Team Tecnu

Swamp Stomp 2010
Team Tecnu Staphaseptic
Kyle Peter, Mari Chandler, Keith Bushaw, Leslie Reuter

The 2nd race of 2010 took team Tecnu to about one hour north of Tampa, FL to race in the Swamp Stomp.  Plotting the course Friday night near the banks of the Homosassa River proved that the race would live up to its name.  30 miles of  river-paddling in a maze of waterways cutting though the swamp and miles of  swamp travel ton foot and even bike (yes…I said bike) though thick wet swamp ooze!

Saturday morning we started with a 14 mile paddle on the Homosassa River Trail that we finished in around 4th place, but we transitioned quickly at the ‘Chaz’ Campground and headed out onto Bike #1 in first place. Biking mostly on paved roads we grabbed a few CP’s and cruised into the transition to Trek 1 holding our lead.

Paddling through the Fog

Trek 1 was a relatively straightforward rogaine in Withlacoochee State Forest.  After 5 hours of running we cleared the section.  Most points were 100-300 meters from a trail or road, but with no features in flat Florida, the team relied heavily on pace counts to get the CPs.

We took off on Bike # 2 still leading the pack, but with a local team hot on our heels.  We grabbed 3 CP’s or so on our way into the deep nasty swamp at the same the time the sun began to set.  The first point we went to in the swamp requited us to leave our bikes at the end of a trail and stomp through the swamp for 100 meters to find the flag.  It was cold, it was our first time moving in the swamp, and Leslie found a keeper spot that sucked her in deep.  Needless to say, we slowed a bit.  We started to bike back out the same trail we used to come in to the CP and saw the local FL team.  I estimated we had about 15 minutes on them.  We also saw Checkpoint Zero and some other teams on the out-and-back section.  Next up on our plan was a group of 4 CP’s that didn’t have a clear connecting route to get them all.  We tried to get them in a loop that appeared to be the most efficient according to the map.  But it turned out that trails in the swamp can easily be covered in 3 feet of water and near impossible to find.  We decided to bike an extra 15 kilometers on relatively fast trails to avoid a 750 meter swamp bushwack with our bikes over our shoulders.  Seemed like the safest smartest thing to do, but turns out the race directors designed the course so everybody had to carry there bikes through the swamp.  The marked trails on the map were really hunters’ bushwacking routes through the swamp than ride-able trails.  Long and short of it we were passed out there by the local team as well as Checkpoint Zero with all three of us getting all points on Bike 2.  We came into the start the Trek 2 30 minutes behind CP0 and 2 hours behind the local team.  Game over!  The intensity immediately dropped and my focus on the maps faded.  We pushed on adjusted our plan for the trek, got what points we could with Leslie navigating us through a 1 kilometer, pitch black, below freezing, thick swamp.

We returned to the TA to pick up our bikes to find out  Checkpoint Zero still in the TA but with 1 more CP than us (a point worth 2 points when most were worth only 1 point).  We also discovered that our bikes cassettes had frozen solid.  Hours of swamp biking, sandy road riding, and 28 degree temperatures are not the best conditions for bikes.  We put on our frozen solid bike shoes, and all of the clothes we had (none of it dry at this point) and set off on the final bike ride (Bike 3).  I have probably been heard saying a half dozen times or so, “This is the coldest I have ever been.”  I don’t think I said it this time because I was too cold to talk, but I truly believe this was the coldest I have been in my live.  All four of us had completely numb feet and hands.  At every CP, Keith would put his bare hands down his pants to warm his fingers, and Leslie would ride without her hands on the bars in order to put them up here shirt to keep them warm.

We pulled into the final TA and transitioned into our frozen solid paddling gear.  When I took my bike shoes off there was a layer of ice between my wet sock and my shoe.  I don’t think that has ever happened to me before.  Not to mention in FL?

We stated Paddle 2 early Sunday morning and preceded to get the mandatory CP’s  They were all located up channels that were feed by springs.  We usually had to wade the last few meters in 72 degree water from our boats up to the spring to reach the CP.  What a welcome change from the frozen socks and PFD we wearing!  Our final CP required one teammate to swim into a deep hole being fed by a spring. As the youngest on the team I won the chance to dive the 10 feet into the clear spring and get the CP!!  I was cold, but the finish line was only 200 meters away, and as a special treat we were greeted by a family of manetees swimming under our canoes as we left the spring.

Diving for the Checkpoint gold!

CP Gold!

Manatee

The Swamp Stomp proved to be a very challenging race both physically and mentally.  Florida doesn’t have hills, but it sure has swamps!  All things considered we are happy with our third place finish, and impressed with Checkpoint Zero’s second place finish and the local teams win.  I won’t speak for the rest of the team, but I will be back.  I want another shot at those swamp ‘trails’ or lack-there-of.

