The 2009 winners of the Banff Mountain Film Festival were announced Sunday, and the Grand Prize went to ‘Finding Farley,’ a film about the two filmmakers’ journey to retrace the literary footsteps of Farley Mowat, along with their two-year-old son and dog. Did anyone get to…

While the global spotlight is on the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December, a new film makes a case for the importance of examining our energy sources here in the States. Coal Country, a documentary…

'Tis the season of video contests, and the most entertaining one we've found so far is the Colorado Snow at First Sight Contest. The prize is three months of all-expense-paid skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ski-bar carousing, snowball-throwing, and hot tubbing in Colorado, but it's only open to complete snow newbies. Know any Samoans…

By Mary Catherine O'Connor When Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard wanted to have a confab about gear, Ernest Capbert knew that he and his cohorts at the outdoor clothing startup Finisterre were doing something right. The company is the dreamchild of…

I tried to get the Salomon Quest 4D GTX hiking boots ($200) a couple of weeks in advance. With a rim-to-rim backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon on the horizon, I wanted to have some time to break them in. As it turns…

In our new complete survival guide we include our best survival stories, tips, and features. We've even included some video tips. We'll do more, but first we want to hear from you. ext_script = "https://www.surveys.mariahmedia.com/poll.ashx?p=6427440A0B4D2C2F"…

Outside's Lab Rat, Nick Heil, shows you how to do the assistedpistol, a low-tech workout that will strengthen your legs for multiplesports. –Aileen Torres…

Variety announced last week that director Danny Boyle's next movie will be '127 Hours,' the story of mountaineer Aron Ralston. During a climb in Utah in 2003, Ralston was pinned by a boulder for nearly five days and eventually amputated his own arm to…

On Monday, the Appalachian Mountain Club announced that it purchased a 29,500-acre tract of land in the forests of Maine. The acquisition of the land (which AMC has donated to the State of Maine) creates a 63-mile long corridor of conservation land from…

If you have no cover or shelter, is there a way to keep heavy rain from extinguishing a fire? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico

If no framework for global climate change policy results from the UN conference in Copenhagen in December, the International Energy Agency foresees a 2.5 percent rise in global energy demand per year…

One of the best sources for the coolest, and quirkiest, scientific news is Henry Fountain's Observatory column for The New York Times. It comes out weekly in Science Times, one of the last big concentrated science sections in a major paper.

Eric Larsen is now in Chile, preparing for his expedition to the South Pole as part of his Save the Poles project, which will involve a year-long expedition to the ends of the Earth and the summit of Mount Everest to raise…

Michael Phelps showed up at as a member of USA Swimming’s National Youth World Cup team at a Stockholm meet, but the Olympic champ struggled to make it to the finals, The New…

Researchers have found that as the number of Americans using hot tubs has risen, hot-tub, whirlpool, and spa-related injuries have increased 160 percent in the U.S. from 1990 to 2007. Slips and falls caused half of the injuries, 15 percent were “hits and scrapes,” and 11 percent were caused by…

Snowboarder Shaun White knows something you don’t, and thatis: foam. Lots of it. In a huge landing bin. Learn the flying tomato’s new trickshere. …

Outside's senior editor, Grayson Schaffer, was a recent guest on Peter Greenberg. Check out his discussion on the new rules of survival by listening to hour two…

How did Outside magazine get its start? Founding editor Tim Cahill talks about the early days, when literary adventure journalism was just an idea in his head. –Aileen Torres…

Can you comment on Lands' End as a source of backpacking outerwear? For exple, they sell the 700 SnowPack Down Jacket, which is similar to down sweaters by Patagonia and Mountain Hardwear—save that Lands End’s version weigh 14 oz for men's medium, which is heavier than the higher-end brands. They also market the Marinac Jacket, which is Polartec fleece with Windcheck barrier. Have you used any of these or other Lands' End gear? David Columbia, MO

I planning a weeklong hut-to-hut ski trip in the Gaspe this winter. Food and heavier gear will be transported by sled but a day pack with essentials must still be carried, of course. Any suggestions for pack and gear? Tim Toronto, Ontario

