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ashrouten.com
Adventure Writer // Arctic Travel // Words in National Geographic UK, Sidetracked, ExplorersWeb, FT, The Guardian, The Telegraph etc // Research Fellow in Public Health // PhD // 🌐 https://ashrouten.com 📬 https://ashrouten.substack.com
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Every so often, I love revisiting my favourite short podcast episode, The Glowing Orbs. It beautifully tells the story of the tiny, glowing 'fireflies' that danced around John Glenn’s spacecraft as he became the first American to orbit Earth in 1962. ✨🚀 thememorypalace.us/the-glowing-...

He founded mountain rescue teams, wrote books on mountaineering, and invented an all-metal ice axe and a rescue stretcher. No surprise that Hamish didn't die a millionaire, but fitting that what he had will go to the SMT www.bbc.com/news/article...

On January 26, 1950, a military aircraft took off from Anchorage on a routine flight to Montana. On board were 41 military service members, a civilian technician, and a young mother with her toddler son. Neither plane nor passengers were ever seen again. explorersweb.com/the-mystery-...

Preet Chandi not going to the North Pole this year. An update to follow on from my article for ExWeb on the difficulties of planning this journey. explorersweb.com/1-million-to...

Scientists: sign and share! 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🌟 New blog post ✍️ There's been some controversy in mountaineering circles about the noble gas xenon 🧪💨 Is it safe? I don't know, but it’s appropriate that somebody has got around to using a noble gas as a mountaineering aid, for reasons I will explain ✅ www.markhorrell.com/blog/2025/wh...

In 1905, Amundsen's men explored Victoria Island's east coast but turned back. This spring, 38-year-old Anders Brenna will attempt the 1,100km journey solo, pushing past their farthest point to reach Glenelg Bay. explorersweb.com/manhauling-1...

My only byline in Outside was this fun but bemusing piece on crypto on Everest. I didn't think the two would ever be seen together in the same sentence either... www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adve...

The parent company of Outside magazine has laid off 20 members of the magazine’s editorial and business staffs, leaving doubt about the ongoing viability of the publication in print and online. www.adventure-journal.com/2025/02/outs...

Who likes overcrowding in nature? Thanks to Trump Yosemite is about to become a s&!t show... gripped.com/news/trump-h...

Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air sparked controversy over the 1996 Everest tragedy. Now, YouTuber Michael Tracy, with 131k subscribers, has posted 16 videos accusing Krakauer of lying about the events. explorersweb.com/jon-krakauer...

Does anyone have any news items covering this worrying move within US universities and the NIH?

Just some of my stellar female colleagues!

My photo essay on food security in Nunavut is up on @cangeo.bsky.social. Words by Dustin Patar. canadiangeographic.ca/articles/nun...

By way of a short introduction: I’m a travel writer and editor, based in Sheffield and obsessed by mountains. I'm interested in adventure travel, sustainability, and issues affecting wild places. Off-screen, I also lead mini expeditions in the Scottish Highlands. Stay tuned for more on that.

My first newsletter of the year 👇 ashrouten.substack.com/p/gearing-up...

Hamish McInnes’s old workshop in Glencoe on fire 1745 Sat 8 Feb.

This will be fascinating to read/watch. Jon Krakauer is publishing a series of refutations against a YouTuber who is disputing a huge range of details regarding Krakauer's famous book on the 1996 Everest disaster. jonkrakauer.medium.com/the-youtuber...

I'm calculating the projected costs for a sledding trip my friend and I are planning in Finnish Lapland next month, and we could do that trip 500 times for the price of this one proposed North Pole expedition 🤯 explorersweb.com/1-million-to...

Unsolicited writing advice, no. #1614: Not all writing happens at a desk. If you're feeling stale, feed your mind - go for a walk, read a book, talk to someone, do something new. You don't find inspiration in looking at a screen all day...

The cruel law of unintended consequences. Tibetans who took comfort from the US at the UNHRC have just lost their best ally there. savetibet.org/ict-statemen...

Nepal’s Department of Tourism is determined to enlarge its list of 8,000m peaks by adding six secondary summits on Kangchenjunga and Lhotse. However, this will not change international criteria or mountaineering history around the 14 highest peaks on Earth. explorersweb.com/like-it-or-n...

Piercing imagery. Insightful words. Driven guy. Mark Twight was at the forefront of high-risk #alpinism for decades, then he just stopped. And did more. His link is below. Mind you, he likely does not crave your attention, but you'd benefit from his images and words. #Climbing #Photography