Scott Brady literally wrote the book on four-wheel drive travel. Here's what he says about what鈥檚 really important out there.
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]]>In 2014, Scott Brady, the founder of Overland Journal,聽became the first person to cross all seven continents by four-wheel drive鈥�a frequently off-grid endeavor that had him tackling some of the most extreme terrain on earth. In 2018, Brady went on to complete the first 4WD crossing of the Greenland ice sheet, south to north. While these kinds of聽 objectives might seem out of reach for the average car camper, Brady begs to differ: He says it鈥檚 way simpler than you think.
Brady has distilled everything he鈥檚 learned about vehicle-based adventure travel into his first book: . It鈥檚 a collection of practical guidance around skills and equipment, mixed with tales of the real-life experiences that taught him all those lessons.
鈥淩ead this and go,鈥� says Brady, who also publishes the magazine and podcast, and聽. The book provides the practical knowledge you鈥檒l need along the way, along with plenty of inspiration聽for trips of your own.
While 256 pages of tips are great, I wanted to see if Brady could simplify his advice. So, I called and asked him for his best tips for new travelers. Here are the five he gave me.
鈥淚 think people are afraid to fail or afraid to have mishaps,鈥� says Brady. 鈥淏ut I think that鈥檚 what the definition of adventure is: It鈥檚 when something has gone wrong.鈥�
Brady鈥檚 first piece of advice is that, if you want to start having adventures, the best way is to just pick up and go. If you wait until you鈥檙e able to buy a certain vehicle, or equip it with just the right gear, or think you need to learn some specific skill before taking off, you鈥檙e going to spend time waiting rather than traveling.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to have the entire REI catalog,鈥� he explains. 鈥淕o lighter, go less expensive, and go now. You鈥檙e often better off without all the crap anyways.鈥�
In Overlanding 101, Brady tells the story of the very first overlanding trip he took when he got out o the Air Force in 2002. To tackle Arizona鈥檚 Camino del Diablo鈥攁 140-mile off-road route along the Mexican border鈥攈e geared up with both a roof rack and trailer to carry all the equipment he thought he needed. But it turned out that bringing a portable shower, gallons of extra gas, and enough water to survive out there pretty much indefinitely actually did more to frustrate him than to ease the journey.
鈥淚n all the buying and grasping, I missed the point of going in the first place,鈥� he says.
鈥淲hat I think people get wrong often, which usually results in the experience going poorly, is that they don鈥檛 talk to their travel companions,鈥� Brady says. 鈥淪ome dude will get it in his mind to drive the TransAmerica Trail, and drag his wife and kids along without ever having a conversation with them about what they want to experience along the way.鈥�
鈥淟ike maybe his daughter鈥檚 super into geology, and she really wants to understand the rocks and the history, or his son really wants to learn how to drive, and if you don鈥檛 have those conversations, then you don鈥檛 have their buy-in,鈥� he continues. 鈥淧eople usually fail pretty quickly as a family when that happens.鈥�
Throughout the book, Brady reiterates that it鈥檚 the people鈥攂oth the ones in the car with you and the ones you meet along the way鈥攖hat are the point. Plan trips around them, not around some artificial goal or empty accomplishment.
Overlanders tend to be overpackers. But in reality, only a few pieces of gear really matter. 鈥淵ou need some form of identification, some form of communication, and some form of commerce,鈥� Brady says. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 truly need anything else.鈥�
Not only do people spend way too much time getting wrapped up in equipment, Brady says, but that investment can ultimately get in the way of the experience as stuff starts to break, get lost, or get stolen. But if you have a passport, a credit card, and a cell phone, you have the tools you need to solve pretty much any problem, no matter where you are in the world.
鈥淚 see people get really bummed out when they lose stuff. They let it ruin their trip. But in the grand scheme of things, if your laptop gets stolen, it鈥檚 OK. Learn to let those things go and focus on the journey.鈥�
鈥淎nd after you鈥檝e done that, slow down some more,鈥� says Brady. That鈥檚 both a philosophy, and practical guidance. Slowing down will make tackling obstacles both easier and safer, while giving you time to enjoy the experience.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one thing I struggle with,鈥� Brady continues. 鈥淚鈥檓 always in full attack mode. I鈥檝e always wanted to accomplish goal after goal after goal, and a lot of times, I don鈥檛 remember what I did afterwards.鈥�
鈥淪o if I was to give someone advice, it would be to plan a little less,鈥� he says. 鈥淧lan fewer miles, spend more time in that little village. Take an hour to sit in that cafe and just watch people go by.鈥�
鈥淭hese experiences give us so much,鈥� Brady says. 鈥淚鈥檝e changed significantly by seeing the rest of the world. Strangers are聽no longer 鈥榦ther鈥� anymore鈥攖hey’re someone I had lunch with, or someone that helped me on my journey. Once you start to spend time with people in other places, you start to be a lot more understanding of the fact that they are different, but in the best ways possible.鈥�
In that spirit, it’s important to respect the communities and ecosystems you travel across, Brady says. 鈥淭read lightly, leave no trace, find ways to minimize your impact,鈥� he suggests. 鈥淚nstead of leaving that campsite super early in the morning, take five minutes to police it for trash.鈥�
If you can, do more than just erase signs of your passing鈥攍eave the place better than you found it.聽Brady says adding value to the people and communities you visit can be as simple as buying someone a beer, then taking the time to enjoy it with them. Or, it can be more involved. On one of his first forays into Baja, Mexico, Brady met some people who run an orphanage in Muleg茅, a small town on the Sea of Cortez. The next time he drove through, he made time to stop by the Costco in Los Cabos, and bring them weeks鈥� worth of shelf-stable breakfasts for the kids. Now he has positive memories of a positive contribution, not just a fun trip.
