Rescuers say the man was climbing on a route called “Generic Crack” in the famous Indian Creek climbing area.

The man’s climbing partner called 911 after realizing they could not free the victim from the rock.

After determining the victim was too high for rescuers, they called in a helicopter to shuttle their team members to the top of the climbing route. They then rappelled down to the man to try to remove him from the rock but had little success.

According to media outlets, additional search and rescue teams responded to help. Crews used a mix of different lubricants like soap and other items to try to free the man’s leg. By the time he got out, it had been 12 hours. 

“Thankfully he only suffered minor injuries,” posted the San Juan County Search and Rescue. “A huge thank you to our partners Classic Air Medical and Grand County SAR. Without them this rescue would not have been possible.”

Indian Creek is famous for its crack climbing. The climbing area is in Bears Ears National Monument.

The post This Is Our Nightmare: Rescuers Take 12 Hours to Save a Trapped Rock Climber appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The clip shows climber Giacomo Mauri working on a pitch when a massive amount of ice gives way. Fortunately, Mauri stays clear of the ice. However, the large chunk does snag his ice axes as it smashes to the ground. In a reply to a comment, Mauri says he did recover one of the axes.

Still interested in ice climbing?

You can find ice climbing routes in places from Pennsylvania to the Pacific Northwest and in some national parks like Rocky Mountain and Glacier.

Here’s a look at all the gear you need to get started.

The post Have You Always Wanted to Give Ice Climbing A Try? This Scary Clip May Change Your Mind appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

From beautiful winter wonderlands to finding relief from the freezing temperatures, here are some amazing destinations to ditch the winter blues.

Winter Wonderlands

These destinations are for those who love the winter weather, can handle cold conditions and appreciate the beauty of snow-covered landscapes.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Heading to Colorado in the wintertime is always a popular choice. The state is known for its world-class ski resorts, but you can also find some solitude at Rocky Mountain National Park. The well-known destination is way quieter in the winter, and it’s easy to hike with snowshoes in this snow-covered landscape. Plus, you can still ski, snowboard, or tube at the park in Hidden Valley, a former ski resort.

Glacier National Park

Heading north of Colorado, the Rocky Mountains will eventually lead you to Glacier National Park. While many sections of the park do close for winter, which starts in early fall, there are still plenty of spots to explore. Winter visitors can travel through the park on cross-country skis, and if you’re brave enough, there are campsites available too. Just be prepared for temperatures that stay below freezing most days.

Banff National Park

Want to head even further north? The ultimate North American national park for the winter may be Canada’s Banff National Park. This destination is one of the most popular national parks in the world. Besides the park’s breathtaking views, visitors can enjoy unique ways to get outdoors. There are plenty of guide services that will take people dog sledding and even on horse-drawn sleigh rides.

Voyageurs National Park

Back in the U.S., one of the quietest winter escapes will take you to northern Minnesota. Voyageurs National Park may very well be the coldest destination on the list, with January and February averaging below zero degrees Fahrenheit overnight. However, Voyageurs is unique as the area goes from a popular canoeing destination to a fantastic place for ice fishing and snowmobiling. 

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. The park is also one of the most crowded, sometimes with gridlocked roadways. For a truly unique experience and to avoid these crowds, you can head to the park in the winter. Just be aware that many parts of the park are inaccessible to cars during this time of year. However, you can still take in the snow-covered views from Yosemite Valley.

Pacific Rim National Park

You’ll want to dress warmly and bring waterproof layers as you head to this Canadian national park near Vancouver. Pacific Rim National Park is on Vancouver Island, just north of Washington State. You can expect plenty of wet weather, as you would in the Pacific Northwest, but snow chances are slim. The park is located between the ocean and mountains, so there are views all around. Pacific Rim is an excellent destination for those who enjoy warming up with hot chocolate after a long day on a chilly coast.

Get out of the Cold

If you’re looking for some warmer temperatures and some extra sunlight, these are the destinations for you.

White Sands National Park

If you want to go sledding but not in the snow, White Sands National Park may be for you. While temperatures can still drop below freezing overnight, most days will get into the low 50s and 60s. The southern New Mexico destination is known for its white gypsum dunes throughout the park, and many visitors bring a saucer to slide down the hills. Basically, this desert park looks snow-covered, just without the icy temperatures.

