If you’re asking yourself where you should go on vacation this year, you’re not alone. And there鈥檚 no shortage of 鈥渨here to go鈥� lists this time of year鈥攃ompeting compendiums of new hotels and resorts, trendy neighborhoods, and cultural hotspots to check out in the year ahead.

This is not that list. Not exactly, anyways.

As adventure addicts, we wanted to craft a roster of amazing destinations where you can get outdoors, camp, paddle, surf, hike, and crush some dynamic singletrack. Our overriding parameters determining what made the cut was simple: what鈥檚 cool and fresh in the world outside?

The answer? Plenty.

Here鈥檚 Where to Go on Vacation in 2025, If You’re Into These Outdoor Pursuits

Every one of these destinations promises an amazing adventure, whether that鈥檚 carving down a fresh-cut ski run, tackling a section of a new thru-hiking terrain, or releasing turtles on the beaches of Mexico. These trips all come with good food, great vistas, and unforgettable cultural experiences. And yes, a few even have luxe places to crash at night, too.

Many of these destinations are in the beginning phases of executing ambitious goals, and we included them to offer a glimpse of what鈥檚 to come. Others are perennial favorites that have simply been overlooked by online-influencer culture and thus remain indelibly cool in real life. In other words, we鈥檙e offering up some new options and some classic standbys. We also included both domestic and international destinations for each type of adventure, in case you鈥檙e feeling particularly wanderlusty (or a staycation).

Together, they prove, once again, that there鈥檚 no shortage of fun to have outside. Here鈥檚 where to travel in 2025 if you鈥檙e up for it.

1. Long Walks (or Runs)

Stay Domestic: Cross Texas Trail, Texas

Beginning this year, Texas will get its own thru-hiking epic, the new Cross Texas Trail, a proposed 1,500-mile-long haul that stretches from the Louisiana border in the east, near the town of Orange, to El Paso in the west. Among the many highlights of the planned xTx, as it is known: panoramic views of Hill Country, the rugged peaks of Big Bend Ranch State Park, East Texas barbecue joints, the crystal-clear Devil鈥檚 River, and the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, at 8,751 feet.

The trail, designed for hikers, bikers, and equestrians, is a work in progress, but the route features a mix of singletrack and paved and gravel backcountry public roads. You can ride much of the route now, but the nonprofit behind the xTx鈥攍ed by bike advocate, former community design consultant, and state representative Charlie Gandy鈥攊s currently working on access to some private ranch land so that riders can more easily enter some sections of state and national parks. In the future, there could even be trailheads equipped with picnic areas, water stations, and campsites, but for now, it鈥檚 all a self-supported, DIY affair. The trail has a long way to go to match the history of the Appalachian Trail or the sheer beauty of the Pacific Crest Trail, but it could be one of the best, if longest, ways to experience the hardscrabble charm of the Lone Star State.

Go Abroad: Palmilhar Portugal, Portugal

Portugal is about to get its own version of Spain鈥檚 Camino de Santiago, a new 3,000-kilometer (1,850 miles) loop trail that is being billed as the world鈥檚 longest circular hiking route. The trail, called (or 鈥淲alking Portugal鈥�, in English), will eventually pass through over 100 off-the-beaten-path attractions around the country, from windmills and vineyards outside Lisbon to mountain peaks in the north. Most of the trail is still under construction, but initial sections opened last summer, and new routes are being added regularly throughout 2025. While mostly a hiking trail, Palmilhar Portugal will have some sections open to cyclists, too. The team behind Palmihar Portugal plans to launch an app later this year, , that will help visitors look up information about the route and the services along the way, including places to stay, restaurants, and points of interest.

2. Fat-Tire and Mountain-Biking Fun

Stay Domestic: Killington Bike Park, Vermont

In the fall of 2024, , in Vermont’s Green Mountains, was purchased by a passionate group of local investors who promised big changes to New England鈥檚 iconic ski area, including a in capital improvements over the next two seasons. Those upgrades include an expansion to its already impressive bike park, with 30 miles of lift-accessed mountain-biking trails.

Beginning in 2025, the park will get a new trail, accessed by the Ramshead Express Quad, and other improvements are in the works. The new trail (dubbed Ramshead, construction on which starts this spring) will start at the top of the lift and snake down the mountain for more than two miles. Even without the new upgrades, the bike park is one of the best in the East, with features like berms, tabletops, and bridges that cater to intermediate and advanced riders alike. Its signature trail, 鈥�,鈥� is a steep, technical descent with rock gardens and big jumps, but there are plenty of smoother trails for beginner downhillers, too. (One-day passes begin at $65.) Off the trails, Killington鈥檚 base area is buzzing with its new enhancements on the horizon, and everything points to this year being the start of upgraded riding to come for Killington.

Go Abroad: Mogo Trails Project, Australia

Like many areas rich in adventure bona fides鈥擝ritish Columbia, South Africa, New Zealand鈥擜ustralia is investing heavily in new trails for mountain bike aficionados, and one the largest ongoing projects is , in New South Wales.

The expansive trail network, roughly four hours south of Sydney, is being developed near the town of Mogo, a tiny outpost adjacent to the area鈥檚 temperate rainforests.听 Mogo Trails is being designed for various skill levels, from beginners to advanced riders, with a mix of park-style gravity trails with jumps and cross-country trails.

Currently, there are about 70km of singletrack ready for riders, with a total of 130km planned to be completed in 2025 and beyond. Finished trails are listed on, along with descriptions of each one. If you鈥檙e coming from Sydney, you鈥檒l need to book lodging nearby. Batemans Bay, a version of an Oregon beach town Down Under, has excellent options, including , an upscale motel that also offers easy access to surf breaks just down the beach. (From $140 per night.) The much larger town of Canberra, the capital of Australia, is two hours away. Other nearby mountain bike trails, like the new Narooma Trails, which opened in 2023, are making the area a legitimate international destination for MTB enthusiasts.

3. Fresh Piste

Stay Domestic: Deer Valley Resort, Utah

Over the next few years, Park City鈥檚 Deer Valley Resort is undergoing a , with a new base village, 100 new trails on 2,600 acres of fresh terrain, and more than 10 new lifts to access it all, including a 10-passenger gondola. When it鈥檚 all said and done, the resort will double in size to over 5,700 acres, making it one of the ten largest ski resorts in the United States.

The transformation is already under way. Debuting for the 2024鈥�2025 season are three new chairlifts, 300 acres of terrain, and freshly cut trails leading to the new East Village. When it鈥檚 complete, the East Village will offer the same level of premium service that Deer Valley has become known for, with restaurants, retail shops, and an ice-skating facility, among other facilities. Of course, for day skiers, perhaps the biggest draw of the new East Village is that it鈥檚 located on U.S. Route 40, which allows you to avoid driving through the heart of Park City itself, often crowded with traffic.

For now, the brand-new , with 381 guest rooms and suites, anchors the East Village, and it鈥檚 the only place to stay on that side of the resort. (From $270 per night.) But the hotel has more than enough amenities to keep you comfortable, including a restaurant and bar, a downstairs speakeasy-style lounge, a coffeeshop, a heated outdoor pool, three hot tubs, and a partnership with Ski Butlers to offer white-glove ski valet service when suiting up for the day. There鈥檚 even a , a High Tea service but instead of tea and hand sandwiches, you get hot chocolate paired with s鈥檓ores cookies, chocolate snowballs, and other baked goods.

Go Abroad: Andermatt Ski Area, Switzerland

Unknown to most Americans, the combined ski resorts of , an hour and a half south of Zurich, is poised to become one of Europe鈥檚 premier ski destinations. Over the last handful of years, more than $2 billion has been invested in upgrades, with ten new lifts that allowed you to ski all three by accessing any one of them. Combined, the resorts have more than 100 miles of trails.

The historic village of Andermatt, with cobblestone streets and a very Swiss vibe, has also been undergoing a series of renovations to accommodate the influx of skiers. This winter, for example, it unveiled a brand-new shopping and dining district featuring 35 stores and 10 restaurants. The resort is also on track to become carbon neutral by 2030, a hugely ambitious goal for such a large operation.

For American skiers, it鈥檚 also become easier to shred: In 2022, Vail acquired majority ownership in the resort, which means that it鈥檚 now . With over 12 feet of average annual snowfall, a range of terrain鈥攆rom blue and yellow runs to steep couloirs and powder-filled bowls鈥擜ndermatt is one of the best resorts in all of Europe. And with a master plan mapped out for the next 30 years, now is the time to go, before the hordes descend.

4. Beach Vibes

Stay Domestic: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

As part of North Carolina鈥檚 Outer Banks, Cape Hatteras is known for its expansive East-Coast beaches, world-class kiteboarding, and laid-back charm. It鈥檚 also now home to one of the more exciting Atlantic Coast lodging conversions in years: , a 14-room wellness-oriented hotel that faces Pamlico Sound, a vast expanse of shallow water good for both paddling and kiting. The hotel opened last year after owners bought a failed, two-story strip mall and transformed it into a chic hotel with suites designed by world-famous interior designer Jonathan Adler.

If that turns you off, don鈥檛 let it. The result is a quirky mashup of coastal kitsch and beach sophistication with a focus on outdoor recreation. There鈥檚 even an outdoor deck featuring cold plunges, a sauna, and a hot tub for relaxing in after a long day on the saltwater. (From $179 per night.) And its location, adjacent to the entire length of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore鈥攚here windswept dunes and unspoiled stretches of sand offer endless opportunities for surfing, fishing, and paddleboarding鈥攍eads to a perfect blend adventure and tranquility in one of the most celebrated beach destinations in the U.S.

Go Abroad: Nicaragua鈥檚 Pacific Coast

听 Nicaragua鈥檚 Pacific Coastline has long been considered one of the best stretches of remote coastline in Central America, with excellent surf breaks framed by undeveloped sand beaches and tropical forest. Now, thanks to an ongoing , it鈥檚 about to get much easier to access much of the coastline.

The country鈥檚 new Carratera Costanera Highway, or Emerald Coast Highway, will stretch more than 350 kilometers (217 miles) from the Gulf of Fonseca in the north to Playa El Naranjo in the south, making it smoother and safer to travel along the coastline. Construction has already , near San Juan del Sur, which is known as the country鈥檚 surf capital, because of its proximity to some of Nicaragua鈥檚 . Up and down the coastline, you鈥檒l find a variety of waves, from mellow beach breaks to beefy points, with consistent year-round swell (although the summer months remain the best).

The promise of easy access is already drawing development interest to the coastline and new tourist offerings, like the newly refreshed and reopened , which was the country鈥檚 first true luxury eco-resort when it opened in 2013. (From $776 per night.) The resort has direct walking access to a world-class surf break just off of its private beach. While funding is secured for the road construction, the pace of progress is nearly impossible to predict, so don鈥檛 expect to be driving down a long stretch of empty, freshly paved highway this year. (Also, the U.S. State Department has a for the country, in part because of the government’s arbitrary enforcement of laws, although like Costa Rica or Panama, Nicaragua is generally safe for tourists if you exercise caution). But if you want to experience the surf breaks before the rush on the rapidly developing coastline, now is the time to go.

5. Paddling Pristine Backcountry

Stay Domestic: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

In January 2023, the Biden administration helped ban mining and geothermal exploration on over 225,000 acres of land in the Superior National Forest, preserving the integrity of the Rainy River watershed and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the process.

With President Trump in power again, however, advocates are once again worried that the BWCAW, one of the most pristine landscapes in the Lower 48, could return to becoming a political football. If so, it could be tossed back into the hands of the Chilean-owned mining conglomerate that has been seeking to open a copper-sulfide mine in the area for years. All of which is a good reason to explore the area now, to see firsthand just how special this landscape is.

Spanning over a million acres of North Woods forest dotted with thousands of lakes, this is a paddler鈥檚 paradise, with more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes and 2,000 campsites, most of which are paddle-in only. If you want a break from modern life and all its real-time annoyances and aggravations, the BWCAW has always been one of the best places to do it, and now you can show your tacit political support for the area simply by enjoying a weekend paddle through it.

Go Abroad: Pacuare River, Costa Rica

The Pacuare River, roughly 60 miles east of San Jos茅, is not only one of the best tropical rafting trips on the planet鈥攁nd by extension one of the best ways to experience Costa Rica鈥檚 wild side鈥攊t鈥檚 also 鈥渉ome鈥� to the perennial favorite . With 20 suites, a restaurant, and a spa set along the riverbank, the lodge has set an impossibly high standard for eco-luxury in the heart of the rainforest. (From $949 per night.)

The best part, however, is that arriving at Picuare requires getting on the water first. With no road into the property, guests float down the Pacuare鈥檚 class II鈥揤 rapids, through canyons and untouched jungle, and arrive via boat on the lodge’s front steps. Despite its remoteness, it鈥檚 full of amenities. Each suite has a range of luxuries like outdoor showers, spring-fed fountains, and plunge pools. The restaurant serves exceptionally high-quality, fresh ingredients and the spa has wellness programs that include open-air yoga sessions and treatments inspired by indigenous traditions. The surrounding forest is home to toucans, sloths, and howler monkeys, and non-river activities include guided rainforest hikes to see the wildlife, zip-lining, and visiting local Cab茅car communities. The lodge itself is worthy of a visit alone, but combined with its entrance theatrics鈥攁 float down the whitewater of Pacuare River鈥攖he experience may just offer the perfect balance of adventure and indulgences for a weekend jungle-induced rejuvenation. Pura vida indeed.

6. Camping (with Creature Comforts)

Stay Domestic: Yosemite, California

Outdoor-oriented hospitality group is expanding once again, this time to an 80-acre camp near Yosemite National Park. Ever since it started with a single glamping resort in West Yellowstone in 2012, the company has grown year over year to offer overnight access to some of America鈥檚 most iconic destinations, including Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and Moab (thanks to its luxury offshoot ULUM Moab).

is the company鈥檚 first foray into California, and it will feature the same safari-inspired tents鈥攚ith king-size beds, a private deck, and ensuite bathrooms鈥攖hat have made its 13 other locations so popular. There will also be regular activities in the camp, such as live music, morning yoga, and nightly fires with s鈥檓ores. (The seasonal camp runs from May 15 to October 27 in 2025, and rates start at $349 per night, meals not included.)

But perhaps the best reason to book a stay here while visiting Yosemite National Park is the easy access it affords. The camp is located just ten minutes from the west entrance to the park and, more importantly, across from a bus stop for the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS). Without a reservation in summer, you are no longer allowed to enter the park by car. So staying at Under Canvas Yosemite means you not only get all the amenities, but you also get easy, car-free access to the park.

Go Abroad: Playa Viva, Mexico

On a remote beach 35 miles south of Zihuatanejo lies one of the most ecologically sensitive, off-grid, wellness-focused resorts on the planet: . This is far from camping, but the 19 open-air treehouses and casitas, designed with bamboo and other sustainable woods, will make it feel as if you鈥檙e poaching a nap on the last stretch of perfect sand in all of Mexico.

Each room has unobstructed views of the beach, with nothing to be seen either direction besides palm trees, Pacific waves, and the occasional breaching whale. Set on 200 coastal acres, Playa Viva is home to a vibrant turtle sanctuary, a regenerative farm, and mangrove forest. The resort supports local communities through various initiatives and actively works to help restore surrounding ecosystems. Guests can even participate in activities like helping release baby sea turtles (during the fall hatching season).

The on-site restaurant even serves farm-to-table dishes that celebrate the region鈥檚 culinary heritage. Think fresh-caught seafood, handmade tortillas, and tropical fruits picked just steps from your casita. Daily beachside yoga classes and a variety of massage services round out the offerings. Again, you鈥檙e not exactly roughing it, but the resort is a world away in a wild, pristine corner of Mexico. (Summer low-season rates begin at $240 per night.)

7. Wildlife Encounters

Stay Domestic: American Prairie Reserve, Montana

When it was established in 2004, 鈥攁 private, nonprofit effort to create the largest wildlife reserve in the continental U.S. at three million acres鈥攕eemed like nothing more than a pipe dream. But the group has steadily managed to acquire an impressive amount of land on Montana鈥檚 Northern Great Plains in their effort to reestablish a functioning ecosystem that supports free-roaming wildlife.

In December, APR , which brings their total to over half a million acres of deeded land and leased public property. Thanks to all the efforts over the years, the reserve is now home to a wealth of iconic wildlife, including herds of bison, elk, and pronghorn. It also contains some of the most remote areas of the lower-48 states, with a diverse landscape鈥攆rom sagebrush plains to riparian areas to the steep hills of the Missouri Breaks鈥攖hat offers visitors the chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat.

The APR鈥檚 National Discovery Center has excellent exhibits about the prairie ecosystem, and is the best place to learn about the reserve鈥檚 hiking, biking, and camping opportunities, especially considering that it continues to expand its offerings, which includes interpretive programs. But as a quick-start option, one of the best ways to experience the wildlife is by camping at , located four miles north of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge on the rolling shortgrass prairie. (RV sites are $19 per night and tent sites are $13.) Here, you鈥檙e almost certain to see plains bison and pronghorn roaming past prairie dog towns and get a much deeper connection to one of the most overlooked landscapes in the U.S. The American Prairie Reserve isn鈥檛 just a trip, it鈥檚 a chance to witness (and participate in) conservation history in the making.

Go Abroad: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, British Columbia

Tucked into a Pacific Ocean inlet on Vancouver Island鈥檚 wild west coast, is perhaps the most luxurious gateway to British Columbia鈥檚 wildlife-rich temperate rainforest. It may also be the best way to see the area’s charismatic, iconic species, from black bears and eagles to whales and otters.

The lodge鈥檚 25 canvas tents, which are lavishly appointed with specially made furnishings, king-sized beds, and wood-burning stoves, offer guests the perfect blend of off-grid seclusion and high-end comfort. (From $3,300 per night.)

Meals focus on hyper-local, foraged ingredients crafted into exquisite dishes. Committed to sustainability, the seasonal lodge operates with an extremely light footprint, relying on renewable energy to power the camp. It also supports local First Nations communities through cultural exchange programs and eco-tourism partnerships. All of which makes staying here feeling as if you鈥檙e part of a very lucky family.

But the real reason to come are the wildlife excursions, which includes hiking or horseback rides in the forest to see and sea kayaking outings on the inlet, where it鈥檚 common to spot whales, porpoises, seals, and sea lions. And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to the lodge鈥檚 eco-adventure program. For those seeking a communion with nature that has more than a dash of indulgence, Clayoquot offers an unforgettable escape into the wild heart of British Columbia.

Ryan Krogh is a writer and editor who lives in Austin, Texas. Among the dozens of destinations that he traveled to in 2024, including Iceland, England, and a road trip through Mexico鈥檚 highlands, his favorite was a weekend fly-fishing trip to the Texas Coast. In 2025, he鈥檚 hoping to see Nicaragua and Portugal for the first time, which is why they鈥檙e included here, but he also has plans to explore the new 鈥淕ulf of America鈥� coast, whatever that is. He has recently written about the world’s best airports with cool outdoor spaces, the beginner’s guide to carry-on luggage, and the most dog-friendly beaches in the U.S.

The post The 14 Best Vacation Spots in the U.S. and Abroad for 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you鈥檙e a regular traveler like me, you already know this: most airports are awful. You鈥檙e constantly rushing through a crowded terminal, competing with a harried mess of humanity, only to then cram yourself into a narrow seat for a few hours until you get to your next terminal purgatory鈥攎eanwhile, dragging your luggage the whole way. Germs waft through the air. Couples argue about holding each other up in the TSA line. As I write this, I鈥檓 sitting in the F concourse at Minneapolis Saint-Paul listening to a kid whine at NASCAR-engine levels about not getting soft serve ice cream and his Chick-fil-A nuggets.

Airports are the worst.

Except鈥ot all of them. Around the world, there are a growing number of destinations that are making their airports, well, welcoming. A shocking idea, I know. I鈥檝e been to a handful of these miraculous creations (compared to the usual dreadfulness)鈥攊nternational airports like Vancouver, Zurich, and Munich. They鈥檙e clean, organized, and, best of all, have a place to get some fresh air before your next long-haul flight. With this new wave of amenities (and your travel sanity) in mind, here are the best airports in the world, from Asia and the Middle East to right here in North America, that offer incredible open-air areas to soothe your traveling stress.

Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore (SIN)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Indoor Climbing Area

Changi Airport is a perennial winner of the , thanks to a seemingly never-ending list of Disneyland-like attractions, including a onsite, a on the roof of Terminal 1, and the , at seven stories high. There鈥檚 even an indoor forest, called , with walking paths and a glass walkway that rises 23 meters above the terminal floor, allowing you to trek amongst the treetops. (To see how impressive the full list of attractions is, you can scroll through it .)

For nature lovers, though, the true gem is Changi鈥檚 series of gardens, including Cactus Garden, Sunflower Garden, Enchanted Garden, Petal Garden, and Butterfly Garden. Together, they offer the most complete botanical adventure you鈥檒l get at any airport on earth. And even though some of the gardens are indoors, it鈥檚 hard to tell.

The , for example, is set in a large conservatory designed as a tropical forest, with an 18-foot high grotto waterfall. It鈥檚 home to over 1,000 butterflies from as many as 40 species and, on your way to your gate, you can stop by and stand amidst the flora as the butterflies flutter around you. For a splash of yellow, the is worth a quick stop if you have some time to kill in terminal 2, and the , also in Terminal 2, is designed to offer Shangri-La-like atmosphere, with the sounds of a forest pumped into is a large room dominated by four giant glass bouquet sculptures that are filled with a variety of flowers and ferns.

Perhaps most Zen of all, though, is the on the roof of Terminal 1, which features over 100 species of arid plants from Asia, Africa, and the Americas鈥攅verything from prickly pear cactus to giant ponytail palm trees. It also has a bar and shaded tables, so it may just be the best place to grab a local while you hope for another hour delay on your flight out.

