Love this explainer video – can’t wait for the first full launch!
As the flight test of NASA’s Orion spacecraft nears, the agency released Wednesday a video — called “Trial By Fire” — detailing the spacecraft’s test and the critical systems engineers will evaluate during the Dec. 4 flight.
Orion is in the final stages of preparation for the uncrewed flight test that will take it 3,600 miles above Earth on a 4.5-hour mission to test many of the systems necessary for future human missions into deep space. After two orbits, Orion will reenter Earth’s atmosphere at almost 20,000 miles per hour, and reach temperatures near 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit before its parachute system deploys to slow the spacecraft for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
On future missions, Orion will carry astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before, including to an asteroid and Mars. From NASA
Israel Outdoors BlogRecently I had the opportunity to staff a cultural tour and adventure trek with Birthright/Taglit tour operator Israel Outdoors (Part of Authentic Israel) – their popular “Israel Quest” itinerary. This was my second time working with Israel Outdoors, and they’ve been consistently great to work with – fantastic trips, fantastic staffers, and fantastic participants! Here’s my first time working with them. I worked as one of two field staff members, and managed day-to-day group logistics and planning as well as conducted daily educational seminars and discussions. Israel Outdoors also covered the trip on their own blog.
The triangular memorial at the Gadot Overlook, Golan Heights, Israel.
Hiking in the beautiful mountains in the Golan Heights, Israel. Despite the hot climate, there were plenty of marshes, springs, and swimming holes.
Cooling off in one of the swimming holes along the Yehudiya Canyon Trail, Golan Heights, Israel. This is one of many beautiful swimming holes in the area, flanked by hexagon-shaped basalt columns.
Cooling off in one of the swimming holes along the Yehudiya Canyon Trail, Golan Heights, Israel. This is one of many beautiful swimming holes in the area, flanked by hexagon-shaped basalt columns.
Light streaming through the stained glass windows inside the Abuhav Synagogue, Tzfat, Israel. Wikipedia: The Abuhav Synagogue is a 15th-century synagogue in Safed, Israel, named after 15th-century Spanish rabbi and kabbalist, Isaac Abuhav. Its design is said to be based upon kabbalistic teachings.
We meet and greet our soldier companions!
Crowds at the Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem
Every hebrew beer imaginable, available at the Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem
A moment of reflection at the Kotel, Old City, Jerusalem.
Construction looms closeby the holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem.
Graves at Mt. Hertzl Cemetery.
Sunrise burns through early morning clouds over the Dead Sea, as seen from Mt. Massada.
Balls of salt wash ashore at the Dead Sea.
Hiking witin half a mile of the Egyptian border in Eilat, Israel. The desert blooms brilliantly after each rare rain.
Dust and sand accompany a soul-cleansing hike through the southern Israeli desert.
Beautiful swimming in the Red Sea.
Desert flowers color the landscape in the Negev Desert.
Waterfalls are a rare treat in the desert canyons of Southern Israel.
Thanks to Ezra Siegel for creating this awesome video of the trip!
Sunday, November 9 – Departure
Depart JFK Int’l Airport at 5:55 PM
Arrive at the airport four hours early
Monday, November 10 – Arrival & The North
Landing at Ben Gurion Airport at 3:00 PM
Meet Israeli Staff
Depart for The North
Program Introductions & Ice Breakers
Overnight: Kibbutz Gonen, Golan Heights / Tel: 972-4-695-5286
Tuesday, November 11 – The North
Gadot Lookout & Memorial
Nahal Zavitan – Canyon Hike in the Golan
Mount Bental – View of the Golan Heights Depart for Netanya
Hamei Tveria – Relax in natural hot springs
Cultural Activity
Overnight: Kibbutz Gonen, Golan Heights / Tel: 972-4-695-5286
Wednesday, November 12 – The North & Tel Aviv
Tzfat – Birthplace of Jewish Mysticism
Depart for Tel Aviv
Group Night Out
Prepare for Mifgash
Overnight: Blue Bay Hotel, Netanya / Tel: 972-9-860-0123
Thursday, November 13 – Tel Aviv & Jerusalem
Welcome & Ice Breakers with Israeli Peers
Rabin Square – Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin
Independence Hall – Declaration of The Modern State of Israel
Shenkin Street
Depart for Jerusalem
Haas Promenade – Panoramic View of Jerusalem
Group Activity
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Friday, November 14 – Jerusalem
Jewish Quarter – Old City Walking Tour
The Kotel – Reflections at the Western Wall
Mahane Yehuda – Colorful Jerusalem Marketplace
Prepare for Shabbat
Start of Shabbat – Candle Lighting Ceremony
Festive Shabbat Dinner
Group Activity
Oneg Shabbat – Celebrating Shabbat
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Saturday, November 15 – Shabbat
Shabbat Programming
Prepare for Yad Vashem
Havdallah Ceremony – Conclusion of Shabbat
Political Seminar with Neil Lazarus– The Situation Today in Israel
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Sunday, November 16 – Jerusalem & The Negev
Yad Vashem – Holocaust Memorial & Museum
Har Herzl –National Memorial
Depart for The Negev
Mifgash Activity with Israeli Peers
Overnight: Inbar Hotel, Arad / Tel: 972-8-997-3303
Monday, November 17 – The Negev & Eilat
Ascend Masada – Via the Roman Ramp
Masada – Ancient Mountaintop Fortress
Descend Masada – Via the Snake Path
Dead Sea – Floating at Ein Bokek Beach
Wrap Up & Depart with Israelis
Depart for Eilat
Group Night Out
Overnight: Astral Coral Hotel, Eilat / Tel: 972-8-638-8888
Tuesday, November 18 – Eilat & The Negev
Mount Tzfahot – Canyon Hike
Snorkeling in the Red Sea
Depart for the Bedouin Tent
Enjoy Traditional Bedouin Dinner and Hospitality
Overnight: Chan Shayarot, Bedouin Tent, Negev Desert / Tel: 972-8-653-5777
Wednesday, November 19 – The Negev & Tel Aviv
Camel trekking – Travel the Negev Desert in Style!
