Ballpark Estimate: $1,175 to $5,600 (plus airfare to Russia) The Caucasus Mountain Range rises up between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, dividing Europe (to the north) from Asia (to the south). Located in Russia, north of the main Caucasus Range, the two summits of Mt. Elbrus are inside European territory and, at 18,510 feet (5,642…

Ballpark Estimate: $175 to $635 (includes purchase of gear) WARNING! Learning to climb in an indoor gym does not adequately prepare you for outdoor rock climbing. Different gear and a very different and more complicated set of skills are required to climb outdoors. Do not attempt to climb outdoors on your own, even top-roping routes, without…

Ballpark Estimate: $130,000 to $220,000 Climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each of the seven continents, was an idea invented in the early 1980s by Dick Bass, a wealthy, middle-aged businessman and novice climber. He accomplished this feat by hiring, at great expense, a succession of professional mountain guides, and completed his quest in…

Ballpark Estimate: $30,000 to $35,000 The view from the summit of Mount Vinson has been described as other-worldly. You are likely standing under an indescribably bright blue sky, gazing out at thousands of square miles of ice and snow, against the background of a curved horizon. At 16,050 feet (4,892 meters), Vinson Massif is the highest…

Ballpark Estimate: $400 to $1,500 (1st year – used gear); $1,300 to $3,000 (2nd year – new gear) Every four years, the Winter Olympic athletes show us the very best in skiing, skating, bobsled, luge, and more. But one of the most awe inspiring sports has got to be ski jumping. Wearing impossibly long and wide jumping…

Ballpark Estimate: $350 to $600 for training and certification If you consider yourself a true adventurer, you may enjoy exploring new places not only above ground but also beneath sea level. Scuba diving (or Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) is a popular sport that allows you to journey into the ocean’s depth and come face to face…

Ballpark Estimate: $10,000 to $20,500 Located 4 degrees south of the equator in the Papua province of Indonesia, Carstensz Pyramid (elevation 16,023 feet) is the highest point on the Oceanic continent and one of the most remote of the Seven Summits. Papua is in the western half of New Guinea and the peak is part of…

Ballpark Estimate: $15,000 to $30,000 (not including gear and clothing) In 1856, while surveying the peaks of the Karakorum Range in northwest Pakistan, Thomas Montgomerie spotted two gigantic, towering mountains and named them K1 (Karakorum 1) and K2. Most mountains are eventually given “real names” – after the original surveyor, a nearby location, a geographical feature, or…

Ballpark Estimate: $100+ per day for guided tour A water-borne version of the classic hiking trails the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail, New England’s Maine Island Trail extends from Kennebunkport, Maine to the Canadian border. Overseen and administered by the non-profit Maine Island Trail Association, the trail is well-loved by multi-week adventurers and day trippers…

Ballpark Estimate: $100 to $150 per day per person Whitewater rafting can provide an exciting outdoor adventure for people of all ages and experience levels. Want to get your heart pumping faster? Looking for a taste of danger? If you feel most of home when you’re close to nature, running a whitewater river may be your…

Ballpark Estimate: $2,500 to $8,600 While you won’t find crowds of people at your local bike store who have made this amazing journey, those who have will tell you it was a life-changing experience, and almost always a positive one. If you’re thinking of trying it out for yourself, talk to as many people as you…