Justine Sterling , Food Wine

Courtesy New York Water Taxi

New York Water Taxi in NYC is one of a handful of enterprising boat companies that now offer traffic-free foliage tours by water.

Driving around looking at the gorgeous amber, orange and sunset-colored leaves of deciduous trees is a familiar fall road trip, but a handful of enterprising boat companies now offer traffic-free foliage tours by water.

For three upcoming Sundays (Oct. 21 and 28, and Nov. 4), New York Water Taxi offers guided day trips leaving from Manhattan at 12:30 p.m., and gliding 60 miles up the Hudson River to West Point. Introduced two years ago, the five-hour round-trip takes passengers past historic sights such as Grant’s Tomb, and Sleepy Hollow, where Washington Irving is now buried; and offers views of brightly hued trees like red maple, yellow birch and flowering dogwood. The $65 ticket price includes lunch (sandwiches, salads and desserts from Fresco by Scotto); a cash bar sells cocktails costing up to $10. The route is so popular that the company also does a VIP tour lasting a full weekend, with a night in West Point, rooftop cocktails at a lounge overlooking the Hudson Valley, and a tour of America’s oldest winery, Brotherhood, which still uses cellars dug in 1839.
Tickets are $499 for one person, or $750 for two.

More fall foliage cruises:

DC Cruises, Oct. 20-Nov. 24 (weekends only)
One-hour cruises on double-decker boats take passengers through the capital’s waterways, passing sights like the Jefferson Memorial, flanked by brilliant trees. Passengers can sip free hot cider from Ziegler’s, made from regionally-sourced apples. A Thanksgiving day cruise swaps cider for pumpkin-spiced tea and other festive snacks.
Tickets: $24 for adults, $12 for children.

Atlantic Seal Cruises, Oct. 6-27
Three-hour excursions on a 28-person cruiser navigate around the small islands of Maine’s Casco Bay. As the company name suggests, harbor seals congregate on rock ledges and play in the bay as the boats pass. Other wildlife native to the area includes osprey, herons and the occasional whale.
Tickets: $35 for adults, $25 for children 5-12, $20 for children 1-5.

Mississippi River Cruises, Sept. 27-Nov. 17
The Celebration Belle, a classic 800-passenger paddlewheel boat, departs from both Moline, Ill., and Dubuque, Iowa, on four-hour Mississippi cruises. A lunch buffet with dishes like baked cranberry-glazed chicken and turtle cheesecake—all prepared fresh on board—is included, as is live music from the Celebration River Cruises band.
Tickets: $60 for adults, $45 for children.

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The post Enjoy fall foliage by boat appeared first on Travel Globe.

Tanya Mohn, NBC News contributor

Courtesy Tree Climb Connecticut

Want to see the colors of the changing leaves up close? Tree Climb Connecticut offers a treetop view.

Travelers these days can experience autumn foliage in a mind-boggling number of ways: floating over treetops in hot air balloons, paddling kayaks down rivers and lakes, or ziplining high above the forest floor. There are even tree-climbing lessons.  

Leaf peeping clearly isn’t what it used to be.

The annual fall rite of passage of reveling in the wonders of nature has become more active in recent years, said Rena Calcaterra, marketing and public relations coordinator for the Connecticut Office of Tourism, as people, especially aging baby boomers, have become more health-conscious.

 “The trend is not just to look and see, but to participate," Calcaterra said. "And it’s a lot more fun that way.”

Here is a roundup of 5 leaf-peeping adventures.

Tree climbing in Connecticut
Climbing trees is a regular activity for many children, yet most adults rarely do it. But what better way to see the turning leaves than being in up in the treetops among them? Tree Climb Connecticut, based in Manchester, offers several ways for want-to-be arborists ages 7 to 70, to experience the fall foliage. “You can climb up to 80 feet into the canopy of a forest for a truly awesome view,” the website notes,  enjoying “the Peter Pan feeling as you "float " in the forest, learn to walk on a limb, swing from the tree tops, or even descend past limbs like an elevator past floors.” In 1-½ day long Recreational Tree Climbing classes, participants learn how to climb on their own. Instruction includes the basics of safety and technique, how to select proper trees and equipment, and how to tie, throw and set ropes. Adventure Climbs are for those who want to climb trees for a morning or afternoon while being supervised, but without formal training. The sport of tree climbing began about 15 years ago in Georgia, then moved out West, said Gary Gross, Tree Climb Connecticut’s founder, who also trains professional arborists. “But no one was doing it in New England,” said Gross, one of 11 children who grew up on a farm and spent much of his childhood climbing trees. Similar services are offered in neighboring states. Classes cost $280 per person; adventure climbs cost $60.  

