Adventure News of the Week: Man Camps at Disney World, Virtual Races, and More

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.

CAMP: Man Camps on Disney World Island at Closed Park. Richard J. McGuire said that Discovery Island, an 11-acre zoological park with aromatic trees and walkthrough aviaries that closed in 1999, looked like a “tropical paradise.” Read more in the New York Times.

CYCLE: Pro Cyclist Timothy Rugg Rides 3,000 Miles Virtually. Three-thousand miles is a long ride. To put that in perspective, it’s the distance across America. Rugg rode the distance in 13 days from his home trainer in Tuscon, Arizona. Rugg rode through Zwift, a game-style digital cycling platform. He did the entire ride self-supported.

TRAIL: ITRA President Poletti Steps Down, Announces Successor. Michel Poletti, founder and president of the International Trail Running Association, as well as the founder of the UTMB, is stepping down.

On Friday, he announced his successor: American trail runner Bob Crowley. The change came about in part to clearly distinguish the UTMB and ITRA from one another. Read more from the ITRA here.

COVID-19: Multiple Counties Extend Outdoor-Related Stay-at-Home Closures. Multiple mountain towns in Colorado popular with tourists have continued with road and trail closures due to congestion and COVID-19.

Clear Creek and Jefferson counties are among a few in Colorado to impose new restrictions; this state-specific trail app has updates on the closures.

In California, as counties reopen, they’ve updated guidelines regarding socially distant and approved activities. You can find more info here.

SKI: Resort Wants to Open But Faces Major Hurdle. Wolf Creek Ski Resort owner Davey Pitcher wants to reopen his resort before spring conditions deteriorate.

But his rural business faces a major hurdle in Colorado, as the state requires people to stay within 10 miles of their homes due to COVID-19 orders. Check out the full story in the Colorado Sun.

CYCLE: RAAM Announces Virtual Race Across America. Because biking across America is obviously out of the question right now, RAAM has launched VRAAM, a virtual version of the cross-country race slated for June.

VRAAM will host three categories for you and your indoor bike to take part in: the full 3,000-mile VRAAM, a 925-mile VRAW (Virtual Race Across the West), and a Gran Fondo. Each “race” will feature road and route segments across North America. You can learn more here.

RUN: Ultrarunner Ruth Croft Launches Ultramarathon Training Program. Ruth Croft, who has won the OCC by UTMB and the Mont Blanc Marathon, just launched a 14-week training program specifically designed for trail runners who live in cities.

Today, Croft released Pro Athlete, designed for those who want to train for a 50K, 60K, 70K, 80K, or more. (And thanks to COVID-19, now’s a great time to train for a future race.) Read more here.

Vail Resorts Issues Credits for 'Epic Pass' Holders

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vail Resorts will offer credits to pass-holders who missed out on resort days in 2020. Read more…

The Bestselling Gear at Backcountry This Week

Check out some of the bestselling gear at Backcountry this week and save on gear for your next adventure. Read more…