Hiking and Backpacking
Archive
What are the coolest and most unexpected uses of duct tape in the outdoor world?
Finding gear in my size is impossible. What are the best products for bigger guys?
Everything you need to plan the perfect Grand Canyon summer escape
Don't touch that wild water until you've used at least one of these methods
We compare the best carriers for bringing your kids into the outdoors.
The outdoors can be deadly if you're unprepared. But these gear items will help you make it home alive—even if everything else goes wrong.
Next-gen satellite phones make it easier than ever to stay connected
The less you carry, the more fun you'll have. Cut down your weight with these easy ideas.
I want to hike up a live— or at least dormant—volcano. Where can I go without getting scorched?
Don’t let a minor malfunction ruin your big trek. Learn to patch a sleeping bag, glue together a boot, and make four more simple repairs that everyone should master before setting foot on the trail.
I work on trails to help my local mountaineering club. Is there anything light enough to carry along in my backpack?
For more than a century, Western climbers have hired Nepal’s Sherpas to do the most dangerous work on Mount Everest. It’s a lucrative way of life in a poor region, but no service industry in the world so frequently kills and maims its workers for the benefit of paying clients. The dead are often forgotten, and their families left with nothing but ghosts.
Sure, it’s the biggest state in the union. But that doesn’t mean every adventure in Alaska has to be an expedition. These six day-hike-friendly trails will give you a taste of the Last Frontier’s wild beauty and still get you back in time for last call.
Over the past five years, nine new national monuments have joined the ranks of America’s protected lands. But Michael Brune, the man who heads up the Sierra Club, would like to see more. Elizabeth Hightower Allen joins him, his family, and a pack of rambunctious llamas on a tour of New Mexico’s highlands.
Norway has everything the alps does—towering mountains, five-star restaurants, loads of culture. You also get fjords, glaciers, epic whitewater, and a few thousand polar bears.
I’m a fan of the Grand Canyon, but I’ve visited there a few times now and I’m looking for something new. Where can I find a canyon that puts the Grand to shame?
I like to celebrate post-trail with a few high-quality adult beverages. Where would you recommend for an avid hiker who’s also a beer nut, a wine lover, and a liquor snob?
I’m headed to Hawaii, but lying on the beach is not my thing. What hikes would you recommend?
Who needs headlamps? From a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico to a Japanese trail lined with glowing mushrooms, these ten hikes are at their best when it's dark out. Pack your camera (leave the flash at home) and prepare to be amazed.
No one wants to be stuck in a yoga studio when the weather is nice. The solution? Take your practice to the trails.
Outside reviews the best gear in the Summer 2013 Buyer’s Guide, including the Rab Maverick.
I’m headed across the pond to Great Britain, and I’d like to do some hiking while I’m there. What are my best best for logging some trail time?
How do you teach a boy to love the wilderness when you’re terrified of what might happen out there? Hiking with his ten-year-old son, William Broyles confronts his memories of Vietnam–and one very large grizzly. (And three other great essays on fatherhood, from Jack Hitt, W. Hodding Carter, and Anthony Doerr.)
And we mean "trips" in the literal sense. Our contributors share their most-loved, go-to spots across the U.S.
I’ve done some climbing and mountaineering in the Lower 48, and I’ve been thinking about attempting Denali. What kind of prior experience do I need to tackle The High One?
I'm planning on heading up north this summer to do some hiking in Alaska and the Yukon. Where should I go?
How do you predict the weather at the top of the world? Ask a highly unconventional meteorologist.
Carl Zimmer walks into the woods to find out why these tiny beasts are skyrocketing in number—and outsmarting scientists with every bite
We may never know how 21-year-old rafter Kaitlin Kenney died on the Colorado River, but we will never forget why she went
I want to hike part of the Appalachian Trail with my 16-year-old son this summer. We plan to go for a week. What are the best stretches for a trip like this?
I'm getting ready for a two-month trip around Asia and I need luggage that can hold up to serious abuse. What do you recommend?
