Video: Kayaking the Verzasca in Switzerland

Here's a fun little paddling video that features kayakers Sam Sutton and Sven Lämmler taking on the wild whitewater found on the narrow confines of the Verzasca River in Switzerland. It gives us a great view of this roller coaster ride through the Swiss mountains. The Verzasca is a mere 30 km (18.6 miles) in length, but it offers plenty of excitement for such a short river. Looks like a blast!

Verzasca from Sven Lämmler on Vimeo.

Introducing the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa Trail Run

Late last week, the National Geographic Adventure blog shared the details on a new ultra-marathon event that will launch next year called the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa. The trail run, which is the brainchild of ultrarunning legend Lizzy Hawker, will pit endurance athletes against one another on a route that has been designed to push their strength and stamina to the limits.

In creating this event, Hawker drew upon her vast experience in the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, an event she has won on five separate occasions. Lizzy also holds the record for running from Everest Base Camp back to Kathmandu, which is a distance of about 200 miles (321 km). When she started thinking about the trail she wanted for the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa, she considered her favorite routes, and the things that made them special. Hawker then started scouting trails in Switzerland near the beautiful, but rugged, Monte Rosa Massif.

The course will begin in the Swiss village of Grächen, high in the mountains above the Mattr Vispa, a tributary of the Rhone River. The route will run through the Alps to Zermatt, at the foot of the legendary Matterhorn. From there, it will turn into Italy, crossing through several villages, before looping back across the border into Switzerland. It promises to be incredibly challenging, but breathtakingly beautiful too.

The race will take place in August of 2015, and will cover a distance of 93 miles (150 km), over four days. Each stage of the race will average about 23 miles (37 km), as Hawker wants to challenge trail runners, but she also wants them to be able to complete the run as well. With the race broken down into shorter distances, the runners will also be able to maximize the daylight hours of the long summer days, which will increase the level of safety.

The 2015 edition of the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa will also serve as a bit of a test run for the event. Registration is being capped at just 150 entrants, who will be taking part in what Hawker calls the "Zero Edition" of the race. In 2016, the cap will be increased to 1000 runners, and the event will be non-stop across the entire course.

Find out more, and register for the event, at the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa official website.

Video: Mammut Lights Up the Matterhorn to Celebrate 150 Years of Climbing

2015 will mark the 150th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn, a mountain that is iconic both in physical profile, and stature in the mountaineering world. To celebrate this event, gear manufacturer Mammut created special tribute to the mountain, and the men and women who have climbed it. The video below, gives you a behind the scenes look at this project, and what it looked like when it was completed.

Video: BASE Jumper Completes 49 Jumps in 19 Days

BASE jumper and wingsuit pilot Ian McIntosh traveled to France and Switzerland recently, where he was able to complete an astounding 49 jumps in just 19 days. The video below captures some of the action, as well as some of the other hijinks that occurred along the way. The best shots from the jumps come near the end of the video, but it looks like the entire trip was amazing.