Opinion

Liz Chamberlain
Working as the minority female amongst a varsity team of alpine jocks can be difficult. Some days, you will feel ignored or unheard and question whether you should wear a low-cut v-neck or your baggiest pair of Carhartt’s to balance out the lack of acknowledgment. On other days, you’ll feel…

Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in

Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in on the great cairn debate

Should a reader feel guilty about booking a short-term rental in a town beset by the housing crisis? Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in.

The brand’s new campaign, featuring drag queen Pattie Gonia, struck a nerve with conservatives. The company’s continued support of the LGBTQ+ community despite the backlash has real impact.

Sure, pretty sunsets and endorphin-pumping summits do the trick. But we’ve also found plenty more surprising moments of wonder and delight.

And what about charging people to climb that mountain? Outside’s ethics guru weighs in.

The lifestyle is physically dangerous for Black people and often financially and socially out of reach

After suffering a nervous breakdown, mountain-bike photographer Matt Wragg received a surprising opinion from his psychologist

Our soft-drink warriors both believe this sugary, caffeine-packed soda is the perfect refreshment after exercise or adventure. (Hmm. OK.) They disagree about flavors, and be warned: it might get loud.

What’s a traveler’s responsibility when a once quiet destination gentrifies?

Sponsor Content: Carhartt

By supporting service corps that are preserving our public lands, Carhartt is helping to protect parks and empower the next generation of park stewards

Blasting the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday, the GOP nominee for a Senate seat in Georgia said, “A lot of the money is going into trees. Don’t we have enough trees around here?”

To control mass tourism, the National Park Service is working on solutions, like its reservation system. We tourists need to do our part, too. Here’s how.

For many of us, a visit to these communities is an idyllic escape, but racism exists there, too, and it’s important that we continue to address it

Award-winning poet Elizabeth Alexander explains how the expansion of the National Park Service Mellon Humanities Fellowship will allow scholars to deepen our understanding of the history within our public lands and share it with visitors

More people outside has meant more rules for all of us—including what to do with our excrement

Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on the Great Outdoors Music Debate

Native scholar weighs in on the United Nations’ suggestion that Indigenous knowledge might help us survive the climate disaster

Outside’s ethics guru ponders what exactly is up for grabs on public lands

It’s not easy being a progressive who works for a middle-of-the-road president. Mark Sundeen sizes up the interior secretary’s first year in office—which has been a disappointment to climate-change activists—and decides she’s most likely to make a mark through a historic reckoning over the U.S. government’s shameful running of Native American boarding schools.

Buying a house just so you can rent it out on Airbnb is lame. And predatory.

A ‘Washington Post’ story on Greg Gianforte’s latest hunting escapades is misleading, which is a shame, because its subject deserves much more scrutiny

Thanks to female characters Bryce Kellogg and Robin Hand, women in ski towns have a timeless manifesto to follow

President Biden just restored the national monument’s boundaries. Now it’s time for deeper healing and restorative justice for the region’s Indigenous people.

When, how, and what to tune in for running, cycling, sport climbing, surfing, and more

Leaders of the nonprofit Indigenous Women Outdoors describe how learning about the traditional territories where they ski and snowboard enhances their time outside and connects them with their ancestors

With working conditions like these, who would let their babies grow up to race bikes for a living?

When it comes to public image for our elected officials, being seen on a bicycle is as fraught as a first dinner with the in-laws

It's long enough to work the magic, but short enough that there's no excuse not to do it

The pandemic has led to an unexpected positive—people reclaiming streets in ways that have made urban America more bikeable, walkable, and enjoyable. Preserving that will take work, but it’s worth it.

'The Quiet Force' investigates the interdependence of mountain-town tourism and the immigrant labor force

The American Museum of Natural History is taking down its memorial to Theodore Roosevelt, and the hunting world should take note

Our lands and waters are fundamental to our heritage, health, and culture. We must invest in them.

Bicycles have been agents of change and rebellion since the 19th century. That's why seeing law enforcement use them to repress protesters feels especially jarring and wrong.