Virgin Islands National Park

You can go totally tropical at Virgin Islands National Park. The Caribbean destination is packed with history, trails, and, of course, beautiful beaches. A good chunk of the park (40%) is underwater, and visitors can enjoy fish and other wildlife while snorkeling. There is a campground within the park, but guests will also find plenty of nearby hotels and resorts.

Cabo Pulmo National Park

Located on Mexico’s California Baja Peninsula, Cabo Pulmo National Park is a great winter destination. Most days will be in the 70s, and visitors can snorkel to coral reefs, search for hidden beaches, and see plenty of wildlife. It is not uncommon to see sea lions and whales while on the beach. The park sits about 60 miles from the famous resort town of Cabo San Lucas. 

Congaree National Park

If you want warmer weather while avoiding the crowds in Florida, you can head to one of the least-visited national parks in the lower 48 states. Congaree National Park is a great alternative for East Coast visitors, with the park centrally located in South Carolina. Visitors can learn about the marshlands that make up the park, see massive trees, and canoe the wetlands. The best part of visiting Congaree in the winter is avoiding the hordes of mosquitoes.

Death Valley National Park

It makes sense that if you want to ditch that winter chill, you head to one of the hottest places on the planet. While you won’t find the scorching triple-digit temperatures in Death Valley National Park, you will find some pleasant weather. The temperatures range from the 40s overnight to around 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. The temperatures make it a lot easier to visit the park and enjoy the trails without the threat of extreme heat.

Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

Just because it’s cold in most places doesn’t mean you need to go to the beach. You can still enjoy mountain views, hiking, and even some rock climbing in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park. Located outside Monterrey, New Mexico, the park has rugged terrain and towering peaks. Plus, visitors will find waterfalls and rivers throughout the park. Like any mountainous area, you can expect cooler weather, but with most days in the 50s, you’ll have ideal hiking temperatures.

The post 12 North American National Parks to Visit This Winter for Epic Adventures appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Grllys says he wants the event to be the ultimate family show.

“We’re talking all things from snake bites to parachute failures, to Running Wild with presidents and prime ministers, all things scouting, all things adventure, all things never giving up,” says Grylls in an Instagram post about the tour. “So, if you’re all for stories and inspiration, come and join us.”

Grylls is a military veteran who’s hosted several survival shows, including Man vs. Wild and Running Wild.

The tour includes seven nights in seven different cities.

The lineup includes: 

Thursday, April 18th – Glasgow SEC Armadillo

Friday, April 19th – Newcastle O2 City Hall 

Saturday, April 20th – Manchester O2 Apollo Manchester

Monday, April 22nd – Bristol Beacon

Friday, April 26th – Cardiff Utilita Arena

Saturday, April 27th – Birmingham Symphony Hall

Sunday, April 28th – London OVO Arena, Wembley

Tickets go on sale this Friday. Or you can sign up here for early access tickets available tomorrow.

The post Bear Grylls Live: Adventurer Announces ‘Never Give Up’ Tour appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

However, there are some epic Texas road trip destinations that can help you get outside big cities like Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio and into the Texas wilderness.

5. Big Bend Ranch State Park

Big Bend National Park is easily the most popular outdoor destination for Texans. The massive park combines deserts, mountains, and the Rio Grande. Its size almost makes up for the state’s lack of outdoor spaces. However, campgrounds fill up quickly, so you should head northwest to Big Bend Ranch State Park. The park is also massive and has nearly 240 miles of hiking trails. Visitors will find much smaller crowds but still some of the best views in the state’s far west corner.

4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park

If you have your heart set on being in a national park, don’t miss Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The park sits on the border of New Mexico, not far from Carlsbad Caverns or White Sands National Parks. The park includes the highest peak in Texas and plenty of fun alpine desert hikes. Regarding crowds, Guadalupe is one of the least visited national parks in the entire NPS system.

3. Franklin Mountains State Park

As Big Bend and Guadalupe show, Texas has mountains. Franklin Mountains State Park is another prime example of that. This park sits entirely within the city limits of El Paso and is one of the largest urban parks in the nation. Visitors will find plenty of trails, rock climbing spots, and a unique range of animals like mule deer, ringtail cats, and mountain lions.

2. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

The Texas Panhandle is a vast, flat land wedged between New Mexico and Oklahoma. It’s also a quick hop over to Colorado, and rocks get really interesting here. In fact, the area’s Palo Duro is the second-largest canyon in the United States. There’s also a towering rock formation called the Lighthouse. The structure resembles something you’re more likely to see in southern Utah. The distance from most Texas metro areas makes this destination a quiet escape.

1. Devils River State Natural Area

On the opposite side of the state is the Devils River State Natural Area. A Texas road trip there will bring you to one of the state’s most “pristine” rivers. A natural spring feeds the Devils River and gives it flowing clear water. The far south location also brings together multiple ecosystems, including the Chihuahuan Desert that crosses the international border with Mexico. Visitors can enjoy the area by canoeing, fishing, and camping.

Check out these other outdoor road trip guides:

• California
• New York

The post 5 Epic Texas Road Trip Destinations to Beat the Crowds appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Messner completed all 14 peaks in 1986, or so it was believed. Guinness World Records gave Messner the record for the first to do the adventurous accomplishment. However, the world record organization has since revoked it after Eberhard Jurgalski, a well-known chronicler of mountaineering, suggested Messner was 15 feet short on Annapurna.  

Jurgalski has used maps and calculations to try and pinpoint these staggering peaks, much of which are in the Himalayas. Since then, the estimates have removed the accomplishment from most climbers who tackled the 14 peaks. The news has shaken the world of alpine climbing.

Guinness has re-awarded the record to Ed Viesturs, who completed the feat in 2005. However, Viesturs headed to social media to make his voice heard and declare Messner the true champion of scaling mountains.

“I truly believe that Reinhold Messner was the first person to climb all 14 8000ers and should still be recognized as having done so,” says Viesturs in his post. “ Messner and the others did their utmost to climb these peaks to the true summits, to the best of their abilities, given the conditions when they were there. I don’t think any of these climbers meant to be dishonest.”

It took Viesturs 18 years to complete the peaks, and he was the first American to do so. However, he says he is refusing the record. 

There’s no word on if Guinness will reconsider its decision.

Viesturs and Messner will meet at a sporting event in Italy on October 14 to discuss the record as part of a speaker panel.

The post The World’s Greatest Alpinists Stand Together After Guinness Revokes Record appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

There are many principles of Zen, but some say that Zen is based on four key principles. The four key principles of Zen are the denial of the ego, the focus on interconnectedness in the universe, the recognition of attachment as a source of suffering, and the realization that human perception is flawed. 

While those philosophies are interesting, applying them to climbing can look something like this:

• Denial of the ego → you aren’t important, so chill out
• Focus on interconnectedness in the universe → connect with the experience and nature for more flow and enjoyment
• Recognition of attachment as a source of suffering → don’t get attached to the outcome of your climbing and you won’t get upset about it
• Realize that human perception is faulty → you’re a lot smaller than you think, so just have fun and try hard

That’s an oversimplification, but take a deeper delve into Zen of Climbing, and you’ll find a far more detailed and helpful account. In this new book, you can learn how to apply zen to your climbing and become a better athlete. Here are five takeaways from this insightful book.

5. Don’t Decide Your Failure in Advance

“Anxiety is defined as the experience of failure in advance,” Sanzaro writes in the chapter appropriately titled, “Anxiety.” By remembering that you are predicting your own failure when you feel anxiety, you can use this awareness to channel an understanding that the climbing you are doing is only in the moment.

“Being free and not getting stuck is the goal,” Sanzaro writes. He draws a line between anticipation and anxiety—anticipation as being an integral part of high performance. It’s necessary for visualizing what’s ahead, remembering beta, decision-making, and creative imagination. He defines anticipation as thinking about what is to come, but instead of focusing on imagining what could go wrong simply focus on what is to come and use that to create a better performance.

Don’t judge or condemn yourself for your fearful thoughts as they come, but let them flow and refocus on anticipation by getting back to the climbing.

4. You Can’t Want to Win and Perform Your Best

The desire to win and the ability to perform your best are almost always mutually incompatible, according to Sanzaro. Why is that? Strong desire creates destructive patterns of anticipation, misaligned expectation, feelings of failure, and a vacillating sense of self-worth hitched to improper definitions of success.

