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With all the expeditions he鈥檚 been a part of, all the technology he鈥檚 developed, all the discoveries he鈥檚 covered, I鈥檓 used to Albert Lin being one of the more interesting people in a room鈥攐r even the most well-known. But walking down the street in Quito, Ecuador, I didn鈥檛 realize he was this famous.

We are headed to a coffee shop when a woman with her son recognizes him and hollers out the window of her car.

鈥淓xcuse me!鈥� she says. 鈥淲e know you!鈥�

She barely comes to a stop before getting out to take a picture, but in her hurry forgets to take the car out of gear. It lurches forward, and she dives back in to put it in park.

Fifteen minutes later, a young woman approaches to ask for a picture and tell Lin how much she loves his National Geographic TV show, Lost Cities, in which he goes looking for archaeological evidence of vanished civilizations. In fact, she wants to show him exactly which episode she just watched.

This happens pretty often in Central and South America. Lin has done a lot of work here. Unlike the programs that dominate cable TV by rehashing tired mysteries or paranormal encounters, Lin鈥檚 show lives in the freshly turned soil of archaeological inquiry. He鈥檚 usually sharing new findings during an episode about, say, the empires that once encompassed Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru. Often, those findings show that ancient civilizations were a lot more sophisticated than we thought. His work helps dignify Indigenous history. But it鈥檚 not just that.

He played the part of a motivational icon, because being inspirational was how he moved through the world.

Before getting coffee, Lin toured the (ROMP) building, a converted split-level with balance bars in the living room and plaster dust floating out of a backyard workshop. That鈥檚 where a team of prosthetists uses recycled parts to design and build custom devices for amputees all over South America. Lin is himself an amputee and came to Ecuador as part of clothing brand Cotopaxi鈥檚 sponsorship of ROMP鈥檚 annual mountain climb fundraiser.

He shook a lot of hands at ROMP. He jogged with people testing out their聽 carbon fiber running blades. He played the part of a motivational icon, because being inspirational was how he moved through the world. Sometimes, it could be a little much.

鈥淵ou know how some people lose their shit when they meet Taylor Swift?鈥� sobbed L茅a Richer, a United States鈥揵ased prosthetist, when she met him. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e been my Taylor Swift for years.鈥�

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Rescuers and expedition operators in Base Camp buzzed with enthusiasm on the evening of Wednesday, May 14 after a helicopter pilot executed a daring rescue high on the slopes of Mount Everest.

The drama began at approximately 6:45 A.M. after a sizable early wave of climbers reached the summit and began to descend. Clear skies on the peak gave way to clouds and wind as the group made its way down. A Czech climber who was part of the ascent led by expedition operator 8K Expeditions began to show signs of altitude sickness on the descent, a company representative told 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别.听

The climber, whose identity was not shared, was able to make his way down from the summit to Camp III at 24,000 feet elevation, but he was unable to continue. Lhakpa Sherpa, director of 8K Expeditions, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that the company called for a helicopter rescue at approximately 4 P.M.

Kailash Helicopters, a transport company in Kathmandu, sent Italian pilot Maurizio Folini to attempt the rescue.

鈥淢aurizio is the best pilot for this kind of rescue in the world,” Lhakpa Sherpa said. “He鈥檚 an Everest summitter聽and an IFMGA guide.”

Sources with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, a local non-profit that helped manage the Everest route, confirmed details of the rescue with 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别.听

Folini piloted an Airbus AS350 B3e helicopter equipped with a long-line winch system. The helicopter flew from Kathmandu to Lukla, where Folini took over and began flying toward Everest.

As the helicopter was en-route, the Czech climber’s condition worsened, Lhakpa Sherpa said.

“We received reports that he was unconscious for a full ten minutes,” Lhakpa Sherpa said. “Our teams gave him CPR, and he regained consciousness.”

Camp III is located halfway up the steep Lhotse Face, an imposing wall of rock and ice that ascends nearly for nearly 3,700 vertical feet. It’s the last camp that climbers reach before entering the so-called “Death Zone” at 26,000 feet.

The camp’s elevation near the limits of the high-altitude helicopters flown in the Himalayas. Piloting a helicopter in the Himalayas is a harrowing job鈥攙iolent weather systems can appear without warning, and the thin air at extreme altitude creates less lift than air at sea level. There’s no room for pilot error.

At 5:30 P.M. Folini’s helicopter flew over Everest Base Camp and made its way up the Khumbu Icefall toward Camp III trailing a rescue rope, or a long line, below the aircraft. After making a pass of the landing zone, Folini hovered over the Camp.

Nepali laws forbid helicopter pilots from landing on Mount Everest. In Base Camp, a ground crew comprised of officials from the Himalayan Rescue Association, Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, and 8K Expeditions called Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority and requested permission to complete the mission.

Officials told聽国产吃瓜黑料 that the group received the go-ahead, and radioed Folini to proceed. As he hovered, rescuers at Camp III secured the Czech climber to the long line, and Folini then flew the patient, dangling beneath the helicopter, back to Base Camp, where a team of emergency doctors was聽waiting in the Everest Emergency Room operated by the Himalayan Rescue Association.

