Books & Media
ArchiveThe International Ocean Film Tour showcases the best water sports and environmental films of the year, and kicks off in Hamburg, Germany on March 21, 2015. …
A marathon swimmer's reenactment transports theatergoers to the middle of the Florida Straits
Before 'Into Thin Air,' the firsthand report on the 1996 Everest disaster, became a best-selling book, it was an Outside story. Now it's been immortalized as an opera.
Never-before-seen footage sheds fascinating new light on the heir who went missing in 1961—and the man who set out on a quixotic quest to unravel the mystery
Peter Kray’s new novella, The God of Skiing, has a lot to say. We’re not quite sure what it all means, but we sure did enjoy the ride.
Can the largest river restoration project in history serve as a template for other waterways across the country?
Jimmy Chin’s documentary on scaling the Shark’s Fin may be the best climbing movie of the year—only it’s not really about the climb.
In Mind the Gap: The Making of unReal Episode 1, we follow mountain bikers Brett Rheeder, Tom van Steenbergen and Cam McCaul to Turtle Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming. The concept for this shoot was fairly simple: ride mountain bikes with horses. The execution, on the other hand, proved to be…
All good things. “The Climb,” which airs Sunday, tracks the pro skier’s 22-month rehab and singled-minded determination to reclaim women’s skiing’s top spot.
The best ideas often come from spending a little time in the great outdoors. S. Carey’s upcoming EP, Supermoon, was recorded during one weekend in August 2014 when the Supermoon was visible, and this short film explores how nature and a love of fly…
In his relatively short career, Andy Mann has served as the senior photographer at Climbing Magazine and had his images appear in National Geographic and the New York Times. He cofounded Boulder-based 3 Strings Productions in 2010 and has a travel schedule that most pilots would envy. Lucky for us, we get to tag along for the ride courtesy of Instagram. We caught up with Mann for a few tips and to see what separates his shots from the rest.
The filmmaker behind 'The Cove' is bringing his groundbreaking approach to...plankton?
Never take a blurry, disappointing star picture again. Here’s how to up your night photography game.
The outdoor-writing legend has made a career out of cheating death in wild places, but he's never cut it closer than this
In his debut novel, John Vaillant delivers a terrifying border tale
A conversation with Irvin Muchnick and Tim Joyce, journalists who have spent years documenting the horrible story of sexually abusive swim coaches—and dogging a national governing body that they think is beyond repair
With a bevy of new ski and snowboard films in theaters this month, a quick primer on what sets ski porn apart from other titillating genres.
Don't know how to take pictures of stars or the milky way? We walk you though how to do it.
What happens when a wolf comes to visit—and stays? A new book looks at the unlikely six-year friendship between a wild wolf and the people (and dogs) of Juneau, Alaska.
An explosive memoir by Carine McCandless provides new details about a toxic family environment that drove her brother to embark on the famous and fatal quest immortalized by Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild
The movie version of Cheryl Strayed's hit book features Reese Witherspoon like you've rarely seen her—tangled hair, ratty clothes, and dirt under her fingernails. But the backpacking film has a secret: it's actually a brutal story about loss and love.
The award-winning journalist's new documentary breaks the mold. The result? A poignant look at quitting war, conflict addiction, and what it means to be a man.
This Friday, Netflix releases Virunga, a documentary thriller about the fight to save the mountain gorillas of Congo’s Virunga National Park. We talked with warden Emmanuel de Merode on what it feels like to be shot while defending the most dangerous wilderness on earth.
The Brooklyn guitarist's lush new record welcomes the snowy season.
Forest Woodward has an enviable travel schedule. In the last year, the climber, surfer, and pro photographer has visited half a dozen countries, including Spain and Peru, and about 20 states in the U.S. Here are a few of the best shots he's taken over the past year. Don't be too jealous: Woodward's images have a way of bringing you along for the ride.
Flicks that bring horror to the wilderness
There's no doubt that obstacle-course racing is growing at an explosive rate. In 2014, an estimated 10 million people competed in 5,000 events across 30 countries. In her debut book, Erin Beresini uncovers the growing sport's most compelling characters and provides the most authoritative insiders' guide to date.