Ein Ovdat – Canyon Hike
Sde Boker – Desert Outpost & Grave of Ben Gurion
Depart for Tel Aviv
Jaffa – Ancient Seaport & Artist Colony
Israel Pathways – Learn More about Opportunities in Israel
Closing Dinner & Wrap-up Session
Depart for Airport
Thursday, November 20 – Departure & Arrival
Depart Ben Gurion Airport at 1:20 AM
Arrive at JFK Int’l Airport at 1:05 PM
Coinciding with the release of Christopher Nolan’s new movie “Interstellar”, Warner Brothers has released a new documentary called “The Science of Interstellar” – and my footage is in it! The documentary covers the science roots behind the hollywood film, including science looking at the Cosmic Microwave Background. During my time living and working at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica I took a bit of footage while snowmobiling out to the Bicep2 Microwave Telescope. Gemini Productions, the producer of the documentary, found my footage on my YouTube Channel, and licensed a few seconds of it for this documentary. Glad to be able to help out and be very very minorly involved with Interstellar! My footage appears at
Screengrabs, video links:
Matthew McConaughey narrates this behind-the-scenes look at the epic voyage to deep space depicted in the movie Interstellar. Director Christopher Nolan worked with top physicists to create a realistic trip to distant solar systems.
Discovery Channel: The Science of ‘Interstellar’
Rls date: Nov 6, 2014
Genre: Documentary
Chasing the Ghost Particle is a co-production of the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC) of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Milwaukee Public Museum. (Poster PDF)
During my deployment to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica in the Austral Summer 2012-2013, my good friend Blaise was working with the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium at the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC) of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Throughout the summer season, Blaise worked with a RED HD Video Camera and a very wide angle lens to film daily lives around the station- including mine, as well as various aspects of the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory.
Deep in the ice at the heart of Antarctica, IceCube, the biggest and strangest detector in the world waits for mysterious messengers from the cosmos. Scientists are using tiny and elusive particles called neutrinos to explore the most extreme places in the universe. These ghostly neutrinos give us an exclusive way to study powerful cosmic engines like exploding stars and black holes.
In this 30-minute show, stunning simulations of the most energetic places in our universe, and the galaxies around us, are the prelude to a thrilling journey inside IceCube, looking for traces of neutrino collisions in the ice. From one of the most remote locations on Earth to the unexplored regions of the cosmos, Chasing the Ghost Particle: From the South Pole to the Edge of the Universe will take you on a journey you won’t forget.
Since I was working on the station during filming, I’m actually in the planetarium movie a few times, which is very cool! Screen grabs included, and a “demo copy” of the film is included below.
(Full show demo is from Full Dome Database, and I claim no rights or permissions)
Last month, I had the opportunity to work with international journalist Sandra Henderson shooting photos for a special report on Rocky Mountain National Park for Germany’s adventure/lifestyle magazine GEO. Here’s the result, a front page piece highlighting both my photography and Sandra’s reporting.
After a year of training, travel, expeditioning, and preparation, this Austral Summer I’m going back to Antarctica to work with the United States Antarctic Program on an science expedition at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, one of the most remote permanent field stations in Antarctica.
I’m very excited to be going back to the ice, and luckily this time have more than the five days of preparation I had last time. Here’s a bit more information about my upcoming scientific deployment, including details on getting me to send you mail from Antarctica!
My Job in Antarctica – Ice Drilling Field Specialist
This year, I’ll be working at the WAIS Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center as an Ice Drilling Design and Operations group Field and Drill Specialist. I’ll be on the ice from from December 2014 – January 2015, living and working inland in Western Antarctica .
Basically, I’ll be living in a remote field camp in Antarctica working on a small team to disassemble, package, ship, and store the large DISC Drill. The DISC Drill is an ice coring drill, which has been used for past 7 years to drill 3000+ meters into the antarctica ice in order to extract pieces of ice from deep in the ice sheet. These “core samples” were then packaged up and shipped to a lab and storage facility in Denver. This season, the ice drill is due for some maintenance, upgrading, and relocation to Eastern Antarctica, and it’s my team’s job to take the whole thing apart and get it packaged up and flown back to McMurdo Base, where it will then be transported back to Madison, Wisconsin to undergo repairs and upgrades.