Items AMK sent include topical burn treatments, alcohol-free hand sanitizer, sterile gauze dressings and other materials used for cleaning and dressing wounds.

Following the aftermath of a major natural disaster, materials for treating and disinfecting wounds are typically in high demand for relief workers who are tending to the injured. With its logistical expertise in executing major relief programs, AmeriCares is ideally suited to deliver essential medical supplies to the people of Haiti.

Formed in 1982, AmeriCares is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and maintains offices in India, Sri Lanka and El Salvador. Over its 28-year history, it has participated in multiple disaster relief efforts around the globe.

“It’s our sincere hope that our efforts with AmeriCares, along with the donations we continue to make through other aid  organizations, will in some measure help the Haitian people to weather the very tough days that they face ahead,” said AMK’s marketing director and co-founder Frank Meyer.

AMK sent medical supplies to AmeriCares in packs provided by The North Face.

Adventure Medical Kits is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series.

Be Part of the Cure with AMK!

In addition to sponsoring the event and providing product samples and prizes, AMK is donating $1 for every Women’s Outdoor Medical Kit sold during the duration of the series. For every Women’s Outdoor Medical Kit sold between January 23rd and March 30th, 2010, Adventure Medical Kits will donate $1 to the Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer that benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Visit our website to learn more.

Team Adventure Medical Kits/Tender Corp. will also be attending the Stratton, VT event on January 30th.  Come out and join us for the day! If you can’t make it to one of the events, you can help us support the cause by donating to our team.

Follow our team’s fund raising progress: AMK Blog | Facebook | Twitter.

About the Romp:

Since its inception in 2003, the Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series® has engaged more than 16,000 people in the sport of snowshoeing and raised nearly ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®!

Modeled after the highly successful Race for the Cure®, the Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer consists of a 3k or 5k snowshoe walk or a 3k snowshoe race. The event has grown every year and now is the largest snowshoe series in the world and includes the biggest single snowshoe event in North America (Frisco, Colorado).

The gorgeous snowshoe course, fun atmosphere, and FREE demo snowshoes* from Tubbs helps to attract participants of all levels. Nearly 25% of participants have never snowshoed before! *First come first serve.

With ongoing partnerships with the local affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the Tubbs Romp to Stomp is committed to helping stomp out breast cancer one snowshoe step at a time!

We’ve always thought the Travel Medic was the perfect stocking stuffer, but you needn’t take our word for it. Outdoor gear columnist Stephen Regenold (A.K.A. The Gear Junkie) recently included the TM in his Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide:

“Made for one person traveling to Mexico, the Caribbean or Europe, the Travel Medic is a grab-and-go envelope with most all the meds and wound-care items you might need on a getaway.”

Check out his full review here.

Discovery Channel’s Everest: Beyond the Limit Air Dates Announced

Now in its third season, the Discovery Channel’s Everest: Beyond The Limit is taking a new approach to filming this year and will feature both International Mountain Guides and Himalayan Experience in a five-part series.

Several IMG climbers will be featured in the series – you can read more about former NASA Astronaut Scott Parazynski and Dawes Eddy, the oldestAmerican to climb Everest below.

The dates and times are below. Be sure to check your local listings for any last minute changes.

Sunday, December 27
8:00pm   Episode 1
9:00pm   Episode 2
10:00pm Episode 3

Wednesday, December 30
9:00pm    Episode 4
10:00pm  Episode 5

2009 IMG Everest Dispatches

Everest Climber Feature – Scott Parazynski

IMG climber Scott Parazynski returned to Everest this season after coming tantalizingly close last year. The former Nasa Astronaut was sidelined with a ruptured lumbar disc at 24,500′ on his summit bid in 2008.

This year Scott came back fit and ready to top out with Danuru Sherpa. Scott achieved his goal at dawn on May 20, 2009. A veteran of several space flights and spacewalks, Scott is the only person to both summit Mt. Everest and fly in space.

Everest Climber Feature – Dawes Eddy

Dawes Eddy of Spokane, WA could not be stopped on Everest this year. At 66 years old most people think about retirement and moving to somewhere warm. Not Dawes.  An experienced climber of many peaks in the Cascades and in South America Dawes set out to become the oldest American to summit Everest and did so at dawn on May 20, 2009.

Author and M.D. Chris Van Tilburg, a member of Oregon’s Hood River Crag Rats Search & Rescue Team, has been participating in the rescue attempt of the two hikers who were reported missing on Mt. Hood last Friday. Van Tilburg and his team were on the mountain all day Sunday before having to retreat due to bad weather. We spoke to him on Monday afternoon:

AMK. As of this writing, the two hikers have been missing for more than three days. What should they be focused on right now in order to improve their chances of survival?

CVT. Building a snow cave and hunkering down. It’s all about shelter from the elements at this point, trying to stay warm, and not trying to move about the mountain in foul weather.

