Latest news with #Hutchcraft
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City of North Little Rock launches city app
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The city of North Little Rock launched its own cell phone app this week to provide citizens with updates, event occurrences, city information and more right in the palm of their hand. It's been dubbed 'Everything City of North Little Rock in your pocket,' according to North Little Rock Director of Communication Shara Hutchcraft. City of North Little Rock announces new mobile app Hutchcraft said the app aims to reach the demographic of the city that may not be keeping up with updates provided on social media. 'Now we're able to streamline that information on one platform and everyone has a cell phone so they can get it right on their phone,' Hutchcraft said. The free mobile app, Hutchcraft said, aims to improve transparency between the city government and the citizens of North Little Rock. As they can access city meeting minutes dating back to the late 20th century, originally only available through a Freedom of Infromation Act request, now available on their phone. Hutchcraft said users can also personalize their experience and receive notifications from different departments and areas of need and interest in the city such as leaf removal, inclement weather, council meetings, parks and recreation, animal adoption and of course the City itself. The app also provides a list of upcoming events that month on the homepage, along with articles, updates and announcements that are posted on the city's social media. 'It's very user-friendly, anyone will be able to use the app and have access to any kind of information they need about the city,' Hutchcraft said. 311 City Services celebrates two decades of service to Little Rock residents Hutchcraft said the city will continue to update the app and notification process, evaluating its use on a monthly basis and encourages any citizens who may have suggestions on what could be added to the app to aid in its effectiveness to reach out to the city. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Just Now: First Everest Summits of the Season
One day later than planned, the Sherpa rope fixers have summited Everest. It happened shortly before 5 pm Nepal time. The route is now open for nearly 1,000 others -- foreign clients, Sherpa guides, workers shuttling oxygen bottles and other material to the higher camps. Some groups are already following closely behind the Nepalis, eager to make the best of the great weather. Today's summiters were IFMGA guide Tsering Pemba Sherpa, Ashok Lama, Pem Nurbu Sherpa, Tashi Sherpa, Karma Gyaljen Sherpa, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa, and Pas Tenzi Sherpa. Leading them was Ang Temba Sherpa, who also headed the team that opened the route to the summit of Lhotse yesterday. Originally, the Nepalis had hoped to summit Everest yesterday, but the fixing work took longer and was harder than expected. Eventually, they retreated to Camp 4 for some rest and finished today, Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions told ExplorersWeb. 8K Expeditions is responsible for laying the fixed ropes on Everest and Lhotse this year. 8K Expeditions has slightly over 50 clients on Everest. Many are now heading up and plan to summit on May 12. These include Briton Mitch Hutchcraft, who is completing an eight-month "triathlon" from his home in the UK to the summit of Everest. According to his own estimates, Hutchcraft has covered 13,179km across 19 countries. He swam the English Channel, ran 900km, and cycled the rest. On his previous rotation on the mountain, Hutchcraft did not reach Camp 3, but conditions are so good that, although he feels unprepared, he wants to try. Hutchcraft is using supplementary oxygen and has the support of the all-star guide Gelje Sherpa. They should reach Camp 2 today, Camp 3 tomorrow, Camp 4 on Sunday, and top out on Monday. Other teams have confirmed they will not attempt the summit yet. Many climbers are still doing a final acclimatization trip to Camps 3 and 4. Then, following a growing trend among commercial climbers, they will retreat to Kathmandu for rest and the comforts of a hotel. Suitably refreshed, they then fly back to Base Camp and immediately set off for the summit. If this exceptional weather holds, many will not be able to resist going up during this window. At the same time, the idea is to stagger the groups to minimize crowding. According to Seven Summit Treks, Nepal's Department of Tourism had granted 456 Everest permits to foreign climbers as of last weekend. While not the record number some expected, it is still significant. Factoring in the Nepalese guides supporting them could raise the final number of summits to around 900. Of those 456 clients, Seven Summit Treks and its sister company, 14 Peaks Expedition, are outfitting 103 of them, reinforcing their position at the head of the Himalayan expedition market.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Everest: A Few Summits, But High Winds Now Delay Further Climbs
