Gear Review: A Smaller, More Powerful Bike Light

By National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor Steve Casimiro, editor of The Adventure Life

Fall is the perfect season for just about anything outdoors—the gremlins are back in school, the air is cool—except for that bedeviling darkness that comes a little bit earlier every day. Bike lights keep the night at bay, and of course they’ve been around seemingly forever, but every year they get smaller and more powerful. A case in point is Light & Motion’s Vis 360, a compact little torch designed for commuting but with other applications as well.

It tipped my scale at just 135 grams/4 ounces, which is feathery enough that you don’t even notice it on your helmet, yet it pumps out up to 110 lumens, which is plenty of splash on the road ahead. Equally important, the Vis 360 has three bright flashing red lights in the back, plus two side amber lights on the front and two on the back. Should you choose to dance while wearing it, you’ll fit right in at a rave or Burning Man. Should you choose simply to wear it on your bike, there’s no way they won’t see you. 360 degrees is the truth.

Compact and bright as it is, the Vis 360 eliminates any excuses you have for not riding at night. Not only does it fit into any bag, it charges via USB, so you can repower it at work. And that light weight means it’s an ideal emergency light for mountain biking. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve ridden home in the dark, caught out on the trail because it was too delightfully perfect to stop, only to find myself lightless and far from the trailhead. The Vis 360 is brighter than most headlamps and designed to go on the helmet—pack it and forget it until you need it. The only improvement would be an option to turn off the rear lights to save battery life, but with a run time of 15 hours on low and two and a half on high, that’s just a quibble ($169, www.bikelights.com).

Top Ten Urban Kayaking Cities - Plus Fireworks Paddles

Kayaking during the Fourth of July celebration in Pittsburgh.  Photo courtesy of Cara Rufenacht, Venture Outdoors.

If you live in a waterfront city or are visiting one this weekend for Independence Day festivities, chances are you’ve seen at least one stranger navigating your metropolis in a kayak and wondered, Could that actually be . . . fun? “People ask me that all the time,” says Ted Choi, owner of San Francisco’s City Kayak. “They basically assume that kayaking in a natural setting is the best thing—but urban kayaking is amazingly beautiful.” And easy. Many U.S. cities have local paddling outfitters (we found three in Manhattan) that offer equipment rentals and tours, DIY or guided. It’s convenient, low cost, and yes, fun. You can even catch a fireworks 4th of July paddle in some cities. Text by Catherine Price, Laura Buckley, Annie Hay, Alyson Sheppard

San Francisco

Chicago

Washington, D.C.

Pittsburgh

Portland, Maine

Boston

New York City

Portland, Oregon

Seattle

Toronto

Continue reading for complete city reviews >>

The ADVENTURE TOP 10: Summits in North America

Text by Steve Rollins, edited by Andrea Minarcek. See more Top 10 lists.

If you’ve been following coverage of this year’s Everest season—now in full swing—it’s probably put you in the mood to climb a challenging, brag-worthy peak of your own. Not everyone, we know, has the ability—or the time, or the cash—to bag the big guy, but thankfully there are plenty of worthy ascents in our own backyard.

We enlisted the help of climber Steve Rollins, of Portland Mountain Rescue, to put together a roster of the Top 10 Summits in North America. “I used my mountaineering experience to pick peaks and routes that I myself find challenging,” Rollins says. “So frankly, most of these climbs probably should be done with the help of a professional guide if you’re not very experienced.” With that in mind, then, here are our picks for the Top 10 Everests for the Everyman.

10. Mt. St. Helens, Monitor Ridge

Everest schmeverest. Try climbing an active volcano! Mount St. Helens—which last (catastrophically) erupted in 1980—is an excellent starter climb without significant rock or ice fall danger. Basic ice ax and crampon skills are appropriate for the snow sections, though during the summer you may be able to hike to the summit on bare ground. (“In the summer,” Rollins says, “it is one step up, three-quarters of a step down—very similar to climbing a sand dune.”) Upon reaching the summit rim, you’ll be treated to spectacular views down into crater and out into the blast zone.

Location: Washington
Altitude: 8,365 feet 
Elevation Gain: 4,600 feet
Required Time: 1 day
Difficulty: Walk up
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, avalanche and navigation skills.

