All good things. “The Climb,” which airs Sunday, tracks the pro skier’s 22-month rehab and singled-minded determination to reclaim women’s skiing’s top spot.

Author David Vann discusses his new novel Caribou Island, Sarah Palin's Alaska, and how to defend yourself from Mexican pirates. To listen to the extended interview click here, or subscribe to our iTunes podcasts.–Stayton BonnerYou’re an Alaska native. For us Lower 48ers, how accurate is Sarah Palin’s new show?Wilderness is a…

Grand Canyon tested and approved

Ben Saunders – North 3 from Ben Saunders on Vimeo.Ben Saunders hopes to set a new record for trekking solo and unsupported to the North Pole. He plans to depart from Cape Discovery on the north coast of Canada on March 15. He’ll take off on foot with skis, snowshoes,…

I having a very tough time finding hiking boots that are comfortable; they all seem to hurt somewhere. I did find a pair of comfortable trail runners, and I'm wondering if I'd have any trouble day hiking in Glacier National Park using these instead of hiking boots or shoes? How much of a difference is there? Laura Jefferson City, Missouri

Week of January 12-18, 1996 Diving off St. Lucia Hiking in Red River Gorge, Kentucky The Dominican Republic for a budget vacation The Yucatán’s rustic seaside Training for Mt. Kilimanjaro The Grand Canyon in a day… or two Diving off St. Lucia…

In light of the recent mountain lion attack in southern California, I was wondering if a bear spray like Counter Assault would work against a mountain lion? If not, what would? Chris Malibu, California

The business of skiing looks a lot like the music industry these days, with giants such as Vail Resorts buying up ma-and-pa operations, and independent outfits joining forces to fight the bigs—all driven by a strength-in-numbers mentality that seeks to sell more tickets (often at discounted rates) to more people.

Think fast: Name three personal items you can’t live without while on the road. Running shoes? iPod? Journal or camera? What makes the cut? How do you decide? I’m not suggesting the Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Ultrasoft Shell Jacket ($160) bump anything off your list. But you should consider it…

IPO sluts, "lifestyle" vintners, and eco-radicals bearing lawsuits. Eroding hillsides, glassy-winged sharpshooters, and an imperiled river with dying steelhead. Napa Valley has them all, and each lends its own bouquet of New Economy hilarity, nose-out-of-joint agrarian rage, and NIMBY intolerance to wine country's unique, full-bodied blend of environmental poli