Relevant Links and Files Regarding My Job In Antarctica Summer ’14-’15
I’ll be living at the WAIS Divide Field Camp, which is a remote field camp in Western Antarctica. To get there, I travel for about four solid days. First, I fly from my home in Colorado to Christchurch, New Zealand via standard commercial airlines. Usually it’s Denver>Los Angeles>Sydney>Christchurch. Then after going through the Extreme Cold Weather gear issue and associated training and briefing at the International Antarctic Center in Christchurch, I fly with the United States Air Force Operation Deep Freeze on a LC-130 Hercules cargo plane from Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Base, Antarctica. Once at McMurdo, I layover for a day or two – until the weather is good, and then get back on an LC-130 and fly from McMurdo to the WAIS Divide Field Camp. Beyond that, I’m not 100% sure on living accommodations, camp setup, etc – those will all be sorted out in the coming months. Photos of WAIS Divide, courtesy of waisdivide.unh.edu.
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
WAIS Divide Ice Core: Backlit Snow Pit A researcher examines layers in a snow pit deposited by different storms. Credit: Dr. Kendrick Taylor (kendrick.taylor@dri.edu) Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
My first deployment in Antarctica, 2012-2013, South Pole Station
My first deployment to Antarctica was during the Austral Summer of 2012-2013 at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where I worked as the station’s breakfast cook, and as a field science assistant, wilderness-EMT, and station tour guide. I had a great time working at the south pole, and am excited to get back to the ice to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. During my time at the south pole, I wrote an extensive blog, covering every aspect of live at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Here’s the wrapup, and links to all of my articles, photos, and videos.
I also did a fun promo spot with San Francisco-based clothing brand Betabrand:
This year, I attended the 41st annual Telluride Film Festival. In order of preference, here’s a quick overview of my festival this year, with a few remarks.
Easily the best movie of the festival. Birdman was technically excellent, well acted, with an interesting, surreal, otherworldly story. I’m still not totally sure what it was about, but it was great. The presentation as a mostly continuous steadycam shot was brilliant – it took me a bit to realize what was going on, and the single shot tied everything together. Seams between shots were brilliant, and I loved Emma Stone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc
The Imitation Game
The cinematography was technically excellent, story was interesting, and the acting was good. Not sure I’d see this again, but I definitely enjoyed watching. I appreciated the three color themes, keeping track of the three time periods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CjKEFb-sM
’71
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIYDNyEkJP4
99 Homes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyI1Lk4_N8A
After an epic climb up Mont Blanc in France, I jetted up to Berlin, Germany for a quick stay. My longtime friend Petra happened to be staying at a friend’s vacant apartment the week I was there, so I stayed with her, and spent the week exploring and catching up with friends. This was my first time in Germany, and I had a great time overall. Very much looking forward to going back soon to explore the rest of the country.
Neue Wache. From Wikipedia: “The Neue Wache (English: New Guardhouse) is a building in Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is located on the north side of the Unter den Linden boulevard in the central Mitte district. Dating from 1816, the Neue Wache was designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is a leading example of German Neoclassical architecture. Originally built as a guardhouse for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia, the building has been used as a war memorial since 1931.”
Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: “The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas), also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold. It consists of a 19,000 m2 (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or “stelae”, arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) long, 0.95 m (3 ft 1 in) wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m (7.9 in to 15 ft 9.0 in). According to Eisenman’s project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason. A 2005 copy of the Foundation for the Memorial’s official English tourist pamphlet, however, states that the design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because Eisenman did not use any symbolism. However, observers have noted the memorial’s resemblance to a cemetery.[2][3][4] An attached underground “Place of Information” (German: Ort der Information) holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem.
The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten. From Wikipedia: “The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) is one of several war memorials in Berlin, capital city of Germany, erected by the Soviet Union to commemorate its war dead, particularly the 80,000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces who died during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.
A robot writing a Torah at the Jewish Museum, Berlin
Garden of Exile, Berlin.
Jewish Museum, Berlin. This is the Holocaust Tower. From Wikipedia: “The first axis ends at a long staircase that leads to the permanent exhibition. The second axis connects the Museum proper to the E.T.A. Hoffmann Garden, or The Garden of Exile, whose foundation is tilted. The Garden’s oleaster grows out of reach, atop 49 tall pillars. The third axis leads from the Museum to the Holocaust Tower, a 79 foot (24 m) tall empty silo. The bare concrete Tower is neither heated nor cooled, and its only light comes from a small slit in its roof.”
Naturally, no trip to Germany is complete without a few heaping helpings of currywurst. So delicious, and terrible for you!
Naturally, no trip to Germany is complete without a few heaping helpings of currywurst. So delicious, and terrible for you!
Jewish Museum, Berlin. This is the Holocaust Tower. From Wikipedia: “The first axis ends at a long staircase that leads to the permanent exhibition. The second axis connects the Museum proper to the E.T.A. Hoffmann Garden, or The Garden of Exile, whose foundation is tilted. The Garden’s oleaster grows out of reach, atop 49 tall pillars. The third axis leads from the Museum to the Holocaust Tower, a 79 foot (24 m) tall empty silo. The bare concrete Tower is neither heated nor cooled, and its only light comes from a small slit in its roof.”
