Water is heavy—one liter weighs 2.2 pounds, and four liters weighs almost nine pounds. Even the best-designed hydration packs or vests, waistbelts, or handheld carrying systems don’t make water any less heavy than it is. A good system does, however, distribute that weight effectively and allows you to carry what you need comfortably. 　　Figuring out what amount of fluid you...

　　Tuckerman Ravine on the southeastern flank of Mount Washington holds an almost mythic reputation among expert backcountry skiers and snowboarders in New England. The glacial cirque sits mostly above timberline on the 6,288-foot peak, and the wide bowl boasts chutes and steep snowfields—extreme skiing terrain that is tough to find in the Northeast. 　　But Tuckerman is also dangerous, and reaching...

　　People dream of boating or swimming with whales. But that’s based on the false assumption that they are gentle giants that don’t bother humans. But they’re not. And they do. Just ask Liz Cottriel and Julie McSorley, who found themselves kayaking off California’s Central Coast when a group of humpback whales began feeding all around them. Producer Aaron Scott reports...