Adventure
ArchivePaul and Rachel Chandler, a couple from Britain who have been sailing around the world, went missing last Friday after they sailed from the island nation of Seychelles. The Chandlers' online tracking system stopped sending updates of their location in when they were off the coast of Somalia, an area…
It's October, and it's getting cold, but that hasn't stopped the surfers in O'Neill's Cold Water Classic, which took place in Canada. Here are some highlights from the third day. — Lisa Lombardi…
According to the new U.S. Geological Survey report, the United States is using less water than it did in 1975. ENN reports that, even with a 30 percent population increase, water consumption in the U.S. down compared to peak use in…
19-year-old Taylor Mitchell died after being attacked by two coyotes in Cape Breton highlands National Park, Canada, according to CBC News. She was attacked Tuesday afternoon while walking alone on a popular hiking trail. Park officials say that other hikers managed to scare off the coyotes…
Swimmers are being warned to stay out of the waters near Stradbroke Island, Australia, after a 10-foot great white shark, which had been caught on a drum-line, was nearly ripped clean in half by what is being estimated to be a 20-foot great white. The…
What's more entertaining than a big-wave contest at Maverick's? The two men fighting over it.
In November, explorer Eric Larsen, of Grand Marais, Minnesota, sets off for Antarctica, beginning his attempt to become the first person to reach earth’s three most extreme pointsboth poles and Mount Everestin one year. The logistics of squeezing three dangerous, highly weather-dependent expeditions into one year is hard enough, but…
The new species-conservation method of choice: Facebook. This fall, Ugandan officials created profiles for six mountain gorilla families to raise money to protect themwhich means you can now friend-request them. Just don't expect them to comment on your wall. friendagorilla.org…
By Stephen Regenold As recently as five years ago, Army-Surplus wool pants were a stalwart piece in my winter outerwear getup. I’d pair the coarse, jungle-green trousers, which were purchased for $20 to $30 at secondhand shops, with a Gore-Tex shell jacket for ice climbing…
The goofy animal-show guy is vying to become a mainstream newsman. Does he have the killer instinct?
Over 200,000 square miles of Alaska and its coastal waters have been earmarked by the Department of the Interior as “critical habitat” for polar bears, according to Backpacker. With critical habitat status, the federal government prohibits any activity on the land or water that could threaten the…
REI and Arbor have released a “call for artists” to submit designs for their 2010 snowboard design contest. The competition is open to anyone who likes to draw, and the winning design will be featured in Arbor's 2010-2011 snowboard lineup and sold exclusively…
According to Treehugger, three white lion clubs at the West Midlands Safari Park in Worcestershire, England are now on view to the public. With only 30 white lions in existence today, the 12-week old cubs are a rare treat. Their light color…
Two years ago at Kitzbühel, American downhiller Scott Macartney survived a high-speed crash that would've ended most skiing careers. He immediately began plotting a comeback, drawing on deep stores of willpower and courage to overcome a unique kind of terror that every racer knows. They even have a name for it: the Fear.
Saturday was the big day for 350.org and their campaign for climate change. People in 181 countries participated in events to draw attention to the cause, and 350.org has some great photos up that capture the different actions. Here are some of our favorites.
Just a head's up to all of you in the Santa Fe area: Tomorrow, at the Armory of the Arts, Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin will be speaking as part of The North Face's Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series (sponsored in part…
Endless Powder! Rowdy Bars! Screaming Deals! Secret Stashes! Huge Steeps!
The planet is smaller than ever, but that just means there's a host of new dangers out there—and a new set of solutions. These days, a text message or the right travel-insurance policy might just save your bacon. So study up—your life may depend on it.
