Drawing a Line in the Sand Over River Rights
A four-year battle over a tiny patch of river beach in Northern California Outillustrates the deep divide in how we perceive access rights to public lands
Get Schooled in the No-Nonsense Art of Survival
Eva Holland attended Extreme Polar Training, a school that teaches how to survive what mother nature has to offer 2.5 degrees south of the Arctic circle. In addition to treacherous, bruising ice, it includes temperatures of -40F and wind so cold and strong it gives you a headache before it tries to blow you over. For Outside, she recounts the experience and the final exam — a weeklong 40 mile loop in the frozen Canadian north.
Seeking the Lost Art of Growing Old with Intention
The life of Bernd Heinrich, septuagenarian naturalist, ultramarathoner and author, offers lessons for residents of our fractured digital world on the value of reconnecting with nature and staying grounded, even into retirement.
A Very Old Man for a Wolf
The story of Oregon’s first alpha-male wolf in generations — and of the man who tried to save him, until he couldn’t.
Inside the Mind of Thru-Hiking’s Most Devious Con Man
A profile of thru-hiking scam artist Jeff Caldwell, a wolf in a puffy Marmot coat who started his life of crime by stealing from his friends. Later, using an outdoorsy trail persona, lies, and rugged good looks, he preyed on lonely single women and the elderly, conning them not only out of money, but also of their belief in the basic goodness of humanity.
How Jackson Hole Survived the Eclipse
Two years before the total solar eclipse, a professor warned Jackson Hole that their position within the path of totality would flood the town with thousands of eclipse-chasers, and that the town was unprepared. Here’s what happened next.
Patagonia’s Big Business of #Resist
A controlled rate of growth, responsible production methods and financial support of environmental causes ─ the Patagonia company has always run according to a strong philosophy, not just low-impact, but activist. It turns out that has been very good for business. Now it’s using its money and clout to fight the Trump administration, and urging other outdoor industry players to follow suit.
Did Airbnb Kill the Mountain Town?
“Not only are short-term rentals squeezing the last drops out of the housing supply, but more profoundly, they are threatening the very character that drew in locals—and tourists.”
Why Lake Superior Is the Country’s Most Overlooked Playground
“I’ve spent the past 20 years writing about far-flung places, from Tasmania to Bhutan, and here I am awed by one of the most pristine, wild, and hard-to-reach regions in my own backyard.”
The Curious Case of the Disappearing Nuts
In California, massive nut heists were underway for two years before the industry figured out they were the target of a well-organized theft ring. “Nut theft has exploded into a statewide problem. More than 35 loads, worth at least $10 million, have gone missing since 2013.” At Outside, Peter Vigneron reports on these daring nut jobs, thought to be linked to a Russian organized crime ring.