鈥淲e were very lucky today,鈥� Lhakpa Sherpa said. 鈥淭he doctors said his entire chest was swollen. He would not have survived the night.鈥�

Officials told聽国产吃瓜黑料 that the Czech climber was diagnosed with severe pulmonary edema and needed to be taken to lower elevation. After Folini landed his helicopter at Base Camp, crews loaded the Czech climber into the craft and he departed for the town of Lukla in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The rescue was the focal point of a busy day on Mount Everest. Amid a window of good weather, approximately 40 climbers from two different companies reached the summit. Officials told 国产吃瓜黑料 that another rescue occurred later in the day after a climbing sherpa聽slipped and fell on the Lhotse Face. The man survived, officials said.

Hundreds more are either still in Base Camp waiting for better weather, or are at lower camps on their way to the top.

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

Ben Ayers聽is a filmmaker, journalist, and adventurer who splits his time between Vermont and Nepal. In 2022 and 2024, he chronicled the Mount Everest climbing season for聽国产吃瓜黑料.

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What name should we call the world’s highest peak?

In this week’s Dispatches from Everest video, Ben Ayers dives into the simmering debate over this topic. And he does so from Ground Zero of the argument: the giant spray painted rock at Mount Everest Base Camp.

Mount Everest, the name most commonly used by Westerners, dates back to the Nineteenth Century and the British colonization of India. In the 1850s, the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India鈥攁n effort by the British to map the subcontinent鈥攊dentified the peak as the highest in the world. Andrew Waugh, the surveyor general, named the peak for his former boss, Sir George Everest, and in 1865 the Royal Geographic Society adopted the title.

Like many titles and place names given during the era of colonization, the Mount Everest name gave zero recognition to the title used by locals. Tibetans had, for centuries, called the peak Chomolunga or Qomolangma, which translated to “Goddess Mother of the World.”

More recently, the Nepali government gave its own title to the peak: Sagarmatha, which translates to “head in the great blue sky” or “forehead touching heaven.”

So, what should we call the world鈥檚 highest peak? It’s up to you to decide.

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When Bre Kanak, an art teacher in northern Wisconsin, was invited to join a nine-day sea expedition to Antarctica, her husband Dan stayed home to watch their snakes and chickens. He felt a bit of FOMO, he admits, but mostly he was excited for her鈥攅specially because he got to follow along vicariously. Dan remembers keeping a close eye on Antarctic weather as Bre鈥檚 ship crossed the infamous Drake Passage, a stretch of circumpolar ocean known for having some of the roughest waves in the world. 鈥淚 remember being so proud when I got a text during the passage,鈥� Dan told me over the phone. 鈥淏re was standing outside in the wind, vlogging for her students. If I鈥檇 been there, I鈥檇 want to be the guy out on deck with a cigar, chatting it up with the crew. And minus the cigar, that was Bre.鈥�

鈥淲hen you choose your person, you think, 鈥楾his is my adventure partner,鈥欌�� Bre told me. 鈥淭he whole trip, I kept thinking how much he would have loved it.鈥� But every adventure partnership has limits, and the more adventurous a couple, the more likely that each partner will have to negotiate doing big things solo鈥攐r, sometimes, being the one left behind. If one person encourages their partner鈥檚 adventures but feels unsupported on their own, that gap can undermine or even end a relationship. But when the support is mutual, it sets up both partners for adventures they never would have managed otherwise.

It鈥檚 a dynamic I know intimately. My husband and I are both long-distance dogsledders, and while we train our team together, we race separately, taking turns embarking on multi-week solo expeditions while the other keeps the home fires burning. This past winter, he raced in the Iditarod while our kids and I stayed with my wonderful in-laws in Chicago. I felt incredibly proud, excited, and worried all at once, and flip-flopped between wishing that I, too, was on the runners in forty below鈥攁nd relishing the joys of eating takeout in a climate-controlled suburban house. More than anything else, I knew he was embarking on something extraordinarily difficult, and I wanted him to feel unequivocally supported and loved.

How do you have your partner鈥檚 back when they鈥檙e doing something big without you, whether it鈥檚 embarking on an expedition, running a marathon, or pursuing some other private dream? What if it鈥檚 a dream you can鈥檛 relate to鈥攁nd what if you wish you were doing it, too?

Put everything else aside: first, you have to believe in them. Believe in their preparation, their dedication, and their ability鈥攅ven if the journey doesn鈥檛 go as planned鈥攖o integrate what they鈥檝e learned and move forward stronger regardless. 国产吃瓜黑料s can go all kinds of ways. Your partner might fare far better than they hoped, or they might get injured, homesick, or caught in a storm. But believing in them doesn鈥檛 mean expecting a certain result; it means trusting their intention, their heart, and their hard work. Let them know you鈥檙e proud to bursting, every step of the way.

