Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I鈥檒l admit, I鈥檓 biased toward lush tropical landscapes, like Tahiti, and rugged stretches of coast, such as Vancouver Island, British Columbia. But there鈥檚 something magical about the endless expanse of badlands or a snowcapped mountain reflected in an azure alpine lake. So they made my list of the most beautiful places on earth.

I鈥檝e done a lot of globe-trotting in my decade as a travel journalist. When 国产吃瓜黑料 asked me to consider writing about the most beautiful wild places on earth, I immediately thought of Lagoa das Sete Cidades in the Azores, green-blue twin lakes within a crater, and the Na Pali Coast of Kauai, with emerald cliffs that tumble steeply to the sea.

But these places are already on most people鈥檚 radar, and the last thing I want is to contribute to overtourism. Instead, I came up with a list of stunning, lesser-known destinations that are also full of adventure potential. You鈥檙e going to be amazed.

I purposely highlighted more sites close to home to make this list accessible.听My biggest tip is to live in the moment when visiting these places鈥攐r any place that bowls you over. You can鈥檛 experience it fully if you鈥檙e glued behind your camera, shooting images to share. Here are my picks for the most beautiful places on earth.

1. Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah

Why It Wows: Utah has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to otherworldly rocky landscapes, but the geologic amphitheater that is steals the show (entrance fee from $15). Rich mineral deposits in the cliffs and hoodoos resemble a sweeping sunset of orange, yellow, red, and purple. During July and early August, some 250-plus species of wildflowers bloom, creating a Technicolor landscape.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Tucked in the mountains 20 miles east of Cedar City, this three-mile-long cirque gets a sliver of the foot and vehicle traffic seen at nearby Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks but offers just as many options for outdoor lovers. Because it鈥檚 located at an elevation of 10,000 feet, summer temperatures are comfortable, with highs hovering around 70 degrees.

Hikes range from the ADA-compliant, two-mile round-trip , which skirts part of the rim overlooking the amphitheater, to the 12.8-mile Rattlesnake Creek Trail, a two- to three-day hike in the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness that drops into the amphitheater.

Five miles north, is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream, with more than 100 miles of downhill singletrack and 100 miles of cross-country trails.

Stargazers know Cedar Breaks as a designated International Dark Sky Park. Every Sunday and Saturday from late May through early October, the monument offers free four-hour astronomy tours at the North View Overlook.

2. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta

Why It Wows: Often referred to as Banff National Park鈥檚 lesser-known sister, this 76,800-acre patch of wilderness in the Canadian Rockies is the epitome of postcard perfection, with its snow-crowned peaks, sparkling alpine lakes, glacial streams, and evergreen valleys. In autumn the park is most dazzling, when larches鈥� needles turn gold and the trees are reflected in the lakes.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: , 85 miles southwest of Calgary, is one of Canada鈥檚 most accessible parks, with multiple barrier-free trails wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs (entrance fee from $12).

Stay at , fresh off a $6 million renovation (from $21 for a campsite; from $31 for a cabin). It overlooks Lower Kananaskis Lake, prioritizes people with disabilities and seniors, and features 22 accessible cottages, plus 13 campsites, and 11 miles of accessible trails on-site.

The park is full of hiking and mountain-biking trails, as well as seven miles of paved biking paths. In fall, check out Elephant Rocks and Chester Lake via when it鈥檚 positively ablaze with yellow larches. In winter, bring along your cross-country-ski gear and spend a day on the park鈥檚 more than 50 miles of groomed trails.

In the area without your outdoor essentials? rents everything from canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards to e-bikes and full-suspension mountain bikes.

3. Lefkada Island, Greece

Why It Wows: Sea and sky meld together in an ombr茅 of blues on this under-the-radar Ionian isle. Chalky cliffs and white-sand and pebble beaches also woo those in the know, but the interior is just as wondrous, filled with a dense forest of ancient oak, dramatic gorges, and tumbling waterfalls.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: A five-hour drive west of Athens, Lefkada is one of the few Greek islands that doesn鈥檛 require a boat to reach鈥攊t鈥檚 connected to the mainland by a bridge. A playground for recreationists, you can spend days and biking its trails, or opt for guided or self-guided e-bike excursions with .

Windsurfers and kitesurfers head to Vasiliki, Ai Gianni, and Myli beaches. , in the village of Vasiliki, rents equipment and provides lessons. All of the beaches are stunners, but Egremni, on the southwest coast, is widely considered the prettiest in the country. Surrounded by limestone cliffs, you must hike a steep trail from the parking lot, then descend more than 300 stairs to reach the sand. Trust me, the effort is worth it.

4. Shariqiya Sands, Oman

Why It Wows: Stark and remote, this seemingly endless stretch of rippling, wind-sculpted dunes spans 5,000 square miles of Oman, a small sultunate on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The highest dunes鈥攕ome as tall as 330 feet鈥攁re found closest to the coast. But the big reason to see these ever-shifting sands is to witness the mesmerizing way they change color from pale gold in the afternoon to deep amber and copper as the blazing sun cuts across the sky.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: A three-hour drive south from the capital city of Muscat, this desert was recently renamed the Sharqiya Sands to reflect its geographic location more accurately (sharqiya comes from the Arabic word for 鈥渆astern鈥�), but everybody still refers to the area by its former name, Wahiba Sands, a nod to the region鈥檚 Bani Wahiba tribe.

, an Oman adventure specialist with 17 years of experience in the country, sets up mobile camps deep within the desert and can arrange activities like sandboarding, camel safaris, dune driving, and visits with local Bedouin families (from $6,234 per couple for two nights, all-inclusive). Bonus: the lack of light pollution means campers are treated to incredibly clear, diamond-studded night skies.

5. Las Coloradas Lagoon, Yucat谩n, Mexico

Why It Wows: These glimmering cotton-candy-colored lakes pop against a backdrop of powdery white-sand beaches and pastel blue skies within the protected reserve of the R铆a Lagartos Biosphere. The lagoons get their blush tint from the plankton, red algae, and brine shrimp that thrive in the super salty waters.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The biosphere is off the beaten path鈥攁round three and a half hours from major tourist hubs like M茅rida, Canc煤n, and Playa del Carmen鈥攁nd area accommodations are limited. Your best bets for an overnight stay are , a four-room, family-run eco-lodge in the reserve that also offers tours (from $95), or the in the sleepy nearby fishing town of R铆o Lagartos (from $66).

The biosphere is a birding paradise, home to 380 species, including 30,000 flamingoes that match the water. It鈥檚 also possible to spot spider monkeys, coatis, and jaguars, and from April and October, hawksbill and green turtles lay their eggs on the shores. Book a tour at the reserve鈥檚 visitor center for a better understanding of this ecosystem, but don鈥檛 plan on swimming here; as tempting as it might be to dive into the pink waters, the activity is prohibited, due to the high salinity and because the salt is harvested there for consumption.

