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Red scraf merupakan suatu langkah untuk menjadi anggota aktif didalam himapala unesa. semua itu di awali dari calon anggota yang mendapat scraf berwarna coklat, setelah melalui tahapan2 untuk menjadi anggota aktif ( lkkh, pataka, Ekspedisi, pendakian redscraf ). smoga lebih baik dan kompak. umbh... bibir ku dower setelah turun argopuro.

A few weeks back I posted a story about Norwegian sailor Jarle Andhoy who had illegally sailed into the Antarctic for the second year in a row and ran into trouble again as well. At the time of that story, Andhoy's latest ship, a yacht named Nilaya, was believed to be running low on food and fuel and attempting to limp towards an Argentinian port with a broken mast. Today we get word that Andhoy and his crew were taken into custody by Chilean officials who came across his boat in open waters.

Andhoy set out from New Zealand in January without proper permits and insurance to operate in the Southern Ocean. That didn't exactly endear him to Kiwi officials, especially since last year he pulled the same move and three people died. The self-described "Viking" went there illegally to ride ATV's to the South Pole, but while he and another man were on the Antarctic continent, a freak storm sunk his ship, the Berserk, killing the three people who were still on board. Jarl claimed that he was returning to the region to search for signs of the boat this year.

In February, the crew decided to give up that search but didn't want to sail back to New Zealand where they could face possible arrest. Instead they tried to make their way to Argentina, where they felt they could safely go ashore. They hadn't been heard from in several weeks and their last messages indicated they were experiencing issues with the boat and were seeking assistance at an Argentine base in Antractica. A base that was believed to have little or no staff at that time.

There are conflicting reports as to why Andhoy and his crew were detained. NZ officials say that they didn't ask Chile to arrest the men and it doesn't appear that Norway reached out to them either. Chilean authorities report that the skipper gave false names for both himself and the ship when it was approached, which led to them being stopped and taken to the naval base at Puerto Williams.

When they set out in January they did so with such haste that they didn't even allow a mechanic, who was on board making repairs at the time, to leave the vessel. As a result, that man found himself on a 2+ month long excursion in some of the more dangerous seas on Earth.

I'm happy to hear that the entire crew is safe and sound, but quite frankly I hope Andhoy is never issued a sailing permit again. He has shown a reckless disregard for the rules and regulations for sailing in the Southern Ocean and he is very lucky that no one else, him included, lost their lives this time out either.

Thanks to Outside Online for the tip.

Over the past few weeks we've had a few teases for the start of the 2012 Everest and Himalaya climbing season as some climbers began arriving early and have already set out for Base Camp. But as we all know, April 1st is the unofficial start to the season and right on cue we've started to get a slew of updates from Nepal and Tibet.

As usual, one of the bigger teams on Everest each year is the Himalayan Experience (Himex) team which always brings a large and experienced contingent to BC. This year is no exception of course and according to the expedition's first dispatch, there are 24 climbers hoping to get a crack at the summit this season. The group spent two days getting to know one another in Kathmandu before setting out to Lukla and beginning their trek to Base Camp on Saturday. Today they should be enjoying a rest day in Namche Bazaar and starting their acclimatization process for the long days ahead.

Similarly, the Peak Freaks, IMG and Jagged Globe teams have all started their treks to BC over the weekend as well and they'll soon be joined on the trail by the Altitude Junkies as well. That trek will take each of the teams roughly ten days to complete, depending on how many rest days they take or if they stop to acclimatize on nearby peaks before proceeding to Everest itself. Those long and winding trails to Base Camp are very crowded at the moment with plenty of climbers, guides, and most importantly Sherpas carrying gear to what will be their home for the next two months. It is an exciting time in the Khumbu to say the least.

Amongst those climbers is Ian Ridley, who is currently in Dingboche on a rest day as well. Ian says that he's been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days, which is not uncommon when trekking through the region. A combination of the cold weather and exertion from the trek can develop the "Khumbu Cough," which I can tell you from experience is not a lot of fun. Additionally, a lot of people are simply fatigued from the travel and it is easy to pick up a virus or bug from others or develop a stomach issue from the food. Fortunately it sounds like Ian is on the mend, and his team will be hanging out in Dingboche for several days as they acclimatize on nearby hills.

Phil Purdy seems to be on the same schedule, and may be traveling with Ian, as he is also in Dingboche, which is a popular spot along the way. I spent a couple of days there on my trek a few years back and found it to be a beautiful place for a rest day. The views of Ama Dablam are excellent and will remain with me always.

Finally, the North Side of Everest should start to see some action soon. The border into Tibet opened yesterday and teams are already moving into the country, but they usually spend a few days in Lhasa before starting the drive to Base Camp. Yep, that's right, on the North Side of the mountain climbers can actually drive to BC. They generally take a few days doing do so that they can slowly acclimatize as well, but it is an easier way to get to the start of the climb. The 7 Summits Club has arrived in Kathmandu, but they don't plan on leaving for Tibet until the 12th of April, which gives you an idea of the schedule some of the North Side teams are currently on.

If you're an Everest junkie there are certainly plenty of dispatches and team updates to read today. They've left me a little wistful for the Khumbu as I read about the treks that are currently underway. Enjoy the start of another season. Plenty of action to come.

For the past couple of weeks I've been gearing up to give away several copies of Andrew Skurka's new book The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide and in fact had planned on announcing winners as early today. Unfortunately I forgot to post one last reminder on Friday as I had planned, so I've decided to extend the contest one more day. That means you have through today to send me your entries and I'll pick the winners tomorrow.

Entering the contest is easy. Simply send me an email to kungfujedi@gmail.com with a subject of "Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide." In the body of that email tell me which of Andrew's big hiking adventures you would most like to do yourself. You can find a complete list of the long distance hikes that he has done by clicking here.

That's it! Send that email my way and you'll be automatically entered to win. I have eight copies of the book to give away and will be shipping them out as soon as possible. The winners will be announced after I've had a chance to get in touch with all of them and I'll post the names here as well.

Good luck to everyone who enters and apologies for extending out the suspense on those of you who have already sent in your emails. I wish I had a copy for everyone!