ϳԹ Magazine, May 2013
This month in ϳԹ
Stories
POSTs
Ellie Greenwood, winner of the 2012 Western States 100-mile Endurance Run, on balancing big miles with a day job.
Should you go for the standard 26-inch mountain bike wheels or newer options in different sizes? We did some testing to find out.
Anson Fogel, founder of Forge Motion Pictures and winner of more than 60 awards at outdoor film festivals, on how to get the most out of your action cam.
Aaron Gwin, two-time World Cup overall champion, on the finer points of going down
The ponies that carried Genghis Khan’s warriors are small, tough, and skittish as hell, making the prospect of riding them for 1,000 kilometers seem downright insane. American cowboy Will Grant couldn’t resist, so he entered the Mongol Derby—the longest, hardest horse race in the world—determined not just to finish but to win.
The new country of South Sudan is blessed with oil, water, and a safari bonanza: one of the largest, most stunning animal migrations on earth. But without roads, laws, or infrastructure, can Africa’s youngest state turn potential into stabilizing profit? Patrick Symmes joins the adventure.
The extreme polar explorer on rock lifting, noodles, and scheduling conflicts
Three whitewater guides, one wooden dory, and the Colorado River, swollen by record snowmelt and raging with a fury that boatmen hadn't seen since the days of John Wesley Powell. From Kevin Fedarko's epic new book, The Emerald Mile, the incredible story of the fastest, wildest trip ever attempted through the Grand Canyon.
Travel to these destinations for tons of open space—and it's all yours
Endurance athletes are skipping established races to stage their own raucous events. Going toe-to-toe has never been this much fun.
Lost on Everest
Fifty years after Jim Whittaker became the first American to conquer Mount Everest, Grayson Schaffer unearths the full story of the 1963 team’s summit—and their daring first ascent of the mountain’s West Ridge.
Born on the 9th of July
Africa’s youngest country is the wildest baby on earth, blessed with oil, water, and wildlife but lacking the infrastructure and tourism dollars to keep those gifts intact. Patrick Symmes explores the many possibilities. Happy 22-month birthday, South Sudan!
Rocketing into the Great Unknown
It went down in legend simply as the speed run, a slingshot ride by three whitewater guides down the flood-swollen Colorado River in 1983. Kevin Fedarko brings history’s fastest, craziest voyage through the Grand Canyon to life in this excerpt from his new book, The Emerald Mile.
All the Jittery Horses
Take a cocky American cowboy, put him on a hardy Mongolian pony, and enter him in the grueling Mongol Derby, the longest horse race on earth, a 1,000-kilometer charge across the Asian steppe. What could possibly go wrong? By Will Grant
DISPATCHES
2013 ϳԹrs of the Year: From long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad to high-altitude endurance freak Kilian Jornet, this year’s exploration heroes crossed seas, jumped from the stratosphere, and created their own brand of alpine masochism.
DESTINATIONS
National Parks: The grandest, loneliest spots in Acadia, Canyonlands, and nine others are well worth the effort to get there.
Base Camp: Upping your happiness quotient in Bhutan.
Go List: Glamping in Idaho, and calculating the sketch factors of travel’s riskiest new frontiers.
BODYWORK
Competition: Why cyclists and runners are skipping out on traditional races in favor of homegrown contests—and why you should join them.
Tools: Dopp-kit must-haves for adventuring abroad.
My Body: Hauling rocks and candy with explorer Eric Larsen.
ESSENTIALS
Bikes: Our definitive annual roundup of the hottest new road and mountain rides.
Unpacked: The perfect camp kitchen for the gourmet on the go.
Buying Right: The art and technology of hydration.
Stress Tested: Putting iPhone cases through the wringer.
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EXPOSURE
BETWEEN THE LINES
PARTING SHOT