ABOVE-AVERAGE JOES
Whatever daredevilry you aim to master, you can go from zero to hero a lot faster than you think. Join our brave, bruised guinea pigs on their quests to prove that, with a little time and energy (and the right coach), any bum can be a badass.

ACES HIGH
You'd think a guy who's topped out on Everest nine times could handle heights. Apparently not. So we sent über-guide DAVE HAHN up the sheer, 3,000-foot face of El Capitan with a few friends to (1) fight through the tears, (2) banish his acrophobia, and (3) not pee his pants.
    

THE ZAHN RULES
As in Steve Zahn, he of Hollywood stoner-sidekick fame and fresh leading-man cachet. We suss the Strange Wilderness star's strategy for making movies yet always keeping adventure on the agenda.
INTERVIEW BY ADAM SPANGLER

HELL IN HIGH WATER
Almost 40 years after a trip into California's Sespe Wilderness saw six boys and four men lose their lives in a moment of tragic miscalculation, TIM ZIMMERMANN retraces the accident and its aftermath—and discovers the untold secrets of the lone survivor.

DUDES, MELLOW!
How to bring some peace to the Middle East? Israeli-Palestinian surf camps! JIMMIE BRIGGS and wave guru Kelly Slater paddle out with the old man with the plan, SoCal surf legend Dorian Paskowitz.

DESTINATIONS SPECIAL
BUSH 2008
Our guide to the coolest new Australian itineraries: These days, the land of Oz boasts a smorgasbord of gorgeous, far-flung getaways, whether deep in the outback, within sailing distance of the Great Barrier Reef, or in the sticks outside metropolitan Sydney.
BY KATIE ARNOLD

»  FIRST LOOK: Philippe Cousteau Jr. swims with the big fish in his new TV series, Oceans.

D I S P A T C H E S
»  THE DRAWING BOARD: Stunt junkie Jeb Corliss pulls on a wing suit for the world's first parachute-free skydive. Let's hope he sticks the landing.
»  THE BIG IDEA: Technology has its place in the outdoors: in your pocket, in sleep mode.
»  GENEALOGY: Your primer to the Cousteau dynasty: their family ties, some slipknots, and their growing, watery sphere of influence.
»  PLUS: This month on Everest, it's cricket; Tomaz Humar conquers Annapurna's east summit.

CODE GREEN
Has the new enviro movement overwhelmed us? Or can a dose of young energy make up for our eco-sins?
BY ELIZABETH HIGHTOWER

M E D I A
»  BOOKS: William T. Vollmann's railway paean, Riding Toward Everywhere; Michael Kodas's High Crimes; and Bruce Barcott's The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw.
»  MUSIC: Charting surf rock's historical crests and wipeouts—and where Jack Johnson's new album fits in.

D E S T I N A T I O N S
»  SPOT ON: Tanzania unfiltered.
»  DIVING: See the world's great reefs while you can—here are five undiscovered gems, from Israel to Fiji.
»  THE GO LIST: An oasis in Phoenix; the Hawaii Superferry returns; heli-snowboard B.C. with Scott Newsome.

OUT OF BOUNDS
We call it Skills Deficit Syndrome: You're a sponsored athlete, but your girlfriend can barely execute a bunny hop. Or is it vice versa? Love doctor ERIC HANSEN will see you now.

R E V I E W
»  COVET: Swiss Army goes Wall Street.
»  DIGITAL CAMERAS have come a long way. From point-and-shoots to SLRs, we pick this generation's best.
»  HUT CHECK: Eight new tools to help make the most of your next backcountry foray.
»  STYLE: Good jeans.

BODYWORK
Introducing THE MASTER PLAN, a sport-by-sport guide with everything you need to excel. Part One: Running.

PARTING SHOT
Evel is dead. Long live Evel.