After wrapping up a weekend of guiding rock climbing in Joshua Tree this spring, my coworker and I had some personal time to explore the National Park. We decided to try to find a little-known cave system called the Mojave Wunderground. The hike to the Wunderground is almost entirely off-trail; we scrambled over boulders, trudged through wet sand, and smeared...

　　In late May, Shilletha Curtis published her memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail. A week later, Curtis, who is also known by her trail name “Dragonsky,” completed the final leg of the 2,190-mile pathway. 　　Her journey had begun nearly four years earlier. In 2020, Curtis—unemployed after COVID-19 ravaged the veterinary office where she worked, her longtime struggles with mental health...

　　Ultimate Mountain Athlete, presented by the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, returns to the wind-whipped summit of Red Mountain 3, where athletes transition to the Big Mountain Descent. This timed and judged individual run puts points on the line as the athletes—with legs and lungs burning—navigate high-speed lines down nearly 2,000 feet of steep, cliff-lined terrain. Next, the competition moves to lower...

　　Plenty of brands make outdoor products out of recycled plastic. Patagonia has the Stormshadow Parka. The North Face has its ThermoBall Eco Jackets. Even Goodyear makes its Sustainable Tires from sustainable materials. 　　However, the Highest Peak 3L rain jacket from Jack Wolfskin is one of the first outerwear garments made out of broken-down and recycled textiles. What’s more, you can...

　　When asked which camera takes the best photos, professional photographers like to quip that “the best camera is the one you have with you.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek way of saying that you should never worry too much about your gear. Use whatever you have, then do the work to find, frame, and capture a high-quality photo. The photographer matters more...

　　CAKE reportedly faced financial hardships before filing for bankruptcy on February 1, 2024. The Swedish brand cited socioeconomic conditions and the lack of venture capital for companies in later stages of development. But today, CAKE quietly announced new ownership and the formation of a small team dedicated to moving the brand forward. 　　View this post on Instagram A post shared...

　　Fisker, a startup focused on electric cars, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 　　The company announced the bankruptcy filing on Monday, blaming market shortfalls for its inability to meet financial obligations. In a statement, a spokesperson said the electric vehicle industry was facing a tough marketplace. 　　We have faced various market and macroeconomic headwinds that have impacted our ability to...

　　I like a good burger as much as the next girl. This past weekend at a family cookout, I indulged in a damn good one. But each delicious beefy bite brought with it a bitter aftertaste. You see, I’m an environmentalist hell-bent on making daily choices that support a healthy planet. And beef, I’m sure you’ve heard, has a hefty...

　　Though he’s just 24 years old, Kai Lightner has been a kitchen-table name in the rock climbing world for more than a decade. After years of steady performance in the competitive youth circuit, Lightner took the outdoor world by storm in the spring of 2013, when during a four-week period he sent his first four 5.14s—including Southern Smoke (5.14c). He’s...

　　Crossovers are undeniably in demand these days, making up the hottest vehicle sales segment in the U.S. They offer car-like comfort with the cargo-carrying capacity and cabin area of an SUV, with off-road capability that can keep up with many of those SUVs. 　　The crossover was born when automakers decided to blend the capability, size, and 44 benefits of its...

　　The East Face of the Matterhorn towers over the Swiss village of Zermatt. Wind hammers the peak and strips snow from its craggy buttresses. From town, the sheer wall of rock and ice looks impossible to ski. But the forbidding slope was first skied by Toni Valeruz in May of 1975, and this year, snow and weather conditions aligned for...

　　By the time we’d reached the bottom of the Cayman Trench, some 2,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, I’d lost feeling in my legs. My neck was aching, and my ears felt as though they were going to explode under the mounting pressure. “Heavy,” said the passenger sitting next to me. He stared out the window with shell-shocked eyes, and...