Survival
Archive
The country's national parks aren't bastions of wild serenity. After all, there were more than 3,700 violent crimes in 2013 alone. But how much protection is too much?
Sixteen-year-old Noah Graham was lying down during a late-summer camping trip when he felt jaws clamp down on the back of his head. He reached back and touched a Wolf’s face.
Transceivers work well, but are costly. Apps may offer a cheaper alternative.
Jordan Hanssen and three friends were more than three-quarters of the way through a 3,700-nautical-mile row across the Atlantic Ocean when two rogue waves flipped their boat and left them fighting for their lives.
Narrow canyons can turn into sheer-walled death traps during heavy rain. Emerging from them safely depends on smart planning, constant awareness, and, when those don't work, a healthy dose of luck.
You don't need to spend a fortune to have a great adventure. With a few tweaks, you can avoid the 10 biggest—and often most expensive—travel mistakes.
A few tips from Dr. Luanne Freer, founder of the Everest Base Camp Medical Clinic.
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.
On July 1, 2012, Davey du Plessis set off on a roughly 4,000-mile source-to-sea expedition down the Amazon. Two months and a third of the way in, he was attacked and left in the jungle to die. This is his story, as told to Joe Spring.
There are countless ways to meet your end in the great outdoors. These are ten of the most unpleasant, ignominious, and terrifying ways to go.
The history of tornadoes in the U.S. by the numbers—and 4 tips on how to survive one
Life Lessons from the toughest, hardest, foulest-mouthed children’s author on earth. *Parental guidance suggested.
In 2003, Dan Bigley lost his sight when a grizzly mauled him on Alaska's Russian River. Ten years later, he's back outside, working to give his children the outdoor life that he almost lost.
Huston just left the country for his expedition to Ellesmere Island
The Disaster Diaries author on self-reliance, situational awareness, and adulthood
Make sure to bring these emergency items on your next camping or hiking trip
Explaining four of the most common threats in the outdoors
Ever wondered how to survive a volcanic eruption? Not sure what to do when zombies inevitably take over? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
Tips for surviving seven of the world's deadliest adventures
David Page gets a crash course in foraging and learns to appreciate nature's bounty (and the flavor of a good fire-roasted grasshopper) along the way
In the 16 years since Into Thin Air, Mount Everest has become safer in many ways, with better storm forecasting and amazing high-altitude rescue helicopters. So why did 10 people die in 2012?
It started as a bluebird New Year's Day in Mount Rainier National Park. But when a gunman murdered a ranger and then fled back into the park's frozen backcountry, every climber, skier, and camper became a suspect—and a potential victim.
Katie Heaney won't ever climb Mount Everest, but she's ready to step outside and try some things—like looking for a moose
Bug spray seems messy and outdated. Do the apps for Android phones and iPhones really work? What about bug-repellent clothing?
From sharks and cougars to avalanches and frozen waters, four survivors share their stories in their own words. Plus: expert commentary.
When Robert Wood Jr. disappeared in a densely forested Virginia park, searchers faced the challenge of a lifetime. The eight-year-old boy was autistic and nonverbal, and from his perspective the largest manhunt in state history probably looked like something else: the ultimate game of hide-and-seek.
Meet the preppers, a rattled, robust survivalist movement whose members just hate being called survivalists. Emily Matchar investigates the 21st century's wildest new apocalyptic scene.
In the stunning and remote wilderness along northern British Columbia’s Highway 16, at least 18 women—by some estimates, many more—have gone missing over the past four decades. After years of investigation, authorities still don’t know if it’s the work of a serial killer or multiple offenders. Bob Friel drives into the darkness for answers.
What if you are backpacking or camping, and are confronted by a fast-moving wildfire? What should you do? What should you carry?
He was a proud Marine who survived three brutal tours in Iraq and had plans to redeploy with the national guard. But when 30-year-old Noah Pippin vanished inside Montana’s remote Bob Marshall Wilderness, he left behind a trail of haunting secrets—and a mystery that may never be solved.
