Category Archives: Offbeat

Report: Everest Eurocopter Landing Was Hoax

Posted on 6/3/2005 by roger

Everestnews is reporting that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has said the pilot of the Eurocopter has told them that he did not actually land on the Everest summit on May 14 and 15 as widely publicized but rather … Continue reading →

Posted in ***Top Stories***, 7 Summits, Controversies, Everest, Helicopter Rescues, Highpoint News (world), Urban Legends | Comments Off

Woman Uses Cell Phone Light to Flag Rescue Helicopter

Posted on 5/24/2005 by roger

CBS5 reports Kathy Karlen used a lighted cell phone to flag a rescue helicopter at Shiloh Park near Windsor, California.

Posted in Accidents, California, Helicopter Rescues, Offbeat | Comments Off

A New Search in The Woods — Letterboxing

Posted on 5/17/2005 by roger

The Boston Globe reports a new variation on geocache — called letterboxing.

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Hiker Survives Month With Leech in Nostril

Posted on 4/11/2005 by roger

News24 reports a leech lodged in the nostril of a Hong Kong woman after she washed her face in a stream.

Posted in Accidents, Animals, Asia, Offbeat | Comments Off

Austria To Wrap Snow With Foil to Prevent Melting

Posted on 3/25/2005 by roger

The Taipei Times reports that Austrian ski resorts plan to wrap their snow with plastic foil to decrease melting.

Posted in Austria, Europe, Global Warming, Offbeat | Comments Off

Stuck SUV Saves Hiker Stranded in New Mexico Snow

Posted on 3/18/2005 by roger

The Gallup Independent has a strange tale about a lost hiker whose life was saved because the keys were in an SUV stuck in a 5′ New Mexico snowdrift. Chuck Whitney got stuck on County Route 50 and so he … Continue reading →

Posted in Accidents, New Mexico, Offbeat | Comments Off

First Tripoint Report 3500 to 5500 Year BC

Posted on 3/12/2005 by roger

The Boundary Point Yahoo Group has a report abount gurji tehara which is Hindu for boundary pillar marking the spot where the borders of 3 villages meet dating from vedic aka early bronze age times circa 3500 to 5500 years … Continue reading →

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TV News Copter In Rescue on Mount Bierstadt

Posted on 3/10/2005 by roger

The DenverChannel reports a Channel 7 helicopter plucked 42-year-old hiker from Littleton, Colo., off 14,060 foot Mount Bierstadt. Wendy Dean had gotten caught in white out conditions and a search was in progress. Dean said she became disoriented in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Accidents, Colorado, General, Helicopter Rescues, Offbeat | Comments Off

Highpoint Headline: Wheeler Assumes Command of Whitney

Posted on 3/1/2005 by roger

Here’s a highpoint headline from Stars and Stripes: Wheeler assumes command of USS Mount Whitney. Of the course the story is about Capt. C. Ladd Wheeler assuming commander of the new 6th Fleet flagship.

Posted in California, Highpoint (States) News, New Mexico, Offbeat | Comments Off

“Virus Without Boarders” Hitchhiking to Asian and European Highpoints

Posted on 2/25/2005 by roger

There’s a highpoint story in here somewhere about a Ukrainian group hitchhiking to climb highpoints throughout Asia and Europe. However I think something might be lost in translation:

Posted in Adventures, Highpoint News (world), Offbeat | Comments Off

NASA Seeks Help Identifying UFO Over Haleakala and Mauna Kea

Posted on 2/8/2005 by roger

The astronomy obsessed Hawaii is buzzing over a UFO over Mauna Kea and Haleakala on December 17, 2004. A moving image of the UFO (380K) was published as NASA’s photo of the day today (Feb. 8). Officials ruled out known … Continue reading →

Posted in Hawaii, Offbeat, Phenomenon, Space | Comments Off

Microsoft Seeks Patent on Longitude/Latitude

Posted on 2/6/2005 by roger

Slashdot has got tongues wagging over what it considers in essence an attempt by Micosoft to patent latitude/longitude over the presentation of data. The problem Microsoft says is that latitude/longitude in URL’s can take up too many digits. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps, Offbeat, Technology | Comments Off

Couple in India To Tie Knot 2,000 Feet In the Air Coming From Different Mountains

Posted on 2/4/2005 by roger

Mumbai News reports that an Indian couple plans to get married suspended by ropes between mountains 2,000 feet off the ground. Harnessed to a rope, the groom (Ashriwad Ayre) will move towards the centre of the gap from Duke’s Nose … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures, Asia, Offbeat | Comments Off

How to Ice Climb in Iowa? Use a Silo!

Posted on 2/1/2005 by roger

The Los Angeles Times reports that Don Briggs at the University of Northern Iowa has a way for Midwesterners to ice climb by using grain silos. This is accomplished by pouring water from a hose down a concrete (not metal) … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures, Iowa, Offbeat | Comments Off

Urban Legend?: Man Pees His Way Out Of Avalanche in Slovak Tatra Mountains

Posted on 1/29/2005 by roger

Update Feburary 3, 2004: This is being discussed in our Forum and it was reported to Snopes to see if it is an urban legend. Snopes still calls it “undertermined” but notes there earlier was Czech story along the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Accidents, Avalanches, Europe, Offbeat, Urban Legends | Comments Off