Category Archives: Portfolio

The American marathon record holder once aimed for success at the expense of joy. Now she’s focusing on fun—and running faster than ever. Photo: Melissa Lyttle

With one foot in China and the other in the U.S., freeskier and multihyphenate megatalent Eileen Gu is poised for greatness. Photo: Christian Anwander

This feature was chosen as Notable Sports Writing in the Best American Sports Writing series.
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. Photo: Sam Adams Photography

If you think about it, the soul of adventure is about stepping out of your comfort zone and into new territory. Here, 7 writers recount tales of adversity that explore why we test ourselves outdoors. Getting Up After Getting Over Your Head. Illustration: David Doran

This feature won an honorable mention for Outstanding First Person/Personal Experience category at the 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. Photo: Ilja Herb

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.

There are some obvious things that put Montana on the map: Glacier and Yellowstone national parks. Ranching. Open spaces. Jagged peaks. For conservationist M. Sanjayan, it’s a bit more complicated.

To the doubters who still think roller derby is just a melodrama of sharp elbows and fishnet stockings, four-time world champion Loren Kaplan Mutch is here to prove you wrong. Photo: Cameron Baird

Heavenly has one of the most sophisticated snowmaking systems around. If it can’t save its ski season, no one can.

All hikes end. Sometimes that’s a blessing.

The climate crisis is wreaking havoc on our most iconic rides. Here are some of the most threatened—and what you can do to save them.

In this unconventional guide to summer adventure, we offer 23 big ideas—some that invite you to push your limits and others that will just blow your mind—to rediscover something truly wild: you.

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

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.

Cool blue lakes, rugged peaks, and luxury lodges abound in this majestic Northwest range. The Cascades may have been named for its countless waterfalls, but its true calling card has to be its rugged, crumpled peaks—the Liberty Bells, the Seven-Fingered Jacks, the Steamboat Prows—all rising abruptly from deeply carved valleys and cleaving the Far West into Farther and Farthest. Photo: José Mandojana

Letting go of perfection is priority number one.

New research shows there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. The secret to success: finding what works for you. That’s what these women did—and now they’re lighter, leaner, and a whole lot happier. Photo: Callie Lipkin

The new documentary NORTH OF NIGHTFALL tracks a month-long expedition to a ridiculously isolated Arctic island, where four iconic freeriders tackle a miraculous line and contemplate hard questions about climate change. Photo: Blake Jorgenson

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

Science reveals how to overcome six common compulsive behaviors. Hint: It’s not about willpower.

Bottomless. Breathless. Wild. Alta is a homewrecker, all right. Confessions of a Little Cottonwood groupie.

Who says aging up has to slow you down? New research shows that our bodies are capable of some impressive accomplishments on the bike as we get older.

We chucked an Alta snob into Snowbird…and might have permanently altered her winter migration patterns. Photo: Adam Barker

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. (Plus: where—and when—to ride in Death Valley National Park, here.)

Ski all you want with our 21-day late-winter plan for optimizing shoulder-season fitness.

Grunt. Mule. Sherpa. Call him what you want, but Slovakian hutkeeper Viktor Beranek can schlep a load uphill. Photo: archives of Viktor Beranek

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.

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. Photo: Patrouille des Glaciers

A veteran marathoner finds unexpected meaning in a 26.2-mile history lesson.

More and more companies are hawking online and tablet games to improve brain fitness. But does the buzz have any scientific backup? Read it.

70 million people in America have sleep issues. What’s really going on, and what can we do about it? Read it.

A newbie tries four days of rock climbing in Joshua Tree, CA.

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.

Ah, summer: a float tube, damsels, and a lake.

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

Short fiction.

Catching the sun on a paddle-ski trip in Alaska’s Prince William Sound: an exploration with the late Hilaree Nelson and Kasha Rigby. Photo: Kristoffer Erickson View Download

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?

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