We showed you some of our favorite examples of action from 350.org's International Day of Climate Action, and while some were as simple as holding up a sign, others took the challenge to a greater level. Check out this video of kayaking activists in Portland as they take on the…
Check out FUEL TV's series “Firsthand” starring pro-surfer Keala Kennelly Sunday, October 25, at 8 p.m. EST. This 30-minute doc follows KK as she visits her family in Kauai, surfs with her…
Lance Armstrong will race in the 2010 Tour of California, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. It will be his second consecutive race there; this time, as part of his newly…
UCI regulations introduced in July outlining a model ProTour team contract could affect which team Alberto Contador will ride for in the near future. Astana has missed the contract deadline for Contador, which leaves the Spaniard a…
The Outdoor Alliance (OA), a coalition of six member-based national outdoor advocacy groups including the Access Fund, American Canoe Association, American Hiking Society, American Whitewater, International Mountain Bicycling Association and the…
Whatever your riding style, we've got the board for you. Use our Terrain Meter to choose a pair based on the conditions you ski the most.
A robot the size of a small child has been designed by the Slovenian scientist Bojan Nemec to downhill ski, according to Telegraph. Just watch the video. The little guy uses cameras to plot a course down the hill and a couple gyroscopes and force sensors…
Exclusive photos from the new book by Beverly and Dereck Joubert.
For those of you who have been following the battle over Nestle's water rights in Sacramento, CA, be first in line to see the documentary “Tapped,” directed by Stephanie Schoetig and created by the same people who made “Who Killed the Electric Car” and “I.O.U.S.A.” …
By Mary Catherine O'Connor This Saturday, October 24th, will be action-packed.Normally, this would not be news for Outside readers, for whom most weekendsare packed with biking, skiing, boating, etc. But this year, it's news. October24th is the much-anticipated international day of action, designed to…
Delaware, the last state in the US that does not have a national park, may have finally gotten it's act together. The plan is to create a history-themed park with a center in New Castle and multiple satellite locations, with an emphasis on…
Two years ago at Kitzbuhel, American downhiller Scott Macartney survived a high-speed crash (“FLAT,” Outside Magazine, November 2009) that would've ended most skiing careers. He immediately began plotting a comeback, drawing on deep stores of willpower and courage to overcome a unique kind of terror that every racer knows.
Rock and Ice reports that the 9th annual Red River Gorge Rocktoberfest fundraiser was a huge success, raising $23,000 to pay off the mortgage on a 750-acre plot of land preserved for rock climbers. This plot of land in…
I’m convinced Audi’s Q7 TDI was designed by German powder junkies. What else could explain the combination of features only a ski addict would appreciate? The all-wheel drive that lets you beat the snowplows up the hill on icy mornings. The heated leather seats for you and four buddies, plus…
My racing partner, Mario Correa, and I did the 24 Hours of Moab Championship Race. This venue is always full of surprises. Being so late in the year had its effects on me, no doubt, and I remembered the few times I did Moab previously: think beers and s'mores. This…
Raymond Edward Hillsman, who we wrote about in our October 1999 story, 'The Hunting of the Poacher King,' was sentenced last week to ten months in jail, reports The Oregonian (via OregonLive.com). One of his charges was…
This past weekend, a group of six people attempted to push a disabled man who was in a wheelchair up to the summit of Snowdon, in Wales, but left him behind when they found the terrain too rough, reports UKClimbing.com. On their way down,…
It's been a while since we had an update on those crazy sailing kids, but this past Sunday, October 18th, Jessica Watson began her try at becoming the youngest to solo sail, nonstop, around the world. If she…
Nearly 9,000 rowers descended on Boston this past weekend for the largest crewrace in the world, the annual Head of the Charles Regatta. The three-mileupstream race is considered to be one of the highlights of the fall rowingseason, with almost 300,000…
The Rip Curl Pro Search will take place in Peniche, Portugal. It was supposed to start today, but the waves weren't big enough, so a lay day was declared. This is the ninth event out of 10 in the…
Alberto Contador and his team, Astana, are now ranked number one in the UCI world standings, VeloNews reports. Contador has 527 points, followed by Alejandro Valverde with 483 points and Samuel Sánchez with 357 points. Astana has 1,100 points,…
On Thursday October 8th, French climber Alain Robert scaled Paris's 499-foot Tour Ariana with nothing more than two chalk bags, some climbing shoes, and the clothes on his back, according to Rock and Ice Magazine. Luckily, someone at the scene got video of…
The pilot of a small plane that crashed in Denali National Park Wednesday, October 14, has been found alive after walking 20 miles through the back country, according to KTUU. After receiving severe burns from the wreck, Daniel McGregor, 35, made his way from the crash…
Coal Country, a documentary about the battle fought over coal mining in Appalachia, exposes the environmental tragedy and social conflicts that have arisen from mining coal. The Sierra Club is heavily promoting the film by sending out…
