Exploration & Survival
Archive
One person was killed and another seriously injured at Alpine Meadows in California
As one of the northernmost settlements on earth, the Norwegian hamlet of Longyearbyen has become a magnet for adventurous souls looking to start a new life. But when an unsettling crime happened, it brought home a harsh reality: in the modern world, trouble always finds you.
Wes Siler shows you how to address a flesh wound
Wes Siler has some basic tips anyone can use to forecast the weather using clouds
Don't worry, this tale has a happy ending
After losing the trail and his shoes, hiker Nick Noland descended 4.5 miles in 16-degree weather
The athletes, activists, makers, movers, hustlers, and rule breakers who shaped our world this year
This January 18 and 19, we're teaming up with Land Rover to host a weekend of live music, gear demos, and adventure workshops in Coachella Valley
When the climber took a fall, Alex Honnold caught her with his bare hands
After losing his bear spray, Colin Dowler was caught with nothing but a tiny Buck knife
Skiers and others venturing into the backcountry often end up too far apart to help each other when an avalanche strikes
A few of our favorite adventure photographers share the behind-the-scenes tales of their legendary pictures
Hunters Jessi Johnson and Bridget Noonan try to fill their Dall-sheep and caribou tags in Canada's Northwest Territories.
Be prepared to go into the backcountry with our expert knowledge, advice, and gear recommendations to stay safe
In the off chance that you are caught up in an avalanche, a beacon, bright gear, and a rescue dog are your best chances for survival
Cory McDonald's main goal was to restore his health on the Pacific Crest Trail. Becoming a YouTube star, getting stalked, and meeting the perfect girl were just exhilarating extras.
Two years after he was saved in a remote canyon, our host talks with one of his rescuers about coping with life-altering trauma
Backed by billionaire philanthropists and Silicon Valley venture capitalists, a wave of entrepreneurs are developing high-tech, low-cost technologies to probe the watery realms we still barely understand. Are the oceans finally getting their moon-shot moment?
One day, while felling trees in Wisconsin, Gary Edinger severed his leg clean off when a tree exploded underneath his chainsaw
It took an epic effort to get him out. Two years later, the healing for him and his rescuers continues.
In 2018, Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison made history by skiing off the summit of Lhotse, the fourth-tallest mountain in the world.
Melting snow for drinking water isn't as easy as it sounds
Multimillionaire Victor Vescovo committed himself to one of the world’s craziest remaining adventure quests: to reach the deepest points in every ocean. What does it take to get there? A radically high-tech, $30 million Triton submersible, a team of crack engineers and scientists, and one very gonzo explorer.
When she realized a mountain lion was stalking her, Dee Gallant knew exactly what to do—blast some heavy metal
'Search' is an overlanding film shot in the dramatic landscapes of Colorado and California
When it comes to navigation, nothing beats the reliability of an old-school paper map and a compass
The easiest way to get found is to tell somebody responsible where you're going and when you'll be back.
The year's most dramatic story of a bear attack offers potentially lifesaving lessons for anyone venturing into the wild
Behind the headlines about the return of great whites to Cape Cod is a story about how we're learning to live alongside a terrifying predator
Making your own custom map will change how you adventure.
After a climbing partner became ill, high winds stranded Yev Krasnitskiy and his team on the upper reaches of Mount Rainier for five days with no way to go but up
The clock is winding down. Don't dwell on summer's missed opportunities—make new ones.
Why one California couple chose to stand and fight an inferno
Overwhelmed by crowds of people sleeping in their vans and trucks, outdoor dream towns are taking actions that could end a way of life
When a father of two was shot through his tent in the Southern California park last year, the murder revealed a mysterious trail of previously unpublicized incidents that had happened nearby—and sparked a $90 million lawsuit.
Contributing editor Kyle Dickman recaps his harrowing snakebite tale in this animated short
Wes Siler on proven dog-recall training techniques
The science is clear, right? Not so fast, according to, well, science.
This is what nightmares are made of
Want to go into the woods without disturbing wildlife? The first step is to learn how to move silently.
The photographer and filmmaker died Wednesday while attempting a flight near his home in the Eastern Sierra
The explorer’s crossing of Antarctica put him in the spotlight. His skill in presenting himself to audiences hungry for vulnerable heroes will keep him there.
