Exploration & Survival
Archive
Right out of college, Leath Tonino traveled to Antarctica to experience the frozen landscape of his childhood exploration heroes. The daily routine was a bit dull—shoveling snow for the U.S. government—until a pair of skinny skis unlocked the potential of the vast snowy expanse.
The Taliban government prohibits Afghan women from entering parks or gyms, or even from leaving the house without a male guardian. Sources tell us that life under the outdoor ban is pushing many women to the brink.
Skier Francis Zuber narrates the dramatic video clip of his heroic rescue that generated thousands of views online
Sharing a habitat with bears, wolves, lions, and other big wild animals can be complicated, and not always safe or predictable. Here’s what I know.
When a BASE jumper slammed into a red-rock tower and his parachute snagged on a ledge, there was only one way to save his life: go up and get him.
It took a terrifying experience in the ocean for the educator to embrace the idea that going for it isn’t always the right choice
After close calls in combat zones and on mountaineering expeditions, the journalist is taking a very different kind of journey
Nanuq, a one-year-old Australian shepherd, went on an epic adventure across the Bering Sea before he was miraculously reunited with his family
Now entering a designated Dark Sky Sanctuary
There’s no more difficult or uncomfortable physical challenge than holding your breath underwater for an extended period
When the mountain guide was caught in an avalanche, he was sure it was the end. But deep inside himself he discovered the will to live.
When Scott Pirsig’s close friend Bob Sturtz suffered a stroke deep in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, Pirsig had no choice but to leave him in the wilderness and make a desperate sprint to get help
The sport’s only nonagenarian shares his story—and wisdom—from decades on the trail
Bigfoot seems to pop up in a lot of places, but he sure is elusive when it comes to having his photo taken.
SAR crews in Oregon discovered the trapped motorist after he used his ingenuity to send an SOS signal
After the enormous earthquake in February, one group of Turkish mountaineers headed east, to help in any way they could
The multidisciplinary artist was struggling with alcoholism when they joined a trail crew in the mountains on a whim. Out there, they found a new community—and reclaimed their life.
When the polar explorer was at his lowest moment, he learned his most valuable lesson: kindness matters
The intrepid traveler was trapped overseas, with no end to her misadventure in sight. Taking it one day at a time changed everything.
A ride on a wild stallion teaches the adventurer that the best reason to take a chance is not knowing how it will turn out
We all know that leaving dog feces on the trail is bad form. One editor argues that leaving turd bags behind is worse.
This wild story out of coastal Oregon has it all
Data of Sasquatch sightings in a new preprint finds a strong correlation with bear population density
The man plunged into a residential neighborhood in Oceanside, California, on Friday, and escaped with non-life-threatening injuries
Hikers in New Hampshire can already be charged for lifesaving, and a proposed law would punish those who refuse to pay. Editor Adam Roy thinks it’s a terrible and dangerous policy.
After suffering a brutal accident while on a kite-skiing expedition expedition in Patagonia, Jim Harris’s painstaking recovery took a sudden leap forward when he had an experience with magic mushrooms
Why people keep running into trouble on the highest peak in Los Angeles County
In 1976, Nanda Devi Unsoeld, the daughter of legendary alpinist Willi Unsoeld, died while climbing the massive Indian peak for which she was named. Decades later, friends, family, and surviving expedition members offer insights into what went wrong during this controversial adventure, shedding light on an enigmatic young woman who lived without limits.
We are often quick to criticize those who perish outdoors. The author believes we should approach these tragedies with more compassion.
Two stranded hikers survived a night in the wilderness after illicit explosives grounded a helicopter
A new state law boost the budget for lifesaving crews and grants legal protections to volunteer rescuers
Because sometimes we all need a friendly reminder
A man was rappelling by himself when he fell 30 feet. Officials believe he could have been saved if lifesaving crews had reached him sooner.
An experienced 59-year-old hiker died after falling from 2,865-foot Mount Willard
Cautionary tales from the official journal of the Wilderness Medical Society
Escaping the craziness of the season to head into the wild can sound amazing—right up until that overnight snowstorm crushes your tent.
Buyers snapped up 476 items found in Fenn’s chest in an online auction
The group of scientists and adventurers gained valuable knowledge about climate change’s impact on ice in the Weddell Sea, and did additional research on weather, navigation, and marine engineering
Witnessing the Aurora Borealis can feel like you’re glimpsing another world. For some people, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Injured in the SoCal backcountry, a man got a break when two campers heard him screaming for help
As Ukraine prepares for months of frigid conflict with Russia, its troops might look to another nation that held its own against the Red Army in the cold: Finland.
