilkinson-Ray.

Video documentary Follow Through tells the story of skier Caroline Gleich’s motivation and determination to ski the 90 difficult and insanely dangerous ski mountaineering lines in the backcountry of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains first described by ski mountaineer Andrew McLean in his **1998 book “The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains”.

Information/Resources:

International Ski Mountaineering Federation – governing body for ski mountaineering competitions
United States Ski Mountaineering Association – sanctions and governs competitive ski mountaineering racing in US, and promotes recreational ski mountaineering. The USSMA website includes how-to information, resource links and videos.
*The Long Road To Lhotse by David Bunker, Tahoe Quarterly, Winter 2018-19

Avalanches are a powerful and deadly threat to ski mountaineers as well as anyone living or playing in snow-covered mountainous areas; therefore, no one should venture out in the backcountry unless up to speed on avalanche safety and accident prevention measures.

You should also watch Adventure Skiing (Free to Watch, On-Demand video documentaries) Adventure skiers travel the world, discovering great beauty and dangers in the mountain landscapes of Europe, Asia, North and South America, and the Middle East.

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

**Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link to Amazon within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Robson Hatsukami Morgan/Unsplash, CC0

Alpine Ski Racing LIVE

November 12, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

It’s all down hill in alpine skiing, and oh — what a fun ride.
Fun to watch, too.

While humans have been sliding down snow covered mountains for thousands of years, skiing as a recreational and competitive sport did not catch on until the 19th century.

The first slalom competition was held in 1922 in Mürren, Switzerland, and both men’s and women’s alpine skiing debuted at the Olympics in 1936, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Today, there are many types of alpine ski competitions, but they can be categorized into two major disciplines: Racing, which includes Downhill, Super-G (aka super giant), Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Combined, and Freestyle which involves moguls, aerials, halfpipe and skicross.

Here’s a quick run down of alpine ski racing events (freestyle we’ll leave for another day and a separate post):

Downhill is all about ultra-speed. Skiers start at the top of a long, wide race course, and ski down as fast as possible to the finish line, reaching speeds of up to 93mph (150 klicks). I like this race – point ’em down hill and go – fast with just a few easy turns. It’s a great experience for a recreational skier like me. But, can’t image going anywhere close to 90mph on skies. Elite athletes make it look easy, but it’s dangerous and takes courage as well as skill.

The Super-G is similar to the Downhill as the race course is wide and fast, but it requires a skier to make sharper and more frequent turns than in Downhill, making for lots of speed and thrills.

In Slalom, technique is the major focus. Skiers must maneuver around a bunch of poles and make very sharp, quick turns while going as fast as possible. I tried to go down a slalom course once. Think I got through maybe 3 gates, and that ended my career. I watch Slalom in awe.

The Giant Slalom is best described as somewhere between the Super-G and Slalom because the race course requires turns around gates spaced closer together than a Super-G race, but not quite like the turns in Slalom.

Traditionally, an alpine Combined competition consists of one run of Downhill and two runs of Slalom, raced on separate days, and the skier with the fastest total ‘combined’ time is the winner. A modified version of combined competition is called the Super Combined with one speed race (either a Downhill or Super-G) and one Slalom.

WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2019 French National Alpine Ski Championships (March 23-25), there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the event posts located in the right top corner of the media player below ↓

If you missed the 2019 Europa Cup Giant Slalom competition in Tignes, France, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the live streaming broadcast of Night Racing in Parallel Slalom Europa Cup competition, you can watch a video recording of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the men’s 2019 Europa Cup Giant Slalom, there’s till time to watch a video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the 2019 Europa Cup Men’s Slalom competition at Val Cenis, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

Sun Valley, Idaho was the host to the 2018 US Alpine Championships March 21 – 26, and it was huge and fast with US Ski Team members, Olympians, collegiate and international skiers competing on Bald Mountain for men’s and women’s titles in the Alpine Combined, Super G, Slalom and Giant Slalom.

Kicking off the competition on March 21, Olympian Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) won the alpine combined national title, and the young, talented A.J. Hurt (Carnelian Bay, CA) got the women’s alpine combined victory, her first national title.

Telemark skiing is a hardcore test of stamina, power, speed and grace in the mountains. WATCH FIS World Cup Telemark competition LIVE, and if you miss a race, video recordings are available for viewing.