The freediving world championships occur at the outer limits of competitive risk. During the 2011 event, held off the coast of Greece, more than 130 athletes assembled to swim hundreds of feet straight down on a single breath—without (they hoped) passing out, freaking out, or drowning. Meet the amazingly fit, unquestionably brave, and possibly crazy people who line up for the ultimate plunge.
Alone in a vast Alaskan wilderness, seven teens fend off a grizzly bear—then try to stay alive
Since the release of 127 Hours, a certain canyon in Utah has become a lot more popular—and dangerous
You're ready to act on those good intentions, but how do you know the organizations you're backing deserve your trust? Here are the 30 best—smartly managed groups with transparent financials, efficient spending, and track records of on-the-ground success.
During the Great Flood of 2011, the Mississippi was an unleashed monster, with deadly currents and a flow rate that could fill the Superdome in less than a minute. Defying government orders, Delta native W. Hodding Carter and two wet-ass pals canoed 300 miles from Memphis to Vicksburg—surfing the crest, watching wildlife cope with the rising tide and assessing 75 years of levee building.
If I'm alone and my truck is stuck on a muddy road, what's the best way to get out?
How should I deal with wet/smelly/rotting feet in the wild?
I have heard that a skilled tracker can tell what a person ate, any injuries, and myriad other personal details about their life just from looking at their footprints. Is this true?
What are your thoughts on carrying a trash bag or space blanket in your pocket for making a shelter or dealing with hypothermia?
Whenever adventure goes wrong, more than 5,000 everyday heroes stand ready for wilderness search and rescue. Meet six of the best in the business: unsung pioneers, backcountry veterans, and saviors of last resort who will risk everything to bring you back alive.
Which current survival TV host has the most wilderness cred? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What should I carry in my car in case I break down in the backcountry or have to survive on the road during a blizzard? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
If I don't have a compass, how can I tell direction? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What survival priorities should you have in the city versus the wilderness during a major crisis? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What rope and string should I pack in my survival kit?
How do I know if wild game has the plague? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What are the best survival schools in the country? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Decades after the Soviet-era meltdown drove 60,000 people from their homes in the Ukraine, a rebirth is taking place inside the exclusion zone. With Geiger counter in hand, the author explores Europe's strangest wildlife refuge, an enchanted post-apocalyptic forest from which entirely new species may soon emerge.
There are certain skills every Outside guy should possess. For this, the first installment of our four-part fundamentals series, we address the basics of adventure.
What satellite phone should I take on a kayaking trip around Fiji? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Aspen’s Michael Ferrara is bringing attention to a little-known problem: post-traumatic stress disorder among the people who save our lives
What's the best GPS for extended backcountry hikes? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
How can I survive a night in the snow? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Is global positioning contributing to our general sense of lostness? One British navigation nerd thinks so.
What's the ultimate Christmas gift for a survival nut? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What is the best way to melt snow for water? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What are some good edible desert plants? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Here's what you need to know.
Caught in an avalanche. Mastless in the Indian Ocean. Come back alive from your worst nightmare.
What should I do if caught in a flash flood in a slot canyon? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Before the event, the doc gave me a six-day course of steroids for my back and threw in a bottle of Vicodin. “At your age,” he said, “after this race, you’re going to need it.”
When minister and aid specialist James Gulley came home alive from the Haitian earthquake—barely, after an incredible survival ordeal in Port-au-Prince—he turned right around and went back. His son went, too, discovering the true power of a faith he'd never shared.
What's the best axe for chopping wood? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What's the best way to stay warm if I'm lost with no fire? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
If I'm lost, what's the best impromptu bug repellent? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
How can I make an emergency rain shelter with a tarp? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What's the best mirror for a survival kit? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What are your thoughts on reality survival shows? Can one learn any skills of value or are these largely staged? Tammy San Diego, California
Which compass is better, the Silva Ranger or the Suunto MC-2? JonahtHuntington New York
What's your favorite survival trek of the summer, and why? — The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What are some good places to learn how to track game in the forest during the summer? — The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico