Snow Sports
ArchiveSwedish freestyle skier JON OLSSON, 24, dispenses advice on international relations and the best tool for making a good kicker
The latest all-mountain jackets keep you toasty on lift rides and cool on out-of-bounds hikes
It may be zero degrees outside, with a windchill factor for the ages, but once you get your V2 on, you'll want to be wearing fewer clothes than you think. What you wear should be breathable, and stretchy to allow the full-body cranking that skate skiing requires. Wind-blocking materials on your front side and light insulation in key areas will keep you comf
It ain't easy being the sponsor (a.k.a. old man) of a competitive snowboard artiste (a.k.a. my teenage son). Lend an ear, and a shoulder, and I'll tell you all about it.
As a rule, the best snow at any ski resort isn’t served by a chairlift. You gottahike. Here’s a cheap, easy way to carry your skis without killing your shouldersor thwacking your buddy: Make your own ski sling. Start by taking 12 feet of 1.5-inchflat webbing and tying it into…
I’m an experienced front-country (resort) skier and would like to expand into the backcountry. Can you recommend a good ski pack that works well in both conditions? Walker Boston, Massachusetts
How does an athlete stay fit and healthy during the coldest months? Eat seasonally.
My wife and I would like to take a long weekend during the winter. Where can we find a bed and breakfast that's near a ski resort in a rustic environment? Bill M. Kansas City
Matthew Godfrey, the 36-year-old mayor of Ogden, Utah, wants to transform his town into the business center of the winter-sports universe. His biggest obstacle? Ogden, Utah.
I’m an avid runner who must contend with about six months of snow, slush, and cold temperatures if I to pursue this sport year-round. Can you suggest a running shoe for winter excursions? Standard running shoes are no match for a Quebec winter. Thomas Westmount, Quebec
My skis have been sitting in the closet for about a year. How can I get them ready for the slopes?
To bring you the best of winter, we set up shop in Aspen, the over-the-top playground of dry powder, long steeps, and never-sleep nightlife.
There's only one best ski town for nighttime fun, and it's Aspen
Prepare for sensory overload—regal palaces, wireless tech, urbanized elephants, Bollywood style, and more than a billion coexisting citizens—in the giant, baffling spectacle of modern India
The heart-pumping, cliff-jumping, sun-baked, waterlogged guide to warm-weather diversions. From midnight picnics to placid lake getaways, 50 things you must accomplish before Labor Day.
It was tough weeding through the best skis on the market for the 2007 Snow Report and while we stand by our choices, we thought a few more deserved honorable mention. Here, some outtakes from our hours of exhaustive testing. Plus: See exclusive behind the scenes images from our photo shoot in Aspen.
No other alpinist in America has knocked off as many coveted ascents鈥攐r picked as many fights鈥攁s Steve House. But after finding a new climbing partner and conquering one of the most daunting routes in decades, is the world's most outspoken mountaineer finally ready to make nice?
I'm looking for sunglasses that will perform everywhere from snowy mountains to the open ocean. I've looked at three different pairs: the Zeal Optics Maestro, Julbo Nomad X4, and Native Nano 2. Could you please recommend a pair that would work best for me? Gina Gainesville, Florida
Japan's got more going for it than bright lights and temples—namely, some of the best places in the world to ski, climb, kayak, bike, and surf. Bow down to the wild, wild East.
A tourism industry hobbled by years of civil war and political instability looks to rebound as Nepal makes moves toward a lasting peace. Is it finally safe to go back?
The disappearance of two of North America's best alpinists left a grave question: What happens when the only way out is up?
The Ski Junkie's guide to the sickest skiing and hottest cold-weather happenings this winter
Survivors from Everest '96 recall a day of terror and confusion that many still believe was distorted in ways that oversimplified complex events and dishonored the dead.
David Sharp's lonely death on Mount Everest revived the old, raging debates about personal ethics and the wisdom of commercially guided climbing. But whatever went right and wrong in 2006, the bottom line remains: You challenge this peak at your own risk, because its punishments are swift, terrible, and blind.
We catch up with Michael Brown on his latest film, Light of the Himalaya
Does that first sprig of mistletoe make you giddy with Christmas cheer—or would you rather drown in a bucket of eggnog than spend another December awash in commercial glee? Our travel wish list features three spots brimming with holiday spirit and three distant, carol-free getaways.
Is it possible to guide safely on Everest? Or will the mountain always demand its pound of flesh? MARK JENKINS talks to a dream team of veterans—between them, they've reached the summit 17 times—in a frank look at the risks, rewards, and nightmares of taking clients to the top.
Why climb America's most spectacular—and controversial—natural landmark? For the same reason you shouldn't.
