News and Events

7-year-old Boulder boy races in mini-triathlons and 157-mile bike tours. What've you done?

A peek behind the curtains at the glamorous life of an outdoor journalist

Forget sprays and candles: Several hand-held devices promise to repel mosquitoes and black flies with the flip of a switch. Plus, two other bug spray alternatives.

Some people (like this blogger) just aren't meant to fish.

Classic firefighting bruin celebrates 65 years of preventing forest fires.

Times columnist Nicholas Kristof urges us to get kids outdoors, and gives BACKPACKER.com a shout-out.

Iranian authorities detain three American hikers for crossing into their borders.

your burger may come with a side of salmonella and flame retardant

Castor oil replaces petroleum in plastics, from ski boots to shades.

1 in 3 adults confess to a midday snooze

A downhill biking crash can't keep our blogger out of the Jedediah Smith Wilderness

Three do-it-yourself energy bar recipes for discriminating tastes

Our intrepid blogger...leaves his desk!

Who you hike with is just as important as where, says one columnist

The FAA teams with the National Park Service to reduce airborne noise pollution in Grand Canyon NP.

Just another example of why helmets save lives

Gear editor Kristin Hostetter gives us the backstage dirt after appearing on NBC's TODAY Show

Interior Secretary Salazar asks for public comment before deciding whether to limit snowmobiles in Yellowstone

One smarter-than-average bear in the Adirondacks figured out how to beat canisters—and she's teaching other bears, too.

A San Diego angler catches a 6-foot juvenile great white on a fly rod

Gear editor Kristin Hostetter takes Meredith Vieira through the latest family camping gadgets.

Smaller, lighter, more powerful, new functions, better attachments

On Monday, Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter talks family camping gear with Ann Curry and Meredith Vieira!

Associate editor Shannon Davis shares remembrances and reflections on the circus that was Outdoor Retailer 2009.

Darn Tough Vermont Socks donates cash to maintaining Appalachian Trail

OR, so far, in pictures

Yellowstone visitor gets gored by bison after getting too close.

Don't throw out Ziplocs--upgrade to Pacific Outdoor's fabric zip-top bags

BACKPACKER's green editor Berne Broudy rocks the mic for the Conservation Alliance anniversary party.

Learn how to make ultrafluffy, brewski flapjacks the easy way, plus two more camp pancake recipes.

The company launches a complete line of eco-friendly packs and sleeping bags.

Nothing commemorates your outdoor failures like these Scout-style patches.

Schoeller's Coldblack fabric makes dark materials just as heat-reflective as light colors.

Brooks Range introduces a minimalist tent full of space-age fabrics.

Argon inflatable clothes and sleeping pads—will they work?

Can a leaf inspire new ideas for hauling your gear? Columbia pack designers say yes.

Air pollution threatens plants and animals in 16 national parks

BACKPACKER arrives in Salt Lake City the biggest gear show of the year—the mighty OR.

An Eagle Scout injured on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire has one month to pay for his rescue

Thoughts on adventure organization from the depths of packing hell

Interior Secretary Salazar stops mining claims on 1 million acres of land near Grand Canyon National Park

The Energy Audit

Vendors who sell at Walmart will now have to know and share their products' ecological impact.

Freak storm strands and kills climbers on guided tour

Like you need more—start reading now.

Associate Editor Shannon Davis learns to love his outdoors-centric bowling shirt

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determines 1 in 5 Americans are birdwatchers

A healthy, hearty trail bar for big appetites

Striking case histories from Australia and the slopes of Mount Terror

Florida assembles big-snake wrangling team to handle pythons-gone-wild in the Everglades

National Park Service, American Museum of Natural History team up to cryogenically freeze threatened animals

Hiker trapped by quicksand admits he "made mistakes"

'Skyrunner' Christian Stangl breaks ascent records by climbing with, well, almost nothing

Our entire June issue is free and available here.

Longtime park service worker Jon Jarvis brings controversy with his nomination

Job losses translate to better athletic performance among American marathoners

Swarming bees shut down popular camping spot in Joshua Tree

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

South African animal behaviorist gets up close and personal to study wild lions

Sure, regular old marshmallow/chocolate/graham treats are great. But you can do better.

In part 1, our online editor sings the praises of three North Face shirts he wears everywhere...and we mean everywhere

Boulder's Matt Moniz, the youngest Aconcagua summiteer, hopes to bag 14 14,000-foot mountains in 14 days to help out his ailing best friend

Australia considers closing Uluru, or Ayer's Rock, to climbers

Win a trip, camera, and more with the National Parks Foundation "Your Parks" Video Challenge

Rangers in Maine's Acadia National Park tackle thieves who plunder rocks as souvenirs

Climate change could push Bigfoot to the Rockies

A week aboard the Maine Schooner Mary Day can be pretty close to a carbon-neutral vacation

Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.

Climbers set two records—most blind climbers and youngest blind climber at the top

Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel hike in LA, while the NFL's commissioner attempts Rainier with the Seattle Seahawks' coach

Close encounters of the electrical kind highlight this Fourth of July - and lightning safety

Rocky Mountain State remains least obese in a rapidly swelling country

If Schwarzenegger shuts down California State Parks, the National Park Service might take past gifts back

See Honey, we were all hiking

Do's and Don't for a busy park season

Associate Editor/Bear Fighter Shannon Davis tests some of the latest and greatest schwag on his successful Mt. Rainier climb

Nepal could drop climbing fees for Everest, making them more competitive with Tibet

First question: How did over 100 hikers ever get lost?

Salazar urges U.N. to place Florida's Everglades on list of threatened sites

Actor and musician Kevin Bacon joins hundreds atop Pikes Peak for a cancer-fighting concert