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Windsurfing Comp LIVE

October 30, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Windsurfing (also known as ‘sailboarding’) is a dynamic, challenging water sport, sometimes described as a cross between surfing and sailing, but the experience of riding a board powered by wind feels more like flying.

It’s fun to watch, too. Experienced windsurfers can perform jumps, inverted loops, spins, and other “freestyle” moves as well as ride the world’s ‘Big Waves’ in lightening fast speeds.

There are 5 main disciplines of competitive windsurfing events held by the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA): Wave, Freestyle, Racing, Super X and Indoor. Freestyle and Wave are judged competitions. Olympic Boardsailing, Formula windsurfing, Slalom and SuperX are group races on a course, and Speed Racing is an individual timed race on a straight 500 meter course.

WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™

Ho’okipa (meaning ‘hospitality’) Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii is considered the home of windsurfing, and with its predictable tradewinds and some of the best and biggest waves on the planet, it’s the place all windsurfers hope to experience at some point during their lifetime. Ho’okipa is also the host of the 2019 Mercedes – Benz Aloha Classic.

The Aloha Classic has long been considered the most prestigious windsurfing event in the world, and 2019 promises to be one of the most spectacular yet, with massive swells in the forecast and a star-studded international lineup competing for the Aloha Classic champions as well as overall titles for both the PWA (Professional Windsurfers Association) and IWT (International Windsurfing Tour). Watch the live stream broadcast October 27 – November 9.

Programming Notes: Livestreaming of the Aloha Classic is scheduled 5 -9pm EST each day of the event. Sometimes things go wrong — scheduling changes, breaks in competition, or technical interruptions in the live broadcast. Please check back for live action updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info on other live streaming events.

If you miss a live stream broadcast of the Aloha Classic, you can watch recordings of the previous day’s competition via video posts located top right corner of the media player below.

2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt is one of the biggest and longest running windsurfing events in the world, featuring all three main disciplines, 200,000 spectators on the beach, and some of the most extreme conditions. Disciplines: Slalom, Foil, Wave and Freestyle for Men, Wave only for Women.

If you missed the live stream broadcast, you can watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from event posts located in top right corner of the media player below.

On the island of Gran Canaria, located in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the northwestern coast of Africa, is a special place that’s all about windsurfing — Pozo Izquierdo. It’s one of the best natural areas in the world for windsurfing with strong winds and 1-3 meter waves, and every June-July, the best surfers in the world head there to test their skills and compete in the Gran Canaria Winds and Waves Windsurf World Cup.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of 2019 Gran Canaria Winds and Waves Windsurf World Cup, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below.

Located just off the French coastline of the Mediterranean, Le Jaï, Marignane is a renowned location for slalom windsurfing, and the perfect venue for PWA Tour events. If you missed the 2019 Marignane PWA Windsurfing World Cup live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located in the upper right corner of the media player below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2019 PWA World Cup freestyle competition hosted on the Dutch Caribbean island, Bonaire, April 9-13, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from video posts in the top right corner located on the media player below ↓

Watch more great surfing and personal stories on the “Cranking Surf” video channel, a collection of On2In2™ favorite short videos FREE 2 WATCH, On-Demand

FREE To WATCH big wave surfing videos, including the amazing world record Big Wave towed-in ride on an 80′ (24m) wave by Rodrigo Koxa (Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on November 8, 2017.

Photo is courtesy of George Desipris/Unsplash CC0

Why Not Now?

October 29, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Vivian Stancil was 50 years old, blind, weighed more than 300 pounds, and was terrified of water when she decided she would try swimming lessons.

Learning to swim will change your life, and it's never to late to start swimming lessons. — Dad’s two star swimmers at Landa Park pool

I was lucky. I grew up around water — lakes, rivers, streams and a large, spring-fed community pool. The summer I learned to swim I had just turned 7 years old. My dad (a former lifeguard) considered swimming an important life skill as well as a recreational activity. So important, in fact, he took two weeks vacation time from work to give me and my sister an intense course of daily swim instruction after he determined we had not learned enough taking beginner classes.

I did become a confident swimmer after dad’s training, later working as a life guard and swim instructor during summer breaks just as he had done and enjoying water skiing and scuba diving. Even tried windsurfing, but struggled with directional control, resulting in too many wild one-way rides. Boating was a favorite family pastime (also the family business), and some of my best childhood memories are summer vacations at the beach with family and friends.

