Learning About Survival Where Aron Ralston Outwitted Death
Follow correspondent Kevin Fedarko into the remote Utah slot canyon where Ralston famously separated himself from his right forearm.
All Content
How to Stay Safe in the Wilderness
Retracing the route to people's accidents can help us prevent our own. These 10 trips lead you to the exact locations of disasters from Denali to the Grand Canyon.
Video Hilarity: 'Parking Garage: Beyond The Limit'
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Zion shuttle resumes service March 21
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Wolves in Massachusetts, Wolverines in California
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Kings Canyon hikers find WWII pilot 65 years later
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
How to Lighten Your (Planetary) Load
We found 17 pioneering products that will cut your carbon cost without sacrificing performance.
No More Peaks in the Distance
Rising treeline threatens the Northeast's best views.
Cascades Meltdown
The Lower 48's most glaciated region is losing its ice at an astonishing rate.
Digging for Clues: How to Prevent Exctinction
A big-picture biologist unearths threats to songbirds, salamanders, and a peak-loving furball.
Species We Can Kiss Goodbye
These dozen creatures are threatened by global warming.
Rising Tides Threaten Classic Trails
Headed for the coasts? Keep those Tevas handy. Swelling oceans are threatening to submerge classic trails.
Super Poison Ivy is Coming
More potent poison ivy is on the way, plus fast-growing weeds that will change the face of Eastern forests.
Carbon Dioxide and the Desert Midwest
Scientists say Nebraska's wild prairies could become the Western Hemisphere's largest sandbox in as few as 30 years.
The Brown Death: Pine Beetles vs. Forests
Pine beetles are felling more trees than wildfires and the timber industry combined.
The Future of Forests
As the earth warms, here's how higher temps will affect our forests.
Take It Outside
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
It's Avalanche Season…Again.
How do skiers, snowboarders, climbers and snowshoers get in avalanches? And more importantly, what are your chances if you do?
Wildfires Burning Through Park Fees
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
What Will Alaska's Future Look Like?
Alaska is the last frontier, but energy development and climate change promise to change the face of our wildest state in your lifetime. Here's how.
How to See More Golden Eagles
Find these hard-to-spot beauties on your next journey
Leftover Gas
What is the best way to get rid of leftover white gas, before I get on the plane to fly home?
Winter Camping
What is your advice regarding proper winter bag sizing?
Bear & Vinegar
Will vinegar repel bears or harm the environment?
Emergency Medical Coverage
Where can I get emergency medical coverage for international travel?
Freezing Point
Is there anything that can be added to water (that is safe) that will lower its freezing temperature?
Camp Shoes
Do you have any suggestions on camp shoes?
Compass Bubbles
What causes–and how do you prevent–air bubbles from showing up in liquid filled compasses?
Travel Fit: Part II
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Is Heli-Hiking Bad for the Wilderness?
A for and against look at heli-hiking
Primal Quest 2008
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Trail Food: 3 Edible Nuts
You're lost, hungry, and starting to shiver: Time to play squirrel.
Stretches for Hikers
Recover from high-mileage days with these before-and-after stretches.
Backpacker's Carbon-Neutral Project
Last fall, we showed you the many ways that climate change is altering the wild places we love. Now, a look at what BACKPACKER is doing to reduce the magazine's impact.
Fossilized Food
Over the years I've hoarded a lot of dehydrated food. Does this stuff ever go bad?
Down Fill
What does the 650-fill or 700-fill label on a down jacket mean?
Bears & Tents
Does what color your tent is effect whether bears are attracted to it or not?
Kids' Stuff
Check out Kristin Hostetter's author page.
Rain Shells
From $500 to under $150, Backpacker has found the best rain shells for blowing snow or driving rain.
Puffy Jackets
Made with down or synthetic fibers and paper-thin shells, these puffy jackets weigh less, loft higher, and pack much smaller than fleece.
Trail Tops
These eight trail tops wick sweat, look great, and fit great. Wear them for a run or a week-long trek.
Travel Fitness: Staying in Shape on the Move
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
California to Feds: Hands Off Our Forests
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Guns in Our National Parks?
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Eskimos Sue Exxon
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
A Wikipedia for Fins, Feathers, and Fur
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Durango Residents Embark on Global Warming Wager
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
How to Score $50k for Your Cause
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Map Your Ride
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Lace Like a Pro: Different Shoe-Lacing Methods for Hikers
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Warning: May Be Hazardous To Your Wallet
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Bike to WorkÂ… in One Piece
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
National Parks Have That Not-So-Fresh Feeling, Study Finds
Mercury Rising at National Parks—Along with Pesticides, DDT, and Industrial Chemicals
On Living the Life
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Is this Cross-Training?
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Welcome to The Pulse
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Welcome to the New Backpacker.com!
With more features, a new look, and the most informative content this side of the trail, the new Backpacker.com is amped up with the best in adventure, gear, travel, skills, and survival on the web.
Boot Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Backpack Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
How to Thwart Mosquitoes
Mosquitoe bites can be simply annoying or dangerous depending on where you are. Learn how to fend off their attacks.
Menu Maker
Not sure how to eat right on the trail? You're in luck. We've taken the liberty of coming up with the perfect plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—for just about every situation. So break out your inner chef and get cooking. You'll be eating like royalty in no time.
Packing List: Survival Gear List
Always be prepared for adversity with these pieces of gear.
Packing List: Toilet Kit
Stay sanitary, and for your travel companion's sake, pack what's on this list.
Packing List: Kitchen Kit
When cooking in the backcountry, don't leave home without...
Sleeping Bag Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Tent Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Editor's Choice Green Awards April 2007
Pacific Outdoor ECO Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad, REI Global Warming Initiative, and the Timberland Green Index are tops to the green eyes of Backpacker
Editor's Choice Green Award April 2006
Patagonia implements the Common Threads Recycling Program to reuse your old Capilene long underwear tops and bottoms
How to Buy PVC-Free Gear
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is waterproof and durable, but the manufacturing process creates carcinogens
Phenomenon: The Life Cycle of Wildfires
Global warming creates conditions that invite larger and more frequent forest fires. Here's how.
Phenomenon: Snowmelt
Rising alpine temperatures and polluted snow are threatening snowpack–and the water it generates.
Minnesota's Boundary Waters Face Extermination By Climate Change
As temperatures rise, Minnesota's North Woods will likely go up in smoke.
I, Citizen Scientist
Learn how you can help combat climate change by researching everything from Alaska's Bering Glacier to tracking pumas in Argentina through citizen scientist programs
The Impact of Climate Change on Florida's Everglades, Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias
What do Florida's Everglades and Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias have in common? Both face uncertain futures as temperatures rise.
Can a Lime-Green Vegetable-Oil-Powered Beetle Save the Earth?
One writer ditches his S.U.V. for a vegetable oil-powered Volkswagon Beetle and drives into the Sierras to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and test his environmentalist platitudes
National Parks Report Card
We surveyed more than 40 scientists, conservationists, and professional adventurers, then ranked the 15 parks that are most in peril from climate change.
Stay Warm On the Trail and In Camp
On the trail and in camp, beat the cold with these tips.
How to Waterproof Everything
From your tent, to your bivy sack, to yourself, learn how to stay dry and comfortable.
How to Survive A Night Without Gear
When a day hike turns into an overnight, learn how to take care of yourself.