Earlier this summer, Andrew Clyde (R-GA), introduced a bill to Congress that could, if passed, gut conservation funding. Called the RETURN Act (Repealing Excise Tax on Unalienable Rights Now), it would eliminate the excise tax on firearms and ammunition that directly support conservation funding. In 2021 alone, that tax collected $1 billion. It’s controversial even … Read more
Jumped the shark. Run its course. Petered out. Too big for its britches. Vanlife, according to Shaffer Nickel here, is over. Something called camping is the hot new thing.
Friend of AJ and in-demand photographer Chris Burkard *technically* lives on California’s Central Coast, but it seems lately as though he spends all of his time in Iceland. In the past decade he discovered gravel riding, then got into bikepacking, then bikerafting, and puts all those skills to good use traversing Iceland’s stunning, photogenic landscapes. … Read more
For the last 35 years I’ve been covering what we call the “salmon wars” in the Pacific Northwest, writing so many stories about salmon heading toward extinction that I’ve lost count. The decline occurred year by year while we spent $18 billion on what’s politely called “mitigation.” That meant building fish passages around dams without … Read more
Nouria Newman is a badass kayaker, but that doesn’t mean everything goes smoothly when she’s trying a new line on a new river in a new season. From dragging a kayak through snowbound wilderness to spraying herself in the face with bear spray, this is her Pitt river adventure.
No fewer than 145 people topped out on K2 last Friday, more than doubling in a single day the Savage Mountain’s highest yearly total of 62 summits. With dozens of climbers still on the mountain, the number seems likely to surpass 200 this season. To put that July 22 summit total in context, before this … Read more
In a mountainous village in the Peruvian Andes, community members care for an ancient system that helps provide water for avocado trees, hops, potatoes, and bean plants. Diverted water from alpine streams flows into canals, and seeps into infiltration basins that pour into springs. The water then cascades downhill into a stream and to a … Read more
17-year-old Nigel James is a Diné mountain biker, shredding trails on the lands of Navajo Nation. He’s part of a generation of riders connecting the past, present, and future of his people’s lands.
The outdoor and tactical cultures rarely overlap, even though many well-known outdoor brands cater deeply to both. One of those brands is Danner, which makes footwear highly prized by the military. For many years, I’ve wondered, what do they know that we don’t? Tactical packs and molle attachment systems are too heavy for my taste, … Read more
In a world..where dogs strive for adventure. For companionship. For treats. There are two friend, two heroes, who strive for adventure more than the pack. This summer, they will be: Lost in the Sierra.