April Fools: The Outdoor Roundup

Last year around this time, we tricked more than a few of you with our “Yellowstone For Sale” prank. This year, even more tricksters in the outdoor world have stepped up with clever bids to get our attention and pull one over on us. Here are some of the best:

GU introduces savory flavors to fruity gels, chews, and brews. In the funniest bit by far, GU announced a Meat & Potatoes line of flavors to join the regular fruity varieties of gels, chews, and brews. They even created mock product art to showcase their decision to give “the athlete the ‘main course’ that’s been missing from their racing diet.” Flavors include Liver & Onions, Limburger Cheesy Squeezy, Lard Dart, Mushroom Rush, Pimento Loafer, and Sassy Sardine. Gross—but why am I sort of hungry…

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) now called International Dairy Queen Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (IDQBWCAW). “I heard as part of the deal the Forest Service is going to cattle-brand all the moose with the DQ logo, and train the timber jays to drop little booklets of Blizzard coupons at camp sites…which is a nice touch really,” said BACKPACKER’s go-to North Woods writer, Gustave Axelson. When we told BACKPACKER Senior Editor Shannon Davis about the news, he was a little disappointed. “I’m not a big ice-cream fan. What I really can’t wait for is In-N-Out Burer Yosemite National Park (INOBYNP).”



Pregnant woman to climb Everest; fetus to be youngest ever on summit. With youngest-on-Everest fever showing no signs of abating anytime soon, this one from Gadling almost seems true. In fact, if it were, we’d almost have to congratulate the woman for her ingenuity at beating everyone in the pack. Almost.

Have you heard about a better April Fools outdoor prank—or better yet, pulled one of your own? Let us know about it in the comments below.

—Ted Alvarez