In the era of Google Maps and GoPros, it’s easy to assume that the Earth’s most inimitable challenges have all been met: the tallest peaks summited, the most remote rivers run, and the harshest landscapes traversed. Not so. Despite advances in equipment and an ever-crowded globe, some expeditions — like the winter crossing of Antarctica — continue to fail. Others, like a first descent of an isolated section of the Kuri Chu River in Bhutan, have yet to be attempted at all. So while it may be a fact that there are dwindling swaths of unexplored terrain, and “firsts” are getting harder to come by, there’s still a few big ones left on humanity’s bucket list. Here’s the 12 we hope to see in our lifetime.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!