Everything
I'm growing increasingly bummed that I won't be at the Tour of California until tomorrow. A day too late on several levels. There are a lot of stories on the ground there today, starting with Floyd Landis' doping admission and subsequent finger pointing at Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Johan Bruyneel,…
Hours after defending himself against doping allegations by anex-teammate, Lance Armstrong went to the hospital for X-rays aftercrashing during the Tour of California, states nbcsports.com. Armstrong’s longtime coach Johan Bruyneeltweeted Thursday that Armstrong was involved in a “huge” crash and “hadto abandon and is going to…
Just getting wind of a large crash at the Tour of California. Here’s what we’ve picked up from Shack coach Johan Bruyneel’s Twitter stream so far: Sorry to report there was a huge crash, with Chechu and Lance involved. Lance had to abandon and is going to the hospital for…
By Stephen Regenold Marketed as “the Swiss Army knife of prescription eyewear,” Smith Optics' PivLock V90 glasses offer a new type of system for anyone in need of vision enhancement in the outdoors. In short, glasses wearers can purchase a prescription lens…
Dr. Peter Hackett is back. After a ten-year absence from the Khumbu Valley, a place he’s either lived or visited consistently between 1974 and 2000, Hackett returned to Nepal this spring to work at Everest ER. In his ten-year absence, the Telluride-based doc who…
In the late '90s, God's Army, a Burmese anti-government guerrilla group, was headline news. The front-page draw wasn't that they were violent revolutionaries but that they were a group of child soldiers. After reading Mac McClelland's…
Lance Armstrong has a severely bruised left elbow and as 1.2-inch swollen cut under his left eye as a result of his crash earlier today in the fifth stage of the Tour of California. Armstrong had tried…
Team Jordan advanced to Camp 2 last night. According to Jordan's blog , the hike took them about nine hours to complete. Camp 2 is as high as Jordan has ever been –…
The cycling world woke up to a rude jolt this morning with the news that Floyd Landis has admitted to using EPO, testosterone, human-growth hormone, and other doping products from 2002 through to the 2006 Tour de France victory he was stripped of after testing positive for testosterone. He has…
The three American hikers detained in Iran were reunited with theirmothers earlier today. Josh Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah…
The U.S. Forest Service in Colorado may charge people to climb four of the fourteeners in the state's Sangre de Cristo mountains. Reportedly, the Forest Service spent a cool million on…
Everest's north face (photo by Carsten.nebel, used under CC 3.0) Team Jordan left advanced base camp around 3 p.m. China time (3 a.m. EST) for Camp 1 and the North Col. The team's…
“Not just different. Better.” That tester’s observation sums up this 15-degree bag from Montbell, whose major tech innovation—spiraled baffles—made it the most comfortable and best-functioning bag we tested this year. Far from a gimmick, the spiral baffles drape more evenly over the body, creating…
Karhu’s Strong Fulcrum Ride ($140) seems different out of the box than other road running shoes. Perhaps, it’s the styling with its nod to fashionable casual footwear. The stark white shoe has but a few touches…
There were at least 60 summits on Monday morning, May 16th from thesouth side. And at least 6 on the north. Thewinds did pick up late Monday bringing a stop to this brief window. After a false start on Saturday night when the winds did notcooperate, teams huddled at…
Save Wild Salmon from Epicocity Project on Vimeo. On May 20th, the Obama administration will announce a revamped salmon plan for the Columbia and Snake Rivers, according to wildsalmon.org. Some environmentalists worry the…
Advice on finding the best gear—and tried-n-true methods for maintaining your gear for years to come.
