Survival
ArchiveIs it safer to drink melted snow or water from a stream?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
What are the best places in the U.S. to test your backcountry survival skills this spring?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
What's a good insect repellent that isn't too harsh?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
What wildlife do you need to watch out for in the Southwest desert during the spring?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
Don't like our list? Tell us your picks for the 10 greatest adventurers.
Overlooked mountain ranges, river beer, running album, gear of all time, and 47 other big ideas, accidental winners, and awesome things about the world outside we've come to love over the past 33 years. Introducing our first annual Editors' Choice Awards...
What should you look for when tracking elk?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
Do you recommend using a hammock or tent when camping in the tropics?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
What type of footwear do you recommend for deep snow or winter trekking?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
How is a signal fire different from a regular fire for warmth? t t— The Editors tSanta Fe, New Mexico
What's your favorite multi-tool? t t— The Editors tSanta Fe, New Mexico
What should you do if you injure yourself while backcountry skiing? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
How do you identify and treat hypothermia? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What's the best water filter for sub-zero temperatures? Chet Freeman Quincy, Massachusetts
What should you do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What's the best winter survival food? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
People give when they know it will buy something tangible. We asked directors at five organizations to tell us what donations from $50 to $50K would accomplish.
Homer, the dummy, has been taking one on the chin—and everywhere else—for you.
What should you do if you encounter an aggressive bear in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What personal location beacon do you trust most? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What should you do if you're driving in the backcountry and get lost in a snow storm? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
Is there a way to make primitive snowshoes if you're hiking and get caught in a snowstorm? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you have no cover or shelter, is there a way to keep heavy rain from extinguishing a fire? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
The planet is smaller than ever, but that just means there's a host of new dangers out there—and a new set of solutions. These days, a text message or the right travel-insurance policy might just save your bacon. So study up—your life may depend on it.
What should you do if you run into a cougar in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
In your experience, what's the number one reason people get lost in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What is the number one skill people should learn in case they get lost in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What should you do if you're bitten by a scorpion while camping in the American Southwest? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Do you have to grow up hunting and fishing in order to live off of the land? Tmy Boise, Idaho
What is the best gear to bring with on a desert hike? Hrafn San Diego, California
Can you recommend a survival class on edible plants? Tommy Portsmouth, Virginia
What is the best fishing method for backpacking? Daniel San Francisco, California
Do you recommend making your own survival kit or in purchasing a commercially made kit? Tmy Boise, Idaho
Two new plane-crash memoirs hope to soar into the survival-narrative canon.
Quotes from Stranded (now out on DVD; $30, zeitgeistfilms.com), a gripping new documentary about the survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash depicted in the film Alive.
Luanne Freer talks about saving lives in the world's highest emergency room.
How can you prevent getting lost if you're bushwhacking without a GPS? Do you recommend some type of hi-visibility flagging, or is that not low impact enough? Teeka Van Riper Washington
In the movie Rambo, Sly heats up a metal rod and uses it to cauterize a bullet wound. Is this effective? LCPL Michael Barnes Cp Pendleton, California
I went to a school and was promised I would be able to track a mouse across a cement floor after a week. I couldn't. Is it possible to get that good, that fast?
There are two choices when confronting the current chaos in the job market: Be afraid. (Useless.) Be bold. (That’s the spirit.) Because moments of turmoil present the biggest opportunities to take a new direction, to find an employer who gets your need for adventure, to finally break free of the cubicle. How We Picked…
Ben Sherwood talks about the secrets and science that can save your life.
Who has the greater chance of survival, a person alone, or a group? Chris British Columbia
But don't worry, we've stacked the deck in your favor. Welcome to Expedition Planning 101. Your assignment: Read the tips on gear, first aid, and food; pick one of our five ready-to-roll itineraries; and then get out the door. Just remember to be humble—Ma Nature won't be intimidated by your trash-talking buddies.
I'm snowboarding with some friends in the backcountry. We get split up ong the trees and I wake up with a bloody, broken leg. What should be my course of action? David Centennial, Colorado
Every hour of every day, behemoth container ships cruise the highways of ocean commerce, loaded with stereos and lobster and plastic air fresheners. And during the winter storm season, massive waves from out of nowhere can wreck these arks of global trade.
If I'm out hiking in the woods with no matches, what's the best way to start a fire? Glenn Edelschein Maryland
If I fall through the ice into a lake, what should I do? And what should I do after I get out? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What would be the smartest thing to do if you are lost in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota? Ryan Lucas Overland Park, Kansas
If I go off the beaten path at a ski resort and get lost, what should I do? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
Survivorman LES STROUD talks about venturing into the world's harshest environments alone, and the importance of a good harmonica.
