
The Running Life of Indie Rocker Ben Gibbard
The singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie applies the same approach to ultramarathons that he does to touring: just keep moving

“These Brides Are Trying to Kill Us”
Nothing says “for better or for worse” like forcing your wedding guests to trek 60 miles to a ceremony deep in the jungle

Confessions of PCT Thru-Hikers
What really happens to you when you spend months trekking the Pacific Coast Trail? Getting tired and filthy is just the start of it.

In Search of a Darker Night
Artificial light makes it impossible for most people in North America to see the Milky Way. But we don’t have to live like this.

Summer Read: A Journey Across Iceland in Search of My Health
When Pam Houston traveled to the nordic island nation to ride its unique breed of spirited horses, she wasn’t just after an adventure—she was urgently seeking a way to be well again

When Yvon Chouinard Invites You to Go Surfing
You say yes, of course. But what about those other wild opportunities that you’re not so sure about?

Summer Read: A Murder on the Appalachian Trail
America’s most classic hiking route is generally a safe place for an adventure. But not always.

For the Love of Summer Camp
When your most cherished childhood experience becomes impossible for your own kids, there’s only one choice: recreate it for them yourself

Summer Read: Walking the Haunted Past of the Mississippi Delta
When W. Ralph Eubanks began exploring his family’s homeland, he fell in love with it—and came to understand how this troubled part of the state gave birth to the blues

Is AI the Weekend Adventurer’s New Best Friend?
Backpacker editor Zoe Gates sets off to discover if chatbots are the solution to our trip-planning woes

Summer Read: An Obsessive Quest to See 10,000 Bird Species
There are passionate birders and then there’s Peter Kaestner, whose devotion has him traveling the globe in pursuit of the ultimate record.

The Joy of the Very Short Adventure
After years of pushing himself to go as big and far as he could, Alastair Humphreys realized that the most valuable trips we take are usually the ones right out our doors

Summer Read: What Heatstroke Really Feels Like
Your head is pounding, your muscles are cramping, and your heart is racing. And that’s just the start of it.

A Wild Ride on the Pony Express
If you want to know what it was like to travel this legendary trail, there’s only one way: get on a horse and follow all 2,000 miles of it

What Science Tells Us About the Power of Awe
Studies show that astonishing experiences in nature can have life-changing benefits, and that even small everyday doses of time outdoors can have immediate impacts

William Shatner’s Enduring Love for Planet Earth
The actor’s flight into space in 2021 left him with an urgent desire to make us aware of the fragility of our home—a feeling that has yet to fade away.

Dave Eggers Is 99 Percent Animal
There’s a reason the acclaimed author wrote his latest book in the voice of a stray dog: it enabled him to run free all over an imagined seaside park

A Foolhardy Quest to See an Eclipse from the Top of the Andes
When veteran climber Mark Jenkins came up with a plan to witness a solar spectacle from the summit of a 20,000-foot peak, he had little idea what he was getting himself into

The Real Lives of Wildland Firefighters
Working the front lines of America’s wildfires is a difficult and dangerous job, but that doesn’t mean everyone who signs up is chasing adventure

Bill McKibben on the Next Phase of Climate Activism
As America continues to grapple with political uncertainty and an uneasy relationship with the planet, the author and environmentalist makes the case for an expansive and inclusive grassroots movement

The Love Story That Saved 15 Million Acres in Patagonia
Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s new film, ‘Wild Life,’ captures the saga of Doug and Kristine Tompkins, whose devotion to conservation and each other led to the creation of extraordinary national parks in Chile and Argentina

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

Finding Magic in the Night Sky
You don’t have to be an astrology buff to believe that the moon and stars have a special kind of power in our lives

The Storm That Changed Everything
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.

Why We Hold On to the Climbing Gym
How have these indoor spaces have become hubs for the outdoor community?

A Bold Rescue on a Moab Cliff
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.

The Best Worst Accidents
Some experiences are unforgettable for both very bad and very good reasons

So a Comedian Walks Into the Woods ...
In her podcast, ‘FOGO: Fear of Going Outside,’ Ivy Le takes on the great outdoors—very, very reluctantly

A Foolhardy Quest for the Holy Grail of Fly-Fishing
Chasing the elusive permit fish is an exhausting endeavor for the most seasoned anglers. So why would a total newbie even try?