Still bragging about that one winter after college when you got in 100 days of skiing? Well, if all goes smoothly, on July 27 Rainer Hertrich will board a lift at Oregon’s Timberline Ski Area for his 1,000th straight day on the slopes. The 45-year-old telemarker has been following winter…
While Mikael Rasmussen (Rabobank) of Denmark rode to a long solo breakaway win, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) of Spain regained the race lead, and former race leader Floyd Landis (Phonak) of Murrieta, Calif., badly faltered Wednesday during the 16th stage of the Tour de France.
PLA-DE-BERET, Spain — Floyd Landis, degenerative hip working fine, became the sixth leader of this year’s Tour de France on Thursday when the Phonak rider from Murrieta, California, placed third in a three-rider breakaway finish to the largest ski resort in Spain. Floyd Landis, Tour de France…
I’d like to use a single helmet for skiing (on and off piste) and winter mountaineering/ice climbing. Should I go with a skiing or ice-climbing helmet? Or is this a bad idea? Myles Auckland, New Zealand
Sick of metrosexuals who sip wine through a straw, one active babe braves the wilds of SingleAndActive.com in search of a hunk who knows a bowline from a bow tie. Will she find true love聴or the man of her screams?
I need a two-person tent that provides plenty of ventilation for fall and spring Southeast backpacking trips, but that’s also good for below-tree line trips to the Northeast in winter. I like the Black Diond Skylight, but concerned about how it will hold up to snow. How does the Skylight stack up to other tents in the se weight and roominess categories? Rich Decatur, Georgia
Strap in for a road trip through the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan with Robert Thurman—Uma's dad and one of the planet's most magnetic Buddha boosters—and get set for stunning scenery, harrowing S-curves, and face time with the wild side of your soul
What happens when a Type A relaxation-phobe takes his first vacation in years? Life gets good again.
I’m in the market for a lightweight, waterproof, and breathable shell. I’d like something lighter than the Gore-Tex XCR shell I previously used year-round. What’s your recommendation for a jacket that I can combine with my soft shell to create the perfect winter-sport combo? Etienn Montreal, Quebec
Norwegian fishermen call it an honest day's work. Greenpeace calls it a violent crime. The issue is the annual hunt for North Atlantic minke whales, a plentiful species that, every spring, gets harpooned by the hundreds and then sold in Norway's seafood aisles. Who's right? As PHILIP ARMOUR learns during a voyage aboard the whaleboat Sofie, the truth isn
It seems like every time I've looked at the weather this year, ski areas out West are getting hmered with more snow—even in April. Can you tell me the best places for spring skiing? Pete Salisbury, Maryland
Most resorts never develop the cachet of Aspen, and many go bust. According to the National Ski Areas Association, more than 400 hills have shut down across the country in the past 30 years. But though the lifts may be gone, the cleared runs remain鈥攗ntracked and there for the taking…
Who rules the freeskiing world of big air and deadly steeps—The technical European perfectionists or the up-all-night American hot-doggers? We brought Micah Black and Dominique Perret, the stars of each continent, to British Columbia for some head-to-head competition. No excuses. No exceptions. No slowing down. And the winner is...
Naysayers claim the age of adventure is over. On an unclimbed peak in Tibet, our man declares that it has just begun.
What skis would you recommend for me? I five-foot-four, 122-pound intermediate skier who skis mostly groomed blue runs in Colorado, as well as lots of places in the East. I want a versatile ski that's appropriate for my level but will help me advance to harder runs. Elizabeth Mii Beach, Florida
North America’s largest ice-climbing festival, the Festiglace du Quebec will take place February 17 to 19.
Why have high-end gear manufacturers like Patagonia and The North Face completely dropped bibs from their alpine climbing and skiing lines? I couldn't imagine skiing in deep powder or mountaineering in anything but reinforced, technically oriented Gore-Tex bibs. Have bibs gone the way of the one-piece 1970s ski suit? Michael Vancouver, British Columbia
The last time the U.S. led the final medal count at a Winter Games, in 1932, only 17 nations took part, dogsled racing was an exhibition sport, and alpine skiing wasn't even on the program. Since then, Norway, Germany, and Russia have controlled the Olympics like an Axis of Snow, while Americans still cling to 1980's Miracle on Ice. But a look at the talent poo
Syria is an enthusiastic state sponsor of terrorism and a fiendish fan of torture and oppression. But have you tried the stuffed grape leaves? PATRICK SYMMES invades before the coalition of the willing can.
Alpine skiing we can do. Ditto hockey. But bobsledding? Ski jumping? Some winter sports seem about as accessible as Dick Cheney. But getting started in these cold-weather exotics is easier than you think, and you can do it at some of the best facilities in the world.