Guided walking in Vermont
Country Walkers, a company that specializes in active travel, offers a number of hiking and walking tours that take-in fall foliage, including a six-day, five-night guided walking tour: Vermont Fall Foliage-Goshen to Stowe. Travelers on foot journey on trails through rolling hills, lush meadows and forests. “You’re out in the leaves. You can smell them and hear the crunch under your feet,” said Carolyn Walters Fox, who handles the company’s marketing and media relations. “Pumpkins are all ripe in the fields.” On a clear day, foliage in three states and Quebec can be viewed from Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. Stops include general stores in quintessential “picture-perfect” New England villages, hayrides, visits to a dairy farm, a lost pioneer settlement, and a cabin where Robert Frost wrote. “You are walking off the beaten-tourist path -- completely,” said Fox. After a day of walking, it’s hot cider and cookies in front of a fire, chef-prepared meals, and overnight stays at cozy country inns. Departure is Oct. 7; $2,698 per person, based on double occupancy.

Boating on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri
The Lake of the Ozarks, a man-made lake about 175 miles from St. Louis, runs 92 miles end to end and is surrounded by state parks and the Ozark Mountains. “Our fall is in full swing right now,” said Rebecca Green, a spokeswoman for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau, of the region that prides itself on everything from its hiking trails to its world-class boating. “With our rolling hills and the colors we get along the 1,150 mile shoreline, it’s hard to beat.” Coming up is the 27th Annual Fall Harbor Hop on Oct. 13 when participating boaters “hop from place to place” at over 40 locations to try their hand at poker, all while listening to live music. “There is no better way to enjoy the fall foliage as well as being on the water,” Green said. Boats -- from speedboats and pontoons to fishing boats, personal watercraft and even houseboats -- can be rented or chartered by the hour, day or longer, and several commercial vessels operate narrated scenic cruises through late fall.“ Why drive to a restaurant when you can cruise there?” the website notes. The region boasts plenty of non-water related activities, too, like the 33rd annual “Olde Tyme Apple Festival” on Oct. 6. (Think apple pie, a parade, and a fiddling  contest).

Ziplining in Asheville, N.C.
Navitat Canopy Adventures, based in a secluded mountain cove in the Southern Appalachians, promises an adventure through the treetops that harkens back to the carefree days of childhood, soaring high above the forest floor while taking the epic scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The company’s small, personalized groups of no more than eight guests and two highly trained guides, are educational, it says, and boast some of the longest and highest ziplines in the Southeast. “The views are phenomenal” said Marla Tambellini, director of marketing and public relations for the Asheville Convention  Visitors Bureau. “The Asheville area is fortunate to have one of the best fall color displays in our backyard. With more than 100 deciduous tree species, significant elevation changes, and a variety of micro-climates, we enjoy one of the most extended fall foliage seasons in the nation, lasting from late September to early November.” Navitat wrote on its website: “You’ll cross two suspended sky bridges and experience rappelling twice. By the end, you’re guaranteed to feel like Indiana Jones, or at least a genuine tree-lovin’, tree-huggin’ ziplining expert.”

Floating and soaring above in Hocking Hills, Ohio
Soaring above Hocking Hills, located about 40 miles southeast of Columbus, in a small plane is one of the best ways to see the stunning fall tapestries of color in the some 10,000 acres of lush forests, lakes and distinctive geological formations, locals say. Hocking Hills Scenic Air Tours offers panoramic, aerial views that get close enough to waterfalls “to see water actually coming off the rocks, and see into caves,” said Harry Sowers, a pilot of 44 years and flight instructor who owns the company. “I think most people are touched by the Hills’ grandeur, the awesomeness of it, and the uniqueness and beauty of nature,” said Sowers, who frequently breaks into John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart imitations. “It’s to ease them into feeling comfortable.” Sunset, sunrise, and customized flights “at prices the average family can afford,” he said, start at $80.25 for two people for 20 minutes. Visitors can float over the treetops and take in 360-degree views as “foliage unfurls from beneath the balloon's basket” with Hocking Hills Hot Air Ballooning. Other activities include fall-themed historic train rides that serve wine and cheese, and organized hikes, like the three-mile Lake Hope Fall Hike that begins with a cup of sassafras tea and ends with bean soup and cornbread.

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Close post

The post Get out! 5 leaf-peeping adventures appeared first on Travel Globe.

Tanya Mohn, NBC News contributor

Courtesy Tree Climb Connecticut

Want to see the colors of the changing leaves up close? Tree Climb Connecticut offers a treetop view.

Travelers these days can experience autumn foliage in a mind-boggling number of ways: floating over treetops in hot air balloons, paddling kayaks down rivers and lakes, or ziplining high above the forest floor. There are even tree-climbing lessons.  

Leaf peeping clearly isn’t what it used to be.

The annual fall rite of passage of reveling in the wonders of nature has become more active in recent years, said Rena Calcaterra, marketing and public relations coordinator for the Connecticut Office of Tourism, as people, especially aging baby boomers, have become more health-conscious.

 “The trend is not just to look and see, but to participate," Calcaterra said. "And it’s a lot more fun that way.”