But, more important than water sports and recreation, I learned from dad to love and respect the water. It wasn’t until leaving my water-centric childhood home that I began to understand not everyone has the same opportunity to learn to swim and so many people have absolutely no experience in or around water.

Somber Stats

A 2014 Red Cross survey found that 54% American adults either can’t swim or don’t have basic swimming skills, and only 56% of those claiming to know how to swim can perform all five basic water safety/competency skills: 1) the ability to step or jump into the water over your head; 2) return to the surface and float or tread water for one minute; 3) turn around in a full circle and find an exit; 4) swim 25 yards to the exit; and 5) exit from the water without using a ladder.

The Red Cross survey also revealed that nearly half of Americans say they have had an experience in the water where they were afraid they might drown, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 10 people die every day in the US from unintentional drowning. Twenty percent (20%) of those deaths are children aged 14 or younger, making drowning the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death for children and sixth for people of all ages.

There are similarly grim statistics reported throughout the world. In both Hong Kong and England (each surrounded by water) – one in five can’t swim. According to government statistics, approximately 60,000 people drown in China every year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified Africa (a region where children are taught to avoid the water, not how to swim) as having the highest rate of drowning deaths in the world (8 drownings for every 100,000 people), and Lake Victoria is considered one of the most dangerous spots with an estimated 5,000 drownings each year.

FACE YOUR FEAR – CHANGE YOUR LIFE

For non-swimming adults, fear and access were the main barriers to learning to swim as a child. That fear then carries on through adulthood and develops more issues of embarrassment and disinterest, causing serious risk to personal safety and an inability to enjoy the water. But, these things can be conquered with some inspiration, determination and swim lessons from a certified instructor.

Why not now? It’s a great question, and Vivian Stancil reminds us all that it’s never too late to learn to swim or take on any challenge.

Information/Resources:

Recommended Reading → *Swimming Lessons: Life Lessons from the Pool, from Diving In to Treading Water” by Penelope Niven. [At age 44, Penelope needed a change, and decided to learn to swim.] *Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via this link. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Find local Red Cross ‘Learn-to-Swim’ providers
Adult learn-to-swim instructors – US Masters Swimming search tool
Vivian Stancil Olympian Foundation – Drown-Proof/Swim Clinic (April 28, 2018, Riverside, California)
2014 Red Cross Water Safety Survey Results – study conducted using a representative sample of American adults
Learn to Swim England The Amateur Swimming Association found that 20% of men and 22% of women over the age of 14 in England can’t swim.
Why do so many Africans drown? by Julian Hattem (April 27, 2017) NPR Goats and Soda
8 Health Benefits of Swimming + 5 Tips to Help You Swim Better by Jesse Miller, Jen Reviews (July 9, 2017)
When Death Rocks Your World, Maybe You Jump Out of a Plane by Hanna Rosin, NPR Health (March 9, 2018) – A personal essay on facing “one single deep, visceral, nausea-inducing fear of heights” when her mother asked her to jump out of an airplane.

Synchronized swimming is like watching ballet in the water, but watch closely. You’ll discover it looks much easier than it is, and competition is fierce.

Feature photo is courtesy of Unsplash CC0

Swim Competition

October 28, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Recreational swimming can be traced back to prehistoric times. It became a competitive activity starting in 1830s England, and today, competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports.

In competitive swimming, the goal is to break personal or world records while beating competitors in an event. There are varied distance individual events in competition, including the butterfly, backstroke, freestyle, and individual medley as well as freestyle or medley relay (teams of four swimmers), and each swim stroke requires specific technique with rules governing the acceptable form. There are also regulations concerning athlete’s swimsuits, caps, jewelry, and injury tape and competition pool requirements. The international governing body for competitive swimming is the Fédération Internationale de Natation (“International Swimming Federation”), aka ‘FINA’, and there are a large number of recognized national federations throughout the world.

Training for competitive swimming requires many hours working out in the pool (usually twice a day, 6 days a week) and outside the pool (serious gym time lifting weights, running, yoga, pilates, etc). Prior to a competition, athletes typically decrease their training workload in order to rest their bodies.

WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™

During the last 20 years, more than 20 have competed at the International Swimmeet in Italy, and this year is no exception as the best swimmers from Europe and overseas race all sprint distances (50 and 100m) during the two-day event in Bolzano. Watch live streaming of the competition starting Saturday, November 2, 5am EST

Programming Note: Sometimes it happens — scheduling changes, breaks in competition, or technical interruptions in the live broadcast. Please check back for live action updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info.