In the January 2008 issue of ϳԹ, writer Alan Prendergast investigates the death of Peter Absolon, the Rocky Mountain Director of NOLS. High in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, in a flash of catastrophic bad luck, Absolon lost everythingwithout making one wrong move. In this mountain tragedy, nature was…
Ever wonder how it feels to get attacked by a shark? Spend seven weeks lost in the jungle? Get buried by multiple avalanches? Brace yourself for 10 of the hairiest survival stories ever told—and the life-saving tips you can learn from them.
What happens when two brothers plunge through the ice of a frozen Wisconsin river? One refuses to give up, the other refuses to die, and each has a very different story to tell.
Bear Grylls has endured Everest, the North Atlantic, and, for his hit show Man vs. Wild, many a ghastly meal. So can he survive being called a fraud? This is not a man to bet against.
On road trips to remote places, other than a set of jumper cables and a quart of motor oil, what else do I need to keep in the car in the event of a mishap? In other words, what are the essentials for road safety/survival? Jeff Los Angeles, California
Did our November 2007 feature package "The Good, the Bad, & the Just Plain Lucky" get you squirming for more thrills? Here, check out our archive of past tales of woe, plus instructional videos from the Wilderness Medical Society's annual conference.
In early September, shortly before departing London to begin filming the new season of his hit Discovery Channel series Man Vs. Wild, Bear Grylls granted ϳԹ an exclusive e-mail interview. It was the first time he'd communicated directly with the press since allegations surfaced in July that he'd slept in hotels during the filming of s
Take one desert island, insert one strapping lad, and see how long he survives. That's the recipe for our half-starved, sunburnt castaway, who lived to tell the tale.
For the July 2007 feature story "Me. By Myself. For a Long Time. (Very Long.)", we sent Thayer Walker to the uninhabited island of Isla Pargo with little more than a dive mask, a knife, and the clothes on his back. Here, see video diary segments from his time on the island, a gallery of his photos, and hear a podcast interview with the man himself.
I'd like to attend an outdoor camp this summer. Where can I find one that offers a unique adventure? Melissa C. Spokane, WA
I’m trying to build up a comprehensive survival “grab-bag” of sorts, with items such as a compass, medical supplies, and emergency food. What are your recommendations for essential supplies that should be in such a kit? Colton Chaska, Minnesota
Alive survivor Nando Parrado reveals the untold harrowing account of the 1972 plane crash in the Andes and its terrible aftermath
An exclusive conversation with the hero of one of the greatest survival stories of all time.
In ϳԹ's May 2006 issue (on newsstands April 11), Nando Parrado finally reveals the untold horrors of the Alive survivors’ suffering—and the courage and faith that got them out alive. Here’s a sneak preview of our exclusive excerpt from Parrado’s book Miracle in the Andes, to be published by Crown on May 9.
The future doesn’t just happen. The next frontiers of adventure, fitness, gear, and sport are crafted by bold visionaries with world-changing dreams—and the minds and muscles to make them real. Behold the 25 all-star innovators leading us beyond tomorrow. 1. Conrad Anker: High-Altitude Altruist 2. Josh Donlan:…
Hurricane Katrina transformed the Gulf Coast into a surreal, swiftly changing landscape of devastation and survival. In the days that followed, a photographer and a Mississippi writer traveled along the coast to New Orleans, documenting the impact of the biggest natural disaster in American history.
ENOUGH WITH SILLY STUNTS on tropical islands—Survivor is so yesterday. For the real deal in white-knuckle reality TV, check out Survivorman. Each episode of the new Science Channel series—premiering September 16 at 9 p.m. EDT—finds 43-year-old survival expert Les Stroud alone in one of the planet’s harshest environments, from the…
ϳԹ, big and small, is all about risk. The risk that things may go terribly wrong. That danger will finally cut off your credit and hit you with a hefty bill. That luck will flee the scene as the dark tide rises. In the tales of calamity that follow, our 13 unlucky writers hold forth on their personal odysseys into the land of nightmares.
In the name of science, a veteran skier braves darkness, claustrophobia, and deadly cold to find out what it's like to be trapped under the snow
For the relentlessly adventurous, learning the deeper lessons of injury starts with a tough rule: You break it, you own it.
The insurance industry amps up with specialized policies for thrill seekers
She survived a near-fatal accident in Laos, only to be told that her adventure travels were over forever. Why one woman refused to listen. Read Wright's current story and then read If I Can Only Breathe from ϳԹ's May 2001 issue.
The National Outdoor Leadership School is great at training kids to survive and thrive in the wild. So how does its boot-camp approach work with grown-ups? It's effective as hell—if you don't mind misery and suffering, and those nagging questions about what happened to all the fun.
Call us rubberneckers, but who can resist the panic, terror, and inspiration of a good survival tale? We combed through vast libraries of lore to find 10 more unforgettable, nearly unbelievable great escapes. Brace yourself.
Deep inside a remote canyon, a boulder shifts. In an instant, Aron Ralston's hand is pinned beneath half a ton of rock. So begins an ordinary hero's six-day ordeal of grit, pain, and courage—culminating in a decision to do the unthinkable.