The first international climbers reached the top of Everest on Sunday, but that sprinkling of summiters will have to suffice for a few days. For the next several days, it will be too windy for all but the most stoic climbers. As expected, several groups set off toward the summit immediately after the Sherpa rope fixers finished their work. On Sunday, they achieved the first international summits of the season. Among them is Mitch Huntcraft, who swam, cycled, and ran from his home in the UK to Nepal over nine months. He climbed, supported by Gelje Sherpa and Yak Phuri, and summited at 7:20 am yesterday. "Since September 15, I have swum 35km across the English Channel, cycled 11,921km through 19 countries to sea level in India, run 875km to Kathmandu, trekked 360km to Everest Base Camp, and climbed to the highest point on Earth," said Hutchcraft. His team claimed it is "the longest climb of Everest in history," but that depends largely on definition. In a similar challenge, Goran Kropp of Sweden also cycled 13,000km from his home in Stockholm and then climbed Everest without supplementary oxygen in 1996. Charlie Wittmack of the U.S. also completed a swim-cycle-run from London to Everest in 2011 that included swimming down the Thames and across the Channel, cycling through 11 countries, and running to Base Camp. However, Hutchcraft noted that Wittmack entered Nepal from Tibet and ran 400km from Kathmandu to Everest, rather than from sea level, as he did. A group from 14 Peaks Expeditions also summited yesterday at around 9:45 am, including the first woman from Kyrgyzstan, Asel Baibagysheva, and three Chinese nationals, plus five supporting Sherpa staff. The company is outfitting several other groups that will climb when the weather improves. Forecasts show the winds will remain high near the summit until at least next weekend. So, while a few may try to tough out the jet stream, most will wait. Conditions remain sunny and pleasant around Base Camp and in the relatively wind-sheltered Camp 2. A large number of climbers are currently heading up the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 2, preparing to go to the summit as soon as the weather improves. There are enough people on the mountain for the summit waves to last for many days. The winds are, in part, why Tyler Andrews aborted his first attempt to set a new speed record up Everest. After 11 hours, he turned around from above Camp 3. In a dispatch after returning to Base Camp, the American trail runner mentioned some gear issues and high winds causing plumes of snow to stream off the summit as the reasons why he turned around. Andrews will have plenty of time to try again, since the monsoon doesn't set in for another three weeks. We will have more details about Andrews in a separate story later today. At least 10 climbers outfitted by Himalayan Guides summited Nuptse today at 2:30 pm. The team included four international climbers and six Sherpas, who also fixed the ropes as they went. Summiter Jay Whiting of the UK also intends to climb Everest and Lhotse before the end of the season. Actor Willem Dafoe is in Kathmandu filming Tenzing, about the 1953 first ascent of Everest. Many locals and visitors are taking selfies with the American actor, who plays British expedition leader John Hunt. Below, Dafoe with Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Royal Marine completes ‘world's longest triathlon' at Everest summit
A former Royal Marine has completed the 'world's longest triathlon', which he started in the UK and finished at the summit of Mount Everest. Mitch Hutchcraft, 32, from Cambridgeshire, travelled more than 8,000 miles in 240 days by swimming, cycling, running and trekking before reaching the world's highest peak on Sunday. After setting off from Dover on September 14 last year, Mr Hutchcraft swam 34km across the English Channel, cycled 11,929km from France to India, ran 900km from India to Kathmandu in Nepal and then trekked 365km to Everest base camp. He reached the summit of the 8,849-metre mountain at 7.20am Nepalese time on Sunday. 'It's been a dream of mine since I was eight years old to climb Everest, ever since I saw it in a book,' said Mr Hutchcraft. 'Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here. 'Years of preparation, eight long months of physical endurance, swimming across the Channel… the hardest day of my life, cycling across 19 countries, running 900km, and following in the footsteps of the first ever climb of Everest to reach base camp. 'It's been one hell of a journey.' He thanked his guide Gelje Sherpa, a renowned Nepalese climber, and the production team who have been documenting his adventure, called Project Limitless. Mr Hutchcraft joined the Royal Marines aged 21, after his father died, and served for six years – leaving in 2021. He said his time with the forces helped mould the 'unbreakable mindset' and resilience he has today. Other challenges he has taken on since leaving the Marines include rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and a 5,000km self-supported cycle across America. He aims to raise £500,000 for SavSim, a London-based wildlife conservation charity which uses animals and nature to provide mental health support to military veterans. Mr Hutchcraft started his challenge by swimming the English Channel from Dover, which he said was the 'hardest day' of his life. 