Denver International Airport, Colorado (DEN)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Ice-Skating Rink

This pick comes with a minor asterisk: the primary outdoor area is before you go through security, so you鈥檒l need to enjoy the al fresco offerings in advance of your flight, but the options are worth the early arrival. The space is called the , and it鈥檚 a large synthetic turf located between the Jeppesen Terminal and the Westin Hotel, underneath the airport鈥檚 famous faux mountain peaks.

In summer, the turf is set up with cornhole games and wooden benches for lounging, and there鈥檚 often live music or other events throughout the season (all of which are free to the public). In the winter months, typically from Thanksgiving to New Year鈥檚, the area features an open-air ice rink with free loaner skates.

Of course, don鈥檛 fret if you鈥檙e running on time and need to get through the TSA line: inside the airport there are three outdoor lounges with seating and fire pits, at Concourse A-West near gate A15; on Concourse B-West at gate B7; and at gate C67 on Concourse C-East.

Zurich Airport, Switzerland (ZRH)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Outdoor Walking Paths

If you find yourself craving one last view of the Alps before your flight home, , the primary hub for Swiss International Airlines, has an executive lounge with an outdoor terrace that has impressive views of the mountains beyond. The at the Midfield Terminal is open to all travelers for a fee (roughly $50) and, in addition to the outdoor terrace views, you get access to all of the lounge鈥檚 food and drink options, and other amenities.

But the real reason Zurich Airport is on this list is because of its adjacent , a 20-acre park filled with forested walking paths and a modest hill with good views from up top. It鈥檚 a great place to unwind during a long layover or if you get caught waiting for a delayed flight. You鈥檒l need to leave the terminal to access it, but the short walk and fresh air are worth it. During much of the week, there are park rangers who will take you on a , explaining the flora and fauna and how it was designed for maximum relaxation (check the rangers鈥� in advance). There鈥檚 even a free cable car to whisk you into the park in the most Swiss way possible.

From the arrivals area, walk across the parking area to the Circle, the large building adjacent to the terminal that hosts restaurants, hotels, and stores. From there you can take the cable car into Der Park.

Vancouver International Airport, Canada (YVR)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Digital Light Show

For most passengers headed through , their first introduction (or last farewell) to British Columbia is YVR鈥檚 Chester Johnson Park, located directly adjacent to (and underneath) the Canada Line train station. The park is designed to feel like an , with rock-lined paths, native trees, driftwood benches, and a large wooden sculpture鈥攖he Musqueam Welcome Figure鈥攃urving throughout its length. It鈥檚 also home to the Green Wall, a 17-meter-high vegetated art installation made up of, at last count, 27,391 individual plants.

As for inside the airport itself, there鈥檚 a new 47-foot-high open-air atrium in the international terminal, with three full-grown hemlock trees in the center. Until recently, the glassed-in atrium was only visible to passengers as they commuted past, like looking into a giant terrarium, but you can now open a door and walk out into the atrium for a breath of fresh air. At night, the trees and rock landscape are lit up by digital light projections鈥攆aux waves crashing over the rocks, for example鈥攁nd a corresponding soundscape. The whole experience is designed to showcase the sights and sounds of B.C., and it does just that and more. It may be the most successful attempt of any airport in the world to bring a little bit of the region鈥檚 natural landscape into the airport itself.

Incheon International Airport, South Korea (ICN)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Indoor Gardens

Among the many attractions for passengers flying into or through South Korea鈥檚 鈥攖he country鈥檚 main international gateway and one of the busiest airports in the world鈥攊s a sprawling, in Terminal 2.

The green features are spread throughout much of the large space, with a mix of flowers, trees, ferns, and bamboo growing from planters situated throughout鈥攊n the floors, dividing walls, large garden spaces, and above kiosks鈥� ceilings, with strands hanging down. Smaller water, rock, cactus, and pine gardens are strategically located across the airport campus, too. Technically, none of these areas are outdoors, but the enormous roof above the main area, with translucent panels in the center, makes it feels as such, which is why we鈥檙e including it on this list.

We鈥檙e also including Incheon because of the airport鈥檚 ongoing plans to add even more green spaces that utilize a variety of plants to create a living, breathing indoor space with healthier air for all visitors. As part of its , the airport also plans to add a terrace with an outdoor garden, so passengers can decompress before their (likely long) overseas flight.

Long Beach Airport, California (LGB)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Palm Treed Courtyard

, bills itself as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 coolest airport,鈥� and while that moniker is a bit of a stretch, it does have an impressive courtyard with a series of tall palm trees and a drought-tolerant garden. The airport, one of the five major commercial airfields serving the greater Los Angeles metroplex, is the second smallest, with just 11 gates. In such a tiny airport, the 4,200-square-foot courtyard is definitely a unique amenity, one that punches well above its weight.

The courtyard is also ringed by dining options from local establishments, so it鈥檚 an excellent place to grab a bite to eat while you wait for your flight out. For those heading to this side of L.A. or points south along the coastline, LGB is definitely a good choice over LAX (see below).

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Private Lounges

For anyone who has traveled through recently, you know it鈥檚 a mess, thanks to a $30 billion overhaul one of the world鈥檚 busiest airports is getting ahead of the , in L.A. By the time construction is done, it will almost be a brand new airport, with new terminals, an elevated train, and an on-site rental-car facility to help eliminate the shuttles current clogging up the passenger pickup/drop-off areas. Already some of the upgrades are beginning to appear, including a series of new lounges with outdoor terraces.

The in Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) has a large outdoor deck with fire pits, trees, running water, and great views of the Hollywood Hills in the distance ($75 for standard access). The United Club in Terminal 7 is much smaller鈥攎ore a balcony than a lounge鈥攂ut it鈥檚 spacious enough to get some fresh air and does have good views of the tarmac ($59 for a single-entry pass).

The new , which is open to Delta customers traveling with a Delta One ticket, is the company鈥檚 premium lounge, with table service at every seat, a sushi bar, and eight relaxation pods. It also has a large private Sky Deck on the roof, with a landscaped terrace full of chairs, sofas, and enough plants to keep it feeling like a lounge, rather than an extension of the tarmac.

LAX will remain a very urban airport, but with a few spots to sneak in some last-minute SoCal sun, these lounges are worth it, if you can afford them.

Hamad International Airport, Qatar (DOH)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Indoor Tropical Garden

Yes, this is another entry highlighting a space that is not, technically, outdoors, and yet we promise that visiting 鈥檚 鈥淭he Orchard鈥� will feel more like being in nature than just about any of the other places on this list.

It鈥檚 a massive, 64,000-square-foot set beneath a soaring, translucent roof shaped like the inside of a shell. More than were sourced from around the world to create the indoor garden, and at its center is a 鈥渨ater feature鈥� that is best described as a spiraling waterfall emerging from a slanted halo. At points the faux forest is so lush that you almost forget that you鈥檙e surrounded by roughly five dozen shops, lounges, and restaurants, with hundreds of rushing bodies scrambling to catch their flights. It鈥檚 almost worth a trip to Doha just to see it鈥攐r at least a long layover.

Munich International Airport, Germany (MUC)

Don鈥檛 Miss: The Next-Door Surf Park

This wouldn鈥檛 be Bavaria without beer, so it鈥檚 fitting that not only does have a beer garden onsite, it鈥檚 also an open-air one, with a covered glass roof. Called the, it鈥檚 the first brewery in an airport on earth. It has an indoor tavern for drinking, but the patio offers both fresh air, protection from the occasional rain shower, and food and beers, like the Fliegerquell Lager and the Kumulous Wheat.

Munich Airport also has a 900-square-meter , with seating and binoculars to take in the alpine views on clear days. Across from Terminal 1 is , an extensive outdoor area with grass lawns and trails, a playground area, interactive exhibits, benches for sitting, and a 90-foot-high hill overlooking the area. It鈥檚 an excellent place to stretch the legs before a long flight or burn off some of the kids鈥� energy before boarding.

Oh, and just in case you have half a day to kill, there鈥檚 a brand-new surf park, , just around the corner from the airport. It鈥檚 Germany鈥檚 first wave pool and the largest in Europe, at over 215,000 square feet, capable of churning out waves .听 Getting there is a cinch: it鈥檚 just a five-mute car ride away, literally in the shadow of landing flights.

Bonus Picks: Other Noteworthy Outdoor Areas in North American Airports听

While these airports do have notable outdoor areas, they really can’t compare with our picks for the best airports in the world featured above. That said, they’re still worth calling out on honorable mentions鈥攅specially for domestic travelers鈥攆or these specific reasons.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas (AUS)

The accessible to Sapphire Reserve cardmembers, has a large outdoor terrace with seating overlooking the tarmac and Hill Country beyond. The Delta Sky Club, directly adjacent to the Sapphire Lounge, also has outdoor seating, and more outdoor areas are in the works as part of the airport鈥檚 multi-billion-dollar expansion.

San Francisco International Airport, California (SFO)

For ticketed passengers, there鈥檚 a free in the international terminal with seating and excellent views of the airfield and beyond. Three bronze sculptures by local artist Woody Othello decorate the space, at the end of Boarding Area G. For plane-watching, there鈥檚 also the , located atop Terminal 2. It鈥檚 a good, free place for the public to come (no ticket necessary) to see some of the largest aircraft serving SFO. The SkyTerrace is open Friday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia (ATL)

The in Concourse F has an outdoor deck for its club members, with seating for roughly 40 guests and a free bar. As with all of Delta鈥檚 clubs, there鈥檚 free food and drinks, as well as WiFi.

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK)

For travels heading through JetBlue鈥檚 Terminal, there鈥檚 a roughly 4,000-square-foot post-security rooftop lounge with green spaces, seating, a children鈥檚 play area, and even a dog-walk area. The rooftop lounge also offers passengers views of the Manhattan skyline and of the iconic TWA terminal, which is now the . The , as it鈥檚 called, is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the entrance is across from Gate 28.

Ryan Krogh is a freelance writer and editor based in Austin, Texas. He mostly covers the subjects of travel and the outdoors, and is always looking for a way to get some fresh air in airports worldwide.听听

The post The 13 Best Airports in the World with Outdoor Lounges, Parks, and Pools鈥擸es, Pools appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The east face of the Matterhorn towers over the Swiss village of Zermatt. Wind hammers the peak and strips snow from its craggy buttresses. From town, the sheer wall of rock and ice looks impossible to ski. But the forbidding slope was first skied by Toni Valeruz in May of 1975, and this year, snow and weather conditions aligned for a team of athletes, mostly women, to make an attempt on the face.

Nadine Wallner, 35, a fully-certified mountain guide and two-time Freeride World Tour champion from Kl枚sterle, Austria, had her eye on the face while hosting a ski camp to train Red Bull athletes in Zermatt. She听spied a brief window between storms to climb and ski the east face on May 26 and seized the opportunity.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really unlikely to find decent conditions to ski the Matterhorn safely,鈥� said Wallner, 鈥渢he east face is usually full of rock bands and it鈥檚 rare that it filled in so well.”

Wallner, accompanied by Swiss mountain guide Ramona Volken and her friend Valentin Zufferey as well as another Freeride World Tour champion, Italian-born Arianna Tricomi, began climbing to the H枚rnli Hut on May 25 to stage their descent. As they ascended toward the snow, thick clouds enveloped the 鈥淗ore鈥� (the local, Valaisian name for the peak). The clouds concerned Wallner and her team鈥攐vercast skies act like insulation and keep the snow from refreezing, which can create wet and unstable surface conditions. The skiers were relying on a shallow refreeze to keep the snow in decent skiing condition and protect it from the hot May temperatures.

