Adventure
ArchiveUntitled from Outside Magazine on Vimeo. Ray and I received some very disheartening news the day before leaving for Chile. Kevin Vallely, Ray’s expedition brother—from the expedition to the South Pole in 2009 and the journey across…
I'm looking for a waterproof hard shell outer layer, preferably three-ply, for winter activities...skiing, hiking, snowshoeing. Somewhere between bombproof and minimalist?MikeNewton, MA
The Loneliest Road in America gets a little more lonely, swingliners go big in Utah, an epic bore in Alaska, and tailgating: by the numbers. Here's the stuff you should click on this week. Not Your Average Backyard Swing Set: Forget Duran Duran:Playing…
There are certain skills every Outside guy should possess. For this, the first installment of our four-part fundamentals series, we address the basics of adventure.
Courtesy of Flickr The Kelly Clark Foundation announced today that it has distributed its first round of scholarships, according to TransWorld Snowboarding. The foundation, established…
Last night, big-wave surfer Mark Visser gathered up a helicopter, a jet ski, a buoyancy vest tricked out with LED lights, and a surfboard laced with submarine lighting built for NASA, and took off for Jaws. At 2:00 am local time, he caught a 30-footer…
Reynolds, at the Ventura Pier. Photo Courtesy of Flickr Dane Reynolds, one of the most publicized surfers of his generation and 2010 World Tour number four, underwent arthroscopic surgery recently and will most likely miss the first contest of this year, according to…
In a move to prevent ocean incidents and injuries, San Mateo County officials plan to close the beach when the Jay At Maverick's surf contest runs, according to an official release. Last year, 13 people were injured when a wave jumped a seawall into the spectator…
Photo from richardmasoner on Flickr Cyclist Floyd Landis announced on Monday that he is retiring from pro cycling, roadcycling.com and the AP report. He said that the battle to fix the sport's drug-tainted image is “not my…
Photo by richardmasoner on Flickr As a federal grand jury continues to investigate doping allegations against Lance Armstrong, writers at Sports Illustrated are reporting new information about the seven-time Tour de France winner's alleged role in an organized doping operation that…
Courtesy of Flickr Canine joint replacements are becoming more common, reports The New York Times. New hips, knees and elbows allow dogs to prolong careers such as assisting the disabled, participating in police activity and hunting. Veterinarians…
Few people can claim even one of the following roles—pro freeskier, BASE jumper, Japanese video star—but that's everyday life for Suzanne Graham. The 24-year-old winner of the 2010 Red Bull Cold Rush travels the world BASE-jumping, and is currently the world’s only active female ski BASE jumper.
Courtesy of Flickr U.S. Snowboarding has announced its team for the 2011 World Championships in La Molina, Spain, according to TransWorld Snowboarding. Leading the team of 21 athletes are three Olympians:…
Courtesy of Flickr Billabong's all-girl Flaunt It Tour begins its fifth season on January 22 at Blue Mountain, Ontario, according to TransWorld Snowboarding. The tour, which is open only to females, is a series of slopestyle and rail…
Courtesy of Flickr Alpinists Simone Moro, Denis Urubko and Cory Richards are attempting a first winter ascent of Pakistan's Gasherbrum II, according to…
What is the best pant for a January backpacking/fly-fishing trip to Patagonian Chile? Jimmy Friend, NE
Sixteen years ago, the man who helped raise Megan Michelson was shot to death at a remote kayaking lodge in Northern California. Michelson embarks on a painful search to find out what happened, and why.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced last Wednesday that the National Park Service will waive admission fees on 17 selected dates throughout 2011. The first fee free days will be this weekend, January 15-17, for the…
After Marine Corps Veteran Ronnie Simpson survived an explosion in Iraq in 2004, he threw himself at an audacious goal: to sail around the world. It almost killed him.
Having been home from my successful Vinson summit a few weeks now, my attention has shifted from reflection to planning. The next climb is Aconcagua in mid January. There are two major activities at this point: gear review and continued training. This will be the second climb in The…
Photo from advencap on Flickr The Quiksilver Foundation, in recognition of Kelly Slater's tenth ASP World Surfing Championship, announced Tuesday the 10 for Ten campgain, in which $10,000 will be given to ten non-profit organizations of Slater's choosing,…
Photo courtesy of Ray Zahab Stretching over 1000 kilometers south from Chile’s northern border is the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert. It's a high lifeless plateau with areas so arid that rain hasn’t been recorded since record keeping began. Defined by meteorologists as…
Freeskier Sarah Burke is ready to return to her winning ways and convince the world the halfpipe skiing is worthy of the Olympics.