If you鈥檙e not familiar with their adventure or their sport, learn the language. You don鈥檛 have to be an expert, but if they鈥檙e, say, attempting the Appalachian Trail, you should know the difference between a thru- and section-hike, and understand terms like zero day, bonus mile, and blaze. Care enough to read a book about what they鈥檙e doing, or watch movies with them, even if it鈥檚 not a passion you share yourself. Is Dan specifically interested in Antarctica? Not really. He鈥檚 more into machinery and heritage apples. But you can bet that after Bre鈥檚 trip, he knows more about penguins than he ever expected to learn.

Part of the beauty of a public adventure鈥攚hether your partner鈥檚 on an expedition they鈥檝e advertised on social media, or running a big-name marathon all their training partners know about鈥攊s that you can be a container for other people to support them, too. If they鈥檙e out training for a race, buy some markers and poster boards and invite friends over for a beer-and-signmaking night. Then hide the signs until race day, when you can stage them along the route. Your partner will get a boost of encouragement from supporters they might not have expected, and you鈥檒l be building your own network of people you can call if you start freaking out over, say, split times. 鈥淏re鈥檚 dad found a website where we could see in real time where the ship was, how many miles out of port, the sea conditions, all of that,鈥� Dan says. 鈥淭hat was definitely a way to feel connected to her trip, and it kept me connected to her family, too.鈥�

The connections that form through a big endeavor can be surprising. After one of my first successful dogsled races, I got a note from a legend in the sport, Lloyd Gilbertson, who said he鈥檇 noticed my win and that I鈥檇 done a great job. I was flying high. I drove out to meet him, and we鈥檝e since become close friends. It took me a few years to realize what should have been obvious: there was nothing exemplary about my race in particular; that wasn鈥檛 why he reached out. He simply had a practice of noting up-and-comers and being generous with encouragement and praise. Lloyd is a dogsledding mentor to me now, but more than that, he鈥檚 a mentor in building and holding community鈥攖wo things that are vital when it comes to big adventures, whether it鈥檚 you or a loved one doing the adventuring. And being the person at home often means you have more time and space for communication, not less. Try to follow along with other athletes or adventurers doing the same thing as your partner, and don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out unsolicited to let them know that you care. Good energy comes around, and putting goodness into their community is a way of looking out for your partner, too.

And what if you get that restless feeling that you wish you were out there yourself? Try to distinguish between jealousy and envy: jealousy means wanting something just for yourself, while envy means that you see what someone else has, and you want it, too. It鈥檚 non-possessive, and luckily, there鈥檚 no scarcity of adventure in the world. Do you feel that your partner supports you, too, when it鈥檚 your turn to do something big? If not, that鈥檚 a bigger conversation鈥攂ut if so, now鈥檚 the time to breathe deep, refocus, and work on your patience. There are journeys enough for all of us, and yours will come, too.

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Spring is normally quiet at national park conservancies, the nonprofit groups that raise money and recruit volunteers for the U.S. National Parks. In March and April, staffers at these charity organizations finalize fundraising campaigns in advance of the busy summer months.

But this spring has been exceptionally busy at the Shenandoah National Park Trust, which raises money for Virginia鈥檚 Shenandoah National Park. The office is abuzz with ringing phones and pinging email notifications, Jessica Cocciolone, the executive director, told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had more than 150 inquiries about volunteering in just the past two months,鈥� Cocciolone said. That鈥檚 more than triple the total number of inquiries the group received in 2024.

It鈥檚 a similar story with the Friends of Acadia, the nonprofit attached to Maine鈥檚 Acadia National Park. When I exchanged emails with Perrin Doniger, the group鈥檚 vice president of marketing, the group was making final preparations for its Earth Day Roadside Cleanup on April 26.

Friends of Acadia had already reached its capacity of 350 volunteers, Doniger told me. 鈥淲e’re seeing a tremendous amount of support for Acadia National Park from our members and volunteers right now,鈥� she said in an email.

This is , or the rest of America鈥檚 63 national parks and 433 National Park Service-managed sites. Starting in February, the Federal government fired 1,000 NPS workers and persuaded 750 to take buyouts. Since then, the聽 government has issued a flurry of unprecedented orders that range from requiring parks to giving the power to 鈥渆ffectuate the consolidation, unification and optimization of administrative functions鈥� within the NPS.

As the NPS has been shaken up, the nonprofits associated with individual National Parks have seen a major uptick in volunteers and cash donations. 国产吃瓜黑料 reached out to some of the most prominent NPS nonprofits, and heard a similar story.

鈥淲e’re seeing a lot of interest among our supporters and our members in finding ways they can express their care for the park,鈥� said Elizabeth Silkes, chief executive officer for the Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC). The organization launched a new fundraising campaign on April 24 called Stand Together for Grand Canyon.

The includes information on how to connect with elected representatives to speak up for national parks, as well as links to sign up to volunteer and to donate money. Silkes said the GCC is still auditing their donations from the first quarter of 2025, but she anticipates an increase from 2024.

