Everything
Bayi, Tibet – Today was the first day of movement towards the gorge since arriving in Lhasa. Extreme weather conditions have delayed the arrival of the last and crucial team member, Rob Hind for five days, resulting in us having an interesting seven days exploring the monasteries and narrow…
Tsachu, Po Tsangpo River We have made it to Tsachu, a small village that overlooks the apex of the Great Bend of the Tsangpo, sacred Mount Abu Lashu, and both the Yarlung and Po Tsangpo Rivers. Tsangpo River Willy Kern, Allan Ellard and Scott Lindgren watch the rest of…
Via satellite phone the team reports that scouting the river upstream of the village of Luku is proving extremely challenging as a monstrous flood two years ago scoured the walls of this incredibly steep section of the lower gorge. There are now a number of new rapids that did not…
We have finally made the climb out from the upper gorge—but instead of reaching Payi and heading to the Po Tsangpo confluence, we have descended to the village of Gobden and Luku. This is actually our planed take out point, but we were forced to come here due to the…
Gyala, Tsangpo Gorge—We have been on the river now for four days and many things have happened. For one, we have realized just how small we are. Since reaching the end of the road, we have hired 68 porters that have carried all our equipment from camp to camp.
Kintup Falls, Tsangpo Gorge—We have just completed the Pemakochung bend and made it past Kintup Falls—this was a long day of portages and discovery. It was also the first day on our satellite photo, which was very exciting as we can now see every rapid as we come to…
VIDEO The Foam Zone click here Expedition member Steve Fisher plunges into the Upper Tsangpo Gorge Portage from Hell click here Porters and paddlers trudge 5,000 feet straight up on the epic mountain portage from Upper to Lower Gorge Going Deep click here Ground team member Andrew Sheppard rappels…
Lhasa, Tibet – After three flights we have finally made it to Lhasa, Tibet. We managed to check in 14 kayaks and 26 bags weighing 30 kilograms each all the way through with very few problems. From San Francisco, Cathay Pacific styled us all the way to Chengdu, a huge…
Team Triumphs on Tsangpo click here Outside contributing editor Peter Heller reports on the historic first descent of Tibet’s Upper Tsangpo River. March 2-March 9 TEXT DISPATCH—March 7, 2002 click here Smiles reach from ear to ear…
Pelung, Tibet We have made it to Pelung. Two days of hiking, two cable crossings, and two bridges after leaving Tsachu, we are at a road. There are vehicles, houses, and people. The small shops carry beer, candy, biscuits, and Coke. The guys are sinking beer like it has…
Oh Great One, ne for me several tents that keep out the weather. I'm not talking a drizzle, but an almighty downpour of hail, sleet, and snow. The best waterproof tent I have ever owned is a Cabela's Alaskan—you could use it as a boat—but it's 18 pounds and has some design issues I don't like. So, please give me a list of backpacking tents that float. Jeff Moscow, Idaho
On February 4, a team comprising explorers and kayakers from seven nations began a planned two-month-long expedition through the Tsangpo Gorge in southeastern Tibet. Their goal is to chart some of the still unvisited parts of the gorge and to complete the first-ever whitewater descent of the world’s deepest river…
October, 2001 Santa Fe, New Mexico Scott Lindgren: One of the things that we really wanted to express now that we are doing this with Outside Television and Outside Magazine and GM, is that the story will be told as it is. Granted,…
How exactly do you go about getting 80 people, 14 boats, and several thousand pounds of equipment from one end of the deepest river canyon in the world to the other? You view it like a king-sized, 150-mile-long obstacle course fiendish enough to confound even the most talented river runners,…
It's the cradle of Shangri-la, and one of the deepest river gorges on earth. It's a fortress guarding sacred waterfalls, and a cauldron of savage whitewater and unrunnable rapids. In the chill of the Himalayan winter, seven world-class kayakers led a massive expedition into the shadowy realm of Tibet's Tsangpo River , and launched their boats down its roaring t
All-knowing gear guru, I need you to confirm or dismiss a rumor I've heard about how down-fill is determined. The claim is that gear manufacturers have rooms fitted with high-powered fans and markers at 600 feet, 800 feet, and 900 feet. These rooms are then filled with down, with the down-fill getting calculated by how close to each marker the material gets blown. OK, sounds a little unscientific and downright mythical, so I come to you for the truth. Alex Hayward, California
I'm tired of sweaty, hot bike helmets. What is the coolest, as in max ventilation, helmet on the market within a reasonable price range that can be used for both mountain and road biking? Bruce Fayston, Vermont
I’m planning a nine-day, 24-mile canoeing expedition to the Boundary Waters in early July. As for footwear, would it be better to purchase a pair of hiking boots or a pair of Salomon phibian water shoes? We'll mostly be in the canoe, with about five miles of portaging at most. Which option would be better? Jonathan La Grange, Illinois
