EXPEDITION NEWS is a monthly review of significant expeditions, research projects and newsworthy adventures. It is distributed online and by mail to media representatives, corporate sponsors, educators, research librarians, explorers, environmentalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. This forum on exploration covers projects that stimulate, motivate and educate.
The following are highlights from our February issue. An annual subscription to the complete newsletter is $36/year; $46 via international post.
A Texas oilman, somewhat appropriately named Tom Slick, mounted three
expeditions to Nepal and Tibet in the late 1950s, convinced that the Yeti was
a possible "missing link" in evolution.
Slick's niece, journalist Catherine Nixon Cooke, 50, from San Antonio, Tex.,
has organized a 21st century expedition, along with fellow Explorers Club
member Scott Hamilton, 47, a financial professional from New York. Cooke has
completed a biography of her legendary uncle, titled "Tom Slick: Mystery
Hunter" (to be published in fall 2001 by Johnson Books), and now plans to use
high technology sensing equipment to follow in his footsteps this April.
Guidelines Issued for Andrew Irvine Search - The Alpine Club (UK) issued a set of guidelines to expeditions searching for the body of Andrew "Sandy" Irvine who lost his life with George Mallory on Everest's North Ridge in 1924. While the the Irvine family, and The Alpine Club, prefers that Sandy Irvine's body be left in peace, they recognize that many people are interested in the fate of Mallory and Irvine and finding the camera they may have been carrying that might indicate whether Everest was summitted. Read about these guidelines by subscribing to Expedition News.
Blind Climber Attempts Everest - The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has announced sponsorship of an expedition aimed at placing the first blind mountaineer on the summit of Everest. The disabled climber, Erik Weihenmayer, 32, from Golden, Colo., has successfully climbed Mount McKinley (1995), El Capitan (1996), Kilimanjaro (1997), Aconcagua (1999), and Polar Circus (2000; a 500 m frozen waterfall in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada). The Everest climb is scheduled to last up to 1-1/2 months, with the team reaching the summit in mid- to late May.
Eureka! Tents Chosen for Mallory 2001 Expedition - The climbing team that successfully located the remains of George Mallory on Mt. Everest has landed Eureka! of Binghamton, N.Y., as the exclusive tent manufacturer for the second research expedition.
WHERE EXPLORERS GO, LAWYERS FOLLOW by David G. Concannon, Esq.
We live in an age of exploration that is fraught with peril: fire, floods,
civil unrest, violent storms and sickness can all thwart any expedition.
Then, just when it appears that expedition organizers and members have
survived the worst, the final coupe de grace - litigation - often emerges
like a sword to finish the beast. Quite simply, the catch phrase for the new
millennium should be "Where explorers go, lawyers follow."
How does an explorer keep from becoming a defendant or, at best, a reluctant
third party witness in litigation? The answer is, they can't. In this day
and age, anybody can sue anybody for anything. The important question to ask
is whether they can be sued successfully. By preparing in advance for the
inevitable - the possibility that they could be sued for their actions on an
expedition - they stand a much better chance of successfully defending this
litigation if and when it ever appears.
Tips that will help avoid the pitfalls of litigation are outlined in the
February issue of Expedition News. Single copies are available for $4.
Cool Duds - What keeps them warm way down under is available to consumers too, according to a New York Times Sunday Magazine story on Jan. 21. The National Science Foundation's U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) counts on Raytheon Polar Services of Englewood, Colo., to provide Extreme Cold Weather gear for temperatures that reach minus 100 degrees F. Travelers to the continent pick up their ECW apparel in Christchurch, New Zealand. "It's kind of like your closet at home," says Valerie Carroll, a Raytheon spokeswoman. "There are old items, new items, things that go in and out of style."
- Shishapangma, Ama Dablam, plus 7000 meter peaks. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya Rock Climb. Low Prices. All Abilities. E-mail: africa_inc@cybernet1.com, himalaya_inc@cybernet1.com, Web: www.himalayaclimb.com, www.kilitrek.com, www.kenyaclimb.com, www.nojintangla.com, tel: 406 363 7747
Explore today's Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos via land and sea with Zegrahm Expeditions. Six World Heritage Sites, including mythical Angkor Wat, plus palace visits, river cruises, premier snorkeling and more. Discover Hue, China Beach, and ethereal Ha Long Bay where ancient limestone formations rise from tranquil waters. Spectacular photographic opportunities, rich cultural diversity, geographic splendor and compassionate, friendly people. Two voyages aboard the Clipper Odyssey. Optional extension to exotic Laos
For reservations/information:
ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS, 192 Nickerson St., #200, Seattle, WA 98109. Phone: 800-628-8747 or 206-285-4000; Fax: 206-285-5037; Web site: www.zeco.com; E-mail: zoe@zeco.com.
is published by Blumenfeld and Associates, Inc., 28 Center Street, Darien, CT 06820 USA. Tel. 203 855 9400, fax 203 855 9433, blumassoc@aol.com. Editor/publisher: Jeff Blumenfeld. ©2001 Blumenfeld and Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1526-8977. Subscriptions: US$36/yr.; international postal rate US$46/yr. Highlights from EXPEDITION NEWS can be found at www.expeditionnews.com.