Petrified Forest Expansion…Petrified
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All Content
First Delisted Wolves Killed In Wyoming
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Gore Launches Climate Action Ad Campaign
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Anasazi Hiking: Report from Cedar Mesa
On photography, sandstorms and power walking
March 2008 Boots Review: Light Duty Boots
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Backpacker Nominated for National Magazine Award in General Excellence
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Everest Returns To Normal…And Sting Shows Up
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Bike Prices Going Uphill in '08
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March 2008 Tents Review: Mountaineering Tents
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March 2008 Tents Review: Three-Person Tents
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March 2008 Tents Review: Two-Person Tents
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Backpacker Gear Guide: One-Person Tents
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Backpacker Gear Guide: Essentials
Packs, tents, boots, and bags–that's easy. Now comes the hard part: Everything else. Below, you'll find our top picks for all the lust-worthy backcountry essentials you'll need to make your trip safe, fun, and simple.
Backpacker Gear Guide: Boots
You won't go far with sore feet. So our testers went the distance–5,000 miles, to be exact–to bring you the best shoes for every foot and hike.
Backpacker Gear Guide: Sleeping Bags
The secret to a great day outdoors? Start with a great night. Sleep well in all conditions with one of these snooze-tested bags.
Backpacker Gear Guide: Tents
You can test-drive a car, but not a tent. So our crew did the shakedown for you, logging 600-plus nights under stars and storms. Here's what we liked.
Google Adds Yosemite To Street View
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Study Says Bear Spray Better Than Guns
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Climate Change Hits West Hardest
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Zero Impact Challenge
Is it possible to build a backpack that doesn't contribute to global warming? Not yet, but five pioneering companies gave it one helluva try. (Cue standing ovation.)
33 Top Tips From Trail Pros
Here's how Aron Ralston, Ed Viesturs, Les Stroud, and others get out and back again–and how you can, too.
Hauling 100-Pound Packs
GoLite founder's 40-day wonder workout
Gear and the Woods: Camera Survival 101
Sometimes it's not enough if you're the only survivor
Fortified Water
A friend told me vitamin C can eliminate the taste of iodine in water. How much is necessary and does it affect the purification process?
Double The Warmth
Is wearing two pairs of socks better for cold-weather backpacking?
Zinc Stink
Is it possible to have an allergic reaction to zinc oxide?
Feeling The Burn
I always get a rash on my shoulders where the pack harness rests. Is there anything to prevent that?
More California Wolverines Photographed
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Sir Ranulph Fiennes Attempts Everest, Again
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Buffalo Soldiers Arrested At Yellowstone
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Bush Endangers Endangered Species
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Global Warming Could Turn Lake Tahoe Green
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Greenopolis: Facebook For The Enviro Set
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Longevity through Teeth and Feet
Take care of these gatekeepers to your active future
How to See More Bats
Whether you fear, respect, or applaud these complex creatures of the night, the tips below will help you find and observe them.
March 2008 Backpacks Review: Start Smart
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Weeklong Packs: The Best
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Weeklong Packs: Other Top Packs
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Backpacker Gear Guide: Weeklong Packs
The Goal: Hit the trail and forget you're even wearing a pack.
Weekend Packs: Ladies' Luxe
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Weekend Packs: Bargain!
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Paying for Wilderness Search and Rescue: Private Cost, or Public Obligation?
With some pontificating, and a few thoughts about rescue insurance
Weekend Packs: The Best
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Backpacker Gear Guide: Weekend Packs
The Goal: Hit the trail and forget you're even wearing a pack.
Daypacks: Bargain!
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Daypacks: The Best
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Backpacker Gear Guide: Daypacks
The Goal: Hit the trail and forget you're even wearing a pack.
Backpacker 2008 Gear Guide: Backpacks
The Goal: Hit the trail and forget you're even wearing a pack. The Solution: One of these 30 field-tested vanishing acts.
The Hiking Report from Moab:
Thoughts on Jeeps, Sandstone, and Hiking Hazards
Stay Calm and Heal Faster
The Emotional Side to Injury Recovery
Find Your Watershed
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D'oh! Hawaii Volcano Explodes After All
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High Times: Today's Everest Dirt
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Survive This: Caught in an Avalanche
When you're trekking into a backcountry bowl, avalanches are almost always a threat. Learn how to protect yourself when the worst happens.
Survive This: Trapped by a Rock
When a scramble turns to a nightmare learn how to help yourself.
Survive This: Lost in the Desert
When you're stuck in the desert unexpectedly conserve, conserve, conserve.
Survive This: Stuck on a Scree Slope
When you're slipping and sliding, don't let your partners help you. Learn how to climb yourself to safety.
Point of Boil
How long should you boil water before drinking it?
Higher Than Everest
If you were to wear an altimeter watch on an airplane, what would the elevation reading be?
Drinking with Cattle
I will be backpacking in southern Arizona's deserts and drinking from cattle tanks. How should I treat or filter the water inside these tanks?
Mace vs. Bears
Is a can of personal defense pepper spray an effective bear deterrent?
Survive This: Volcanic Eruption
Don't worry about lava. Worry about rocks and mud and ash.
Survive This: Sudden Illness on the Trail
Beware of dehydration when a sudden illness strikes.
Man! I Feel Like A Hiker
Shania Twain opens a hiking track on her New Zealand property
The Wolves Of Iraq
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Hawaii Volcanoes NP Gets Bad Gas
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Curing Leg Cramps
After a day of hiking, I get severe leg cramps in my calves. Can you explain why these are happening and what I can do to prevent them?
Pests and Pets
Do chiggers bite dogs, and if so, how do you combat that on the trail?
Spring Break AT
What is your mileage recommendation for novice hikers spending their spring break on the AT?
Ultralight Hammocks
They look nice, but do hammocks really work?
Avoiding Anaphylaxis
What do I need to bring and do in case one of my children has an anaphylactic reaction to something like a bee sting on the trail?
Breaking: Nepal Everest Routes Open…Maybe?
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Survival in a Sardine Can
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Big Trouble With Littler Glaciers
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Editors' Choice: Hiking the Sand Dunes
Join the Backpacker editors on their gear testing trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park. 2613919216001
Would Jesus Use a Carbon Calculator?
Southern Baptists wrangle over climate change--and what to do next.
Filmmaker Gets Probation For Filming Yosemite Indian Dances
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Grand Canyon Flood Helps Ecology, Hurts Energy
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O'Neill LED Jacket Points You In The Right Direction
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Calcium Loss Explains Fatigue
Is the end of muscle fatigue upon us?