More than 25 teams and 14 countries, including Olympic medalists and World Champions, compete at the 2018 Lausanne Swim Cup. If you missed the December 20-21 live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

Since 1973, the North Sea Swim Meet has become a popular competition among Norwegian as well as international swimmers, and a number of Norwegian, Nordic and international records have been set over the years, among them a world record and several IPC (World Para Swimming) world records.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of 2018 North Sea Swim Meet (November 2-4), there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts on the media player below ↓

WATCH 2019 Artistic Swimming Canadian Championships

Can’t swim? Why Not Learn Now? Find inspiration and information on where and how you can learn this life saving skill and have fun doing it!

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Magic Tricks

October 18, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

There’s a mystical feeling of awe in magic, sparked in a person’s mind with staged tricks and illusions performed by talented magicians (sometimes referred to as ‘illusionists’). One of the oldest forms of performing arts in the world, magic shows have been popular entertainment for centuries, and magic tricks continue to evolve and amaze us.

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice. — Joseph Dunninger (1892 – 1975), aka ‘The Amazing Dunninger’, pioneer performer of magic on radio and television

TRICKS of the TRADE

Magicians pull rabbits out of an empty hat, make objects seem to disappear or move from one place to another, transform the colors of a silk handkerchief, destroy something (like cutting off a head or tearing a dollar bill) and restore it, and escape from a restraining device [Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926) was known as the ‘Handcuff King’]. Other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity (levitation), making a solid object appear to pass through another object, and predicting the choice of a spectator (e.g., a specific card from a deck, word or number). Really, there are many different types of tricks, and magic acts often use several combinations of effects.

Creating “real” magic moments while faced with fast-paced technological advances during the last 50 years has presented challenges for magicians. However, Doug McKenzie, a New York-based magician and mentalist, has found innovative ways to merge traditional magic tricks with 21st century tech. Absolutely, crazy amazing. Watch these videos and see McKenzie in action.

LEARNING MAGIC TRICKS

Magic is a fun to learn creative art form, but the teaching of magic was at one time quite secretive, and professional magicians were often unwilling to share their knowledge and magic tricks with hobbyists and amateurs. Today, there are many books (See Magic Trick Instruction Book Selections), videos and online ‘how-to’ resources available to beginners. However, there’s more to magic than learning some tricks. It takes study, training, and lots of practice. How to Learn Magic Tricks (with Pictures), WikiHow

Jay Sankey shares his secret to reading minds using a paper napkin in this video demo.

Watch this ‘how-to’ video demonstration of a cool card trick for beginners.

Information/Resources:

Magic clubs offer an opportunity for new and experienced magicians to help one another learn and improve. There are usually minimum requirements, auditions and club membership fees. Here’s → a list of magic clubs around the world

Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Photo credits:

Levitation performed by P.C. Sorcar (Magician), Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections

5 of Diamonds Card magic feature photo, Omid Armin/Unsplash CC0

Mer de Glace

September 24, 2019 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is categorized a “valley glacier”, a type of glacier that originates from mountain glaciers and flows down valleys, and located above the Chamonix valley within the Mont Blanc massif mountain range of the French Alps. Formed by the confluence of the Leschaux and Génant glaciers, the Mer de Glace is the longest and largest glacier in France, and one the biggest tourist attractions in the Chamonix valley as it’s accessible by the historic Montenvers Railway (Chemin de fer du Montenvers) and offers spectacular mountain views as well as tours, exhibits, and restaurant/hotel. However, the powerful beauty and recreational benefits of Mer de Glace were not always appreciated.

During the classical and medieval periods of European history, ice was deemed mysterious, evil and dangerous, and glaciers aroused intense fear as they were thought to be inhabited by demons that swallowed up unwary victims as well as whole villages. Consequently, glaciers were avoided, not explored, deepening myths and superstitions for many centuries. In 1690, fearful villagers of Chamonix took action against glacial evil by retaining the services of a bishop to exorcise the glaciers.

Two Englishmen on expedition to Chamonix in 1741, William Windham (1717-1761) an English landowner and Richard Pococke (1704-1765) a high ranking clergyman and anthropologist, disregarded the forewarning of evil lurking in glaciers, and climbed up the mountain for 3¾ hours with the aid of local guides and porters to carry wine (essential drink for 18th century adventure travelers) and provisions. It was a successful excursion as they returned safely and were able to provide the first written description of the glacier they called ‘Mer de Glace’. The achievement also marks the beginning of change in attitude as the phenomena of the Sea of Ice later attracted writers, adventurers, artists and photographers.

Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot (1902-1904) — Mer de Glace Crossing, Zurich Central Library collection, 1902 – 1904, Public Domain

Two hundred and seventy-five years later, the explorers of Mer de Glace are on skis. In the video Ice Call from PVS Company, pro skier, Sam Favret, takes you on a freestyle tour through the icy waves, trails, and tunnels of Mer de Glace.

Vallée Blanche

Mer de Glace is certainly skiable, and you don’t have to be a ski pro like Sam Favret or an expert to enjoy the unique backcountry experience via the iconic off-piste ski route, Vallée Blanche. But, there are risks. The surface of Mer de Glace is very rough with gradient drops, large hunks of ice, deep crevasses, and seracs, making it extremely dangerous without sufficient snowfall, good intermediate skills (in all types of terrains & snow conditions) and a local mountain guide.

The Vallée Blanche is accessible from Chamonix, France via a 20 minute ride on the Aiguille du Midi cable car to the mid-station Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317m), then a walk through a tunnel and down a precarious ridge to a small, level area— the starting point for the main Vallée Blanche runs. There are four: the classic “voie normale” (the normal way), and the more challenging, Le Vrai Vallee Blanche, the Petit Envers du Plan and Grand Envers du Plan.

For the most part, the voie normale follows the valley floor through dynamic terrain, beginning with a descent into a bowl toward a large rock outcrop known as Le Gros Rognon (The Big Rock) and continuing along the mountainside. The run can be nice and smooth in spots, but depending on weather conditions, there could be deep powder, crusty layers, and icy moguls to navigate. About 2/3 down, the Refuge du Requin is a popular place to take a break, and 250 meters from there is the start of Mer de Glace. If snow conditions are good, it’s possible to ski all the way down to Chamonix. If not, the run ends at Montenvers, thus requiring a steep climb up iron stairs (misery!) to a gondola that connects to the Montenvers Railway. At a leisurely pace, including lots of stops, sightseeing and long lift queues, the up/down round trip will take 4 – 6 hours, but don’t rush…..enjoy the ride and take in the views.

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Valley glaciers like Mer de Glace are relentlessly moving, flowing, growing, shrinking and deforming as a result of weather (temperature and snowfall) and stresses caused by the massive weight. As a result, they are appreciable indicators of climate change.

After a significant cold period in Europe during the late 19^th century, Mer de Glace was so large that it reached as far as Chamonix in 1850. Today, it’s hardly visible from Chamonix as the lower end of the glacier (the ‘snout’) has been shrinking during the last 30 years at a rate of about 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) a year. There is concern the retreat will not stop as Mer de Glace is an important fresh water source for the region as well as a tourist destination, and Christian Vincent, a French glaciologist with the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique (LGGE) and Institut de Recherche pour le Development (IRD), has warned it may shrink as much as 1.2 -1.4 kilometers (about ¾ of a mile) by the year 2040.

Resources/Information:
Wikipedia (Mer de Glace, Mont Blanc massif, Glacier, Richard Pococke, William Windham, Sr., French Alps, Chamonix, Chemin de fer du Montenvers, Aiguille du Midi, Little Ice Age)
The Annals of Mont Blanc – A Monograph by Charles Edward Mathews (1900)
Because It’s There – A Celebration of Mountaineering from 200 BC to Today (William Windham..from an Account of the Glaciers or Ice Alps in Savoy, in Two Letters) edited and translated by Alan S. Weber (2003)
Celebration of the Franco-English Friendship in Chamonix (1936), summitpost.org
Spiritual History of Ice: Romanticism, Science & Imagination by Eric G. Wilson
Chamonix visitor information: findtransfers.com (see also; chamonix.com, chamonix.net, ski-chamonix.net)
“Climate Change on Mont Blanc: The Vanishing Mer de Glace” by Helena Fouquet (2015), bloomberg.com
Mont Blanc: Glacier in Danger of Collapse, BBC News (September 25, 2019) – Italian authorities have closed roads and evacuated mountain huts after experts warned that part of a glacier on Mont Blanc could collapse.