Our man Joshua Hammer spoke on NPR's Weekend Edition of his article “A Mountain of Trouble” in our May issue, about three American hikers who've been incarcerated for crossing…
Dominion Riverrock, an outdoor sports festival in Richmond, Virginia, was a big hit this weekend, drawing in record crowds. More than 3,000 people took part in the games, with an audience of more than 25,000 on May 14-15. William Mikolajczak and Abby Badura…
I was just made an aunt four times over–and I will soon be departing to the East Coast to greet the newest of my sister's brood. So I need something with function and fashion–something I can take on a plane, take to the park or the pond, and stash in…
Outside's research editor Ryan Krogh learns to kayak on the Class IV Lower Box of New Mexico's Rio Grande Gorge. Does he make it out alive? See for yourself, in the video made by senior editor Grayson Schaffer. –Aileen Torres…
Team Jordan is watching and waiting. The team passed up a weather window this weekend, but did move from advanced base camp (ABC) to the north col and back again. The team is staying put at ABC, waiting for a longer weather window expected to open…
By Stephen Regenold In the running as the priciest underwear on the outdoor market, Ibex Outdoor Clothing touts its Balance Boxer Shorts as a body-mapped “second skin.” They cost $45 and are made of an itch-free wool that in my test did indeed take…
The 2010 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards will air on Tuesday, May 18, at 9:30 p.m. PST on ESPN2. There will be segments featuring some of the surfers, including Shane Dorian…
Outside's December 2009 issue was all about adventure altruism, featuring icons who are changing the world. Surfer Kahana Kalama and his buddy Russell Brownley, a very talented young filmmaker…
Think you live in a clean country? Think again. Yale, in conjunction with Columbia, recently released their annual EPI (Environmental Performance Index). The U.S. dropped 22 spots in just one year (now ranked at 61, compared to…
Chad Kellogg, the 38-year-old Seattle-based climber attempting to break the speed ascent record on Mount Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen, stopped by Expedition Hanesbrands’ site at Base Camp last evening to check in on the…
We can summarize the week in one word: weather. After the excitementof summits on May 5th and 7th, teams on both sides watched this week asthe jet stream sat parked on the summit of Everest creating a hugeplume of ice crystals that provided second thoughts on going to thesummit.
Sleeping Bags Twenty-seven testers fanned out across the Pacific Northwest, bedding down for an accumulated 88 nights in 25 different sleeping bags. Trail Shoes Over five months, Jason Stevenson and his team of three testers evaluated 70 pairs of light hikers in six states—from Arizona…
Combine the total number of Mount Everest summits of all the seasoned mountaineers at Base Camp this season–Dave Hahn, Apa Sherpa, Conrad Anker, David Breashears, Dr. Peter Hackett, Russell…
What's a good sports bra in the 32-38 DD range that isn't totally painful or useless?—Jenna ErvinFresno, California
More teams have made the decision for a summit bid this weekend. Thelatest include the Malta Everest team, half of Peak Freaks and a twoperson team from First Ascent. They are now at camp 2. Why are theseclimbers going to the top in marginal weather? Well maybe the weatherwill not…
It’s not quite summer yet, but you can pretend it is. Just set up a dinner with the help of Randy Wayne White‘s recipe for Yucatan shrimp–the same one that’s used in the kitchen of the Outside…
Bad weather has kept north side teams at base camp. Team Jordan did go out for a hike yesterday, although high winds blew their tents away from camp for a brief time, according to their…
What are the summer's best, off-the-beaten-path adventures in Europe?—MikeFramingham, MA
With several teams targeting Sunday, May 16th as a summit window,the question of rescues often comes to mind; especially if the weatherlooks marginal as this one does. Followers of Everest know that rescues are difficult and sometimes impossible above base camp or 17,500'. In his book, Into…
Hampton Sides appeared last night on The Colbert Report to talk about his new book, Hellhound on…
Despite no evidence that human sexual activity attracts bears, concerns about the potential noises and odors involved attracting the animals remains a backcountry fear, according to backpacker.com.The myth originated in a scary true story: In 1980, two teenagers—onemale, one female—were killed and partially consumed in…
