News and Events

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Colorado wildlife officials shoo a napping black bear out from under a hospital with blaring music--country music, obviously.

Vice TV releases a free documentary on environmentally devastating mountaintop removal practices in West Virginia's coal industry

Wildlife biologists argue for reintroduction to augment Washington's dwindling grizzly bear population

National Forest Service and the U.N. join forces to celebrate worldwide forests

A controversial plan by the National Park Service will increase flight-seeing tours while decreasing noise—if it works

Live from the snowed-in Midwest, Map Editor Andrew Matranga reports on a bizarre winter-weather phenomenon: thundersnow.

Antoine Montant blows minds by skiing/flying down Chamonix and grinding a chairlift on the way down. Whoah.

Northwest editor Mike Lanza discovers Yellowstone's secret: Winter is best for best for scenery, wildlife, and a lot of hot air

French designer stacks Seven Summits to compare topographic prominence in sweet graphic

BACKPACKER jumps the tour bus to talk music and the outdoors with the lead singer of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Patagonia's latest line of down products may make you rethink how you layer from here on out.

A new hydration system asks why suck when you can squirt?

Hands-free technology comes to the forehead

Half the fun of the Outdoor Retailer shows is the effort retailers take to get noticed.

5.10 climber talks about the world's stickiest rubber and going Hollywood with "TC".

Smith has figured out the perfect way to get those goggles on your kids--and keep them there.

In this report from OR Daily, we learn how distinct trends lead season's pack designs

From OR Daily: High-tech gadgets emphasize simplicity

OR daily sits down with two exciting new gear companies: Hillsound Equipment and Rock On Apparel.

OR Daily sits down with Drew Peters on RumbaTime

Keep your tootsies warm and blister free with these two updates to everday gear.

Straight from OR daily: The scoop on the latest winter-equipped glasses and goggles!

New fabrics, technologies and wool lead the wintersports layering news at Outdoor Retailer's Winter Market show.

Just in time for the first day of Outdoor Retailer, OR Daily sits down with Daniel Emerson of Light and Motion Industries and Greg Thomsen of Adidas Outdoor.

We're getting a sneak peak at all the new gear heading to the stores.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

This renowned desert race attracts 50 of the world's elite adventure-racing teams for six days of intense competition. Jonathan Dorn offers an inside look.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Dorn & team is competing in a five-day adventure race in Abu Dhabi. Just for fun.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Northwest editor Michael Lanza wonders: Is a skiing addiction unhealthy?

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

BACKPACKER's Kristin Hostetter appeared on The Martha Stewart Show on Mon. Dec. 20–and now we have the video clip to prove it.

Explore the world’s most-famous ditch on a 29-mile hike--here's why you should start planning now.

Trees do more than keep our ecosystem in balance with oxygen: They bring nature closer to our lives, especially when we can't escape the bustle of daily city life.

See who won FREE GEAR and a SWEET TRIP!

BACKPACKER puts the gear of the year through its paces in the rugged desert

Historian explains the history of the Blue John Canyon, where Aron Ralston was trapped.

Our map of the day charts the nations's highest points.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Private company installs eight cell towers on Nepal side of Everest.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Northwest editor Michael Lanza drops beta on his favorite fall trips

The Queen of All Media dips a toe in camping to get more people of color out to national parks

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Balloon Boy's father, Richard Heene, returns with the Bear Scratch

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Northwest editor Michael Lanza explores the controversy behind removing a dangerous boulder from Idaho's Staircase Rapid—and comes up with a surprising result

A group of hungry "flying devils" completely dismantle a nature film crew's camp on the Falkland Islands

63-year-old man died while trying to distract aggressive ram from others

Climber Michelle Smith captures her own rescue from the Valhalla Traverse

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Camping is known to bring loved ones closer together, but what happens when your relations include a treacherous sister, murderous brother, and their savage offspring? Steve Friedman leads his clan into the Rockies to resolve five decades' worth of sibling rivalry and simmering resentment.

What if all you needed to make your own Northern Lights was a dark night and a big light? Would you do it? Of course you would.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

British extreme climber rappels within 100m of an erupting volcano

One hiker falls to his death, two more struck by lightning

Our editor-in-chief's picks for the finest writing in this magazine's history.

How the last green glint in a dying wolf's eyes changed a man--and ultimately changed our country.

Read this classic from August/September 1981 issue of BACKPACKER.

This classic roundup appeared in the June 2003 issue of BACKPACKER

Northwest editor Michael Lanza meditates on the pains and price of living the hardcore outdoor lifestyle into middle age

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Enter your photo into the Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest.

Bear Head Lake State Park in Minnesota captures title in Coca-Cola-sponsored competition for most popular park

Why does a certain photo win Backpacker's Photo Contest? Check out the winner and the almost-winners to find out why we liked them. Bonus: Watch a slideshow of the competition.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Sometimes it's hard to capture a photo of exactly the right moment in time. Get the best shot, by shooting on continuous mode. Keep reading to learn how.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Northwest Editor Michael Lanza refutes a recent NYT opinion column decrying safety hazards of federal wilderness areas

Crazy fun for the crazy crazy.

Do tourist-packed helicopters have a place in the Big Ditch's soundscape?

Team BACKPACKER does it all on Merrell’s Oyster Racing Series in Denver

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Danny Boyle's adaptation of Aron Ralston story shows glimpses of beautiful deserts, high adventure, and that famous rock

A whitebark pine shortage has rangers worried about increased grizzly-human interactions