Everything
Life in Chile’s Atacama Desert is hot, dry, and tough. That is, unless you’re lying poolside at Tierra Atacama, the latest luxury hotel to open in the unlikely tourist boomtown of San Pedro. Just blocks down the street from Explora’s iconic Hotel de Larache, 32-room Tierra Atacama is run by…
“Agonizingly vivid” is a fair description of Storm Over Everest, yet another rehashing of the 1996 disaster, by climber/documentarian David Breashears. Premiering May 13 on PBS’s Frontline, the two-hour film combines interviews with survivors, including guide Neal Beidleman and climber Beck Weathers (but noticeably no Jon Krakauer) with footage gathered…
We’re not quite ready to call Portland, Oregon, a drinking town with a cycling problem, but HOPWORKS URBAN BREWERY, near the Clinton district, is persuasive. The biodiesel-powered brewery has been pumping out suds for just seven months and recently sponsored the PrestoVelo cycling team. In Hopworks’ new brewpub, which opened…
Perfect health is a worthy goal, but not at the expense of your sanity
A new bio of Miki Dora, the original maverick surfer, gets his story right
In which we take back the drinking trip from the wine snob. Here's how to mix world-class adventure and tasting, from Kentucky to Japan.
The plan: Pair up six of our favorite globe-trotting photographers. Ask them to comb their hair. Subject them to one another's creative visions.
How did Billy Poole, an aspiring big-mountain skier, die during his first Warren Miller shoot?
Your life needs a soundtrack. This go-anywhere gear lets you bring stereo-quality tunes wherever the adventure takes you.
Swooping through your first full-rail turn on a Hess surfboard requires a suspension of disbelief. This thing is made of wood? Hand-constructed from sustainably harvested poplar, cork, and amapola by San Francisco shaper Daniel Hess, it’s a piece of art as much as a performance wave-rider. Unlike the clunky wooden…
Are backpacking boots made with fabric uppers stiff enough for good ankle support and protection against sharp rocks? I'm looking at the Kayland Apex Trek for a trip to Alaska, where I will glacier walk with crampons. Most of my other packing is done in the lower 48. John Evanston, Illinois
I’m headed out to Quetico for little over a week, and I need women's underwear that will last a long time, limit chafing, dry fast, and rinse well. Any suggestions? Nicole Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
I want to know about Vibr rubber. What is so special about it? Badrim Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A maverick fashion mogul has assembled a team of cycling's most infamous riders. And wait till you hear how he plans to save the sport.
In your dreams. (You couldn't keep up anyway.) But that doesn't mean you can't learn a few things about maximizing your summer fun from surf goddess Malia Jones.
Thirty companies outshined the rest in our first annual study of the nation's most well-balanced workplaces
Spring is here. Time to wipe the cobwebs off your bike, oil your chain, and kick your fitness into a new gear. Here's how.
I'm turning 30 this summer and would like to take skydiving lessons. Can you recommend a safe but fun place to go somewhere on the West Coast? Megan P. San Diego, CA
I will be hiking for four days - gaining altitude each day to a total of 16,000 feet. What is the best way to train for this given that I have no access to altitudes of any kind for training? Jackie R. Aurora, Ontario
EVEN TO A NONSCIENTIFIC OBSERVER LIKE ME, there are several obvious peculiarities about the life and work of Garrett Lisi. For instance, despite his being 40 years old and possessing a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, he has held few steady jobs—and those the likes of hiking guide and snowboarding instructor.
Where does a week of doing nothing add up to something great? On a road trip down the still-wild spine of Baja, in search of secluded beaches, the best fish taco, and a much-needed dose of adventure.
I’m going backpacking in South Dakota’s Badlands, and everything I read says that you have to bring in your own water. For a four day trip, that could mean as much as five gallons. What type of water containers should I use to most effectively carry this much water? Junior Minneapolis, Minnesota
I have just acquired a Quest Starlight tent that’s in pretty good shape. But, the older fellow who sold it to me said that it likely wouldn't hold up to several days of rain. Can I make the fly waterproof enough so it won't wet-out if rained on for a long time? What about the floor? Ken Calgary, Alberta
Seven people with the sweetest jobs around share their secrets on how they got the gig
The world needs Anderson Cooper. And vice versa. We go fork to fork with the CNN correspondent on how Outside kick-started his life, the perils of vacation, and how to make contact with a rebel group. (Hint: It's not like the bar scene in Star Wars.)
Seeking ambitious individuals hungry for life-affirming employment in emergent industries. A firm understanding of the need to balance work and play is preferred. Ideal candidates think big, enjoy travel, and are plagued by a voice that keeps repeating, You can do better than this.
