Submissions
We are not currently accepting submissions from writers. However, if you are planning an expedition or have recently completed one in an extreme environment, such as the polar regions, the ocean, deserts, or high-altitude mountains, and believe it would make a compelling report, please contact the editor at a.routen@gmail.com.
We cover expeditions which meet some or most of the following criteria:
Originality
This includes journeys that follow routes that are rarely travelled or not travelled at all. It may involve a new line or bold variation (in climbing terms), a first ascent or new route or journey, or perhaps a reimagining of a long forgotten historic journey. The emphasis is not solely on being first but on whether the expedition adds something genuinely new and different or is particularly creative.
Distance
Distance matters, but only when understood in context. A long journey across benign terrain may be physically demanding, but it is not necessarily committing, or technically and logistically difficult. By contrast, a shorter journey in a hostile or technical environment may represent a far greater undertaking. For example, a 400km unsupported backpack in a remote range in the Yukon is a serious and difficult undertaking, whereas a 400km backpack across a well-signposted hiking route in the European Alps is less so.
Technical Difficulty
Technical difficulty reflects the level of skill, judgement, and risk required to complete a journey. High technical difficulty includes travel over complex terrain such as heavily crevassed glaciers, sea ice, steep mixed alpine ground, or open ocean. These environments demand a high level of skill and constant decision making and carry higher consequence for error. The more technically demanding a journey is, the more it says about the team and their competence.
Remoteness
Remoteness also helps define the seriousness of an expedition. True remoteness is being days rather than hours from help. It is also about limited communication and limited options for support or rescue when things go wrong. In very remote environments, decisions carry more weight as mistakes cannot always be corrected. This fundamentally changes the character of a journey.
Independence
Independence relates to ownership of the expedition. An independent expedition is planned, organised, and executed by the team undertaking it. It is not guided, and decision making remains with the participants throughout. The team plans it, organises it, and executes it. Ownership of the expedition matters as it shapes both the experience and the outcome.
Secondary Considerations
Beyond the primary factors above, there are some additional elements that can help guide how an expedition should be understood.
Prior Knowledge and Information
On well-travelled objectives, there may be decades of accumulated knowledge on the route, conditions, and required equipment. This reduces uncertainty, even when the objective remains physically or technically challenging. By contrast, when little or no prior information exists, uncertainty becomes a defining factor. The less known about an environment or objective, the greater the uncertainty, which is arguably a central component of adventure.
Purpose and Intent
Expeditions are driven by different motivations. These may include scientific research, personal challenge, cultural exploration, or storytelling. Purpose should not determine quality, but it provides context to the expedition objectives.
Narrative and Storytelling
For the media, the ability to tell a compelling story remains important. However, narrative should not be used to inflate the significance of an otherwise limited objective.