What We Get—and Don’t—from Adventuring Alone
Challenging solo trips can be immensely rewarding. Just ask competitive bikepackers, who ride grueling courses through the backcountry carrying everything they need to survive to the finish line.

Just Try Not to Breathe
There’s no more difficult or uncomfortable physical challenge than holding your breath underwater for an extended period

A Race to Save His Dying Friend
When Scott Pirsig’s close friend Bob Sturtz suffered a stroke deep in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, Pirsig had no choice but to leave him in the wilderness and make a desperate sprint to get help

What You Learn During Seven Hours on a Ski Lift
Why do we keep skiing, despite the crowds, the cost, and the unpredictable conditions? Spend an entire day on a chairlift and you’ll find out.

To Save the Soul of a Mountain Town
In Aspen, Colorado, and other alpine communities, the future depends on making sure the weirdos and oddballs are still welcome

Why Skier Angel Collinson Quit at the Peak of Her Career
She was one of the world’s best big-mountain freeskiers—and then, suddenly, she decided she was done

When Cody Townsend Let Go of His Ego
For an episode of our new podcast, ‘The Daily Rally,’ the professional skier talks about learning to get out of his own way while on an expedition in Alaska

A Wild Mission to Visit Every National Park in One Year
Emily Pennington wanted to see it all. But life on the road was fiercer than she ever imagined.

How Psychedelics Helped a Paralyzed Athlete Walk Again
After suffering a brutal accident while on a kite-skiing expedition expedition in Patagonia, Jim Harris’s painstaking recovery took a sudden leap forward when he had an experience with magic mushrooms

A Vegetarian Runner’s Quest to Become a Meat Eater
Endurance athlete Mallory Arnold was struggling with extreme fatigue when her coach made an unexpected suggestion: start eating meat again

An Exhilarating Dip in the Bone-Chilling Sea
For a community of hardy souls in Maine, there’s no better way to feel fully alive in winter than immersing yourself in the frigid Atlantic

The Messy Reality of Forming New Habits
Figuring out how to get better sleep and more excise and is hard—which is why we tried out some new programs for you

Why Cold Pizza Is (and Isn’t) the Perfect Ski Snack
If you’ve ever seen a skier pull a hot dog out of a jacket pocket while on a chairlift or devour a towering plate of nachos back at the lodge, you know that few athletes chase calories harder than skiers

Holiday Adventures Gone Wrong
Escaping the craziness of the season to head into the wild can sound amazing—right up until that overnight snowstorm crushes your tent.

The Real Magic We See in the Northern Lights
Witnessing the Aurora Borealis can feel like you’re glimpsing another world. For some people, that’s exactly what’s happening.

What Happens to Drivers Who Hit Cyclists
Talk to the victims of crashes and their families, and they’ll tell you: when a motor vehicle injures or kills a bicyclist, the American justice system lets drivers off the hook

Weekend Read: The Supposed Dream Life of a Ski Patroller
Racing around a mountain resort sounds like the ultimate adventure job. But with housing and other costs soaring, getting paid in fun is no longer cutting it.

Weekend Read: The Adventures of a Pony Named Legend
He was born to a herd of wild horses on an island off Virginia and found his way into the heart of a little girl on the dusty trails of the Southwest.

What it Takes to Survive a Winter War
As Ukraine prepares for months of frigid conflict with Russia, its troops might look to another nation that held its own against the Red Army in the cold: Finland.

Weekend Read: An SOS from the Middle of the Ocean
Richard Carr was halfway across the Pacific, alone on a yacht, when he began sending frantic alerts that he was being kidnapped by pirates

Humanity’s Most Confounding Survival Epic
The Covid-19 pandemic is a survival story—but instead of one human versus a wild animal or a snowy peak, it's all of us against one tiny virus.

Weekend Read: The Obsessive Dedication of the World’s Greatest Rock Skipper
Kurt Steiner has dedicated his life to skipping stones, developing a technique to produce throws that defy the laws of physics

Bear Grylls Wants to Talk About Your Mental Health
The exuberant king of survival TV insists that our wild adventures are about more than just chasing fun—they are the keys that get us through the struggles of our everyday lives

He Fought a Bear with a Pocketknife
Alone in the wilderness, facing a grizzly that was determined to kill him, Colin Dowler had only one option: fight for his life.