Garden of Exile, Berlin.
A robot writing a Torah at the Jewish Museum, Berlin
The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten. From Wikipedia: “The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) is one of several war memorials in Berlin, capital city of Germany, erected by the Soviet Union to commemorate its war dead, particularly the 80,000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces who died during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.
Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: “The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal f
Neue Wache. From Wikipedia: “The Neue Wache (English: New Guardhouse) is a building in Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is located on the north side of the Unter den Linden boulevard in the central Mitte district. Dating from 1816, the Neue Wache was designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is a leading example of German Neoclassical architecture. Originally built as a guardhouse for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia, the building has been used as a war memorial since 1931.”
Mont Blanc is the highest peak in Western Europe, resting on the Italian/French border and towering over the alps at almost 16,000 feet above sea level. It’s slopes are clad in thick glaciers, and it’s buffeted by constant wind. Last week, my brother Jason and I traveled to Chamonix and climbed it. Here’s the story.
The week before we had spent in Cassis, Southern France relaxing on beaches and hiking around mellow coastal rocks. We were ready for a challenge, so we rented a car in Nice and drove through Italy to Chamonix, France. For the next week, accompanied with veteran mountain guide Magnus Strand, we climbed icy peaks and treacherous ridges, all leading up to a final summit push straight to the top of Mont Blanc.
As we drove from Nice up to Chamonix, we stopped by a fuel station overlooking Monaco. This was certainly the nicest gas station Jason and I had ever stopped at, with the best view – looking into Monaco and out to the med.
Driving up into the mountains. As we headed north through Italy, the seaside scenery faded away, and we were soon surrounded on all sides by huge mountains. This pic is in the small trafficjam leading up to the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which we drove through to get to Chamonix. Certainly an epic road trip.
Our home in Chamonix, the Mountain Highs Hostel. This place was basic, but very clean and comfortable, with a beautiful back deck and hot tub, and perfect location a 10 minute walk away from the center of town. I can definitely recommend this place, and would stay here again if I was looking for a basic utilitarian accomodation in Chamonix. They’re also well stocked on firewood!
Backyard of thh Mountain Highs Chalet, Chamonix
Access to the gondola system is by RFID Card, which generally works well. Each gondola ride is expensive, so it made sense for us to get a 5 day unlimited card for all of the gondola rides. Plus, we got a cool card to keep!
Our first day heading up to the mountains to start climbing up Les Grands Montets. Chamonix accesses the surrounding mountains through an elaborate system of cablecars – some of the nicest, most epic spans I’ve ever seen. Whereas most gondolas I’ve ridden on use supporting poles ever couple hundred meters, the cables in Chamonix are strung directly from the top to the bottom, with occasionally placed support poles. Truly epic.
The view from Chamonix up to the mountains, our first training zone of the week. Our first peak was Petite Aiguille Verte. https://www.summitpost.org/petite-aiguille-verte/151529
After the first day of climbing, Guide Magnus Strand points out our route on Mont Blanc, coming up in a few days.
Jason and Magnus ascending the last pitch of the Petite Aiguille Verte, at an altitude of 11.522ft. We were on a three-person rope team, and our belay for most of the climbing consisted of making sure a section of the rope was hooked over a pointy piece of rock, as you can see in this photo.
Jason take a quick break on the way up Gros Rognon – a great climb!
Starting the descent off the top of Petite Aiguille Verte. During our climbing there were lots of other climbiners – some safer than others.
Descending back to the safety and warmth of Chamonix.
Walking around the town of Chamonix. It’s very beautuful, but very touristy – lots and lots and lots of gear shops, cafes, and people walking around. Feels like a giant Vail, or perhaps Vail seems like a small Chamonix. In any case, we had a good time walking around town, ate australian hamburgers, and rented a bit of mountaineering gear from Snell Sports.
Australian burgers after a long day of climbing – tasted good!
Morning 2, the view from our chalet in Chamonix up into the mountains was breathtaking. Jagged peaks loom everywhere, and the morning aiar is filled with a mountain haze. Next stop, Aiguille Du Midi.
The gondola going up to the top of the Aiguille Du Midi is epic – a massive massive span of wire transports the car straight to the top. From Wikipedia: “The cable car to the summit, the T
Incredible view from the bridge connecting the two sections of the Aiguille Du Midi summit structure. From Wikipedia: The Aiguille summit contains a panoramic viewing platform, a caf
Once we got to the Aiguilled Du Midi station, we put on our mountaineering gear and left the comfort of the heated summit houses to take on the snow and ice of the Col Du Midi and Vallee Blanche
We made lots of friends in the Cosmiques Hut, which had great food, and comfy beds. After climbing all day, sleep came easily.
Jason at sundown on the deck of the Cosmiques Hut
The next morning, we saw that we had our work cut out for us. This is the view into the Vallee Blanche
Me and Jason traversing across the Cosmiques Ridge, right before flanking the Arete des Cosmiques.
