�����ԹϺ���

In a place built on selective ignorance, a storm forced everyone to stop and think

There's more to Christmas than carols, eggnog, and ugly sweaters. Broaden your horizons with a visit to one of these five holiday-friendly destinations.

With the help of a handful of dedicated volunteers, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has been holding events for disabled hunters for 40 years. Mark D'Antonio, who has been paralyzed since an on-the-job accident in 2000, is already getting ready for next year's hunt.

�����ԹϺ��� senior editor Abe Streep joins Team Rubicon USA, a volunteer group of former active military personnel who deploy at a moment's notice to disaster zones, during recovery efforts following a fire that swept through Belle Harbor, Queens, on the night Hurricane Sandy hit

As an environmentally conscious person, should I feel guilty about flying on commercial planes? How can I minimize my impact?

The outbreak, which killed three, didn’t only attack the lungs of its victims. It messed with the psyche of the rest of us, too.

Utah resort managers are working to link seven mountains and 17,000 acres in one European-style network. Here's what it would look like.

It may be tiny, but it’s the center of entrepreneur Tim Boyd’s industry juggernaut

I’m headed to Colorado this winter for a backcountry ski trip. I heard marijuana was recently legalized there, but I’m not sure of the details or when it goes into effect. So my question is, when I go to Colorado, can I buy pot?

Three months after protesting the clear-cutting of forest and the use of sewage-effluent snow, Klee Benally and three other activists suddenly face half a year in prison. Leslie MacMillan tries to figure out why.

I’ve been to Key West and it’s great, but I’m looking for an undiscovered island alternative in Florida. What are my options?

Sunset/moonrise over Canyon de Chelly. Photo: Katie Arnold [This is the third in a series about roadtripping around the Southwest. Read parts I  and II here.] On our first morning in Chinle, I woke full of hope for Canyon de…

What travel books should I put on my holiday gift shopping list?

In the rough: Road 7950 out of Chaco Canyon. Photo: Katie Arnold. There’s no direct route from Chaco Canyon, in northern New Mexico, to Canyon de Chelly, across the border in Arizona. Rugged badlands, sandy washes, and vast tracts of…

Brian Blickenstaff spent a day without his clothes on, taking baths with complete strangers

Giant mining companies are tearing up some of the wildest places on earth to feed our hunger for gold. But do we even need it?

If you're the kind of skier who books travel based on the 10-day forecast, here's where to go

Don't spend snow season carving the same old turns on your local ski slope. We present nine fresh winter activities, from ice climbing in Iceland to winter camping in Telluride.

Greg Melville shares his tips for saving money on the slopes

What started as a simple idea four years ago finally ended last week when Graham Hughes became the first person to visit all 201 countries without setting foot on an airplane

Airstream in repose, Gallo Campground, Chaco Canyon (note trash bag window). Photo: Katie Arnold This year we decided to do something different for Thanksgiving. Instead of traveling to be with extended family or entertaining them here, we opted to stay put in Santa Fe and keep…

Push Pop Press co-founder Mike Matas chronicled his two-week-long, 3,000-mile, San Francisco to New York City road trip in the above three-minute-long, 5,000-photo timelapse posted to Vimeo. We've shown plenty of such road trip videos on the site before, but what's different about Matas'…

Eric Hansen gets a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a project to surf in each of India's states, nevermind that 21 (of 28) are landlocked and that the coastline is known for little more than ankle-slappers

It snowed in the Twin Cities on Thanksgiving, and Katie Heaney went to a dog park

Game for adventure: The Cairns-Locke girls cozy up in the Yukon. Photo: Peter Mather When I opened the latest Patagonia catalog and saw this picture by nature photographer Peter Mather, I was instantly filled with envy and awe. Lying on…

The Southeastern Ohio Bigfoot Investigation Society is committed to the quest for Bigfoot. But instead of finding the mythical beast, they might’ve stumbled onto something else entirely.

I’m about to take a three-month trip through Asia to “find myself.” My parents want me to get medical insurance, but I don't think it's worth the money. What’s your take on medical insurance for travelers?

Where are your favorite places to cross-country ski in the Northeast?