Here is a roundup of 5 leaf-peeping adventures.

Tree climbing in Connecticut
Climbing trees is a regular activity for many children, yet most adults rarely do it. But what better way to see the turning leaves than being in up in the treetops among them? Tree Climb Connecticut, based in Manchester, offers several ways for want-to-be arborists ages 7 to 70, to experience the fall foliage. “You can climb up to 80 feet into the canopy of a forest for a truly awesome view,” the website notes,  enjoying “the Peter Pan feeling as you "float " in the forest, learn to walk on a limb, swing from the tree tops, or even descend past limbs like an elevator past floors.” In 1-½ day long Recreational Tree Climbing classes, participants learn how to climb on their own. Instruction includes the basics of safety and technique, how to select proper trees and equipment, and how to tie, throw and set ropes. Adventure Climbs are for those who want to climb trees for a morning or afternoon while being supervised, but without formal training. The sport of tree climbing began about 15 years ago in Georgia, then moved out West, said Gary Gross, Tree Climb Connecticut’s founder, who also trains professional arborists. “But no one was doing it in New England,” said Gross, one of 11 children who grew up on a farm and spent much of his childhood climbing trees. Similar services are offered in neighboring states. Classes cost $280 per person; adventure climbs cost $60.  

Guided walking in Vermont
Country Walkers, a company that specializes in active travel, offers a number of hiking and walking tours that take-in fall foliage, including a six-day, five-night guided walking tour: Vermont Fall Foliage-Goshen to Stowe. Travelers on foot journey on trails through rolling hills, lush meadows and forests. “You’re out in the leaves. You can smell them and hear the crunch under your feet,” said Carolyn Walters Fox, who handles the company’s marketing and media relations. “Pumpkins are all ripe in the fields.” On a clear day, foliage in three states and Quebec can be viewed from Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. Stops include general stores in quintessential “picture-perfect” New England villages, hayrides, visits to a dairy farm, a lost pioneer settlement, and a cabin where Robert Frost wrote. “You are walking off the beaten-tourist path -- completely,” said Fox. After a day of walking, it’s hot cider and cookies in front of a fire, chef-prepared meals, and overnight stays at cozy country inns. Departure is Oct. 7; $2,698 per person, based on double occupancy.

Boating on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri
The Lake of the Ozarks, a man-made lake about 175 miles from St. Louis, runs 92 miles end to end and is surrounded by state parks and the Ozark Mountains. “Our fall is in full swing right now,” said Rebecca Green, a spokeswoman for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau, of the region that prides itself on everything from its hiking trails to its world-class boating. “With our rolling hills and the colors we get along the 1,150 mile shoreline, it’s hard to beat.” Coming up is the 27th Annual Fall Harbor Hop on Oct. 13 when participating boaters “hop from place to place” at over 40 locations to try their hand at poker, all while listening to live music. “There is no better way to enjoy the fall foliage as well as being on the water,” Green said. Boats -- from speedboats and pontoons to fishing boats, personal watercraft and even houseboats -- can be rented or chartered by the hour, day or longer, and several commercial vessels operate narrated scenic cruises through late fall.“ Why drive to a restaurant when you can cruise there?” the website notes. The region boasts plenty of non-water related activities, too, like the 33rd annual “Olde Tyme Apple Festival” on Oct. 6. (Think apple pie, a parade, and a fiddling  contest).

Ziplining in Asheville, N.C.
Navitat Canopy Adventures, based in a secluded mountain cove in the Southern Appalachians, promises an adventure through the treetops that harkens back to the carefree days of childhood, soaring high above the forest floor while taking the epic scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The company’s small, personalized groups of no more than eight guests and two highly trained guides, are educational, it says, and boast some of the longest and highest ziplines in the Southeast. “The views are phenomenal” said Marla Tambellini, director of marketing and public relations for the Asheville Convention  Visitors Bureau. “The Asheville area is fortunate to have one of the best fall color displays in our backyard. With more than 100 deciduous tree species, significant elevation changes, and a variety of micro-climates, we enjoy one of the most extended fall foliage seasons in the nation, lasting from late September to early November.” Navitat wrote on its website: “You’ll cross two suspended sky bridges and experience rappelling twice. By the end, you’re guaranteed to feel like Indiana Jones, or at least a genuine tree-lovin’, tree-huggin’ ziplining expert.”

