Hiking
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The number of thru-hikers on the trail has skyrocketed in the past five years. It may be time to think about how to control the crowds.
We need basic outdoors gear to make it work
We caught up with Ace Kvale and Brendan Leonard at 5Point Film Festival to discuss their new film 'Ace and the Desert Dog'.
"You know, there was this whole other world. There was the outdoors. There was the wilderness."
"My cerebral palsy contributes to my unique cadence and my poor balance, but I refuse to let it define who I am."
Ever wonder what it's like to hike the ever-more crowded PCT? I'm about to find out.
EPA district administrator Jared Blumenfeld talks about why he’s escaping it all, and how to be a pescatarian on the 2,650-mile trail
GPS trackers and cell phones give us a false sense of security in the wilderness. And with more thru-hikers than ever set to take on the Appalachian Trail this year, we should be on alert.
In 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes, Jennifer Pharr Davis hiked from Georgia to Maine—a total of 2,181 miles. That time stands as the women's record for fastest thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. In this short video from filmmaker Kerrin Sheldon, Davis talks about what the…
Whenever he needed to check his email, Mahabir Pun made a two-day trek from Nangi, a mountain village in western Nepal, to Pokhara, the nearest city with Internet access. In 2001, he sent an email to the BBC asking for ideas on how to connect his remote community to the web,…
Officials at Baxter State Park, at the north end of the AT, are concerned about an anticipated increase in the number of thru-hikers tramping through the park. Their solution? Hiker registration cards.
One of the hardest parts of the PCT is simply getting to the southern start, in the middle of the desert by the U.S.-Mexico border
Completing the Appalachian Trail takes grit, patience, and sometimes a little help from the angels
No one has ever completed the 2,180-mile trail heading southbound and starting in December, but this full-time hiker is trying
The New Hampshire politician shares his state pride by tackling a legendary hiking challenge—over and over
Helping out Appalachian Trail through-hikers has allowed "Ponytail Paul" Stiffler to finally find peace in his own life
When Ponytail Paul headed out into the woods, he just wanted to help hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Instead, what he found set his world on fire. …
When Ponytail Paul headed out into the woods, he just wanted to help hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Instead, what he found set his world on fire. Learn more about how Every Trail Connects at rei.com/h/trails.
When George Rue started hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail six summers ago at age 18, he carried a sketchpad, intending to use it as both diary and camera.
Trevor Thomas lost his sight as a young man, but that hasn’t stopped him from turning pro as a long-distance hiker. His insights will give you a whole new perspective on the outdoors.
Heather Anderson just crushed the record for the fastest known unsupported Appalachian Trail thru-hike. That makes her the biggest badass you’ve never heard of.
Walk the Ridge, from filmmaker Mathieu Le Lay, is a short film that aims to share the deep feelings one can experience while hiking in the mountains. Le Lay spent several days hiking four mountain peaks in the French Alps with his…
Michal Huniewicz is a UK software developer with a knack for photography and a penchant for visiting places most tourists wouldn’t touch. The Saharan country of Mauritania certainly qualifies as one such place.
In 1990, a grisly double homicide on America’s most famous hiking route shocked the nation and forever changed our ideas about crime, violence, and safety in the outdoors
Overcrowding on the country’s most popular thru-hiking destination may come to a head, as the route’s managers contemplate imposing a hiker limit
From beer to bourbon, here’s how to cut loose (safely) while camping
Whether you sign up for an official work day or simply remember to follow trail etiquette, it’s easier to do your part than you might think.
Nothing beats campfire cuisine, if you know what you’re doing
The former Appalachian Trail speed record holder responds to how she feels about Scott Jurek’s FKT and reflects on her time on the trail
Hiking and backpacking are some of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors. Our beginner's guide shows you what type of gear you'll need for everything from a short day hike to a multi-day backpacking trip. …
Scrutinizing what kind of tent, sleeping bag, and pack you need for a multiday trip can be difficult. Here’s a comprehensive overview of how to find exactly what you need and assess it with confidence.
Think Cheryl Strayed is tough? Meet these guys.
In this exclusive series from the PCTA and Fox Searchlight, ϳԹ contributor Ali Carr Troxell hits the trail and talks about what kind footwear you’ll need for different types of hiking. Wild, based on the novel by Cheryl Strayed and starring Reese Witherspoon, is now playing in…
In this exclusive series from the PCTA and Fox Searchlight, ϳԹ contributor Ali Carr Troxell talks about the most important gadgets for the backcountry. Wild, based on the novel by Cheryl Strayed and starring Reese Witherspoon, is now playing in theaters across the country. …
In this exclusive series from the PCTA and Fox Searchlight, ϳԹ contributor Ali Carr Troxell hits the trail and shows you how to prevent every hiker’s smallest nightmare: blisters. Wild, based on the novel by Cheryl Strayed and starring Reese Witherspoon, is now playing in theaters across the country. …
Photographer Ian Tuttle set up camp three times throughout the summer on the Pacific Crest Trail, capturing snippets of the 2,663-mile trail that stretches the length of the West Coast. He made portraits of those he met, asked them questions, and even followed up with a few after their time on the trail.
We're all familiar with digital detoxes, but one young man took it a step further. Many steps further in fact.
Paul D. Paur left behind all his worldly possessions and entered the Appalachian Trail in early June. Concerns about his mental health surfaced alongside reports from fellow hikers that Paur is looking for God. What's he really doing there?
When 24-year-old David Sneddon disappeared hiking around western China, officials chalked it up to a drowning. Only a decade later did another scenario emerge: maybe David had been kidnapped and taken to North Korea.
Google wants to build the world’s best off-road map. And they want your help.
The team behind Google Street View is going off-road, and they're turning to you for help
Mount Whitney was closed during the government shutdown, but that didn't stop our editor from summiting.