But the clouds cleared as the team of skiers ascended the eastern flank of the Matterhorn, allowing for just enough of a superficial refreeze that they听felt comfortable continuing. 鈥淲e booted up the face with crampons and two axes,鈥� Wallner said. 鈥淲e were just in the bubble of the dark. When the sun rose we reached the Solvay Hut.鈥�

The Solvay Hut, an emergency shelter built high on the Matterhorn鈥檚 northeast ridge, is the high point for most parties who ski the east face, including Wallner’s team. At 13,133 feet, it sits about 1,500 feet shy of the summit. But above the hut, near vertical rock walls guard the mountain鈥檚 peak. Parties who ski the east face begin their descent from the hut, or, in exceptional snow years, 150 feet above it. Snow never really sticks to the rock above that.

By my count, and I don鈥檛 read German, the Matterhorn has only been skied from the summit twice. Swiss mountaineer Andr茅 “D茅d茅” Anz茅vui made the first descent of the north face of the Matterhorn from the summit in 1989. Then, in 2018, Italian Edmond Joyeusaz skied from the summit at the age of 60. Both skiers had to remove their skis and rappel from 800 feet below the summit past a rock band and then wrap around to the east face to ski from the Solvay Hut.

The east face, while still imposing, still only gets skied once every few years and is an extremely difficult objective. Wallner said she enjoyed easy travel on the uphill, but encountered tricky snow conditions on the descent. A recent storm system blew patches of new snow atop the stable spring snow they had hoped to ski. Those patches warmed quickly in the May sunlight and created听dangerous sluff. Wallner had to ski carefully to link the patches of spring corn and avoid the hot, sticky newer snow. 鈥淚t was quite sketchy at some points,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou had to really watch out where you skied because those powder patches got really hot and would slide. They can definitely catch your skis.鈥�

When asked about the steepness, Wallner parried that it all comes down to the snow quality. 鈥淚f the snow is good, very steep skiing can feel not so steep. And the opposite can be true too. Bad snow makes easy skiing feel very steep and scary.鈥� Luckily for Wallner, route finding was the least of her worries. The team was able to follow their bootpack all the way down the east face.

The team skied the face in conditions that could generously be described as subpar. I asked Wallner if she questioned any of her decision-making with the power of hindsight. 鈥淚 wish we鈥檇 descended a half-an-hour earlier,鈥� Wallner told me. 鈥淭here were spin drifts from above turning into little stuff slides. When we got back to the [H枚rnli] hut some larger avalanches came down from above.鈥�

Tricky conditions on the Matterhorn of an Italian skier just a week later on June 4. Luca Berini, a 34-year-old Italian ski instructor slipped and fell over 1,000 feet to his death while skiing the east face in poor snow.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know him, but it鈥檚 so tragic,鈥� said Wallner of Berini鈥檚 fall. 鈥淚t makes it hard to even appreciate your own descent.鈥�

But even in mid-June Wallner hasn鈥檛 given up skiing. The Austrian听told me she鈥檚 still seeking out little windows of clear weather amid summer storms that are still dropping snow in the Swiss Alps. 鈥淓ven if the window is 50/50, if you don鈥檛 go you鈥檒l never know,鈥� she said.

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We are ready for summer. We鈥檝e got our lightweight tents and Tevas out, spend our free time examining trail maps, and have been outdoors soaking up the longer days in preparation for all sorts of adventures. Where are we going this summer? Some of us have plans to escape to tropical Caribbean ports and the high peaks of South America, while others are simply road-tripping one county or one state over for a long weekend escape.

Haven鈥檛 nailed down the specifics of your summer vacation yet? It doesn鈥檛 have to be spendy, and you can go with friends, family, or solo. Just pick a place that will offer a sense of wonder, a disconnect from your routine, preferably in nature, which has been shown to improve everything from our psyches to our relationships and even heal heartbreak. Here are the trips we鈥檝e booked.

Northern New Mexico

When the heat hits the country with full force in July, my husband and I will head from our home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, up north to cooler climes near Taos. We鈥檙e eager to stay at , which isn鈥檛 a hotel at all but a grouping of vintage Airstreams all decorated differently. We鈥檝e rented Castor, built in 1972, our best friends have rented the adjacent Pollux, from 1967, and we鈥檒l share a deck. Each trailer has a queen bed, a full kitchen, a bathroom, and views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. The hiking around Taos is incredible, too, with trails in nearly every direction.

From Luna Mystica, you can walk to the Taos Mesa Brewery鈥檚 mothership location, which has a stage and live music many summer nights. Early in the mornings we鈥檒l drive the quick 13 miles to the Black Rock Hot Springs on the Rio Grande; my husband will fly-fish from the wide banks while I soak and enjoy the July traffic through the canyon: dragonflies, swallows, kayakers, hawks, and bright-yellow butterflies.

One day we want to tour the nearby , self-sufficient off-grid homes that look like futuristic dwellings. I鈥檓 fascinated by their modern sustainability efforts but also love their incorporation of beautiful, unique design elements鈥攚alls made of used tires and earth or accents of recycled glass bottles that glimmer colorfully in the sun. 鈥�Tasha Zemke, 国产吃瓜黑料 managing editor

Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming

At some point over the winter, I decided I sucked at climbing. As I dragged my feet out of the gym, devoid of stoke and prepared to suck again the next day, I had no idea how to cure my melodramatic self-diagnosis. But that changed two months ago when I started climbing with the , a mentor program in the Denver area led by big-wall athlete Jordan Cannon. A dozen of my peers and I have attended clinics, trainings, lectures, and meet-ups to define and achieve our climbing goals, and it all culminates in a final trip in June to Ten Sleep, Wyoming.

Why Ten Sleep? This tiny cowboy town in the north-central reaches of the state happens to be the base camp of a massive limestone canyon 15 miles away with more than a thousand sport routes for climbers of every skill level. One of last year鈥檚 mentees called it 鈥淪helf Road on steroids鈥濃�攁 reference to a popular Front Range climbing mecca鈥攁nd noted how the population of the local campground, when filled with climbers, seems bigger than the actual town itself. 鈥�, National Park Trips digital content producer

Saint Lucia

My fianc茅 and I are taking our honeymoon this summer on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, best known for two mountains called the Pitons鈥擥ros Piton and Petit Piton. While we鈥檙e eager to lounge on the white-sand beaches, snorkel, eat jerk chicken and breadfruit, and enjoy a mud bath at Sulphur Springs, in the dormant Soufri猫re volcano, we鈥檙e most looking forward to guided hikes. I鈥檓 especially excited to tackle the Gros Piton Trail (see Gaia GPS map below), which is three miles round-trip, with a little more than 1,800 feet of elevation gain.

We鈥檝e been told this is challenging, but the view from the top of the island and the sea is said to be spectacular. Plus, I plan to set my alarm for an early-morning run just as the sun rises over the sea. 鈥�Mallory Arnold, Run associate editor

Machu Picchu, Peru

I鈥檓 an editor at Backpacker, and the biggest hiking goal of my life has always been Machu Picchu. I first learned about the ruins in Peru in my middle school history class, and the combination of hiking and Indigenous history intrigued me. A trip to South America seemed like a long shot, but I kept dreaming. Flash forward to the end of May: my college friends and I are going international on our annual reunion trekking trip. We鈥檒l fly into Cuzco and spend two days acclimatizing to the altitude鈥攁 little more than 11,000 feet鈥攚hile touring the city before hitting the Inca Trail with , a sustainable-tourism company.

For four days we鈥檒l hike between 7,218 and 13,780 feet before ending at the famous Inca site. With porters carrying our belongings and chefs cooking our meals, this is going to be a lot more glamorous than my usual excursions to the backcountry. I can鈥檛 wait. But there鈥檚 a more personal reason why this trip is particularly meaningful to me: I recently learned that a suspicious mole was actually stage-one melanoma and was sidelined for weeks in between procedures. I can鈥檛 imagine a better place to celebrate being cancer-free. 鈥� Emma Veidt, Backpacker associate editor

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

My theme for the summer is: Stay local, but get far, far away. From our home in Boulder, Colorado, my wife and I can drive to Rocky Mountain National Park in less than two hours, and we鈥檝e exploited that proximity to visit many of the park鈥檚 peaks, lakes, and trails. Not surprisingly, popular spots are often packed with other nature lovers. So this year we鈥檙e taking advantage of a little-used type of wilderness permit to escape the crowds. We鈥檝e reserved long weekends in four of Rocky鈥檚 23 , remote areas without developed trails or campsites, where we鈥檒l likely see more elk and moose than people.

Hidden in some of the park鈥檚 most rugged terrain, typically at elevations of 9,000 to 11,000 feet, these zones require expert navigation skills and total self-reliance. Expect rangers at the backcountry desk to quiz you on bear safety, Leave No Trace ethics, orienteering know-how, and prior wilderness experience before issuing your permit, and expect challenging bushwhacking through dense forest. But the reward is worth the effort: the crisp, star-filled nights, high-country wildflowers, and Alaska-worthy solitude will make you feel much farther from civilization than you actually are.

Fair warning: the park provides scant information about the zones, and trip reports are few and far between. Your best bet is to download the and subscribe to the Premium edition so you can access detailed topo maps for offline use (there鈥檚 typically no cell reception in these zones). Study the terrain closely before you go, and don鈥檛 expect to cover more than one mile per hour. 鈥�Jonathan Dorn, 国产吃瓜黑料, Inc., chief entertainment officer

Switzerland

When I realized I鈥檇 be spending my 30th birthday in Europe, I only had two nonnegotiables: Alpine hiking and cheese. Switzerland, specifically the Lauterbrunnen Valley, perfectly fit that bill. My husband and I are planning to spend four nights in the central Jungfrau region: one in a village hotel at each end of the valley, and two at the remote , an off-grid hut that鈥檚 only accessible by foot through forests and wildflower-filled pastures. (See Gaia GPS map to the hut below.) Reservations can only be made by phone, a charming and slightly confusing experience that secured us a bed in a private room, breakfast, and dinner for two days for about $106 per person per night.

We鈥檒l fill our days ascending the area鈥檚 many trails in the shadow of imposing peaks, past some of the valley鈥檚 72 waterfalls, and our evenings eating hearty meals, including Obersteinberg鈥檚 homemade cheese. I鈥檓 crossing my fingers that raclette is served鈥搈y favorite Swiss dish, it consists of melted cheese scraped over potatoes鈥揵ut if not, I鈥檒l indulge back in town with a celebratory pot of fondue.

We鈥檙e traveling to Switzerland by car but will leave it parked in Interlaken to take advantage of the valley鈥檚 excellent public transportation (think: trains, trams, and gondolas), as many of the hamlets are otherwise inaccessible. 鈥�Mikaela Ruland, National Park Trips editor in chief

Victoria, British Columbia

Last year my husband and I became rooftop-tent converts in Iceland. I鈥檝e pitched and slept in backpacking tents my whole life, and I never thought I鈥檇 be into a roof rig until our European rental experience went right. We realized it can take us two minutes, instead of twenty, to set up or break down camp. Plus, memory foam is so much comfier than the ground, and our gear stays a helluva lot more organized inside the vehicle.

