This year's National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award goes to a man who risked his life several times to save others. Pemba Gyalje Sherpa was part of the Norit K2 team on K2 August 1, when a massive serac fell off a glacier and tumbled through a section of the Cesan climbing route called the Bottleneck, stranding 17 climbers above 27,000 feet. Pembra, who had climbed Mount Everest seven times, chose to descend the Bottleneck alone, without oxygen, following the single safety left instead of staying in the danger zone. Over the next two days, he climbed back up and saved two of his teammates. For the full story of Pembra Gyalje Sherpa's heroism and rescue of his friends - 11 other climbers died - read The savior and the storm on K2, written by Christian DeBenedetti.

To set yourself in the middle of a climb on Mount Everest click on Watch Mount Everest Through Sherpa's Cams

If you're interested in learning how to climb click on Enjoy Natural Highs

The Specialty Travel Agents Association has just announced that ecotourism is one of its picks for the best types of travel to explore in 2009. This group of travel agents, who have extensive hands-on experience in particular areas of types of travel and specific destinations worldwide, named 10 destinations and types of travel: Culinary, Dominican Republic, Ecotourism, Galapagos Islands, Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa and Thailand.

Check out this list of 10 Natural and Wildlife Adventure Trips , which will take you to many of the countries listed above.

Here's where to find tips for planning an ecotourism trips

So you haven't seen daylight in Las Vegas, between hours at a gaming table, watching Cirque de Soleil's LOVE and a few hours of sleep. When you're ready to re-acquaint yourself with the real world trying hiking or climbing in scenic Red Rock Canyon. (The hiking trails and climbing areas can be reached via the 13-mile scenic drive route -- for those who would rather just look.) Here are some photos of the dramatic scenery in Nevada's Red Rock Canyon. a mere 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.

I've listed a bunch of my favorites, based on feedback from many travelers who enjoy exploring the world. Trips offered by these adventure travel companies will take you just about anywhere in the world, on bare-bones to luxe trips. All offer special experiences that can range from dining and overnighting in locals' homes in Asia to mountain biking in Peru or private tours of ancient ruins. Check out this list of adventure travel companies and let me know who you think I'm missing.

You know business is slow when heli-skiing operations start offering great deals. CMH (Canadian Mountain Holidays) is offering an unprecedented price of $975 (CDN) per day to explore the open bowls and trees in the Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges. Guests will be based at Kootenay, in British Columbia's village of Nakusp. The price (a savings of almost $300 a day) includes guided heli-skiing, lodging, ground transportation from Calgary or Spokane, meals and more. To learn more about CMH, visit Heli-skiing in the Canadian Rockies.

Looking for new places to go with your kids? Eighteen of About.com's travel guides' have put together a Carnival Blog that highlights entertaining places and trips for family outings and vacations. Choices range from whale watching at Virginia Beach or the Vancouver BC aquarium, to a helicopter tour in Alaska and a mule ride in the Grand Canyon. To see all the different places you can explore and activities you can enjoy as a family visit Fun Adventures for Families.

Adventurous family trips go more smoothly when everyone takes part in planning the trip. Here are some tips on choosing and preparing for a family adventure trip.

Ever hear about the Red Bull Crashed Ice, an adventure race on skates? The race takes place on a 550-meter ice-track that not only winds its way through the Old Quarter in Quebec City, but includes a series of high-speed hairpin turns, big-air jumps, drop-offs, and gaps. If you think you skate well enough and are tough enough to race, enter the lottery to race. If not, it's fabulous race to watch. Check out these images of last year's Red Bull Crashed Ice.

I walked the dog today without wearing gloves or a hat. Big mistake. There was a sprinkling of snow on the ground. Winter is arriving. To keep myself warm, I started thinking about scuba diving in calm waters, surrounded by schools of fish as I drift through coral gardens. If you're a scuba diver - or you want to learn how - here are five wonderful islands where you can simply walk off the shore and be in the middle of a living art museum.

Photo courtesy of Clint Hempsall

Even as many ski and snowboard fanatics hide credit cards in a drawer, we are also frantically surfing the Web for vacation deals at winter resorts. The resorts, fearful that the economic downtown and the added baggage fees will decimate the number of guests this winter, are responding with lots of big-savings deals. Ski.com has packages with 25% discounts, and is offering $100 to $300 credits for various vacation packages. Vail Resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado, and Heavenly, which straddles the California/Nevada state line) is offering a parade of deals. So, too, is Intrawest, whose ski slopes include Whistler Blackcomb and Mont Tremblant in Canada, and Winter Park and Copper Mountain in Colorado. Hotwire.com is offering deals at four-star hotels around Lake Tahoe.
Seek and ye shall find a deal. You can start looking at Adventure Travel Deals and Discounts and Ski.com.

Looking for a checkpoint friendly backpack or laptop bag, so you don't have to pull your laptop out of your carry-on luggage while going through airport security? TSA now allows laptops to remain in carry-on bags that are "checkpoint friendly." Check out these checkpoint friendly bags on sale through Thursday. If you're looking for what you can carry onboard the next time you fly check out the latest info about carry-on bags from the Transportation Security Administration.