9. Mount Washington, South Gully, Huntington Ravine Route 

Home to some of the most extreme weather on the planet (231 miles-per-hour winds, anyone?) Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the Presidential Range. An ascent of the South Gulley requires ice ax, crampon, ice climbing, and rope/ protection skills. Most of the climb is on steep snow, though the gulley offers a short ice bulge crux. This route is definitely a step above the hiking routes to the summit, requiring genuine mountaineering skills.

Location: New Hampshire
Altitude: 6,288 feet
Elevation Gain: 4,300 feet (from trailhead to summit)
Time Required: 1-2 days
Difficulty: WI1+
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, ice steep snow and ice climbing, roped climbing/ placing protection, avalanche and navigation skills.

8. Mt. Shasta, Hotlum-Bolam Ridge 

A fine line on an beautiful 14,000-footer, this is the second highest peak in Northern Cali’s Cascade Range.

Location: California
Altitude: 14,162 feet
Elevation Gain: 7,200 feet
Time Required: 1-2 days
Difficulty: Class 4
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, avalanche and navigation skills. In late season roped climbing/placing protection may be required if the route is icy.

7. Dallas Peak, East Ridge Route 

Reported to be one of the most difficult 13,000-foot peaks in Colorado to climb. Mixed scrambling and easy technical climbing are required to make the summit, as well as two rappels involved with the descent.

Location: Colorado
Altitude: 13,809 feet
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Time Required: 1 day
Difficulty: 5.3 (YDS)
Required Skills: Navigation, technical rock climbing

6. Mt. Rainier, Ingraham Glacier Direct Route 

 “Some Everest veterans have said the Ingraham Direct route on Rainier reminds them of the Khumbu Ice Fall on Everest, though not as long or with the extremely high altitude challenge,” Rollins says. Expect views of stunning seracs and numerous crevass-crossings. The guide services even construct ladders across some crevasses similar (but much smaller) than the ones you’d find on Everest.

Location: Washington
Altitude: 14,411 feet
Elevation Gain: 9,000 feet
Time Required: 2 days
Difficulty: Grade 2
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, glacier travel, crevasse rescue, snow camping, avalanche and navigation skills.

5. Grand Teton, Owen Spalding (Original Route)

A classic American alpine climb. People travel from around the world to climb this mountain.

Location: Wyoming
Altitude: 13,770 feet
Elevation Gain: 7,000 feet
Time Required: 1-2 days
Difficulty: 5.4 (YDS), Grade III
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, moderate technical rock climbing including placing anchors and rappelling, navigation.

4. Forbidden Peak, West Ridge 

The name is an irresistible challenge; who wouldn’t want to claim a Forbidden Peak? This excellent (and popular) climb offers a 1,500 vertical foot ridge of easy to moderate technical rock climbing.

Location: Washington
Altitude: 8,815 feet
Elevation Gain: 5,600 feet
Time Required: 1-2 days
Difficulty: Grade III / 5.4-5.6 (YDS)
Required Skills: ice axe/ self arrest, crampon technique, glacier travel, technical rock climbing, avalanche and navigation skills

3. Athabasca, North Face

One of the better known mountains in Canada, climbing Mount Athabasca’s North face involves several roped pitches of 45-50 ice and a crux rock climb near the top for good meaure. “This is not the easiest route up,” Rollins says, but “it would certainly be an entertaining and rewarding adventure.”

Location: Alberta, Canada
Altitude: 11,453 feet
Elevation Gain: 4,942 feet
Time Required: 1 day
Difficulty: AI3 M4/5, Grade III, 5.5 (YDS)
Required Skills: Navigation and avalanche skills, glacier travel, technical rock and alpine ice climbing skills

2. Mount Robson, Kain Face

This is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and perhaps the best known. All routes to the summit are technical, and even the standard routes present objective hazards.

Location: British Columbia, Canada
Altitude: 12,972 feet
Elevation Gain: 10,000+
Time Required: +-4 days
Difficulty: Grade IV, some low 5th class climbing
Required Skills: Ice axe/ self arrest, crampon technique, ice climbing, avalanche and navigation skills, alpine camping.

