Nature
Archive
There are many threats to the 50-year-old Wilderness Act. But the most dangerous, Kenneth Brower says, comes from those who are chipping away at the very idea of wilderness itself.
Buy equipment you don't have to feel guilty about using.
A handful of years ago Rachel Brathen was a cigarette-smoking, rebellious teen in Sweden. Then she moved to Costa Rica, found yoga, booted up Instagram, and became a yoga celebrity—if there is such a thing.
Line's inspired ski looks as good as it rides.
Come for the solitude on the island's unpeopled parts and check out the dedicated ex-pat community if you decide you never want to leave.
From nearby to far-flung and exotic, we've got seven islands to cure your winter wanderlust. Turns out one of the most spectacular is right around the corner.
What happens when you take away the road, the cheerful volunteers handing out energy gels, and most of your sanity? You get some of the gnarliest races out there.
Over the last week, five top mountain athletes died in three separate incidents in the Himalayas and Andes. Here, we’ve gathered remembrances from people who knew them best.
It's still possible to be what you wanted to be when you were a kid.
Five business icons share how they flipped the switch on their careers—and how you can follow in their footsteps.
It started with a salsa bowl, some cheap Australian sunglasses, and a little help from Kickstarter. Now, Sunski is making waves—and its founders are living the dream.
An eight-step plan for rebooting your career and finding a job that you love.
Jack Kerouac spent the summer of 1956 manning a fire tower on Washington's Desolation Peak, in the northern Cascades. He didn't do much writing there, apparently, despite being alone with pencil and paper. But he stayed for 63 days. The views were good.
As resorts open more extreme terrain, skiers are wondering: Should I wear my beacon in-bounds?
Some of the explosives that professionals use to take down the white dragon.
A look at the human factors that can blur judgment in the field.
Playing safely in the mountains requires an intimate knowledge of terrain and an understanding of how a host of variables—including sun, wind, and temperature—affect the snowpack.
Every year, more than 500 Americans will be struck by lightning—and roughly 90 percent of them will survive. Though they remain among the living, their minds and bodies will be instantly, fundamentally altered in ways that still leave scientists scratching their heads.
The key to digging your friends out alive is how fast you are with these three essential avalanche safety tools.
Explorer Daniel Fox has paddled some of the world's wildest places in search of images that can reconnect us with nature—but not humanize it. His startling Wild Image Project brings wildlife up close and personal, asking viewers to reconsider their relationship with the environment. "Nature is raw, rough, cruel, pretty, beautiful, inspiring, but above all, a humble experience," Fox says. And that's a great thing.
No, but it is getting increasing dangerous out there. As hordes of skiers hit the backcountry, they're triggering more avalanches than ever before, and there's still a dangerous gap between our collective enthusiasm and the depth of our knowledge. But while the learning curve is daunting and the risks are high, the adventure rewards are immense—if you do it rig
There's a six-pack of cold ones waiting for you at base camp. The only problem? No bottle opener. Thankfully, we're here to help.
Afterglow isn't just the year's most captivating ski movie—it's also a giant TV ad. And it could be the future of adventure films.
Do cell phones, satellite messengers, and personal locator beacons create more false alarms in the backcountry?
For one young chief, protecting his people means embracing ecotourism.
A star political blogger for Grist.org, David Roberts spent so much time posting and Tweeting and staring at screens that he almost went nuts. So he pulled the plug for a year, restarting his relationship with technology and actively seeking health, balance, and adventure in the real world. What he learned just might save you from meltdown.
Ben Hewitt’s essay on “unschooling” in our September issue has sparked some heated debate. Few parents are willing to do as the Hewitts do, and turn their kids loose entirely. But how can we give our children more freedom?
I'd love to haul my kids up the railings to Half Dome, but don't want to risk accidents—or turning them off of hiking forever. How can we have fun while staying safe in the national park?
Climate change is opening up more than ice fields—it's stoking a new tourism economy.
When it comes to staying safe and enjoying great views, rooftop tents are the way to go.
There are two sides to the story of the biggest environmental lawsuit ever, but a new book tells only one of them.
The hours are long, and the work can be dangerous. But animal care workers, the unsung heroes devoted to the health of mammals at SeaWorld and other marine parks, have unrivaled access to the animals—and the challenges of captivity. Here, three former employees go on the record about their experiences.
Swiss explorer Mike Horn looks to grind out a big first—again.