The new country of South Sudan is blessed with oil, water, and a safari bonanza: one of the largest, most stunning animal migrations on earth. But without roads, laws, or infrastructure, can Africa’s youngest state turn potential into stabilizing profit? Patrick Symmes joins the adventure.
Travel to these destinations for tons of open space—and it's all yours
Huston just left the country for his expedition to Ellesmere Island
I’m looking for a pair of quick-drying pants for hiking in the slush and rain over the next few weeks. I need to look presentable if we stop at a brewpub on the way back. What have you got for me?
Several near deaths on the world’s highest peaks have shed light on a dangerous trend in mountaineering: rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs, particularly the powerful steroid dexamethasone
I want to climb one of the Seven Summits and have narrowed the list to Aconcagua or Kilimanjaro. I’m in excellent shape and an experienced hiker, but not a mountaineer. Which one would you recommend?
To fulfill a longtime dream and honor the memory of a fallen hero, a Turkish-American software engineer decides to circle the earth by bike and rowboat, powered solely by his own muscle, lungs, and heart. A little obsessive? Maybe, but look closely at the journey of Erden Eruc and you’ll see something else: one of the most incredible adventure stories of our ti
Or, why you just need to disconnect every once in a while
Problem: Stress, temper tantrums, teething, nighttime waking, worry, and overscheduled days. Solution: To spend some time sleeping—and living—outdoors, away from digital distractions, at least once a month.
John Davis paddling in Congaree National Park. Photo: Susan Baycot Climate change, development, ranching, and oil and gas exploration tend to get a lot of ink when it comes to threats to wildlife in the Western United States. But wildlife corridors are another vital factor,…
Taking the bus to Mother Nature.
The Outdoor Retailer show is just around the corner. And new product announcements are rolling in fast. Here's a quick look at some of the most promising bags we'll see in outdoor stores this summer and fall. BOREAS BOOTLEGGER: This 3-in-1 adventure bag, the “Russian Dolls” of day…
You’re reading it here first. In a few days, Black Diamond Equipment will unveil its new collection of clothing to media and retailers at the Outdoor Retailer Trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah. The clothing has been under development for two years,…
I just read about how two climbers died on Aconcagua from altitude sickness. I have plans to go to Everest Base Camp this year. Altitude sickness isn’t a concern there, is it?
Five-year-old William “rides the bump.” Photo: Peter Sullivan We had a dry start to winter here in Santa Fe, but by the time this picture was taken, on December 29, there were four inches of snow most everywhere in town. Just not on…
FalconGuides just announced the first 12 titles in a new line of interactive outdoor guides the company developed in partnership with Inkling, a platform for interactive learning. For the price of the download, readers get expert content optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Web, with…
Hydration packs aren’t always the most exciting subject. They have a reservoir to hold your drink, they stash your tools and food and your gear. They often have straps that, sure, can draw your load in toward your body, but they sometimes flap and snap and…
In 1973, Lowe Alpine was born in climber Greg Lowe’s garage. Greg and his brother Mike Lowe started the company to make the gear that Greg needed for alpine climbing, ice climbing, and expeditions that simply…
Photo: Sam Moulton When my colleague and friend, Outside’s executive editor Sam Moulton, emailed this photo to me, I was pretty sure I was looking at the birth of a new adventure sport: sidecountry stroller camping! Like backpacking with kids—only less lugging, more…
In the rough: Road 7950 out of Chaco Canyon. Photo: Katie Arnold. There’s no direct route from Chaco Canyon, in northern New Mexico, to Canyon de Chelly, across the border in Arizona. Rugged badlands, sandy washes, and vast tracts of…
Holiday gift guides abound this time of year. But they're mostly filled with gifts that you hope you'll get, not gifts you'll give. Stumped as to what to buy your lady this season? This guide is for you. 1. NAU DOWN LOOPNER SCARFShe'll wear it as a scarf, and…
Airstream in repose, Gallo Campground, Chaco Canyon (note trash bag window). Photo: Katie Arnold This year we decided to do something different for Thanksgiving. Instead of traveling to be with extended family or entertaining them here, we opted to stay put in Santa Fe and keep…
How breakable are the new glass water bottles? Can you take them outdoors, or are they only for the office?
Frog Bay Tribal National Park. Photo: Grandon Harris If you’ve been near the Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin’s northernmost reaches, you were likely there to visit Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a stunning collection of 21 small islands in Lake Superior. But as of this summer,…
This week Raising Rippers is launching a new feature. It’s called Picture of the Week and every week—or as often as we’re inspired—we’ll post a particularly riveting or rad photo about adventuring with kids and give you the backstory behind the shot. What were they thinking? How'd they…
Jason Diamond looks back at Courtney Letts: style inspiration, socialite, and outdoorswoman extraordinaire
Wildness is all around. Photo: Katie Arnold Last week, I was hiking with a friend on a trail in town. We’ve been doing this once a week for two years, and in that time, we’ve developed a system: On the way up, we hike in silence…
While Nemo’s Hunker won't stand up against the toughest conditions, after you’ve been out hiking or skiing all day, it can be rejuvenating to duck out of the wind or weather. Nemo’s Hunker let’s you sidestep the elements quickly and easily so that you can rest,…
Last week, the Earth Island Institute feted six young activists at its annual Brower Youth Awards ceremony in San Francisco. Each year, the organization, founded by climber and firebrand David Brower, honors the country’s next generation of environmental leaders who are using creativity…
Two years ago Klymit launched its Variable Warmth Technology in a vest with sealed air/gas chambers that the wearer could inflate with his own breath, or Argon (the gas used to insulate between glass layers in your home's windows). Its premise: bodies change…
Patagonia National Park, under construction. Photo: Eli Steltenpohl “Buying the land was the easy part,” Kristine Tompkins told a packed house during a presentation at the San Francisco Patagonia retail store last week. She was referring to the 2.2 million acres that she and…
New Balance Winter 110 Trail Boots Like the Salomon Snowcross CS, the uninsulated Winter 110 is essentially a minimalist running shoe (9 ounces; 4-millimeter heel-to-toe drop) wrapped in a waterproof-breathable gaiter. The outsole lugs shed snow like a champ. Got Gaiters? Our favorites are still Outdoor Research's…
Romero near his home in Big Bear Lake, California. Photo: Jennifer Briggs What do you do when you’re 15 years old and you’ve already climbed the highest mountain on every continent? If you’re Jordan Romero, you launch a nationwide campaign to scale the tallest summits in…
Make sure to bring these emergency items on your next camping or hiking trip
The Samaria Gorge Trail in Crete is one of the most popular hikes in Europe. But in the summer, when the trail is unbearably hot and overrun with tourists, visit the Imbros, a simple walk in an area full of charm.
Over the past five years, Google has taken its Street View maps to 43 countries, deploying cars, trikes, snowmobiles, and even a submersible to map 360-degree panoramas of the world around us. In June, the company announced a new initiative to bring the same seamless experience into the backcountry in a bid to create the world’s most amazing trail maps.
Whether you’re night riding, hiking, skiing, cooking or just rummaging around your tent, a bright and long-lasting lamp can make a big difference between loving the great outdoors and cursing it. Light and Motion’s new USB-rechargeable Solite 250 will help you choose the former.
If backcountry exploration and filmmaking are two of your passions, then hurry up and send us your video
Versatile. That’s how our East Coast tester described Brooks Range's four-way stretch, water-resistant Isto softshell jacket. He spent 100 days last winter and spring skiing, hiking and ciimbing in snow, rain, slush, sleet, freezing rain, some more snow, sun, blue skies, and any other…
Oskar Blues' cannery row. Photo: Ryan Dearth By Will McGough, Wake and Wander Growing up outside of Philadelphia, it was never much of a decision. There were no mountains to climb. We lived the city life…