鈥溾€� is available this week in paperback, audio, and Kindle formats.
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]]>From expert-level kneading to mindful companionship, cats prove they鈥檙e more than just cough potatoes鈥攖hey鈥檙e unsung heroes in runners鈥� lives
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]]>It鈥檚 a Sunday morning and I鈥檝e just run 16 miles. I鈥檓 drenched in sweat, out of breath, thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. When I step through the front door, my husband calls 鈥渉ello!鈥� from upstairs, but otherwise no one else greets me. I stretch on the floor, cooling my muscles down before melting into the carpet face-down. Suddenly, I feel a lump step onto my back, and my cat, Steve, proceeds to perform some expert-level kneading into my muscles. He then curls up like the perfect heating pad and purrs himself to sleep.
And it鈥檚 glorious.
Growing up with dogs, I always assumed I鈥檇 have one when I was older. There鈥檚 no denying that they鈥檙e the perfect running buddies, unwaveringly loyal, and no one can resist a goofy puppy smile. But then I adopted my first cat, Ari, and the definition of my ideal pet changed. Today, I have three cats鈥攚hich is probably too many but if you like something you get one in every color, right?鈥攁nd though they can鈥檛 run with me, I wouldn鈥檛 trade them for the most athletic, well-behaved dog in the world.
To preface: I love both cats and . I鈥檇 even add a pup to the family one day if the time was right. But cats are misunderstood, underrated pets for runners. Before you boo and hiss, hear meow-t.
My first cat Ari and I would occasionally take to the trails on a leash or in a cat-safe backpack. She鈥檚 a little older now and prefers a life of indoor lounging, but at our peak, we鈥檇 go to parks and she鈥檇 climb trees while I held onto her leash down below. You might be surprised to know that some cats lead active, outdoorsy lives鈥攁nd it鈥檚 a trend that鈥檚 gaining traction.
Eight years ago, Boulder-based influencer, filmmaker, and outdoorsman never anticipated that a cat could keep up with his on-the-go lifestyle, filled with hiking, climbing, swimming, backpacking, and trail running. But then Simon, now known as , was sort of thrust upon him. His landlord found a litter of stray kittens that needed rehoming, and Yosh felt compelled to take one.
鈥淚t was unplanned. I was traveling every weekend and not living a lifestyle that wasn鈥檛 even conducive for having a cat because I was going abroad a lot. The thought of getting a pet wasn鈥檛 even on my mind,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen I got Simon, it was kind of like, 鈥業 want to make him an adventure cat鈥� because everyone in Colorado has their Subarus and takes their dogs on the trails鈥擨 can do it too.鈥�
Early on, Simon expressed the desire to be outside. But because Yosh lives in the backcountry, where it can be dangerous for cats to wander alone (coyotes, mountain lions, hawks, etc.) he started taking Simon out on supervised walks and hikes. Simon wears a harness and leash, but on longer hikes, likes to perch on Yosh鈥檚 back. And sometimes, these outings aren鈥檛 simple walks in the park. Yosh is an avid and has raced in ultras like the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run, Behind the Rocks Ultra, and the Run Rabbit Run.
Though Yosh doesn鈥檛 take Simon out on intense trail runs, when they鈥檙e out hiking together he can鈥檛 help dashing down ascents or running up hills, his cat either on his heels or his back. Together, they鈥檝e summited several Colorado 14ers (mountains with summits exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation), including Torrey鈥檚, Grey鈥檚, Massive, Elbert, and Quandary.
鈥淗e鈥檚 always strapped in securely on my back,鈥� Yosh says. 鈥淏ut he insists on exploring when we reach the summit鈥攊t鈥檚 like he knows he鈥檚 earned the view!鈥�
They鈥檝e even been camping in the snowy Indian Peaks Wilderness, which proved to be both challenging and rewarding with the amount of snow they had to trek through. 鈥淭he cold didn鈥檛 phase Simon, though鈥攈e snuggled up in his gear and enjoyed every second of the snowy adventure.鈥�
Yosh says that when he first got Simon, he rarely saw anyone outdoors with a cat. But over time, more and more felines are taking to the trails.
鈥淎t the time I never saw anyone with cats on the trails,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut more and more people seem to take their cats out on adventures.鈥�
Take Sully, for instance, the 鈥渢rail running cat鈥�. The uber fluffy long-haired cat made waves when her owner, Katie Chen, posted a of them running along the trails together at an impressive pace. However, she鈥檚 clear on the fact that Sully is more of a sprinter than an endurance athlete, and doesn鈥檛 partake in long serious runs with her.