AMK. It’s been reported that they have at least one bivvy sack or lightweight sleeping back between them. What should they do with it?

CVT. If they’ve got one, they can share it, use it for a ground pad. They can also stick their feet in their backpacks or use their packs for ground padding. Insulation from sitting on the cold snow is just as important as covering up.

AMK. According to reports, the hikers had planned to come down the south side of Mt. Hood. Have you hiked or climbed this part of the mountain? Is it particularly tricky this time of year?

CVT. I climbed to 10,500 feet on Sunday, and turned around just short of the summit due to dangerous conditions — avalanche risk, whiteout, cold temperatures and high winds. Any time of the year in any conditions, the south climb can be dangerous — even in clear, windless skies.

AMK. Temps are in the low 20s at night. According to media reports, there is the threat of avalanches, which is preventing full-on rescue efforts. What would you advise the two hikers do next – stay put, try to stay warm, or try their luck making it down the mountain?

CVT. Dig a snowcave, stay put, and try to signal rescuers by any means possible.

AMK. The hikers have been outdoors for more than three days; at this stage, what is the biggest threat to their survival?

CVT. Hypothermia and dehydration.

AMK. Bluntly, at this point, how would you rate their chances of being rescued alive?

CVT. It’s really hard to say. We had a group in the 1970s that lasted 14 days on Hood. There are a lot of variables at play. In this storm, lightly equipped, without injury, after 3 days I’d say chances for the hikers start plummeting. If they have a snow cave and a stove to melt snow for drinking water their chances improve.

AMK. What essential pieces of equipment do you advise hikers or climbers take with them before embarking on Mt. Hood or other hikes or climbs during the winter?

CVT. Extra clothing, a bivvy or blanket for warmth or shelter; food, water and a stove to melt snow in; communication and navigation equipment like a GPS, cell phone, mountain locator unit, a transceiver, signaling mirror and rescue whistle; avalanche safety equipment, including a shovel; gear for crevasse travel, including rope, harness, carabiners, russic cords, plastic boots, crampons, ice ax, helmet. It’s a long list and a heavy pack.

Chris Van Tilburg, M.D., is the editor of WMS’s Wilderness Medicine and the author of eight books on the  outdoors. His most recent book is Mountain Rescue Doctor. He lives in Bend, Oregon.

Where: 5555 San Leandro St., Oakland (1 mile from Coliseum & Fruitvale BART). Limited parking available. All sales final, cash only. Bring your own bag. Happy Shopping!
When: Friday Dec. 11th, 12 pm – 4 pm.

Hello,

I would like to take a moment to give a heartfelt thanks to you guys. If it wasn’t for your HeatSheets Emergency Bivvy, we would not be here today.

Click image to view video of climber Paul Warman's rescue near summit of Bugaboo Spire.

Long story short, in August 2008, myself and a friend were trapped on the top of Bugaboo Spire in a bad storm awaiting rescue for 56 hours. When pulled, we were hypothermic, out of food, water and hope. The silver emergency blanket we had taken along was shredded by the wind and we were forced to spend the final 20 hours on a super narrow ledge with your Heatsheets blanket “bag,” which we sliced to cover us both.  It was probably about the most intense field test one could subject a product to — high altitude, UV,  snow and rain, windy as hell, etc. I still have the tattered remains of the bag. It did the job where the others had failed miserably the first night. This thing kept going – providing a 20 degree increase in temperature, I’m guessing — and was enough to keep us alive.

As a climber who tends to be a bit on the cheap side, I had seen your bivvies at Mountain Equipment Co-op before the climb and thought that they were too expensive. I opted instead to buy a cheapo silver one – BIG MISTAKE.  Following my experience on Bugaboo Spire, I don’t even let friends go out without your Heatsheets Bivvy on trips. If they complain about the price, I calmly pose the question, “How much is your life worth?” and then slap a new one in their hands.  Because there is no doubt that the durability of the silver ones just doesn’t hold up.

In fact, I still have both blankets from the trip (or what’s left of them) and the silver ones look like a shredded sheet of clear polyester. Yours, although no longer really usable (crampon spikes don’t like anything soft), would still work in a bind.  The bright orange coating helped greatly in enabling the helicopters to locate us when the whiteout cleared for a few quick seconds, allowing for a quick extrication off of the mountain.  By “quick,” I mean there was only a four-minute window for the next bunch of days, which means if we hadn’t gotten off the ledge when we did we would not be here today.

My message to you fine folks is of genuine heartfelt thanks. Your Emergency Bivvy Works! Others just fail in comparison.

Sincerely,

Paul Warman,

Cochrane, Alberta

Congratulations to Kyle and Mari for their 3rd place finish in the Perak Amanjaya International Eco Adventure.

Details of their final day of racing are below…

To read all about their journey and race – check out their blog.