Floating and soaring above in Hocking Hills, Ohio
Soaring above Hocking Hills, located about 40 miles southeast of Columbus, in a small plane is one of the best ways to see the stunning fall tapestries of color in the some 10,000 acres of lush forests, lakes and distinctive geological formations, locals say. Hocking Hills Scenic Air Tours offers panoramic, aerial views that get close enough to waterfalls “to see water actually coming off the rocks, and see into caves,” said Harry Sowers, a pilot of 44 years and flight instructor who owns the company. “I think most people are touched by the Hills’ grandeur, the awesomeness of it, and the uniqueness and beauty of nature,” said Sowers, who frequently breaks into John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart imitations. “It’s to ease them into feeling comfortable.” Sunset, sunrise, and customized flights “at prices the average family can afford,” he said, start at $80.25 for two people for 20 minutes. Visitors can float over the treetops and take in 360-degree views as “foliage unfurls from beneath the balloon's basket” with Hocking Hills Hot Air Ballooning. Other activities include fall-themed historic train rides that serve wine and cheese, and organized hikes, like the three-mile Lake Hope Fall Hike that begins with a cup of sassafras tea and ends with bean soup and cornbread.

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Close post

The post Get out! 5 leaf-peeping adventures appeared first on Travel Globe.

Courtesy of Burgenland Tourismus

In Burgenland, Austria's easternmost region, the sun shines more than 300 days a year, making it ideal for grapes and cyclists.

HGL

Run For Your Lives is a race series that challenges runners with a 5K obstacle course of mud, fake blood -- and zombies.

In need of some motivation to maintain your exercise regimen while traveling? You could seek out like-minded running buddies, find a local gym or hit the techno playlist on your iPod.

Or, if you’re in one of several U.S. cities in the coming months, you could try to complete a 5K obstacle course race while being chased by zombies. After all, there’s nothing like trying to avoid having the undead eat your brains to get your butt in gear.

That’s the premise of Run For Your Lives, a race series that challenges runners to navigate muddy culverts, tanks of fake blood and other creepy obstacles while racing against the clock and legions of flesh-munching ghouls. Upcoming events include Lakewood, Colo. (July 14), Onalaska, Wash. (Aug. 4) and Wright City, Mo. (Aug. 18).

HGL

Runners who cross the finish line with at least one flag in their belt are considered "alive."

The 12-race series was brought to life by Derrick Smith and Ryan Hogan, a pair of Baltimore-based entrepreneurs and fans of the post-apocalyptic TV show “The Walking Dead.”

“We wanted to create an obstacle course race and were thinking about what people would run from,” said Smith. “It was probably two or three episodes into the first season of the show and zombies just made sense.”

To animate their apocalyptic vision, Smith and Hogan staged their first event last October outside Baltimore. Runners were equipped with flag-belts — think flag football — and turned loose in waves. In addition to traversing assorted natural obstacles, they also faced several hundred zombies bent on eating their flesh.

Just kidding — the zombies really only wanted their flags. Runners who successfully completed the course with at least one of their three flags intact were considered “alive;” those that had lost them all to the undead horde were deemed “dead,” although they were still expected to finish the race before turning into zombies themselves.

“We thought it would be a one-and-done deal but it turned out to be more popular than we thought,” said Smith, estimating that 10,000 to 12,000 people participated, including runners, zombies and spectators.

HGL

Runners should "expect the unexpected," said Derrick Smith, one of the creators of Run For Your Lives.

For those considering participating in one of the upcoming races, there are a few things to know:

The events feature two kinds of zombies: traditional “Stumbler Zombies” (think “Night of the Living Dead”) and “Chaser Zombies” (à la “28 Days Later”). Clearly, completing the course is no walk in the park.

“Expect the unexpected,” said Smith, who also offers this bit of sage advice: “Consider entering as a team. If you’re going through a heavy zombie area, have a couple of people up front that you can sacrifice to save everybody else.”

Note, too, that there will be a handful of “health packs” scattered around the course. If you see one, grab it as allows you to cross the finish line as “alive” even if all your flags have been grabbed.

HGL

The Run for Your Lives races feature traditional stumbler zombies -- think "Night of the Living Dead" -- and chaser zombies -- a la "28 Days Later."

And, finally, expect to get really, really dirty. It’s an apocalypse, people; between the “blood,” sweat and fear, things tend to get a bit messy.

For more information, including schedules, entry fees and post-race party details, visit RunForYourLives.com.

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

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The post Obstacle races feature mud, fake blood — and zombies appeared first on Travel Globe.

Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida

A man zips along the Rattlesnake, a 1,000-foot-long line utilizing a rigid-rail system that has riders dangling as they swoop through a series of dips and curves.

Looking to add a little zip to your summer vacation plans? The zip line industry feels your ennui. From the cypress forests of central Florida to the edge of Denali National Park in Alaska, zip line operators are offering experiences that are higher, faster and wilder.

“Zip lines have been around for 40 or 50 years,” said James Borishade, executive director of the Association for Challenge Course Technology, an industry trade group. “They were originally an element of challenge courses; then they became they’re own entities. Now what we’re seeing are aerial adventure parks that combine zip lines with challenge elements.”

And the options just keep growing, said Michael R. Smith, president of ArborTrek Canopy Adventures, which operates a zip lining course at Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont. According to Smith, there were 319 venues (including zip line/canopy tours, aerial trekking facilities and single-element zip rides) in the U.S. and Canada in 2011, an increase of 66 percent over the year before.