The German-American surfing writer was kidnapped by Somali pirates in 2012—and held for two years and eight months. Joshua Hammer reports on his imprisonment, drawn-out negotiations to ensure his release, and the ugly business of kidnapping for cash. As the global debate over ransoming hostages heats up, just how should we be getting our journalists home?
Jamie Smith says he was recruited into the CIA as an undergraduate at Ole Miss, cofounded Blackwater, and has done clandestine intelligence work all over the world, operating out of a counterterrorism boot camp in the woods of north Mississippi. Plenty of people believed him, including the Air Force (which paid him $7 million to train personnel) and William Morrow, which signed him up to write his memoir. There's just one little question: How much of it is true?
The company is growing up fast—and it's not all about action sports anymore.
A new 48 Hours documentary looks into the death of an American multimillionaire—and the bizarre trial of his wife.
The greatest entertainer of our generation wants to defy death on wires strung 50 stories over the cold, windy streets of Chicago
Watch online-exclusive videos from our November issue.
In Hollywood's vision of horror, the real nightmare isn't on Elm Street—it's the cold, desolate forest itself.
Tired of seeing great footage of female skiers left on the cutting room floor? So was Lynsey Dyer, which is why her new film is dedicated to girls who rip—and inspiring more to do the same.
Why the Internet is turning photography on its side
GoPro hopes its summer IPO can turn a single-product company into a media superpower. Sound familiar?
Afterglow isn't just the year's most captivating ski movie—it's also a giant TV ad. And it could be the future of adventure films.
A star political blogger for Grist.org, David Roberts spent so much time posting and Tweeting and staring at screens that he almost went nuts. So he pulled the plug for a year, restarting his relationship with technology and actively seeking health, balance, and adventure in the real world. What he learned just might save you from meltdown.
There are two sides to the story of the biggest environmental lawsuit ever, but a new book tells only one of them.
Almost 50 years ago, a superstorm on Denali created one of the worst—and most mysterious—climbing disasters in America’s history. Now an author with a very personal connection to the tragedy hopes to find some truth.
Yosemite Valley, the birthplace of rebel climber culture is supposed to be all cleaned up and mellowed out. But as a new film shows, the outlaw spirit is alive and well.
One man and his canine pal cover 13,000 miles in 32 states to discover just how strong our relationship is with man's best friend.
The Weather Channel dips a toe in the way-too-crowded waters of reality survival programming with two new shows, So You Think You’d Survive? and Fat Guys in the Woods. It’s not a pretty sight.
Reed Timmer gets right into the thick of huge storms for a living. So we asked him to watch Into the Storm, a new tornado thriller, and report back on how it compares to the real thing.
When do adrenaline-seekers go too far? In Bird Dream, Matt Higgins explores the edge of courage, bravery, and insanity in the quest to land a wingsuit without a parachute.
One of Michigan's most acclaimed craft breweries—and the beer geniuses behind it—will be taking center stage in a new History Channel reality show.
Two new books attempt to explain mankind’s strange attraction to the deep blue sea.
We caught up with Wallace J. Nichols to learn about his new book, which explores all the surprising ways water contributes to our happiness—and our success.
From wombats to killer whales, animals suffer from OCD, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and mood disorders. What that says about us, and how we can learn to be "therapy humans" for our pets.
It all started with the wooden dories. Years of research, many boat trips through the Grand Canyon's rapids, and one award-winning book later, the author shares what that incredible place means to him.
A behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for the July issue of Outside. Just in time for World Cup soccer season, photographer Dylan Coulter turned the camera on Team USA’s Captain, Clint Dempsey. …
Atiba Jefferson is a professional photographer from Colorado Springs, CO. He discovered photography in high school and quickly developed a passion for the camera. His desire to capture the movement of skateboarding, precisely how he saw it, pushed him to move to California and chase his dream of becoming a…
Greg Hunt is a director and cinematographer that has shot some of the most influential skateboarding films of our time. He discovered photography and filmmaking while he was a pro skateboarder for Stereo Skateboards. This short follows his path from skateboarder to filmmaker and offers a peek into his filmmaking…
Arto Saari is a professional skateboarder born in Seinajoki, Finland. He’s been one of the most celebrated skateboarders of our time, while starring in several skats films and elevating the standard in the industry. In the last three years Arto has shifted his focus from skateboarding to photography. This short…
Okay, sure, T-Ride's annual gathering of the storytelling tribe can wax a bit earnest, but it's still one of the finest showcases of adventure filmmaking you'll find in America (or anywhere else). Here, a few highlights from the inspiring cinematic weekend.