1. Denali West, Buttress Route

Many Everest vets claim Denali is more difficult than Everest itself, due to the Alaskan peak’s severe weather and minimal support available. It’s certainly a noteworthy achievement: You’ll reach the highest point in the Northern Hemisphere—and get a leg into the “7 Summits” club.

Location: Alaska
Altitude: 20,320 feet 
Elevation Gain: 13,120 feet
Time Required: 15+ days (according to normal ascent schedules and depending on weather)
Difficulty: Grade II
Required Skills: Ice ax/self arrest, crampon technique, glacier travel/rescue, avalanche and navigation skills, winter mountaineer/camping, expedition experience, self-sufficiency!

The ADVENTURE TOP 10: Awe-Inspiring Parkour Videos

Text by Andrea Minarcek, see more Top 10 lists

After years on the fringes, parkour finally seems like it is breaking into the mainstream. Training camps and local groups are popping up all over the country, and suddenly the impossible—i.e. leaping across buildings in a single bound—seems possible.

L'art du déplacement (the art of movement), as it’s called, is about training your body to overcome obstacles in your surrounding environment—from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls—quickly, efficiently, and smoothly. And, of course, it looks ridiculously cool. See for yourself, with our list of the top 10 best parkour videos out there.

10. It's best to start from the beginning. Here, then, are a few shots from the guy credited with starting it all, David Belle:

 

See the next video >>

The ADVENTURE Top 10: American Adventures (in Video!)

Text by Andrea Minarcek, see more Top 10 lists
Rankings by Robert Earle Howells, Jim Gorman, and the editors

For our 10th anniversary issue (April/May 2009, on newsstands now) we drew on a decade of experience to find the 50 best adventure trips—in our own spectacular backyard. Heli-skiing, surfing, climbing, pedaling, and paddling excursions across the country made the list, but these ten epic trips took top honors. Check out the videos—and start planning now for a summer staycation in the states!

10. Our Freshwater Ocean: Wreck-diving Lake Superior, Minnesota

The waters off of Grand Portage, Minnesota, near Isle Royale National Park, are packed with epic shipwrecks on par with anything you’d find out by Fiji. And they’re in far better shape: Saltwater sites are far more eroded, usually with coral and sponges littering their surface, while fresh-water wrecks stay pristine.

Need more inspiration? Experience a Lake Superior wreck-dive firsthand with this footage of a 2008 scuba trip to the Madeira site:

A Superior Dive (The Madeira "Wreckumentary") from Mark Parolini on Vimeo.

Read more about this trip here >>

See the next video >>

Spring Fever: Top 10 (Cute) Animal Videos

Text by Andrea Minarcek. Read previous ADVENTURE Top 10 lists.

We know. We know what you’re thinking: What in the heck do cutesy animal videos have to do with ADVENTURE? Well, in our defense, baby animals are synonymous with spring and they love the outdoors. That's just a fact. And after last week’s spring-fever-prompted Top 10 Nature Videos, we were flooded with too many too-great-to-resist animal videos and just had to give them a list of their own.

Still skeptical? Watch this first one, and we promise you’ll want to see more. Just try and resist the unbearable cuteness—it’s tougher than an Everest summit, we say. That’s right, Ed Viesturs.

10. This one needs no explanation beyond it’s YouTube title: “Otters holding hands.” For the love…

See the next video >>

The ADVENTURE Top 10: Most Beautiful Nature Videos

Text by Andrea Minarcek. Read previous ADVENTURE Top 10 lists.

Here at National Geographic ADVENTURE, we have very scientific means of measuring the changing of the seasons. So how, you ask, do we know spring is here? One glance out our Manhattan office windows, down into Bryant Park, tells us all we need to know. As soon as the plush green grass in filled with suits laid out on their backs—shoes and socks off, ties askew, dreamy dumbstruck smiles on their faces—it’s official. Spring fever has struck!

But not everyone, we know, has the luxury of whiling away these first warm, sunny days of the year catatonic in a park. So for those of you who find yourselves staring into a computer screen, we humbly offer this replacement: ADVENTURE’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Nature Videos, mini moments of zen meant to infect you with a giddy sense of peace.