'I barely made it… the weather got really bad and the last five hours of the swim was just trying not to drown, basically,' he said. 'That's how hard it was, when I got to the other side I just literally got to my knees and I had nothing left.' He then cycled from France to Turkey, joined by his three-year-old golden retriever Buddy, who alternated between running alongside him and being pulled in a cycling carrier, which added 32kg to Mr Hutchcraft's bike. Buddy was taken home to be reunited with Mr Hutchcraft's mother when they arrived in Bulgaria. He has faced many challenges during his journey, including being knocked off his bike by a taxi, chased by wild dogs and being held at gunpoint in Serbia. 'I hope I can inspire people to just get out there and push themselves,' Mr Hutchcraft said. 'Never compare yourself to anyone. 'One person's 5k walk is the next person's ultramarathon and I'm just doing this because this is my thing, my combination of dreams, and I want to inspire everyone to do their own thing.' Mr Hutchcraft has been documenting his journey on his Instagram @_mitchhutch. To find out more and donate, visit:
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Royal Marine completes world's longest triathlon with Everest climb
A former Royal Marine has climbed to the summit of Mount Everest to complete the world's longest triathlon. Eight months after setting off from Dover, Mitch Hutchcraft's mammoth expedition saw him swim the English Channel, cycle through Europe and Asia and trek across the 31-year-old then turned his attention to the highest mountain on Earth, after arriving at its base camp. He reached the Everest summit on Sunday at 7.30am Nepalese time. Speaking afterwards, he said: 'It was more magical than I could have ever dreamed it would be. 'Although I lost my dad 11 years ago, he was with me every step of the way. 'It's been tough. Really tough. The most difficult thing I've ever done. But I couldn't be happier and more proud of finishing this epic adventure.' He paid tribute to his father, father-in-law and other friends and family by unfurling a flag with the message reading: 'We miss you' and pictures of those who had inspired him. 'It's been a dream of mine since I was eight years old to climb Everest, ever since I saw it in a book,' he added. 'Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here. 'Years of preparation, eight long months of physical endurance, swimming across the Channel, cycling across 19 countries, running 900km (560 miles), and following in the footsteps of the first ever climb of Everest to reach base camp. It's been one hell of a journey.' Mr Hutchcraft and his climbing team are healthy and expected back at base camp some time on Monday. Molly McDonald, the founder and producer of Blue Door Productions, which has been following and documenting the adventure, said: 'It's been a long road since Mitch first pitched his dream to us. 'As a small team, without funding or a social following to support the expedition, we knew it was a big risk, but we saw a real magic in who Mitch is and the message he wanted to share.'Thanks to the incredible support of amazing partners – and a massive online community – that distant dream has become a reality. I'm incredibly proud of this adventure, though for Blue Door, the finish line is not the summit, but when we get our team back home safely.' In what was called Project Limitless, Mr Hutchcraft swam 21 miles across the Channel, cycled nearly 7,500 miles through Europe and Asia to Digha in India and ran 560 miles to Kathmandu, Nepal. He was forced to take a detour through Iran after being denied a visa and was further delayed by a military lockdown in Iraq. At just 20, Mr Hutchcraft faced the sudden loss of his father, a tragedy said to have become the driving force behind his decision to follow a long-held dream of joining the Royal Marines. He had previously been told a full knee reconstruction would make it impossible to even join the military, let alone complete a challenge of this magnitude. But he served for six years before leaving in 2021 to pursue new challenges driven by an overwhelming desire for adventures. While this has been described as the biggest challenge of his life, it was not his first adventure. Mr Hutchcraft spent the last few years rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, cycling across North America and climbing some of the most challenging mountains in the world before the dream for Project Limitless was born. He said the swim across the Channel was the 'hardest day of my life'. The former Marine has also been raising money for SAVSIM – a non-profit organisation supporting wildlife conservation. 'This has been the most painful, but fulfilling, adventure,' he added. 'I just want it to inspire others to believe that whatever they're dreaming, however small, they just need to get out there and smash it.'His challenge will officially end when he gets back to base camp. Everest was first conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary in 1953. Since then, thousands have tried to scale the mountain and several other Himalayan peaks. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
