Adventure Sports Info

China trains guides as tourists flock to mountains

Francois Bougon for AFP

"SIGUNIANG MOUNTAINS, China (AFP) - As mountain climbing booms in China, the first group of guides trained by an expert Frenchman will soon graduate -- part of a government drive to boost safety standards..."

Related Links: Summit Post.org.

Ice Diving beneath Russia's White Sea

Mark Schoofs for the Wall Street Journal

"Ice diving is one of the last grand scuba adventures. Popular destinations include Antarctica, Newfoundland and certain lakes in the Austrian Alps. One of the best -- and least known -- is Russia's White Sea..."

There's also a three and a half minute video that goes along with the article.

Kayaking opens world of Channel Islands' sea caves

Ginny Prior for the Mercury News

"SINCE THE BEGINNING of time, man has been fascinated with caves. Dark, dank and mysterious, they test the very depths of our imagination. But while man lived for centuries in caves on dry land, it's sea caves that offer the real adventure. And no place in California has more sea caves than the Channel Islands..."

Related Links: Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands sea caves slideshow.

Icebreaker Victory to take travelers to North Pole in June

Desert News

"Quark Expeditions, a specialist in polar adventure travel, has chartered the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory for expeditions to the North Pole in 2008..."

Related Links: Quark Expeditions

Guru of Grand Canyon hikers

John Stanley for the Arizona Republic

"Unlike most guidebooks, which spell everything out, Butchart's books are less specific. This is by design, as Butchart believed that exploration is nothing unless it holds surprises..."

The Rescue Season Cranks Up

Backpacker.com

"Unfortunately, there’s plenty actual search and rescue news to report. At least five significant incidents have happened this week.."

Liquid Evolution Adventure Parks Set To Enable Water Sports Nationwide

Trans World Surf

"Their wave generating technology ranges from standing two-foot waves to 150 thousand-square-foot wave pools, producing waves as large as 12-feet high. Additionally, the company can deliver numerous other outdoor water sports including, white water rafting, kayaking, wakeboarding, canyoneering and scuba diving..."

Related Links: Waveyard website, more details here

Adventure Sports Info Directory Listings

Current country listings:

Belize (34)

Bolivia (50)

Costa Rica (28)

Dominican Republic (13)

El Salvador (12)

Guatemala (11)

Honduras (38)

Nepal (84) 

New Zealand (70)

Nicaragua (22)

Panama (15)

Philippines (39)

Puerto Rico (32)

Atacama Desert - Up for some arid adventure?

John Bordson for the Charlotte Observer

"The Atacama Desert is a very dry place, the driest desert in the world. There are some zones where it hasn't rained in decades; other zones have some dunes with the typical look of a desert, mixed with strange geological formations that resemble those on the planet Mars..."

Related Links: Atacama desert slideshow

Gear Test, Helmet-Mounted Video Cameras

New York TImes

"Thanks to recent advances in miniaturization, durability and resolution, the cameras, which can also be mounted on handlebars, are finding favor with weekend warriors who like to share their adventures online..."