I learned most of my wilderness know-how from experienced paddlers, who taught me that you should always have a set of dry clothes set aside for sleeping. Now, I'm branching out into hiking and wondering if that advice still holds true, or if I can shave a few ounces off my poor back and knees (and save a few bucks, to boot) by wearing the se polar fleece day and night. What do you think? Catherine Montreal, Quebec
Assuming you're doing the se workout in both places, does cardio training at high altitudes burn more calories than at low altitudes? Megan Miller Santa Fe, NM
Are you fit enough to blow through three weeks of hundred-mile race stages? Funny, neither are we. But with a whole lot of practice and some help from Chris Carmichael and the Outside Training Center, perhaps we too could tackle le Tour.Are you fit enough to blow through three weeks…
I just got back from camping in Tennessee and Kentucky's Big South Fork NRA (which you should check out, by the way!) and had some fun pulling ticks off my legs the whole time. I'm letting the backpack air out, but how do I make sure it's 100 percent bug-free? Take it to the dry cleaner or just spray it down with agua? Incidentally, how'd you get such a cool job? Chris Loveland, Ohio
I'm a casual rock climber and want to upgrade my entry-level rock shoes. I see there are both cbered and fairly flat models available, but why would you ever need to crunch up your toes and wear the cbered model? All the advertising refers to higher performance, but I don't really understand how this helps. So I may go for a flat shoe, perhaps one with a Velcro closure for easy in-and-out access. What do you think? Karen Wellington, New Zealand
I interested in purchasing a Bibler Fitzroy tent. Do you know anything about this tent, or have any experience with it? Is a single-wall tent breathable enough so as to alleviate condensation? Is it as easy to set up as they say? Willi Sussex, New Jersey
I have looked all over the Web for the SafeWater Anywhere filter, with no luck. Are they out of business or did they change their ne? If so does anybody make inline filters with a bladder reservoir (rather than bottles) compatible with a CelBak, for exple? I'm not interested in pump filters. F.G. Azz Minneapolis, Minnesota
We are going beach camping for the first time. What do we need to bring that we probably don't already have? Ned Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Which is the better synthetic fill for sleeping bags and jackets: PrimaLoft or Polarguard? I plan on being in minus-five-degree-Celsius temps in dp to wet environments, as well as mountaineering in the snow. Mike Wellington, New Zealand
I climbing Rainier this July and instead of wearing my normal hiking boots up to Cp Muir, I was wondering if you thought a pair of trail-running shoes would work until we have to switch to plastic boots? What would be some good options for lightweight shoes that would still give you good support when wearing a pack? Mike Columbus, Ohio
I'd like to buy a touring kayak primarily for day trips and possibly some overnight jaunts. I've been sea kayaking a number of times, but was always with a guide so never learned much about the boats. I live in Austin, so I'll mainly be on flatwater lakes. I'm a proficient paddler with medium build and height, so what would you suggest as a reasonably priced boat (under $1,000)? Danny Austin, Texas
I wear sunglasses for mountain biking, both for sun protection and shielding my eyes from flying branches and stuff, even during night riding. The climate here in the Bay Area has my glasses fogging up most of the time. I've tried the Smith No-Fog cloth and Cat Crap, with no real success. Do you have any suggestions to prevent this problem?
I'm about to embark on a long, multi-city trip through the western U.S. and need a backpack both for trekking and city-hopping. Can you recommend one with an attached daypack? I've been looking at Osprey's Aether 60 plus Daylite daypack. I eventually want to use the pack for wilderness trips, but on this trip I'll be using it mostly for heavy, heavy books. I'm bewildered by all the options! Josh Cbridge, Massachusetts
I was recently looking at an altimeter for climbing fourteeners. My concern is that it works on barometric pressure, so changes in the weather could give me a false reading. First, was the salesman right in saying that the impact from weather would be miniscule, and if not, are there altimeters (other than those with expensive GPS) that would not be impacted by weather? John Colorado Springs, Colorado
Smart trend or exercise fad? We sorted out the tired and the wired to find 2004's fitness winners.
There’s more than one way to take in the adventure and splendor of America’s national parks. So we’re serving up a prize package of SECRET TRIPS—locals’ no-tell favorites, from Acadia to Yellowstone to wildest Alaska—along with a roundup of DREAM TOWNS nearby, the places to eat, drink, and dance after…
« April 1933: Though he has no flight or climbing experience, Briton MAURICE WILSON announces plans to crash-land a plane on Mount Everest and walk to the top. After two months of pilot training, he flies to India, where he’s forced to sell his plane and hoof it. Alas, his…
Adventure sings a bewitching song, and whether the challenge involves climbing a deadly mountain or plunging into a bottomless abyss, a few undaunted individuals hear the call and say, “Why not?” But you know all about that. What you may have missed is the rarely glimpsed world of obsessive superachievers…
Surviving Niagara? No sweat. The real challenge is figuring out what drove Kirk Jones over the edge.