A Perilous Chase on the Open Sea
It began in the waters off Antarctica: a crew of eco-vigilantes found the illegal fishing ship they’d been hunting. It wouldn’t end for some 10,000 miles, when one of the vessels sank.

What I Learned About Survival and Motherhood from Two Lambs
Farmers aren’t supposed to get emotionally attached to their livestock. But when you suddenly find yourself caring for two newborn sheep, these things happen.

Paralyzed by a Scorpion in the Grand Canyon
When a rafter was stung by a scorpion, she assumed she’d be fine. Within hours she lost her ability to see or speak clearly.

The Unshakeable Spirit of the World’s Greatest Surfer
John John Florence has remarkable physical talents, but his greatest asset as an athlete might be his enduring positive attitude

Why You Can’t Stop Watching Survival TV
There’s a reason that shows like ‘Alone’ hold our attention: we can’t help but imagine that it’s us out there.

Why Outdoor Adventures Make You Crave a Giant, Juicy Burger
There’s a reason a strenuous outing makes you desire a greasy mound of meat: it has a lot of what your body needs

Summer Read: They Chose Death over Life Apart
Eric and Pam Bealer were living in a cabin in rugged coastal Alaska when they made a dramatic decision: they would exit the world together

The Obsessives Who Hunted Forrest Fenn’s Treasure
When retired art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a chest full of a million dollars’ worth gold, rubies, and diamonds in the Rocky Mountains, he sent thousands on a journey of desperation

Summer Read: My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dream Job
Leading cross-country bike tours was supposed to be the ultimate escape from the monotony of normal life. Instead it was a kind of torture.

How Viggo Mortensen Became a Cave-Diving Legend
To portray the hero of the Thai cave rescue in the new film ‘Thirteen Lives,’ the Hollywood star had to go deep—literally

Summer Read: A Tragedy on Mount Hood
A group of high school sophomores set off on what was supposed to be a grand climb. Instead, it became one of the deadliest alpine disasters in North American history.

A Frantic Escape from a Wildfire
Greg and Julie Welch were relaxing at their campsite in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters when a tiny fire in a nearby bog suddenly exploded into a massive blaze that began racing toward them

Summer Read: Testing Love on the Open Sea
Can a relationship survive a grand adventure? That was the big question hanging over two novice sailors as they set out on a voyage off the coast of New England.

A Bold New Way to Poop in the Outdoors
Long-standing rules for how we do our business in the wilderness are changing in a very big way—and it’s about time

Summer Read: A Little Boy Lost in the Woods
When Cody Sheehy was six years old, he disappeared into the Oregon wilderness. More than three decades later, he insists the experience gave him an invaluable life lesson.

Bad Decisions, Good Stories
Presenting three delightful tales of adventures gone very, very wrong

Summer Read: The Sinking of the ‘Henrietta C.’
A father and son working a crab boat in Chesapeake Bay were caught in a rising storm when they realized that something was very wrong: water was coming up through the floor

How I Met Your Motherland
For his new PBS show, ‘America Outdoors,’ comedian and activist Baratunde Thurston connects us to our natural environments through the most interesting of creatures: humans.

What It Feels Like to Fight a Wildfire
As an out-of-control blaze approached their home, a couple made what seems like a crazy choice: they ignored evacuation orders and stood their ground.

Jack Johnson Reaches for Hope
On his first album in five years, the singer-songwriter brings us a collection of heartfelt tracks that offer warmth and comfort when we really need it

How Blockchain Technology Can Get Us Outside
Amid all the noise surrounding Web3, something fascinating is emerging: a new kind of immersive adventure storytelling

Swimming for Your Life in the Open Ocean
After two young pilots crashed their small plane into the water off Hawaii, they realized their best hope for survival was to make it back to land on their own.

How We Find Love in Wild Places
Is there something about adventure and risk that opens our hearts? Absolutely.

A Thriller from the Death Zone
Amy McCulloch went to the Himalayas looking for adventure. She came back with an idea for an epic novel.

The Many Ways Dogs Can Heal Us
Our furry friends are the best of adventure playmates. But they can also provide pure, unconditional love that gets us through the darkest times.

What It Feels Like When You Eat a Deadly Mushroom
There’s a distinct pleasure to eating wild foods that you forage yourself—unless you pick the wrong thing