Imagine yourself speeding down Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon, without a care in the world, pushing pedals at speed and living life to the fullest. It all starts with getting a road bike, and that should start by navigating the complexities of understanding bike geometry, how your height relates to fit, and whether you are sitting on [...]

Dealing with hot weather is part of being outdoors nowadays – even in cooler alpine zones.  Last July, a team of biologists with the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife were studying the effect of drought on alpine plants in the Rocky Mountains. It shocked them that they had to strip to their t-shirts as [...]

Whether you’re new to hiking or an experienced outdoor enthusiast, you may appreciate some canine companionship when you hit the trails. Some dogs love this kind of activity as much as their humans do, while others would prefer to snuggle you on the couch once you get home. Before you bring your current pet into [...]

Late June 2021, Lake Tahoe, California. It’s maybe 82 degrees, but along the trail, there’s no shade from trees. There’s also no water. Five miles (uphill) until the next water source; nine miles from the previous one. The three liters of water we carried in are almost gone between my dog and me. The sun [...]

Survivalist Bear Grylls always talks about how finding water is one of the key priorities of survival. But when you do find water, you need to be able to filter and purify it—and boiling is a good way to purify it. You can also cook things in boiling water to kill two birds with one [...]

As a survivalist, Bear Grylls has spent a lot of time in the world’s jungles—remember those gripping episodes of Man Vs. Wild in Borneo? And while he has many tips on how to survive there, if you’re lost and don’t think help is coming, you’ll need to work out how to navigate out of the [...]

Beach vacations. The phrase evokes warm sun, soft sand, stunning sunrises and sunsets and total relaxation. But a trip to the beach can also be associated with sunburn and dehydration, if you don’t properly protect yourself and your family. You might have considered traveling with your own beach shelter, in the form of a tent. [...]

Bear Grylls has written about how to avoid hypothermia and frostbite, but the condition called hyperthermia, where the body overheats, is just as dangerous.  So what is hyperthermia? The average normal body temperature is generally 98.6°F (37°C), while it can vary from 97°F (36.1°C) to 99°F (37.2°C) or more, depending on your anatomy, the time [...]

When prepping for an outdoor adventure, do not underestimate how important food will be to your enjoyment and capabilities on the trail. “Food plays a huge part in how you feel,” says Aaron Owens Mayhew, a registered dietitian and thru-hiker and the founder of Backcountry Foodie. “What’s really funny is I can actually keep up [...]

One of many things Bear Grylls has had to become expert at (mostly) is avoiding getting bitten by all the little jungle critters and creepy crawlies while adventuring himself or filming on location. He offers up some insider tips on avoiding bug bites in the jungle. Look down While you might picture flying insects all [...]