From the inspiring to the tragic, ‘Adventure News of the Week’ presents a wrap-up of top news in the world of exploration and adventure.
BACKYARD ULTRA WINNER: Maggie Guterl Becomes 1st Female Champion in Backyard Ultra History. Durango native Maggie Guterl just won the 2019 Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, a “last man standing-style” ultramarathon in which runners complete a 4.1-mile loop until there is one runner left.
Guterl ran a total of 250 miles in 60 hours at The Backyard. Founder Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell, who also started the Barkley Marathons, congratulated Guterl on Facebook.
“Maggie Guterl of Colorado won the 2019 world championship of backyard ultra … not the women’s world championship, the world championship of everybody, period,” wrote Cantrell.
ULURU: Australia’s Uluru Rock Permanently Closes to Climbers. Parks Australia officially closed Uluru to hikers and climbers on October 26, 2019. The park returned the land to its aboriginal owners on the same date in October 1895.
The rock formation is a site of cultural significance for the Anangu tribe. From now on, climbing will be punishable with fines up to $10,000, according to a Parks Australia spokesperson. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’s Board of Management made the decision earlier this year.
24-HOUR RECORD: Runner Camille Herron Sets New 24-Hour World Record. Camille Herron ran 168 miles (270 km) in a single day yesterday, unofficially breaking her own world record.
Herron set the current world record at Desert Solstice last year, running 162.9 miles in 24 hours. The U.S. National 24-Hour Running Team will post once Herron’s record is confirmed.
RAMPAGE: Brandon Semenuk Wins Red Bull Rampage Freeriding Competition. Brandon Semenuk, a 28-year-old from British Columbia, took first place on Friday at Red Bull Rampage. The two-time Rampage winner secured his third win this year with a score of 92.33. Watch a recap of the full event here.
EL CAPITAN: 9-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Ever to Climb El Cap. Nine-year-old Pearl Johnson climbed the 3,000-foot rock face along the Triple Direct route, making history as the youngest person to ever climb El Cap.
Previously, 10-year-old Selah Schneiter from Colorado held the record, climbing the Nose of El Capitan this June. Unlike Schneiter, Johnson didn’t clean or lead any part of the route but still successfully scaled the famous climb.
HUNTER RESCUE: Dad of NFL Player Rescues Elk Hunter Before Kickoff. An elk hunter who sustained serious injuries while packing out an elk got help from a connected source. Darwin Vander Esch, the father of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and hunting guide, helped provide medical attention.
He and other rescuers then hiked the injured hunter back out to safety. “I have a 6 o’clock kickoff to watch, so we need to be down the hill by then,” Vander Esch joked to the rescue team.