Day 4 – Final Stage

Kyle and I knew what had to be done for the final day of racing. We were currently in 4th place and less than 3 minutes behind a spot on the podium which was held by Team Salomon TLDM from Malaysia. The day began with a long 48 mile bike leg which the majority would all be on paved roads and flat. The first 12 miles were pretty easy as everyone rode in a peloton as expected. The next 4 miles were insane as we had to loop around some rice paddy fields. We were forced into a single file line through wet tall grass with mud underneath. It was a struggle to remain with the lead group through the slippery conditions, but we hung on. At the edge of the paddy field was a bridge that led us back to the road, but we had to heave our bikes up onto it as it was 4 ft or so off the ground. Kyle and I were back on our bikes and on the road only to find ourselves a good 200 meters behind the peloton. We knew we had gotten off the bridge before the Malaysians and needed to get back with the lead riders. Kyle took off and I got on his wheel and we road as hard as we could and eventually caught the group. We settled back into the peloton and enjoyed the pull and recovered from our sprint. The pace had slowed again and the French team(Chiru Racing Bikes) and the Japanese team each tried to break away, but each time we caught back up with them. With all the goofing around with the pace, our Malaysian friends were able to rejoin the group as well. No one would take the lead and push the pace except us and the 2 teams from South Africa (Team McCain Adventure). I took the lead and Kyle got behind me and we picked up the pace. The next thing we knew, we were all alone and the peloton had dropped behind us. We expected them to catch us, but that was the last we would see of them for the next 24 miles. Kyle and I alternated leading, giving 1 min hard pulls while the other recovered all the while thinking at any moment the freight train of riders would run us over soon, but they never came. We held 24-28 mph on our mt. bikes as we were led by a police escort and camera crews all the way to the TA. It was pretty exciting to have gotten a break-a-way from such a strong group of riders and be in the lead.

We had a quick transition into our kayak gear and were off for a short paddle in the Indian Ocean to Pangkor Island. At this point we still had no idea exactly how far ahead we were and just wanted to keep our lead as long as possible. We expected to be caught on the kayak leg, as we are not the stongest paddlers, but no one came. We reached the sandy beach and now had to run up a hill to a 60 m repel down a steep rock face right back down to the beach. Because we had done the entire bike section while wearing our climbing harnesses, there was no need for the transition and gained more valuable time on the Malaysian team who we knew was not wearing theirs.

Now we were off for a 6k run along the edge of the island through the town of Pangkor. We were still feeling pretty good and settled into a comfortable pace but tried to keep pushing. Kyle had fallen back a bit so he we connected the tow line so that we could keep together. It seemed as though the entire town of Pangkor had come out and lined both sides of the street to cheer us on. They seemed confused to find Kyle and I by ourselves , most likely looking extremely tired , and why were we tied together?? We pushed on and reached the aid station at the base of “Killing Hill”. In the race briefing the night before, the Race Director had told us that this hill was harder than the one we had done on Day 2 and had almost destroyed a few teams. We decided to take the time to load up on water before continuing up the trail. As we headed up the steep trail we still saw no one behind us. It wasn’t too much time later when we heard the Swedish team coming up behind us and moving fast. Within a few moments they had caught us, passed us, and dropped us. We kept on trekking and a few moments later, Pacific Adventure made up of 2 Americans caught us, passed us, and dropped us. We decided that was enough, and in order for us to grab 3rd overall, we had to hold onto 3rd for the stage win. We never saw another team. We reached the base of “Killing Hill”, which ended up being way easier than expected and had a short run back out to the main island road. Here we would get to choose from a group of “local” bikes and would be allowed to use one bike for the 2 of us to go the remaining 5k to the finish. Kyle immediately grabbed a bike that had the essentials…2 inflated tires, 2 pedals, at least 1 brake, and hopefully the ability to shift a gear or 2. I took off running and Kyle passed me on the bike. It was hilarious as the bikes were all for people a bit shorter than us and he looked like he was pedaling a kid’s bike. For the next 5 k, we leap frogged each other with one of us riding a short distance ahead and dropping the bike on the side of the road and then the other of us running to it, picking up the bike and continuing. There was a lot of traffic on the road and I was sure at some point our bike would either get run over or fall apart. With the bike being so small it was very difficult to ride up the few hills we had along the way to the finish and I was having flashbacks of riding my little niece and nephew’s little cruiser bikes and thinking that maybe that form of training was paying off at last. ha ha. I was just starting to feel pretty crappy and had told Kyle as he rode by me not to make me run to far when we could start to hear the sounds of the finish line. Kyle dropped the bike immediately after he passed me and was off and running hard to the finish. I barely caught him when we rounded the final turn and crossed the finish line together to finish the 4th and final stage in 3rd place. Immediately we started our watches and waited to see who would cross the finish line next. After 3 minutes we knew we had the last spot on the podium secured. As time ticked by and only the Japanese team finished, we thought we had a shot at 2nd place as Chiru Racing bikes had 6+ minute lead heading into this stage. At 4 1/2 minutes, Team Chiru crossed the finish line. It was official…

1st place: Team World of Multi-Sport from Sweden, 4 day race total of 15:30:07 (co-ed team)
2nd place: Team Chiru Racing Bikes from Australia & France, 15:50:36 (all male team)
3rd place: Kyle and Mari, Team Tecnu Extreme/Asolo, 15:51:55

To read all about their journey and race – check out their blog.