Guides Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs, Seth Waterfall, Caroline George, Jake Norton, cinematographer Kent Harvey and their clients summited Vinson Massif on Antarctica, 45 years after the first ascent of the mountain. The team called in to…
Photo courtesy of Flickr. Switzerland's Federal Tribune rejected Alejandro Valverde's appeal to overturn a CAS ruling suspending him from cycling worldwide until January 2012, VeloNews reports. The initial CAS ruling came when WADA and the UCI requested a global ban…
The Missoulian reported what is probably the sixth death from deep snow and tree wells in a matter of a fortnight. Invesitgations in California, Montana, and British Columiba are still in progress on these non-avalanche, non-trauma deaths (one may be drowning and the other trauma). See my past…
Alpine Meadows Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe announced the second annual Take the Lake Triple Air Open ski and snowboard jump competition, which takes place March 18 through March 20, TransWorld Snowboarding reports. Competitors will show off their big-air moves on a triple jumpline…
Not exactly the usual view when peeking into Corbet's… photo courtesy Chip Carey Afraid to jump into Jackson Hole’s famed Corbet’s Couloir? There is one other way to get in there-but don’t count on it being an easier option. If you were among the…
A week into the new year, and already plenty to see. Here's the stuff you should click on so far for 2011. Worth a Look:The Top 10 Travel Stories of 2010 (New York Times) Worth…
Tour de France superstars Andy Schleck and Fabian Cancellara are just two of the high profile members of Team Leopard-Trek, the new pro-cycling supersquad that entered the International Cycling Union rankings at No. 1.
Courtesy of Flickr American snowboarder Kelly Clark earned first place in the halfpipe semifinals today at the O'Neill Evolution 2011 in Davos, Switzerland, according to…
I am currently stationed in Naples, Italy for another year and a half. Can you list ten things that I should accomplish in Europe while I'm here? I love to travel and fish and I am more concerned with seeing the natural beauty of the continent than anything else.BlakeNaples, Italy
Photo by Ashley Barrett Four-time ASP champion Stephanie Gilmore has signed a five-year contract with Quiksilver. In addition to surfing for the company, the 22-year-old Australia native will also act as a brand ambassador, joining 13 other…
What is the best soft shell for cross-country skiing? Paul Ely, MN
Courtesy of Flickr The Portuguese Cycling Federation has banned national cyclist Pedro Lopes for 15 years for a second doping violation, according to Velonation.com. Lopes's failure to disclose his whereabouts to doping authorities on three occasions over…
*O.K. These tips will work for men too. The only problem with ski mountaineering racing—or randonee if you want to get all Frenchy—is that barely any women in the US are doing it. Which begs the bigger question, why do women wait for men to embrace debilitating endurance sports before…
Pro cyclist Jessica Phillips has always raced road in the summer and taught skiing in the winter. The 32-year-old Aspenite admits that the switch is necessary, because women’s pro cycling alone doesn’t exactly bring home the bacon. This year, she’s taking her transition to a new level. World Cup…
On December 30th, 58-year-old Aspen socialite and endurance athlete Jennifer Figge, who gained notoriety in 2009 after “swimming” the Atlantic, set off on her new quest to swim long stretches between Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Hawaii—a distance of some 3,000 miles. Her 2009 swim across…
Last week, massive storms pummeled the mountains with snow. Unfortunately, in a 48-hour span, four more cases of tree well accidents were reported. On December 28, a snowboarder went out of bounds from a Tahoe resort and was found in a deat in tree well two days later. On December 27,…
Greg Hill (Tommy Chandler/Backcountry.com) After 266 days of climbing and skiing, and climbing and skiing, and climbing and skiing, Greg Hill hit his goal. His watch registered 2 million vertical feet on…
Besides running a successful design firm, Damion Hickman also runs one of the biggest club teams in Southern Califorina, Team Velo Sport. The 700 members blanket the sport of cycling, with riders from numerous disciplines: mountain biking, time…
What satellite phone should I take on a kayaking trip around Fiji? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Greg Hill is 1.65 million feet into his goal of skiing two million backcountry feet in 2010. Will he make it?
Going up, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana Along with the bourgeoning sport of alpine touring, many skiers and snowboarders are skinning and snowshoeing inbounds these days, requiring mountain resorts to figure out how to deal with uphill traffic. Although you may hear grumbling on both sides, know that resorts need…
Early season conditions have been brutal across the west. But none are more so than at Jackson Hole, WY, where the locals are just ruined, and have been for weeks. The fault lies with the lift system…also known as the tram. Four thousand foot laps of powder on an empty…
In a tech-assisted misadventure, our man finds the most difficult line between two points
Aspen’s Michael Ferrara is bringing attention to a little-known problem: post-traumatic stress disorder among the people who save our lives
What's the best GPS for extended backcountry hikes? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
From the beginning of January up until the year's final weeks, climbing news has been chock-full of bar-raising ascents across all disciplines. We've seen V16 boulders, big wall speed records, and new-school ascents on ice. The sport as a whole has advanced too—climbing may have an Olympic appearance in its…
A 58-year-old Aspen socialite is forcing the world to grapple with just what it means to swim across the ocean.
