Backcountry Skiing Isn't the Brilliant Idea You Think It Is Right Now
With resorts closed because of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of skiers are swapping their downhill gear for an alpine touring setup. And that's a problem.
While You Were Quarantined, National Parks' Air Was Getting Cleaner
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, improving air quality in our wild spaces could be a vision of a better future.
Backcountry Skiing Isn't the Brilliant Idea You Think It Is Right Now
With resorts closed because of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of skiers are swapping their downhill gear for an alpine touring setup. And that's a problem.
Here Are the National Parks That Are Closed Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic
A handful of major parks have shuttered, while many more have modified operations.
Pacific Crest Trail Association Asks Thru-Hikers to Cancel Their Trips Due to COVID-19
"It is clear that anyone traveling the PCT and resupplying in communities along the trail represents a serious risk to others on the trail and people in those communities."
Get Out More: Become a BACKPACKER Basecamp Member
Get the tools you need to get outside. Join Basecamp for access to an exclusive video skills library, gear deals, special guides, giveaways, a members-only community, insider tips, and more!
The 11 Best Hiking Jackets of Winter 2019
Wind, rain, snow: No matter the weather, these jackets are ready to help you get outside and hit the trail.
The 5 Best Backpacks of Winter 2019-2020
Bring everything you need with these four perfect packs.
The 6 Best Skis of Winter 2019-2020
Ski in-bounds and out with the best planks of the season.
The Best Winter Camping Gear for Sleeping in the Snow
Want to get outside this season? These 9 products can help you do it more comfortably and safely than ever before.
The 6 Best Hiking Boots of Winter 2019-2020
Bust through snow, crust, and slush with this warm, toothy footwear.
Editors' Choice: The Best Gear of Winter 2019
We took the year's standout products to Banff National Park in Alberta. The 10 items that excelled in that ultimate trial earned the right to be called the year’s best cold-weather gear.
The 9 Best Sleeping Bags of 2019
Sleep well in the backcountry with these down and synthetic models.
The 9 Best Insulated Hiking Jackets of 2020
Stay warm and cozy with these perfect puffies.
Find Gear Reviews By Popular Brands
Wilderness First Aid Basics
Don't venture out without knowing how to take care of yourself in the woods.
Backcountry Navigation
Even in today’s high-tech world, your smartphone will only get you so far.
Thru-Hiking 101
This six-week online class covers everything you need to know to plan and finish the long-distance hike of your dreams.
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Hide Out in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness
Follow the trail of 19th-century robbers in Arizona.
Go Hut to Hut on Glaciers in the Canadian Rockies
Looking for a family vacation no one will ever forget? Follow photographer Kennan Harvey's lead and take the kids on the Wapta Traverse, a tour of the best that a Rocky Mountain winter has to offer.
The 15 Best National Park Campsites in America
At these creekside, shorefront, and mountaintop spots, the views are so gorgeous that you may never want to go to sleep.
Explore the Appalachian Trail in 3D
See the peaks, parks, and hotspots of America's most storied long trail in this interactive 3D map from BACKPACKER.
Savor the Silence in Wahweap Canyon
This collection of bright white sandstone spires isn't officially part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument anymore, but it's as spectacular as ever.
The Ultimate Continental Divide Trail Packing List
Gear up for the United States' toughest long path with these expert picks.
The Ultimate PCT Packing List
Headed out on the Pacific Crest Trail? Expert thru-hiker Liz “Snorkel” Thomas breaks down the gear you’ll need, with help from BACKPACKER Gear Editor Eli Bernstein.
The Ultimate Appalachian Trail Packing List
Get ready for your AT thru-hike with this gear checklist from expert thru-hiker Liz "Snorkel" Thomas and BACKPACKER Gear Editor Eli Bernstein.
Live Stream: Kick Back and De-Stress By a Redwood River
Get away from it all with this live nature cam.
Live Stream: Watch the Northern Lights
Need a break from the world? Sit back and catch the aurora borealis live from Churchill, Manitoba.
A New Calendar for Hikers
Goodbye, spring, summer, fall, and winter. Backpackers need new seasons that help us understand what actually matters: daylight.
Thru-Hiker Heroes: Will "Akuna" Robinson
Akuna's path to the Triple Crown led through battles with PTSD, a failed attempt on the PCT—and a few life-changing friendships.
Thru-Hiker Heroes: Andrew “Reptar” Forestell
Sometimes, your plans fall through. If you're Reptar, you just pack your bags and roll with it.
Thru-Hiker Heroes: Zelzin “Quetzal” Aketzalli
She came to the US to hike the best long trails it had to offer. Now, the first known Mexican national to finish the Triple Crown wants to bring the thru-hiking experience back home.
Killer Trips: Wildlife
Be careful of the local fauna on these six spectacular but hazardous hikes.
Get Our Fit, Fresh, and Fleet of Foot Exercises for Backpackers Ebook for Free Now
Up your fitness the easy way with these simple exercises.
5 Things to Use Instead of Toilet Paper
With TP disappearing off of store shelves around the U.S., maybe its time for the public to learn something backpackers have known for a long time.
Intro to GPS Navigation
BACKPACKER’s Intro to GPS Navigation online course taught by expedition guide and polar explorer Eric Larsen, will give you all the information you need to set up, dial in, and navigate via any GPS device.
Intro to GPS Navigation: Plan a Route at Home
BACKPACKER’s Intro to GPS Navigation online course taught by expedition guide and polar explorer Eric Larsen, will give you all the information you need to set up, dial in, and navigate via any GPS device.
Intro to GPS Navigation: Sight and Go
BACKPACKER’s Intro to GPS Navigation online course taught by expedition guide and polar explorer Eric Larsen, will give you all the information you need to set up, dial in, and navigate via any GPS device.
Intro to GPS Navigation: Measuring Distances
BACKPACKER’s Intro to GPS Navigation online course taught by expedition guide and polar explorer Eric Larsen, will give you all the information you need to set up, dial in, and navigate via any GPS device.
Essential Knots
Skip ahead with BACKPACKER and the Colorado Mountain School, who will teach you how to tie the most essential knots and hitches that you can use for nearly any outdoor situation, from bowlines and square knots to girth and trucker’s hitches, in our online video course.
Essential Knots: Using Tarps
Skip ahead with BACKPACKER and the Colorado Mountain School, who will teach you how to tie the most essential knots and hitches that you can use for nearly any outdoor situation, from bowlines and square knots to girth and trucker’s hitches, in our online video course.
How to Stay Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Courtesy of the Pros
Four professional avalanche forecasters share their tips and gear picks for staying safe on a backcountry ski tour.
Killer Trips: Wildlife
Be careful of the local fauna on these six spectacular but hazardous hikes.
PODCAST: Buried By a Rockslide
Falling rock leaves a hiker injured and trapped miles from help in the latest episode of Out Alive.
PODCAST: Trapped on Mount Rainier
Four climbers struggle to survive as they face life-threatening conditions in the alpine.
Pinned to a Mountain By a Storm
Mountaineers Yevgeniy Krasnitskiy (39), Vasily Aushev (35), Constantin Toporov (37), and Rus Khasbulatov (33) survived a days-long storm on Mt. Rainier in June 2019.
PODCAST: Injured on an Ice Ledge
Listen to Malcolm Daly's harrowing story of surviving in Alaska.
PODCAST: Trapped in Quicksand
A misstep in Zion traps a hiker in the mud in the season 2 premiere of Out Alive.