A storm rolled into Riverside County on October 22, stranding the duo high on a famed rock climbing route
Among the items for sale is a glass jar that apparently contains Fenn’s 20,000-word autobiography
From selecting a site to securing your tent, here's how to set up your winter camp.
Richard Carr was halfway across the Pacific, alone on a yacht, when he began sending frantic alerts that he was being kidnapped by pirates
After becoming paralyzed from the chest down, the mountain athlete found an unlikely ally in recovery: psychedelics
Brody Leven's layering hacks might change how you pack for winter adventures
Meet one of the winners of the 2021 Defender Service Awards—and the rescue vehicle that helps them get the work done
The exuberant king of survival TV insists that our wild adventures are about more than just chasing fun—they are the keys that get us through the struggles of our everyday lives
In 1937, Washburn left his cameras and gear behind while attempting to hike out of the Saint Elias Range. Almost a century later, freeskier Griffin Post set out to find the cache.
Alone in the wilderness, facing a grizzly that was determined to kill him, Colin Dowler had only one option: fight for his life.
Need a backcountry overnight dwelling in a crisis? Survival skills instructor Jessie Krebs has you covered.
Northwest College teammates Brayden Lowry and Kendell Cummings suffered serious injuries after fighting off an aggressive bruin in Wyoming
Hiker Rebecca Clark says she ended up with a hole in her back and lots of stickers and thorns, but otherwise she is OK
It began in the waters off Antarctica: a crew of eco-vigilantes found the illegal fishing ship they’d been hunting. It wouldn’t end for some 10,000 miles, when one of the vessels sank.
Get the most of winter—and never go inside again—with tips from the experts
An injured hiker is lucky to be alive after she was spotted by a passenger aboard Colorado’s Durango-Silverton railroad
Recreating in the outdoors has helped Ted Hesser overcome some of his most challenging days
Leon Sparks, 44, was trying to summit three mountains in one trek when he tumbled down Colorado’s El Diente Peak
Dial in your setup for cold-weather adventures with advice from polar explorers
Adventurers Andrea Sansone and Andrew Hamilton trace their relationship back to a chance encounter on one of Colorado’s highest peaks. Now, the two are pushing each other to set speed records on the state’s famed fourteeners.
Hiker Andrew Devers went missing in Washington State’s Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest with no food or water in June 2021
When a rafter was stung by a scorpion, she assumed she’d be fine. Within hours she lost her ability to see or speak clearly.
On the latest Out Alive Podcast episode, a fossil hunter in Florida explains what it was like to be ambushed by an aquatic reptile
On a bike-hike-scramble epic from his front door to the summit of a fourteener, Colorado-based climber Ryan Wichelns races the weather
There’s a reason that shows like ‘Alone’ hold our attention: we can’t help but imagine that it’s us out there.
Everyone has a Why. Our motivations are as varied as our backgrounds, and these passions are what powers adventures big and small.
A mare named Oriana is lucky to be alive after a terrifying tumble down a ravine in Oregon
Behold, direct satellite-to-phone connectivity “anywhere you can see the sky”
Rescuers say Jetal Agnihotri, 29, died after being swept away by flash floods on Friday
Public-health crises are greatly helped by accurate numbers. Why can’t we get a true count of heat deaths?
Park Service officials believe the human remains are connected to a death that occurred near the Abyss Pool hot springs on July 31
A group of researchers from University of California at Irvine investigated the link between SAR incidents, park visitation, and Twitter posts. Their conclusions could inform how hikers portray their own adventures—and view those of others—online.
When retired art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a chest full of a million dollars’ worth gold, rubies, and diamonds in the Rocky Mountains, he sent thousands on a journey of desperation
A group of high school sophomores set off on what was supposed to be a grand climb. Instead, it became one of the deadliest alpine disasters in North American history.
A 22-year-old man participating in an outdoor educator course was killed by a lightning strike in the Absaroka Mountains on Tuesday evening
How people get lost (and found) in the outdoors
Greg and Julie Welch were relaxing at their campsite in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters when a tiny fire in a nearby bog suddenly exploded into a massive blaze that began racing toward them
Running solo is one of the best ways to wind down after a long day. Here’s how to feel safe and confident doing it.