A cold day in Yosemite National Park. Courtesy of Fovea Centralis on Flickr Five months into the fiscal year, the federal government's inability to find common ground on the annual budget is threatening the closure of all federally managed parks, monuments, museums, refuges, and recreation areas. And while…

Pet-friendly American suburbs make ideal habitats for skunks, and populations of the bushy-tailed moochers have exploded in recent years. Time to investigate an outbreak that's bringing the wrong kind of funk to summer nights.

As we prepare to ship our Spring Bike Special and Summer Buyer's Guide to press, I'm finishing up last-minute test rides on the top contenders and boxing up stacks of bikes to ship back. Of course we never stop testing (bikes trickle in year-round), but it's a more leisurely process…

Europe has a secret. It's called Albania—a Maryland-size playground of rugged peaks, emerald seas, and ripping rivers. The only catch? It's really poor, graft is rampant, and there's little environmental regulation. Pack your bribe money for a warts-and-all jaunt through the wildest post-Communist state on earth.

Is another megaflood imminent in the Boulder, Colorado, area? One thing's for sure—they're gonna need a bigger sewer system.

                                                    Susan Casey (Photo by Ruven Afanador)Bestselling author Susan Casey discusses her new book The Wave, swimming with a tiger shark, and how—as newly appointed editor-in-chief of O Magazine—she’s showing her new boss how to catch a break.–Stayton Bonner How’d you make the leap from Outside creative director to bestselling author?I…

Even if you’re more likely to scoff at a spa than be found in one, you’ll still be in awe of these relaxing retreats.

I have had a dratic increase in activity recently, going from a 10-mile round-trip bike commute to 22 miles, along with running three to four days a week and playing Ultimate Disk once or twice a week. I have been getting really sleepy at work in the afternoon and have also had a hard time mustering the energy to really sprint on the frisbee field. I have been making an effort to eat more, but was wondering if there were certain types of foods I could eat to help maintain high energy levels and speed my recovery after activities. Liz Llewellyn Minneapolis, MN

By Stephen RegenoldMarketed as “the Swiss Army knife of prescription eyewear,” Smith Optics' PivLock V90 glasses offer a new type of system for anyone in need of vision enhancement in the outdoors. In short, glasses wearers can purchase a prescription lens insert that snaps into an array of V90…

Motivated by adventure, science, and awe at the power of nature, stormchasers are risking it all to get closer to tornadoes than ever before. Last spring, during the deadly Oklahoma City outbreaks, they got more than they bargained for.