Bike commuters are no longer an anomaly, and their right to the road is becoming a hot topic, as reported by cnn.com. Bikes sales continue to increase, Google maps recently added…
Outside contributor Restless Josie goes to Rio to interview Brazilian beach culture's fierce and fearless women. –Aileen Torres…
A gray whale has been spotted in the Atlantic ocean–a location where gray whales have been extinct for over 200 years, according to discoverynews.com. The whale, who drifted through the atlantic and was spotted off the coast of Israel, has generated quite the buzz, leaving scientists and…
Julia Roberts has agreed to produce a movie based on the life of George Mallory, the famed explorer who died trying to climb Everest in 1924. Shekhar Kapur is directing (via Variety). Not much else is known yet about the film, which…
Camping in Yellowstone? Rangers ask that you fend off grizzly bears (should you ever see one) with chili spray instead of firearms, according to the Associated Press. Grizzly bears have killed a reported five people in Yellowstone National Park in the last 100 years, yet…
Jamie Clarke and Scott Simper, Expedition Hanesbrands’ climbing team, have been planning their Everest expedition for more than two years. The day has finally come for the 42-year-old Calgary mountaineer and adventurer…
On Saturday, a modern-day William Tell shot an arrow tipped with four razor blades in Cape Cod Bay. The target? A right whale with rope stuck around its jaw. But because this is 2010, not 1810, the goal was to sever the rope from the ensnared whale, who, according to…
By Stephen Regenold Invented during the Great Depression, and seen as a small icon of American design for more than 75 years since, Zippo brand lighters package fuel, spark, and flame in a portable, durable metal case. Flip…
Most climbers get a little restless in Base Camp. There’s not a lot to do other than read the latest weather report, eat, sleep, sharpen crampons, take a Sherpa shower, and wait for a decent summit window. Cory Richards, on the other…
This was a busy week on Everest with the first summits for the 2010season along with a risky gamble. And several accidents and, sadly, areported death on nearby Lhotse. A team of nine Sherpas fixed the ropes to the summit on the southside. They included Sherpas from IMG, Alpine…
I wondered what is was like to race as a kid under the wing of rock-solid coach, racer, and mom Lynda Wallenfels. I talked to her children, Emma and Wesley, after they raced the Cholla Challenge. Hands down, they've got the best race program, pre-race nutrition, and taper…
Tyler Farrar is a rarity among American cyclists in Europe. The 25-year-old, who rides for the Garmin-Transitions team, is both a specialist in the grueling one-day cobbled classics of spring and a world-class sprinter. Aside from George Hincapie, very few Americans have ever been competitive in both…
Team Jordan is back at Chinese Base Camp to rest, acclimatize, and prep their gear for the summit push. The team's sherpas are stocking Camp 3 for the last big climb of the mountain, according to Jordan's…
Apolo Anton Ohno was the star of the Vancouver Olympics this winter, both as an athlete and as a media presence. At 27, he bagged a grand total of eight Olympic medals, putting him at the top of…
Years ago I wrote in and you recommended a Gregory Forester pack for my separated shoulder. It has served me well. I have lost too much weight for the large belt to keep the pack on my hips and getting a new belt has been difficult. I am headed to Philmont and am looking at the Gregory Baltoro 70, Osprey Aether 70, Deuter Act lite 60 +10, and the REI Flash 65. Could I go wrong with the REI Flash? Very light on the back and wallet. Mike Spory, VA
Leif Whittaker shows you Everest Base Camp in a film shot by Michael Brown of Serac Adventure Films. Want to shoot your own…
A prostatecancer vaccine that the US Food and Drug Administration rejected in2007 has now won the regulator's approval, making it the first cancer vaccine to do so, according to newscientist.com. Made by Dendreon of Seattle,…
As Outside's Chief Inspiration Officer, I've been asked by the editors to share some of the uplifting stories I come across in my organization, The Mission Continues. One that inspires me personally is the story of Casey Fulp. On May 1st, former Special Forces Medic Casey Fulp started his…
