Earth Day will be celebrated this Saturday, April 22. Our Goldilocks planet has done it again — it’s carried us through yet another trip around the sun. That’s worth celebrating.  In a world where frightening headlines frequent our news channels, a sprinkle of positivity couldn’t hurt. And what better time than now? So, in honor of Mama Nature’s special day, we’re pleased to share some of the most encouraging environmental news.  Plus, we’ll dig into the history of this international holiday and provide you with some info on Earth Day 2023 events taking place across the US. Get invol ..read more

By: Christine Johansen, Written March 16, 2023 There’s no denying it — we’re living in an era when screen time consumes hours of people’s daily lives. Which is why investing in parks to make outdoor recreation more accessible is more crucial than ever.  That’s exactly what North Carolina’s Parks and Recreation Department aims to do. On March 3, Governor Roy Cooper announced the approval of $9.6 million in grants for improving park accessibility.  Also included is $10 million for the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to offer matching grants to local governments. These fu ..read more

Now that spring is officially in the air, I’m sure more than a few of you are itching to get back out on the trail. To help you do that, Xero Shoes is launching a whole new line of footwear designed to support an active lifestyle. One of the flagship models coming to the line-up is the new Xero Scrambler Mid, an ultra-lightweight hiking boot that is both stylish and comfortable. But for some, it just might be too lightweight. Photo Credit: Xero Shoes A Sneaker for Hiking For many hikers and backpackers looking to go light and fast on the trail, a trail running shoes is almost always the defaul ..read more

If you know anything about the premium cooler market, you probably already know that Yeti has been the leader in that category for quite a while now. Sure, the Austin-based company has seen some compelling rivals arrive on the scene in recent years, but it remains the most recognizable brand in the space. Some of this is due to clever marketing, and some is due to their outstanding line of products, which continues to expand and grow to meet the needs of consumers. Such is the case with its newest product, the Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler, which delivers everything we would expect in terms of ..read more

A few weeks back, we told you about Norweigan climber Kristin Harila and her attempt to break Nims Purja’s speed record for climbing all 14 8000-meter peaks. At the time, Harila was coming off of a very successful spring climbing season in Nepal, during which she summited six of the world’s highest mountains in just 29 days. When we wrote about her efforts, Kristin had arrived in Pakistan and was already continuing the pursuit of her goals. In fact, as of early July she had already nabbed her seventh eight-thousander by topping out on Nanga Parbat. Fast forward a month and she now stands on th ..read more

For centuries, the Northwest Passage remained a mythical connection between the North Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. For years explorers searched for this sailing route, with most of those attempts ending in failure and disaster. But thanks to longer and warmer summers, the Northwest Passage has become a reality in recent years, inviting a new breed of adventurers. For the summer of 2022, the route has seen two independent expeditions attempting to make the crossing under their own power, giving the rest of us the opportunity to follow along with their progress. Photo Credit: NASAThe Arctic C ..read more

It has been a long, hot summer in many parts of the world, including Europe. Numerous countries have seen record-breaking temperatures, with the mercury routinely climbing above 40ºC in places that have never experienced that level of heat before. This has caused numerous disruptions to life across the continent, forcing Europeans to seek refuge from the hot weather in any way that they can. The heatwave has had a profound impact on the Alps, in particular, causing peaks that usually have snow all year round to expose their summits for the first time in memory. Glaciers across the mountain ran ..read more

The 2022 edition of The Henley Passport Index has been released, with some interested changes to the list this year. Since 2006, the annual report has ranked the most travel friendly passports from around the world, indicating which country’s citizens can move the most freely on an international level. And while this year’s index has changed dramatically at the top of the list, there has been some suffering further down due in no small part to the war in Ukraine. Photo Credit: Kraig BeckerThe World’s Most Travel Friendly Passports The Henley Passport Index generates its rankings based on the n ..read more

If you’ve ever used a piece of outdoor gear made by Arc’teryx there is probably two things that you already know about the brand and the products it produces. First, there is a good chance that whatever the item is, it will cost more than a similar piece of gear from another company. And second—and most importantly—it will probably be worth every penny. That’s because Arc’teryx makes some of the best equipment on the market, and while it may be priced a little higher than the competition, that’s because it usually performs at a higher level. Such is the case with the new Arc’teryx Aerios AR Mi ..read more

If you’re looking for an example of how staying active and connecting with the outdoors can lead to a healthy lifestyle, then look no further than Betty Reid Soskin. For the past 16 years, Soskin has worked for the US National Park Service, starting as a part-time temporary employee but moving into a permanent full-time position 11 years ago. That isn’t such an unusual career path for anyone who is looking to go to work for the NPS, but what makes this story so unique is that Betty didn’t embark on this career path until late in life. When she started with the Park Service she was already 84 y ..read more