Video: House Of The Sun - Timelapse Over Maui

I've posted some spectacular timelapse videos on occasion here, but few can rival this one. It was shot on Haleakala, a gigantic dormant volcano in Hawaii and what make it so spectacular is the dramatic shifts in light as the thick clouds and fog give way to a beautiful sunrise. It really is a sight to behold and should make for a perfect ending to the week. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and a tip of the cap to filmmaker Dan Douglas for sharing with all of us.

In case I haven't said it recently, our world is an amazing place.

House of the Sun from Dan Douglas on Vimeo.

Video: Why Climb? - In Celebration Of 100 Years On Denali

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the first summit of Denali, the tallest peak in North America at 6194 meters (20,320 ft). A century after that first ascent the mountain remains a challenging and difficult climb, but one that is sought after by mountaineers from across the globe. The video below, which comes are way from the National Park Service, not only celebrates this occasion but also serves as a great reminder of why we climb. As if we need to be reminded! Excellent video for an important anniversary. Enjoy!

Video: Climbing Big Walls In Greenland

On a recent climbing trip to Greenland, Mike Libecki, Angie Payne and Ethan Pringle discovered a new route up a massive rock tower. With just three days to go until their boat arrived to pick them up, they decided to give it a go. It turned out to be a fantastic route and the short film below chronicles taht adventure, complete with nights spent bivvying on tiny rock ledges.

The video has it all. Beautiful landscapes, dramatic climbing and a big payoff at the end with the first ascent of a 3000-foot (914 meters) rock-face competed over about 60 hours. Excellent stuff and a nice look at what goes into a big wall climb.

The Journey | Three Whole Days from Mountain Hardwear on Vimeo.

Explorers Hope To Complete Scott's Fatal Antarctic Expedition

Two explorers have announced their intentions of completing the Antarctic expedition that famed British explorer Robert Falcon Scott never could. Veteran adventurers Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere say they will attempt to follow in Scott's footsteps on an 1800-mile (2896 km) round trip journey to the South Pole that will follow the same route that the Terra Nova expedition took in 1911-1912. That is the same expedition that resulted in Scott and his men arriving at the South Pole three weeks behind their Norwegian rivals led by Roald Amundsen, before they all perished on the return trip to the coast.

Ben and Tarka intend to set off from the same cabin that Scott used when he launched his expedition more than a century a go. They'll get underway in October of this year with the hopes of completing the epic journey in approximately 110 days. They'll make the trip without resupply as well, which would make this the longest unsupported polar journey in history.

Scott, who remains a legendary figure in British exploration more than 100 years after his death, famously raced Amundsen to the South Pole to claim the honor of being first to reach that point. Using knowledge from his years spent in the Arctic, Amundsen and his men were able to move faster than the Scott party and as a result were able to plant the flag of Norway at 90�S several weeks before the arrival of the Brits. Dejected and defeated Scott and his men set out on their return journey with heavy hearts. That journey proved fatal to all of the remaining men, with Scott himself, along with Edward Wilson and Henry Bowers, perishing in a tent after getting caught in a blizzard that raged for days. Sadly, they were just 11 miles away from "One Ton Depot," a supply cache that would have given them food and fuel that would have allowed them to survive.

Saunders and L'Herpiniere won't be facing such dire consequences when they launch their expedition later this year. Still, it will take a herculean effort on their part to complete this journey. We haven't seen a lot of success on these round-trip expeditions to the South Pole and they will be taking a route that is far from the tried and true Hercules Inlet starting point.

The 2013 Antarctic season is still months away, but I'm already starting to look forward to it.

GoPro Mountain Games Underway In Vail

One of the largest and most popular event for outdoor athletes is now underway in Vail, Colorado, where the GoPro Mountain Games kicked off yesterday. These are the same mountain games that we've come to know and love over the past number of years, although this time GoPro has stepped up to be the title sponsor replacing Teva.

The events kicked off yesterday with a light schedule to get things started but things will pick-up considerably today as we head into the weekend. As usual, there are a number of great outdoor sports for athletes to take part in with bouldering, slacklining and slope style mountain biking taking center stage today. The number of events really ramps up tomorrow as climbing, kayaking, cycling and many other competitions begin, and of course the battle for the title of the King of the Mountain kicks into full gear as well.

Of course, there will be plenty to do for spectators as well. In addition to cheering on these amazing outdoor athletes, the Adventure Village returns to give kids an opportunity to learn more about the sports they're watching while Gear Town will be a great place to check out new outdoor equipment and possibly even score some killer deals. As always, there will be plenty of live music, parties, food and photo competitions to help keep everyone entertained.

For a full list of events and to get more details on the GoPro Mountain Games, click here. If you're in the neighborhood this weekend, it looks like this will be a fun event worth checking out. And if you're up to it, you might still be able to get involved in some of the competitions.

The Rest of Everest Episode 190: 5 Dudes In A Tent

In need of your weekly mountaineering fix? The latest episode of The Rest of Everest has arrived just in time to help with that addiction. This week we continue to follow climber Brian Block and his team as they start to acclimate to Broad Peak prior to setting out for their eventual target, the always imposing K2. The team has been busy getting ready for the challenges ahead, but bad weather is about to send them back to Base Camp for a time.

One of the things that I have always loved about this video podcast is how it shows all aspects of an expedition, even if that entails the team just hanging out in BC. It is all part of the process of climbing these big peaks, where patience is often rewarded.

Video: Connecting Adventurers And Scientists

Gregg Treinish is a 2013 Nat Geo Emerging Explorer and the founder of Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation. That organization connects outdoor enthusiasts, explorers and extreme athletes with scientists who are looking for samples or data to help them in their research. By working together, the outdoor crowd can help collect that data and get into the hands of scientists who may not have had an opportunity to get it before. It is a novel concept � kind of like crowd-research � and I think it is a brilliant idea.

The video below profiles Gregg and what he is attempting to accomplish with ASC. It is also the first in a new four-part series that will profile similar me and women who are having a positive impact on our world.

Gregg Treinish, A MoveShake Story from RED REEL on Vimeo.