My parents ignored the dire warnings about Hurricane Sandy and didn't evacuate. By the time they called for rescue, it was too late.

Escape civilization and head into the unknown by visiting one of these 10 off-the-grid paradises

My husband and I are going to Florida this winter for a two-week trip. We want to take Tico, our Golden Retriever, with us. What’s the best way to fly with a dog?

Just because you're headed overseas this November doesn't mean you have to miss Turkey Day. We round up the best Thanksgiving feasts for backpackers, expats, and other travelers.

Waves for Water founder Jon Rose has been on the East Coast since Hurricane Sandy struck, cutting through red tape and providing disaster relief alongside a groundswell of surfers

This week Raising Rippers is launching a new feature. It’s called Picture of the Week and every week—or as often as we’re inspired—we’ll post a particularly riveting or rad photo about adventuring with kids and give you the backstory behind the shot. What were they thinking? How'd they…

Along for the ride with the homesteaders of the Discovery Channel's Alaska: The Last Frontier

While it may not appear that way, Noah Davis thinks that Manhattan and ultramarathons might just be made for each other

I’m a backpacker and gearhead who's moving to Charlottesville, Virginia. What are the best outfitters for me in the Southeast?

Just two

Leslie MacMillan investigates the questionable destruction of a Crow Indian religious site in Montana

International humanitarian-aid group Doctors Without Borders, best known for conducting emergency health care interventions in war-torn countries, set up a makeshift clinic for Hurricane Sandy victims in one of New York’s worst-hit communities to fill in the gaps in the government’s response. Matthew Power joined volunteer physicians for a day in the field duri

Start planning where to warm up this winter. We’ve made it easy with these 15 adventure-packed, off-radar island hideaways.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year to hit the beach. The weather is fantastic, crowds nonexistent, and—most importantly—the low-season prices are cheap. These seaside escapes combine great fall conditions with easy access to adventure, whether you like to fish, hike, bike, or paddle.  St. George Island State…

The leader of the Free Burma Rangers keeps his identity secret. But he’s real, and he’s definitely hardcore. A former U.S. Special Forces operative—and an ordained minister, climber, and triathlete—he trains rebels and refugees in the fine art of outwitting one of the world’s most oppressive regimes to deliver humanitarian aid. Adam Skolnick hits the trail with a soldier on a mission from God.

�����ԹϺ���'s East Coast editor takes a walking tour of Freeport, Long Island, with Steven Townsend, lifelong fisherman and Long Island native, after Hurricane Sandy

We spent months scoring and ranking dozens of resorts from California to Maine, British Columbia to Quebec, to come up with this, your cheat sheet for figuring out which mountains are right for you this snow season. We don't expect you to agree with all of our decisions, but we do think you'll be able to find something for everyone in our final list.

One of the ironies of Churchill is that its residents, who have so much to lose from climate change, often have to drive for their own safety. Signs emblazoned with the silhouette of a polar bear warn pedestrians not to walk in certain areas…

What's it like to watch the Storm of the Century hit your home from 2,000 miles away?

After wandering to a bar in Sandy's aftermath, Jason Diamond was reminded of the best parts about living in New York

With Manhattan slowly coming back to life after Hurricane Sandy, �����ԹϺ���’s East Coast editor joins the leader of Long Island Search and Rescue for a tour of places the cops haven't made it to yet, where looters prey on homes in communities that will take years to rebuild

After sticking out Hurricane Irene, Maksim Charnyy didn't think Sandy would be any different. Ignoring mandatory evacuation orders, he stayed in his building with 70 or 80 percent of the other residents. And then the water came.

�����ԹϺ���'s East Coast editor visits the town he grew up in, situated on the west side of the Hudson River about 25 miles outside of Manhattan, in the middle of Hurricane Sandy

You don’t have to give up the amenities of a large urban environment just because you prefer traveling on two wheels over four

The island traps you. That’s what Manhattanites say when rationalizing their inability to travel freely. But with a little crea­tivity, finding adventure is easier than you think. �����ԹϺ��� fan Joe Sacaridiz, an ad-agency art director who lives in Hell’s Kitchen, spends spring and fall weekends climbing upstate and winters snowboarding in Vermont. Here’s

What’s your thought on the new law allowing you to carry firearms in national parks? I bring a handgun when I backpack in Yellowstone, but my girlfriend thinks it’s pointless.

