In 2016, a wildfire jumped the Athabasca River and headed straight for Fort McMurray, an Alberta oil town 600 miles south of the Arctic Circle. In this excerpt from ‘Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World,’ John Vaillant chronicles the moment the blaze enters town, forcing nearly 90,000 people to flee in what remains the largest, most rapid single-day evacuation in the history of modern fire.

Can’t take 6 months off to hike the PCT? We understand. Here’s how to take a big trip without getting fired.

Thru-hiking is for everyone—but if you really want to build your life around the trail, some careers make it easier than others

Tahoe residents are fighting a plan to turn Homewood Mountain Resort into a semi-private resort, limiting community access to the slopes

The sad situation is a reminder to visitors to avoid handling wild animals

A group of young hikers used Apple’s Emergency SOS system to trigger a rescue

Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury in a mountain-biking accident, they found their real estate job intolerable. Taking a bold chance at a new career changed everything.

Kaitlyn Brann, 34, died after being struck on a popular route on May 12

The adaptive athlete was missing the thrill-seeking activities that used to define his life—until an experience on an icy pier showed him that he could find fulfillment just about anywhere

Among the world’s harrowing marine survival stories, the strangest might be a crew’s escape from one of the earliest submarines

Adventure athletes like pro snowboarder Eric Jackson have begun to dabble in the pursuit, helping create a bridge between two previously distinct outdoor communities.

Right out of college, Leath Tonino traveled to Antarctica to experience the frozen landscape of his childhood exploration heroes. The daily routine was a bit dull—shoveling snow for the U.S. government—until a pair of skinny skis unlocked the potential of the vast snowy expanse.

The 2023 death toll on Everest has already reached double digits—with multiple people still missing. And the climbing season isn’t over yet.

First impressions from Christina Chappetta and Jason Lucas

The marine biologist and mother was struggling to find time to nourish herself. Then she found a community of wave-riding moms.

The annual NSAA report shows that skiers flocked to the powder in a big way in 2022-23

Competitive cycling—even at the amateur level—can teach you a lot about bikes, yourself, and life

Take an epic tour of the sweeping prairie and secluded mountains of eastern Montana

The gondola is still in play, but a new tolling program in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon could charge cars $25 to $50 to get to the resorts

Matthew Read, 19, spent two days stranded in the woods

Apples no one has ever tasted are still out in the wild. Dave Benscoter, a retired FBI agent, has spent a decade searching for these 100-year-old heirlooms.

A traumatic childhood experience left the journalist deathly afraid of the water. But by drawing on the resilience of her ancestors, she found the courage to dive in.

More than 100 climbers reached the top on Wednesday, May 17, but the day was not without tragedy

What kinds of stories do you want and not want from us? Fill out a short survey so we can create the shows you’re after.

A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more

Surfer Dylan Graves recently notched a record-breaking ride on a tidal bore in Indonesia. Graves says the cosmic wave changed his life.

There are far better ways to deal with your shit.

The Taliban government prohibits Afghan women from entering parks or gyms, or even from leaving the house without a male guardian. Sources tell us that life under the outdoor ban is pushing many women to the brink.

These five destinations deserve a spot on your western U.S. bucket list

The American, who attained legend status for his 1963 ascent of the West Ridge, died at age 93

After losing a leg in a car accident, the clothing designer discovered grace in scuba diving

A guide from New Zealand says someone pilfered valuable supplies at Camp IV. Plus, hundreds of climbers are expected to push for the summit this week.

After the bestselling novelist’s marriage fell apart, she decided to take a long walk in the wild. It set her up for a life of adventure.

The big-wave icon discusses the origins of the HBO docuseries, his new surfing ambitions, and whether or not there will be a season three

Encounters between bruins and campers led the forest service to shutter the areas

Phoenix recorded its earliest 100-degree day in 80 years

Cohen Schaumann is recuperating in a hospital after suffering a brutal fall on April 21

At five feet tall, she was the smallest wildland firefighter in her crew and worried she couldn’t keep up. But on her very first blaze, she discovered her strength.