Three new essential summer reads examine justice and payback in the wilderness.
David Sibley, the man who raised the bar on guidebooks, releases a second edition of his best-selling guide to birds.
A behind-the-scenes look at the toughest job at Outside: taking to the slopes of Utah to try out all the latest skis. Someone's gotta do it.
When a Sherpa and a native Nepali paraglided off of Mount Everest in 2011, they flew into history. Now a new book chronicles their extraordinary journey.
There were stormy moments during the legendary author's long relationship with Outside, but nobody was more influential in shaping our vision of what adventure writing could achieve.
Two adventure masterpieces revisit epic failures of ambition
The 5Point Film Festival begins tomorrow (April 24)! Another great lineup of films is coming through Carbondale, Colorado this year. The festival’s 2014 trailer is total hype reel for adventure that is definitely worth a watch.
RAD COMPANY chronicles mountain bike icon Brandon Semenuk as he and his handpicked team of riders push the limits of freeride mountain biking and showcase their skills on never-before-seen terrain. From Red Bull Media House. Tip: Turn up the volume!…
A short from Go Project Films that follows Yup’ik fisherman Ray Waska as he teaches his grandkids to fish during the summer salmon run in the remote Alaskan Yukon Delta. Environmental and cultural forces threaten their way of life, but Ray holds out hope that his grandsons will keep…
Specifically: Sean Carey, the hypertalented multi-instrumentalist and Bon Iver band member whose new solo album, Range of Light, was inspired by the mountains Muir loved most.
It’s official, we have never seen a better dog training highlight reel. Jumpy shows off some new tricks and an incredible connection with his trainer, Omar von Muller, in this short edit. Can Jumpy be beat? We’d love to see any challengers.
America's southern boundary has been a flashpoint for controversy and political debate for years. But a rollicking 2,000-mile drive with National Public Radio reveals there's much more to the region than meets the ear.
Looking for ways to make your MTB films better as the weather warms up? Here is a cool piece that lays out some useful tips, all while showing you how it’s done. A project from Filme von Draussen Workshop.
In 2007, Erden Eruç entered his 24-foot ocean rowing boat, the Calderdale, to start a journey that would take him around the world under his own power. It would become a five year and eleven day journey that would challenge him physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. From Castaway With Purpose.
In 2012, Jordan Manley, a respected action sports photographer and filmmaker, suffered a severe concussion. Performing some of the most mundane tasks would cause Manley to expereince horrible symptoms of his injury. He began taking #dailywalks and used Instagram and his iPhone to highlight brief moments of nature and beauty…
The men credited with the first human-powered circumnavigations of the earth are sharing their story in two new books.
How a Mormon kid from Utah cracked the code for producing adventure videos you can't stop sharing.
A compilation from filmmaker Aaron Lieber. Using his RED EPIC, Lieber captures the best athletes in the world, from Sochi Gold winner Sage Kotensburg to the 11X World Champion Kelly Slater.
A short film about a journey into the into the Colorado Rockies by Mike Pavlovsky during Outside Adventure Film School – Colorado Backcountry 2014. As the ultimate hands-on filmmaking experience, the Outside Adventure Film School provides innovative instruction from story conception to the big screen. We choose the…
Sage captures his early winter shredding in the Alps during the jump-infused big mountain comp known as the Swatch Skier’s Cup (Team Americas wins again!) with Sony’s POV Action Cam. An uber-wide 170 degree field of vision helps for up-close pans of tourists as they gape at the Matterhorn,…
To many entrepreneurs across the world, rising temperatures, drought, and ice melt represents a market opportunity. McKenzie Funk spent the past six years reporting around the world on how the business world is preparing for a warmer planet.
A reflection on sports, nature and the extreme. “When asked what freedom is to us, we’ll probably say nothing. No thoughts, no doubts, no fears, no pressure, no self reflection. A positive emptiness.” A project from GET OUT THERE.