Sam Wench, an unsponsored Australian junior pro surfer, has won Oakely's Pro Jr Global Challenge at Bali's Keramas. After his sponsorship was dropped last year, Wench qualified for the Challenge as an alternate on his own, winning the first place of $20,000. “It's the first and obviously the biggest win…
There's nothing better than an innovation that helps the plane and adventure junkies alike. TreeHugger talks about how ASR Limited, a company that recreates coral reef ecosystems, has created a new reef system that prevents…
The Savage Rapids Dam prior to removal. By Mary Catherine O'Connor In our August issue, Grayson Schafferargued that whitewater kayak industry is drying up. But thankfully, a number of the most important waterways in the US are…
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme unveiled the route for next year's Tour in Paris today. The 2,237-mile race will start in the dutch city of Rotterdam and wind through Belgium before taking a clockwise loop around Paris. The route includes six mountain stages, with three of those…
Organizers of the Tour de France unveiled the course for 2010 today, revealing that cyclists will be crossing the Pyrenees Mountains in next year's race, according to the Associated Press. Both Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador were present at the ceremony. The route planned for…
A recent study on cycling injuries presented at the 2009 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons found that injuries at one trauma center had increased significantly over the past 11 years, reports Medical News Today. Even…
Todd Carmichael, who planned to cross Death Valley in a move that would challenge three world records, called off the expedition yesterday after much deliberation. Carmichael had hoped to complete the longest open desert self-supported manhaul solo in history, with no outside help. That's…
Prosecutors in Paris have launched a preliminary investigation into several teams who raced in the 2009 Tour de France after finding suspicious medical material, according to the BBC. The teams involved have not been named. The preliminary investigation, which is required by French law to determine…
The cultivation of genetically modified crops in Ireland was voted to be banned by the Irish government on Saturday, according to the Environmental News Network. The new policy specifies that the Government will “Declare the Republic of Ireland a GM-Free Zone, free from the cultivation of all…
Belgian cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke, whose once promising career was repeatedly derailed by doping scandal, drug and alcohol problems, and depression, was found dead today. AFP has the story here. John BradleyTwitter: johnwbradley…
According to the New York Times, the United States Forest Service is pushing to pass new rules that would keep mountain bikers off of hundreds of miles of trails across the nation. Lighter mountain bikes built over recent years have allowed…
The International Air Transport Association announced their commitment on Saturday to stabilize carbon emissions by 2020 as well as reduce airplane carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. Treehugger writes that the IATA is also pushing for further support from the government concerning…
For all of you coastal naysayers who scoff at the idea of lake surfing, Transworld Surf has a first-person account of one man's experience surfing at Stony Point, Minnesota, on Lake Superior. More than the story, it's the photo slideshow of huge waves and the…
The president of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, will hold a cabinet meeting on October 17th — 20 feet underwater, reports Globalwarmingisreal.com. In preparation for the underwater meeting, he has asked members of his cabinet to take scuba lessons and learn…
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 5,855 square miles of nearshore waters in Alaska as critical habitats for the threatened sea otter, writes ENN.com. The areas along the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and…
USA Cycling reports that the 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championships as well as 24 Hours of Moab are expected to draw more than 4,000 athletes, support crew and spectators to Utah this coming weekend (Oct. 10-11). Beyond the $24,000…
According to Backpacker.com, the two year battle over lifetime passes at Keystone has finally come to an end after pass holders agreed to drop the lawsuit and settle for court costs. Lifetime pass owners at Keystone had sued for the rights to continue…
The world's largest tensegrity cycle and pedestrian bridge is now open in Brisbane, Queensland. The tensegrity bridge, referring to the synergy between the bridge's tension and compression components, will provide access for…
Loveland Ski Area opened one run at 9am this morning, making it the first ski resort in North America to open its slopes to skiing this year. The run has about 1000 feet of vertical. Lift tickets are $44. –Dave Costello…
The winners of the 2009 Banff Mountain Photography Competition have been announced. The judges in this year's competition received over 4000 images from 600 photographers from 41 different countries. You can check out the best in this years mountain photography here, at The Banff…
Lance Armstrong has signed a three-year agreement with Michelob ULTRA to become the beer's new spokesperson, according to VeloNews. Armstrong will appear in two new commercials for the company that are scheduled to air in 2010, and will also be a part of their new product packaging.
