Computer Column: Outdoor News Sources, Poll Results and Webring Additions

[Published in Apex to Zenith #52 – First Quarter 2001]

News

The amount of outdoor news available on the Internet seems to grow in leaps and bounds. I have set up several pages that now cull sources daily from more than 1,800 sources on outdoor recreation, hiking, climbing, mountain, avalanche, biking, kayaking and Mount Everest.

This is available at americasroof.com. I look at the feeds each day and post daily highlights to the Highpointer Forum. And for good measure I also send out a weekly e-newsletter with weekly highlights. You can subscribe to it by sending a message to americasroof-subsubscribe@listbot.com

Polls

Last issue we highlighted some highpointer poll results. These polls of course are straw polls and not scientific but they can be interesting:

• Highpointers are split almost 50-50 on the question of whether the Eric Simonson should proceed with the quest to find the body of Andy Irvine who accompanied Mallory on the ill-fated 1924 expedition. There is a lot of interest on whether the camera can be found that would prove that Everest 30 years before Hillary did it. But this is offset by Irvine family concerns that his body would not be treated with respect – following the debacle two years ago in which Mallory’s nude body was displayed on magazine covers around the world.
• Nearly 60% of highpointers drive 4-wheel-drive vehicles. This issue popped up in response to the election in a debate over environmentalists driving gas-guzzling cars.
• Mount Rainier is the favorite highpoint in the West (18%); followed by Colorado (15%); California (9%); and Alaska (8%). Nevada and Idaho are the least popular (3% each).
• Maine and New Hampshire split on the most popular in the Northeast (21% each) followed by New York (19%). Delaware bottoms out at 1%.
• Texas is tops in the South with 30% followed by North Carolina at 17%. Nobody has voted for Kentucky or Mississippi.
• South Dakota runs away with the Midwest with 44%. The closest competition is Minnesota with 12%. Illinois and Indiana get 1%.

Web Ring Additions

Our web ring continues to grow. You can join. We have 7 new additions include:

• Peakware Encyclopedia: This site – originally founded by a highpointing enthusiast in Kansas – has a comprehensive list of mountains around the world. In addition it has a “summit register” where you can post your trip reports.
• Robert Broeking’s Whitespider: Bob has spectacular pictures and great trip reports from all his expeditions in an easily navigated site.
• Walks in Yorkshire: This is our first international site. This site offers walks in Yorkshire in the UK.
• Wildernet: This spectacular site may not have the reputation of GORP but it is probably more comprehensive in giving a list of places for outdoor activities in the U.S.
• Higher Ground: This site has some great pictures plus it lists the expenses of each highpointing expedition (I know of no site that does this).
• Waterfall Walks on the Web: You can’t beat waterfalls for a beautiful hike. This has spectacular pictures of the falls in the Southeast.
• Chris Anderson’s High Points Scrapbook: Chris Anderson was one of the first persons to have a web site devoted to high points. Check out his scrapbook.