How the federal government tried to ruin my 30th birthday (and how I didn’t let them).
One thing you shouldn’t leave behind with your foolhardy youth: the great American dirtbag road trip. Mark Jenkins explains how to do it right.
Don't touch that wild water until you've used at least one of these methods
Sure, it’s the biggest state in the union. But that doesn’t mean every adventure in Alaska has to be an expedition. These six day-hike-friendly trails will give you a taste of the Last Frontier’s wild beauty and still get you back in time for last call.
Who needs headlamps? From a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico to a Japanese trail lined with glowing mushrooms, these ten hikes are at their best when it's dark out. Pack your camera (leave the flash at home) and prepare to be amazed.
How do you teach a boy to love the wilderness when you’re terrified of what might happen out there? Hiking with his ten-year-old son, William Broyles confronts his memories of Vietnam–and one very large grizzly. (And three other great essays on fatherhood, from Jack Hitt, W. Hodding Carter, and Anthony Doerr.)
In 2003, Dan Bigley lost his sight when a grizzly mauled him on Alaska's Russian River. Ten years later, he's back outside, working to give his children the outdoor life that he almost lost.
In 1973, Lowe Alpine was born in climber Greg Lowe’s garage. Greg and his brother Mike Lowe started the company to make the gear that Greg needed for alpine climbing, ice climbing, and expeditions that simply…
Frog Bay Tribal National Park. Photo: Grandon Harris If you’ve been near the Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin’s northernmost reaches, you were likely there to visit Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a stunning collection of 21 small islands in Lake Superior. But as of this summer,…
Over the past five years, Google has taken its Street View maps to 43 countries, deploying cars, trikes, snowmobiles, and even a submersible to map 360-degree panoramas of the world around us. In June, the company announced a new initiative to bring the same seamless experience into the backcountry in a bid to create the world’s most amazing trail maps.
Repeat after me: It's not about speed. Photo: Katie Arnold Recently, a couple of friends and I decided to mark the last days of summer by taking our kids for a hike. It was a warm, sunny, windless afternoon, the top-five-best-days-of-the-year kind of…
It's a lot easier to imagine you're a colonial settler when you're not 25, Katie Heaney learns
“Wander a whole summer if you can. Time will not be taken from the sum of life. Instead of shortening, it will definitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal.” —John Muir Anyone with a healthy amount of time that is looking for a new trail to backpack might want…
The biggest challenge for backpackers is fitting all the gear you need for a multi-day trip into your pack, and keeping the weight low enough that you enjoy your hike instead of being pulled down like a pack mule. Vargo offers a solution with its…
“Missy.” Photo: Screenshot from 14ers.com Let's start with the rescue. On August 11, Amanda and Scott Washburn were hiking a Colorado 14er named Mount Bierstadt when they came across a dog on a ledge. She had…
Over recent months—well, years, actually—the debate concering hardshell fabrics and their capabilities has been…
The goal: cover 15 mountains in fewer than four days and 11 hours. If Sean O'Rourke succeeds, he'll hold the record for the fastest ascent of California's 14ers.
Want to look at maps on your tablet instead of your phone so that they're bigger and easier to comprehend? Trimble Outdoors just released its MyTopo Maps app for the Kindle Fire and other Android-powered tablets. Now you can plot your next outdoor adventure on the big…
The goal: Cover 15 mountains in six days. If Crawford succeeds, she'll hold the record for the fastest female ascent of California's 14ers
In the eighth behind-the-scenes episode on the filming of the ski movie Solitaire, Sweetgrass Productions tells the story of their final Bolivian shoot. Part of the team took off to ski one of the 20,000-foot-high slopes above the altiplano, and got hit with a dental emergency…
Google is bringing its image-mapping technology into the wilderness. On June 6, the company announced on its blog that it is sending a new Street View Trekker device into the backcountry. The 40-lb., 15-camera, backpack-like gizmo…
Professional backpacker, author of the Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide
Last fall, Gear Shed tester Andrew Forsthoefel set off on a momentous, sure-to-be-life-changing megatrip. He loaded up his backpack, laced his shoes, and walked out his back door in Chadd’s Ford, Pennslyvania, bound for the West Coast on foot. He’s not in it just to prove that he is…
I'm burned out on pasta and trail mix. What easy-to-make food should I take backpacking this summer?
It turns out, quite a bit, if that company is Patagonia. This manufacturer of outdoor apparel and footwear that we've frequently written about here at ϳԹ, in its quest to continue to make the world a better place, is introducing Wild Salmon Jerky in…
If you're that guy who is always complaining that the sleeves are too short, the legs are too long, or the torso is too tight when you buy other outdoor apparel, a company called Beyond is waiting for your call. The Seattle company makes custom technical under…
Sticky approach shoes will get you to and from your projects, but they're not just for cragging. Approach shoes can have urban appeal—like when you want to impress your friends after a few beers by bouldering up the nearest sculpture/rock/tree. We don't necesarrily recommend this, we're just saying, we know…
Climbing 8 big mountains in 11 months required many things but proper gear was a must. In this post, I will review what I used, what worked, what didn’t; taking it a layer at a time. These climbs were to raise awareness and research money on behalf of Alzheimer’s disease.
On the heels of a speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail, I thought it'd be interesting to get out the old history book and have a little class time. There are a lot of trails in our great country (although few like the PCT) and, as…
From Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, the Appalachian Trail is almost 2,200 miles of White Blaze, Trail Angels and Lean-Tos. And somewhere in West Virginia, in a town named Harpers Ferry,…
Courtesy of National Park Service, via National Parks Traveler When planning a National Parks vacation, you probably go to the nps.gov Web site to find a campground, map prospective hikes, and check for warnings. Former National Park Service director Roger Kennedy,…