Climbers socked in by clouds on a nearby ridge
Day 3 of climbing took us up the extremely steep and snow Cosmiques Ridge. From SummitPost: “The Cosmiques Ridge is a supurb varied route which is justifiably popular. It is the perfect introduction to Alpine mixed climbing has enough variety to keep experienced climbers happy. The route is also known as the Cosmiques Ar
One of the pitches on the Arete des Cosmiques.
Me and Jason standing at the top of the Cosmiques Ridge.
Beginning of Day 4. This is the top Nid d’Aigle station of the Tramway Du Mont Blanc, at 2386m. Easily the steepest railroad I’ve ridden. From here, we begin the long climb up Mont Blanc.
Magnus on the way up the Tete Rouse route.
Entering the T
Jason and Magnus on the final Grand Couloir ridge up to the Gouter Hut.
The final, very windy push to the Gouter Hut.
The Gouter Hut is incredibly modern and comfortable, considering its extreme location. We had access to a comfy dining hall with hot food and cold drinks, comfy beds, bathroooms, and an incredible view. More on Wikipedia: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_du_Go%C3%BBter
Inside the legendary Gouter Hut, we had good food, warm beds, and met lots of interesting climbers.
The gear room at the Gouter Hut. Everybody stores their sharp gear and boots here before entering the rest of the hut. In the morning, this room is extremely busy with people trying to get geared up and out the door.
Climbing day 5 – our final push to the summit of Mont Blanc. We woke up at 2am, had a quick breakfast and threw on our gear. Climbing in rope teams, following the line of headlamps, and looking at the starry night sky was a magical – and cold experience!
Daybreak on the slopes of Mont Blanc, as we cross over the legendary Dome du Gouter. From SummitPost: “D
The final morning push on Grande Bosse (4513m).
The final morning push on Grande Bosse (4513m).
The ridge to the summit – almost there!
Top of Mont Blanc, highest point in Western Europe
Summit!
Me and Jason finally on the Summit of Mont Blanc!
Jason on the Summit of Mont Blanc
Mountain Guide Magnus Strand on the summit of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France.
Me jumping on the summit of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France – 15,781 ft, 4810m.
Descending back to the Gouter Hut for lunch, and then on down to the bottom.
This August, I had the opportunity to travel back to France to see family, and friends, explore a few new parts of Paris, and attend a friend’s wedding. We started off in Paris, where my brother lives. Paris is a great city, and especially since family lives there, always feels comfortable and welcoming. After a few days in Paris, my brother, parents, and I took the train and then a rental car south to arrive in our favourite beachside town, Cassis. It was beautiful as always, with gorgeout beaches, rugged hiking, and deep blue water filtering inland through the Calanques. Ben and Cynthina’s wedding in Beaucaire was beautiful as well. The ceremony and reception took place on the grounds of an old farmhouse, and we had a great time frolicking in the open fields, picking pears, and dancing all night with the newlyweds. Congrats Ben and Cynthia! Official photos from the wedding were done by Laurent Brouzet. I’ll let the photos and captions speak for themselves – France in the summer is wonderful. Next up after the south, Jason and I ventured northward to Chamonix and Mont Blanc.
Running group in Paris – seeing a town by running through it is my favourite way, for sure.
Riding bikes through the outskirts of Paris – there’s a great bike rental system.
Exploring the Parc Floral De Paris
Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine, Pris
My father at the musee d’orsay
Exploring Les Invalides
My view from the Hotel De La Plage, Cassis, France
Cassis harbor – beautiful
The Calanques of Cassis, France – beautiful water, people boating and swimming everywhere. From Wikipedia: A calanque (from the Corsican and Occitan words of pre-Indo-European origin calanca (plural calanche in Corsican, calancas in Occitan) with meaning “inlet” ) is a steep-walled inlet, cove, or bay that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean coast. A calanque is a steep-sided valley formed within karstic regions either by fluvial erosion or the collapse of the roof of a cave that has been subsequently partially submerged by a rise in sea level.[1][2][3]
Jason hiking in Cassis
One of the many secluded, beautiful beaches among the Calanque around Cassis.
One of the many secluded, beautiful beaches among the Calanque around Cassis.
Touring the town ot Beaucaire with the wedding party.
Touring the town ot Beaucaire with the wedding party.
Touring the town of Beaucaire with the wedding party.
Touring the town of Beaucaire with the wedding party.
Rehersal dinner in Beaucaire
A bit of breakfast in the morning at the Mas de Lilou Farmhouse. What a great stay!
Mas De Lilou Farmhouse
Ben and Cynthia getting officially married!
Gustav Klimpt Display at Les Baux
Gustav Klimpt Display at Les Baux
The Carrieres de Lumieres Limestone Quarries, Le Baux, France
Château des Baux de Provence
Château des Baux de Provence
Getting loose for the wedding
Beautiful wedding ceremony, on the grounds of a historic farmhouse.
Newlyweds!
Morning picnik on the lawn. Wonderful!
We found a pear tree in the forrest, and feasted on pears!