Yosemite Valley, the birthplace of rebel climber culture is supposed to be all cleaned up and mellowed out. But as a new film shows, the outlaw spirit is alive and well.
National park concessions are moving toward more sustainable foods, and that means tastier, greener meals for you.
Ernest Moniz talks to Outside about radioactive waste, SuperTrucks, dazzling solar arrays, southwestern breakfasts, and a trout stream that has to remain top secret.
With 45 successful summits, this season on K2 seems too serendipitous to be true. But safely conquering the mountain took grueling amounts of work and skill, too.
Roman Dial is an adventure icon and Alaskan legend who raised his son, Cody, in the outdoors. Now Cody is missing in a Costa Rican jungle and Roman is leading the search.
On the 100th anniversary of Ernest Shackleton's legendary expedition, a writer retraces the explorer's steps to one of the cruelest, most gorgeous wildernesses on earth.
North Carolina State University wants to sell off Hofmann Forest for $150 million. Is that such a bad thing?
Don't listen to the headlines—you need more than seven hours of sleep to play hard.
Reed Timmer gets right into the thick of huge storms for a living. So we asked him to watch Into the Storm, a new tornado thriller, and report back on how it compares to the real thing.
Some plan trips in advance; others let the current carry them. For Amy Ragsdale, traveling with risk takers like herself has helped her trust the process of exploring without a full map, rather than fight it.
In the half-century since the Wilderness Act was passed, almost everything has changed. All the more reason to go wild.
Ultrarunner Adam Campbell says he was zapped during the Hardrock 100 trail race this month, but still managed to finish in third place. How is that possible?
The key to seeing the best of Iceland? Posting up in the middle of the action.
As climate change threatens snowpack, ski areas are adopting a new survival strategy: Beefing up the summer fun.
We can boat the same backyard river with our family a dozen or more times, and it will never get old—because rivers, like our children, are constantly changing.
Namibia's desert elephant population is dwindling—so why are they handing out hunting permits?
I want to explore the best of what nature has to offer. Where can I find some up-and-coming ecotourism sites?
A photo is only worth 1,000 words if you know how to capture the right one. These six programs can help.
New research suggests your pet really loves you, just not necessarily in the way you think.
Wind power may have faded as an energy alternative, but a Google-backed startup is poised to revive the industry.
Three plane fuselages in a Montana river might seem like a problem, but there’s more to the accident than meets the eye.
From wombats to killer whales, animals suffer from OCD, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and mood disorders. What that says about us, and how we can learn to be "therapy humans" for our pets.
Beat the crowds on the not-so-beaten path this summer in one of America's favorite national parks.
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.
The true story of the mountain's most horrific day, the Sherpas who paid the price, and the aftershocks that will change the mountain forever
Trapping of bobcats, coyotes, and other fur-bearing animals is on the rise—with man’s best friend the collateral damage.
There's a reason exiles dreaded being packed off to Siberia. While retracing the path of a doomed 19th-century U.S. polar expedition in the Russian High Arctic, we encounter swarming mosquitoes, a few Kalashnikovs, an island lost in time, the burial site of ten brave men, and a haunting beauty like nothing we've ever seen.
Long stretches of open road through some of the most beautiful areas of the country, peppered with wildlife sightings, adventurous detours, and good brews—it's so much more than getting from Point A to Point B.
Five wild mountain ranges. Hundreds of miles of trails. Zero crowds. That’s what awaits visitors at the country’s newest Naitonal Monument in New Mexico. Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks consists of four separate patches of the Chihuahuan Desert surrounding Las Cruces in southern New Mexico. Encompassing a half-million acres…
Summer nights are worth staying up for at these 7 dark-sky parks
The Pennine Way, England’s first national trail, turns 50 this year. Even if it’s literally over the hill, the 268-mile route of rolling terrain is as popular as ever, especially this weekend. July 12 marks the annual National Trails geocache release, during which new coins…
Paul D. Paur left behind all his worldly possessions and entered the Appalachian Trail in early June. Concerns about his mental health surfaced alongside reports from fellow hikers that Paur is looking for God. What's he really doing there?
It's not easy to swim with sperm whales: they're hard to find, hard to reach without adequate diving experience, and they just might swallow you up if you get too close. But how else are we going to crack their complicated language system? A group of rogue freedivers takes the plunge.
Unlike the size of the fish you reel in, there's no need to exaggerate how nice these hotels are
These oases of relaxation, adventure, mindful eating, and awe-inspiring views are going to be very popular once it's safe travel again. Until then, we can dream.