Biologists recently discovered a beaver damin Alberta's remote Wood Buffalo National Park stretching for more than half amile and visible from space, according to backpacker.com. Scientists think the beaversspent over 20 years building their palatial digs from sticks, rocks,and…
Six a.m. at Everest Base Camp and I wake to the sound of a Nepali screaming into a cell phone. A few days ago a new cell tower was installed at Gorak Shep (translation: Dead Bird), the last Khumbu Valley outpost a thousand feet below us, and…
1) You began your career as a journalist. Why switch to photography?Wanting to be around people, I guess. Photography felt more people-oriented. I was only writing and did photography as a hobby on the side before I totally switched. I wrote for George, Paper, and various…
Glacier National Park turns 100 tomorrow and is still looking good, states backpacker.com.Glacier was founded exactly 100 years ago on May 11, and to commemorate theevent, the park…
By Stephen Regenold “Free of bisphenol-A. Free of polycarbonate. Free of phthalates. Free of cadmium. Free of lead. Free of PVC.” Thus read the bullet points dissecting the makeup of Thinksport's 350 Silver water bottle. The $15.99 stainless-steel bottle comes from…
A month ago we set out to paddle across all of the channels that connect the Hawaiian Islands. Over the past few weeks we crossed from one island to the next, paddling the channels on our stand-up paddleboards and exploring each island once wearrived. From the beginning,…
My wife and I are visiting New Zealand next winter and would like to hike, bike, kayak, and/or bungee jump. Any recommendations on how to get that done?—MarshallVancouver, BC
NASA satellite image acquired May 4, 2010. Two weeks after the April 20 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, an oil slick lingered not far from the Mississippi Delta. On May 4, 2010, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured…
Mountainfilm at Telluride will take place May 28-31. In the meantime, the festival folks will roll out a film trailer every Tuesday and Thursday to show a bit of what they've got. Currently up is Eastern Rises, a movie about fly-fishing in Kamchatka, by…
At first I was impressed by this snowboarding baby. But then I realized, at her age I could shove $1.05 in coins up my nose. Which just goes to show it doesn't matter what you do – it's how…
Mount Margherita (right); photo by sylweczka The ice cap on Mount Margherita, Africa's second-highest mountain, has split. Wildlife authorities in Uganda say the 20-foot-wide crevasse was caused by global warming,…
Eric Simonson's IMG Blog is noting the first summits of 2010 onEverest. As expected it came on the south side from the Sherpa teamfixing lines to the top. Sherpas from AAI and Himex were also on the team and I will report their names as soon as I receive…
Outside has a history of covering big environmental disasters. To understand the Deepwater Horizon disaster, it helps to have an understanding of where it stands in the history of oil spills. That's not to say…
A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that kids in the Southeast states, referred to as the “Stroke Belt,” are fatter than their U.S. peers in other regions. In 2007, 45 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds in Mississippi were overweight, and 22 percent were…
Today, a guest post from Outside senior executive editor Michael Roberts. During a recent trip to Santa Fe, I got a chance to test a Jackal MC-1, a hardtail carbon-fiber mountain bike…
I'm graduating from a Masters program in May, and planning, possibly, my last great summer get-away before becoming a hard-working stiff in September. My itinerary from mid-May through August includes a hiking/camping cross-country road trip to Sedona, two weeks of camping and hiking in Alaska, volunteering as a fly-fishing instructor in Alaska, and traveling in Asia for three weeks. If you were putting together a recommended gear list (particularly lightweight waterproof jacket, backpack, tent, and sleeping bag) from scratch where would you start?—JosephPittsburgh, PA
It’s Day Six of Expedition Hanesbrands’ trek to Everest Base Camp. We’ve passed the14,000-foot mark and are spending a relaxing layover day in Pheriche. The view from the window of the Himalayan Hotel is a maze of stone walls, most of which enclose a very large yak.