Berghain: The Secretive, Sex-Fueled World of Techno’s Coolest Club
Berlin’s Berghain is famed for its groundbreaking sounds and X-rated sights, but the club is also a test case for how tourism and gentrification are threatening Europe’s party capital
In the past, I’d only felt nervous outside a nightclub if I was relying on a fake ID or wearing the wrong kind of shoes. But at Berghain, the hopeful can queue for up to three hours and still be turned away from some of Europe’s most hallowed dancefloors, thanks to a notoriously strict door policy.
Set in a former power station in Berlin, legends are built on euphoric tales of the atmosphere within, where two huge sound systems pump techno into a cavernous interior, and a 1,500-strong crowd dance themselves well into the following day.
But before the party gets started, clubbers must first get past the club’s terrifying, grim-faced gatekeeper, Sven.
Berghain’s head doorman is a man who looks like a post-apocalyptic bearded version of Wagner, the Brazilian X Factor contestant who destroyed multiple hit songs in 2010. But rather than destroying music, Sven destroys clubbers’ dreams of getting in, with highly selective decisions on who makes the grade.
This weekend we had a great time camping on Colorado’s pristine Guanella Pass – four photos from our short trip.. with the dogs! For reference, our campsite was at 39.546973N, -105.718857W.
Israel Outdoors participant alumn Jeffrey Donenfeld, recently came back from his first time staffing an Israel Outdoors Bike trip. Oh how we love keeping it in the Israel Outdoors family! When he is not staffing trips to Israel, Jeffrey […]
Another great Colorado 14er weekend – this weekend Amy, Shannon and I headed up to Mt. Sherman, in Colorado’s Mosquito Range.
We headed up Saturday evening and camped at the Fourmile Campground, just below the Southwest Ridge trailhead. Luckily the light rain stopped right as we got our fire going, and we enjoyed a great night cooking and hanging by the fire.
Sunday, we woke up early and met a few more friends at the trailhead before heading up to the top. Hiking up Mt. Sherman wasn’t particularly strenous, and the views at saddle and on the top were great.
Our awesome campsite!
Amy taking photos!
Beginning the day passing some old mining ruins
Dew on flowers as we get hiking
Final push to the summit
Sliding down the snowfield after a great summit!
Almost to the summit
We made it to the top!
Me at the top!
Me, thinking about the top
Looking off the other side..
GPS Track, recorded on Garmin Forerunner 310xt and uploaded to Strava:
Here’s the recording of my recent talk at Neptune Mountaineering. I spoke about my experiences living and working in Antarctica, and what I have coming up next,
I never expected to travel to Lebanon, but after being dropped off at the Amman Airport by a friend I met at the Bedouin Camp, I decided to buy a same-day ticket from Amman to Beirut, and see what happened.
Overall, I was extremely impressed with Lebanon. The country and people were absolutely wonderful, and despite the reputation with war and conflict in the region, I found it peaceful, comfortable, and beautiful.
Beirut stood out as a hip, cosmopolitan capital with a distinct French colonial vibe, happening nightlife, vibrant arts and entertainment scene, and thriving international culture.
This past weekend, I traveled with a good group of friends to Leadville, Colorado to camp at the base of and climb Mt. Massive, one of Colorado’s 14ers, and the 2nd highest peak in the Rocky Mountains.
On our way…
Our camping group, evening before the climb. Half of us did Elbert, half did Massive
Leave the parking area and begin hiking up the Colorado/Mt. Massive trail – Photo #1. Cross South Willow Creek (Photo #2) after 2 miles and continue another mile before crossing Willow Creek (Photo #3), at 11,000‘. Both of these crossings are fairly easy unless the rocks are submerged or icy. Continue northwest up a hill and to reach a trail junction at 11,300‘ – Photo #4. Turn left onto the Mt. Massive Trail. Hike approx. 1/4 mile up a hill and through some small clearings to reach 11,600‘ where the terrain flattens out and you can finally see portions of Massive ahead – Photo #5.
Continue to 11,800‘, zigzag through willows and ascend Point 12,466‘ -Photo #6 and Photo #7. Reach easier ground near 12,400‘ where most of the remaining route is now in view to the west – Photo #8. With 2 miles remaining, the summit is still a long way off. Your next goal is to reach the saddle between “South Massive” and the summit ridge. Continue up the excellent trail as you gradually gain ground and eliminate distance – Photo #9. Keep hauling to reach the 13,900-foot saddle – Photo #10, Photo #11 and Photo #12.
Turn right at the saddle and follow a small trail up toward the summit ridge – Photo #13, Photo #14and Photo #15. The exact line to the ridge depends on snow conditions and/or route finding along the broken trail. Near the ridge, reach a notch and signed (hopefully) trail junction. This is where the Southwest Slopes trail comes up from the south. Photo #16 looks back at the trail junction. Past the junction, stay right of the ridge crest and weave up through the rocks (Photo #17 and Photo #18) to reach easier terrain on the ridge crest near 14,300‘ – Photo #19 and Photo #20. Gain a false summit where you can finally see the summit – Photo #21. Drop to the left, continue to a saddle (Photo #22) and follow the faint trail over to the top. From the summit, Photo #23 looks back on the summit ridge.
After a brief 10 days of guiding in Israel, I joined up with two new friends to trek from Israel into Jordan.
