ADVENTURES

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent with a size one and a half times the size of the United States. It is the coldest, windiest and driest place on Earth. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -128.56 degrees Fahrenheit on July 21, 1983, at Antarctica’s Vostok station. The winds can reach 200mph in some places. Antarctica is considered to be the largest desert in the world because of it’s extremely dry climate. The Antarctic ice sheet is the single biggest mass of ice on Earth and has an average thickness of one mile.

Mt. McKinley, also known as Denali, is the tallest mountain in North America. It is considered to be the third tallest in the world; however, by another measure is taller than Mt. Everest. There is a distinction between measuring "highest" and "tallest". The highest peak is determined by measuring a mountain's highest point above sea level. The tallest mountain is measured from base to summit. Using that measurement, Mt. McKinley is taller than Mt. Everest because it rises 18,000 feet from its base, which is a greater vertical rise than Everest's 12,000 feet rise from its base of 17,000 feet.

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America. It is the highest mountain outside of Asia and the second highest peak among the Seven Summits. The climbing season begins in November goes through March. The weather on Mt. Aconcagua is severe and, at times, extreme. It is one of the most common obstacles getting to the top. These weather conditions, from one extreme to another, can happen all at once.

Mt. Kosciuszko is the centerpiece of Australia's largest national park located in the Great Dividing Range of New South Wales. It is the highest mountain on the Australian continent. This is the coldest and snowiest part of Australia, which is mostly a hot continent. The weather can be extremely unpredictable, and climbers are advised to be prepared for all conditions.

Being in Australia with the Neptune Islands just a short flight away, I packed away my climbing gear and suited up in diving gear to face one of man's most feared predators, the Great White Shark, otherwise known as "white death".

Mt. Elbrus is located in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia (near Georgia), Russia. It is an inactive volcano that is recognized as the highest peak in the western Caucasus and all of Europe. Our team was the first to ascend the north face of the mountain.

Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa, is located just over 211 miles south of the equator in Tanzania. It is a great mountain to begin one's quest for the biggest mountaineering challenge on Earth. It has three dormant volcanic cones named Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira that are often snow covered and not without its own list of dangers. This is where I begin my journey of climbing the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, otherwise known as the Adventure Grand Slam.