6. Rio Sucuri, Brazil

Why It Wows: Eleven miles outside Bonito, the self-declared ecotourism capital of Brazil, you’ll find Rio Sucuri, whose Avatar-blue waters are considered some of the clearest on the planet. Set against the lush jungle, its spring-fed waters glow a surreal electric blue.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Bonito is located in the central-western state of Mato Grosso do Sul. It takes some effort to reach. After an approximate two-hour nonstop flight from S茫o Paulo to Campo Grande, it鈥檚 a three-and-a-half hour drive to Bonito; from there, the access point to Rio Sucuri is another 12 miles away.

and (from $160 and $160, respectively) are both great boutique stays around 50 minutes away, set on the banks of the Rio Formoso, another pristine, spring-fed waterway.

Rio Sucuri has been developed as an ecotourism project and can only be experienced with a guide. To reach the river鈥檚 headwaters, it鈥檚 a quarter-mile walk through the forest to a reception area at the S茫o Geraldo ranch, which outfits everyone with a wetsuit and snorkel gear. Then you鈥檒l board a boat for the quick ride upstream, where you鈥檒l jump in and allow the gentle current to drift you back, lazy-river style.

You鈥檒l no doubt spy pacu (a vegetarian piranha) and red-tailed pirapitanga darting between swaying emerald-green grasses. With exceptional visibility, you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e floating in an aquarium.

7. Pico Ruivo, Madeira, Portugal

Why It Wows: Topping out at nearly 6,110 feet, Pico Ruivo is the third-highest point in Portugal and the tallest peak in the archipelago of Madeira. From the top, you鈥檙e rewarded with panoramic vistas of the entire archipelago.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Two trails lead to the summit. (PR 1.2) is the more direct route; it climbs 1.7 miles to the viewpoint. The more scenic path, however, is the 3.3-mile (one-way) (PR 1.1). Many consider this the most spectacular hike in all of Madeira. It crosses the island鈥檚 central massif, tunnels through volcanic tufts that once sheltered shepherds, and heads up steep slopes home to colossal urzes trees.

That said, it鈥檚 a test-your-mettle trek. Rise early to score parking at the trailhead at Pico Areeiro, the archipelago鈥檚 third-highest peak, and catch the sunrise before heading out.

8. Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania, Australia

Why It Wows: The second-greatest expanse of cool temperate rainforest in the world could easily have been the inspiration for Fern Gully. Filtered light dances through the canopy of massive eucalyptus and leatherwoods, and velvety moss seems to cover everything. Hugging the island鈥檚 rugged northwest coast, the 900-plus-square-mile area boasts wild, remote beaches and sand dunes, waterfalls, and numerous sinkholes.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The coastal village of Arthur River is a good jumping-off point for forest and beach adventures, or base yourself at , 67 miles south, for immediate access to river activities (from $176). The hotel has a fleet of 16 canoes and kayaks to rent, and from there it鈥檚 a three-hour paddle down Pieman River to 130-foot-tall Lover鈥檚 Falls.

Hikes through this 65-million-year-old rainforest are magical. Tackle the 5.5-mile, out-and-back Whyte River and Savage River Trail, keeping an eye out for wallabies, pademelons, and platypuses, which tend to be more active at dawn and dusk. Eco-outfitter runs four-, five-, and six-day hiking and camping expeditions to the region鈥檚 most incredible spots.

9. The Sermilik Fjord, Greenland

Why It Wows: This 50-mile-long fjord in eastern Greenland spans is a frozen wonderland of luminous blue crystal cliffs, calving glaciers, and a flotilla of colossal icebergs.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Most visitors explore eastern Greenland by ship, but I like 鈥� new, climate-friendly, human-powered itinerary ($6,750 for eight days). You鈥檒l explore the region on foot or by kayak, and sleep in tents and cabins. Inuit hunter and guide Jokum Heimer Mikaelsen, along with a guide from the Greenland mountaineering company , lead hikes up small mountains, into ice caves, and across glaciers and offer insight on how Native people forage on the tundra.

Powderhounds can discover the slopes on a ski-tour trip with (from $4,910 for eight days). Dogsleds and local boats are used to access different terrain each day.

10. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico

Why It Wows: These sprawling badlands look like a high-desert fantasy world dreamt up by Salvador Dal铆. Shaped by wind and erosion, the hoodoos create a natural sculpture park, with rock formations resembling alien eggs and manta ray wings.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Two trailheads access the area鈥檚 43,420 acres, both located less than an hour鈥檚 drive south of Farmington, New Mexico, or 90-minute drive south of Durango, Colorado. The Bisti Trail on the west side is the main portal and most popular, thanks to its moonscape-like terrain.

The De-Na-Zin Trail on the southeast side features less of the classic badlands topography but is still wildly beautiful. It starts out in sagebrush, transitions to juniper and eventually badlands studded with huge petrified logs and eroded cliffs and mesas.

Most visitors head to Instagram-sensation attractions like the Bisti Wings. But Stan Allison, an outdoor-recreation planner at the BLM Farmington Field Office, recommends a more exploratory approach. 鈥淢any of the unnamed areas have features that are just as interesting as the named ones,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 navigate by following the normally dry arroyos and then veering off or up side drainages when I see interesting features.鈥�

Wheeled vehicles are not allowed on BLM land, and there are no designated hiking trails, so be sure to download a topographic map of your route to a well-charged phone ahead of your visit, because cell signals can be spotty. This is an area where packing a paper map and compass is also a smart idea.

Or considered a guided visit. The wilderness boundaries overlap parcels of private Navajo land, and offers five-hour trips that delve into the history of the area and its cultural significance to Indigenous people.

11. Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique

Why It Wows: I visited this archipelago of five dune islands almost a decade ago, and from the plane, they looked听like a white-and-aquamarine swirl-art painting. A designated national park, the marine life in its protected waters is as incredible as the powder-fine beaches. The archipelago lays claim to the second most diverse coral reefs in the world and supports over 2,000 species of fish, and on dive and snorkel excursions I听saweverything from vivid corals and manta rays to reef sharks and even the endangered dugong.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The large coastal town of Vilanculos is the gateway to this cluster of islands, which can be reached by air via or by boat (most hotels provide complimentary boat transfers).

Bazaruto and Benguerra islands offer next-level offshore snorkeling and diving opportunities, as well as hiking/biking to听 crocodile-filled inland lakes surrounded by towering sand dunes. It鈥檚 worth splurging on a stay at or , both barefoot-luxe eco-hotels on Benguerra Island (from $5,744 and $1,108, respectively). The resorts can organize sailing excursions on traditional dhow boats, kitesurfing lessons, kayak trips through mangroves, whale-watching excursions between July and October, and scuba-dive outings to famed sites like Two Mile Reef, accompanied by research scientists.

12. Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Why It Wows: Reminiscent of the wild beauty of Hawaii Island, this district in Japan鈥檚 southernmost island, Kyushu, has 250 miles of surf-blessed coast, active volcanic craters, and wild horses. More than 75 percent of the mountainous interior is covered with forests dotted with sacred shrines and cascading waterfalls.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Located on the east coast of Kyushu, Miyazaki is about a 90-minute flight from Tokyo鈥檚 Haneda Airport or a 60-minute flight from Osaka鈥檚 Itami Airport. Legendary waterman Kelly Slater has pilgrimaged here to ride waves, a testament to the area鈥檚 surf cred. The guide company offers surf trips led by local pros, and if you鈥檙e experienced, they鈥檒l lead you to a secret big-wave spot that breaks from August to October.

A visit to Cape Toi, Miyazaki鈥檚 southernmost point, is a must. The scenery is straight out of a fairytale, with a seemingly endless panorama of sapphire ocean, a forest of rare, native sago palms, and 100 wild horses called Misaki-uma, considered a national treasure. Even cooler: you can camp here, at the (from $20).

13. Lake Willoughby, Vermont

Why It Wows: Nicknamed America鈥檚 Lucerne, this five-mile-long, glacier-carved lake is sandwiched between the fjord-like peaks of Mounts Pisgah and Hor. The water is remarkably clear, and come fall, it takes on the autumnal hues of the surrounding foliage鈥攁 gorgeous sight.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Situated in the heart of Vermont鈥檚 rural Northeast Kingdom, Willoughby State Forest encircles the lake’s southern end and is webbed with 12 miles of hiking trails. is a 2.5-mile out-and-back route with fantastic lake views.

Summer is the most popular season for boating, paddleboarding, and kayaking, and public beaches on its north and south ends are popular with swimmers and sun seekers (note that the latter is clothing optional). Willoughby is also a haven for anglers who come to hook jumbo trout and salmon. (Willoughby Lake Store, near Westmore, sells bait.) Visibility is so good some people even scuba dive here.

On the south side of the lake, the family-run has tent sites, RV hookups, and waterfront cabins, plus an on-site caf茅 and country store, plus kayak, canoe, and SUP rentals (from $38).

Jen Murphy is 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥�s travel-advice columnist and a frequent contributor to the magazine. She dreams of returning to the Bazaruto Archipelago to dive its clear waters, and a camping trip in the desert of Oman is on her wish list.听

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One of Canada’s most popular national parks has been evacuated due to encroaching wildfires.

On Monday, July 22, the Canadian government ordered 4,700 residents living in Jasper National Park to flee, as flames from the Semo Complex Fire, roared into the area. Jasper National Park is located in western Alberta, along the province’s border with British Columbia, and the reserve encompasses large swaths of the Canadian Rockies.

According to multiple reports, the order to flee caught residents by surprise鈥攎ost live in the town of Jasper, which is located inside the park. The blaze cut off a number of escape routes in Alberta, forcing evacuees to flee to the west into neighboring British Columbia.

The order came after multiple conflagrations and thick smoke spread across the region from the mega-fire, which is a union of several smaller blazes that have burned a total of 237,221 acres in Alberta and British Columbia. Currently, Canadian firefighting officials consider the Semo Complex Fire to be “out of control.” There are more than 160 wildfires raging in Alberta as of Monday.

“One wildfire is approximately 12 kilometers (seven-and-a-half miles) south of Jasper on both sides of the river and wind may exacerbate the situation,” Mike Ellis, Alberta’s minister of public safety and emergency services, said during a news conference on July 23.

On Monday, escaping tourists and locals posted messages to social media that had tones of both confusion and frustration.听Escape routes were narrowed to single lanes in places and traffic slowed to a crawl amid the chaos.

鈥淐rawling out of town. It鈥檚 been smoky all day ash started appearing 9p,鈥� Jack Kearney, a videographer from New York, posted on X. 鈥淚n a lodge full of tourists we didn鈥檛 get a heads up from staff. Most of us weren鈥檛 sure what to do.鈥�

Carolyn Campbell, the president of the local Edmonton Community College, wrote on X that after nearly three hours of driving, she’d crossed just four miles due to traffic jams. 鈥淲e heard mobile gas stations are being set up, we鈥檙e ok but we know friends are almost out of gas, and folks are sharing same.鈥澨齭he wrote.

Stephanie Goetz, an Ontario resident, was on vacation in the national park when she awoke to a notification on her phone. “It was absolutely shocking. We didn’t realize how close it was to Jasper,” she told the . “When we were stopped, there was tons of cars behind us. And really realizing how close those cars had been to that fire … There’s a much larger fire south of us. I can’t imagine how that’s going to impact Jasper.”

Alberta residents are no strangers to wildfire, and over the years the province has seen multiple mega-fires rage across its borders. In 2016 a raging fire forced the evacuation of Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta鈥�88,000 people had to flee oncoming flames, the largest evacuation in Alberta’s history. The fire eventually burned more than 2,000 homes and buildings.

In recent years wildfire has had dramatic impacts across Canada.听After smoke from the worst fire season in Canadian history poured into the Eastern United States in 2023, warned that this current year could see even more wildfire activity.

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Canada is having a record-breaking wildfire season, with an astounding 4,241-wildland fires breaking out since the beginning of 2023. More than 12 million hectares of land has burned so far, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC), which mobilizes firefighting resources across the country.

In June, the majority of fires were impacting the eastern provinces, with more than 14,000 people evacuated in Quebec province alone. As of the end of July, the fires in the east are largely contained, but British Columbia, on the west coast, is now seeing an increase, with 440 active fires. Three hikers were rescued from the summit of Mount Bruce in southeastern B.C. by a passing tour helicopter Monday after a fire started on the peak.

Sadly, the end is nowhere in sight. Canada鈥檚 wildland fire season typically continues into October, and 1,074 fires are currently active coast to coast.

鈥淪ince the start of the season, we’ve experienced hot, dry, and windy conditions in many parts of the country,鈥� says Jennifer Kamau, communications manager for CIFFC, of the conducive conditions. 鈥淲e expect these conditions to persist.鈥�

Yet there is a silver lining: the vast majority of Canada鈥檚 epic national park system has been untouched by wildland fires. Besides British Columbia, the majority of active fires are in the remote northern sections of Canada鈥攕uch as the Northwest Territories and Nunavut 鈥攚hile most units in its national park system run along the south and central portions of each province.

According to Parks Canada, there was only one active fire鈥攁 small one in Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta鈥攚ithin a Canadian National Park at press time. Fire bans are only being implemented on a localized, case-by-case basis across the parks.

鈥淚t鈥檚 business as usual for us,鈥� says Jorg Wilz, owner of , a guide company that leads multi-day adventures in Banff, Jasper, Glacier, Kootenay, and Yoho National Parks, all in the Rocky Mountains. 鈥淓ven the air quality has been good. We鈥檝e had summers in the past where fires were close to the parks and the smoke was difficult, but that鈥檚 not the case this summer. We haven鈥檛 had any bad air quality days or road closures. We haven鈥檛 had to cancel or alter any trips.鈥�

All of that is good news if you鈥檙e planning to explore one or more of Canada鈥檚 national parks this summer, as long as you remember the fickle nature of wildfires. 鈥淔ire highly depends on the weather, so the situation on the ground can evolve quickly depending on the conditions,鈥� says Kamau. Winds can shift and alter a park鈥檚 air quality overnight as well.

