I really love dogs. All kinds of dogs. I have two and relish running trails with them. They’re a gift of companionship, loyalty and playfulness that’s nearly impossible to match in this world. But there’s nothing I loathe more than getting charged by a dog that’s off leash while I’m out running on a trail. It can be downright scary, especially if I’m running with one of my dogs. Is the oncoming dog going to attack me? Or my dog? It sure seems that way. Why else would they be charging full-throttle in my direction? Here’s the thing: I have been bitten by five dogs in my life and four of those ..read more

Welcome to Tough Love. We’re answering your questions about dating, breakups, and everything in between. Our advice giver is Blair Braverman, dogsled racer and author of Small Game and Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube. Have a question of your own? Write to us at toughlove@outsideinc.com. I’m a dad, and my daughter and I have always gone backpacking together, just the two of us. It’s become a very special part of our relationship. We get time to talk, and she tells me about her life and what she’s thinking about. I always let her choose the destination. She just turned 12, and I know she’s ..read more

Base camp might be my favorite two words in the English language. Base camp is where you stage the next excursion, or refuel with a bowl of stew, or a beer. You rest and recover there. If you’re lucky, you can slip into a hot tub or cold spring, because base camps don’t always have to be a tent or in the back of your truck. Sometimes, base camp can be a lodge with soft sheets and a chef. The Mulberry Gap Lodge (see below) in Ellijay, Georgia, hosts a variety of mountain biking events and clinics. Here a rider from Bell Helmet’s Joy Ride retreat, a long weekend with women from all over the Uni ..read more

As an outdoorswoman and veteran of multi-day, multi-sport adventure races, long mountain runs, and hundreds of competitive events of all sorts, let me tell you: There is no difference between a successful adventure and mastering a Disney park. They both require research, planning, strategizing, rising before dawn, navigating smart routes, moving fast and light, competitiveness, problem-solving, outwitting competitors, on-the-go fueling, sheer endurance, knowing when to rest and when to push, and critical gear choices. Lacking any of these skills at a busy amusement park can result in hours of ..read more

For more than a century, the Bureau of Land Management has prioritized the interests of miners, ranchers, and the oil and gas industries in management decisions on the 245 million acres acres of public land for which it’s responsible over conservation and recreation. No longer. Thanks to a new rule issued by the Biden administration, the agency must now balance development needs with the management of “landscape health.” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said the Public Lands Rule, “Helps restore balance to our public lands as we continue using the best-available science to restore habita ..read more

You’re never too old to pick up a new outdoor sport. Just ask actor Matthew Modine. Modine, of Full Metal Jacket and Stranger Things fame, recently began road cycling in his mid-sixties. This was no accidental hobby: he started biking for his starring role in a new sports drama called Hard Miles, which is in theaters now. The film follows the true story of a Colorado social worker named Greg Townsend, played by Modine, who works with troubled teenagers at a medium-security correctional school. Townsend has an idea: take a select group of kids on a 1,000-mile bike ride from Denver to the ..read more

San Diego chef Claudette Zepeda never slows down. You might just as easily find the Top Chef alumna, James Beard Award semifinalist, and founder of Chispa Hospitality and Viva la Vida traversing the border towns of Mexico for her upcoming cookbook, Borderlands, or exploring recipes with Selena Gomez on the Food Network. But when Zepeda seeks solace, she grounds herself in simple outdoor grilling and smoking. “Outdoor cooking is a ritual I will never get tired of. It keeps me connected to the earth,” she says. “I always want to take my shoes off. I’m very feral when it comes to cooking outside ..read more

Ride The Rockies, a Colorado cycle-touring institution that dates back decades, is on hold for 2024. Run each summer since 1986, more than 2,000 cyclists pedaled the roads of Colorado’s high country for one week in a route that changed from year to year. Organizers announced this summer’s edition—set to be held June 9-15 with stops in Steamboat Springs, Craig, Meeker, Rangely, and Fruita—is canceled due to a lack of registrations. “After much consideration and evaluation of the limited registration, we regret that Ride The Rockies 2024 is canceled,” a press note from organizers read. “We exte ..read more

Though it is night, the ice surrounding us glitters in the sunshine. Only silence and shades of white surround me as I pace the decks. I am on a tourist ship, parked in the sea ice off the coast of Antarctica, for my work as a naturalist. It is 2 a.m., in January. On one side, glaciers drape the mountains, sliding slowly toward the sea. On the other is the frozen ocean. I can’t discern the line between ice and sky. Behind our ship, only the jagged break in the floes indicates that humans have come, and disturbed. In southern Greenland, the glaciers sweep down the mountains toward the fjords ..read more

About a decade ago, when I first learned about risk management in my college outdoors club, I was taught that assuming the “lightning position” was the best way to protect yourself in a thunderstorm (spoiler alert: it does bugger-all). If you managed to avoid this particular tidbit of backcountry lore, allow me to provide a refresher: the lightning position involves crouching down on a sleeping pad with your heels touching, your chest pressed against your knees, and your hands clamped over your ears. It’s supposed to limit your likelihood of getting electrocuted. Over the last few years, many ..read more