AMK Sales Representative, Kyle Peter is racing again – this time in Malaysia!

Kyle is racing with Mari Chandler on Team Tecnu Extreme/Asolo in the Perak Amanjaya International Eco Adventure 2009 which is a new event geared towards presenting 20 of the top teams to the Asian contingency, and also showcasing on ESPN STARS. The 4-day race is set to begin on December 2nd – they will be racing across Malaysia in a super fast stage race with little navigation, short disciplines, blazing fast transitions, and beautiful terrain.

Kyle and Mari arrived in Malaysia and have spent some time relaxing and recovering from jet lag.  Tomorrow is a pre-race brief/meeting, followed by interviews with ESPN STARS network where one billion Asian households are sure to fall in love with Kyle and Mari.  After that, there is nothing but waiting and doing countless gear checks and last minute preparations before the race starts on Wednesday.

You can follow their progress on their team blog. Good luck to Kyle and Mari – we can’t wait to follow their progress and hear the stories of this epic trip!

For Immediate Release:
PRESS RELEASE
Nov. 23, 2009

Explorer Trip Jennings Wins National Geographic Channel Grant to Stop Record Levels of Elephant Poaching

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the National Geographic Channel named Explorer Trip Jennings the winner of their Expedition Granted contest and awarded him a $10,000 grant to help save elephants from illegal poaching in Africa.

With elephant poaching at unprecedented levels, ivory selling at record prices and elephant populations plummeting, Jennings hopes to use the expedition — The Elephant Ivory Project — to pinpoint ivory-poaching hotspots. He, and a team of explorers, has proposed to help complete a map of African elephant DNA for pioneering conservation biologist Samuel Wasser by traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is considered too dangerous and remote for many researchers to travel.

The team plans to complete the DNA map in the Congo by collecting elephant scat. Wasser uses existing DNA maps to identify poaching hotspots by analyzing ivory seizures from around the world. He is able to locate where each poached elephant lived and help direct resources to regions where they are most needed. However, he has not been able to complete his map because of lack of data, which is why he approached Jennings and his team.

According to Wasser, “elephants are being killed by poachers at a rate of 10 percent per year. With only 470,000 elephants left in the world, it means that in just a few years the only elephants left will live in isolated populations behind fences with armed guards.”

In 2009, the price of ivory reached record highs — in some cases exceeding the price of drugs, which has lead to organized wealthy crime syndicates pushing ivory poachers to hammer specific elephant herds. The highest demand for ivory comes from China for use in artisan stamps and seals and the next highest from the United States for handles of knives and guns.

Jennings and Wasser both agree that two major problems face elephants today: first, lack of data to identify all poaching hotspots and second, few people know how serious the elephant poaching problem is, and how resource intensive it will be to stop.

“I hope to address the two largest issues affecting elephants by going into the jungle with a backpack full of camera gear to document the herds and leaving the jungle with a backpack full of elephant poop to complete the DNA map,” Jennings said. “It’s shocking to realize that an average of 105 elephants are being killed by poachers everyday, but it’s not hopeless. In 1989, with a global upwelling of support, the ivory trade was stopped, nearly overnight. We can do that again.”

To learn more about the Elephant Ivory Project visit: www.elephantivoryproject.com

Will Cross on Mount Everest

Adventure Medical Kits and its parent company Tender Corp. have joined forces with world renowned high altitude mountaineer and adventure athlete Will Cross to help educate the public on the importance of proper foot care for people with diabetes.

Diagnosed with Type I diabetes 32 years ago, Cross has not let his condition stop him from amassing an impressive list of accomplishments, which includes successfully climbing the highest peaks — including Mount Everest – on all seven continents; walking to both the North and South Poles; and participating in expeditions in Patagonia, Mountains of the Moon and the Sahara Desert.

On all of his adventures, Cross’s diabetes has been a constant companion, forcing him to take extra precautions with his health – especially his feet.

People who have diabetes are often afflicted with serious foot problems, which, if left untreated, can become deadly. Poor circulation in the feet of people with diabetes results in 82,000 foot amputations each year. However, comprehensive foot care programs have been shown to reduce amputations by 50%.