In fact, the offerings are so varied that would-be zippers would be advised to do their homework, deciding beforehand what sort of experience they want. For some, that may mean a Costa-Rican-style canopy tour, in which the environment and natural history are emphasized; for others, a more adventurous experience that combines dizzying heights, mile-long lines and speeds that tend to clench various body parts.

“You want to be careful about which zip lines you pick,” said Smith. “Some are better suited for Baby Boomers and active seniors; others are better suited for the young and adventurous.”

Either way, one of the following operations, all of which are new this year, should fit the bill:

Aerial Forest Adventure Park
Opening at Loon Mountain Resort in N.H., on Friday, this park is a prime example of the new, multi-level, multi-element challenge course. It features 61 different challenges spread across five courses that combine zip lines, swinging bridges and other elements made from logs, chains and ropes. The self-guided tour uses a Smart Safety Belay system so users remain tethered even while switching courses and costs $49 for a two-hour session.

The Rattlesnake
For a glimpse of the future of zip lining, head to St Cloud, Fla., where you’ll find Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida, home to the nation’s first zip line roller coaster. Instead of cables, the 1,000-foot-long line utilizes a rigid-rail system that has riders dangling as they swoop through a series of dips and curves. Admission to the park, which includes The Rattlesnake, plus the multi-segment Zipline Safari, a bike-based canopy tour and three other new zip-style rides, is $135.

Rumrunner Moto Zip Ride
Or maybe the future of zip lining is ... motorized! At least that’s the idea behind this new ride at Pirate Cove Resort, outside Needles, Calif. Starting atop a 50-foot platform, riders climb aboard three-person seats equipped with steering wheels that allow them to initiate circular spins as they travel 1,000 feet across an inlet of the Colorado River at up to 50 mph. The kicker, though, are the 30-horsepower motors that allow you to defy gravity and zip back up to the start. Two roundtrips cost $25 per person.

Angel Fire Zipline Adventure Tour
Among the newest zip line offerings in the country, this course at the Angel Fire ski resort in northern New Mexico is also the nation’s highest. Opened on July 6, it starts at the mountain’s 10,600-foot summit; traverses six zip lines, and ends with an ATV ride back to the summit. The highlight is a 1,600-foot-long “dual” zip designed for side-by-side racing that soars several hundred feet over the forest floor. Price: $89 per person.

 Denali Zipline Tours
Also opened on July 6, this operation is located in Talkeetna, Alaska, just south of Denali National Park. It features nine zips, three suspension bridges, a rappelling station and, not surprisingly, spectacular scenery. “You zip through this boreal forest wonderland and end up on a ridge with wide-open views over town, the Alaska Range and Mt. McKinley,” said guide and marketing manager Sandra Loomis. “It’s just a bomber view.” Tours are $149 per person.

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Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

The post New adventure venues put the ‘zip’ in zip lining appeared first on Travel Globe.

Kate Maxwell, contributing editor for Condé Nast Traveler, and the editor in chief of Jetsetter.com, talked today about vacations that keep you moving. When you want more out of your trip than just a beach and a book, try some of these adventure destinations.

SCUBA DIVING

Location: Turks and Caicos
Turks and Caicos is a popular romantic getaway, but it’s also popular for those who love to scuba dive. The islands are surrounded by the third largest coral reef system in the world, and you’ll find some of the best diving here thanks to six-thousand-foot vertical walls and drop-offs adorned with coral and sponge —a draw for reef sharks, eagle rays, and tropical fish.  

SURFING

Location: Barbados
Barbados is the easternmost island in the Caribbean, and because of its location, a wave can travel nearly three thousand miles in the open ocean undisturbed by sandbars, reefs, or land, before it breaks on the eastern shore. That’s why it’s such a terrific surfing destination. Don’t miss the Soup Bowl —one of the world's greatest surfing breaks, near the town of Bathsheba, which has gigantic limestone boulders casually strewn in the shallows.  

SURFING/PADDLE BOARDING

 Location: Montauk, N.Y.
Montauk is the best break on the East Coast and it attracts a lot of very good surfers in the water, so drop in at your peril. Also, be sure to wear booties while surfing at Ditch Plains Beach (the most famous spot out here) because the bottom is rocky. If the waves are too much for you, try stand-up paddle boarding on Fort Pond — it's a terrific core workout.

HIKING/ROCK CLIMBING/MOUNTAIN BIKING

 Location: Telluride, Colo.
Telluride is typically thought of as a ski town, but summer offers plenty of adventure, too. Hiking is the most popular activity in the warm weather — you’ll find an abundance of scene nature trails, expansive jeep roads, as well as plenty of less-traveled paths. Mountain bikers can take on the vertical terrain, and climbers can try to summit a few fourteeners (peaks that exceed 14,000 feet) or hike from one alpine lake to the next.  The area is home to amazing natural sites, including Bridal Veil Falls, the longest free-falling waterfall ins Colorado, and the town of Telluride itself is a sight to see: clapboard storefronts, independent galleries, old-time bars — and no chain restaurants or shops.