When the largest tornado ever recorded touched down in central Oklahoma, storm chasers, meteorologists, and thrill seekers were expecting a show. What they got was a deadly lesson in the power of nature.

A small injury during Morgan Brosnihan’s Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike inspired a big idea: Why not set up a mobile clinic for hikers who need help?

A crazy-sounding idea—build a tube from the Pacific to bring water to Utah’s Great Salt Lake—raises a larger question: Are we willing to do absolutely anything to fight climate change?

Facing the loss of a close friend, the Kenyan cyclist and road-safety advocate found refuge in his community

Two humongous male grizzly bears square off in one of the craziest, most mesmerizing battles caught on video

A disagreement at the Vuelta Femenina has thrust the unwritten rules governing bathroom breaks into the spotlight

Visiting the indoor crag during peak hours helped me cultivate a community

When the young athlete was given the chance to lead her outrigger canoe team at the state championships, it opened her up to taking all kinds of chances

New rules have thrust Australian longboarder Sasha Jane Lowerson to the center of a global sports debate

Guides in Base Camp say that Mother Nature will help determine whether climbers encounter dangerous congestion on the world’s tallest peak

The Talking Heads frontman wheeled up the runway on a titanium commuter bike

Skier Francis Zuber narrates the dramatic video clip of his heroic rescue that generated thousands of views online

The $450 Lomi Home Composter doesn’t actually create compost. But the product is still awesome—if you can afford it.

How have these indoor spaces have become hubs for the outdoor community?

Retired doctor Jonathan Sugarman of Seattle died at Camp II on Monday, May 1

Neuschäfer made history this week, becoming the first woman and third person to win the Golden Globe, an impossibly challenging sailing race

The Outside Awards will showcase up-and-coming storytellers and celebrate emerging voices in the snowsports world—plus $40,000 in prize money and a chance to be featured in Outside Magazine and in the Warren Miller film tour is on the line.

After finding himself in the middle of a disaster on Mount Everest, the mountaineer wanted to be the strongest version of himself

And it’s not the one in California that rhymes with Shmammoth, believe it or not

Authorities in North Carolina say the duo were selling marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD to thru-hikers

The professional skier found his life’s work in the joy of others

The ’burbs get a bad rap—sometimes justifiably—for sprawling streets and car culture run amok. But city life presents biking challenges that are just as unnerving.

Sharing a habitat with bears, wolves, lions, and other big wild animals can be complicated, and not always safe or predictable. Here’s what I know.

When a BASE jumper slammed into a red-rock tower and his parachute snagged on a ledge, there was only one way to save his life: go up and get him.

It took a terrifying experience in the ocean for the educator to embrace the idea that going for it isn’t always the right choice

A 2022 boating fatality could be a harbinger of more frequent whitewater disasters on a dwindling Colorado River

All but three on this list are still open, with more snow in the forecast

A half-hour ramble to a local campsite may not be your idea of an epic backpacking adventure. But it might just give you a new perspective on what’s important in a hike.

She was a very unhappy lawyer until she took a scuba trip to the Galapagos that convinced her to give up her career and become an explorer

Notes from an intentional ski expedition on a new frontier.

Reed Hastings is the latest mogul to enter the U.S. ski industry

This nonprofit turned 40,000 miles of unused travel infrastructure into a system of walking and biking paths—and wants you to use them

Indian mountaineer Anaug Maloo was stranded in a crevasse for three days, until a team of rescuers overcame improbable odds to save him

Lifesavers in Colorado recently rescued multiple hikers who had lost their footwear on the same slushy trail

With more coastline than California, Fort Peck Lake offers an abundance of secluded coves to fish, waterski, paddle, or just explore

Officials say Nobis died in a Cedar City, Utah jail cell

Clean water is just the latest front in the GOP's judicial war on your rights

There are a number of benefits guides provide to hikers and backpackers of all experience levels.

An encounter with sharks taught the open-water swimmer that getting through fear leads to beauty

A veteran climber is dead, another is missing, and multiple others are lucky to be alive after a tragic few days in the Himalayas

Show up on Earth Day with these easy, powerful actions