鈥淪ully and I start our day with a 20-30-minute morning leashed walk,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淚 enjoy a cup of coffee and let him explore around our home. Sometimes he stares at birds, sometimes he eats grass, and other times he gets a case of the zoomies. It鈥檚 very peaceful and nice to ease into my day in nature. It鈥檚 routine for him, so he expects it every morning!鈥�
With routine, practice, and lots of patience, your cats, too, can join you in your outdoor activities. If you鈥檇 like to start taking your cat outside, start by getting your feline acclimated to the harness and leash indoors. Yosh says that it took a lot of trial and error to find a harness that Simon liked, but says is his tried-and-true.
Have your cat wear the harness around the house for as much as they鈥檙e willing to until they get used to it. Then you can start taking them outside鈥攑referably at the same time and place.
鈥淎 routine is helpful, such as walks at a regular time each day,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淥nce you start this, your cat may be very vocal about going back outside. An established routine will help avoid this and keep everyone happy.鈥�
When you get your cat on the trail, just note that it鈥檚 going to be different than walking a dog.
鈥淐ats don鈥檛 like to be restrained, and you want to give them enough leeway so they never feel like they鈥檙e trapped,鈥� Yosh says. 鈥淵ou want to make sure the leash and harness move with the cat鈥檚 body. When I鈥檓 hiking with Simon, I always make sure I have a loose grip on the leash so he never feels constrained. Otherwise, your cat will resist you the entire time.
You鈥檒l have the most success if you allow your feline friend to take the lead.
鈥淵ou want to suggest things. You want to make cats think it鈥檚 their idea to go a certain way,鈥� Yosh says. 鈥淎nd cats are going to go at their own pace. They react to every noise, every butterfly and lizard.鈥�
He recommends that if you want to speed things up, you can use a pet-friendly backpack to carry your cat, or, as he does sometimes, have your cat rest across your back. That takes a lot of practice.
Ultimately, Chen and Yosh stress the importance of never forcing your cat into anything.
鈥淩unning around outdoors on a leash is not for every cat,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淵our cat may not like it, and you have to be okay with that conclusion.鈥�
My cats have improved my schedule, something everyone knows is essential to better recovery and running efficacy. Cats sleep about 12-20 hours a day. And even when they鈥檙e not sleeping, they enjoy mundane activities like looking out the window at birds, pacing the house, or batting around a toy mouse. My cats are usually conked out by 8 P.M., which honestly makes me a little sleepy, too. They encourage me to get to bed at a good hour.
Plus, cats make fantastic post-long run napping partners. Sometimes after I get home from an early morning workout, all I want to do is collapse on the floor and sleep. And your cat will absolutely join you, probably propping themselves right on your back and purring you into a lulled, wonderfully peaceful nap. They鈥檙e not interested in waking you up鈥攊n fact, they鈥檇 prefer if you just stayed right there all day and did nothing.
On the other side of the coin, cats will let you know when it鈥檚 time to start moving. They鈥檙e basically furry alarm clocks that wake you up early with pouncing and incessant meowing.聽
Cats are stretching experts. And whenever I lay my mat on the floor, my cats are there to see to it that I get the work done. They are avid participants in my routine, but less intrusive than perhaps a dog might be (whenever I try to stretch around my brother鈥檚 golden retriever, she winds up barreling me over thinking I want to play鈥攕orry Ruth!). They merely lay contorted in similar positions as you, occasionally climbing up onto your back and leaping nimbly off when you move. Not only does it make the whole process more fun, but it tremendously, which is especially useful after a run.聽聽
When I鈥檓 in a training block, I have a one-track mind. And sometimes, my obsession with splits and progress can take over until I inevitably hit a wall and burn myself out. But cats live life one paw at a time, with no agenda, schedule, or rush. I once watched my cat slowly stalk an ant for 15 straight minutes. Cats encourage you to take it easy, slow down, and examine your surroundings.
This applies to when you鈥檙e out on the trails together, too.
鈥淭he thing about dogs vs. cats is that dogs like to please their humans, whereas you need to please cats, so it鈥檚 a very different mindset,鈥� Yosh says. 鈥淭he whole time I have Simon, I鈥檓 taking care of him. With a cat, because you have to be so attentive to their needs, you become more mindful and respectful of what鈥檚 happening around you.鈥�
Yosh is so tuned-in to Simon that he can recognize a certain pitch in his meow that lets him know, if he鈥檚 on his back, that he needs to get down to go to the bathroom.聽
I think one of most misunderstood preconceived notions about cats is that they鈥檙e cold, disinterested, and unloving. Cats can definitely provide affection, loyalty, and support. shows they recognize behavioral shifts and mood changes, which is why my cats seem to flock to my lap when I鈥檓 stressed about a quick deadline or sit protectively at my feet if I鈥檓 sick in bed.
鈥淪imon definitely provides an extreme amount of emotional support,鈥� Yosh says. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 in a stressed mood, he鈥檒l come over to me and demand I pet him as a way to take focus on whatever is stressing me out. It鈥檚 sort of a reminder like, 鈥楬ey life might be hard, but you have me.鈥� That reassurance is so comforting.鈥�
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]]>Mount Everest鈥檚 Icefall Doctors, the workers who build and maintain the route through the Khumbu Glacier, pursue a livelihood rooted in tradition and danger
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]]>The helipad at the northern end of Mount Everest Base Camp was buzzing with energy when I arrived on a sunny Monday afternoon in mid-May. Men clad in DayGlo vests and hardhats chatted as the whine of a flying cargo drone echoed through the valley. A few hundred meters beyond, the massive Khumbu Icefall cascaded from the flanks of Mount Everest聽like a powerful waterfall, frozen in time.