Hello, I'm looking to make a winter ascent of Mount Rainier. I need an altimeter. I'm not sure if I should get an altimeter watch (like the Casio Pathfinder) or a GPS (Garmin Oregon 400T, Oregon 300, or Dakota 20). I don't have to worry about the battery problem with the watch. Then again, it's nice to have a GPS, but they only get 14 hours of battery life. The Dakota gets 20. In sub-zero temps, I would need to carry everything in my pockets. Any ideas? Brett Highland Lakes, NJ

Last week on Outside's dog blog, OutsideK9.com, readers guessed the breeds that make up Assistant Editor Carr's dogs, Rio and Odin. Results from the Canine Heritage Breed test were in transit from the lab. Today, the results are revealed. Head…

63-year-old Richard Moreau allegedly killed a man and injured two others at a bar in Vail Saturday night, according to the Desert News. Police say he let loose a volley of shots when the bar manager tried to toss him out. –Dave Costello.

Katie Compton, who currently rides for Planet Bike, crushed at the first round of the Cyclocross World Cup in Treviso, Italy, catapulting her to the commanding lead position in the latest UCI Cyclocross rankings, with 420 points, followed by Daphny van den Brand (280 points) and Chistel Ferrier-Bruneau (240…

Russian BASE jumper Valery Rozov was successfully rescued from a botched jump in the southern Pakistan city of Karachi after his parachute opened and became entangled with an adjacent building, according to English Russia.The accident is being blamed on high winds. No one was hurt. –Dave Costello…

Ask any serious runner about their favorite piece of running gear and they will likely tell you about their super-technical shoes, lightweight polarized sunglasses, or distance/calorie/pace tracking-stopwatch system. And their running shorts? Shorts are probably the last piece of gear runners think about. The funny thing is you spend…

In the name of giving ass-kicking skier Lindsey Vonn as much play as possible in the pages of Outside magazine and on this website, may I present to you a window into her workouts. Ok, boys, now you try to balance in a tuck on an exercise ball… –Kate…

 Check out this point-of-view video of kayaking the Congo shot by Andrew Maser of Rivers in Demand, courtesy of The Adventure Blog. Outside's Kyle Dickman is in some of the shots! If it weren't for the distant shoreline, you'd think…

A couple of years ago, Wired magazine put out a forward-looking article addressing whether paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius's artificial legs (called Cheetahs) gave him an advantage over able-bodied sprinters. After all, at the time he was close to qualifying for the Olympics with prostheses.

Surfer and Cetacean activist Dave Rastovich, along with surfer/artist Chris Del Moro, musician Will Conner, activist Howie Cooke, and photographer Hilton Dawe, completed their epic kayak trip from Byron Bay to Bondi Beach, reports Surfersvillage.com. The trip, which is part of the “Transparentsea” campaign…

Shaun White was on Conan last night (he's been getting a lot of Olympians lately), and in case you missed it, here's a clip of White talking about what he was for Halloween. Conan's got photographic proof, and it's not just good, it's……

The fifth TEDMED conference finished last week, and videos of all the talks will be up in a few months on the web site. TED Talks are always interesting and innovative, and with all that's going on inour country regarding health care,…

What do you bring up the northwest face of Yosemite's Half Dome in early October? Answer: not much. It’s a 1.5-mile approach gaining 3000-feet in elevation with multiple class 4-5 scrambles, followed by a 2000-foot wall of sheer granite. My climbing partner cut his toothbrush in half to shed weight.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) wants spectators and media coming to the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver to reduce the environmental impact of their visits by purchasing carbon credits based on the air travel and lodging they require,…

Did you miss the fee-free weekends at our national parks this past summer? No worries; the Department of the Interior just announced that in honor of Veteran's Day, there will be no entrance fees for any of the…

In this clip from the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert and Al Gore argue about global warming and the economy with…Stephen Colbert and Al Gore. The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c…

On January 9, 2010, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawaii will be hosting “STAND UP for Women's Health and Fitness.” The event will be a free a free lesson in Stand Up Paddling, and will also include information about making healthy lifestyle choices and breast cancer awareness. Plus,…

Spanish cyclist Alberto Fernandez has been suspended for testing positive for EPO, an endurance-boosting hormone, reports Yahoo! Sports. It is said that Fernandez was targeted for further testing because of suspicious results from samples for his biological passport. It is unknown whether further…

Scott Henrich was attacked by a shark in Maui when he went surfing 300 yards out at Kalama Bowls early in the morning, the Honolulu Advertiser reports. A shark bit into his leg, and Henrich punched it twice before it let go. He…

If you're not in the military, driving a Humvee can be considered a waste of gas, but lovers of the all-terrain vehicle can soon start thinking green. EnerDel is teaming up with the U.S. Army to develop four possible lithium-ion battery systems to power the Humvee.