The Canadian almost-astronaut is making a name for herself as a new kind of space-nerd-of-all-trades
What happened when one writer looked beyond the open road, the staged snapshots, and the hashtag
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are searching for Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, suspects in the murders of three people on remote highways in British Columbia. The teenagers are alleged to have spanned one territory and at least five massive provinces, leaving burning vehicles in their 2,000-mile-long wake before plunging into the Canadian backcountry.
The man who took the most shocking Everest photo of the year is about to break one of mountaineering's stoutest records
Want to see some animals next time you're outdoors? Here's how to adapt knowledge from hunters to general wildlife viewing.
The jet was flying through the famous Star Wars Canyon when it went down. The NPS says some visitors may have been injured.
A 24-year-old woman drowned while attempting to reach the abandoned bus made famous by Christopher McCandless
On August 21, 2017, people from across the U.S. turned their eyes toward the sun as the entire country was treated to a solar eclipse
Before you drop all that money on a full gear package, take some advice from the experts on where and how to save
Ida Pfeiffer sailed the oceans, trekked through jungles, and scaled peaks, becoming one of the most famous women in Europe in the early 1800s
In the fall of 2018, the 26-year-old American missionary traveled to a remote speck of sand and jungle in the Indian Ocean, attempting to convert one of the planet's last uncontacted tribes to Christianity. The islanders killed him, and Chau was pilloried around the world as a deluded Christian supremacist who deserved to die. Alex Perry pieces together the life and death of a young adventurer driven to extremes by unshakable faith.
A few of the world's best cliff jumpers got together at Abiqua Falls, Oregon, to push their limits on the 102-foot drop
When you spend months each year in the backcountry, things are bound to go wrong eventually
After running for her life from a knife wielding attacker, Sheryl Powell disappeared on Friday, July 12. Monday, she was found alive.
From earthquakes to fires and floods, here are savings on the supplies you need to survive
One crazy night in Bridger-Teton National Forest with hundreds of people who just want to find the horns that elk have left behind
Stay safe in the wilderness and shave down pack weight with this customizable setup
These days, a bad fall or hospital visit can cost you thousands of dollars. But new on-demand accident insurance for adventurers gives you backup.
The harrowing story of a too-close encounter with a Canadian black bear
'Admissions of an Amateur Bikepacker' features cyclist Benjamin Johnson as he bikepacks through the Andes
Hopefully you don't get charged by a bear in the first place. But in a worst-case scenario, here's what to do.
A Wisconsin truck mechanic has has endured hundreds of snakebites in a quest to immunize his body. Scientists think he might have found the cure.
After a crash, skier Roy Tuscany created the foundation to support other athletes who'd suffered life-changing injuries
For decades, herpetologist William Brown has studied a thriving population of timber rattlers in upstate New York. And somehow he's convinced locals that having venomous neighbors underfoot can be a glorious thing.
What to do if one of these bloodsuckers finds its way onto you or your dog
After Kyle Dickman nearly died from a rattlesnake bite in Yosemite, he began a quest to understand what venom really does to us
We cover the necessities, plus a few extras and friendly pointers
The recipe for Wes Siler's perfect night outside: a dog, a knife, a steak, and a campfire.
These five important knots can serve you well on your next outdoor adventure.
The surprising answers to two critical questions that every adventurer has: What do you after you find buried treasure? And what can't duct tape fix?
Since 2000, Tim Friede, a truck mechanic from Wisconsin, has endured some 200 snakebites and 700 injections of lethal snake venom—all part of a masochistic quest to immunize his body and offer his blood to scientists seeking a universal antivenom. For nearly two decades, few took him seriously. Then a gifted young immunologist stumbled upon Friede on YouTube—and became convinced that he was the key to conquering snakebites forever.
If you're going to be outside, get yourself a good weather-radar app and learn how to use it
Don't rely on convenience stores and junk food to fuel your miles
This gear shop owner moved from Nebraska to Wyoming's Wind Rivers for a smaller salary and higher cost of living. She wouldn't change it for the world.
Sure-footed tips for when the going gets steep