F E A T U R E S

COVER STORY
THE BUDDY SYSTEM
Great friendships are forged in the wilderness, even if you and your compadres don't always agree on the fine points. ("You forgot the beer." "No, you forgot the beer.") Crack open a few cold ones with SEBASTIAN JUNGER, IAN FRAZIER, KELLY SLATER, EDDIE VEDDER, and others for a giant bull session of hilarious memories, tall tales, outright lies, and fightin' words. PLUS: You done me wrong! The Outside Guide to Feuds.

MOUNTAINEERING
THE DEVIL WEARS PATAGONIA
Climber Steve House has pulled off some of the world's most daunting ascents—including a prizewinning 2005 epic on Nanga Parbat's notorious Rupal Face—all in pure alpine style. So why does he have such an ax to grind? Meet one of the great mountain men of our time, an American with big opinions on style, partnership, and what a climber should leave behind.
BY ROB BUCHANAN

DESTINATIONS
THE PLEASURE'S ALL MAYAN
The east coast of the Yucatán used to be rich with idyllic fishing villages and secluded beaches . . . but then it got all Cancúnized. Is there no going back? You must be loco: From Playa del Carmen to the Belize border, this turquoise paradise is still Mexico at its best, and now it's all polished up with Euro style and eco-smart design. Progress never felt so good.
BY BRUCE BARCOTT

SPORTS
WINDSURFING HAS BEEN CANCELED
Take snowboarding, move it onto the ocean, and add a 20-meter kite and you've got one of the world's fastest-growing sports. During a windy, wavy, Mount Gay–fueled voyage through the British Virgin Islands, MICHAEL BEHAR suits up with the prime movers who are taking kiteboarding to unparalleled heights. PLUS: The best schools and resorts for earning your wings.

ADVENTURE
THE PLACE WHERE TWO FELL OFF
This month, HAMPTON SIDES, bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers, is back with Blood and Thunder, an unforgettable history of Kit Carson, the great southwestern tribes, and the U.S. government's brutal conquest of the West. Join the author as he returns to the scene of many of those crimes, Arizona's sacred Canyon de Chelly, and saddles up with the Digital Age Navajo.

D E P A R T M E N T S

DISPATCHES

» Two surfers, roads be damned, navigate Baja's Pacific coast.

» THE O ZONE: LiveStrong goes beyond the yellow bracelet (hello, flatware!); Canada's 90-foot fleece jacket; dinner 150 feet above Holland.

» EPIC: Olav Heyerdahl repeats his grandfather's Peru-to-Tahiti raft trip.

» TECHNOLOGY: At long last, the Rocket Racing League is here.

» DRINK: Clink glasses with nine of our favorite seasonal beers.

» TRAVEL: Disappear in Spain's Pyrenees this fall. THE GO LIST: North Carolina's Cheoah River uncorked; what's with ginger ale on flights?

» SPORT: Sonnie Trotter nails the world's hardest crack climb.

» MEDIA Cormac McCarthy goes sci-fi. PLUS: Ed Viesturs's mountaineering memoir; the five scariest films ever; Director Andrew Davis talks about The Guardian.

BODYWORK
In the age of digital fitness, anyone can train with Lance's coach and a host of other top pros. They're in your iPod and your e-mail—and they know if you've been slacking.

REVIEW
The next generation of hybrid vehicles makes room for your toys, too. PLUS: Our no-nonsense guide to green fuels, from biodiesel to ethanol.

STYLE
Fall's fusion footwear steps straight off the trail and on the town.

THE HARD WAY
MARK JENKINS recalls a heart-wrenching story of friendship made—and lost—in the wild.