Other than color, is there any difference between men's and women's boot in the se model? I specifically interested in the La Sportiva Glacier. Chris Geneva, Illinois
I'm in the military and will be stationed in Aviano, Italy, in June. I would like to purchase a road bike in Italy for half ironman and ironman triathlons. How do I find a reputable bike shop abroad, and what manufacturer would you recommend? Michael San Antonio, Texas
I would rank my outdoorsyness at a seven. I love backpacking, but I don’t get out as often as I would like. I did, however, recently backpack South erica and survived winter in southern Argentina with a cheap-o tent. Now I want to invest in a good two-person tent. What do you suggest? Alex San Francisco, California
For the past five years I lived out west, but I’m now in Indiana for a year. To make the best of my stay, I’m looking for new goals to tackle and have decided to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. What is the best backpack to take on that challenge? Charles South Bend, Indiana
Leave San Francisco behind on a three-day, 30-mile trek that starts just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge
My husband and I are looking for relatively lightweight, zero-degree sleeping bags that can be zipped together and are suitable for backpacking. Any advice? Kathy Kremmling, Colorado
What are the advantages of a full suspension bike versus a hardtail? I bike on trails and roads. Jake Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Finding Outside‘s Best Places to Workcompanies that make it easy for employees to balance productivity with an active, eco-conscious lifestyleis no easy task. If you know a nonprofit or for-profit company based in the U.S. with more than 15 employees that deserves mention, shoot us an email. We don’t want…
What is the best way to loosen up your hstrings? And how can I improve their flexibility long term? J Vansy Myrtle Beach, SC
What is the best type of sock to wear on a day hike? I a naturally sweaty person and often my socks get so wet that is causes blisters. Not pretty, I know, but that’s the truth of it. Nick London, England
What is your recommendation on a hydration pack that will keep fluids from freezing? Ideally it’d be small enough for resort use, but big enough to carry an extra layer, snacks, goggles, and possibly the option of straps for ski/board carry. Tony Montreal, Quebec
BASE jumper Karina Hollekim talks courage, fear, and her near-fatal crash.
Though the treads on my six-year-old Garmont Nagevi boots don't look too worn, I've noticed that I'm slipping more than I used to. I've spent some time trying on other light hikers at the stores, and they all feel light and flimsy. I'm told this is due to new advancements. Is this true? Nancy Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I'm climbing in the Cordillera Real of Bolivia this May, and I know I need to have a down jacket. I hear it can get really cold there. What type of down jacket would you recommend? Xavier Charlotte, North Carolina
I’m looking for a new cp stove for climbing at high altitude (10,000+ feet). What’s the best stove for the harsher conditions at higher altitudes? Matt Vancouver, British Columbia
Nothing says sophisticated traveler better than a light-colored jacket. Just keep it clean, OK?
Speed doesn't have to hurt. These "comfort performance" bikes go easy on your back–but not on the competition.
I'll be heading to London on business for a week in early September. Are there any outdoor adventures to be had while I'm there? I was thinking of rafting in Scotland, but is there anything closer? Alex N. Ann Arbor, MI
But once it hits your lips, it's so good! Join two thirsty gringos on Mexico's Tequila Trail
THE OPEN ROAD: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama,by Pico Iyer (KNOPF, $24) Veteran travel writer Pico Iyer has been hanging out with the Dalai Lama for more than 30 years, visiting the Tibetan Buddhist leader’s home-in-exile, in Dharmsala, India, and following him…
The classic formula for travel TV usually involves thatch, bikinis, and a star with great teeth. Now, some of those teeth are starting to get knocked out as adventure-program producers attempt to cash in on the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Over the past year, cable networks have debuted several series that pair exotic adventure with bare-knuck
A guidebook writer reveals the truth about his trade, in detail that will shock and awe
Play hard by day at these nine classic national parks, then ditch the franks 'n' beans by night and live large outside the boundaries
What clothing do you recommend for hiking in hot weather? From time to time I've heard that light cotton or hemp clothes are, in fact, the coolest choice for hiking in high temperatures. Ted Great Falls, Montana
I find mummy bags to be really confining. I understand the point, of course, but I'm a side sleeper, and I like to lay "can-opener-style." (You know, with one leg pulled up and the other straight.) Can this question get any more awkward? Anyway, do you have any suggestions for sleeping bags that are a little less crped but would still keep me warm from April to mid-October in the Colorado Rockies? Sarah Boulder, Colorado
PowerCube! Great name, eh? For 25 grand, it should be. Washington, D.C.based Reluminati’s first-of-its-kind portable solar generatora little smaller than a VW bugprovides clean, quiet mobile power wherever you drop it, be that your backyard, a disaster area, or, say, your crew’s remote surf hideout. “Everyone from the military to…
The 34-year-old English pop singer is best known for “You’re Beautiful,” a sugary 2005 soft-rock hit that induces swoons in young women and cringes in males of all ages. What we never suspected of Blunt:He’s a big-mountain skier and exBritish recon agent who lives part-time in Verbier, Switzerland. JACK SHAW…
The latest trend in high-end hotel furnishings: replacement of conventional mattresses with friendlier, more comfortable green bedding. Our favorite are the Vivétique mattresses at Hotel Terra, in Jackson Hole. They’re made from recycled steel springs surrounded by whipped natural latex and organic cotton. hotelterrajacksonhole.com Green Bedding…
Since Kerouac, adventure books and movies have gotten explorers on the road. FRANK BURES runs down five recent journey-inspiring hits.