Trying to narrow down a list of the best summit hikes in Colorado makes my palms sweat. It’s almost harder than hiking the peaks themselves. Ive been exploring Colorados mountains for over 25 years now and have written six mountain hiking guidebooks, and I still have difficulty picking out my favorites. There are just that many good mountains. 　　My favorite...

　　I was gunning it toward Split Mountain in the Sierra Nevada and my Subaru was begging for mercy. The “road” to the trailhead was like the surface of the moon, rife with ditches, potholes, and boulders techy enough to have a V-grade. The sunglasses hanging from a strap on my rearview mirror swung wildly, smacking me in the face as...

　　Water purification has never looked so cool. Though Ive had mixed feelings about the overall usefulness of the Grayl Geopress Ti, my final assessment always comes back to the same point: Its fun as hell to use. Theres an undeniable joy from hefting this sleek water bottle into a stream and drinking the purified product through solid titanium. 　　However, making...

　　Starting this fall, backpackers will have to pay a per-visitor fee to overnight along California’s famous Lost Coast Trail. For many hikers, this will be triple the current cost. The update is part of a new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plan to address crowding and protect high-traffic trails from environmental impacts. 　　The Lost Coast Trail traces 53 miles of...

　　For those who love adventures in nature, the gear required to have a good time in various environments adds up pretty fast. A rooftop cargo box helps organize everything well and increases the comfort and space inside your vehicle while at the same time protecting the interior. 　　It’s nice to be able to stash damp, smelly, or sharp items up...

　　As a new mom, I found my first Mother’s Day to be a letdown. 　　I had naively thought that it would be a day where all my anxieties and responsibilities would fall away. But that isn’t your reality when you have a screaming baby who wants to be held only by you. Despite my family’s earnest efforts, each gift felt...

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　　If you’re an automotive enthusiast, you probably love supercars and other rare or unique models. But few of us can afford to actually buy (and run) such ultra-exclusive über-rides. The everyperson’s answer to unrequited supercar love could be a kit car. 　　Building a kit car from the ground up is not only a satisfying project but also gives you an...

　　No edge, no problem. That’s a quick way to sum up La Sportiva’s collection of No-Edge climbing shoes, which feature a rounded toe to enhance sensitivity and precision, increasing surface area for better grip. 　　The shoes are designed to make smeary climbs a walk in the park, and the comfort and versatility of the Italian brand’s trademark technology can turn...

　　What is a national monument, anyway? That’s what I kept asking myself as I rode a mountain bike down a rocky trail on sedimentary layers in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. I was rapidly approaching a lower point on the northern rim of the canyon, which is more than a mile deep at some sections. I stopped 2,000 feet above...

　　Its rather amazing what modern water filtration and purification can do. Ive seen —and tried! — the hallmark demonstration of drinking water directly from tepid, brackish pond water with no ill effects. And still, I cant quite believe it. 　　But beyond the novelty, companies like LifeStraw, MSR, and Sawyer have had massive public health impacts where clean water is a...

　　Updated May 10: Andrew Cameron, 23, from Utah, and Austin Mallet, 32, from Montana, have been identified as the victims in the May 9 avalanche on Lone Peak in Utahs Little Cottonwood Canyon. The third person, whose identity remains undisclosed, was rescued by search and rescue teams and a helicopter. He was taken to a nearby hospital and released on...