BackPackingLight.com the propoents for going "fast and light" while in the backcountry have launched a cool new series which will follow Matt Hage and Agnes Stowe as they attempt to climb Denali while carrying little more than 30 pounds of gear.

The two are scheduled to go to the mountain in June, when the climbing season there begins, and will attempt the West Buttress route, the most popular on the mountain. Typically, the packs loaded down with gear on Denali weigh in the 60 pound range, but obviously this being Backpacking Light, they'll be traveling with much less gear that would probably be called minimalist at best.

There is a podcast interview with Matt on the page I linked to above. This will be his fifth Denali climb, and he has summited once before. For Agnes, this will be her first go at the highest mountain in North America. In the podcast, Matt talks about their gear, the food they are bringing along, and their thoughts on how they will approach the climb. They are expected to check in by Sat Phone several times throughout the climb.

This should be fun to watch. Good luck Matt and Agnes!

Throughout the 2007 Everest Climbing Season I have often recommended that you head over to Alan Arnette's Everest 2007 Page for the latest news, information, and insights. Alan has been on a number of high altitude climbs all over the World, including Everest, and he always has an interesting perspective to share and knowledge of what's happening on the mountain.

Today Alan has made a big annoucement, and he want's to share it with all of us. He intends to return to Everest and go for the summit once more, but this time he's climbing for a cause. You can read all about Alan's Road Back To Everest by clicking here. This is going to be a very personal climb for Alan, as he will be going back to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's Disease, a devastating condition that his 81 year old mother suffers from.

Alan is still working out the details of how he will conduct fund raising, and he's still looking for someone to donate his proceeds too. He says he is looking for a "promising research project or Doctor and target the funding in a specific and measurable manner" which seems like a perfect apporach for this kind of project. If you know some project or doctor that might fit the description, be sure to send Alan a note as to your suggestions. I'm sure he would appreciate it.

He has set an ambitious climbing schedule to get himself ready for his Everest climb that's for sure. He'll be looking to bag 14 Colorado 14'ers, along with heading to Denali in June, Shisha Pangma later in the year, and Orizaba, an 18,880 foot volcano in Mexico in January of 2008, before heading to Everest next Spring season.

On a personal note, I lost my grandfather to this horrible disease, and it is not something that is easy to watch happen to someone you love. I would follow Alan's preparations for Everest over the coming months with interest anyway, but with this cause, it is certainly something that I'll follow even more closely. This is a personal issue for many of us, and it's something that hits close to home when you've experienced it first hand.

So, Alan, you have nothing but the best of wishes from me. The Adventure Blog will be following your preparations over the coming months and I'll be with you in spirit as you go up Denali, those 14'ers, Shisha, and off to Mexico for Orizaba. And when Everest comes around next year, we'll all be with you. You'll carry the hopes of many people with you. You had better buy a bigger pack.