BOATING

Location: San Diego, Calif.
About 70 miles of coastline and adjacent blue waters make San Diego a top destination in the USA for sailing and boating enthusiasts. Whether you prefer a sightseeing boat, a whale-watching excursion, a private charter, or a leisurely trip around the bay, there are plenty of options to get out on the water.

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The post Get moving! Try an adventure while on vacation appeared first on Travel Globe.

Joe Martinet

Climber Joe Martinet en route to the base of the Lhotse Face on Mount Everest in late April.

For six months, starting last September, Joe Martinet went to the gym twice a day for six days a week. He spent hours on a steep treadmill, wearing climbing boots and a 25-pound backpack. Then he hit the StairMaster and lifted weights.

When Martinet, 37, wasn't at the gym, he biked or ran near his home in Reston, Va. On the weekends, he'd drive 100 miles to Shenandoah National Park and scramble up one of the peaks, the tallest of which exceed 4,000 feet.

Martinet, a mountain climber who has scaled Alaska's Denali (20,320 feet), was training to summit Mount Everest this month.

His body wasn't the only thing Martinet, who develops satellite and cellphones, dedicated to his quest to summit the world's tallest mountain: a guided trip through Himalayan Experience cost about $55,000. 

On May 5, nearly a month into his expedition, Martinet's Everest dreams ended long before he ever got the chance to summit.

Himalayan Experience's lead guide Russell Brice announced that day that it was no longer safe to climb the peak, in what was described as a "somber" conversation in an account posted on the company's   website. Minimal snowpack and warm temperatures, among other factors, had led to dangerous conditions, including rock fall and avalanches. 

"[The decision] was almost a blindside," Martinet told msnbc.com. "To me, it wasn’t an option in my mind. When it hit, I was amazingly frustrated ... I’m frustrated I never got to try and find out if I was good enough."

Martinet will not receive a refund, though the company has said members of this year's expedition can receive a discount if they choose to try again in 2013.

Still, Martinet considers Himalayan Experience a top-caliber climbing outfit. Martinet heard and saw two separate mini-avalanches and could hear the ice crack and groan as it moved in a particularly treacherous section. "It was really dangerous this year from what they explained to us," he said.

Two Sherpas have died so far this season -- one after falling into a crevasse and the other reportedly from altitude sickness, according to National Geographic magazine.  More than 200 people have died climbing Everest since 1950.

The cancellation of the Himalayan Experience expedition, however, is the first time that a guided trip on Everest has been abandoned at this point in the two-month climbing season, according to professional guides.

Teams typically begin an expedition in April and spend a few weeks moving between camps in order to acclimate to thinning oxygen levels. No one has reached Everest's peak yet this season, but guides are hopeful that improving conditions will lead to several hundred summits by the end of May, which marks the start of monsoon weather.

"It was kind of unusual and kind of shocking to us that [Brice] pulled out," Todd Burleson, president of Alpine Ascents International, told msnbc.com. Burleson first summited Everest in 1992; his company is currently leading eight clients, who paid $65,000, up the mountain.

Since the Himalayan Experience trip was canceled, Burleson said, more snowfall has helped stabilize fragile ice and rock in the Khumbu Icefall, a specific area of concern for Brice. Sherpas and guides have also established safer routes through the treacherous section known as the Lhotse Face.

Multiple attempts to reach Brice and Himalayan Experience were unsuccessful, but the company listed a number of reasons for the controversial decision on its website.

Of particular concern, it said, were how the team's Sherpas were reacting to the conditions. They felt temperatures were too warm in the early morning, when climbers would be moving through the precarious icefall. The team was also frightened by the rockfall on the Lhotse Face, which had caused accidents. "A few more warm days like today in combination with big gusts of wind will see these rocks flying again," the site read.

Michael Fagin, who provides forecasting services for Everest teams and runs everestweather.com from Redmond, Wash., said the spring had been very dry and windy. In the past week, winds had reached up to 80 mph; climbers on Everest prefer them under 30 mph. Since Everest does not have a weather station, Fagin relies on several forecast models. The recent snowfall and an expected break in the winds should lead to a summit window soon, Fagin said.

Eric Simonson, Himalayan program director of International Mountain Guides, said that to cancel an Everest expedition so early was "quite unprecedented," but added it is unreasonable to expect every team to agree on how to handle difficult conditions.

"They’re betting on there being a problem and all the other expeditions that have stayed are betting on our ability to mitigate that problem. I don’t think it has to reflect poorly on anyone."

Simonson said his team hopes to establish the summit route by May 18. "If the weather complies," he said, "we could be seeing summits shortly thereafter."