There are more bold backcountry runs, big jumps and tricks to see on the “Downhill Runs” video channel and explore at Skiing China

Filmakers traveled to Alaska to explore Exit Glacier, but along with stunningly beautiful mountain views and amazing blue ice, they saw melting. FREE 2 WATCH → Glacier Exit

Feature photo is a still shot from the video “Ice Call” by PVS Company
Mer de Glace photo by Detroit Publishing Co. (1890-1900), US Library of Congress Prints & Photographs, Public Domain
Chamonix Valley Map sourced from chamonix.net
Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot, photo taken about 1902-1904, Zurich Central Library, Public Domain

Art Underwater

September 21, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“For Art may err, but Nature cannot miss.” — John Dryden, The Cock and the Fox

Underwater public arts projects created by the visionary Jason deCaires Taylor are not just unique exhibition spaces for divers and snorkelers to enjoy. They’re also examples of successful marine conservation efforts as the sculptures serve as habitats for all sorts of sea life which transform Taylor’s work into living, constantly evolving art that inspires an appreciation for the natural beauty of the mysterious world underwater. This video takes you there.

He had a very big idea — create giant cement sculptures and place them on the ocean floor in areas with barren sea beds. Then, in 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor founded and created the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies. It was a great success, and has been listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. In 2009, he co-founded an underwater sculpture museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), that includes a collection of over 500 of his art works in the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico. More underwater sculpture gardens followed in the Bahamas and Spain, and he’s currently working on a new project in the Maldives. In this TED Talk, Taylor shares his story and breathtakingly beautiful photography.

Jason DeCaires Taylor talk is courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International

Information/Resources:
Gallery: The sculpture garden at the bottom of the sea, by Kate Torgovnick May, Ted.com blog article (December 23, 2015)
Locations Map of the underwater sculpture exhibits around the world (Jason DeCaires Taylor Projects)

Underwater Sculpture Park – Granada, West Indies, Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area

(listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic)
Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden (Included in the sculpture garden is, Ocean Atlas, a young Bahamian girl who appears to be holding up the ocean, and at 60 tons/18 ft tall, it’s the largest underwater sculpture in the world.)

Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Museum of art under the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc (Viewing via glass bottom boat, scuba and snorkeling)
Museo Atlántico, Located near the south coast of Lanzarote, in the Bahía de Las Coloradas, Spain
Alluvia, Sculpture lies at bottom of the river Stour running through city of Canterbury in Kent, UK
Pemuteran Temple Garden (statues of Buddha, Ganesha, Turtles behind an ornate Balinese gateway, constructed as one of three Bali Reef Foundation/Australian Aid funded projects)

Dive In2 deep waters and explore the otherworldly beauty of ocean life Watch: Underwater Discoveries, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, Free-to-Watch, On-Demand

BIG, POWERFUL (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, the Ocean does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. Saving Our Ocean

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Jason DeCaires Taylor Ted Talk video

Snake Mountain

September 19, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

During an end-of-summer visit to Vermont, my friend, Catherine, suggested a “sunset” hike up Snake Mountain. We didn’t see the sunset, and got a little lost on the way down (despite the fact it’s an easy loop-trail with signage), but we had a mountain of laughs on this little adventure and learned a lot, too.

Snake Mountain belongs to a series of scattered hills that extend from the greater Taconic mountain range, and it rises dramatically from the surrounding flat landscape. — Western view of Snake Mountain, Michael Kostiuk CC BY-SA 3.0

Geography Snake Mountain is part of a series of scattered hills extending from the greater Taconic mountain range, and is oddly separated from other mountains within the range so that it appears prominently up 1,287 feet from the surrounding flat landscape of Champlain Valley.

1,215 acres span the upper slopes and summit of Snake Mountain. Not far from the summit is Red Rock Pond, a small, shallow pond surrounded by hardwoods and a rocky ridge. Near a summit known as Cranberry Bog is a 10-acre wetland about 33 feet deep and more than 9,500 years old.

History

At one time, locals referred to it as “Rattlesnake Mountain”, likely because of the venomous Timber Rattlesnakes believed to be living within the rocks and ledges. Local legend also includes the story of a menacing “Black Beast of Snake Mountain” haunting the mountain slopes.