This area is the staging zone for the drone operations of the so-called 鈥淚cefall Doctors,鈥� a team of mountain workers that build and maintain the route through the shifting Khumbu Icefall, the most dangerous section of the Everest climb. Before any climbers can venture onto the peak, these workers must ascend frozen cliffs and navigate a labyrinthian and alien landscape made of ice. They lay ladders across deep crevasses and place them on the sides of skyscraper-sized frozen blocks. They twist titanium ice screws into the frozen environment and string safety ropes through the glacier, up 1,300 vertical feet.
Their work creates the key artery that climbers and guides use to access the higher camps on the mountain. Perhaps no job on the mountain is more important鈥攜et more wrapped in paradox. On one hand, the job of the Icefall Doctors is changing with the influx of new technology and the swelling crowds on Mount Everest. On the other hand, perhaps no job on Mount Everest is as irreplaceable. The work they do must be done by hand, and with patience and attention to detail.
鈥淲ithout the Icefall Doctors, Everest is impossible,鈥� Jangbu Sherpa, whose official Icefall Doctor title is Second Leader, told聽国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淭he routes we open through the icefall, no other mountain guides can. They don鈥檛 have the courage.鈥�
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]]>From tanking to trout fishing, Nebraska鈥檚 water adventures are as fun as they come
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]]>Nebraska may be landlocked, but don鈥檛 let that fool you鈥攖his state is full of ways to make a splash. With designated Wild and Scenic rivers, trout-filled creeks, and scenic lakes, water plays a surprisingly central role in the Cornhusker State鈥檚 outdoor culture. Whether you’re floating in a cattle tank with friends, casting flies into spring-fed streams, or paddling through forested riverbanks, Nebraska serves up aquatic adventures that are anything but ordinary.
There are plenty of ways to get down a river, but the most Nebraska way is . All you need is a river, a livestock tank, a few friends, a couple hours鈥� worth of refreshments, some card games, and paddles. (Pro tip: Paddles can be substituted with a sense of zen-like acceptance.) Whether you鈥檙e steering or slacking, tanking is a quintessentially Cornhusker way to enjoy the river and its surrounding scenery. Tanking outfitters can be found wherever there are cows and rivers, but a trip down the gentle currents of the Calamus River in the Sandhills might be your best bet.
Extend your adventure: Experience winter tanking with the along the Middle Loup River in Mullen. This extremely competitive race usually takes place in March.
Nebraska鈥檚 518 miles of designated water trails make it a paddler鈥檚 paradise. Start by setting off down the . This 100-mile stretch of the Missouri, managed by the National Parks Service, is dotted with campable islands (permit required), old-growth forests, and abundant wildlife. Looking for whitewater? Hit the Niobrara River (mellow to sporty, depending on flow), which has its own 76-mile section of peaceful, protected river. And if you鈥檙e looking for some tranquil flatwater, retreat to the scenic bluffs of Lewis and Clark Lake.
Extend your adventure: Up for a real challenge? Take on the Dismal River in the Sandhills, nicknamed Divorce River and chronicled by 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Carson Vaughan in 2020 (still married).
Nebraska鈥檚 mightiest rivers might get all the attention, but the legendary waterways that carve their way through the state are far outnumbered by the creeks and streams that feed them. Unsurprisingly, these quieter tributaries offer excellent fly-fishing. East Verdigre Creek, tucked away in the state鈥檚 northeast corner, is a true gem. Its cold spring-fed waters are home to a well-stocked population of rainbow and brown trout, beginner-friendly fishing, and the kind of quiet surroundings anglers dream of. Long Pine Creek, located in the scenic Pine Ridge, is another well-loved trout fishery.
Extend your adventure: Achieve a Trout Slam by catching and releasing all four species of trout in Nebraska鈥攔ainbow, brown, cutthroat, and brook.
Things getting heated on the family road trip? Try an afternoon of tubing. There鈥檚 no better way to cool off on a hot summer鈥檚 day, and even though there鈥檚 no livestock tank involved, maybe everyone just needs some time to float their own way for a while. You鈥檒l find great local outfitters all along the banks of Nebraska鈥檚 79,000 river miles. For the best combination of convenience, scenery, and relaxation, down the Elkhorn River, outside of Omaha.
Fun fact: The Elkhorn River鈥檚 modern name comes from Lewis and Clark, who called it 鈥淐orne de Cerf.鈥�
All the water with no equipment required, unless you count bathing suits (park rangers sure do). Of Nebraska鈥檚 73 state parks and recreation areas, 29 offer swimming in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, or pools. Off I-80 near Lincoln, it鈥檚 easy to enjoy the cool waters and sandy beaches of or . As you travel west along the freeway, you鈥檙e never far from a beautiful park and refreshing water. Some highlights include , , and .
Extend your adventure: Ever gone scuba diving in Nebraska? Home to exceptionally clear waters, the is a popular spot for local divers.
The mission of Visit Nebraska is to expand Nebraska鈥檚 dynamic and diverse travel industry making it more viable by creating awareness, attracting increased visitors which results in greater tourism revenue and economic gain throughout the state. To learn more, go to .