Mark Jenkins, a writer for National Geographic magazine, is attempting to climb Everest as part of a joint expedition between National Geographic and The North Face. His team, Jenkins said in an e-mail from Everest's Base Camp to msnbc.com, is looking to summit before or May 25 depending on the weather, and that other teams were eying May 19.

"At this point," Jenkins said, "I believe we have a strong team and a fair chance at the summit. We’ll see."

On Wednesday afternoon, the National Geographic-North Face expedition, led by accomplished mountaineer Conrad Anker, canceled its plans to summit via the West Ridge due to icy conditions, but will still attempt to reach the peak via a different route.

Last year, a total of 537 climbers reached the peak from two routes. Simonson expects that at least 400 or 500 will try to summit in the next two weeks.

Martinet doesn't want Brice's concerns about safety to bear out for fear that tragedy could strike the teams still on the mountain. But it remains difficult for him to consider the alternative: he could still be on Everest, climbing his way to glory.

"There's no way for someone like me to go back next year," Martinet says. It would mean saving up another $50,000, convincing an employer to give him two months off and accept a time-consuming training schedule.

For the coming weeks, Martinet, who was laid off from his job just before he left for the expedition, plans to spend time with his wife and plot his next trip. He's considering Peru after meeting fellow climbers on Everest who had specific recommendations.

"I don’t know what it’s going to turn into yet," Martinet says of the experience. "It’s not settled for me yet. I hope it doesn’t haunt me."

He is, though, left with some good memories of Everest: "It was just a great place to be as a climber. To meet Conrad Anker, to be hanging out at Base Camp. To be in that environment and go through the Khumbu Icefall was phenomenal, I loved it. It was what I had gone for -- I wish I could have done more."

Rebecca Ruiz is a reporter at msnbc.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

More from msnbc.com:

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The post Climber’s dreams dashed far below Everest summit appeared first on Travel Globe.

Joe Martinet

Climber Joe Martinet en route to the base of the Lhotse Face on Mount Everest in late April.

For six months, starting last September, Joe Martinet went to the gym twice a day for six days a week. He spent hours on a steep treadmill, wearing climbing boots and a 25-pound backpack. Then he hit the StairMaster and lifted weights.

When Martinet, 37, wasn't at the gym, he biked or ran near his home in Reston, Va. On the weekends, he'd drive 100 miles to Shenandoah National Park and scramble up one of the peaks, the tallest of which exceed 4,000 feet.

Martinet, a mountain climber who has scaled Alaska's Denali (20,320 feet), was training to summit Mount Everest this month.

His body wasn't the only thing Martinet, who develops satellite and cellphones, dedicated to his quest to summit the world's tallest mountain: a guided trip through Himalayan Experience cost about $55,000. 

On May 5, nearly a month into his expedition, Martinet's Everest dreams ended long before he ever got the chance to summit.

Himalayan Experience's lead guide Russell Brice announced that day that it was no longer safe to climb the peak, in what was described as a "somber" conversation in an account posted on the company's   website. Minimal snowpack and warm temperatures, among other factors, had led to dangerous conditions, including rock fall and avalanches. 

"[The decision] was almost a blindside," Martinet told msnbc.com. "To me, it wasn’t an option in my mind. When it hit, I was amazingly frustrated ... I’m frustrated I never got to try and find out if I was good enough."

Martinet will not receive a refund, though the company has said members of this year's expedition can receive a discount if they choose to try again in 2013.

Still, Martinet considers Himalayan Experience a top-caliber climbing outfit. Martinet heard and saw two separate mini-avalanches and could hear the ice crack and groan as it moved in a particularly treacherous section. "It was really dangerous this year from what they explained to us," he said.

Two Sherpas have died so far this season -- one after falling into a crevasse and the other reportedly from altitude sickness, according to National Geographic magazine.  More than 200 people have died climbing Everest since 1950.

The cancellation of the Himalayan Experience expedition, however, is the first time that a guided trip on Everest has been abandoned at this point in the two-month climbing season, according to professional guides.

Teams typically begin an expedition in April and spend a few weeks moving between camps in order to acclimate to thinning oxygen levels. No one has reached Everest's peak yet this season, but guides are hopeful that improving conditions will lead to several hundred summits by the end of May, which marks the start of monsoon weather.

"It was kind of unusual and kind of shocking to us that [Brice] pulled out," Todd Burleson, president of Alpine Ascents International, told msnbc.com. Burleson first summited Everest in 1992; his company is currently leading eight clients, who paid $65,000, up the mountain.

Since the Himalayan Experience trip was canceled, Burleson said, more snowfall has helped stabilize fragile ice and rock in the Khumbu Icefall, a specific area of concern for Brice. Sherpas and guides have also established safer routes through the treacherous section known as the Lhotse Face.

Multiple attempts to reach Brice and Himalayan Experience were unsuccessful, but the company listed a number of reasons for the controversial decision on its website.

Of particular concern, it said, were how the team's Sherpas were reacting to the conditions. They felt temperatures were too warm in the early morning, when climbers would be moving through the precarious icefall. The team was also frightened by the rockfall on the Lhotse Face, which had caused accidents. "A few more warm days like today in combination with big gusts of wind will see these rocks flying again," the site read.

Michael Fagin, who provides forecasting services for Everest teams and runs everestweather.com from Redmond, Wash., said the spring had been very dry and windy. In the past week, winds had reached up to 80 mph; climbers on Everest prefer them under 30 mph. Since Everest does not have a weather station, Fagin relies on several forecast models. The recent snowfall and an expected break in the winds should lead to a summit window soon, Fagin said.

Eric Simonson, Himalayan program director of International Mountain Guides, said that to cancel an Everest expedition so early was "quite unprecedented," but added it is unreasonable to expect every team to agree on how to handle difficult conditions.

"They’re betting on there being a problem and all the other expeditions that have stayed are betting on our ability to mitigate that problem. I don’t think it has to reflect poorly on anyone."

Simonson said his team hopes to establish the summit route by May 18. "If the weather complies," he said, "we could be seeing summits shortly thereafter."

Mark Jenkins, a writer for National Geographic magazine, is attempting to climb Everest as part of a joint expedition between National Geographic and The North Face. His team, Jenkins said in an e-mail from Everest's Base Camp to msnbc.com, is looking to summit before or May 25 depending on the weather, and that other teams were eying May 19.

"At this point," Jenkins said, "I believe we have a strong team and a fair chance at the summit. We’ll see."

On Wednesday afternoon, the National Geographic-North Face expedition, led by accomplished mountaineer Conrad Anker, canceled its plans to summit via the West Ridge due to icy conditions, but will still attempt to reach the peak via a different route.

Last year, a total of 537 climbers reached the peak from two routes. Simonson expects that at least 400 or 500 will try to summit in the next two weeks.

Martinet doesn't want Brice's concerns about safety to bear out for fear that tragedy could strike the teams still on the mountain. But it remains difficult for him to consider the alternative: he could still be on Everest, climbing his way to glory.

"There's no way for someone like me to go back next year," Martinet says. It would mean saving up another $50,000, convincing an employer to give him two months off and accept a time-consuming training schedule.

For the coming weeks, Martinet, who was laid off from his job just before he left for the expedition, plans to spend time with his wife and plot his next trip. He's considering Peru after meeting fellow climbers on Everest who had specific recommendations.

"I don’t know what it’s going to turn into yet," Martinet says of the experience. "It’s not settled for me yet. I hope it doesn’t haunt me."

He is, though, left with some good memories of Everest: "It was just a great place to be as a climber. To meet Conrad Anker, to be hanging out at Base Camp. To be in that environment and go through the Khumbu Icefall was phenomenal, I loved it. It was what I had gone for -- I wish I could have done more."

Rebecca Ruiz is a reporter at msnbc.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

More from msnbc.com:

• For summer travelers, sand is thicker than blood
• Video: Find old-fashioned family fun at summer festivals
• Flying high: Seven new airport expansions

The post Climber’s sky-high dreams dashed far below Everest summit appeared first on Travel Globe.

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An annual pass will be made available to members of the military free of charge beginning Saturday, which is Armed Forces Day. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass ordinarily costs $80. It provides access to more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands.

The initiative is being marked with a Tuesday ceremony at Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Va., the site of the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. The park is nestled in a region of Virginia that plays host to all five branches of the military, including the world's largest naval base.

"I think when one goes into Virginia and you see all the sites, the Yorktown battlefield and the whole history of the country, it's important that those who have fought in the tradition of making sure the nation's democracy and freedom are protected also have access to these wonderful sites there," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a conference call with reporters in advance of the announcement.

The National Park Service estimates that giving away the passes to service members and their families will result in a revenue loss between $2 million and $6 million. The passes allow the owner and passengers in a single private vehicle access to sites that charge per vehicle. At sites where entrance fees are charged per-person, it covers the pass owner and three adults age 16 and older.

"We collect about $150 million in fees nationwide, so we don't think that this amount of decrease will be significant to the overall operations of the service," said Jon Jarvis, director of the National Park Service.

Military personnel can get the passes at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee by showing their military ID. Each family member will also be able to obtain their own pass even if the service member is deployed or if they are traveling separately.

The pass will be accepted at National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees.

The free pass will be made available for activated members of the National Guard and Reserves, but not for military veterans or retirees.

The effort compliments the Joining Forces initiative being spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, to support military families.

"Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to our servicemen and women who make great sacrifices to protect our country and preserve our freedom," Jill Biden said. "In recognition of their service, we are so pleased to be putting out a welcome mat for our military families at America's most beautiful and storied sites."

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