Is time traveler Tim Severin the greatest living explorer? Probably—but you'll never get him to admit it.
In the red-rock high ground of South Africa, climbing still comes down to black and white. Greg Child goes on belay to explore the crags, boulder gardens, and post-Apartheid complications of the world's next climbing mecca.
Meet this year's model: tack-sharp digital pictures, cheap storage, and painless printing.
Yes, the view is razor-sharp. It's the little things, though, that make good binos truly great.
Trail mix is for hippies. To really satisfy your backcountry appetite, bring on the BTUs.
If you're looking for a luxe production in the (not too) wild, stop right here: Your backcountry presidential suite awaits
You stuff your pack with your most precious stuff. Harness its features—and focus on fit.
Serious engineering shields your feet from the scree beneath. Here's the layman's version.
Sure, it fits. But will your new shell perform? Know your options, and choose with care.
Bound for an exotic adventure? These concourse-ready clothes offer round-the-world comfort in non-turista style.
You can tug on laces and lugs, but to really tell how a shoe pulls it all together, just run.
Ride the tide or hit the holes—the right boat, with the right options, will triple your fun.
Somewhere out there is the ride that suits your speed, shape, and style. Find it.
Baffled by baffles? Sleeping bag design ain't rocket science. Curl up with our pointers.
Sure, a pump filter will remove harmful microorganisms from water. But you still need a viricide—think chlorine bleach, chlorine dioxide, or iodine—to finish off the really small, really nasty stuff like Norwalk, the curse of cruise lines everywhere. All these chemicals work, but some are less effective in very cold…
If your battle cry is "Gimme shelter!" then you've got to get the details down. Start here.
The Dolores used to be one of the mightiest whitewater rivers in the West. Then politics and dry weather got in the way. But neither drought nor dam nor partisan bickering can stop Mark Sundeen from floating (and walking and driving) the entire course of the Rio de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
Ditch the lycra. It's time for fuss-free duds—think t-shirts, jeans, and flip-flops—expressly engineered for kicking back.
Where can I find the perfect combination of shoe and lock-in-pedal for the best price? I have tried to look on the net, but it seems like I can only get one or the other, not both. Jeremy Port Orchard, Washington
I recently purchased a new pair of leather hiking boots and, after a ten-mile break-in hike, cleaned them and treated them with mink oil (I couldn't find Sno-Seal anywhere locally). Despite all my years of backpacking, I didn't realize this oil can over-soften the leather and affect the support. Have I ruined my boots for good or is there something I can do to save them? Mark Indianapolis, Indiana
When I went to Europe I took along a $30 point-and-shoot camera. While the pictures ce out fine, the camera itself got trashed, returning home held together with tape. I was wondering if there's a durable camera out there, one that can be dropped and beaten. Water-resistant or waterproof would also be a plus. I don't really need something that focuses, but something that can take a beating outdoors. Jared Boise, Idaho
I have been debating a question with my buddies: Some of the hardcores we have seen wear their waterproof-breathable shell on the inside of a heavy fleece or down jacket. Is this a good idea for maintaining warmth on wet days? Spencer Thunder Bay, Ontario
I'm having only moderate success finding a daypack designed for women. I tested a JanSport at EMS and confirmed that the women's cut really is more comfortable (collarbone bruising has been an issue for me when carrying heavy loads in standard packs), but the capacity was a little small and it had no compression straps. I thought Kelty might be good, but their lumbar supports are unforgiving and aggravate a lower back problem of mine. Do you have any recommendations, either with or without internal fres? Diane Cortlandt Manor, New York
I'm in the market for a summer hiking shoe. I've previously bought and returned pairs that felt comfortable in the store but not on a long hike. How will I know if a pair fits correctly?
I will be leading groups of teens backpacking this summer and worried about keeping contact with base cp and being able to call for help, should the need arise. Any ideas for effective, durable communication devices? Is there a difference between satellite phones and walkie-talkies? Etan Los Angeles, California
Are waterproof hiking boots hotter to wear than non-waterproof hiking boots? And are they less breathable than regular boots? If I'm hiking through the desert, would waterproof, leather hiking boots be too hot? Suzie Johannesburg, South Africa
Gear Guru, over the last two years I've taken up two new sports: snorkeling and kayaking. Several times while snorkeling I have rented "shorties," or partial wetsuits. I have also been told that I should buy a similar wetsuit for spring kayaking. Can you use the se suit for both sports? If so, can you make some recommendations? Steve Delmar, New York
