Historical Badass

More than 100 years ago, this Southwest river rat invented techniques we still use today.

She pioneered and argued for "manless" climbing in a hugely influential 1934 essay.

A self-proclaimed "solitary son-of-a-bitch," Fletcher wrote the book on thru-hiking and wilderness survival.

In five short years, he went from learning to paddle to redefining the outer limits of whitewater.

At 2, his house burned down around him. At 10, his had first gunfight. Badassery was his destiny.

In the summer of 1918, toward the end of World War I, pickings were slim for able-bodied, non-deployed men to

One of the most intrepid explorers in recent history is someone whose name you’ve almost certainly [...]

There's no courage like that of a 19 year old with strong legs.

Peary's righthand man in the race to the North Pole was audacious, competent, and "indispensable."

Aloha Wanderwell, first woman to drive around the world, had one heck of a name and one heck of a life.

The climbing legend was said to have 'the head of a 70-year old, body of a 25-year old, and the attitude of [...]

Amundsen, Scott, and...Mawson? This polar pioneer was overshadowed by brighter lights, but he was the real deal.

Downing was the big-wave surfer's big-wave surfer.

Most hikers today won’t set foot in the Grand Canyon without first researching their trips online, [...]

Montgomery Atwater is one of the reason we can ski sweet, steep powder safely.

Their first adventure was horseback riding from Oklahoma to New Mexico at ages 5 and 9. They went a whole lot [...]

How does someone go from being the janitor of the American Museum of Natural History to the director?

Lee fought against the Glen Canyon Damn and for the preservation of our rivers until her death.

The Japanese mountaineer stood just 4'9", but her accomplishments were larger than life.

Norman Dyhrenfurth's planning and drive got the U.S. on top of the world.

And the feud that followed them to their graves.

Cliff Young became a folk hero after his legendary "tortoise and the hare" win.

Generations of Canyon rats owe their beta to this tireless, curious, radical man.

He was more than just the storyteller of the sea—he was a revolutionary who changed the way we think about [...]

A look at what made an icon a truly remarkable man.

This legend of Alaskan flight was the man in the Alaska Range for more than 30 years.

A dash of first ever this, a little bit of first ever that, and a healthy dose of badass.

Ernie Blake's passion could have led to folly. Instead it led to an amazing New Mexico ski area.

Got kids and going on an expedition? Why wouldn't you bring them along, she said.

In a remote and dangerous desert, Peng Jiamu left camp in the middle of the night and was never seen again.

His efforts in Arctic minimalism were truly badass, his lessons learned not so much.

He thirsted for mountain beauty, killed a lot of people in the name of imperialism, and then lobbied for free love.

Their first adventure was horseback riding from Oklahoma to New Mexico at ages 5 and 9. They went a whole lot [...]

When he couldn't fly across the Atlantic in the 1920s, he decided to solo kayak it--even though he couldn't [...]

The dude didn't start paddling until age 41--and went on to canoe more than 100,000 miles

Alpinist Sue Nott's climbing career was brilliant, controversial, and far too short.

They salvaged all the liquor, a music box, and Bob the dog—and in living perhaps inspired Ernest 34 years [...]

Anatoli Boukreev saved 3 in 1996 debacle, while a certain famous writer 'slept in his tent'

Percy Fawcett was there--and then he wasn't. Some blame the supernatural, some say a succubus caught up to [...]

Not only did he not get attacked by a bear (take that, Leo), he mapped two million square miles of frontier.

Alexander Von Humbolt was a meticulous scientist, intrepid explorer, and at one time had climbed higher than [...]

The hard-climbing, hard-drinking Scotsman redefined Himalayan alpinism and notched first ascents throughout [...]

Beryl Burton beat men, crushed the female field, butted heads with racer daughter...and never turned pro.

The Tour de France winner crisscrossed Italy on his bike, delivering messages and documents to the [...]

Big wave surfer and guardian of the North Shore of Oahu, Eddie Aikau was the embodiment of aloha.

An explorer, spy, swordsman, snake-handler, master of 29 languages, and practicing yogi, Burton wrote the [...]

The pioneering climber and groundbreaking photographer was a man of the Sierra.

Annie Londonderrry did it in 15 months on a bet and a whim?or did she? Her tale mixes lies, deceit, and legit [...]

And then climbed it. And then rode home to Sweden.

Gouvy was the predecessor of the freeride movement and mixing sports that no one else thought to mix.

Before becoming one of America's most accomplished conservationists, Brower was simply a climbing bum.

From climbing the Grand Teton in cowboy boots to forming NOLS, this man lived large and taught many.

You want badass? She set a distance record that still stands 78 years later.

He found love, lust, and pirates, had seven kids born on a ship, and became the first person to sail solo [...]

From pioneering big wall climber to building a via ferrata, there was little in the mountains that didn't [...]

Don't let that buttoned-down dress fool you–Flo was pretty darn rad.

Glen Dawson's first ascents in Sierra Nevada paved the way to modern climbing.

Before gaining fame as a documentarian of Native Americans, he was an early expedition shooter.

A legendary wildman and mystic, he walked across Russia several times–the equivalent of lapping the [...]

His lines can be summed up in his quote, "If you fall, you die."