Keep on top of the situation鈥攁ccording to CIFFS, nine new fires started across Canada today鈥攂y monitoring CIFFS鈥檚 of the wildfires across Canada. also offers updated smoke forecasts and fire-related weather info. Each park鈥檚 home page has a link to alerts and restrictions like campfire bans in the park you鈥檙e planning to visit.

Where to Go in Canada Right Now

Looking to explore our neighbor to the north and need some inspiration? Canada鈥檚 park system is expansive, with 47 different units spread across 13 provinces and territories. Here are three suggestions to get you started.

1. Jasper National Park, Alberta

The largest national park in Canada, Jasper encompasses 2,774,500 acres of the Rocky Mountains, including the Columbia Icefield, a 125-square-mile collection of glaciers split between Jasper Banff national parks. Drive the Icefield Parkway, between Lake Louise and the border of Jasper, for great views of the spectacle. Or check out the backcountry hike, a 2.8-mile loop hitting a handful of ponds amidst the evergreen forest.

2. Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia

Forested canyons drop to the sea at , which protects a rugged mix of mountains and coast on the seafaring Nova Scotia province. Sample the 180-mile Cabot Trail, a mix of roadways and short hikes with non-stop views of the coast and fishing villages surrounding the park.

3. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario

envelopes the Niagara Escarpment, a tangle of forested ridgelines, caves, cliffs, and the turquoise water of Lake Huron in southern Ontario. There鈥檚 plenty to see inside The Bruce, but head straight for The Grotto, a collection of carved limestone rocks and caves that extend down to Lake Huron鈥檚 Georgian Bay. Plan ahead and make for parking.

Campfire Safety

Be a good guest in Canada鈥檚 national parks. Parks Canada recommends campers bring an emergency kit, know how to exit the park in an evacuation, and note the local or park emergency number for reporting a fire. No fireworks or sparklers; make sure safety chains on trailers are off the ground; and never drop or throw matches, cigarettes, or any other burning substance on the ground. See campfire safety tips 听and information on fire bans

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He lives in the very wet Southern Appalachians, where wildfires are rare, though they occur on occasion. He understands they鈥檙e no joke; while living in San Diego years ago, he saw the flames of a wildfire on the horizon west of the city, and watched ash fall like snow in his front yard. He鈥檚 hoping for safe outcomes for people in Canada.

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Will Gadd is stoked to visit North Carolina.听The 52-year-old world-class ice climber听travels all over the globe to send the tallest, gnarliest frozen lines imaginable鈥攁nd sure, North Carolina is not听typically听considered one of those destinations, but Gadd doesn鈥檛 care. When he learns I live in the state and dabble in ice climbing, he thinks it would be fun to poke around Pisgah National Forest and look听for frozen waterfalls to听scale. I just need to let him know when the temperature drops听and he鈥檒l head down from his home in听Canada. Seriously.

Although Gadd is best known for his ice-climbing exploits鈥攈e bagged the 听in 2015, climbed for 听at the Ouray Ice Fest in 2010, and topped the podium at the Ice Climbing World Cup in 2000 and at the X Games in 1999 and 1998鈥攈e听began his globe-trotting ways as a professional kayaker.听He鈥檚 also an accomplished paraglider听and established听the world record for the longest distance traveled while听paragliding. Twice. If he鈥檚 not climbing ice, paddling, or flying, he鈥檚 mountain-biking, rock-climbing, or skiing. 鈥淚 should probably specialize at some point, but the sports go together in strange ways that work well,鈥� Gadd says. 鈥淚 also live in a harsh, four-season climate, so it makes sense to be an ice climber and skier in the winter, a kayaker and mountain biker in the spring, and a paraglider in the summer. And there鈥檚 nothing better than rock climbing in the fall.鈥澨�

In the past few years, Gadd has been using his diverse skill set for the greater good, leading scientists into听dangerous locations that serve as ground zero for climate change, something he got into after witnessing the startling retreat of Alberta鈥檚 Athabasca Glacier, which is close to his home. In 2016, Gadd guided scientists deep into a cave inside the glacier, where they discovered previously unrecorded听fungus-like biofilm thriving on the cave walls. 鈥淭hese holes in glaciers are a big unknown environment, and nobody really knows how they work,鈥� Gadd says. 鈥淲hen I got a professor from the University of Alberta into that cave in Canada,听he said the info we found was going to rewrite the textbook on glaciers.鈥�

Last year听he and another group of scientists explored the cavernous moulins (vertical shafts)听of Greenland鈥檚 ice sheet, hoping to learn more about how its melt will affect ocean levels. They discovered that its fissures, which look vertical from the surface, actually have broad horizontal rooms beneath the ice. 鈥淚t felt good to be useful,鈥� Gadd says. 鈥淏ecause of my caving and ice-climbing experience, I can help these scientists move around down there. It鈥檚 not like guiding鈥攖his is off-the-charts听stuff. Helping these scientists access places they鈥檝e never been, it鈥檚 so cool to be part of that.鈥�

The uncharted nature of this听work makes it more dangerous than your typical ice climb. Helping听scientists assess the risk of any given scenario is a key part of Gadd鈥檚 job and one that he takes more seriously as he鈥檚 gotten older. 鈥淲hen I was younger, my idea of risk management was, 鈥榊ou go first,鈥欌�� Gadd says. 鈥淏ut everyone evolves as they age in a sport.听I was lucky to get a good education听on how the mountains work and why. You have to listen to the environment rather than your head and ego. I鈥檓 more open to that now that I鈥檓 older.鈥�

Gadd says he鈥檚 dropped certain sports from his portfolio, like BASE jumping, because of the unnecessary risk involved.听He鈥檚 also perfectly willing to pull the plug on an expedition when it takes an unexpected turn. Under the ice shelf in Greenland, for example, Gadd and a team of scientists were supposed to scuba-dive听in听the meltwater beneath the ice. But after discovering the horizontal nature of the caves听and the fragile condition of that ecosystem, Gadd cut the expedition short.

Guiding scientists into the icy depths of a glacial cave is physically demanding work, but Gadd says he feels stronger at 52 than he did at 25. On a certain level, Gadd鈥檚 lifestyle helps with this: he says that toggling听from one sport to the next keeps his body balanced. But he doesn鈥檛 just rely on his time in the field to stay in shape鈥攏o matter what he鈥檚 doing, Gadd听tries to move daily. 鈥淚鈥檝e been through every type of fitness activity, from Zumba to CrossFit to Reebok Step back in the day,鈥� Gadd says. Still, this goal听can be difficult sometimes. 鈥淚 travel a lot, and I have two kids, and I do documentary and guiding听work outside of climbing,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檒l hit the hotel gym if I have to. I鈥檝e hiked parking-garage stairs in Germany. I do this weird semi-yoga mobility stuff听in airports. People look at me funny, but I don鈥檛 care. I鈥檓 gonna do my thing, because I have to.鈥� Gadd also follows a strict strength-training program that has him in the gym regularly performing a few basic movements (pushing, pulling, deadlifts,听and squats), adding enough tension to build power and maintain functional strength.