A disclaimer: We won’t even attempt to label these the best of all time—there are simply too many great scenic shots out there. If you have a favorite our list missed, we’d love to see it. Post the link in our Comments section, below.

10. Flying a small plane above the islands of Bora Bora:

See the next video >>

Spoiler alert: In our tireless search for the best nature videos, we came across an overabundance of ridiculously adorable animal footage. We were tempted to throw a few into this week’s Top 10, but there were so many, we decided they merited their own list altogether. So stay tuned for next week, when we’ll bring you the Top 10 (Cute) Animal Videos. (Seriously.) If you have a favorite of your own, send it our way ([email protected]), and you might see it on next week’s list.

The ADVENTURE Top 10: Best Waterfall Kayaking Runs in U.S. (with Video)

Text by Andrea Minarcek. Read previous ADVENTURE Top 10 lists.

Last week, kayaker Pedro Olivia crushed the previous world-record run (108 feet high) and careened across the lip of Brazil’s 127-foot Salto Belo falls. Now, we’d never attempt anything that epic, but watching the stunning footage (below) of Olivia’s run did inspire us to want to break out our paddles and find a falls of our own.

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So we turned to filmmaker and pro kayaker Trip Jennings, one of our 2008 Adventurers of the Year, for a little guidance. The guy knows his stuff: He’s claimed first descents on rivers in North America, South America, and Asia. And in 2006, he nabbed a world-record paddle of his own by kayaking over a 101-foot waterfall in Oregon.

We enlisted Jennings to draft a Top 10 of the best waterfall runs in the U.S., right before he left for a paddling expedition in Bolivia. Stay tuned for what he finds there….  In the meantime, grab a paddle and get started on Jennings’s life-list paddle list.

“I chose these runs not because they are the baddest, tallest, or hardest,” he explains, “but because they are the classics that have been run hundreds and thousands of times. For aspiring Class V junkies, this is the list to print out, post above your bed, dream about at night, and check them off one by one—then post photos on Facebook when you run them. I rated them based on two very subjective factors: First how classic they are, and second, how much I like them.”  

See the ADVENTURE Top 10: Best Waterfall Kayaking Runs >>

The ADVENTURE Top 10: Toughest Races

Text by Andrea Minarcek

After ten days of racing across 1,150 miles of frozen rivers, tundra, and jagged mountains, musher Lance Mackey crossed the finish line last Wednesday to claim first place in this year’s Iditarod. Reading the race reports (-40-degree headwinds! Snow-blown trails!), we were reminded of an eternal, universal truth: People will go to great lengths for the sports they love. Many call the Iditarod the Last Great Race on Earth, but we say it’s just one of many. These days nearly every activity has some kind of uber-, ultra-, X-treme race that claims to test its participants harder than the rest. But which are the toughest of the tough? Here’s our take on the Top 10:

10. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race: 'Nuff said. (Check out www.iditarod.com for race footage.)

See the next race >>

Smackdown: Top 10 Outdoor-Sports Rivalries

Text by Andrea Minarcek

As March Madness kicks off this week, talk around ye old office water-cooler will likely revolve around NCAA basketball. But that doesn’t mean college hoops fans should have all the fun. So we decided to give you ADVENTURE crowd your own bracket-like list to debate: a run-down of the best modern rivalries in outdoor sports. And when we say rivalries, we don’t mean to imply that these athletes snipe and bicker like Rock of Love contestants. We mean, simply, that they’re vying for their sport’s top spot—and pushing each to be better in the process. Here, then, are our picks for today's Top 10 Outdoor-Sports Rivalries in climbing, cycling, ski racing, and more:

Think we missed a rivalry that should’ve made our list? Let us know the Comments section, below.

10. Sailing

Any rivalry pitting the French against the English is sure to be a good one. And the competition between sailing’s Francis Joyon and Ellen MacArthur doesn’t disappoint. Last year, after the Frenchman annihilated the English MacArthur’s around-the-world solo record by a full two weeks, he told her: “I had a hard time beating your record. I hope that you won't be in a hurry to beat mine.” Sorry, buddy. We’d bet she’s already working on it. Here’s a blow-by-blow of Joyon’s arrival last January—and oui, it’s in français, but it’s easy to follow the action:

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