So we scored an open-box deal on a , and this summer we鈥檙e taking it for a spin from New Mexico up through the Pacific Northwest to Canada. We鈥檒l hit campsites near Olympic National Park along the way, before ferrying to Victoria, British Columbia, to hang out at an oceanside apartment along a 70-mile bike path for six weeks. We鈥檙e stoked to beat the heat, enjoy the nearness of open water, and work from a place that鈥檚 new to us both where we can trail-run through the backcountry.

On our way home, we鈥檒l swing through Banff, in Alberta, then Glacier National Park, in Montana鈥攖wo bucket-list areas I鈥檝e been dying to check out. The best part? My husband is the king of finding last-minute camping reservations, so I barely had to lift a finger to map it all out. 鈥�Patty Hodapp, 国产吃瓜黑料 Online interim digital director

Paris and Annecy, France

I鈥檓 heading to Paris for the Summer Games! I鈥檝e been a huge fan of the Olympics for as long as I can remember, and about a year ago I haphazardly put my name on an email list for the ticket lottery. I didn鈥檛 put much thought into the idea of actually attending, until I beat out thousands of other eager fans (a process that saw me awake at 3 A.M., repeatedly refreshing my browser) to secure two tickets to men鈥檚 rowing in late July.

This will be my third time to the French capital, so after the event concludes and I鈥檝e gotten my fill of Olympic pride, I plan to head southeast to Annecy, a town on the French-Swiss border, for a long weekend in the fresh Alpine air. I鈥檒l brave the frigid temperatures of Lake Annecy, stroll Jardins de 鈥橢urope, and of course do some hiking. Routes to the Citadel of Lake Annecy and the Parmelan Plateau have already caught my eye, but like most things, there鈥檚 something to be said for going in with half a plan and figuring out the rest later. 鈥�Jamie Aranoff, Ski digital editor

British Columbia’s West Coast Trail

Ever since writer Scott Yorko pitched me on the deadly history of Canada鈥檚 (see Gaia GPS map below) a number of years ago, I鈥檝e wanted to see the area鈥檚 storied shipwrecks, beaches, and wildlife for myself. Yorko wrote not only of the dramatic rescue attempts that led to this 48-mile path鈥檚 construction along British Columbia鈥檚 rugged coast but also of sandy campsites, verdant rainforest walks, tide pools brimming with sea life, and a floating crab shack that caters to hungry hikers.

In June, I鈥檒l finally experience the trail for myself. I鈥檓 prepared for slow miles through boot-sucking mud, rickety wooden ladders, cable cars, and changing tides. With any luck, my partner and I will spot sea lions, whales, and otters; bears, cougars, and wolves are also known to wander the shore. The salty air and marine views should be a welcome departure from the alpine hikes I usually gravitate toward in the summer, and I couldn鈥檛 be more excited. 鈥�Zoe Gates, Backpacker senior editor

The Andes, Chile

In 2013, I spent five months living in southern Chile. But that was before I was a skier. In the intervening decade, I鈥檝e spent 100 days on snow almost every year. I rarely travel away from my home in the eastern Sierra to ski these days, but my ultimate dream trip is a ski trip to Chile and Argentina. This is the year that becomes a reality. In August, when the austral winter is in full swing, my fianc茅e and I will fly from Los Angeles to Santiago and enjoy the change of scenery while sipping pisco sours, sightseeing at the Pablo Neruda museum, and checking out the mountaintop zoo. The following day we鈥檒l take a bus to Portillo, a resort nestled among the Andes that鈥檚 famous for runs that empty out at Laguna del Inca, for three days on the slopes, and after that, we鈥檒l travel southeast to Las Le帽as, in Argentina, for a final two days of skiing above wine country. I never much cared for summer anyway. 鈥擩ake Stern, 国产吃瓜黑料 Online digital editor

The post Seize the Summer! 10 Incredible Trips Our Editors Are Taking. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A helicopter transporting skiers crashed in the Pennine Alps of Switzerland Tuesday morning, leaving three passengers dead and another three injured.

The crash took place shortly before 9:30 a.m. near a heliski landing site on the northern face of Petit Combin, according to The victims have been identified as 45-year-old American ski guide Adam George, helicopter pilot and father of two Jerome Lovely, and James Goff, whose nationality has yet to be verified. George, a New Hampshire native, was an established mountaineer and ski guide. He leaves behind his wife and fellow ski guide , and their young daughter.

Seven rescue aircrafts, including helicopters from Zermatt and Swiss Air rescue unit REGA, were deployed to help locate and recover the victims, (translated to English). Survivor Edward Courage of the UK is believed to have saved the other two survivors, brothers Teddy and Guy Hitchens, also believed to be from the UK, by pushing them out of the helicopter as it began to slide down the mountainside, 听reports.

Courage, of the Courage Brewery family that lives in Verbier, was found after about five hours of searching. The skier had fallen into a 98-foot crevasse but landed on a ledge. He was located by his beacon and airlifted to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery to repair several broken bones.

The helicopter, a B3-type operated by , was en route to the top of the Petit Combin near Verbier when it began to side down the northern slope. The Telegraph also cited eyewitness testimony that the helicopter was consumed by an avalanche, leaving only debris at the initial crash site.

The weather on the morning of the crash was reportedly sunny with the occasional gust of wind. The cause of the crash is under investigation by both the Swiss Federal Prosecutor鈥檚 Office (MPC) and the SESE (Swiss Safety Investigation Service).

This crash is believed to be the third helicopter in Valais this year, and the first commercial incident. This incident also occurred nearby but is unrelated to Monday鈥檚 , which killed three.

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For the seventh year running, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world by the United Nations鈥� World Happiness Report.听The Nordic nation has long been known for its sauna culture, but the Finns鈥� enduring well-being goes beyond warm rooms and cold plunges. Some Finns have told the press that their citizens aren鈥檛 exactly happy so much as content with what they have, and that work-life balance and state-funded education, childcare, and health care are crucial to the population鈥檚 overall positive frame of mind.

Finland isn鈥檛 trying to keep their keys to happiness a secret, however. 鈥淭here is an old Finnish proverb that states, 鈥楾he one who has happiness should hide it.鈥欌�� said Heli Jimenez, a marketing director at Finland鈥檚 tourism department in a statement. 鈥淎s the world鈥檚 happiest country since 2018, we have decided to take the old phrase and update it, making our modern motto: 鈥楾he one who has happiness should share it.鈥欌��

In that spirit, anyone curious to try out the Finnish lifestyle for themselves is invited through April 4 to to visit its capital city for five days in June for 鈥淗elsinki Happiness Hacks鈥� and learn from locals about the daily habits that underpin the Finnish lifestyle. Visit Finland is covering travel expenses for those selected, and trip highlights include restaurant tours, a walk in the woods, and a sauna rave. Winners will be announced on May 2.

Of course, Finland isn鈥檛 the only country in the high ranks of the World Happiness Report this year. Eight of the top ten happiest countries in the world are in Europe, perhaps unsurprisingly, given the region鈥檚 notable health care, stable governments, and wealth: Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. New to the top ten is Australia, and Israel dropped one spot since 2023 (the bulk of data, collected over three years, happened largely before the conflict between Israel and Gaza began on October 7, 2023).

The United States, on the other hand, fell from 15th happiest country in 2022 to 23rd in 2023, not so much because Americans are less happy鈥攁ccording to the report,听our country鈥檚 overall score only decreased by one-tenth of a point from last year鈥攂ut because a surge in life satisfaction in other nations vaulted them above us on the list.听(To check out 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 recent research on the happiest places to live in the U.S., read our report.) Afghanistan, once again, was the world鈥檚 unhappiest nation.

The UN project uses data from the Gallup World Poll, and considers six key components to overall life satisfaction: wealth, health, personal freedoms, generosity, freedom from corruption, and strength of social ties. The highly anticipated report, which has been released annually on March 20 for more than a decade, marks the International Day of Happiness.

For me and my colleagues at 国产吃瓜黑料, access to the outdoors is a critical piece of the happiness puzzle. Which is why the top six countries I鈥檇 be most excited to visit don’t perfectly align with the UN鈥檚 findings. Sorry, Denmark鈥攜our artificial ski hill is cool, but the slightly less elated people of New Zealand have world-class heli-skiing.

Here are six of the top fifteen happiest countries in the world that I鈥檇 be absolutely overjoyed to visit, along with intel that will spark some ideas for adventure travel there.

Finland (No. 1)

If this video of mountain biker Erkki Punttila sailing over to ride the trails of Lemmenjoki National Park doesn鈥檛 make you want to drop everything to travel through Finland鈥檚 northern Lapland, we don鈥檛 know what to tell you.听Actually, we do鈥攃onsider a winter visit to explore its wilderness on skis (or even traverse the entire country), take a stroll through the forested countryside, and snack on some rye bread and fish.

Iceland (No. 3)

Feeling physically and spiritually depleted by long COVID, author and 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Pam Houston visited Iceland and its eponymous breed of horses for rejuvenation. I won鈥檛 spoil her whole uplifting story of enlightenment, but her trip听did offer Houston joy and a whole lot more.

This little island often makes headlines for volcanic (and seismic) activity, but it鈥檚 also a nature-loving traveler鈥檚 dream. Beaches, mountains, glaciers, hot springs鈥擨celand has a bit of everything. You听 can go full Wim Hof and enjoy scenic (and frigid) cold plunges, opt for a warmer route at beautiful hot springs like the Instagram-famous Blue Lagoon, as well as take in the northern lights, surf Arctic waves, and hike its incredible landscape.

Switzerland (No. 9)

The Alps are home to mountain towns America and the rest of Europe still aspire to. In the winter, outdoor enthusiasts flock to Zermatt, one of the most iconic ski resorts in the world, while summertime treks are straight out of The Sound of Music.

国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Christopher Solomon recently completed the听Via Valais, a 150-mile trail-running-oriented route in southwest Switzerland that was as spectacular as it was demanding. Travelers who prefer to set a slower pace can take their pick of hut-to-hut routes (don鈥檛 be fooled the nomenclature鈥攖hese so-called huts often resemble alpine chalets and are fully stocked with showers, home-cooked meals and cold beer) that allow you to traverse the gorgeous peaks unencumbered by tents and camping supplies.

New Zealand (No. 11)

New Zealand鈥檚 South Island recently made our list of most exciting travel destinations in 2024, thanks in large part to its many biking and hiking trails through stunning scenery, and an uptick in new accommodations and exciting restaurants. United Airlines鈥� new direct flight from San Francisco to Christchurch is a major perk, too.

I鈥檇 head to Queenstown during the austral winter to get in some skiing, but a summer trek along one of the Great Walks wouldn鈥檛 exactly be a chore, either.