Follow all the action from Turin and the Piedmont Alps as the 20th Winter Olympics gets underway in Italy
Here's why ten Winter Olympics have been staged high in the Alps: James Bond glamour, beautiful slopes, and raging après—ski that lasts till 3 a.m.
I looking to buy a new ski jacket, something stylish, warm, comfortable (not too bulky), and easily accessible. I'm after something different. How about Spyder? Danilo Arlington, Virginia
Your Gearness: I've been hearing about ski boards/ski blades as a good way for terminal intermediate skiers like myself to get on the bumps. What is your take on them, especially for casual skiers looking to cover more of the mountain? Greg Dallas, Texas
Hockey is hotter than ever, as players coast to coast discover its winning blend of agility, speed, and fun. Boost your winter fitness with our quick-start guide to the season's greatest game.
They say you have to have a goal. Whether it’s climbing Everest, sailing across the Atlantic, or just raising a happy, healthy family, it’s good to keep life exciting and the synapses firing. Here, see what some of the best and brightest in the world outside have to say about what they’d like to accomplish before it’s all said and done. And
Because every second you’re not living life to the fullest is an opportunity missed鈥攁nd the clock is ticking. To get you going, we’ve handpicked a no-regrets, full-throttle, see-the-world list of 50 things to do before you die鈥攆rom climbing an 8,000-meter peak to making the perfect martini. Pro surfer Kelly Slater…
Name: INES PAPERT Gig: ICE CLIMBER Height: 5’6″ Weight: 123 Age: 31 WHEN ICE CLIMBER INES PARERT won the women’s division at Colorado’s Ouray Ice Festival last year, the 31-year-old German scampered up the 165-foot wall so fast, she beat the winner of the men’s event, held on the same…
IN JANUARY, ARIZONA’S Hualapai tribe, whose 2,000-person reservation covers 1,500 square miles along the Grand Canyon’s south rim, is opening a glass-bottomed, horseshoe-shaped walkway that will jut 70 feet from the edge, 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. Located 200 miles west of the crowded lookouts of Grand Canyon National…
Last summer, the headless corpse of Reinhold Messner's brother G眉nther emerged out of the snowmelt on Pakistan's Nanga Parbat. After 35 years of nasty arguments and accusations, would the discovery finally reveal who was to blame for his death and solve one of mountaineering's greatest mysteries?
I love to cross-country ski, but we now have a two-year-old on the scene. He weighs almost 30 pounds and is getting a little heavy for our backpack-style carrier. Is there any gear that can help us get out on the trails this year? Pat Mountain Top, Pennsylvania
Gear Man, it's been too long! Over the years your sage wisdom has been invaluable: jacket, check; watch, check; socks, check (my platoon says thanks, by the way). Anyway, I'm taking the winter off from sand, sun, and hostile fire and getting back in touch with my mountain roots here in Vermont, and I've decided to start earning my turns on Mansfield rather than riding that klunky old lift. Plus, I'm getting cheap. So, O Sage and Eminent Gear Scholar, please help me choose a good all-terrain ski. Now, I've got to get back to building my shrine to Ullr before the evening storm report. Larry Burlington, Vermont
I need winter gloves that are warm, waterproof, and allow plenty of dexterity. I walk dogs through the winter and most gloves are too bulky and inflexible when it comes to holding leashes, picking things up, and so on. Annette New York City
I'm trying to plan a winter backcountry/nordic ski trip in Yellowstone or somewhere else in the Rockies and not sure where to go. I'd like to stay either in cabins along a set route or ideally in some sort of base lodge and do day trips from there. I've got some experience nordic skiing and alpine skiing but not much backcountry skiing, so it can't be too technical. Any ideas? John Washington, D.C.
Where can I find warm (maybe Thinsulate-lined) shoes for winter biking with pedal clips? Most winter shoes or boots are too bulky for clips and all the biking shoes I've seen seem to be vented for warm weather. John Fairfax, Virginia
What is the best current model of the Motorola Talkabouts to purchase for skiing? I gather the 280SLK and the T-Series are no longer made, but I find today's models confusing so I need some help. The units must be rechargeable. Diane Roslyn, New York
I run in temps as low as 12 degrees. However, as I've been running in an old one-piece snowsuit for the past 18 years, it's time to treat myself to some new gear that's warm, breathable, and stylish. Any ideas? Adria Columbus, Ohio
The future doesn’t just happen. The next frontiers of adventure, fitness, gear, and sport are crafted by bold visionaries with world-changing dreams鈥攁nd the minds and muscles to make them real. Behold the 25 all-star innovators leading us beyond tomorrow. 1. Conrad Anker: High-Altitude Altruist 2. Josh Donlan:…