Outdoor Skills
Archive
A DIY almond—or cashew, or sunflower—spread should be a staple in any kitchen
Five clever field repairs that can salvage your day out on the trails
ϳԹ’s ethics guru on whether we should prioritize uphill or downhill traffic in the backcountry
All too often, we tell ourselves that being scared is just part of an adventure. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In her quest to master a quintessential cool-kid trick, ϳԹ contributor Kim Cross found the sweet spot at the crossroads of work and play
Few activities are more self-sufficiently satisfying
Need to add knot-tying skills to your life but don’t know where to start? Follow along with professional tree climber Waldo Etherington.
TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson says you don't have to live near the woods to gather your own meal. Here's how to get started.
A journalist's efforts at reinvention reveal a surprising truth: developing new abilities is one of the most life-enhancing things we can do
Her essays on the challenges African Americans face in the outdoors spurred an outpouring of questions from readers. This is her response.
This expert advice will help you get out of a rut and take your skills to a new level
You're never too old—or too good—to brush up on your technique
Many students would rather be outside than stuck on Zoom all day—and most programs can't keep up with the surge in demand
Two friends abandoned promising careers to pursue a bold adventure. It went terribly wrong—but also right.
Two years ago, Latria Graham wrote an essay about the challenges of being Black in the outdoors. Countless readers reached out to her, asking for advice on how to stay safe in places where nonwhite people aren’t always welcome. She didn't write back, because she had no idea what to say. In the aftermath of a revolutionary spring and summer, she responds.
Creating a shelter in nature is fun, encourages creativity, and offers an emotional refuge from the pandemic
After a two-decade hiatus, the 'world's toughest race' returns at just the right moment—this time with Bear Grylls
It's one of the most astonishing survival stories we’ve ever heard—and it might even be true
And it was also the most awesome experience
Wild kids and wilder counselors create the most fun—and learn the lessons that matter most
The strangest things happen at summer camp. Which is probably why we love it so much.
It's easy, fun, and shockingly good. Let's all start screaming now.
These spooky tales will make you feel like you're out in the backwoods—almost
As every seasoned traveler knows, the most meaningful trips are the ones where everything goes wrong
Staying home as much as possible is the most useful thing we can do
The military's toughest training challenges have a lot in common with outdoor sufferfests like the Barkley Marathons and the Leadville Trail 100: you have to be fit and motivated to make the starting line, but your mind and spirit are what carry you to the end. A Ranger graduate breaks down an ordeal that shapes some of the nation's finest soldiers.
A crew of daring twentysomethings had a half-baked plan to canoe through the jungle. Not surprisingly, they ran into all sorts of trouble.
As we confront the reality of COVID-19, the idea of living self-sufficiently in the woods, far from crowds and grocery stores, doesn't sound so bad. Lynx Vilden has been doing just that for decades, while teaching others how to live primitively, too.
When the Discovery Channel invited me to audition for its popular survival-challenge reality show, I knew it was going to be rough. What followed was one of the most intense experiences of my life.
ϳԹr Blair Braverman thought going on the reality show would be the experience of a lifetime. It was—in very unexpected ways.
Why a lifelong outdoor adventurer couldn't resist the siren song of fairways and greens
On February 24, registration opened for a series of climbing courses in an effort to standardize teaching the sport and help gym climbers transition to the outdoors in a safe way
How one snowboarder found himself facing the worst possible choice
And what to do when it's time to break up with your climbing partner
Maxine McCormick is already a fly-fishing legend. But how can a 15-year-old make her way through a world dominated by retirees?
Looking for an outdoor mentor? So is everyone else. Here's how to make yourself a little more competitive.
Coziness is good, but a little hardship is way more meaningful
The year's most dramatic story of a bear attack offers potentially lifesaving lessons for anyone venturing into the wild
Want to go into the woods without disturbing wildlife? The first step is to learn how to move silently.
It takes skill to have no idea what you're doing outdoors
All you need is a rod, a license, and a good attitude to catch your first fish
What good is there in letting them loose on the nearest mud puddle? Let me count the ways.
Outpost wants to disrupt the outdoor gear trade show business. Our writer descended on its California festival last fall to check out the felt hat–wearing, Bulleit bourbon–sipping crowd and to find out whether the buzzy experience is anything more than an Instagram-ready fad.
An archaeologist faces an uncertain future
Think long and hard before you jump or try to climb the cables. And don't forget about the wolves!
Stop paying the shop for a simple task that you can do at home
You're probably doing it wrong. And even if you aren't, it won't work anyway.
It's going to be hard sometimes, but it's not going to be the end of your adventures
You can learn almost anything you want—for free!—on YouTube. Just make sure it's from a reliable source.
When the engine light flicks off, do you listen to the voice that says it's time to panic or the one urging you to calmly set the plane down?
Quite possibly the most storied, most coveted, most majestic of all tricks—held for three glorious seconds
At 55, writer Pam Houston finally let herself fall.
When all else fails, run around like a raving lunatic while you swing a burning log
There are many noble qualities about living simple. But if you want to impress someone, for God's sake, don't tell them you live in your van.
Our writers talk about the incomparable thrill of experiencing something new—whether it was big or small, and regardless of how it turned out.
It doesn't matter whether you're barbecuing in your backyard or circling a fire at a campground, you must cook over open flame.
Everybody has a few one-liners that always crop up in their head when they’re out hiking, skiing, climbing, and/or having a good time or bad time outside.
Allowing girls is great, but the country's two scouting organizations need more serious change to better serve the next generation of outdoor lovers
Margaret Wheeler of the American Mountain Guides Association walks us through the steps it takes to clean an anchor.
The Northmen are craftsmen who pride themselves on building lasting tools by hand, "We use our hands to create things that will live on, telling their story in the hands of the craftsmen and people after us."
Or, the greatest oversimplified explanation of how to navigate ever written
Making your favorite tree or flower reproduce itself is easier than you think
Read these and start thriving outdoors
Taking kids on extended trips into the wilderness comes with an element of stress—the key is to talk about it
The best schools know that kids learn when their noses aren't shoved in textbooks all the time
We'd been using crosscut saws for more than a millennium when the glitzy chainsaw became available to homeowners in the 1970s. It's time to give the old standard another chance.
An utterly inept man gets lost in the West for 37 days. What happens next is, believe it or not, why America created its first national park.
For Andrew Groves and Emma Hughes of Miscellaneous ϳԹs, the wilderness is filled with curiosities.
An amusing albeit brief look at the basics of adventuring outdoors.
A new initiative aims to bring lumberjack fitness to city folk. How much eye-rolling should follow?
A retired Navy SEAL teaches us how to turn common household objects into brutal weapons in a pinch, which is almost as funny as it is terrifying
From survival strategies to kindling tricks to impress your friends, we’ll cover it all so you can make sure you’re warm and well s’mores-ed
When François Guenot vanished last summer on a wild and remote Alaskan coastline, many in the state dismissed him as yet another unprepared greenhorn. But a revelatory road trip with François's father and brother revealed he was something special: a tough, soulful wanderer whose story resonates with the grand traditions of the American outdoors.
You’re deep into a long hike and the clouds start rolling in. This is how you interpret the signs—all on your own.
We asked an expert to watch the horror movie ‘Backcountry’ and break down the myths and realities of encountering one of the forest's most intimidating animals
These adventure geniuses will make your next trip the one you never, ever forget.