Even with a list of accomplishments behind him,听Gadd is听obsessed with training his weaknesses. 鈥淚 could just go to the climbing gym and do what I鈥檓 good at all the time, but there鈥檚 no point in that,鈥� he听says. 鈥淚 like the idea of failing while you鈥檙e training. That鈥檚 where I learn things about myself and the sports I do.鈥�

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lives a life straight out of a novel. Traveling the world for both work and play, the 50-year-old听has navigated massive peaks, deep oceans, and frozen tundra. He鈥檚 rowed a boat from Canada to France, climbed and skied the highest mountain in Iraq, and pedaled a fat bike 745 miles across the Arctic. Even that name鈥�Laval St. Germain. It鈥檚 almost too good to be true.听

St. Germain鈥檚听full-time听job helps听him conduct these crazy feats and听explore the far corners of the globe. 鈥淲hen I was 11 or 12, my dad noticed I read a lot of National Geographic,鈥� St. Germain says. 鈥淗e said if I really wanted to see those places in the magazines, I should become a pilot. So听I did.鈥� He started studying for his license when he was 15 and was flying floatplanes and forest-fire-control planes in northern Canada by the time he was 17, what he describes as听鈥渢he typical Canadian bush-pilot life.鈥� At 21, he started working for Canadian North Airlines, a position that not only requires him to fly all over the world听but also grants him several days off between on-duty stretches鈥攖ime he uses to train and knock out extensive solo expeditions.

Aside from offering sage career advice, St. Germain鈥檚 father also sparked his longing for exploration, feeding him classic books like Tarzan, Moby Dick, and White Fang when he was a kid. In the past three decades, St. Germain has used this passion to build听a thick adventure r茅sum茅. He was without supplemental oxygen, working his way up the Tibetan side听in 2010. He鈥檚 scaled听the highest peak on all seven continents听and trekked across fields of land mines听to summit and ski Iraq鈥檚 tallest peak, 11,847-foot .

Yet听these thrilling adventures don鈥檛 always go as planned. First example: he lost three fingers on his right hand to frostbite while summiting Everest. However, St. Germain insists that having those fingers amputated听鈥渨asn鈥檛 a big deal. Once you freeze it, you can鈥檛 feel it.鈥� In听November 2018, he听attempted to ski to the South Pole and climb Antarctica鈥檚 tallest peak, 16,050-foot听Mount Vinson. But his sled, warped due to a manufacturing flaw,听kept taking a hard right turn every time he tried to ski forward, forcing him to quit 13 days and 124 miles听into the projected 745-mile cross-country trip. St. Germain ditched the faulty sled and went ahead and climbed Mount Vinson听but will have to go back to finish skiing across the continent before he can close the book on that expedition. He鈥檚 hoping to return听next year.听

Despite overcoming these obstacles, St. Germain says the adventures he鈥檚 most proud of are the ones that didn鈥檛 make the papers. 鈥淚 look back on some of the tough trips my wife, Janet, and I took with our kids before they were even teens听and am amazed we pulled them off,鈥� St. Germain says. 鈥淎 multi-day bike tour across the Arctic above tree line with grizzly bears and black flies,听taking them to Namibia to climb in the desert, or to Guyana to explore one of the last-frontier rainforests in the world. Showing our kids they can do tough stuff in the outdoors, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 most proud of.鈥�

St. Germain and his wife put a lot of energy into instilling a sense of adventure in their children, just as his own father did for him. Tragically, the couple lost their oldest child, Richard, to a canoeing accident on the Makenzie River in Canada five years ago. He was just 21 and beginning his own career听as a bush pilot. 鈥淭he outdoors has given us a lot as a family, but it鈥檚 taken a lot away, too,鈥� St. Germain says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the toughest thing we鈥檝e ever been through, and it鈥檚 still tough. But it reinforced my desperate struggle to cram a lot into my life. I use the outdoors as a therapy. Struggling out there, it鈥檚 cathartic.鈥� Since that devastating event, St. Germain has used his expeditions as a way to help others. He delivered a check for $5,000 to the search and rescue team on the Mackenzie River during his long-distance听Arctic fat-bike ride last spring. His row across the Atlantic raised more than $60,000 for the .

In order to stay in shape for these intense feats, St. Germain says he rarely indulges in a rest day. 鈥淏asically, I鈥檓 always training,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my lifestyle more than anything.鈥� He has听never hired听a coach, and while he does schedule in up to three days of weight training a week, he refuses to do cardio indoors. Instead听he rides his bike nine miles听to work each way, which he calls 鈥渇ree training,鈥� and plans out epic combo听days, where he peddles to the Rockies, stashes his bike, summits a mountain, and rides home. In the winter, he听does something similar with a fat bike and telemark skis.

St. Germain also has a circuit in his hometown of Calgary that involves biking between five different sets of outdoor听stairs and running five reps on each. 鈥淚 love training on stairs, because it鈥檚 low impact and you get a lot of bang for your buck,鈥� he says, adding that his greatest stair workout happened in China when he was picking up a plane for his airline. 鈥淚 ran 7,000 steps cut into the side of Mount Tai,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was like heaven.鈥�

Currently, St. Germain is planning a 186-mile听gravel ride from Calgary to Fernie, a city deep within British Columbia鈥檚 mountains. He also has a bigger expedition on the horizon that he鈥檚 reluctant to talk about because it鈥檚 in a geopolitical hot zone and the logistics aren鈥檛 set in stone. It鈥檚听likely bound to be difficult and dangerous, something that would fit into the pages of the classic literature he devoured as a child. 鈥淚 love sticking my neck out and embracing discomfort,鈥澨齋t. Germain says.听鈥淭he whole world is designed to avoid discomfort right now, but anything that鈥檚 worth doing will be uncomfortable and challenging.鈥�

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If winter bypassed your town this year, it鈥檚 not too late to squeeze in a spring ski trip north of the border. With three resorts within a 45-minute radius that stay open well into May, Banff, Alberta, is the perfect place to experience the staggering terrain of the Canadian Rockies. Because all three resorts are located entirely within Banff National Park, Canada鈥檚 biggest and oldest, you鈥檒l find none of the second-home sprawl that鈥檚 creeping into most U.S. ski towns. Development is strictly regulated and wildlife abounds鈥攊t鈥檚 not unusual to see moose or elk strolling down Banff Avenue, and cougar and wolf sightings are common. Long days and late sunsets鈥攊t鈥檚 light past 8:30 p.m. in April鈥攎ean you can shred all day and still have time to sneak in a hike before dark. And at these latitudes, the snowpack鈥攚ell above normal for this banner season and drier than neighboring British Columbia鈥攚ill hold well into May. Everything is bigger and stretches further in Alberta, including your U.S. dollar. Here鈥檚 the definitive guide to doing it up with kids.

Best Downhill Bragging Rights

is the biggest of the three family-owned resorts near Banff, with 3,200 feet of vertical (much of it in the alpine), legendary back bowls, and legit front-side steeps that play host to the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 World Cup each winter. On bluebird powder days, the Summit Platter is a rite of passage for little rippers: The Poma lift climbs steeply to the resorts鈥� high point, offering intermediate to expert access to untracked stashes, hike-to terrain that can be tailored to kids, and access to the aptly named Paradise lift.

Best Luxe Launchpad

, on the south shore of stunning Lake Louise, was built in 1890 as a remote outpost for intrepid Banff Springs guests. Today, it鈥檚 a lavish eight-story mountain hotel with a cadre of Swiss guides who lead guests on mountaineering expeditions throughout the area. Despite its size, the hotel is dwarfed by and seems right at home amid the surrounding peaks, including Mount Victoria and its hanging glacier at the far end of the lake. The Swiss influence is still alive and well with a wood-paneled fondue restaurant and a robust guiding program. Splurge on a lakeside room with views of the glacier, avalanche chutes on the lake鈥檚 north side, and no fewer than five separate ice rinks right out the front door.

Best Apr猫s Action

Rent skates and hockey sticks from in the chateau鈥檚 lobby, buy a souvenir puck for $4, and hit the ice. Is there any greater joy than skating till dark on a frozen lake below a hanging glacier? Break for cocktails and poutine at the Lakeside Lounge, then head back out to skate under the lights until 10 p.m. The lake stays frozen through much of April.

Best Ways to See Wildlife

From April through October, runs two-hour twilight wildlife safaris to find wolves, caribou, elk, mountain goats, and even grizzlies. Mike in the Guides鈥� Cabin at Chateau Lake Louise knows the best places in the area to see wolves. The hotel鈥檚 guiding program鈥攊ncluding snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking鈥攈as its origins in the illustrious Swiss Mountain guides. For DIY wildlife viewing, head to the Banff Springs golf course, where elk like to congregate, and detour off Trans-Canada Highway 1, the main drag through the park, for the quieter two-lane Bow Valley Parkway along the Bow River.

Best Place to Stretch the Season

has the latest closing date of any nonglaciated ski area in Canada: May 21. Tucked into a high valley 20 minutes from Banff, Sunshine is vast and open, more like the Alps than Canada, with long on- and off-piste runs above tree line spanning three separate peaks, including double-black glades on Goat鈥檚 Eye Mountain. The centralized base area, reached via a 20-minute gondola ride from the parking lot, provides a convenient family-friendly layout, with slopes fanning out in 360 degrees. The ski school is top-notch, with optional outings to the vertiginous South Chutes if the kiddos are up for it. The views to Mount Assiniboine in British Columbia are astounding, and the Great Divide Chairlift crosses the border into B.C. and back to Alberta three minutes later. In the base village, the recently revamped and swanky Sunshine Mountain Lodge is the only ski-in, ski-out accommodation in Banff National Park.

Best Outdoor Pool

Yes, you read that right. The ski season may be seven months long in Banff, but you can still swim outside all winter at the iconic . The pool, heated to 92 degrees, has epic views of the Bow River Valley, towering Mount Rundle, and Tunnel Mountain. You can climb the latter via a manageable 45-minute hike to the summit even for the littlest of legs鈥攂ut only if you can tear the kids out of the pool.

Best Only-in-Banff Moment

Where else but the Canadian Rockies will you find a designated Sleigh Desk in your hotel lobby? Proceed there directly after check-in and book the twilight ride, which allows you to glide to the far side of the lake for a look at the ice falls, with the twinkling lights of the guiding you back.

Best 鈥淪lackcountry鈥� Lodge

Western Canada is famous for its remote high-country huts and lodges, accessible only by helicopter or via a long tour in on skis or snowshoes. Mount Engadine is that rare find: a warm, intimate lodge surrounded by untrammeled peaks and trails, but only 45 minutes by car from Banff. Snowshoe or cross-country ski through secluded Moose Meadow, ski tour up Tent Ridge to make some turns (avalanche gear is a must), fat-bike up the snow-packed road, or tear up the tobogganing hill next to the main lodge. Or arrange to go dogsledding with in nearby Spray Lake Provincial Park. Apr猫s, high tea is a serious tradition at , with an over-the-top charcuterie plate and Earl Grey in proper china. Locally sourced meals are served family-style with the other guests around a big table.

Best Cross-Country Skiing

Three miles up the road from Mount Engadine Lodge, the offers nearly 30 miles of classic and skate-ski trails in six interconnected loops, from beginner to advanced. A short connector trail leads to the Watridge Lake Trail, which goes all the way to Banff National Park and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, across the border in British Columbia. There鈥檚 no trail fee or infrastructure, so rent skis at Gear Up in Canmore before you arrive.

Best Way to Blow Off Steam

If you have an early flight in or a late flight out and are looking to add one more ski day to your tally this season, you can鈥檛 do better than blasting laps at . Ten minutes from Banff, with great views of town and Mount Rundle, this locals鈥� hill has a storied race history, dating back to its opening in 1926. The oldest chairlift in Canada, the North American double (circa 1948), ferries you to the summit for a black diamond thigh-burner run down Lone Pine, the longest sustained pitch on the mountain. On weekdays, you can roll up midmorning and still get third-row parking right at the base. Afterward, hit in town for New York鈥搒tyle pizza, family-friendly bowling, and more than 40 Canadian craft brews on tap.

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We know you鈥檙e not going to book a trip somewhere just because there鈥檚 an absurdly cool hot tub waiting for you. That鈥檚 not why you travel. But let鈥檚 say that place also has jagged mountains ready for skiing, wild rivers full of salmon, or the northern lights visible from the jetted seat of that听hot tub鈥攚ouldn鈥檛 that help tip the scales in the tub鈥檚 direction? We thought so. Here are some soaks that might just be worth the journey.

The Observatory at Alta Lakes

Telluride, Colorado

The is a plush lodge just outside Telluride鈥檚 ski boundary that鈥檚 accessed via snowmobile or skis in winter or a five-mile unmaintained road in summer. You can drop into fantastic backcountry skiing right out your door or hire a guide from to show you the area. In summer, you can climb 13,000-foot peaks and loop mountain bike trails right from the lodge. The best part? The view of the jagged San Juans from the deck鈥檚 stellar outdoor hot tub.