Costa Rica (No. 12)

Costa Rica jumped into the top 15 happiest countries this year from 23rd place in 2023. With all of its outdoor adventures, it鈥檚 certainly a happy place for travelers. Take a surf lesson, hike the Camino de Costa Rica, do some yoga on the beach, see a sloth at a wildlife sanctuary, or just read in the sun for a few hours鈥攖here are plenty of ways to rest and restore in Costa Rica.

Although it鈥檚 one of the most , 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Jeff Garmire and his partner managed a two-week visit in 2020 for less than $500.

Canada (No. 15)

America鈥檚 northern neighbor has a lot going for it, in terms of life satisfaction generally and outdoor recreation opportunities specifically. I鈥檓 biased toward British Columbia, which has a lot in common with my beloved childhood home of Western Washington. Rocky beaches, rugged mountains, and lush temperate rainforests are abundant, and Vancouver鈥檚 superb dining and arts scene make it the perfect spot to refuel between all the hiking, skiing, surfing, and boating nearby. There鈥檚 enough singletrack to keep even the hardest-charging mountain biker satisfied for years. Here’s the perfect itinerary to take in the scenery along the Sea-to-Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler.

If the Canadian Rockies are more your speed, Banff lives up to the hype and is a great spot to adventure with your kiddos. Farther east, Quebec is forecast to have incredible views of the aurora borealis this year (as are the Northwest Territories, if you鈥檙e looking for an even more remote adventure).

Miyo McGinn is an assistant editor at 国产吃瓜黑料, and tends to be pretty happy whenever she gets the chance to travel, regardless of the destination. Her next international trip will probably be to Canada, just a few hours鈥� drive from her home in Bozeman, Montana.听

The post Finland Tops Happiest Countries List for the Seventh Time appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Alan Ramsay, head of marketing at the Schilthorn ski resort and a veteran racer, leans back in his chair at the end of our restaurant booth. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone who leaves the start gate isn鈥檛 nervous about what鈥檚 ahead,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pushing your limits. How much guts do you have?鈥�

Ramsay delivers this prerace pep talk with a smile, in a lyrical Scottish accent, but we are not comforted. It鈥檚 the night before the 79th M眉rren Inferno, and my teammates and I, all first-timers, are nervous as hell.

It鈥檚 January 2023, and the small Swiss village of M眉rren鈥攁ccessible only by train or cable car鈥攈as come alive with anxious energy in advance of the race. This usually quiet mountain oasis is home to only 400 residents, and right now every bed in town is spoken for. Exactly 1,850 racers have shown up to test themselves, and more are on the wait list. Most of the participants are British skiers and Asian tourists, and then there鈥檚 us: a few wide-eyed Americans throwing our hats into the maelstrom.

By day the slopes at Schilthorn are overrun with skiers in padded Lycra suits and team jackets. In the lift line, long racing skis tower above the heads of competitors waiting to scout the course ahead of the start. By night local pubs fill with boisterous middle-aged men, past their racing prime, along with younger guys eager to prove how many pints they can handle. The bartenders are overly generous, which helps when you鈥檙e trying to drink away your jitters in the days leading up to a big event. But we鈥檝e been warned not to show up at the gate hungover.

Sir Arnold Lunn, a Brit who many consider the father of alpine ski racing, traveled to M眉rren to promote the new sport of alpine ski racing, and in 1924 founded a Brit-heavy group called the Kandahar Ski Club. In 1928, he and 16 other plucky skiers climbed four hours to the top of the 9,744-foot Schilthorn to race down to Lauterbrunnen in the valley below, about 19 minutes from M眉rren by train. The skiers called their race the Inferno in honor of the hellish course and grueling conditions.

The first winner, Harold Mitchell, completed the descent in one hour, 12 minutes. Today, good skiers can do the 14.9-kilometer course in about 20 minutes; the winner typically requires 15 at most. For the 2023 edition, Europe鈥檚 uncharacteristically light snowpack prompted officials to move the end of the course to M眉rren instead of Lauterbrunnen, shortening the race to 7.6 kilometers. The elites were gunning to beat ten minutes on the revised layout. The skiers most likely to win have raced here before, earning a higher seed and an earlier start time. 鈥淭hey just keep coming back,鈥� Ramsay says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 highly addictive.鈥�

Tonight, before anyone tries to get a good night鈥檚 sleep (doubtful), costumed children and adults line M眉rren鈥檚 streets. Race officials parade through town with a crude effigy of the devil鈥攄ressed in jeans and sneakers鈥攖hat will be burned at the stake to ward off bad luck. Hollow bells drone out a countdown until the flame is lit, and brass bands perform in face paint as the surrounding crowd waves candles and torches. It鈥檚 a raucous scene, with plenty of roasted nuts and hot gl眉hwein to go around. Through it all, you never lose the feeling of tense anticipation.

During the parade, I slip away to call home. I don鈥檛 want anyone to worry, but I make sure to mention that I bought helicopter insurance in case I require evacuation from the mountain. My voice catches when I say goodnight to my partner, but I feel a touch overdramatic. It鈥檚 an amateur event, I tell myself. How risky can it be? Still, I go to sleep reciting a motto I learned from a Brit at the bar. 鈥淐omplete, not compete,鈥� he said. 鈥淐omplete, not compete.鈥�

The post Why Would Anyone Compete in the World鈥檚 Most Unbelievable Ski Race? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Pablo Vigil will never forget his first taste of mountain running in Switzerland.

As a twentysomething runner in the mid-1970s, Vigil had completed his collegiate track and cross country career at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, but was hungry for more. There weren’t any established professional training groups and few professional sponsorships at the time, but Vigil found his way to Boulder because he had heard Olympic marathon champion Frank Shorter was starting a racing team.

Living in a rented mobile home in Boulder with several other runners, Vigil improved considerably training with the Frank Shorter Racing Team. He competed for the U.S. squad that earned the team silver medal at the 1978 World Cross Country Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, racked up several top-10 finishes in domestic road races and, by early 1979, lowered his marathon personal best to 2:18:32.

An Unlikely Invitation

That summer, he was invited to run the Sierre-Zinal race, a 31K (19.2-mile) trail race that connects several mountain villages between Sierre and Zinal, in the Swiss canton of Valais. Back then, trail running was in its infancy, but it was already vibrant in Europe. Vigil was told Sierre-Zinal was the biggest and most competitive mountain running race in the world鈥攁n event that drew cross-country runners, marathoners, fell runners, and Nordic skiers who were known to train by running trails鈥攕o he was eager to give it a shot.

Not only was the course and its 7,200 feet of total vertical gain harder than anything he鈥檇 ever run,听 it turned out to be the most competitive race of his life.

鈥淚 had run some of the early trail races in Colorado, like the Pikes Peak Marathon and some other local ones, and those were great, but it was nothing like what was happening in the European scene,鈥� says Vigil, who draws part of his heritage to the Taos (Tiwa) Native American tribe of Puebloan people. 鈥淚t was a huge race, and when we started up the mountain, holy shit! The first 50 runners were out for blood. That was a different kind of running.鈥�

Competing against top mountain runners from Switzerland, Italy, the UK, and dozens of other European nations, Vigil remembers the aggressive style of racing鈥攂umping elbows, legs, and shoulders鈥攁long the narrow singletrack trails that climbed more than 6,000 feet out of Sierre as thousands of local residents cheered along the course.

Vigil was a talented distance runner, but he was gutsy, too, and didn鈥檛 have any fear of flat-out racing. Not ruffled by the more experienced European runners, Vigil, wearing a pair of original Nike Waffle Racers, blasted to the front midway through the race and never relinquished his lead, winning in a new course-record time of 2:33:49 as a helicopter filmed overhead for live TV.

Although trail running in the U.S. had started to develop in popularity, it was mostly centered around the niche sport of ultra-distance trail running that began to flourish after Gordy Ainsleigh completed the 100-mile Tevis Cup equestrian event on foot in 1974, a feat that led to the formation of the Western States Endurance Run. In Europe, though, trail running was booming on steep, rugged mountain race courses.

鈥淎t the time, a lot of the European runners were pretty arrogant and saying that the Americans were soft,鈥� recalls Vigil, 71, a retired school teacher who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. 鈥淏ack then, they were saying Americans were soft in skiing, soft in other sports. And I was thinking, 鈥極h, man, that ain’t true. We got the talent here in the U.S. We’re just as badass as the Europeans. We鈥檝e got the mountains. We鈥檝e got the altitude. We just need to get our asses over there and start kicking some ass in those kinds of races.鈥欌��

Vigil wasn鈥檛 the first U.S. runner to win the race鈥攅lite American marathoner and mountain running pioneer Chuck Smead had won it in 1977 and cajoled Vigil into running it two years later鈥擵igil was the first multi-year champion and, arguably, the race鈥檚 first legendary runner after winning it three more years in a row.

Just as importantly, Vigil became a Sierre-Zinal evangelist, encouraging other American runners to compete in the event since the 1980s. His success and advocacy, in part, paved the way for numerous elite U.S. runners to test their mettle on the course, with several producing top-five finishes over the years,including those by Jay Johnson, Joe Gray, Megan Kimmel, Jim Walmsley, Max King, and Bailey Kowalczyk (fifth, last year). But Megan Lund (2010) and Stevie Kremer (2014) are the only other American runners to win the race other than Smead and Vigil.

鈥淚t was my first taste of real European trail racing. And yeah, the crowds! It was next level,鈥� Lund says. 鈥淭here was never a dull moment on the course. At some point, it felt like the course was remote and there were people everywhere cheering, and I thought, 鈥楬ow do these people get up here?鈥� You would never see this in America.

鈥淎fter the race, I signed hundreds of autographs on spectator鈥檚 race programs, and I had never done that before,鈥� she adds. 鈥淎nd the craziest thing was, the next year when I came back, there were posters of me all over town, and I was being asked for my autograph right when I got off the train in Sierre.鈥�

Sierre-Zinal Celebrates 50 years

Sierre-Zinal is celebrating its 50th edition this year, on August 12, and it鈥檚 just as prestigious as it’s ever been. Known as 鈥渢he race of the five 4,000s鈥濃�攁 reference to the majestic 4,000-meter-high summits that overlook the race鈥攊t鈥檚 remained a prominent event in the trail running world because of its stunning locale, the fast-and-furious racing from the star-studded international fields it attracts each year and the festive community support from the enthusiastic spectators.

It also paved the way for other popular, high-energy races, like the and the Mont-Blanc Marathon festival of races in Chamonix, France. (And it created a model that the race directors of the and are trying to replicate in the U.S.)

鈥淎 lot of races in Europe have enormous spectator support, tunnels of crowds that are deafeningly loud,鈥� says American Eli Hemming, one of the top contenders in the men鈥檚 field. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so exciting as a runner to compete in an atmosphere like that.鈥�

As one of the six races of the competitive , the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 elite races are stacked with talented runners from around the world. The first 12K (7.4 miles) of the course sends runners up a near-continuous climb from 1,900 to 6,500 feet. They continue climbing to a high point of nearly 8,000 feet at the 24K (15-mile) mark, before dropping 2,500 feet over the increasingly steeper final 7K (4 miles) to the finish line in Zinal, where, dead-legged and delirious, they鈥檙e greeted by hundreds of local villagers and thousands of runners from the citizen race that started before the elite runners. There are 6,500 runners registered to run Sierre-Zinal this year.