Welcome to the Adventure Lab, our new blog dedicated to the intersections of science, sports, education and nature. The connections will sometimes be loose, but that should make it fun. Please comment and ask questions. This week at NASA's Dryden Research Center in…

Scientists are finding species in the lower Congo River that exist nowhere else in the world, Smithsonian.com reports. There are more than 300 species in the water, which contains one of the highest concentrations of unique species on the planet. Among them is Mondeli…

Need ideas for what to cook out on a hiking trail? There are eight simple meals you can make yourself in the great outdoors with minimal time and effort, according to Backpacker.com. There's the basic mac 'n' cheese dish, with tuna thrown in. And if you…

Simply put, the Aquapac Waterproof Backpack ($85) is a gem: it’s compartments are easily-accessible, using it takes no frills, and it's craftsmanship is sturdy. My first impression was that this drybag-like pack would be a raft guide's nightmare. It's material felt surprisingly lightweight (read: snaggable) and…

Check out David D'Angelo's short film of still images stitched together from his weekend in Singapore. You can read more about the filmmaker, formerly of Serac Adventure Films, here. –Aileen Torres…

By Stephen Regenold It ain't a technical top. Some people think its prairie-dog-with-wings motif is silly or childish. But the Topo T-Shirt, an organic-cotton, casual short-sleeve, has been an unlikely wear-everywhere jersey for me over the past few years. I am on my second one. The $36…

You may not be able to swim like Michael Phelps, but you might be able to beat him with your putting skills. If you're supreme on the green, enter The Best of Us Challenge,…

Breckenridge overwhelmingly passed a measure todecriminalize marijuana this week, which means it will be legal for folks 21 and up to carry an ounce or less in the high-(ahem)-altitude ski town. The measureis largely symbolic, since possession of pot is still an offense according tothe state. But it’s a…

Forbes has just come out with a list of the most toxic cities in the country, based on the amount of pollution per urban area. Here are the top ten: 1. Atlanta2. Detroit3. Chicago4. Houston5. Philadelphia6. Cleveland7.

Nissan and Japan's Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have put their heads together to try to come up with a pair of ski-less skis, SKI magazine reports. The design features boards that are short and have wheels as well as sensors to detect a…

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says it is unlikely that a full climate deal will be created at Copenhagen in December, Reuters reports. A framework for an agreement…

Watch the full video of Straightline Productions's All or Nothing snowboarding film, above. And if you're stoked to try your own moves, check out what gear we recommend in our Winter Buyer's Guide videos here.

Heart disease may have run in John Otterbacher's family, but he was determined not to let that stop him from fully living his life. And that meant testing his limits, whether by running marathons or sailing across the Atlantic four times after getting a…

TheYakima Holdup bike carrier has a built-in bottle opener. Yeah, I know, sodo flip-flops these days, but still. Butfirst, why the hitch-mounted tray-style bike carrier? Hitch-mounted racks maketransporting bicycles easier because you don’t have to be Yao Ming or…

The Adventure Racing World Championship will take place in Portugal, November 8 to 13. Competing teams will have four members–one of whom must be female–and they will trek, mountain bike, and paddle through 700 to 800 kilometers of gnarly terrain to get to…

It's like Travelocity but for lift tickets… This year, Liftopia added a bunch of new resorts to its roster, including Winter Park, Keystone, and Killington. Now you can buy discounted lift tickets for 120 resorts across the country. A screaming deal we spotted…

I caught up with Breckenridge native Josh (“Toast”) Tostado after his 24 Hours of Moab National Championship Men's Solo title win. Racing is nothing new to this guy; whether in snow or dirt, Toast knows how to have a good time, even after visiting those dark places in the mind…

A documentary on Mike Perham, considered the youngest person to sail solo around the world, will air November 5 on Channel 4 in the U.K. Perham was 16 when he embarked on his record-breaking feat. You can read…

The American College of Sports Medicine has released its annual survey of the top fitness trends. Here are the top ten for 2010: 1. Training with certified, experienced fitness professionals2. Strength training3. Children's fitness/fighting obesity4. Personal training5. Core…