Along with careful, daily inspection of his feet, Cross uses Tender’s HealthiFeet, a new moisturizing cream designed to improve the foot health of people who suffer from the pain associated with poor foot circulation or just plain old cold feet. (For more info on HealthiFeet and the partnership with Will Cross, go here)

During the month of November and continuing into 2010, Tender, AMK and Cross will be spreading the word on the importance of foot care for people with diabetes through media interviews, personal appearances and regular blog posts.

On November 21st, Will Cross will be giving a speech on diabetes at a grand opening of a new REI store in his home town of Pittsburgh, PA. The event will be co-sponsored by the American Diabetes Association and will help raise money for diabetes research.  Can’t make it to Pitt? You can still help out by supporting the ADA (www.diabetes.org) or Children With Diabetes, both are organizations to which Will is closely aligned.

A satisified Sarah Tantillo at finish line of the NYC Marathon. Hey, is that a Heatsheets blanket?

AMK employees, Sarah Tantillo and Kyle Peter, enjoyed their NYC marathon experience.  Sarah breezed thru in 4 hours and 9 minutes, about 7 minutes faster than her goal time of  4:15. Sarah is hoping to break 4 hours next. Kyle blistered the first half in 1 hour and 30 minutes and jogged home the rest of the way to finish in 3:44. Kyle said if he saw any outdoor stores on route he was going to  stop in and check them out.  Next year we are going to challenge him to do it in under 3:30 while writing 3 orders on route.. That would be a productive marathon!

Congratulations to both!  We are all inspired.

Frank Meyer, Marketing Director

The younger Mason had been solo hiking near Mount Clay when he hurt his ankle, tried to take a shortcut through a river pass and got lost. Rapidly melting snow had swollen the river, making it impossible to cross and Mason was subsequently forced to hunker down for the next three days, before being found by rescuers.

Mason after 3-day ordeal in White Mountains

What’s not so gratifying, certainly for the Mason household, was when the N.H. government slapped Scott with a bill for $25,734.65 to cover the cost of a three-day search and rescue mission it had initiated after he was reported missing. Even though Mason, an Eagle Scout, showed tremendous survival savvy — at night he slept in the crevice of a boulder for shelter and used an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to start fires — the N.H. government determined that he was negligent because he veered off of a marked path and did not adequately anticipate the problems that melting snow would pose in finding a route back down the mountain.

Mason has since hired a lawyer to negotiate a settlement. One of Mason’s scoutmasters also started a Facebook page  — “Rescue Scott Mason – Again” — to help raise money to offset the hefty fine and the family’s legal costs, which according to a recent wall post now total $5,000.

Currently, New Hampshire is one of eight states with laws on the books that allow it to recoup the costs of search and rescue missions. However, lately New Hampshire is the only state that has attempted to bill people. Last year, it strengthened the law, allowing it to suspend the hiking, fishing and driver’s licenses of individuals who refuse to pay.

In a recent AP article, New Hampshire State officials argued that the threat of a fine should encourage outdoor enthusiasts to be better prepared before they head out on the trail. Not all in search and rescue (SAR) services, however, are convinced of the benefits of this policy.

Dr. Chris Van Tilburg, editor of Wilderness Medicine magazine and a member of Crag Rats Mountain Rescue, located in Hood River, OR, says the law is highly problematic.

“If hikers or climbers are concerned about the costs they may face, they may put off calling for help, which can hinder their chances for survival,” says Van Tilburg, who was part of the team that attempted to rescue three climbers who became stranded on Mt. Hood, in 2006.

“We don’t charge people requiring law enforcement or fire department services, so charging for SAR services seems unfair,” he added.

What do you think? Should outdoor enthusiasts who aren’t prepared be charged for search and rescue missions? Should Scott Mason have been fined?

Looking calm and rested two days before the NY City Marathon

Kyle Peter looking to breeze thru the NYC Marathon in 3 Hours and 20 minutes

Adventure Medical Kits Sales Coordinator, Sarah Tantillo, and Sales Representative, Kyle Peter, are off to race in tomorrow’s NY City Marathon. This will be Sarah’s first attempt at  the 26.2 mile distance. Sarah is looking forward to her girlfriends cheering her on as she strides to hit the 4 hour mark. Kyle, a Boston Marathon finisher this year in just seconds over 3 hours, will be looking to take  it a little easier and wants to finish  in 3 hours and 20 minutes. Four days after Kyle returns he will be launching into a four day adventure race with three other teammates.  To compound the effort, they both took red eye flights on Friday night  for the Sunday race. They will be back at work Monday morning.  Check back on Monday for the after marathon pictures.

Good Luck Sarah and Kyle and Godspeed!

