How an Ultrarunner Saved a Lost Hiker’s Life
In June of 2020, Jeremy Humphrey used his intimate knowledge of his local mountain range to rescue a missing hiker.
Master essential wilderness survival skills with tips and advice from the experts at Backpacker Magazine. Our experts teach you how to build fires, forage for food, find shelter, survive animal attacks, and get the most out of every piece of gear you bring into the wilderness.
In June of 2020, Jeremy Humphrey used his intimate knowledge of his local mountain range to rescue a missing hiker.
Grizzly and black bears have killed five people in North America over the last five months. Is this cause for concern?
You think climbing Rainier is tough? Try it carrying wounds from a war, then see who you pity.
Running in the heat is tough—but sometimes, it's flat-out dangerous. Here's what the science says about keeping yourself safe while you train.
In a wilderness emergency, the tiniest details can be a matter of life and death. After a pair of accidents leave one one young adventurer injured and another deceased, Hayden Seder ponders the difference a stroke of luck can make.
Courtney Henderson, 19, and Gavin Caruso, 23, fell 50 feet during a storm in June of 2020. Only one survived.
Despite warnings, rules, and common sense, tourists in Yellowstone keep approaching bears and bison.
What went wrong, and what we can all learn from the tragedy at the Yellow River Stone Forest 100K.
After Jacob Velarde fell 50 feet while on a solo hike, he could hardly move, let alone hike out.
These silent stalkers are the stuff of solo hikers' nightmares—but you need not worry.
When a flash flood raged through Havasupai in 2008, it would change the canyon forever—and their lives.
You might not know this about lightning—don't put yourself at risk.
In June of 2020, Courtney Henderson and Gavin Caruso fell more than 50 feet down a mountainside. They were trapped, bleeding, and a storm was raging overhead. But help was on the way.
Bear spray is a weapon, created to fend off one of the planet’s biggest predators. So you’d be surprised how many people think that they're supposed to spray it on themselves.
Matt Dyer thought he would be lucky to see a polar bear on his trip to Canada's Torngat Mountains National Park. As it turned out, he did see one—from closer than he ever expected.
The surveillance state meets animal research.
Bears: They're big, they're out there, and for hikers, they're equal parts terrifying and fascinating. Get to know the North American wilderness's undisputed royalty with Bearpacker, our annual guide to bear science, safety, and sightseeing.
Bag, can, or locker? Here's what you'll need to use to keep your food safe from bears.
Strange noises outside your tent keeping you up at night? Learn to cope with your fear of bears.
Bear attacks on humans are exceedingly rare—but they do happen.