About a decade ago, when I first learned about risk management in my college outdoors club, I was taught that assuming the “lightning position” was the best way to protect yourself in a thunderstorm (spoiler alert: it does bugger-all). If you managed to avoid this particular tidbit of backcountry lore, allow me to provide a refresher: the lightning position involves...

　　There are very few things that can tank morale on a camping trip like a bad night of sleep. Fortunately, with all the stellar sleeping pad options out there, there’s no reason for your gear to prevent you from getting your beauty sleep, especially when you’re car camping and you’ve got the room to go big. We tested a variety...

　　If you’re an active, outdoorsy adult with children, there’s a solid chance you spend a good amount of time as a doting spectator of youth sports. (The offspring of active people tend to be active young people.) And if you’re an adventurer of any sort, you know that conserving energy is key to success. (If someone in your expedition needs...

　　A few years ago, I didn’t know what dispersed camping meant and had no idea there were places across the country where camping was utterly free. And I wasnt alone. According to the 2024 report from The Dyrt, 39% of the U.S. population doesnt know they can camp for free, and 40% know they can but have never tried it....

　　Though it is night, the ice surrounding us glitters in the sunshine. Only silence and shades of white surround me as I pace the decks. I am on a tourist ship, parked in the sea ice off the coast of Antarctica, for my work as a naturalist. It is 2 a.m., in January. On one side, glaciers drape the mountains,...

　　Ride The Rockies, a Colorado cycle-touring institution that dates back decades, is on hold for 2024. 　　Run each summer since 1986, more than 2,000 cyclists pedaled the roads of Colorado’s high country for one week in a route that changed from year to year. 　　Organizers announced this summer’s edition—set to be held June 9-15 with stops in Steamboat Springs, Craig,...

　　Smartwool Layers: 25-50% Off at REI 　　 　　(Photo/Smartwool) Right now, you can find select Smartwool base layers, crews, and quarter-zips for 25-30% off. 　　The biggest deal we found was a whopping 50% off this Smartwool Intraknit Fleece Zip Hoodie — on sale and available in three colors and several sizes each. This deal wont last long, though. 　　Shop the Zip...

　　Ahead of National Parks Week, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the Austin, Texas-based spirits brand, has donated $250,000 to the National Parks Foundation (NPF). To celebrate, it teamed up with the Southern California headwear company melin to make a hat for anyone who wants to show off their love for distilled alcohol and National Parks at once. 　　And 100% of the proceeds...

　　Gravel cycling is good for the lungs, good for the soul, and safer than riding in traffic. You can pedal for hours without ever seeing the dusty trace of a car. Outside of the right bike and a protective helmet, a good pair of gravel bike shoes is one of the best investments you can make. 　　The feet are one...

　　The 2024 spring climbing season on Mount Everest is delayed due to crumbling ice in the Khumbu Glacier. 　　On April 17, in advance of climbing teams, Nepali workers completed the pathway through the infamous Khumbu Icefall, a labyrinthine section of the glacier that is riddled with crevasses, precarious ice towers, and other deadly obstacles. The section is the site of...

　　If you like the outdoors, youre bound to get dirty.And if youre like most of us, that means you usually use a vehicle to get to and from the outdoors. All the dirt, mud, water, and other debris that collects on your shoes almost always makes its way into your vehicle for the drive home. 　　Sure, you could continue using...

　　Gravel cycling is good for the lungs, good for the soul, and safer than riding in traffic. You can pedal for hours without ever seeing the dusty trace of a car. Outside of the right bike and a protective helmet, a good pair of gravel bike shoes is one of the best investments you can make. 　　The feet are one...