National Geographic Adventure Announces 2014 Adventurers of the Year

Also while I was away, National Geographic Adventure announced the 2014 Adventurers of the Year, honoring some of the most amazing people who accomplished impressive things over the past 12 months. As usual, the list is filled with inspiring people, many of whom we have followed closely here on The Adventure Blog.

In total, there are 14 people who have earned the distinction of being named Adventurers of the Year. They include mountaineer Ueli Steck for his amazing solo-summit of Annapurna in the fall of 2013, as well as climber Tommy Caldwell, who completed the first traverse of the Fitz Roy massif in Patagonia.

They are joined by ski-mountaineer Kit DesLauriers, who led an expedition to Alaska to explore the impact of climate change on glaciers there, and to more accurately measure the height of the mountains in the remote ANWR region.

Swimmer Lewis Pugh get the nod for his extreme efforts in the water, but for also examining the health of the world’s oceans, while blind adventurers Erik Weihenmayer and Lonnie Bedwell make the list for their successful attempt to kayak the length of the Grand Canyon. You can read about each of these men and women, and see the rest of the list, by clicking here.

Of course, Nat Geo has also opened up the voting for their annual People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year as well, giving us the opportunity to vote for the person or persons, who we think made the most impressive and daring feat of the past year. Voting is open through January 31, 2015, with the winner being announced in February of next year. You can vote once a day, so be sure to check back regularly.

This is the tenth year that National Geographic has given out the Adventurer of the Year awards, and I’m proud to say that over the past few years, I’ve had some input on the nominees. This year, a few my suggestions once again made the cut, and it is an honor to see some of these men and women that I have followed closely since starting the blog get recognition for their efforts.

Congratulations to this year’s class of Adventurers of the Year.

Kraig Becker