Sierre-Zinal 2023: Who to Watch

Kilian Jornet, the world鈥檚 preeminent mountain runner and ultrarunner, has won Sierre-Zinal a record nine times since 2009, most recently in 2021. Unfortunately, he鈥檚 sidelined with a hip injury this weekend and relegated to assisting . In his stead, hard-charging Swiss runner R茅mi Bonnet, 2022 Golden Trail World Series champion and winner of last summer鈥檚 Pikes Peak Ascent in Colorado, has already stated his intent on wanting to win the historic race in his home country.

Bonnet鈥檚 biggest competition will likely come from Kenya鈥檚 Patrick Kipngeno, last year鈥檚 Sierre-Zinal runner-up who won the 7.5K (4.6-mile) uphill mountain race at the world championships in Austria, Eritrea鈥檚 Petro Mamu, the 2016 winner who placed third last year, Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya), who finished fifth at Sierre-Zinal last year and was the runner-up in the 15K (9.3-mile) mountain race at this year鈥檚 world championships, and Robert Pkemoi (Kenya), who took fifth at earlier this year.

Other top names to watch in this year鈥檚 race include Robbie Simpson (UK), Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco), Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland), Cesare Maestri (Italy), and Americans Joe Demoor and Eli Hemming. Demoor, 33, from Carbondale, Colorado, won the Vertical K at the 2022 Skyrunning World Championships in Ossola, Italy, while Hemming, a 28-year-old triathlete-turned-mountain runner from Salida, Colorado, won the 23K Broken Arrow Sky Race near Lake Tahoe in June and then took second in the prestigious Mont Blanc Marathon in late June in Chamonix, France.

Another fast-rising American runner making her Sierre-Zinal debut is Salt Lake City鈥檚 Sophia Laukli, who will be a top contender in the women鈥檚 race. The former University of Utah and 2022 Olympic Nordic skier is now a Salomon-sponsored pro trail runner who won the 42K Marathon du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France, in June, and took second at the 22K DoloMyths Run in Canazei, Italy last month.

Swiss runner Judith Wyder is another frontrunner of the deep women鈥檚 field after winning the DoloMyths Run, along with Kenya鈥檚 Philaries Kisang, the runner-up finisher last year and the silver medalist in the 7.5K vertical race at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships on June 7 in Innsbruck, Austria.

Dutch runner Nienke Brinkman, last year鈥檚 Golden Trail World Series champion and a 2:22 marathoner, is coming back from an early season injury and is out to prove she鈥檚 equally as good on trails as she is on the roads. Other top contenders include American Allie McLaughlin, who won two races at the 2022 Golden Trail World Series Finals and the vertical mountain race at the last year鈥檚 world championships in Thailand, and USA鈥檚 Tabor Scholl (ninth last year at Sierre-Zinal), as well as Ireland鈥檚 Sarah McCormack, Germany鈥檚 Daniela Oemus, Kenya鈥檚 Lucy Wambui Murigi, Spain鈥檚 Nuria Gil, and China鈥檚 Miao Yao.

Back to the Future

Trail running has evolved considerably since Vigil reigned over the European trail running world as a four-time Sierre-Zinal champion. Back when he ran, Vigil vividly remembers aid stations handing out raisins, chocolate, small cubes of cheese, and even paper cups filled with locally produced wine. Nowadays, there鈥檚 an elite-class of professionally sponsored mountain runners who specialize in sub-ultra distances bolstered by trail running supershoes, sophisticated smartwatches, and advanced sports nutrition supplements. Sierre-Zinal can be viewed via premier livestream coverage throughout the world, but it鈥檚 still broadcast on live TV throughout Switzerland and draws thousands of local spectators.

Sadly, as trail running attracts more prize money and sponsorship opportunities, it has also attracted dopers. Both of last year鈥檚 winners, Mark Kangogo and Esther Chesang, were disqualified and suspended after failing drug tests. This year鈥檚 race carries a prize purse of approximately $25,000, plus a bonus of $5,700 for a runner who breaks the men鈥檚 (2:25:35) or women鈥檚 (2:49:20) course records. But the race has made .

Vigil was disturbed to hear that news last year, mostly because he always considered mountain running to have a higher moral code than the sponsor-controlled, money-infused competitiveness he witnessed on the track and roads. Even after winning Sierre-Zinal in 1982, Vigil went on to win several U.S. marathons and lower his personal best to 2:15:19, and continued racing as a competitive master鈥檚 runner on the roads and trails into his 60s. But his lifetime highlights, he says, are primarily tied to memories of racing Sierre-Zinal.

He鈥檚 gone back to watch the race numerous times over the past three decades, both because he鈥檚 still hailed as a past champion and because it鈥檚 in his blood. (The footprints of each of the race鈥檚 champions are commemorated in a plaster-casted 鈥渨all of fame鈥� near the finish line in Zinal.)

This year, Vigil will be back on the starting line to run with many of the event鈥檚 past winners and legendary runners. (鈥淢ore like run, hike, crawl, and slither to the finish line,鈥� he jokes.) He鈥檚 also looking forward to witnessing the pure grit and grind of fast-paced mountain running he so cherished when he was a younger man.

鈥淲e didn’t have all this high tech stuff, but it was super badass running,鈥� Vigil recalls. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different from what鈥檚 evolved in ultrarunning. The tone that was set in mountain running back then was about kicking ass or getting your ass kicked, and at the front of the pack at Sierre-Zinal, it continues to be that way.鈥�

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The merits of hut-to-hut hiking are many: it鈥檚 one of the most accessible ways to tackle a multiday outdoor adventure, offers the benefits of backcountry camping鈥攃rowd-free sunrise vistas, deep wilderness immersion, and long, glorious days on the trail鈥攁nd promises the creature comforts of home, notably running water, toilet facilities and a warm, dry place to sleep.

While the U.S. has several well-known and well-regarded hut systems, I’ve hiked a handful of the world’s most famous hut-to-hut trails and can tell you that some trekking systems abroad are worth traveling for. Here are the most stunning, with accommodations that range from rustic guesthouses run by locals to high-altitude refugios to backcountry bunkhouses set amid scenery that will soothe your soul. One thing鈥檚 for certain鈥攅very one of these 13 trips is a bucket-list-worthy escape.

Laugavegur Trail, Iceland

Length: 33.6 miles
Terminus: 罢丑贸谤蝉尘枚谤办
Best time to go: July to August
Days to complete: 5 to 6

Starting with the splotchy rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar, as colorful as an artist鈥檚 paint palette, Iceland鈥檚 fabled doesn鈥檛 slouch on the scenery for the entire route southward. The trail, only open mid-June through September鈥攁nd even then you鈥檒l encounter snowfields鈥攖raverses volcanic moonscape slopes freckled with obsidian and plunges into deep green valleys filled with mirror-clear tarns. Because its otherworldly landscapes and jaw-dropping beauty attract the masses, the five (from $80) tend to book up to six months in advance, though hikers may elect to bring their own tent and camp near each hut for free. Want to trek with a guide or explore farther off the beaten path? arranges a Hidden Trails itinerary each summer that tacks on several obscure lakes and waterfalls to this famous hike (from $3,475).

Overland Track, Tasmania

Length: 40.4 miles
Termini: Ronny Creek (north) and Narcissus Hut at Lake St. Clair (south)
Best time to go: December to March
Days to complete: 6 to 7

Though it鈥檚 punctuated by a state-of-the-art hut system (think: mud rooms, clean kitchen spaces, and composting toilets), Tasmania鈥檚 is rugged, rooty, and rocky, even by American standards. Still, we wouldn鈥檛 let a little rain and mud stand in the way of this recommendation; the trade-off are expansive button-grass plains descending into ancient eucalyptus forests, possible encounters with adorable wallabies and wombats, sapphire alpine lakes, and the chance to set off on a class-three scramble up 5,305-foot Mount Ossa, the highest in this Australian island state. Most hikers depart from Ronny Creek and stay in a handful of huts en route to Lake St. Clair and the ferry to the St. Clair Visitor Center, though if you鈥檙e up for another 11 miles of tramping, by all means. Plan to pay a total of about $190 for . Looking for a splurge? Check out Tasmanian Walking Company鈥檚 six-day (from $2,803), which boasts privately owned huts with fireplaces, local wine, and freshly prepared meals.

Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

Length: 143 miles
Termini: Besisahar (east) to Pokhara (west)
Best time to go: March to April or October to November
Days to complete: Up to 21

The is a breathtakingly high altitude romp around the Annapurna massif, passing through some of the Himalayas鈥� most soul-stirring scenery as it climbs from lush forests filled with delicate butterflies and past rushing cascades to Thorung La Pass, a lung-crunching 17,769 feet above sea level. Travelers can expect to see myriad important Buddhist cultural markers, too: fluttering prayer flags, centuries-old temples, and intricate prayer wheels. Accommodations are simple and affordable: teahouses with Western-friendly menus and private-room options鈥攋ust don鈥檛 expect a heater. And small villages are now connected via a dirt road that spans most of the route, so making the trek is not the remote experience it once was (and you can hop on adjacent trails to avoid the road altogether). As of April 2023, Nepal implemented a new rule stating that all trekkers must hire a licensed guide or porter to explore the country鈥檚 wilderness trails. Experienced tour companies like and offer excellent guided trips, full of history and heart (inquire for prices).

Mount Meru Trek, Tanzania

Length: 43.5 miles
Terminus: Momella Gate
Best time to go: December to February or July to October
Days to complete: 3 to 4

If you don鈥檛 have time for a full expedition up Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet), or you鈥檙e seeking an epic acclimatization hike before the big journey, Mount Meru (14,968 feet) is a fantastic option. Situated in Arusha National Park, in northern Tanzania, this brief trek boasts abundant wildlife sightings on day one (giraffes, zebras, and, if you鈥檙e lucky, elephants) before a steep ascent that affords phenomenal views of the collapsed crater and ash cone. From the summit, hikers can even enjoy panoramic vistas eastward to Kilimanjaro, often hovering above the clouds like an ethereal being. As for accommodations, expect rustic, dorm-style cabins with indoor mess halls and separate lodging for your porters. Due to the amount of wildlife, an armed ranger is required to hike with groups on the first day of this trek, so a guided trip is a must. and are both highly regarded (inquire for prices).

Kumano Kodo, Japan

Length: 43.5 miles
Termini: Tanabe (west) and Katsuura (east)
Best time to go: March to May or October to November
Days to complete: 5

The , located south of Osaka on Japan鈥檚 Kii peninsula, is a centuries-old pilgrimage route and one of only two paths of its kind to earn Unesco World Heritage status (the other is the Santiago de Compostela in Spain and France). Technically, the Kumano Kodo is not a singular route but a network of footpaths that crisscross the deeply wooded region, passing ancient Shinto shrines and temples, edging past misty waterfalls (including the tallest in the country), and wending through tiny villages. The (a.k.a. the Imperial Route) is the most popular way to explore. Skip the guided tours on this one鈥攖he Kumano Travel website is incredibly thorough and helpful with bookings鈥攁nd instead plan to overnight in traditional ryokans, or inns, as you go.