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]]>Tyler Andrews shares details from his aborted attempt at the Mount Everest speed record. The American is making a second attempt at the FKT later this week.
The post Tyler Andrews Was Running to the Top of Mount Everest When a Crucial Piece of Gear Broke appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.
]]>It recently took me 25 minutes to walk a across Mount Everest Base Camp to the edge of the Khumbu Glacier to meet American ultrarunner Tyler Andrews.
I had to stop frequently along the rocky path鈥攚hich is at 17,500 feet above sea level鈥攖o cough and catch my breath. During the stroll I often thought about Andrews’ upcoming attempt to run from Base Camp to the summit of Mount Everest and back without using supplemental oxygen. Andrews’ goal is to break the current speed record for ascending the world’s highest peak without oxygen, which currently stands at 20 hours and 24 minutes.
The whole thing seemed crazy.
When I found Andrews, he and his pacing partner and close friend Chris Fisher were both sitting cross-legged on the floor of a large yellow tent on ether side of a large black exercise bike. Next to the bike stood a mini-fridge-sized medical device. Two plastic hoses snaked out from the base of the machine, across the tent floor, underneath the exercise bike, and up to two large masks attached to both men’s faces.
鈥淥ne hose puts out the hypoxic air, and the other one is basically the vent for the hyperoxic air,鈥� Andrews said through the mask. He was inhaling oxygen-rich air, recovering from one of his daily training sessions on the exercise bike. Fisher, meanwhile, was breathing in oxygen-deficient air to help with his acclimatization.
These devices are part of the infrastructure that Andrews has brought to Mount Everest to help him with his record. In addition to the machine, Andrews is going to need strong legs and, admittedly, better luck.
On May 10, Andrews made his first attempt at the record, but the ascent ended prematurely. Andrews and Fisher left late at night, sped through the Khumbu Icefall, and reached Camp I at 19,900 feet elevation in just 1 hour, 56 minutes. Less than an hour later, the duo reached Camp II at 21,000 feet.
鈥淚 was actually much warmer than I expected,鈥� Andrews said. 鈥淚 wore running shoes with MICROspikes and that was totally fine.鈥�
A fit Mount Everest climber takes two full days of hiking to reach Camp III at 23,600 feet. But Andrews reached the camp, at the top of the Lhotse Face, just 4 hours and 32 minutes after beginning his run. He was well on pace to break the record.
And that’s when calamity struck.
Andrews told me that, several months ago, he recorded a podcast with his father, who asked him what he worried about ahead of the Everest ascent.
“A month ago, my response was, ‘The thing I’m most stressed out about is that some weird little thing that has nothing to do with my fitness is gonna screw me up,'” Andrews said. “And that鈥檚 pretty much what happened.鈥�
At Camp III, Andrews changed his footwear, removing his running shoes and putting on heavy climbing boots for the remainder of the ascent. These boots, rated for 6,000 meters and above, have a hard plastic shell with an integrated gaiter that goes over the knee. Most boots of this style are either secured with buckles or zippers.
鈥淚t’s my big-mountain boot, and in the cold metal gets brittle,” Andrews said. “You know how those zippers can be super stiff. So, I was really yanking on it and the whole piece, the whole track broke right in half.鈥�
A broken boot at extreme altitude could lead to frostbite. Andrews and a member of his crew at Camp III attempted to fix the problem.
鈥淟uckily, the boot had a Velcro attachment at the top, so that was closed, but the rest was wide open,” he said. Andrews and his crew member then improvised another solution. “We took one of those Hyperlite bags鈥攜ou know, the super thin Teflon kind of bags鈥攁nd wrapped that around the gaiter,” he said. “I put my crampon over that, but the boot wasn’t closed. It was wide open.”
Stopping to try and fix the boot cost Andrews valuable energy and time. He set off for Camp IV, but the ad-hoc repair didn’t last for very long.
鈥淥nce I got up, I could feel my foot was getting wet,” Andrews said. To him, the chasing the record wasn’t worth, “Losing all my toes.鈥�
At 7 A.M. Andrews made the tough call to abandon the attempt. He shuffled down from 25,000 feet to Camp III and then on to Base Camp.
Andrews said his May 10 attempt gave him plenty of time to try it again. Andrews said he’s targeting Friday, May 23 for his next attempt at the Mount Everest record. You can
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I tried in this early window, so that we would have time for something聽weird and unexpected to happen,” he said.
We sat in the late morning sun, chatting as Andrews and Fischer pulled deep lungfuls of air through their masks. Andrews told me about a few future projects, and some of the pressure he鈥檚 been under after he launched his very public attempt to set the record on Mount Everest. The announcement set off an ultrarunning duel with one of his friends and mentors, Swiss-Equadorian athlete Karl Egloff, who is chasing the same record this season.
鈥淚’ve felt a lot of pressure for a lot of things in my career,” Andrews said. “Obviously, this is probably the biggest stage I’ve ever been on. But the last six months of training have gone so well that I know I can have a c-minus day and still take the record.鈥�
He’s continuing his daily training regimen at Base Camp: two hours of running plus two hours of riding the stationary bike while wearing the hypoxic mask.
