Category Archives: Portfolio

This feature just won an honorable mention for Outstanding First Person/Personal Experience category in the 2013 ASJA Awards.
Mongolians have been skiing from A to B for thousands of years. Now, thanks to a booming economy, skiing is becoming a winter sport…of sorts. And when we say “winter,” we mean it: You’ll freeze your bong-bongs off. Read it

What’s it like to pedal 7,710 vertical feet to the summit of Colorado’s Pikes Peak? Our correspondent set off to find out whether it’s the hardest fun thing you can do on a bike, or the most enjoyable dumb thing. If she can reach the top, she just might get to the bottom of it. Read it

Listen to the morning birdsong, smell the bacon, and gaze at the snow-dusted peak (or sandstone arch or alpine lake). How to start your day right in the most amazing places in the world. Read it.

A runner discovers how to love a new city—and when to leave it. An essay. HelloNY

Survivors of the Bataan Death March overcame one of history’s most grueling walks. What kept them on their feet? And could you do the same? Every year, more than 4,000 people hike through the New Mexico desert to find out.
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Bottomless. Breathless. Wild. Alta is a homewrecker, all right. Confessions of a Little Cottonwood groupie. Read it.

I’ve recently become a featured writer for Mapquest Discover, where I write about everything from Central Americas adventures to honeymoons to destination running races to vineyards to food. Follow me here.

On a Western road trip, Evelyn Spence ponders the peculiar names—and increasing numbers—of gigantic RVs. Read it.

We asked readers and staff to name their all-time favorite places to pedal. The result (in no particular order): classic destinations, must-do events, and two-wheeled adventures that should be on every cyclist’s bucket list. Read it. (Plus: where—and when—to ride in Death Valley National Park, here.)

You can’t travel the world by the snap of your fingers, but you can get pretty close in the pages of a well-written book. Whether it’s a travel tale about sailing the seas alone or the retracing of steps along the Inca Trail, a travel book inspires the wanderer in us and has us looking longingly at our empty suitcases. No easier than choosing a favorite child, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 favorite travel books of all time. Read it

They’re melting and sinking. They’re booming—or busting. They’re jaw-droppingly scenic and cosmopolitan. One thing that’s clear about our nods for the best travel destinations of 2012 is that they’re changing, and fast, which means the coming year is perfect for a trip of a lifetime. Now that we’ve spun the globe and picked our top spots, it’s your turn to make it happen—and, of course, to let us know which ones we missed. Read it.

How do you take winter adventure to the next level? Add skis. If you’ve carved resort terrain, you’ll find the transition to the backcountry surprisingly easy, thanks to lighter, more user-friendly gear. Start earning your turns—safely—with this primer on equipment, route planning, reading conditions, and more. Backcountry101

I recently wrote up—and edited—dozens of must-see cities and attractions around the world, from Johannesburg to Bodrum to Tel Aviv to the Smokies to Telluride. Check out some of them here.

TV loves adventure, so it makes sense that a crop of daring frontmen now host their own shows. These charismatic travelers search for endangered species, witness world records, tame wild beasts, and boot contestants off islands.
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With the $6 billion Vancouver Winter Games over, what’s the long-term payoff? The biggest benefit might not be easy to count. Read it.

At these cycling hotspots, you can use your time off to get more time on two wheels. Read it.

Want legs that can tackle any climb, any heavy pack, any mileage? Well, don’t work harder—work smarter. We grilled fitness experts and scoured the medical literature to uncover the latest, greatest strategies for building strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility.
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On the 20th anniversary of the death of Sheridan Anderson, we take a look back at one of the most colorful characters flyfishing has ever known.
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Grunt. Mule. Sherpa. Call him what you want, but Slovakian hutkeeper Viktor Beranek can schlep a load uphill.
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With the continuing explosion of cyclocross in the United States, the question isn’t if it’s here to stay—but if now we might do it bigger and better than the Europeans. Read it.

When thousands of mega-lunged ski-mountaineers descent upon Zermatt for the world’s toughest single-day ski race, pain is mandatory—and spandex is everywhere.View Download

Four days rock climbing in Joshua Tree, CA
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Catching the sun on a paddle-ski trip in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.View Download

We surveyed more than 40 scientists, conservationists, and professional adventurers, then ranked the 15 parks that are most in peril from climate change.

Sure, the Sierra High Route ski tour follows in the footsteps of John Muir, but did America’s most famous wilderness writer miss the best part?
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Don’t hate these classic American landmarks because they’re beautiful—or mobbed in peak season. Dial in new skills to slip in the back way, and you’ll remember why these iconic places got you addicted to the outdoors in the first place.View Download

An epic journey to a World Cup match in Johannesburg. Gone bad.

Taking the scenic route from Cape Town to Durban during the World Cup.

Ski all you want with our 21-day late-winter plan for optimizing shoulder-season fitness.
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When I started running, I wasn’t concerned about the cause I was supporting. And then that cause hit home.
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A veteran marathoner finds unexpected meaning in a 26.2-mile history lesson.

At the 2006 Winter Games, when Bode was going on all-night benders, the rest of the U.S. Ski Team did what they do best: collected hardware. These days Miller’s on his own, reliable Rahlves is out to pasture, and the next generation of American skiers is rushing into the spotlight.
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When the snow melts in most mountain towns, the resident adventure pros move on. But the local talent in Whistler, British Columbia, wouldn’t dream of spending summer anyplace else.
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How an international grassroots movement is shaping the way the world shops.
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Short fiction.

The most exotic hike in the United States is smack in the middle of the country: Welcome to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Read it.

How to prevent and ease everyday aches.

A complete guide to the digital revolution—and how to join it.

Ah, summer: a float tube, damsels, and a lake.
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There are mere mortal anglers, and then there are legendary figures who elevate the sport of fishing to the level of the miraculous. Meet fishing’s new pantheon—three men who are fishing on a far higher plane than the rest of us.
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While some lucky athletes are born, not made, for most of us, it takes a lot of work, determination, and inspiration to reach our potential. And that may not happen until we cross that line into adulthood. Meet four everyday people who have used the outdoors to transform their lives (and their waistlines), becoming happier and healthier in the process. Plus: Unleash your inner athlete with advice from expert trainers, and start down your own road to success.View Download