Post something anti-racist instead. Better yet, do something anti-racist instead.

You're contributing to America's addiction to speeding—and you're much more likely to kill someone

Locked-down cities have opened streets to cyclists and pedestrians. But what happens when the traffic comes back?

Gravel may be all the rage, but nothing teaches you more about being a cyclist than riding on the road

'Last Call for the Bayou' follows five Louisiana residents as they battle to keep their industries alive amid disappearing wetlands

To all the firefighters, nurses, grocery store clerks and stockers, postal employees, and sanitation workers: we appreciate you

Surfers Belinda Baggs, Liz Clark, and Moona Whyte​​​​​​​ reflect on their relationship to conservation

Flouting the law is in our blood, but for the time being, caution equals caring

Instead of figuring out what to do about the 2020 race, organizers should start planning for next year and use the opportunity to finally create a true women's Tour de France. Here's how it could work.

And they're even more important during the coronavirus pandemic

Flatten the curve, skip the group ride, and head for the hills solo—it'll do wonders for your body and mind

Some people are behaving badly in the face of a pandemic. Others are making the outdoor world proud.

As wilderness hubs like Bishop and Moab shutter their gates to visitors, what's an outdoor lover to do during a pandemic? We're here to help.

As COVID-19 shuts down buses and trains in cities, we remember that bicycles are the ultimate contingency plan

Wes Siler and legendary alpinist Conrad Anker explain why your vote matters and how to make it count

Here, Wes Siler and legendary mountain climber Conrad Anker walk through the first step: registering to vote​​​​​​​

Influencers and conservationists of color take a hike through Harold Richardson Redwood Preserve to discuss diversity on public lands

A little goes a long way (for your ego)

Can the sport’s trendiest discipline reinvigorate its national governing body? And should we even care?

In 'Fine Lines,' from director Dina Khreino, climbers Alex Honnold, Lynn Hill, and Emily Harrington discuss their thoughts on risk and fear

Lucy Parks found trail culture far from fully accepting but refused to let fear stop them from thru-hiking the AT

Don't be the Jerry that breaks these

With Americans surging onto public lands like never before, search and rescue operations are becoming overwhelmed—and help is not on the way

Bad behavior might be jeopardizing access to Kingdom Trails, one of the premier networks on the East Coast. Here's what we can learn from it.

Or why you should absolutely make room in your bag for those shrimp skewers on your next trip

Skier Greg Hill attempts big-mountain pursuits with only electricity and a front-wheel-drive Chevy Bolt

On the bike, laws are secondary and survival is paramount

Getting one was, by far, the most powerful personal action I could take for our planet

We keep hearing about the supposed dangers of shared e-scooters, but the numbers tell a different story

There's no right way to grieve the death of a beloved pet

Tech shaming has made us believe that the outdoor experience has to be pure or nothing. Here's why you should absolve your guilt about using your gadgets in nature.

The law will soon mandate equal pay for men and women in athletic events on California state lands. But legislators may have missed an opportunity to make broader inroads on gender equity in sports.

A frosty cold one is best when shared. So are America's public lands.

A modest proposal that, at the very least, will make your community better

What is a good boy anyway? How do you become one? These are the questions that keep me up at night.

Cycling is already mainstream. It’s time for the media to catch up.

Dynos are big, scary, and an excellent way to think about how we can be more supportive and intentional at the crag

Urban riding is the greatest adventure. We just need to make it even more accessible.

A mandatory helmet law in NYC is how Vision Zero ends.

Cars may have driven us apart, but we’re natural allies. Here’s how to do your part to heal the divide.

The official Ursus of fire prevention ought to move from figurehead to spokesbear—and wearing a little Nomex wouldn't hurt either

Adding World Tour events just for women is a huge step forward for professional cycling. But real change has to come from the UCI.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced what he calls an "audacious" new proposal to address this year’s dramatic rise in cycling fatalities. It must only be the start.

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