He said the machine simulates the oxygen level at 36,000 feet鈥攚ell above the top of Mount Everest. That’s about the cruising altitude of a commercial jet.
I recently texted Andrews to see how his body was feeling after all of this preparation. 鈥淔antastic, much better than before attempt 1,” he replied.
Let鈥檚 hope his boots can keep up.
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]]>These hiking trails prove that there鈥檚 way more to see in Nebraska than prairie
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]]>If you鈥檝e ever thought something like, 鈥淚t鈥檚 just corn out there in Nebraska,鈥� we鈥檙e gonna enjoy telling you how wrong you are. Beneath its wide skies and quiet prairies lies a rugged and surprising variety of landscapes with trails galore. Whether you’re winding through ponderosa pine forests, trekking past otherworldly rock formations, or standing atop towering limestone bluffs, the Cornhusker State delivers big on adventure. From quick day hikes to multi-day treks, these five standout trails showcase the natural diversity that makes Nebraska a hidden gem for hikers of all kinds.
When you see the imposing formations of rise improbably out of the surrounding plains, you might get the impression they were hurled from the Rockies by some long-forgotten giant. The real answer involves less lore and more limestone, but the monument鈥檚 recent history is pretty interesting too: The towering formations have been important markers for both Native cultures and Western emigrants. Hike the moderately challenging 3.2-mile for a close-up view of the namesake bluff (including a tunnel through the rock) and sweeping views of the surrounding formations, towns, and plains.
Extend your adventure: Not done hiking? Hit the Turkey Run Trail in nearby .
This trail will knock the whole 鈥淣ebraska is flat鈥� notion right out of your head, one vertical foot at a time. Located in the , the has more than 4,500 vertical feet over its roughly 40 miles. The rollercoaster of an elevation profile travels through ponderosa pine forests, over creek beds and streams, up and down steep canyons, across scenic ridgelines and grasslands, and through some sections of wildfire regrowth. The trail鈥檚 length, scenery, and difficulty make for a great three-day backpacking trip. Shorter sojourns can be enjoyed from several access points.
Fun fact: The Pine Ridge is a 100-mile-long escarpment of sandstone bluffs and the main geologic feature of northwest Nebraska.
It鈥檚 fair if the moonlike hills and hoodoos of don鈥檛 fit your vision of Nebraska; they probably don鈥檛 fit your vision of Earth, either. Trek through the heart of the namesake toadstools and other unique badlands formations by setting out on the one-mile . It’s a short but unforgettable look at the amazing work of time and erosion, and it may even reveal a fossil or two. You鈥檒l also have an option to add on the three-mile (one-way) Bison Trail, which winds through badlands and canyons before opening into the wide expanse of the Oglala National Grassland.
Fun fact: The Bison Trail takes its name from the Bison antiquus, an extinct form of modern bison whose fossils can be seen at the park鈥檚 .
An oasis of woods and wildlife just south of Omaha, is home to 17 miles of easy and moderate hiking trails. The trails are marked out in short segments, most of which are less than a mile. This allows lovers of adventure and/or paper maps to choose their mileage by combining segments through wetlands, past waterfalls, over ridgetops, and along the Missouri River. A $15 day fee helps support area conservation efforts, like the raptor conservation and education program.
Extend your adventure: Your day pass also grants access to the , north of Omaha.
Dedicated peak baggers might think of as more of a walk than a hike, but when you retreat to this shady Shangri-La on a hot summer day, you won鈥檛 care. Enjoy a peaceful stroll through the canopied woods on the bluffs of the Platte River, choosing between a 1.5- or three-mile loop and adding the short River View Trail. The longer loop is especially cool, featuring a unique suspension bridge that travels over a leafy creekbed canyon. The park is popular with local runners thanks to the gentle terrain and shady trails.
Extend your adventure: The Schramm Education Center has aquariums and exhibits with more than 60 species of freshwater fish, invertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians found in Nebraska.
The mission of Visit Nebraska is to expand Nebraska鈥檚 dynamic and diverse travel industry making it more viable by creating awareness, attracting increased visitors which results in greater tourism revenue and economic gain throughout the state. To learn more, go to .
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]]>Learn more about Trail Karma, 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 groundbreaking give-back program with Gaia GPS, launching on our partner mapping platform now with Toyota鈥檚 sponsorship of the following 20 standout trails across the U.S.
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]]>A relentless explorer and celebrated TV host, Lin has built his on-camera identity on movement, resilience, and inspiration. But on a volcano in Ecuador鈥攕urrounded by fellow amputees鈥攈e finally lets himself be seen.
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]]>With all the expeditions he鈥檚 been a part of, all the technology he鈥檚 developed, all the discoveries he鈥檚 covered, I鈥檓 used to Albert Lin being one of the more interesting people in a room鈥攐r even the most well-known. But walking down the street in Quito, Ecuador, I didn鈥檛 realize he was this famous.
We are headed to a coffee shop when a woman with her son recognizes him and hollers out the window of her car.
鈥淓xcuse me!鈥� she says. 鈥淲e know you!鈥�
She barely comes to a stop before getting out to take a picture, but in her hurry forgets to take the car out of gear. It lurches forward, and she dives back in to put it in park.