I felt like traveling to Jordan, as well as other Arab nations, was a very important bit of travel to do after touring Israel. With such a heated political situation between many different groups in the area, everybody has their own opinion on what’s going on, who’s wrong and right, and what should be done. I was eager to experience more of the Arab view of the conflict in Israel, as well as experience the culture and country in general. Luckily for me, two of the participants I had been guiding the previous 10 days on Birthright decided to come along with me for the first few days of my trip.
Starting out, we had a basic plan, but left most of our specific itinerary to chance – we all traveled with a small backpack and minimal gear, making it easy to move around and adjust our itinerary. Also of note, during this trip I was shooting photos with my iPhone 5 and Sony RX100M2
Starting out, Chelsea, Hannah and I met up at the Florentine Backpackers Hostel in Tel Aviv, Israel – a fantastic hostel, with good basic accommodations, a lively and social rooftop, and within easy walking distance to the old town of Jaffa. Of note, Jaffa has some great street art, and a lively bar and shopping district.
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To get to Jordan, we took a Taxi on a Saturday all the way to the Sheik Hussein northern border crossing, which was uneventful and easy to get across.
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Finally, in Jordan!
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After crossing over into Jordan, we hopped another taxi into Amman, with a quick lunch stop. Even stopping at a roadside restaurant, we were immediately impressed with the awesome food in Jordan – definitely a step above the Israeli fare we’d been eating the weeks prior.
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Once in Amman, we found the Farrah Hotel, a basic, but comfortable accommodation, where we had our own 4-bunk room.
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The first two days Chelsea, Hannah and I spent exploring Amman. Sites visited included the Citadel, Roman theater, various shops and tea spots, the mosque, and the world’s largest (freestanding) flagpole. Additionally, we found a bar or two on Rainbow street that served beer – which is quite a rare thing in Jordan. After two days exploring, the three of us felt comfortable walking around, and generally knew our way around the few neighborhoods we explored.
Chelsea checking out some books
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Selling dyed chicks and chickens
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An Egyptian weaver, making a rug while watching camel racing in Abu Dabi on TV
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On our way to the roof for sunset, we saw this guy
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Sunset in Amman
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Black tea with mint, all the time.
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Roman Theater
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World’s Largest Flagpole! (on left)
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Temple of Hercules
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After two days of exploring Amman, and with our new friend Sarah, I rented a car and the four of us took a road trip east on Route 10, into Jordan’s eastern desert. We would have driven all the way to Iraq if we could have, but unfortunately didn’t have the time or security detail. Instead, we did an incredible loop through the desert, stopping at epic desert castles and a tranquil desert oasis.
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This tea was made from sage and other stuff from a nearby tree, and we were told it would cure Hannah’s headache.
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The harsh eastern desert – but we had fun!
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After day three, Hannah and Chelsea traveled back to Israel, and I traveled solo down to explore Petra. Petra was an incredible experience, and the rock formations were truly incredible. In Petra, I stayed a night at the Valentine Hotel, and then moved further south to live with a group of Bedoiun at the Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp.
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Exploring Petra
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Tea break, looking to the south.
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Petra by night was a great experience – a bit crowded, but sneaking away from the crowd and exploring the Siq in the dark was mystifying.
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After a week of exploring Jordan, I got a little antsy to get out of the desert, and hitched a ride with with a guy from the Bedouin camp back up to the Amman airport. Next stop, Beirut, Lebanon.
Over the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to work as a staff guide for Israel Outdoors during the Israel By Bike cultural trek, part of Taglit Birthright Israel. Years ago, I actually participated as a guest in this exact same trip, and it was an exciting honor to now have the opportunity to lead it. Israel Outdoors calls this itinerary “Israel By Bike“, but it’s a lot more than just that. Overall, staffing this trip was an incredible experience. I had two co-leaders, and a group of about 40 participants 18-22 years old. The group was great, and I sincerely enjoyed meeting everybody, and the opportunity to contribute my enthusiasm and views on the region as we traveled through the entire country.
During the trip, I took about 1400 photos, and edited down to a small set. View the full set on Flickr, as well as on my Instagram feed. I shot on my iPhone 5, and Sony RX-100ii cameras, allowing me to both post photos throughout the day, and shoot in raw for later editing. The full set is displayed here, and I’ll also be publishing a series of theme-specific posts in coming weeks.
Meet Israeli guide and group intros at Haas Promanade
Transfer to Jerusalem
Checkin to Hotel Accommodations -Jerusalem Gold Hotel
Day 2
Visit to Davidson Center, Jerusalem
Tour of Old City Jerusalem Jewish Quarter
Visit to Kotel, reflection at Western Wall
Explore Mahane Yehuda market and lunch
Afternoon relaxation on Ben Yehuda Street
Overnight at Jerusalem Gold Hotel
Day 3
Travel North
Scenic stop at Steia Maris Lookout and education about the Bahai Faith and Bahai Gardens
Visit to Arbel and Lunch
Checkin to hotel Savyonei Hagalil
Preparation for Shabbat and festive Shabbat Dinner
Day 4
Shabbat learning opportunities
Hike to lookout point
Havdallah Ceremony and cultural activity
Overnight at Savyonei Hagalil
Day 5
Hike up Mt. Meiron
Cultural tour of Tzfat, including dip in Mikve
Return to Hotel
Day 6
Visit to Banias and lunch
Rafting the Jordan River and relaxing on the water
Camping in desert near Masada
Day 7
Early morning wakeup in desert
Sunrise ascent of Mt. Masada
Breakfast at Masada Visitors Center
Floating in the Dead Sea
Camel Trekking with Bedouin
Sleeping at Negev Bedouin Camp and Campfire
Day 8
Biking at Nahal ZIn
Visit to Sde Boker
Shvil Hasalat
Dinner at Blue Bay Hotel
Day 9
Drive to Tel Aviv
Visit Rabin Square
Visit Independence Hall
Swim at Tel Aviv beach
Wrap up session and departure
A selection of photos taken during the trip – many were posted on Instagram during the trip.
