This year is the 10th year that National Geographic has awarded their Adventurers of the Year award. This award highlights those who pursue their passions in the belief that a life with adventure is worth the risks.
Patagonia is excited to have four out of the ten nominees for this year’s award within its family circle. Climbing, adventure sailing; dam busting and traversing the Rockies via paragliders is just a preview of the adventures being nominated.
Damnation: Ben Knight, Travis Rummel and Matt Stoecker shook up the nation with their thought provoking and inspiring film. Deadbeat dams have no place on today’s rivers. This film shed light on what decades on dam building without regard has done to our watersheds. Ben, Travis and Matt have been on a non stop tour getting the film out to as many folks as possible hoping to get the people involved in taking out dead beat dams.
Link to Damnation’s Profile:
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2015/damnation/
500 Miles to Nowhere by Gavin McClurg and Will Gadd documents the traverse of the Rockies via paraglider. An adventure of epic heights, and big risks follows these pilots through their traverse. This passion project is a visual stunner with views rarely seen by others.
Will and Gavin's profile:
Liz Clark and the voyage of The Swell: Liz is no stranger to wide-open places. In some form or another she has been on the road, or on the open sea since 2006. This year is no different. Liz is exploring the open sea in search of ideal surf and ways to live a more earth friendly life. As stated by Liz, “I use less, need less, and want less–yet have never felt more fulfilled. At times the boat work seems endless and the uncertainties too daunting, yet without these adversities, the simple joys would never be as sweet.”
Liz's profile:
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2015/liz-clark/
Tommy Caldwell is good at suffering. He has put up some big boy routes in Yosemite Valley and recently completed a monster traverse in the Patagonia region of South America. Tommy, along with fellow charger Alex Honnold completed the 5-kilometer traverse of the Fitzroy range in the Patagonia region of Chile. The route was nearly 5K in length with nearly 4,000 feet of vertical elevation gain linking multiple ridgelines. The pair accomplished this first accent over four days of brutal foul weather climbing this February.
Tommy's profile:
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2015/tommy-caldwell/
Here is where voting is taking place for this years People’s choice award People’s choice award voting
Be sure to check out the video of the 2015 Adventurers of the year: here.