Fifteen minutes later, a young woman approaches to ask for a picture and tell Lin how much she loves his National Geographic TV show, Lost Cities, in which he goes looking for archaeological evidence of vanished civilizations. In fact, she wants to show him exactly which episode she just watched.
This happens pretty often in Central and South America. Lin has done a lot of work here. Unlike the programs that dominate cable TV by rehashing tired mysteries or paranormal encounters, Lin鈥檚 show lives in the freshly turned soil of archaeological inquiry. He鈥檚 usually sharing new findings during an episode about, say, the empires that once encompassed Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru. Often, those findings show that ancient civilizations were a lot more sophisticated than we thought. His work helps dignify Indigenous history. But it鈥檚 not just that.
He played the part of a motivational icon, because being inspirational was how he moved through the world.
Before getting coffee, Lin toured the (ROMP) building, a converted split-level with balance bars in the living room and plaster dust floating out of a backyard workshop. That鈥檚 where a team of prosthetists uses recycled parts to design and build custom devices for amputees all over South America. Lin is himself an amputee and came to Ecuador as part of clothing brand Cotopaxi鈥檚 sponsorship of ROMP鈥檚 annual mountain climb fundraiser.
He shook a lot of hands at ROMP. He jogged with people testing out their聽 carbon fiber running blades. He played the part of a motivational icon, because being inspirational was how he moved through the world. Sometimes, it could be a little much.
鈥淵ou know how some people lose their shit when they meet Taylor Swift?鈥� sobbed L茅a Richer, a United States鈥揵ased prosthetist, when she met him. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e been my Taylor Swift for years.鈥�
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]]>The campsite reservation platform just added thousands of RV parks, camping resorts, and private campgrounds to its inventory
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]]>I was flummoxed, frustrated, and frantic.
It was the spring of 2024, and like millions of Americans, I was searching for a campsite 聽ahead of Memorial Day Weekend. I opened several dozen web browser windows on my laptop and pinged between websites like Recreation.gov, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a regional RV resort finder, and yes, even Google Maps. If only there was an easier way to do this,聽I thought.
Memories of my campground folly came to mind during a recent call with 聽the founder and CEO of Hipcamp, an online campground reservation website. This Tuesday, May 20, Hipcamp launched the solution I so desperately needed: the company’s new smartphone app, which tracks more than half a million campsites
“I think we’ve built the best tool for finding and booking campsites that has ever existed,” Ravasio told 国产吃瓜黑料“Before this, there wasn’t one platform that had them all.”
For 2025 has expanded its reach to 565,000 total campsites on its mobile app and website. This represents a two-fold expansion for sites available on Hipcamp.com, and five-fold growth for campsite inventory on the Hipcamp mobile application.
Yep鈥攏o more scrolling between browser windows. It’s all in one place now.
Hipcamp accomplished this massive expansion by adding thousands of RV parks, camping resorts, and off-the-beaten-path private campgrounds to its existing inventory of public and private campgrounds. According to data provided by the company, Hipcamp added 250,000 private campsites and 50,000 public ones in its latest expansion.
It’s as if you combined Airbnb, VRBO, and Hotels.com into one website and smartphone app.
“From National Parks to land trusts to blueberry farms,” Ravasio said.
You can’t book all of these campgrounds directly through the app鈥攆or some, clicking on the campground icon will take you to a booking website (such as Recreation.gov campsites).
But crucial information like real-time date availability, location, and even campground infrastructure is displayed.
“Camping has been a fragmented industry and it has made campsite research extremely hard,” Ravasio shared.聽 “We set out to become the one-stop destination for finding campsites, and it took longer than I anticipated.”
I recently watched Travis Green, the company’s head of product, demo the new app, and it’s very similar to the old model. You plug in your region, dates, and type of campsite (tent, RV, glamping) and then add any amenities (pet-friendly, shower, hot tub, etc) and the Hipcamp app pulls up a scrollable map with various campsites and prices on it.
As I watched the demo, I marveled at the dozens of campground pins that popped up in just one section of California near Yosemite National Park.
“Previously you’d see a lot fewer pins on the map,” Green said. “Now we show you everything.”
Another new amenity: Hipcamp shows campsite availability data on public campgrounds from Recreation.gov and from state agencies that manage campgrounds. Previously these campgrounds would appear on the app, but you had to click through to the other websites to see whether or not they were booked.
You still have to click through to Recreation.gov or to state agencies to book some public campgrounds.
The release marks a major milestone in the company’s history. Ravasio founded Hipcamp in 2013 after seeing the need for a platform that aggregates campground availability. By the end of Hipcamp’s first calendar year, it had 2,000 campsites under its umbrella.
“I was like, ‘wait, why is it so much easier to find a hotel room than a campsite?'” Ravasio said. “The outdoors deserves modern high-quality tools that improve the user experience.”
In 2019, the company scored a major victory when the federal government, through its contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, agreed to share data with 100,000 campsites from Recreation.gov, the national booking website.
Ravasio believes the recent expansion comes at a critical time for American campers. Budget cuts to the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management has left millions wondering if campsites will receive the regular service and maintenance they typically get during the busy spring and summer months.
Public campgrounds often fill up well in advance of busy holiday weekends. The new app聽may help campers locate private campgrounds that sometimes fall through the cracks.
“We’re hoping that by unifying all of the campsites, this tool gives campers the ability to spread out and find places they didn’t know about before,” Ravasio said. “Public land is the backbone of outdoor recreation. But these mom and pop campsites鈥攚e’re so excited to give them a chance to connect with campers.”
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]]>Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, who helped launch the Public Lands Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, disagrees with plans to sell off federal land
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]]>On May 7, Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican congressman from Montana, and Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico, stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building to announce a new voting bloc within the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at protecting public lands.
Called the , the group includes 14 congressmen and women鈥攕even Democrats and seven Republicans鈥攁nd, according to the announcement, aims to “conserve natural resources while supporting recreation, local economies, and public access.”
The future health of America’s public lands is something that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should care about, Zinke stated.
“This is not a Republican or Democrat or a red or a blue issue,” He told 国产吃瓜黑料.“This is a red, white, and blue issue.鈥�
The new caucus represents a bold step for Zinke, 63, as it may put him at odds with the policy push of his former boss, President Donald Trump. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, oversaw the Department of the Interior for two years during Trump’s first administration. The department oversees the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management, among other agencies.
During his stint, Zinke was often criticized by environmental groups for to Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument.聽国产吃瓜黑料 profiled Zinke in 2017.
But Zinke said he disagrees with some of the Trump Administration’s latest policies on public lands. Since the start of 2025, the Trump Administration has made dramatic staff and budget cuts to these agencies, and rolled back environmental protections to public land. The administration’s proposed 2026 budget calls for the transfer of some National Park sites from federal to state management. And the administration has also floated around Western cities or National Parks to help pay for the president’s domestic agenda.
鈥淭he idea that you’re going to sell public land to get out of debt is folly,” Zinke told 国产吃瓜黑料. “But I’m always open to looking at ways to better manage them.鈥�
Zinke added, “I’m not in favor of selling or transferring public land.”
Instead, Zinke told 国产吃瓜黑料 that his vision for public land management comes from the forefathers of the U.S. National Parks.
鈥淎bout 120 years ago, the great ones鈥擱oosevelt, Muir, Gifford Pinchot鈥攖hey had a vision for the West, to preserve and protect, that gave us so much of the outdoor experiences that we now enjoy,鈥� Zinke said. 鈥淭he challenge today is how do we manage the next 100 years, given the new challenges we face?鈥�
Zinke said he believes in a “multi-use model” for public land that balances conservation, recreation, and yes, even resource extraction and development.
For example, Zinke, while he was Secretary of the Department of the Interior, oversaw an expansion and upgrade to staff housing inside Yellowstone National Park. Zinke told 国产吃瓜黑料 that the development was the 鈥渉ighest and best use鈥� for the public land on which it was built.
鈥淚t relieves a lot of the pressure on local communities when park employees, particularly seasonal, can live on campus,鈥� he said.
But Zinke added that the plan succeeded because it followed a well-defined political process that included a public comment period, sign-off by state and local officials, and even congressional notification.
“There’s a process because public lands belong to the American public,” he said.
Protection of public lands has become a hot-button topic in American politics, and over the years some communities and states have pushed back on U.S. Presidents for setting aside swaths of land as national monuments or wildlife refuges.
Zinke believes this frustration stems from leaders taking a hard line on environmental protection. Plans that forbid resource extraction or timber harvesting often leave the financial health of adjacent communities out of the decision.
“There’s a lot of anger out there of looking at our natural resources and mostly being blocked from a multiple-use model,” he said.
Zinke also believes public anger toward public land policies can be traced to the overlapping jurisdictional patchwork, which is something he wants the Public Land Caucus to streamline.
He asked聽国产吃瓜黑料 to envision a river surrounded by U.S. National Forest that flows into a dam.
“The trout are managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Fish and Wildlife; the salmon are managed by the Department of Commerce through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association; the forest is managed by the Department of Agriculture through the U.S. Forest Service,” he said. “The dam, which controls the flow of water, the temperature, and the riparian banks, is either managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.”
Should the local population want to repair a dam across the river, they would need to go through four separate governmental departments.
“The result is nothing gets done and we drown in bureaucracy,” he said.
But the most pressing issue for U.S. public lands is still the policy changes being driven by the Trump Administration. Zinke said the National Parks face a brain drain after losing several thousand employees this year due to layoffs and buyouts.
The National Parks Conservation Association estimates that 2,400 to 2,500 NPS staff have accepted voluntary buyouts or early retirements since January.聽鈥淭he people that are retiring are your senior leaders that have a lot of experience,鈥� said Zinke.
But Zinke also said he believes some of the largest U.S. National Parks are adequately staffed for 2025. 鈥淎t Yellowstone, the numbers of seasonal and permanent [employees] are the highest ever,鈥� Zinke said.
Zinke also called the proposed 2026 plan for the NPS鈥攖o trim $1.2 billion from its $4.8 billion annual spend鈥攁 “skinny budget.”
“My concern as a former Navy SEAL and Secretary of the Interior is to make sure the front line is healthy,” he said. “That’s our National Parks and forests.”
What he鈥檚 not satisfied with is the idea of selling or transferring federal public lands, both of which have recently been proposed by the Trump Administration. Zinke points to Little Bighorn Battlefield, a National Monument.
鈥淚t just so happens to be in Montana,鈥� Zinke said, 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a national treasure.鈥�
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