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort

British Columbia, Canada

Located in a fjord deep within western British Columbia鈥檚 Great Bear Rainforest, the waterfront can be reached only by boat, helicopter, or seaplane. You鈥檒l be dropped off at one of nine two-bedroom cabins, all powered by hydroelectricity generated on-site. By day, take a guided hike up 5,500-foot Mount Stephens, sea kayak or paddleboard among seals and eagles, or be whisked by helicopter to a picnic atop a 10,000-year-old glacier. By night, steep in the cedar hot tub neighboring a waterfall before heading to the main lodge for a dinner of locally harvested salmon.

Matakauri Lodge

Queenstown, New Zealand

Minutes from Queenstown, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the upscale features an eight-person cottage with one major highlight: a dramatically placed hot tub perched on the edge of the private balcony. From the lodge, you can charter a boat to explore the lake, take a helicopter tour of Milford Sound, or taste local wines. You鈥檒l also dine on meals prepared by an on-site chef and head to the spa for hot-stone massages and yet another perfectly situated whirlpool.

Puema Lodge

Futaleufu River, Chile

In 2015, began offering lodge-to-lodge trips down Chile鈥檚 legendary Futaleufu River. You鈥檒l spend nine days rafting through Class IV and V whitewater and sleeping in deluxe accommodations each night. The remote will be your home base for two nights, but you may want to stay even longer after you ease into its wood-fired outdoor tub.

Amangani

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

After 4,000-vertical-foot tram-accessed laps at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, you鈥檙e sure to appreciate a long soak in stunning outdoor tub and heated infinity pool. The resort鈥檚 spa also has steam rooms, morning yoga sessions, and a plethora of body treatments. The concierge service can arrange everything from guided tours of Grand Teton National Park to fat biking through the National Elk Refuge to cat skiing at Grand Targhee.

Hotel Ranga

Hvolsv枚llur, Iceland

You can spot the Mount Hekla volcano from the three outdoor riverside hot tubs at , located in a pastoral corner of south Iceland. Visit during the northern lights and you can request an aurora alarm to make sure you catch a night sky lit with color, or stargaze from the hotel鈥檚 standalone observatory, complete with retractable roof. When the sun鈥檚 up, explore glacial caves, take a scenic flight over Mount Hekla, and fish for salmon in the East Ranga River.

Rifugio Scoiattoli

Cortina d鈥橝mpezzo, Italy

Book a night at the , accessed via chairlift from Italy鈥檚 Cortina ski resort, and you鈥檒l be treated to a traditional dinner of house-made pastas, basic overnight accommodations in a bunk room, and a supreme wood-barrel hot tub heated by wood-burning stove. From the tub鈥檚 perch, you鈥檒l have a view of the surrounding Dolomites. The hut was built in the 1960s by Italian mountain guide Lorenzo Lorenzi and is still owned and operated by his family.

Hidden Ridge Resort

Alberta, Canada

Banff, Alberta, has everything from ice climbing in its namesake national park to ski resorts like Lake Louise and Sunshine Village. But whatever your sport of choice, there鈥檚 no better way to end the day than a dip in the massive outdoor heated tubs at . Each whirlpool has views of the Canadian Rockies. There鈥檚 also a sauna, and each condo features a wood-burning fireplace and full kitchen. Want your own tub? Some accommodations come with private hot tubs on the balcony.

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From filmmaker , Still Wild tells the journey of a few friends venturing into the backcountry outside of Alberta to explore the current state of three indicator species:听Western Slope Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout, and the American Dipper Bird. Find the full film on .

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One drizzly day last March in the Canadian Rockies, a group of adventure photographers clustered together around the icy Mistaya River as it flowed through a polished gorge of fluted granite just off Alberta鈥檚 Icefields Parkway. , 27, a Salt Lake City鈥揵ased skier, stood on a large boulder upstream, her blond ponytail highlighted against an orange jacket three octaves brighter than a prison jumpsuit. In the foreground, Mistaya Canyon. In the background, jagged mountains swirling in the fog. If there鈥檚 a recipe to make Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing social network, rain down likes, this was it.

鈥淟ittle person, big landscape!鈥� said Jimmy Chin, chuckling. This was the phrase we鈥檇 begun using to describe the setup that Instagram鈥檚 animal spirits seem to crave most. Chin is a well-known adventurer, filmmaker, and National Geographic contract photographer. His Instagram account, , has an audience of 947,000 (947K in Instagram shorthand), a number that places him at the forefront of a seismic shift in the media world: the rise of individuals as brands unto themselves.

Chin was in Canada on behalf of Travel Alberta, engaging in what has lately eclipsed the commercial catalog shoot, at least among adventure photographers: the well-funded Instagram road trip. Thorien and I had arrived three days earlier and found him in downtown Canmore, soaking wet, at the wheel of a Jeep with a pop-up tent mounted to the roof. He looked exhausted. 鈥淗ow many cameras did you bring?鈥� he asked. He鈥檇 spent the morning climbing a melting waterfall with Canmore alpinist Will Gadd, and his only DSLR had soaked through until it fizzled out. We decided to grab beers at the Grizzly Paw Brewing Company and wait for the camera to revive.

Chin is a bit new to the idea of this trip. Rather than the hardcore Himalayan expeditions he鈥檚 made his name on, he was supposed to round up a gang of friends and do whatever he鈥檇 normally do for fun. Travel Alberta would cover everyone鈥檚 expenses, and Jimmy and the others would each post a photo or so a day, tagging the account , with the hashtag #explorealberta. Which is how we ended up in Mistaya Canyon, Jimmy鈥檚 Canon magically dried out and working again. With us behind their respective lenses were Callum Snape (, 293K), a British national who鈥檇 worked at Friends of Banff National Park before discovering his talent for travel photography; Tatum Monod (, 40K), a scion of Banff鈥檚 oldest skiing family and a top ski-film freeskier; and Chris Jerard, a former Freeskier magazine editor who started , a digital-marketing company that represents Chin and dozens of other individuals with huge online followings, including snowboarder (209K) and photographer (1M).

Inkwell鈥檚 clients have a collective audience that is larger than any publication in any of their respective disciplines. That fact is not lost on companies and tourism organizations, many of which have begun pulling money out of traditional agency campaigns and paying Instagrammers to serve as photographer, model, copywriter, and media outlet all in one.

Some companies pay Instagram 鈥渋nfluencers,鈥� as they are known, to feature their products in photos. Some pay to have their Instagram accounts tagged in photos that promote a certain adventurous lifestyle. For all of them, Instagram represents a guaranteed and verifiable reach for every post鈥攕omething that Facebook, Twitter, and most websites can鈥檛 offer. That鈥檚 because Instagram, unlike other social-media sites, still shows your posts to all your followers. (Facebook shows them to only a small subset, and Twitter鈥檚 pace is so frenetic that people miss many posts.) Nothing delivers more likes than Instagram. 鈥淥ur brand awareness seems to be growing by 15 to 25 percent per month since we started using Instagram as our primary form of advertising,鈥� says Alan Yiu, creative director of , an outdoor-apparel brand in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The biggest names in adventure sports, stars like (1.2M) and (471K), use their social-media reach to negotiate contracts with sponsors. Others use their channels on a prorated basis. Pro surfer (1M) says she enters into short-term partnerships to put together shoots with production costs running to five figures. 鈥淚 can make a video of my foot that 100,000 people will watch,鈥� says the 28-year-old Californian, 鈥渙r I can produce something high-end.鈥� (Full disclosure: I鈥檝e gotten swept up in it, too. In April, I partnered with Ryan Heffernan, a longtime friend and commercial photographer in Santa Fe, to start a small agency called that services the New Mexico Tourism Department.)