Standing on the summit of Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson at 16,067’ was one of the highlights of my climbing career. Not only was it one of the most breathtaking views I have ever witnessed from a mountain, the meaning was simply overwhelming. Vinson was the first of my 7 Summits Climb…
Laura Dekker, the 15-year-old Dutch girl attempting to break the world record for youngest solo circumnavigation of the globe, reached St. Maarten island in the Caribbean recently, successfully completing her first leg of the journey. Dekker, who was repeatedly delayed by Dutch authorities finally got permission to…
From hot springs to mountain-town fiestas to one surprisingly easy island getaway, we've got you covered.
As the west gets pounded by storms in what has been a best winter season opening in years, hopefully everyone has been out powder farming the light, dry, deep crystalline snow. When tracking up my local backcountry stash this weekend, I spied giant tree wells, big as black holes. Be…
Aspen frequently shows up on our list of North America’s best ski resorts, and while we think it’s a great place to party, it’s family-friendly, too. Georgie Bremner, Limelight Lodge’s Ski School manager and…
In the murky water hazards of Florida golf courses, something magical awaits: big-ass bass, tarpon, and snook. Tie on a fly and keep your mouth shut—we're going in.
Haggis potato chips, psychedelic snails, drunk lorikeets, an iPhone that speaks Spanish, and a carload of snowboarders. Our journey this week through the interweb to find stuff to click on was an interesting trip. ¡Es Loco! ¡Es MUY Loco! Best…
Martin Erzinger, 52, a Denver man who hit and seriously injured a cyclist with his car near Vail, has been sentenced to probation and community service, the Wall Street Journal reports. The sentencing followed approval of a plea deal criticized…
John Florence, laying into a cutback in the early rounds. © ASP / SCHOLTZ The final day of the Billabong Pipeline Masters In Memory of Andy Irons is currently underway. Check out the action on the live webcast.
Flores, en route to his first World Tour and Pipeline Masters victory. © ASP / CESTARI The final event of the ASP World Tour season ended in fine form on the North Shore of Oahu. Jeremy Flores, of France,…
How can I survive a night in the snow? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
On Dec. 5, somebody found a foot inside a boot (without the rest of the body attached) in Tacoma, Washington's Tideflats area, the Toronto Sun reports. It's the second foot found since August, when a right foot washed up about 70 miles…
Russian BASE jumper Valery Rozov traveled to Antarctica's 9,616-foot Mount Ulvetanna so he could be the first to climb and jump off the rock in temps as low as -22 degrees. Enough said. Via Wend. –Joe Spring…
Bought an Avalung recently? Black Diamond has some bad news for you. The plastic intake hose on some of the new ones can crack in cold weather, so the company is recalling a number of Avalungs made in 2010, according to a company statement released today. The issue doesn't…
I recently got a chance to talk with superstar MTB rider Danny MacAskill about learning tricks on his lunch break and his recent film project Way Back Home. It’s his latest viral video, filmed from Edinburgh to the Isle…
Deep down, most of us know it's the riders legs not the bike. When British Doc Jeremy Groves upgraded his $50, 30-pound steel commuter clunker to a $1560, 21-pound carbon beauty, he didn't feel like he was riding that much faster. So, he set off on a test. Just published in…
Courtesy of Orin Zebest on Flickr. As the national interest in hunting has waned and game habitat has become suburban development, government conservation efforts face budget crises, the New York Times reports. Hunting license sales and…
Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has called for Sea World to release a tape of trainers masturbating the park's most infamous Killer Whale, Tilikum. “We know from SeaWorld's own director of safety (as well as…
The frozen continent. Photo Courtesy of Flickr Despite -22°F temperatures, a steady band of adventurers has opened the season on Vinson Massif, Antarctica's highest peak and one of the Seven Summits. Team Latitude, a Norwegian team, was…
What's the ultimate Christmas gift for a survival nut? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
If there's a limit to what the human body can endure, the late Jure Robic was the one drawing the line.
At least that's what the world's sexiest skydiver says. Italian Roberta Mancino appeared on Conan O'Brien last night to reveal that jumping out of a plane naked isn't that enjoyable. Every part of your body fluctuates in frantic waves while falling. It can hurt, especially…
Photo courtesy of Flickr. An Antarctic cruise ship, Cecilia II, lost an engine crossing the Drake Passage in the Southern Ocean Monday, going adrift in rough, dangerous seas, The Adventure Blog reports. The Cecilia II was on…
Though reports are still sketchy, Outside has learned that South African kayaker Hendrik (Hendri) Coetzee died after being attacked by a crocodile—on the Congo's Lukuga river. He was paddling with Americans Ben Stookesberry and Chris Korbulic. Coetzee gained prominence after he led the first source-to-sea expedition down the length of…
Now more than ever, the world could use some bright ideas. Like these.