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.
Arctic: North Pole Seasons Ends, Sends Researchers and Explorers Home. Teams of foreigners all over the world travel to Svalbard, Norway, each year to make their way up to the arctic. Due to the threats of COVID-19, planned flights and explorations for 2020 have been canceled.
“I received an email this morning confirming what I already knew was going to happen: The North Pole season is canceled,” wrote explorer Eric Larsen. Read more here.
TRAIL: Iditarod Participants ‘Shelter in Place,’ But Not Due to COVID-19. The Iditarod Trail Invitational had a rough start over a week ago with a major storm at the beginning of the race. And due to more harsh weather, racers still on the course are being told to stay where they are.
The order to shelter in place is twofold: It also protects the people of the very small, isolated villages along the route. Read more below.
In other news, the final and 34th musher in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska. There will be no more events held in Nome this year due to CDC recommendations.
SKI: Eldora Mountain Closes for Season. A few days after Alterra Mountain Company and Vail Resorts announced closures of many of their ski resorts, Eldora Mountain in Colorado followed suit, officially closing the ski area for the rest of the season.
Ski resort closures even include closed to uphill access in an effort to encourage people to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
PARKS: Popular U.S. National Parks Close Due to Coronavirus Concerns. Heightened concerns over crowds of people flocking to national parks have forced some of them to close temporarily.
Individual parks that announced closures this week include Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Other parks (like Big Bend National Park and Black Canyon of the Gunnison) are closed to camping.
The decisions to close came just days after national parks lifted entrance fees in order to allow people easier access while social distancing. Read the full story here.
INDOOR: French Man Runs Full Marathon Across Balcony Due to Home Quarantine. Elisha Nochomovitz of Toulouse, France, had already been training for a few races.
But when his upcoming marathons were canceled due to COVID-19, he decided to still run the distance — on his balcony. The balcony measured 7 m (about 10 strides) across. Read more here.