I really love the products you present. There are many to choose from regarding first aid. That is my problem. I am a hunter and fisherman in the state of Alabama and have never strayed from this state in for my hobbies. I know Alabama is not Africa in terms of large carnivores, but I have had some scraps with a wild hog (hawg, in Alabama), and once was pinned by several coyotes. The hog I killed bare handed, not unscathed mind you, and the coyotes I fought off with a homemade spear i fashioned out of my hunting knife and a long branch while in a pine tree. That stuff was funny then after it was over, but now that I am a father I am thinking differently.

I would like your recommendations for my needs on a medical/survival kit. What I want is three kits. One for each of my two vehicles and one major pack for my home that can be grabbed in case of an emergency like a tornado, etc. I have looked at all your products, but I am still at a loss as to which one would outfit me the best. The most diverse a group with me would be is 3 male adults, two female adults, one male child, and 2 female children. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Jeremy Smith

Answer:

Dear Jeremy,

Many of us only dream of the adventures you have. Maybe nightmare would be a better word for some of us.

I recommend the Sportsman Hunter or Outfitter Medical Kit for your two vehicles. Both of those kits have a detachable inner bag (kit) you can take with you in the field while leaving the larger kit in the truck.  I would add the QuikClot 25gram Sport to each of those kits.  This is a blood stopping dressing that works fast. I imagine a hawg or pack of coyotes could take quite a chunk out of your leg.

It sounds like you would be a great candidate for the Pocket Survival Pak. Keep this on you at all times. You could work your way out of any jam with it.

For your home I would recommend the Mountain Series Fundamentals or the Sportsman Outfitter kit. All of the kits I have recommended are ideal for either remote areas or when you are cut off from medical care by a natural disaster.

Please keep us posted on any exciting new adventures.

Be Safe,

Frank Meyer, Co-Founder/Marketing Director

Have a question for us? Ask our Experts!

Letter From Trip:
Hello friends,

Today voting went live on a National Geographic Channel contest between myself and Ben Horton, another National Geographic explorer. The two of us talk about our dream expedition on-air and online and viewers are asked to vote. The winner gets funding for their expedition.

I need your votes! And I need you to get your friends, family, coworkers, pets etc. to vote for me as well.

My expedition will take me back to the Democratic Republic of Congo to collect elephant DNA for pioneering conservation biologist Sam Wasser. The DNA will be used to pinpoint poaching hotspots so that anti-poaching resources can be directed where they are most needed. Did you know that the elephant poaching rate and price of ivory are at record levels? Did you know that in just two decades the only surviving elephants could be those behind fences with armed guards? I need your vote to help protect these special animals.

Thanks!

Click on the Image To Vote for Trip:

Vote for Trip Jennings

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week-granted?source=link_egfb_113

Watch the Video to Learn More about Trip and His Expedition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ4dorm4ylQ

Support on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trip-Jennings/179832160195?ref=ts

Support on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/TripJennings

More info below if you want to learn more….

Sincerely,

Trip

Today, National Geographic Explorer Trip Jennings will go head to head with fellow explorer, Ben Horton, to compete for funding to venture to the Democratic Republic of Congo to save elephants from illegal poaching. The National Geographic Channel kicks off the contest, Expedition Granted, today October 26, which will end on November 15. The channel will feature videos from each explorer about his expedition on-air and online, and viewers will have the chance to choose which explorer should have his Expedition Granted. National Geographic will award the explorer with the most votes funding for their expedition.

With elephant poaching at unprecedented levels, ivory selling at record prices and elephant populations plummeting, Jennings hopes to use his expedition to protect endangered elephants. He has proposed to complete a map of African elephant DNA for pioneering conservation biologist Samuel Wasser by traveling to the Congo, which is considered too dangerous and remote for scientists to travel. Jennings plans to complete the DNA map in the Congo by collecting elephant scat near the borders of Angola and Uganda. Wasser uses existing DNA maps to identify poaching hotspots by analyzing ivory seizures from around the world. He is able to locate where each poached elephant lived and help direct resources to regions where they are most needed. However, he is not able to identify hotspots in the due to lack of data.

In 2009, the price of ivory reached record highs—in some cases exceeding the price of drugs, which has lead to organized crime syndicates of wealthy ivory poachers hammering elephant herds. The highest demand for ivory comes from China for use in artisan stamps and seals and the next highest from the United States for handles of knives and guns.

According to Wasser, “elephants are being killed by poachers at a rate of 10 percent per year. With only 470,000 elephants left in the world, it means that in just a few years the only elephants left will live in small populations behind fences with armed guards.”

Jennings and Wasser both agree that two major problems face elephants today: first enough data exists to identify all poaching hotspots and second, few people know how serious the elephant poaching problem is.