“That’s the mental reason for latching onto confidence in the first place – to combat the lack of it,” Sanzaro writes.

Avoid positive and negative evaluations of your performance, because “movement is neither good or bad.” Believe in yourself, but wanting to win often means you get afraid to lose and then lose focus, and this creates gaps in attention. Sanzaro theorizes that you don’t need confidence to climb hard; you need a cocktail of training, execution, and keeping a clear head without distraction.

“You can convince yourself all day that you can’t ride a bike, but when it comes time to ride a bike, you are going to do it if you know how. You don’t need confidence or overconfidence,” Sanzaro says.

3. Deal With Your Past to Climb Better

We bring the past and the present to each moment, and if we don’t know what we are bringing, we will never be free to live, free to feel, free to climb. Sanzaro talks about a “hoarder’s mentality” with baggage—not just climbing baggage but personal baggage.

“We lug unnecessary baggage to climbing as much to life. You might think you can arrive at the crag stressed and fragmented, distracted from bad vibes, then pull onto the rock, take a few deep breaths, suddenly be healed, and get into that flow state. But that doesn’t happen,” Sanzaro says.

We need to address the unconscious if we don’t want to do something hard for us, and that means dealing with the past to move forward towards being a better athlete.

2. Only in Letting Go Do We Find Anything

It’s only in letting go do we find anything in its truest state. Retain the goals but toss the dishonest reasons for achieving them. Getting attached to certain outcomes only blocks us from true enjoyment and learning. We often trade short-term happiness and superficial goals for the long game of deep satisfaction in climbing, which often comes from achieving flow state, a connection to the body, and awareness of attention and precision as an athlete.

“We keep adding sand [sand being superficial and extrinsic goals], trying to fill it up – with climbing, with careers, with materialism – until we realize the job is in holding the sand in our hands,” writes Sanzaro. 

“It is all practice, and simply getting to the point where you can let it be practice, and not something else, is a profound shift.”

1. See Each Climb as an Opportunity to Climb Without Mistakes

Be patient with the process and instead of beating yourself up if you don’t do well, try to look at each attempt on a climb as an opportunity to try to climb without mistakes. With this mindset, looking at a climb can feel exciting and intriguing. 
By evaluating what went wrong the time before with a neutral mindset and upward counterfactual thinking, you can learn to improve performance by evaluating and eliminating mistakes rather than feeling down. Be excited for that one more opportunity to climb and to become a better athlete with every try.

The Zen of Climbing is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

The post 5 Truths Climbers (and Other Athletes) Can Learn from the New Book ‘Zen of Climbing’ appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

However, when Bear realized that he and Roger were in Switzerland at the same time, he convinced Roger to take a chance and go on an adventure in the Swiss mountains. Bear and Roger met up in the snowy Swiss Alps in mid-winter, and the episode was broadcast in season 4 episode 7 of Running Wild back in 2018.

A Tennis Champion with the Balance of a Bird

The episode started with Roger driving to meet Bear and admitting that he was nervous. “I might look like a tough guy on the tennis courts, but I’m actually very scared of a lot of things in life,” he said. “There’s gonna be scary moments for me.”

Roger says he loves hikes and the wild but he’s not a natural thrill-seeker. He added, “my thrill is playing big matches. I don’t need the thrill besides that.”

When they met, Bear told Roger they’d drop down a frozen waterfall into an icy gorge and head about six miles west through some challenging terrain. They “salvaged” a few things from Roger’s car – including tennis rackets and a rag soaked with some petrol for the fire.

Bear then showed Roger how to put crampons on for grip in the ice. The first challenge was to descend the waterfall on ropes. Roger found it tough, especially on his hands. “I have done a lot of things in life, but nothing’s like that. That was something else, this is something I’m never going to forget,” he said afterwards.

Bear said that this was not an easy feat for a rookie new to ice climbing. “Normally wearing these razor-sharp metal points fixed to mountain boots and navigating sheer sheet ice can be a recipe for some slips and gashed gaiters. But Roger had the balance of a bird and picked up the technique so fast. Before we knew it, we were down into this deep snow chasm and on our way,” Bear later wrote in Never Give Up.

