ϳԹ Magazine, Apr 2006
Stories
POSTs
SCOTT LINDGREN, whose first descent of Tibet’s deadly Tsangpo was chronicled in our July 2002 issue, continues to paddle and film the world’s most dangerous whitewater. His upcoming DVD, Burning Time II (out in May), features first descents in China and Turkey. And during a recent trip to Zambia,…
What would you do after you'd been trapped in the wilderness and forced to cut off your own arm? You probably wouldn't try to become the first person to climb all 59 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks in winter—and alone.
For over a decade, 26-year-old Bruce Irons has captivated the surfing world with his gravity-mocking aerials, smooth style, and convivial countenance. Many, including 2000 World Champion Sunny Garcia, have called him “the future of surfing.” But while big brother Andy was winning a trio of world titles, Bruce struggled to…
YOU CAN BET that drug-company executives aren’t among the 70 million Americans suffering from sleep problems. Thanks to blockbusters like $2-billion-a-year Ambien, the sleep-aid industry is booming, and several similar drugs are angling for space in your medicine cabinet, including Lunesta, launched in 2004, and others awaiting FDA approval. These…
Is the chalk-bag crowd ready to go upscale? New York City bouldering pioneer Ivan Greene thinks so, and he wants to lead the way.
HARD TO BELIEVE, but the bitter, pep-boosting ginseng root—reputed to enhance everything from libido to longevity—has been at the center of trade wars and political dynasties for centuries. Native to Asia and North America, the herb is sought by Chinese herbalists, New Age entrepreneurs, and international smuggling rings, all trying…
Get behind the wheel for the Banger Rally, a 4,500-mile blitz from England to the Sahara in which globe-trotting wrench-heads, posh speed freaks, and sand-blinded adventurers crank up the crazy and stomp on the gas
The Last Season book review By Eric Blehm (HarperCollins, $25) ON THE MORNING of July 21, 1996, Randy Morgenson, a veteran backcountry ranger at Kings Canyon National Park, in California’s High Sierra, pinned a note to his tent. RANGER ON PATROL FOR 3-4 DAYS, it read. He was never…
Shield your eyes with the season's coolest shades and be primed for action anytime, anywhere
Get steeped in Sri Lanka's tea country at four new lodges in the southern highlands
From sleek and sexy road machines to mountain-taming single-speeds, the big news about this year's best bikes is trickle-down technology that makes cutting-edge performance accessible for every rider and any budget
Want real results? A new regimen sheds pounds, builds strength, and shortens your workout time.
Divers do the damnedest things in pursuit of Northern California abalone—like poaching, drowning, and getting gobbled up by great white sharks
WHEN AMERICAN CLIMBER Greg Mortenson stumbled into the Pakistani village of Korphe in 1993—lost, starving, and separated from his expedition mates after an unsuccessful attempt to summit K2—he had no idea that the three days he’d spend recuperating there would change his life forever. To thank the locals who nursed…
When it comes to adventure kingdoms, all roads eventually lead to California. Here's where to find the Golden State's secret stash.
Time to tune up that garageful of gear (we don't mean lawn chairs) and devote your next outing to full-throttle fun.
F E A T U R E S
ADVENTURE MECCAS 2006
ADRENALINE NATION
Summer fast approaches: Time to tune up that garageful of gear (we don’t mean lawn chairs) and devote your next outing to full-throttle fun. To that end, we present a dozen North American hot spots from West Virginia to Vancouver to the shores and mountains of California where action awaits in all directions and you can climb, bike, hike, paddle, and fish to your heart’s content. PLUS: Jack Turner on blazing the last stretches of the Continental Divide Trail.
MY SUMMIT PROBLEM
Nobody would’ve blamed Aron Ralston if he’d stayed home. But ten months after amputating his arm to survive a Utah canyoneering accident, he resumed his seven-year mission to summit all 59 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks solo, in the dead of winter. Would he make it back to the top? BY ARON RALSTON
GENTLEMEN, DESTROY YOUR ENGINES!
Strap in for the craziest road trip you’ll ever take. A new generation of wrench-wise, adventure-hungry Brits are heading off on the Plymouth Dakar Challenge, a 4,500-mile mad dash from the green shores of England to the white-hot sands of the Sahara. BY JASON DALEY
REVIEW SPECIAL: THE BIKE REPORT
ROLLING WONDERS
The pavement is warming, the singletrack is rough and ready. To put you in the saddle, we’ve assembled the ultimate lineup of rigs from dream machines to wallet-friendly workhorses dialed to your two-wheel fantasies. BY AARON GULLEY
D E P A R T M E N T S
DISPATCHES
» THE GO LIST: Jackson Hole says adios to the country’s longest ski lift; BADASS BIKE SHOES; fly-fishing in the Florida Keys; a scuba diver’s view of Greek history; and more.
» REFUGEE ROCKERS: Three Tibetan siblings are all the rage in India, where their band, JJI Exile Brothers, strikes radical chords.
» The sleep-aid market is booming, but pills aren’t the only way to BEAT JET LAG. Our expert road warriors share four ways to stay revved while hopping time zones. PLUS: How Jamie Pierre’s ski jump off a 245-foot Wyoming cliff made HUCKING HISTORY, inverted landing and all.
» Thanks to its reputation as a libido booster, GINSENG is a billion-dollar commodity. We’ve got the dirt.
» At the swank CEYLON TEA TRAILS bungalows, in Sri Lanka’s southern highlands, adventure includes four-course meals and a butler.
» Call him a social climber, but IVAN GREENE isn’t your average wallrat. When he’s not belaying New York’s beautiful people, he’s hanging out with them at the city’s hottest nightclubs or going to town to promote his streetwise clothing line for rockhounds.
» Eric Blehm’s THE LAST SEASON unravels the mystery of a legendary Kings Canyon ranger who vanished in the backcountry; Michael D’Orso’s Eagle Blue chronicles the struggles of an Alaska high school basketball team; and THE EXPLORER KING, by Robert Wilson, profiles one of history’s daring and forgotten scientists. PLUS: We cozy up with mountaineer GERG MORTENSON to discuss his new memoir, Three Cups of Tea; the JON KRAKAUER bestseller Into the Wild heads for the silver screen.
STYLE
SOLAR SHIELDS: Eight pairs of new mountain-, beach-, and city-worthy sunglasses from Smith, Oakley, Bollé, Quiksilver, Specialized, and others.
BODYWORK
Tap your very own fountain of youth with ultra-high-intensity sprint workouts, which stimulate the production of HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE. We clue you in on how to get your natural HGH fix, free and on the run.
OUT THERE
Each spring, Northern California’s ABALONE season sparks a frenzy of poaching, shark attacks, and widespread aquatic chaos along the coast all in the name of good eatin’. H. THAYER WALKER takes the plunge to find out why divers are risking their lives for a big snail.