During a period of time when mountain top resorts offering guests fresh air and breathtaking views were popular in the Northeast, Addison County resident and Vermont State Representative, Jonas N. Smith (1805 – 1884), built the Grand View Hotel on the summit of Snake Mountain in 1870, and it then became known as Grand View Mountain. The hotel was destroyed by fire and abandoned in 1925, but reminders of its history are still visible on Snake Mountain, including the hotel’s concrete slab foundation at the summit and the carriage road that once shuttled vacationers up to the hotel (still used today by hikers as the main trail to the summit).

In 1959, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department began acquiring land in order to establish the Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area for the purpose of conserving wildlife habitat and providing public access.

Habitat and Wildlife Snake Mountain is home to many creatures, plants and a few snakes.

Bloodroot is one of many wildflowers found on Snake Mountain, Vermont — Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0

Herbs and Wildflowers Among the forests and wetland grow white trillium, dog’s-tooth violet, bloodroot, sweet cicely, beech-drops, large-flowered bellwort, bishop’s-cap, hepatica, Canada-violet, dwarf ginseng, small-flowered buttercup, Christmas fern and rattlesnake fern. Look for back’s sedge, four-leaved milkweed, handsome sedge, needle-spine rose, hair honeysuckle, large yellow lady’s-slipper, podgrass and squaw root. The Vermont state-endangered Douglas’s knotweed has also been found.

Mammals White-tailed deer winter in the area. Coyote, bobcat, red and gray fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, and the occasional moose and bear also inhabit Snake Mountain.

Look for Great Grey Owls and other birds of prey and woodland song birds on Snake Mountain day hikes — Great Grey Owl, jok2000 CC BY-SA 3.

Birds Snake Mountain provides opportunities to see a variety of “birds of prey”, including eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures, ospreys, and the less common harriers during migration (mid-September to early November), and peregrine falcons have nested on its cliffs. Woodland songbirds, woodpeckers and owls can also be spotted as well as wild turkey and ruffed grouse. [Birds of America]

Reptiles and Amphibians You can find a variety of salamanders (red-backed, Jefferson, four-toed, blue-spotted and spotted), American toads, spring peepers, gray tree and wood frogs on Snake Mountain. Milk, brown and garter snakes may also be seen.

Recreation Snake Mountain is open to regulated hunting, trapping, hiking and wildlife viewing. A network of walking trails crisscross the mountain and provides access to the summit, Red Rock Pond, and Cranberry Bog. The accessibility, easy climb, and expansive views of Champlain Valley and the Adirondack Mountains from the summit make it one of the best beginner hiking trails in Vermont and a local favorite.

Hike New England's Snake Mountain trail map guide — Snake Mountain trail map, provided by HikeNewEngland.com

Hiking Trails & Tips

♦ “It’s muddy and buggy”. That was the advice we were given by a local, and it was spot on. Don’t forget the bug spray, along with water, binoculars and camera.

♦ The hike to the summit and back is approximately 5 miles and can be accomplished in about 2 hours. During our hike, a runner using a pair of trekking poles passed us going up & down the mountain. The guy was flying, and I decided I needed some of those poles! * SHOP Trekking Poles and Hiking Staffs That’s a great workout; however, the fun of Snake Mountain is the experience of getting away, exploring, enjoying nature and the views. Take your time, stop, rest & look around, and listen to the quiet of the forest.

♦ The main trail starts at Wilmarth Road up the old carriage road. It’s a wide path with a steady 30% incline and bypass paths along the way to help hikers avoid muddy spots. The trail gets rockier, narrow and winding as it gets higher with a jag left about 1/3 of the way up. (The road to the right is Mountain Road Extension, and you don’t want to go there during either the ascent or descent because you’ll wind up back tracking.) Just short of the half-way point, the trail connects on the left to a more narrow and steeper alternate summit trail that takes hikers past Red Rock Pond. Either trail takes you up, but probably best (especially for first-timers) to continue to the right on the old carriage road, and descend down by way of the Red Rock Pond trail or back over again the easier old carriage road trail.

It helps to pay attention to the signs while descending Snake Mountain, Vermont — Catherine points to the sign we somehow missed © 2017-19 Zeester Media LLC

♦ Some of the trail paths cross over private lands. Be respectful and watch for signs (seems simple enough, but so easy to take a wrong turn). The “Wilmarth Road →→” sign is there to guide hikers away from a wrong turn on Mountain Road Extension during descent, but my friend and I were distracted and missed it, and (you guessed it) had to double back once we finally realized the trail was not looking quite right.

♦ Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed.

♦ Plants may not be picked on public land.

How to get to Snake Mountain

Snake Mountain is located in west-central Vermont between Addison and Weybridge. From Burlington, drive South on Route 7 to Route 17 West toward New York. From Middlebury, drive from the college north on Weybridge Road (23); turn left/west onto Route 17.

At the Route 22A intersection (there’s a general store and white town hall building), turn south on Route 22A. Drive 2.5 miles and look for Wilmarth Road street sign (a gravel lane that cuts through fields). Wilmarth Road intersects with Mountain Road, and you’ll see the start of Snake Mountain trails at the intersection. Turn left onto Mountain Road. Park a short distance down the road in the small, unmarked gravel parking lot on the left.

Information/Resources:

Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Mysterious Snake Mountain by Chad Abramovich, Obscure Vermont (October 28, 2013)
Snake Mountain From the Secret Side by Christian Woodard, Addison County Independent (December 7, 2011)
The Fall Migration of Raptors by Emily Brodsky, University of Vermont EcoBlog (October 2, 2011)
Snakes of Vermont, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
iNaturalist Vermont Mission: Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers by Kent McFarland, Vermont Center for Ecostudies (April 26, 2014)

*This page includes an affiliate link to Amazon. If you purchase a product or service directly through the link, Zeester Media LLC may earn a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo of view from summit of Snake Mountain is courtesy of Flickr user, Jeanne Mayell, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Have a favorite hiking trail? We’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to join the conversation or share your experience
in a comment to this post, and have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Silver King

September 15, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Tarpons are large, air breathing fish of the genus, Megalops, and they’ve been swimming the seas for 18 million years. There are two species, both found in saltwater as well as freshwater habitats. Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon) populate the east African coast, southeast Asia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia. Megalops atlanticus (Atlantic tarpon, aka ‘Silver King’) is native to the Atlantic, and found along the western Atlantic coast from the US state of Virginia to Brazil, throughout the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and on the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola. Since the mid-1960s, there’s been a significant decline of Atlantic tarpon populations in the Gulf of Mexico, most dramatically at Port Aransas, Texas, likely the result of damming of rivers, toxic run-off, dredging of canals and shipping channels, and overfishing.

“He is a battle flotilla in full blazing armor, and peace and good will are not in him for an instant.” — Henry Wellington Wack

In 1885, the first tarpon was caught on a rod & reel in Florida. After more than 130 years, tarpon is still considered one of the great saltwater game fish because of its size (tarpon reach a length of 4–8 feet and weigh 60–250+ pounds), extraordinary ability to jump high out of the water, and fast, powerful fight at the end of the line. It’s tough to hook and land a tarpon—about one in eight hookups are successful catches, and a challenge to locate as they’re a warm-water migratory fish.

Florida is considered one of the world’s top destinations for tarpon fishing, with “hot spots” at Boca Grande in southwest Florida, Homosassa, and the Florida Keys. High season is May through July, but records indicate all sizes are caught throughout the year. Other places on the best tarpon fishing list: Yucatan Peninsula (year round); Costa Rica (Fall season); Angola (Dec – Feb); Gabon (late Oct – early Jan); Guinea-Bissau (Feb – March)

WATCH the THRILL of the CATCH! 120 Days: Tarpon Season, a short documentary video that captures a close-up view of the sport, featuring tarpon fishing guide, David Magnum, in his fervent search for the Silver King in the beautiful waters of Florida.

Information/Resources:

Tarpon, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Tarpon, Florida Parks and Wildlife Research Institute
Atlantic Tarpon, University of Southern Mississippi
Tarpon Research, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust
Megalops atlanticus-Gulf of Mexico, assessed “Vulnerable” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
The Silver Kings – Once so plentiful. Where did they go? by Stephen Harrigan, Texas Monthly (May, 2013) [Veteran fishing guides recall a time when Port Aransas, Texas was known as “The Tarpon Capital of the World”]

Ready for more water sport adventure? Watch as 8 paddlers set out to break the rafting speed record through the Grand Canyon on the wild and dangerous Colorado River in The Time Travelers video

Feature photo by Flickr user, Jack, CC BY-NC-ND

Challenge

Epic Skimo

Alpine Ski Racing LIVE

Windsurfing Comp LIVE

Why Not Now?

Swim Competition

Magic Tricks

Mer de Glace

Vallée Blanche

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Art Underwater

Snake Mountain

Silver King

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS

Challenge

Vallée Blanche

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Footer

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS