Swiss mountaineer Erhard Loretan, 52, dies in fall

Swiss mountaineer Erhard Loretan, one of the few climbers to have summited all 14 of the world's peaks above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), died in a climbing accident on Thursday, his 52nd birthday.

The Associated Press reported that Loretan was leading a Swiss client up the summit ridge of the Gruenhorn, in the Bernese Alps, when the pair fell for unknown reasons at a height of 3,800 meters (12,500 feet) up the 4,043 meter (13,264-foot) peak. Police from the Swiss canton of Valais said that Loretan died at the scene, while his 38-year-old client was flown to a hospital in serious condition.

Loretan, originally from the canton of Fribourg, began climbing at age 11. He ascended his first 8,000-meter peak, Pakistan's Nanga Parbat, in 1982. It took him 13 years to climb the other 13, summiting the Himalayan peak of Kangchenjunga in 1995.

Loretan was the third person, behind Italian climber Reinhold Messner and Polish mountaineer Jerry Kukuczka, to summit all the 8,000-meter peaks.

Loretan was also renowned for his 1986 ascent of Mt. Everest in only 40 hours, climbing by night without the use of supplementary oxygen.

Loretan's acclaim was marred by the tragic 2001 death of his 7-month-old son, who was killed when Loretan shook him to stop his crying. Loretan pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter and was given a four-month suspended sentence. The case's notoriety led to new research showing that infants can die from being shaken.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Erhard Loretan in 1998. Credit: Associated Press / Keystone / STR

 

Climber survives 1,000-foot plunge down Scottish mountain

 

A mountain climber who fell almost 1,000 feet not only survived the plunge but was on his feet and looking at his map when rescuers arrived.

Glasgow resident Adam Potter, 36, had just reached the summit of the 3,589-foot Sgurr Choinnich Mor, in the West Scottish Highlands, Saturday when he lost his footing and fell down the steep and craggy eastern slope of the mountain, reports the London Daily Telegraph.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter, already airborne for training, flew to the scene, arriving about half an hour after Potter fell. What they discovered shocked them.

"We honestly thought it couldn't have been him, as he was on his feet, reading a map," Lt. Tim Barker, the crew's observer, said.

"It seemed impossible. So we retraced our path back up the mountain and, sure enough, there were bits of his kit in a vertical line all the way up where he had obviously lost them during the fall.

"It was quite incredible. He must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell, almost flying."

Reportedly suffering only superficial cuts and bruises and a minor chest injury, Potter is recovering in a Glasgow hospital, where he was described as "doing fine."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Video credit: Daily Telegraph

Outposts looks back at 2010: Passings

With the year ending, it is worth looking back at memorable posts of 2010. Each day this week through Friday, Outposts will recount some of the records broken, the achievements reached, the notable passings and the downright unusual during 2010 in the outdoors, action and adventure world.

Three-time world surfing champion Andy Irons, 32

Legendary surfer Andy Irons died at the age of 32. The three-time world champion passed away during a layover in Dallas en route from Puerto Rico to his home in Hawaii. His body was discovered in a hotel room Nov. 2, after he failed to respond to a wake-up call.

Irons, who was raised on Kauai, became ill during an ASP World Tour event in Puerto Rico. He was apparently suffering from symptoms similar to those associated with dengue fever.

Photo credit: ASP

Capt. Phil Harris, 53, of 'Deadliest Catch'

Phil Harris, the hard-talking captain of one of the crab-fishing vessels featured on the Discovery Channel series "Deadliest Catch" died Feb. 9 after suffering a stroke Jan. 29 while in port offloading his boat, the 128-foot Cornelia Marie. Harris was 53.

Harris captained the Cornelia Marie for 18 years and had two sons, Josh and Jake, who worked as deckhands on the vessel.

Photo: Discovery Channel

 

Extreme skier Fredrik Ericsson, 35, falls to his death scaling K2

Fredrik Ericsson, one of the world's leading high-altitude skiers, fell to his death Aug. 6 while attempting to scale and then ski from the 28,251-foot summit of K2. Ericsson was 35.

Featured in a June Outposts item, the extreme skier was on a quest to ski down the three highest peaks on the planet -- K2, on the border between China and Pakistan; the Himalayan peak of Kangchenjunga; and Mt. Everest, on the border of Nepal and Tibet.

Photo: FredrikEricsson.com

 

Outposts looks back at 2010: Achievements

With the the year ending, it is worth looking back at memorable posts of 2010. Each day this week through Friday, Outposts will recount some of the records broken, the achievements reached, the notable passings and the downright unusual during 2010 in the outdoors, action and adventure world.

Kelly Slater clinches historic 10th ASP World Tour title

Kelly Slater made sporting history on Nov. 6, claiming an unprecedented 10th Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour title.

Culminating a 20-year effort, Slater, 38, accomplished an incredible feat that will undoubtedly remain at the top of the ASP record book for a long time.

"I feel relieved, honestly," Slater said. "It’s been the most stressful title I’ve ever had, because it’s sort of an unknown place and you know at my age people say, 'You shouldn’t be doing this.'"

Photo credit: Kirstin Scholtz / ASP

Lance Mackey wins fourth consecutive Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

With 11 dogs in harness, musher Lance Mackey rode into Nome, Alaska, at 2:59 p.m. March 16, passing under the burled arch and the Widow's Lamp hanging from it to win the 38th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 39-year-old Mackey, from Fairbanks, Alaska, also rode into the record books, becoming the first to win the "last great race on Earth"  four times in a row.

Photo credit: Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News

 

Irvine woman with rare disease conquers Mt. Everest

Cindy Abbott lives with adversity. The Irvine resident started losing vision in her left eye more than 15 years ago, and began having a slew of mini-strokes and vertigo. Finally, in 2007, Abbott was diagnosed with Wegener's Granulomatosis, a rare and potentially deadly disease of uncertain cause.

Abbott, 51, has no idea how long she has left to live because of the incurable disease. But she did not let the debilitating affliction hold her back, and on May 23, became the first person with Wegener's Granulomatosis to reach the top of Mt. Everest.

Photo credit: Bill Allen

Outposts looks back at 2010: Records

With the year ending, it is worth looking back at memorable posts of 2010. Each day this week through Friday, Outposts will recount some of the records broken, the achievements reached, the notable passings and the downright unusual during 2010 in the outdoors, action and adventure world.

Angler lands 405.2-pound yellowfin tuna, likely new world record

Angler Mike Livingston, a retired school administrator from Sunland, boated a yellowfin tuna weighing in at 405.2 pounds, likely a new all-tackle world record.

The fish, which measured 85 3/4 inches from nose to tail and had a girth of 61 1/2 inches, took almost three hours to land. It has been submitted to the International Game Fish Assn. for approval as an all-tackle world record.

Photo credit: Bill Roecker / Fishingvideos.com

 

It's official: Big bass caught in Japan ties world record held for more than 77 years

On Jan. 8, the International Game Fish Assn. verified that a 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass tied the all-tackle world record held for more than 77 years. Although the fish was caught in July 2009, I included this on the list because the record was verified in 2010.

Japan's Manabu Kurita, 32, made his catch at Lake Biwa, an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. The fish measured 27.20 inches in length and 26.77 inches in girth.

Photo credit: Manabu Kurita

 

Big Bear Lake's Jordan Romero, 13, becomes youngest person to scale Mt. Everest

Jordan Romero, a 13-year-old from Big Bear Lake, became the youngest person to scale Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak. The eighth-grader's contingent confirmed by satellite phone on May 21 (Pacific time) that his climbing group had reached the 29,035-foot summit.

Romero's accomplishment finished his quest to climb seven of the world's tallest mountains, one on each continent.

Photo credit: Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Three climbers rescued from Yosemite's El Capitan

Three rock climbers were rescued Monday afternoon from the wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, culminating a two-day rescue operation that involved more than 30 rescue personnel.

Sarah Land, from Oakhurst, Calif., Walker Mackey, 25, and Rio Mackey, 23, both from Boulder, Colo., were lowered down the 7,563-foot granite monolith after spending the night on the wall of El Capitan. Land, 24, sustained injuries Sunday when an approximately 200-pound rock dislodged and struck her during their ascent.

The Yosemite Emergency Communication Center received a call from Land Sunday morning asking for assistance after she was injured. At first, she and her companions attempted to finish the climb, but a few hours later Land called back and asked Park Rangers for help. With daylight dwindling, rangers were unable to bring in a helicopter or initiate the rescue and the trio were forced to spend the night on the wall.

Dwindling weather conditions, including fog covering Yosemite Valley and impending snowfall at the higher elevations, made completing the rescue mission on Monday imperative. The Army National Guard dispatched a Chinook helicopter to Yosemite Valley to help in the efforts.

Once rescue personnel were transported to the top of El Capitan they were able to assist the climbers, lowering them to the base, where Land boarded a California Highway Patrol helicopter and was flown to El Capitan Meadow where she was transported out of Yosemite Valley.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A military helicopter was brought in to assist Yosemite Search and Rescue team members with rescuing three climbers from the wall of El Capitan. Credit: Kari Cobb / National Park Service

Yosemite Half Dome cable permits will be required seven days a week during 2011 summer season

Yosemite National Park officials announced Monday that day-use permits to climb the Half Dome cables will be required seven days a week for the 2011 summer season.

An interim program that required permits on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays was implemented by the National Park Service in 2010 to better regulate the number of hikers using the cable system. Safety issues  have arisen from crowding, which has also led to long waits on the popular hike. 

Although the interim program worked well on the permit days, visitor use on the cables during days when permits were not required reached peak weekend levels -- thus the change to a seven-day-per-week requirement for next year's summer season. 

The Half Dome day-use permits will be available starting March 1, 2011 for climbing the cables in May and June 2011. Subsequent permits will be available at the beginning of each month for permits three months in advance. 

Reservations for a permit can be made through www.recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. Up to four permits may be obtained under one reservation, with each person climbing the Half Dome cables required to have their own. Permits are free, but there is a nonrefundable $1.50 service charge for each permit obtained.

The Half Dome cables are generally in place from mid-May through mid-October, depending on snowpack and weather conditions.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A view of Yosemite's Half Dome and climbers using the cable. Credit: Scott Gediman / National Park Service

Tennis great Martina Navratilova recounts having to give up Kilimanjaro climb after becoming seriously ill

Times sports columnist Bill Dwyre was one of a handful of reporters who spoke to Martina Navratilova by  telephone Sunday morning following her release from a hospital where the tennis legend had been after becoming seriously ill during her attempt to climb Tanzania's 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro.

"We began climbing Monday," Navratilova, 54, said.  "Immediately, it started to rain, then snow. It was foggy. I brought binoculars and never used them. It was so bad that I got lost trying to find my own tent at base camp.

"This was supposed to be fun, but nobody had fun. It was just survival. It is not an experience one would enjoy."

And that was before she got sick.

Navratilova, who was leading a team of 27 climbers to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation charity, was taken ill on the fourth day of the climb. She was assisted down the mountain by porters and driven to nearby Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre for assessment, then flown to a Nairobi hospital for further tests that showed she was suffering from pulmonary edema, excessive fluid in the lungs.

During the early-morning phone conversation, Navratilova was asked whether she'd consider trying the climb again.

Her response, as well as Dwyre's full column, can be read here.

RELATED:

Martina Navratilova begins Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Martina Navratilova's Mt. Kilimanjaro climb reaches toughest going yet

Martina Navratilova suspends Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova rests during her charity attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Navratilova suspended her climb after becoming ill. Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images

Martina Navratilova suspends Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has suspended her first attempt to climb Tanzania's 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro after feeling unwell on the fourth day of the ascent.

Navratilova, 54, was assisted down the mountain by porters and driven to the nearby Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre for assessment. The statement released by Laureus, the sponsor of the climb, said Navratilova was in good spirits as she left the campsite at Horombo but disappointed to have to leave the mountain.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion, who was leading a team of 27 climbers to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation charity, had reached 14,763 feet during the day, the highest point of the climb so far.

The Laureus team has faced unseasonal weather of blizzards and mists during their ascent, which began Monday. The rest of the team, which includes German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber and British Olympic badminton star Gail Emms, are continuing with the climb and are expected to reach the summit on Saturday.

RELATED:

Martina Navratilova begins Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Martina Navratilova's Mt. Kilimanjaro climb reaches toughest going yet

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, left, and German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber during their charity attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Navratilova suspended her climb after feeling unwell. Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images

Martina Navratilova's Mt. Kilimanjaro climb reaches toughest going yet

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has reached Day 4 of her attempt to summit Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro and is finding the ascent, and the weather, more challenging thus far than she imagined it would be.

Here's an excerpt from Navratilova's most recent post on The Laureus Blog:

The weather is a little better, but the going is getting tougher and tougher. It seems to be constantly steep and as we started to approach the highest point yet, 4,500 metres above sea level, sheer exhaustion sets in for much of the group, and with heavy legs and chests pounding due to a lack of oxygen, every step becomes an effort.

We have two days to go before we reach the summit and the group’s mood is fluctuating between exhaustion and exhilaration. It has been tougher than I imagined, but that is when everyone has come together to support each other.

Navratilova, 54, embarked Monday on her summit attempt of the 19,340-foot Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a charity helping disadvantaged youth worldwide through sports-based projects.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion is joined on the challenge by a group of 27 fundraisers, including German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber and British Olympic badminton star Gail Emms.

RELATED:

Martina Navratilova begins Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is encountering snow conditions sooner than she expected during her attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images

Martina Navratilova begins Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova embarked Monday on her attempt to summit Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a charity helping disadvantaged youth worldwide through sports-based projects.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion is joined on the challenge by a group of 27 fundraisers, including German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber and British Olympic badminton star Gail Emms.

Ascending via the Rongai Route, it is expected to take six to seven days to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, which at 19,340 feet is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

"I've been planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro since early this year, even before my breast cancer diagnosis, so it feels really great to finally be underway," Navratilova said as the team was about to depart. "I'm feeling well prepared for the challenge, and although I'm sure we'll all be in for a tough few days of climbing, I am determined to reach the summit."

Navratilova, 54, finished radiotherapy treatment in June after having been diagnosed with breast cancer in April.

Fans can follow the team's progress via The Laureus Blog, where Navratilova will be issuing daily blog posts, as well as by subscribing to receive e-mail updates.

Added Navratilova: "I am really pleased to be joined on the climb by a team of international fundraisers, and I hope everyone will support us by donating at www.laureus.com."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Martina Navratilova embarks on her attempt to summit Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro. Navratilova and her team are climbing Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Chris Jackson / Getty Images for Laureus

No-spill hydration bottles and travel mug make handy stocking stuffers

Those looking for a little something as a holiday stocking stuffer might want to check out the line of drinking products from Contigo. With "autoseal" no-spill technology in their travel mug and hydration bottles, these would seem to be gifts that actually might be used -- by an active outdoorsman, commuter or anyone who likes to take beverages along.

It's press-to-sip drinking, with no lids to remove or spouts to open. And the large-mouth bottleneck opening on the hydration bottles accommodates the addition of ice cubes and/or powdered drink mixes.

The Contigo autoseal water bottle is made from BPA-free plastic and includes a handle with an integrated carabiner clip. The suggested retail price is $12.99 for the 24-fluid-ounce bottle and $14.99 for the 32-ounce one.

The travel mug has a 16-fluid-ounce capacity and fits most automobile cupholders. It features a double-wall design and vacuum-insulated construction that eliminates condensation and keeps drinks hot for up to four hours and cold for up to 12 hours. The mug, with a suggested retail price of $19.99, is available in a stainless-steel finish or a variety of colors.

My favorite is the Kangaroo hydration bottle, one of Contigo's newer products. The Kangaroo has a handy fold-down compartment for stowing a key, some cash or cards such as an ID or gym membership, making it handy to take along even when walking the dogs.

The Kangaroo also offers an integrated carabiner and a flip-up handle and holds up to 24 fluid ounces. Suggested retail price: $12.99.

Contigo autoseal products are available at a variety of national retailers including Target, Sears and Amazon.com as well as online at GoContigo.com.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Kangaroo hydration bottle with the compartment open. Credit: Contigo