They trudged through deep snow on top of a frozen river at the bottom of the gorge, using Roger’s tennis rackets and some paracord to make snowshoes.

Dead-Fish Eyeball Snack

Bear and Roger found the remains of a fish under the frozen river, and Bear decided they should eat the eyeballs as a little snack “for proteins and fluids.” They then lit a fire in a cave and cooked up some fish broth and reindeer moss, while talking about life and Roger’s career and family (he has four children, with two sets of twins). 

Roger said he lost his first-ever tennis match but that it’s okay to fail sometimes. “You always regret the things you didn’t do in life, so I felt like I dreamt big at a young age,” he said.

Roger then had to pee to put the fire out, which Bear later called “the ultimate bonding moment for any bromance.”

To get out of the gorge, Bear threaded some paracord through a tennis ball. Roger had to hit the ball to get it around a tree. He eventually got it and then Bear added a jumar device to the rope so they could use it to climb out.

Tiny Tennis in the Snow

Bear had a crafty plan up his sleeve for the last part of the journey and waited to divulge it until a moment when they were in five feet of snow on a precipice and Roger was “tired, shaking a little with cold and fear, and could hardly feel his fingers.” It was then that Bear challenged him to a game of mini table tennis.

Bear had a mini ping-pong table in his backpack and quietly admitted to the camera that he had been practicing on this mini table for months – as the mini table sets are so tricky to play on.

Bear was soon winning 7-3 but then Roger started to catch up. “I hadn’t anticipated this happening so quickly, and before I knew it we were 7-7, then 9-9,” said Bear. Sadly, after an epic final rally, Bear missed a shot. Game, set, and match to Roger Federer.

On Finding Energy in Nature and Meeting Your Hero

Roger said he loved the whole adventure. “I really believe that actually going into nature gives me energy and power,” he said. “It was a beautiful thing, and I am so happy I was able to do it. It was an experience of a lifetime for me.”

Bear said the journey with Roger was amazing. “He was the consummate gentleman throughout, despite me tearing his new Mercedes apart to gather supplies and fuel that we might need on the trip, and he threw himself into everything,” Bear wrote in Never Give Up.

“They often say you must never meet your hero, but I tell you that in this case, it really lived up to expectations, and this will be a special one for me,” Bear said.

The post Bromance in Switzerland: Bear Grylls Remembers Filming ‘Running Wild’ with Roger Federer  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The South Pole is mostly home to temporary workers who have jobs as scientists, engineers, or other research-related positions. However, everyone needs to blow off steam sometimes, and a recent TikTok video shared on an Instagram climbing account shows how a bouldering wall is helping.

The video starts with the journey to the building that hosts the climbing cave. It looks absolutely freezing as the narrator heads through the strong, icy winds. Once inside, it seems similar to many smaller climbing gyms, with simple plywood and climbing holds. They create new routes to keep it interesting and even have t-shirts for the “Antarctic Climbing Club.”

How many different climbing gyms have you visited?

The post Climbing at the Bottom of the World: Check out This Bouldering Gym at the South Pole appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

While more people getting outside is usually a good thing, the increase in visitors and lack of facilities ended with a disgusting issue of human fecal matter left around popular climbing routes. 

Part of the problem is people coming unprepared to deal with their waste, while the other is rocky climbing routes with few areas to stop and dig a hole. 

The Squamish Access Society, a conservation group focused on protecting climbing access, say they are adding poop bags to the area.

The WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bag program “provides climbers with convenient waste disposal solutions, reducing human fecal contamination in our parks.”

The group says toilet paper and hand sanitizer are also available. The eco-friendly program aims to alleviate the unhealthy issues at the climbing destination.

“Most climbers are responsible and good at taking care of this issue, but there’s always going to be people caught out in an unfortunate situation and not prepared,” Ryan Tucker from the Squamish Access Society told local media about the problem. 

Advocates say the issue has also become a problem for nearby hikers and their dogs.

Anyone visiting the outdoors should follow proper Leave No Trace principles. 

The post ‘Poop Bags’ to be Given to Rock Climbers Visiting Squamish to Help With ‘Convenient Waste Disposal’ appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.