To gear up for their Expedition Week, National Geographic is letting you choose which conservation-focused expedition they will sponsor next. The two contenders are Trip Jennings, who wants to save elephants from the ivory trade; and Ben Horton, who wants to stop shark poachers…

Not exactly. But your iPhone can get you halfway there. Mariah Power, which creates residential wind turbines, has teamed up with the software developer Create with Context for an app that will measure…

Virgin Atlantic just released an app-version of its popular 'Flying Without Fear' course which features an instructional video on the flight process, relaxation techniques, and answers to frequently asked questions. The company claims…

Camping in the United States is a great thing, but camping in Europe seems to be camping in parking lots. Where can we go camping with kids in Switzerland? What resources will tell us about U.S.-style camping places...accessible with kids. David New Orleans, LA

Lance Armstrong sold 7 of his old bikes at a Sotheby's auction on Sunday, raising about $1.3 million for his his foundation, LIVESTRONG, according to the examiner. Here's a list of the bikes and their auction sale price: Hirst Bike (ridden by Armstrong at…

Jack Johnson will perform an acoustic show at the Hawaii Theatre on November 13 and 14. The set will be preceded by a screening of his latest film, Jack Johnson: En Concert. You can buy tickets at…

 DC Co-founder and Rally Team Driver, Ken Block, has partnered with Subaru to make the world's fastest cat track setup for backcountry access. You can check out the test run in the video above. Via Transworld Snowboarding. –Dave Costello…

Powder people, check this out: a contest in search of the ultimate ski bum (or snowboard bum). The prize: 15 days of heli skiing and cat skiing in British Columbia, season's passes to a slew of really awesome resorts like Kicking Horse and Revelstoke, accommodations, and transportation. All you have…

 “The Colbert Report” has become the primary sponsor of the U.S. Speedskating team after its former sponsor, DSB Bank, went bankrupt, according to ESPN. The name “Colbert Nation”– referring to the legions of fans that regularly enjoy the satirical Comedy Central show “The Colbert…

Meb Keflezighi, the first American winner of the New York City Marathon since 1982, was on Letterman last night. The topic: The top 10 things that go through your mind while running a marathon. Here's the clip.

An oil rig 150 miles off the northwest coast of Australia, which has been leaking an estimated 400 barrels of oil a day since Aug. 21, has now caught fire, according to msnbc. Rig operator, PTTEP Australasia, claims it does not know how the…

A recent survey released by the Ski Channel says that 41% of skiers admitted to skiing and texting at the same time. –Dave Costello…

By Stephen Regenold Touted to be a “storm fortress” with a pedal-specific cut, the Cyclical Shell offers a solid waterproof/breathable top with a svelte look tailored for commuters and the urban single-speed set. It employseVent fabric, which is commonly used in outdoors- and mountain-oriented…

There's a bold new idea on the front edge of conservation: Let's treat people as well as we treat animals.

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Satellite, launched by the European Space Agency, is able to measure the salinity of ocean waters as well as moisture levels in the soil. The hope is that by monitoring minute changes in the oceans and soil we can better understand large changes in the…

Jack Johnson has just come out with his latest film, and, no, it's not a surf flick. It's Jack Johnson: En Concert, which you can pretty much take literally, although there are a few moments of riding…

According to Transworld, Wisconsin's Granite Peak Ski Area has designated six runs in the park for skiers only.  Owner Charles Skinner says there has been an increase in requests from skiers on the mountain to have skier only trails.  Check out the…

Plans to complete a nature reserve along the northeastern coastline of Puerto Rico were halted last Friday, making way for potential hotels and resorts to aid the country's economy.  Environmental authorities are examining the 3,240 acres of land to determine…

In our November issue (on newsstands now) we feature “The New Rules of Survival“, a comprehensive guide to dealing with life or death situations…

In our November issue, on newsstands now, we list the 16 Best Ski Resorts in North America, categorizing them into the ultimate powder, partying, and off-piste destinations. We had local experts give us the lowdown, so you'll know exactly where to…

Ever wonder what breeds make up your mutt? Certain breeds are happier to live an outdoor lifestyle than others are. Rhodesian ridgebacks, for instance, can withstand extreme heat and cold and they love miles-long runs, so they make good companions for distance runners. Chesapeake bay retrievers, on the other…