On Socotra, an island 250 miles off the coast of Yemen, the roads are so bad that 90 minutes of tailbone-bruising driving equates to five miles of travel. The roads would be one reason to paraglide…

I’m headed to Vegas for a long weekend with some buddies, but we don’t want to spend all of our time at the casinos and we don’t play golf. Where can we go for outdoor adventure?

The Samaria Gorge Trail in Crete is one of the most popular hikes in Europe. But in the summer, when the trail is unbearably hot and overrun with tourists, visit the Imbros, a simple walk in an area full of charm.

Obstacle courses are the biggest thing in adventure sports, with millions of amped-up Americans charging into the slop—and a cadre of cutthroat entrepreneurs cashing in. No one is profiting more than Tough Mudder creator Will Dean, a polished Englishman and Harvard Business School grad who will stop at nothing to sell you his brand of suffering.

To celebrate this issue's Best Towns 2012 winner, Richmond, Virginia (“Southern Comfort“), we printed two covers. One, a photo of downtown Richmond, is for newsstands; the other—for subscribers—is a composite of the same shot made up entirely of reader-submitted images. Here's…

Brian Blickenstaff celebrates Germany's "Enjoyment Day" by drinking a lot of wine and then riding his bike home—all within the letter of the law

I live in Dallas, which is a hub for American Airlines. American often has the cheapest flights, but I'm a little nervous to book reservations with them, given all the bad press they've gotten lately. Should I be?

I’ve always wanted to go to Cuba, and I’ve heard the government has eased travel restrictions. How do I do it legally?

I’m a mountain biker, hiker, and trail runner. Every time I travel, it seems like I’ve got to pack two huge suitcases to fit all of my gear. My shoes alone take up a crazy amount of space. Any advice on how I can travel lighter?

We’ve all got that buddy—the one who executes an epic ski or raft mission every year. Reader Keith Pearen is one of those guys. For the past 10 years, the 32-year-old Boulder, Colorado, aerospace engineer has been organizing trips for groups of up to 20 friends. Here’s the formula he applies.

I live in the Midwest and want to get to another part of America for some epic road biking. I’ve ridden in the Colorado Rockies a bit. Where else would you recommend?

Where to get your thrills now that summer is over

Top tips to survive Peru's famous century-old trek

In September, when the nights cool and the mosquitoes follow the RVs inland, the salt marshes of ­Assateague Island National Seashore are perfect for a quick fall paddling escape

Ambitious conservation efforts have put Namibia at the head of the safari class. Stephanie Pearson explores the country's latest projects.

Which major city has the best camping?

Matt Krause's American friends refused to believe that Turkey was anything like the United States. To prove them wrong, he's walking across the entire country.

An Italian chef, a pro snowboarder, and five other Sun Valley, Idaho, locals tell you the best way to play in one of America's most pristine mountain towns

For nearly 800 years, the residents of Cuéllar, Spain, have been risking their lives in the annual encierro. Bill Hillmann traveled to this small town to participate for the first time and to speak to Josechu Lopez Jimeno, who has been running for 44 years and doesn't plan to stop anytime soon.

As an avid hiker, I often stay in huts. I’m kind of freaked out about the recent outbreak of the hantavirus at Yosemite. How much should I really worry, and what can I do to avoid it?

Fall is here, and the temps are dropping—time to pick a fresh new adventure in the American Southwest

I’m planning a getaway weekend to Asheville, North Carolina, sometime in the next couple of months. What should I do while I’m there?

Surfing in Morocco

Alexander Chee went to the Fifth Annual Coney Island Beard and Mustache Competition. He came back with some kind of unified theory of facial hair.

In the small towns along the coast of Guerrero, Mexico, traditional rooster fights have turned into ostentatious affairs with narcos from warring groups dropping in to wager up to 100,000 pesos on a single match. The government can't control the area, but at least the violence at these sporting events is constrained to the ring. For now.

I’m staying at a cabin outside of Lake Placid, New York, for a short vacation. What should I do in the Adirondacks while I’m there?