Not so long ago, the pathway to success for athletes was built around winning contests, planning big expeditions, and cultivating years-long relationships with a single brand. Now all that鈥檚 been swept away by a new form of self-promotion, one that displays a highly curated and idealized version of our everyday lives.

Among our little crew, it was mostly just fun. The plan was to ski at the and in the sprawling, glaciated back-country beyond. But it hadn鈥檛 snowed much of late, and the winter was unusually warm.

So while our guides worked hard to sniff out cold snow in secret stashes, we headed north toward Jasper, with all that landscape spilling by. Inside the corridor of mountains that straddles British Columbia and Alberta, an hour west of Calgary, there are five national parks. Along Icefields Parkway alone, there are dozens of scenic roadside vistas鈥攎ountains, waterfalls, elk herds, and the Athabasca Glacier, billed as 鈥渙ne of the world鈥檚 most accessible.鈥�

A half-mile from the parking lot, where a fleet of tour buses with monster-truck tires drive out onto the glacier, we found a Fortress of Solitude鈥搒tyle ice cave in translucent blue that could perfectly frame a small figure. It wasn鈥檛 really a destination so much as a backdrop. But that鈥檚 what people are into.

Instagram culture is actually changing the way people travel and plan their trips. Instead of thinking about the experiences they want to have, people are thinking about what the photos they want to post. It鈥檚 like that old joke: Did you have fun on your vacation? I don鈥檛 know, I haven鈥檛 developed the film yet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming a problem,鈥� joked Jessica Harcombe Fleming, the representative from Travel Alberta who organized the trip. 鈥淧eople will call us and ask whether there are hotels or restaurants here, because all they see is these little figures and big mountains.鈥�

(55K), another photographer based in Banff, worries about what the trend does to creativity. 鈥淲hy is everybody coming here and shooting the exact same trophy shots?鈥� he asked when we spoke by phone. 鈥淣inety-nine percent of the images come from the same ten locations.鈥�

On one hand, Instagram democratizes the photographic business, allowing talented people to find clients based on their skills rather than which editors they know. Snape鈥檚 career, for instance, was jump-started when an image of two elk crossing some railway tracks was picked up on National Geographic鈥檚 website. But it has also created a culture in which photographers and athletes are valued by the number of followers they have rather than their aesthetic or skill. In fact, Instagram can reinforce your worst habits as a shooter by rewarding you鈥攕ometimes handsomely鈥攆or producing treacle. Instagram loves sunsets, the Milky Way, and the stuff of inspirational posters.

About a two-hour ski into the mountains, the husband-and-wife guiding team of Craig McGee and Lindsay Andersen found several northeast-facing couloirs that had blown in deep. We wallowed up a narrow slot off Surprise Pass, above the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Craig and Lindsay liked what they saw of the snowpack鈥攍ocked in and unlikely to slide鈥攕o they gave us the green light. Boot-packing up a fresh couloir can feel as awkward as swimming in mashed potatoes. But we were rewarded with beautiful turns down a 45-degree hallway of rock and snow.

On our second day, we headed out Icefields Parkway in search of a classic big-mountain line off Mount Chephren. We changed into ski boots as Chin hopped around capturing the action, experimenting with extreme angles and shooting portraits. (A note to amateurs: Very few serious Instagrammers actually shoot their pictures on a phone. The best use DSLRs, carefully retouch, and then transfer the files to their phones and upload them.)

The snow had rotted in the approach to the mountain. McGee postholed among the firs and spruces to see if he could find a crossing over the Mistaya River. On Lindsay鈥檚 radio, we could hear Craig grunting and working, trying to find a snowbridge that hadn鈥檛 yet melted. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 going to happen today,鈥� he said.

We discussed some other ski objectives, but it was rainy and nasty, and ultimately the plan that won out didn鈥檛 involve a mountain at all. We backtracked to Bow Lake, a scenic spot surrounded by jagged peaks, and built a campfire on the ice to sit around while eating our bag lunches鈥攃hecking the box for another classic shot. A group of climbers guided by legendary Canadian alpinist , 56, happened to be setting out on skis across the lake in hopes of climbing Mount Baker, on the Wapta Icefield. Waves of clouds came and went, occluding and revealing Crowfoot Mountain, which sits at the bend that gives Bow Lake its name. We shot all of it, a scene that鈥檚 painfully beautiful and yet constantly at risk of becoming a simulacrum.

Jimmy ended up posting about a dozen shots from our trip on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, reaching, Inkwell calculated, a potential ten million people. The rest of us posted 39 photos, reaching maybe one million. The afternoon before we departed, we arrived back in Lake Louise to find Chris Burkard, the photographer, and a crew from an adventure-clothing maker planning a shoot at the , a backcountry inn beneath its namesake mountain, which bears a passing resemblance to the Matterhorn.

One thing they wanted to know: Was Thorien available to model for the week? She鈥檇 injured her knee in a car accident in January and had been unable to ski for most of the winter. So she needed the work.

鈥淗ow much do you think I should charge?鈥� she asked me. For the past few years, she鈥檇 been pulling espressos in Salt Lake City and fighting wildfires for $11.40 an hour.

Maybe a grand? I said.

She more than doubled it. The company agreed. And just like that, another flourishing Instagram career was born.

Grayson Schaffer (, 15K) wrote about Conrad Anker in July.

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The Ghost River Valley Wilderness Area near Banff National Park, Alberta, is known for its stark, expansive beauty. In the winter, windswept clouds of dust and snow float through the alpine valley, which is how the area got its name.

In February 2014, alpinists Jess Roskelley, Wayne Wallace, Ben Erdmann, and I set out to document one of the more dramatic, otherworldly ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies. After a predawn three-mile approach, we began climbing the ice steps and pitches that come before this climb.

After topping out on the 60-meter route Aquarius, we arrived at a vast rock amphitheater called the Recital Hall, which is home to two challenging ice climbs, Fearful Symmetry on the left and Rainbow Serpent (pictured) on the right.

We had originally planned to rig ropes en route so we could shoot down on the climbers. Turned out climbing approach pitches and rigging lines on a 100-meter route was asking too much. I opted to shoot the route from across the amphitheater as heavy winds whipped through the valley, creating a cracking sound I'll never forget.听

TOOLS: Canon 5D MkIII, 16-35mm, 1/100 second, f/5, ISO 125听听

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