“I hope to address the two largest issues affecting elephants by going into the jungle with a backpack full of camera gear to document the herds and leaving the jungle with a backpack full of elephant poop to complete the DNA map,” Jennings said. “It’s hard to imagine wild elephants being wiped out during our lifetime. With enough votes, I’ll be able to work to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Contest Website: www.NatGeoTV.com/expedition then click on Expedition Granted

Support Explorer Trip Jennings on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trip-Jennings/179832160195?ref=ts and Twitter: http://twitter.com/TripJennings

I am a fan of your medical kits and just saw that the one of your Travel Kits had a suture kit in it, good idea. I just got back from a few months in Colombia with a smaller  Travel Kit that did not have the sutures. Went on a hike and about two days in, I gashed open my shin. Some Colombian military guys came by and stitched me up with a sewing needle, needless to say it was not pleasant.

Getting Stitched up in Columbia

I think an upgrade is necessary for my next trip. Anyway thought you guys might get a kick out of that, I sent a picture of it as well. Keep up the good work your kits have saved my butt in more than one country!

W. Gatchell

AMK Response:  Thanks for the feedback!  Just to clarify, our Suture/Syringe Medic is now sold separately and can be added to any Travel or other line of medical kits that we offer.  Always a good idea to add some QuikClot to your first aid kit as well, just in case you need to stop the bleeding and don’t have a professional around to stitch you up.

I have a question about QuikClot – does it work and is it contraindicated for any type of injury?

Thanks,  Michael Z.

Answer:

Hi Michael-

Thanks for your question about QuikClot.  In short: yes, QuikClot is very effective at speeding the clotting process.  It has been tested in numerous clinical trials and in real world situations involving military, law enforcement, and emergency first response personnel.  The formula that we use does not generate heat (like the “old” QuikClot) and thus will not leave burns on the wound site.

Also, because the mineral that constitutes QuikClot is chemically inert, contraindications are very rare.  The only injury in which I would recommend not using QuikClot is one immediately around the eye (in which there is a possibility that QuikClot will come into contact with the eyeball), since it is an eye irritant.

Please let me know if you have any further questions, and thanks again for your interest.
Best,

Jordan Hurder
Product Specialist

Phil Ershler on the North Col of Mt. Everest, 1984
photo courtesy of International Mountain Guides

Phil is one of the world’s most renowned climbers with a career that spans almost four decades.  His achievements are simply awe inspiring – including being the first American ascent of the North side of Everest (solo ascent), more than 400 summits of Mt. Rainier, 25 summits of Mt. McKinley, being one of a handful of climbers to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents and the first to do it twice!

Bridging cultural divides in Ecuador, 2008
photo courtesy of International Mountain Guides

We have had the honor of working with Phil and are amazed by his achievements and his humble demeanor. AMK would like to congratulation Phil and are excited to work with him for years to come….

Below is a post from the IMG blog from fellow mountaineers and IMG founders George Dunn and Eric Simonson in celebration on the 25th Anniversary of the Everest climb.  Visit the IMG website for more information on Phil, more photos and other news.

25 Years Since Ershler’s First Everest Summit

We started guiding with Phil back in the early ’70’s on Rainier and have watched him navigate through the mountains of life. October 20, 2009 marks 25 years since Phil made the first American ascent of the North Face of Everest.

Leaving the high camp near the top of the Great Couloir, on the 20th of October (very late in the season) Phil climbed through the Yellow Band with John Roskelley, who turned back at this point. Phil continued solo on steep terrain to the top, where his one and only bottle of oxygen ran out.

Phil Ershler descending from the North Face of Mt. Everest, 1984
photo courtesy of International Mountain Guides

He then descended without oxygen back to the camp, and down from there. It was a remarkable accomplishment, executed superbly, and firmly based on his experience of two previous Everest expeditions and many prior years of mountaineering under his belt.

Phil was on the cutting edge of high altitude mountaineering in those days. He led Bass and Well’s ‘83 Everest trip, reached the summit of Kangchenjunga from the North in ‘89, climbed to within a few hundred feet of the summit of K2 in ‘90 w/o O2 (via the remote North Ridge). As members of several of those early American teams that ventured to the Himalayas, we remember clearly what it was like back then: no other teams on the mountain, no fixed ropes unless we put them in ourselves, no sherpas, no tourists, no sat phones, no rescue, no nothing!

Everything has changed so much now, the boundaries have been pushed back so far. We celebrate the democratization of mountaineering, but also remember the old days fondly. Back then, going to Everest was like going to the moon or something, it was surreal.

Phil and Susan Ershler in Everest base camp after summiting Everest and becoming the first couple to climb the Seven Summits, 2002
photo courtesy of International Mountain Guides

In the years that followed those exploits, Phil has continued to distinguish himself as a remarkable mountain guide, who has personally led well over a hundred expeditions around the world and inspired a whole generation of guides and customers. All of us who have climbed and worked with him are continually amazed by his perseverance, good humor, even keel, and great judgment. He is a real asset for us here at IMG. Way to go, Phil!

—Eric and George