By Mary Catherine O'Connor Last month, we sang the praises of ski swaps as a great way to give new life to old skis and snowboards. But events such as swaps will never divert all old ski sticks and boots from…
What may be one of the 20 largest diamonds ever found was recently discovered in the Cullian mine in South Africa, according to National Geographic. The 507.55 carat gem weighs just over 100 grams, and is estimated to be worth close to $20 million. The Cullian mine…
If you thought the battle over the slopes was bad, wait until snowboarders hit the trails en masse. Will that ever happen? Watch some pioneers in the video above and decide for yourself. –Aileen Torres…
“Race Across the Sky,” a documentary about this year's Leadville Trail 100, will premiere October 22. The event will feature a panel discussion with Lance Armstrong, his coach Chris Carmichael, and Dave Wiens, among others. Click…
Maybe. Denver will be the first city in the U.S. to launch a Paris-style bike-sharing program. A $50 annual membership gets you free use of bikes at drop-off stations around the city. Minneapolis, Boston, and Miami to follow. Huffington Post has the full story here. —John Bradley…
Tommy Caldwell and Jeremy Collins have won the 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell in Arkansas, ClimbingNarc.com reports. This grueling comp pits paired off climbers against the clock, with the goal of finishing as many clean climbs as possible during 24 hours. There are…
Carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. should be down by 5.9 percent in 2009, Reuters reports. The reason: lowered demand for electricity and transportation fuel because of the recession. The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy says that emissions should increase…
On October 24, millions around the planet will demonstrate in hopes of persuading world leaders to sign a new climate-change treaty at a UN summit in Copenhagen this December. The organization behind the actions is author and environmentalist Bill McKibben’s latest grassroots campaign, 350.org. What’s 350? It’s…
That urban legend about Tokyo vending machines selling used schoolgirl underwear? True. Quiksilver’s new poolside boardshort dispensers, at Standard Hotels in Miami Beach, New York, and L.A., may sound like the same idea, but the trunks haven’t been worn. Promise. $75; shopthestandard.com…
How a carpentry-challenged nonsurfer built a classic wooden longboard with his own kook hands.
This is the start of the third day since we came off the mountain. I’m finally starting to feel semi-normal. The first two days, I had trouble getting out of bed. I hadn’t really slept in two weeks, and getting out of the shower–well, I finally exited when…
Our boy Kevin Fedarko has a video segment on Playboy.com that examines his job as a latrine boat operator for river tour groups in the Grand Canyon. Fedarko spent the spring of 2009 manning the Jackass, a river raft that he used to haul “poo boxes” and “pee buckets,” and…
Two students who were visiting Samoa when the tsunami hit claim that they survived by surfing it. The Daily Mail writes that Tom Gogola, a student on holiday from Britain, was surfing when the tsunami hit, and survived by…
Police in Polk County, Florida, are on the lookout for five raccoons who attacked and injured an elderly woman who tried to shoo them away from her door. USA Today's blog reports that the woman was so severely bitten and scratched that she…