While the NPS is funded by the federal government, nonprofits like the Grand Canyon Conservancy pay for a wide array of programs, from trail maintenance, to educational classes for kids, to seasonal staff inside of the park. Each conservancy has its own strategy for investing funds and manpower.

At Grand Canyon National Park, the GCC operates six park stores next to visitor centers, and also completes annual building maintenance at two historic buildings: the Kolb Studio and Verkamp Residences.

The GCC also provides funding and volunteers for the Grand Canyon’s Preventative Search and Rescue teams, which educate visitors on how to stay safe on the trails.

Silkes said the funds garnered from the 2025 campaign campaign will go directly toward ensuring 鈥渢he stability of the park.鈥� She doesn鈥檛 have details about how the funds will be spent, but said that in times of financial uncertainty, NPS programs around scientific research, climate research, and conservation are put under threat. Partnership initiatives with the Grand Canyon鈥檚 eleven associated tribes are also jeopardized. “GCC funds are always applied to the priority areas identified by our park partners, and we are prepared to be responsive as their needs evolve,” said Silkes.

Rocky Mountain Conservancy (RMC), the nonprofit for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, has a 鈥渉ealthy best-use fund,鈥� according to Kaci Yoh, Communications Manager, that鈥檚 designed to help its partner park pivot in times of, say, shifting priorities in the White House. But with so many changes happening so fast, the RMC hasn’t yet received guidance from Rocky Mountain National Park about how to spend those funds in 2025.

Like the GCC, Yoh has seen a surge of calls and emails from people looking to volunteer, particularly offering to help fill in where Rocky Mountain Park has lost staff.

Yoh said that volunteers cannot overcome the park’s need for full-time staff. 鈥淧ark staff are necessary to fulfill the roles that they have because they’re highly trained and vetted for their particular position,鈥� said Yoh.

Or as Cocciolone at Shenandoah put it, 鈥淭he challenge isn鈥檛 interest鈥攊t鈥檚 capacity. As park staff numbers go down, there鈥檚 less ability to train, manage, and support volunteers.鈥�

The Shenandoah Trust has, in the past, helped the park during government shutdowns, providing portable restrooms and volunteer support, Cocciolone said. During normal years, the Shenandoah Trust supplies campground hosts, volunteers to remove invasive species, and trail crews, among other positions.

“Historically, philanthropic support has not replaced federal funding or paid for permanent government roles,” Cocciolone said. “Our role is to provide additive support that enhances what the federal budget enables, not to supplant it.”

But the staff cuts within the NPS have forced some conservancy leaders to rethink this approach. Shenandoah National Park Trust is considering expanding its role to fund permanent park positions. 鈥淲e firmly believe it鈥檚 the federal government鈥檚 job to operate and steward these parks in line with the NPS mission,鈥� Cocciolone said. 鈥淏ut we also know these are unprecedented times, and we鈥檙e being asked to do more.鈥�

Cassius M. Cash, President and CEO of Yosemite Conservancy, echoed that sentiment .聽鈥淚f park leadership needs new solutions to keep visitor services running, how can we be creative in our approach while remaining true to our own mission?鈥� Cash wrote.

Cash also stated that while the Yosemite Conservancy is a nonpartisan organization, the group would work closely with 鈥減artners and stakeholders who understand the importance of protecting national parks in times of transition.鈥�

Cocciolone concurred. 鈥淲e鈥檙e also leaning more into advocacy鈥攈elping educate donors, policymakers, and our community about what these cuts really mean on the ground,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about what gets funded, but what gets lost if we don鈥檛 act.鈥�

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A vast grassland in central Montana might seem like an odd place to go snorkeling. Comprising nearly 463,000 acres of private and leased public land centered on the , the reserve is decidedly un-tropical, a rolling shortgrass prairie that stretches out to the horizon, punctuated by smatterings of trees and rocky buttes. Unless you鈥檙e planning on jumping into the Missouri River, or you have the bad luck to be out when the snowmelt and spring rains turn the ground into gumbo-like mud, you鈥檙e unlikely to get wet. But to go 鈥渓and snorkeling鈥� on this largely trailless backcountry, you don鈥檛 need fins, a mask, or even water鈥攋ust a willingness to rethink what a hike looks like.

The term 鈥溾�� may be unfamiliar. But the idea, as described by Clyde Aspevig and Carol Guzman, the Montana-based artists and longtime American Prairie volunteers who came up with it, is simple: Just wander through nature with no destination, paying close attention to the plants, animals, and natural features around you, like a snorkeler floating through the shallows of a coral reef. While every hiker has land snorkeled at some point in their life, it鈥檚 something many of us become less and less willing to dedicate our time to as we become more focused on making miles and reaching summits, says Anna Schale, American Prairie鈥檚 public access manager.

鈥淜ids are really good at land snorkeling,鈥� Schale says. 鈥淎ny kid that sees a dandelion that has the white puff, they go straight to it, pick it up, and blow on it. I think somehow as adults, we really lose touch with looking at where our feet are moving.鈥�

If you want to recapture that mindfulness and joy in the details of nature, Schale believes that the American Prairie is an ideal place to start your land snorkeling journey. Founded in 2001, the American Prairie Foundation aims to create a wildlife conservation preserve that they hope will eventually cover more than 3 million contiguous acres of never-plowed mixed grass prairie. Counting the adjacent Russell National Wildlife Refuge and , they鈥檙e nearly halfway there, with about 1.3 million acres of both private land and public land managed under grazing leases, where the foundation has reintroduced free-ranging herds of bison. Both the privately-owned and leased sections of the prairie are open to the public, including hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, and hunters. Wildlife abounds, including ungulates like deer and pronghorn, American porcupines, and prairie birds like sharp-tailed grouse and western meadowlarks.

Schale鈥檚 tips for beginner land snorkelers: Plan your day by time, rather than distance. Shift your mindset away from objectives. Instead, let your interest and the natural features of the land guide your walk.

鈥淭here are so many flowers that bloom close to the ground, grasses that are unique and different,鈥� she says. 鈥淓ven to the untrained eye, there鈥檚 just a lot to see in the variations of dirt鈥攚here it鈥檚 really crackly or maybe it鈥檚 different-colored. We have horned toads, woodhouse toads, and several kinds of bugs and beetles.鈥� Dry creekbeds, she notes, can make for natural walking paths.

American Prairie is one of the most remote landscapes in the lower 48, with some sections located hours from pavement. Schale notes that it鈥檚 important to come prepared, even if you鈥檙e just planning on an aimless walk. Besides packing essential gear and bringing maps and appropriate layers鈥攖emperatures can vary from -40 掳F to more than 100 掳F throughout the year鈥攊t鈥檚 important to note that road conditions can be difficult, especially when rain and snow turns the dirt into 鈥減rairie gumbo鈥� that can trap tires. Drive a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle, and check the weather forecast before you leave. With a few exceptions, most of the camping on the prairie is dry, so campers need to carry their water in with them.

Where to Go Land Snorkeling

Visitors to American Prairie can dispersed-camp almost anywhere they want, but Schale recommends that first-timers start at Antelope Creek Campground, a developed campsite just off US 191 featuring cabins ($73), camping ($20 for a tent spot; ), and a bathhouse, as well as potable water. Nearby attractions include a prairie dog town, wetlands, and a 2-mile interpretative trail鈥攐ne of the few dedicated hiking paths on the preserve. For those ready to venture further, she recommends Buffalo Camp on the reserve鈥檚 Sun Prairie Unit. Like Antelope Camp, it has access to water and electric hookups meant for campers or small RVs; unlike that campground, it鈥檚 more than 50 miles from the nearest paved road, making it ideal for spotting the reserve鈥檚 bison herd and stargazing under its dark skies.

For a different perspective on the prairie, head to the reserve鈥檚 PN Unit at the junction of the Missouri and Judith Rivers, which features the steeper topography of the Missouri Breaks and a more forested vibe. Hikers there can spot wading birds like great blue herons and American avocets, find shells on the riverbanks, and wander the thick cottonwood galleries on their shores.

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Proper diet and exercise are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to living a healthier and longer life, for us and our canine friends. 鈥淛ust like people, the secret to longevity for dogs is to eat healthy and exercise,鈥� advises Dr. Justin Toth, veterinarian and owner/founder of Dallas Highway Animal Hospital. Here are a few ways to help your faithful adventure buddy stay in peak condition鈥攏ow and for years to come.

Start with Proper Nutrition

A healthy diet is the foundation of your dog鈥檚 overall well-being. In line with the current pushback against ultra-processed human foods, pet owners are ditching traditional, highly processed dry food in favor of more nutrient-dense whole food. 鈥淔eeding your dog healthy, pre-portioned food can add years to its life,鈥� says Dr. Jonathan Block, who practices an integrative approach to veterinary medicine.

Enter . Since its founding in 2014, the company鈥檚 mission has been to bring uncomplicated care to your pet through uncomplicated real food formulated by vet-nutritionists to be complete and balanced. The food is human-grade, gently cooked, and made with a single protein source, so you know exactly where your dog鈥檚 nutrients are coming from. All with the goal of giving your dog the best food to live its best life.

In addition to nutrition, correct portioning is also paramount for longevity, with studies showing that dogs who maintain a healthy weight live on average up to 2.5 years longer than overweight dogs. 鈥淭he number-one disease we treat in pets is obesity, which is what I love about error-free calorie control,鈥� says Dr. Toth. 鈥淲e all know the measuring cup of food varies tremendously depending on which family member does the feeding.鈥� With personalized meal plans, The Farmer鈥檚 Dog takes the guesswork out of feeding. Each meal is precisely portioned based on your dog鈥檚 age, breed, size, and activity level, making weight management easier.

Add Regular Exercise聽

Most dogs thrive on physical activity. To keep them healthy and engaged, provide regular exercise. Outdoor activities like hiking, running, and swimming can all improve cardiovascular health and weight issues. It might be helpful to think about your adventure dog as an athlete: it needs a training regimen that suits not only its breed, age, and energy levels but also the changing of the seasons. Adds Rocky Mountain vet Dr. Karen Nann, 鈥淐ome spring, a lot of dogs are coming off a lazier winter鈥攕o start slowly and build up, adding a mile or two weekly to increase stamina.鈥�

Boost Mental Stimulation聽

Many experts say mental stimulation is as important as exercise. Feed your dog鈥檚 curiosity and keep their mind sharp with brain-challenging activities鈥攕uch as obedience training, puzzle toys, or scent games. Supplementing physical exercise with mental exercise also combats boredom and potential behavioral problems. 鈥淪ome dogs do better mentally if they have a 鈥榡ob,鈥欌�� says Dr. Steve Conlin, a veterinarian in Eagle, Colorado. He notes this is especially important in herding and 鈥淭he job can be anything鈥損laying frisbee, retrieving a ball鈥揵ut it needs to be part of the dog鈥檚 everyday life.鈥�

Don鈥檛 Forget Hydration聽

When exercising in the heat or on more strenuous outings, make sure your dog can always get to fresh, clean drinking water. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e overheated, your four-legged friend will be too,鈥� says Dr. Nann. 鈥淢y rule of thumb: double the amount of water I need to have enough for my pets.鈥� The only way for dogs to release excess heat is through their paw pads and panting, so if your dog starts to pant excessively or seeks shade, it鈥檚 time to take a break. Dehydration can lead to kidney damage or heatstroke, so always keep water on hand when you鈥檙e out and about with your dog.

Prevent Injuries

Again, think of dogs just as you do people: they can get hurt just like you, so take precautions and carry a dog-friendly first-aid kit. Be mindful of rough terrain and dangerous obstacles when deciding which route to take. Also consider investing in protective gear like dog booties, which can safeguard paws from cuts, burns, punctures, and snow buildup. 鈥淚 carry a dog safety pack that has booties, treats, bandage material, forceps, and Benadryl,鈥� says Dr. Nann. 鈥淭hese tools will cover allergic reactions, let you pull out prickers or cactus needles, wrap up abrasions, and provide some extra calories.鈥�

And be willing to adjust plans as your pet gets older. 鈥淎s adventure dogs age, they need to be forced by the owners to back off; they don鈥檛 know better, so it鈥檚 up to the owners to shorten the rides, runs, or skis,鈥� says Dr. Conlin.

When you put it all together, maximizing your adventure buddy鈥檚 health is not complicated. Just be deliberate about what you provide your pet, from nutrition to exercise. And of course you can never have too many ear scratches and pats on the head.

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My whole perspective on 鈥渂elaytionships鈥� (and how to improve them) changed when a friend referred to the task as a 鈥渟acred duty.鈥� It鈥檚 common to view our turn on the ground as nothing more than filler time between pitches, or worse: a burden that we must bear in exchange for the joys of climbing. But belaying is more than just a necessary evil. The special relationship between belay partners is what elevates climbing from a myopic pursuit of personal excellence to a reciprocal experience. Supporting someone else on their journey toward the send can feel just as powerful as making that journey ourselves.聽

The best belaytionships have respect for both sides of the equation. Not only that, both parties put in the effort to learn and implement what their partner needs from a belayer to feel safe and secure while climbing. That鈥檚 no easy feat, considering how vulnerable the act of pushing limits high off the deck can leave a climber. The barrage of emotion often amplifies our fears and needs far beyond what they would be on the ground. A strong belaytionship takes all the havoc in stride.聽

But it doesn鈥檛 happen overnight. Just like in any other relationship, climbing partners have to go through their fair share of struggles in order to reach a state of mutual respect and support. Learn from some of the most long-standing belaytionships in the sport about how to weather the storms that plague even the most dynamic of duos in the sport, and foster the kind of partnership that will last as long as your love for climbing.聽

1. Prioritize the Person

Yes, your project is important. It鈥檚 what motivates you to crawl out of your cozy bed in time to catch the cool morning temps, stay out late until the sun sets over the cliff, and dedicate every spare hour to deciphering its coded messages. But we鈥檇 all do well to remember one thing: it鈥檚 still just a rock.聽

鈥淎t the end of the day,鈥� says climber Andy Salo, 鈥測ou鈥檙e going home with your partner鈥攏ot your project. Whatever emotions and stresses you鈥檙e dealing with as a result of your project bounces off on your partner, and they have to carry that.鈥�

Salo and his partner Whitney Boland have been climbing together for over a decade. They鈥檙e able to support each other best when the one on the wall exercises enough restraint to keep their worst wobblers in check. A charged reaction to what happens on your project may not be a personal attack on your belayer, but it sure can feel that way to them. Taking their presence for granted will inevitably push them away. Rocks are great and all, but they鈥檝e got nothing on real live human beings. No project is worth losing your partner over.聽

2. Let It Go

That being said, wobblers will happen. Even the most restrained among us isn鈥檛 immune to the frustrations involved in climbing. When your partner鈥檚 feelings come out in a big way, stay grounded. Maggie and Chuck Odette, Maple Canyon legends who have been steadfast partners in all things climbing and life for the past 14 years, suggest 鈥減utting up a force-field鈥� when emotions run high.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about ignoring the other person鈥檚 feelings,鈥� Maggie clarifies, 鈥渂ut more about protecting your own emotional state. It鈥檚 basically an agreement that just because I鈥檓 having a low-confidence or less-than-optimal day, I don鈥檛 expect you to join in!鈥澛�

In that sense, belayers might have to take one for the team sometimes. Pick your battles. Some things are worth addressing with your climbing partner for the sake of improving your dynamic. Other gripes might be better kept silent if they鈥檙e more likely to cause trouble than good once they鈥檙e out in the open. In the wise words of good ol鈥� Dr. Phil: Do you want to be right, or do you want to be together?聽

3. Trust Their Tactics

It鈥檚 not just the climber that experiences heightened emotions. Belayers often go through their own emotional rollercoasters, especially when they鈥檙e in charge of protecting someone they care deeply about. You want to support them in their efforts鈥ut you also want to get them back down to the ground safely. And in a sport like climbing, where there are very real risks involved, the two don鈥檛 always mix.

Salo and Boland emphasize the importance of trusting your partner鈥檚 instincts. 鈥淲hitney learned that if I felt confident enough for a scary lead, she could trust that I was going to be as safe as possible doing it鈥攅ven though that was nerve-wracking for her,鈥� says Salo. 鈥淎ny fear she felt for me was best kept to herself,鈥� he explains, because the expression of it would throw off the focus and confidence he needed to climb safely.聽

Trust is the foundation of any stable relationship, belaytionships included. Talk to your climber ahead of time about their expectations for the route and affirm your belief in their ability to make sound decisions. Address any concerns before they ever leave the ground. Then, when they鈥檙e off, follow through with that trust. It鈥檚 key to ensuring their safety.聽

4. Plan Ahead

Just because you鈥檙e climbing together doesn鈥檛 mean that your agendas will always align. Be careful not to assume that you and your partner have the exact same plan in mind. The Odette鈥檚 learned early on that they don鈥檛 tend to wake up at the same pace in the morning. Rather than let that turn into a chronic disagreement, they make sure to make a game plan for what the next day will look like before going to bed the night before.聽

Do your best to line up your ideal day with your partner鈥檚. If possible, find climbs that are close enough to each other at the crag so that you can both have equal time on your projects. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 impossible to hit both in the same day,鈥� adds Salo, 鈥済ive up one weekend day to your partner and trade off the next day. You might not send as quick, but you鈥檒l keep from burning out your belaytionship.鈥�

5. Fail Together, Send Together

鈥淎lways remember that even though you and your partner are in the same place, at the same time, doing the same thing, it鈥檚 not very likely that you鈥檙e experiencing it exactly the same way,鈥� says Odette.聽

To find common ground, treat climbing as a team effort. 鈥淢ost of climbing is failing,鈥� Odette reminds us. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to fail in front of anyone, your person is the best choice. And when one of you sends, it鈥檚 a win for the team!鈥澛�

Put yourself in their shoes. Take on their failures and celebrate their sends. You might not know exactly how they鈥檙e feeling, but the effort goes a long way. Ask them about their experience and absorb every nitty-gritty detail. The better you understand their emotional state while climbing, the better you can share in their journey and tackle each pitch in harmony.

6. Nurture the Relationship

鈥ot just the belaytionship. Salo firmly believes that 鈥渃limbing will expose any shortcomings in the relationship between belay partners as a whole.鈥� Whether you climb with your life partner or a close friend, your connection extends beyond the crag. Even if you only see your belay partner during climbing sessions, I鈥檓 willing to bet that your conversations between pitches go much deeper than 鈥渂elay on, climb on.鈥�

With that in mind, problems in a belaytionship often stem from elsewhere in the relationship. 鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 figured out how to support your partner in other avenues of life, it likely will not happen in climbing either,鈥� warns Salo. Dissect the conflicts that crop up with your partner while climbing. Are they really about the amount of slack in the rope or what your partner said while they were cruxing? Or do they have more to do with something going on at home? Try as you might, you can鈥檛 separate the two completely.聽

In the short-term, aim to resolve any outside disputes before you get to the crag鈥攐r at least press pause. The physical and emotional demands of climbing will only escalate those struggles until they鈥檙e worse than they were before. In the long-term, pick up on the patterns that dictate your crag conflicts. What do they say about more serious insecurities or disagreements plaguing your relationship? Get to the root of the issue. Nurture the relationship to save the belaytionship.聽

Also Read

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On October 30, British twins Hugo and Ross Turner ascended to 8,500 feet in an electric-powered paraglider-like aircraft, called a paramotor. The brothers soared over the ski resort Val d’Isere in the French Alps.

The 34-year-olds told 国产吃瓜黑料 their flight set a world record for highest altitude by a tandem team in one of the battery-powered devices, and that they have submitted their flight data to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the governing body for air sports.

A paramotor is a steerable parachute, similar to a paraglider, outfitted with a giant rear propeller. Unlike a traditional paraglider, where pilots must launch from a cliff or hillside and catch columns of rising warm air to ascend, the motor and propeller allow pilots to take off from open, flat ground鈥�no hills or cliffs required. 鈥淭his is why paramotoring is so popular in places like the United Kingdom,鈥� Hugo said.

Though mostly reliant on gas-powered engines, some paramotor companies are aiming to become greener. But electric batteries are notoriously heavy, and, when flying a parachute, every ounce counts. 鈥淭he big challenge the industry is facing is this conscious decision that we need to move away from petrol engines,鈥� Hugo said, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 difficult to get enough battery power to make the weight justifiable.鈥�

Although the world鈥檚 first electric paramotor was built in 2006, the technology has seen little refinement in the nearly two decades since. Most of the devices are powered by two-stroke combustion engines which burn around a gallon of gasoline per hour, and can typically fly for two-to-three hours without refueling. 鈥淭o get the same flight time out of an electric paramotor, you鈥檙e talking a battery weight that a human could not physically carry,鈥� Hugo said. 鈥淭he energy density of the battery is so much that getting an extended flight time is very difficult.鈥�

The weight is a difficult problem to solve, but even beyond concerns about emissions, there are other advantages to electric paramotors. They鈥檙e quieter, and鈥攍ike electric cars and motorcycles鈥攕moother to drive. Electric motors offer instant, consistent torque, which makes flying an electric paramotor more predictable and controlled than a gas-powered paramotor. Electric power also comes with unique advantages at high elevation. As altitude increases, air pressure decreases, causing gas-powered motors to lose thrust due to a lower oxygen-fuel ratio. Electric motors, on the other hand, maintain consistent power output regardless of elevation.

There has never been a tandem electric paramotor altitude record before, so even the relatively low elevation of 8,500 feet was enough to get the brothers in the record books. But theirs isn’t the first altitude record set in any electric paramotor. American Nathan Finneman reached 14,790 feet with an electric-powered wing聽in September.

Finneman was flying solo, however, and started from a much higher elevation, at over 10,000 feet in Leadville, Colorado. His paramotor battery put out 4.8 kiloWatt-hours (kWh) of power, and let him climb for 28 minutes despite brutally cold temperatures, which dropped to -13 degrees Fahrenheit聽with windchill. 鈥淭here are a handful of electric paramotors like this out there,鈥� Ross said, 鈥渂ut they鈥檙e only designed for solo flight. We wanted to look past that, and see what we could do in tandem.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e all about pushing the limits of new technology through purposeful adventure,鈥� Ross added. 鈥淲e鈥檝e started off with a blank canvas and said, 鈥榃hat is the best emission-free technology that we could use to make a benchmark?鈥欌��

Their paramotor, dubbed the E-Maverick Max, was custom designed by United Kingdom manufacturer Parajet International. The entire rig weighed about 88 pounds, 50 pounds of which was the battery. Their motor powered a carbon fiber propeller, sporting three 4.5-foot blades. This rig gave the twins 175 pounds of thrust, pumped out by a 5.8 kWh lithium ion pouch cell battery, which ran for 35 minutes in the air.

Thirty-five minutes is a far cry from the two or three hours that a gas-powered motor could last, but it鈥檚 a start, and was even more than the 28 minutes Finneman was able to fly with his solo paramotor. Though it may not sound like much time, it’s a significant achievement considering the twins weighed a staggering 530 pounds on takeoff.

The twins launched from 6,200 feet, and though they hoped to be able to get above 10,000 feet, their flight went awry. 鈥淲e weighed so much that we really struggled to gain altitude,鈥� Ross said, noting that the World Air Sports Federation (FAI) observer watching them was surprised they even managed to take off.

鈥淲e launched from the field, and we immediately started heading down-valley, and we just dropped,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his massive pocket of cold air made us sink quite fast. Fortunately we found this ridgeline, a fork between two valleys, and we got some lift there. That鈥檚 where we stayed, working patterns between the ridgelines to keep rising.鈥� The twins crested 8,520 feet before the battery cut out. They are currently waiting for their record to be formally verified by the FAI.

Hugo and Ross explained that, while they likely could have climbed higher if they鈥檇 started at a higher elevation, FAI altitude record stipulations required that they launch from a flat location with a 330-foot radius in all directions, a rare sight in the Alps, where the twins live. 鈥淥therwise, we could have certainly taken off on the top of a mountain,鈥� Hugo said. 鈥淚n any case, we hope this will start a trend towards making recreational flying greener, and better for the environment.鈥�

鈥淓lectric is unquestionably the future,鈥� said Parajet founder Gilo Gardozo. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 a question of people adopting that reality, and the technology delivering.鈥�

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