Nahuel Huapi National Park Traverse, Argentina

Length: 25 miles
Termini: Villa Catedral (south) to Arroyo Lopez (north)
Best time to go: December to March
Days to complete: 4 to 5

Soaring, toothy peaks that seem to grasp at the sky, glittering azure lakes, rushing waterfalls, and refugios that resemble hobbit houses鈥� there鈥檚 a lot to love about this trek across Argentina鈥檚 first national park. Utilize the robust public transportation from the gateway city of San Carlos de Bariloche, and nab a night at 鈥攖he only reservable hut of the four鈥攊n advance. Alternatively, you can hire a respected company like for a guided adrenaline-fueled adventure along steep, rocky ridgelines, with opportunities to rock-scramble and take in the striking views of enormous Lake Nahuel Huapi (from $1,310). Before jetting off, spend a few days luxuriating in Bariloche, surprisingly European and often touted as the Switzerland of South America.

Jotunheimen National Park Historic Route, Norway

Length: 35.4 miles
Termini: Gjendesheim (east) to Eidsbugarden (west)
Best time to go: July to early September
Days to complete: 4

For a hearty dose of towering peaks, deep-cut valleys, and crystal-clear lakes, look no further than through , often referred to as Land of the Giants. Thirty-five miles might not seem like much at first, but this trail is no walk in the park鈥攜ou鈥檒l be following in the footsteps of Norway鈥檚 mountaineering history, sometimes gaining over 3,600 feet in a day as you clamber over craggy terrain (chains are present to aid with grip on the most harrowing sections), making your way between two remote lakes once essential to accessing the region: Gjende and Bygdin. You can book the DNT huts鈥攖he video below, of Fondsbu, is just one run by the 鈥攊n advance and traverse the 鈥渇airylands鈥� of Svartdalen solo, or sign on with for a similarly supported route that鈥檒l quench your hiker hunger with delectable included meals (from $4,800).

Tongariro Northern Circuit, New Zealand

Length: 22.4 miles
Terminus: Whakapapa Village, North Island
Best time to go: November to April
Days to complete: 3 to 4

Unlike the Tongariro Crossing (a day hike which traverses the same eponymous national park), the allows travelers to get up close and personal with the nation鈥檚 most notorious volcanic peaks, sans the crowds. The loop circumnavigates the snowcapped, charcoal-hued cone of Mount Ngauruhoe, skirting hissing steam vents, ancient lava flows, and brilliant emerald lakes. Considered one of New Zealand鈥檚 Ten Great Walks, this hike is for geology and Lord of the Rings buffs who鈥檇 love nothing more than tackling a such a boulder-strewn landscape en route to Mordor. You can opt to through the well-appointed huts (which include bunk beds with mattresses, indoor heating, kitchens, and non-flush toilets), or book a locally led trip like three-day jaunt (from $891).

The Walker鈥檚 Haute Route, France and Switzerland

Length: 108 to 141 miles (depending on the route)
Termini: Chamonix, France (west) and Zermatt, Switzerland (east)
Best time to go: Mid-July to mid-September
Days to complete: 10 to 14

Sure, this one winds up on virtually every best-of hiking list on the planet, but if you take a second to Google a few snapshots of the gobsmacking glacially carved valleys, fields full of crocus and blue bugle, and steep summits that jut skyward like granitic witches鈥� hats, you鈥檒l quickly see why. The (not to be confused with the similarly named ) passes below the summits of ten of the twelve highest peaks in the Alps. You鈥檒l alternate between staying in well-appointed mountain huts and quaint European villages, indulging in fresh pastries and local cheeses between leg-burning ascents. Huts book up well in advance (and require a for booking), or just let an experienced company like or do all the hard work and logistics, while you focus on the scenery (from $6,195 and $3,616, respectively).

Sunshine Coast Trail, Canada

Length: 111.8 miles
Termini: Sarah Point on Desolation Sound (north) to Saltery Bay (south)
Best time to go: June to September
Days to complete: 9 to 10

Often lauded as our northern neighbor鈥檚 best, least commercialized, and longest hut-to-hut trek, the meanders across the British Columbia seashore, terminating some 90 miles north of Vancouver. The journey is a bucket-list adventure for forest bathers and ocean lovers alike, with wonderful opportunities to spot wolves, deer, raccoons, grizzlies, and elk, not to mention pick plentiful blackberries and salmonberries in late summer. Fourteen (with another slated to open next year) are set along the route, and the provides loads of how-to info it you鈥檇 prefer to go it alone. Another possibility is a guided partial trek with (from $1,340).

The O Circuit, Chile

Length: 85 miles
Terminus: Torres del Paine National Park鈥檚 Laguna Amarga Entrance
Best time to go: November to March
Days to complete: 11

As one of the premier treks in South America, southern Chile鈥檚 O Circuit is a show-stopping option for mountain-loving backpackers who want to put in the big miles when the U.S. is knee-deep in winter. Longer (and more secluded) than its more famous cousin to the south, the , the O Circuit includes the aforementioned route, plus dozens of off-the-beaten-path miles skirting the northern expanse of Torres del Paine National Park. Purchase your online in advance, then plan to get to your refugio (see the sites managed by and ) or camping spot as early as possible, as this trip is incredibly popular. Wildland Trekking offers , if that鈥檚 your preference ($5,900).

Triglav National Park Traverse, Slovenia Mountain Trail, Slovenia

Length: 27 miles
Termini: Vrsic Pass (north)听to Lake Bohinj (south)
Best time to go: June to September
Days to complete: 4

It seems like the Julian Alps have been on the tip of every travel writer鈥檚 tongue ever since the Juliana Trail made its debut back in 2020. But if you鈥檇 rather not blow all your vacation time hiking the full 168 miles through this scenic landscape, through Triglav National Park will give you a taste of the best stuff. Book hut reservations for , , and in advance, then get ready to traipse across craggy ridgelines, limestone escarpments, and peacock-green tarns. If arranging the trek yourself sounds like too much of a headache (and the language barrier can be intimidating), offers a similar itinerary, with an optional add-on to summit 9,396-foot Mount Triglav, the highest in Slovenia ($430).

Sneffels Traverse, Colorado

Length: 29.4 miles
Termini: Telluride (south) and Ouray (northeast)
Best time to go: July to September
Days to complete: 5

The U.S. is home to several well-regarded hut systems, but one stands out above the rest: the . Run by the in the (you guessed it) glorious San Juan Mountains of western Colorado, this route begins at 10,676-foot Last Dollar Pass, above the iconic ski town of Telluride, and meanders between four diminutive, eight-person bunk-style cabins on its way to the gold-rush town of Ouray. Due to its popularity, hikers ($275, including return-shuttle service) through the hut system between June 1 and October 15. Expect eye-catching meadows of purple lupine, serrated sky-high peaks, and verdant forests of aspen and pine along the way.

Emily Pennington has now trekked on every continent, including hundreds of nights spent on the trail in the United States. For big adventures, she recommends bringing a Kula Cloth and a clip-on carabiner mug.

The post The 13 Best Hut-to-Hut Hikes in the World appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Feeling blue? Consider traveling to Finland.

For the sixth year in a row, the Nordic country has been named the happiest country in the world by the , an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations.

We like to think it has something to do with the sauna and cold plunge culture, but the report analyzes data from the Gallup World Poll, focusing on six factors that explain varying levels of self-reported happiness: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption. For the past decade, it鈥檚 been released annually on March 20 to celebrate the International Day of Happiness, which was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2013.

鈥淭he ultimate goal of politics and ethics should be human well-being,鈥� said Jeffrey Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, . 鈥淭he happiness movement shows that well-being is not a 鈥榮oft鈥� and 鈥榲ague鈥� idea but rather focuses on areas of life of critical importance: material conditions, mental and physical wealth, personal virtues, and good citizenship.鈥�

Finland鈥檚 neighbors Denmark (No. 2), Iceland (No. 3), Sweden (No. 6), and Norway (No. 7) also ranked high. Israel moved up to No. 4 this year, after coming in at No. 9 in 2022. The Netherlands (No. 5), Switzerland (No. 8), Luxembourg (No. 9) and New Zealand (No. 10) complete the top 10. Eight of the ten happiest countries are in Europe.

The United States ranked 15th this year, moving up from 16th in 2022. Canada came in at 13th. Afghanistan took last place.

Interestingly, even after three years of a pandemic, positive emotions remained resilient. 鈥淔or a second year, we see that various forms of everyday kindness, such as helping a stranger, donating to charity, and volunteering, are above pre-pandemic levels,鈥� said Professor听Lara B. Aknin, an editor of the report and Director of the Helping and Happiness Lab at Simon Fraser University. 鈥淎cts of kindness have been shown to both lead to and stem from greater happiness, which is the focus of Chapter 4.鈥�

also briefly highlights the benefits of getting outside, and urges governments to take environmental action.

鈥淚t is also the job of society to protect the environment鈥攆or the sake of present and future generations. There is powerful evidence of how contact with nature and green space enhances human well-being,鈥� the authors say. 鈥淏ut there is also the overarching challenge of climate change, where our present way of life can only be protected by major international effects to reduce to net zero the emission of greenhouse gasses.鈥�

Finland is seizing the moment by offering free trips to a four-day Masterclass of Happiness on what makes Finns so happy. The first one will take place at the lakeside resort June 12 to 15. You can to “Find Your Inner Finn” through April 2nd, so get going. Only ten people will be chosen and their travel costs will be covered. You’ll earn about things like the Finnish approach to nature, a balanced life, and overall wellbeing.

Or get motivated by the stories we list below when you plan your next adventure and head to a country in the top 10 to soak up some happy vibes. Here are a few of our favorite outings to get you inspired.

Finland (The Happiest)

The Best Way to See Finland Is to Ski Finland

Author and political consultant Stuart Stevens loves a good sufferfest, so he couldn鈥檛 resist Border to Border: 420 kilometers of nordic sliding through a country that defines what winter is all about.

Iceland (3rd Happiest)

Behind the Scenes with Photographer Chris Burkard in Iceland

Chris Burkard is one of the most recognizable names in the outdoor photography space, and he鈥檚 always game to hike, bike, run, or climb to a vantage point for the perfect shot. On a recent assignment, Burkard trekked through the Icelandic landscape and returned with photos that will inspire viewers to get out on their own hike.

Switzerland (8th Happiest)

The Best Trail-Running Route in the World

The Swiss Alps are home to an incredible new hut-to-hut runners鈥� route called the Via Valais. It鈥檚 a little demanding鈥�150 miles, nine stages, and 42,000 feet of elevation gain鈥攂ut if you can take it on, you鈥檙e guaranteed one of the most spectacular adventures of your life.

New Zealand (10th Happiest)

The Ultimate New Zealand South Island Travel Guide

New Zealand鈥檚 South Island is undoubtedly one of the world鈥檚 most beautiful places, where golden beaches and dense rainforests border the snow-capped Southern Alps, and adventures are endless. But for those of us who can鈥檛 pick up and move to Christchurch, here鈥檚 a definitive guide on how to make the most of your time there.

The post Finland, the Happiest Country in the World, Is Giving Away Free Trips appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.