Initial assembly of the group at JFK Airport – this was our initial meetup, and the first time my co-staffer Allie and I made group introductions.
Let’s jet!
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We connected through Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich Airport – great piece of architecture
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Ice Breakers at the Old City, Jerusalem
Tour of the Old City’s Jewish Quarter
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Visit to the Kotel
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More exploring
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The trip’s first bike trip
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Sunrise hiking up Mt. Masda
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Swimming in the Dead Sea
Camel Riding and Desert Living with the Bedouin
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Second Biking Trip
Exploring the Market in Tel Aviv
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Please support Net Neutrality, and help protect an open and equal internet. Here’s a few ways to help:
File a comment directly with the FCC. Here’s how, lifted directly via Gizmodo.
Visit FCC.gov/comments and find the proceeding with the title “Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet.” It should be the one on top and should also have over 20,000 filings in the last 30 days.
Click the proceeding number “14-28.” You can also try to click this direct link, though it might not work every time. This will take you to the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System. It looks a little janky, but hey, the government built it.
Fill out the form. Write about your feelings. Express your concerns. Air your grievances. Provide your real name and address. Hope for the best.
Click “Continue” and make sure you like what you wrote. If you don’t you can modify your comment. If you do, click “Confirm.”
The FCC commissioners (left to right): Ajit Pai, Mignon Clyburn, Tom Wheeler (chairman), Jessica Rosenworcel, and Michael O’Rielly.
I demand that Congress protect freedom and openness on the Internet by passing legislation to protect network neutrality. The Internet is our most democratic medium. It has grown exponentially, fueled innovation and altered how we communicate. Network neutrality is the guiding principle that has allowed for these advancements. Now, for-profit interests want to violate the principle of network neutrality in order to increase their own profit margins. They must not be allowed to destroy the free and open culture of the web. I strongly urge you and your colleagues in Congress to support robust net neutrality legislation that prohibits network operators from blocking, impeding or interfering with any lawful Internet traffic or prioritizing any content or services.
Send a message to the FCC – Sign this petition to Chairman Wheeler and then share it with everyone you know.
There are all sorts of Aliens living throughout space.
Johnny is a Space Delivery Man who travels to different planets to deliver packages.
Johnny is lazy and his only desire is to sleep in his autopilot spaceship.
when the spaceship arrives at the destination, all he has to do is simply deliver the box.
However, it never goes as planned. Johnny encounters strange and bizarre planets
and always seems to cause trouble on his delivery route.
Will he be able to finish his mission without trouble?
![Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: "The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas), also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold. It consists of a 19,000 m2 (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) long, 0.95 m (3 ft 1 in) wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m (7.9 in to 15 ft 9.0 in). According to Eisenman's project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason. A 2005 copy of the Foundation for the Memorial's official English tourist pamphlet, however, states that the design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because Eisenman did not use any symbolism. However, observers have noted the memorial's resemblance to a cemetery.[2][3][4] An attached underground "Place of Information" (German: Ort der Information) holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem.](https://i0.wp.com/www.jeffreydonenfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/DSC02641-2014-08-24-Berlin-Donenfeld-Full-WM.jpg?ssl=1)
![The Calanques of Cassis, France - beautiful water, people boating and swimming everywhere. From Wikipedia: A calanque (from the Corsican and Occitan words of pre-Indo-European origin calanca (plural calanche in Corsican, calancas in Occitan) with meaning "inlet" ) is a steep-walled inlet, cove, or bay that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean coast. A calanque is a steep-sided valley formed within karstic regions either by fluvial erosion or the collapse of the roof of a cave that has been subsequently partially submerged by a rise in sea level.[1][2][3]](https://i0.wp.com/www.jeffreydonenfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/DSC00548-2014-08-07-Paris-and-South-Donenfeld-Full-WM.jpg?ssl=1)
![Israel Outdoors participant alumn Jeffrey Donenfeld, recently came back from his first time staffing an Israel Outdoors Bike trip. Oh how we love keeping it in the Israel Outdoors family! When he is not staffing trips to Israel, Jeffrey […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.jeffreydonenfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Biking-Through-Israel-Israel-Outdoors-20140715.jpg?resize=1200%2C4072&ssl=1)
Over the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to work as a staff guide for Israel Outdoors during the Israel By Bike cultural trek, part of Taglit Birthright Israel. 
