“The 23 Best Places to Travel in 2024” — The next-best destinations to explore—and why to go now. From beautiful wilderness lodges, to sporting events in perfect adventure locales, to the most stunning place to see the northern lights, here are the trips you should take this year.
Outside Magazine, March 2023
“And Away We Go” — The world’s best family trips. I wrote about skiing in Chile, surfing in Mexico, a unique ferry trip to Alaska, staying at a ranch in Hawaii, and more.
Outside Magazine, January 2024
“Mikaela’s Motivation” — The sport of ski racing has traditionally been dominated by Europeans. That is, until an American woman named Mikaela Shiffrin showed up on the scene and smashed every record that was.
The Ski Journal, January 2024
“Wooden Earth” — Geologist turned photographer Grant Kaye combines his zest for maps and mountains to make a unique art form.
Mountain Gazette, Fall 2023
“The Kid Stays in the Picture” — Max Lowe made a splash in 2021 with Torn, a documentary about the death of his father, alpinist Alex Lowe. Now, he’s forging ahead with ambitious projects in the next stage of his career.
Outside Magazine, Sept. 2023
“Lake Tahoe, California: Apocalyptically Wild” — A shoveling battlefield combined with the deepest powder of your life. An essay on last winter’s record-breaking snowfall.
Powder Magazine, Fall 2023
“Stop Strava-ing Your Backcountry Lines” — Logging your winter vert and backcountry route is potentially unsafe and frankly, downright annoying.
Backcountry Magazine, Nov. 2023
“Epic Snow Adventures of the World” — For a new hardcover book from Lonely Planet, I wrote about snowy destinations around the world, including Portillo, Chile; Iceland; Valdez, Alaska; and California volcanoes.
Lonely Planet, Fall 2023
“This Is the Coolest Unsanctioned Running Race in the Country” — Forget stuffy, competitive running races. Take the Bridge is an underground race series that’s all about breaking rules and doing things your own way.
Outside Online, August 2023
“The Lease Is Up on the Last Affordable Ski-Town Housing in Aspen” — It’s been a good, long run for the local skiers who’ve lived at the slopeside Skier’s Chalet at the base of Aspen Mountain. But in August, they’re finally getting kicked out.
Ski Magazine, August 2023
“13 Lesser-Known Public Lands Adventures” — It’s becoming harder to find a slice of nature all to yourself. But there are plenty of secluded sweet spots if you know where to look.
Outside, July/August 2023
“Meet the New Queen of Slopeside Fun” — Katie Burrell has developed a brand around teaching winter-sports experts and strivers to chill out and share a laugh. Her upcoming film, ‘Weak Layers’ revives the old party-hard ski comedy—with women at the center of the action.
Outside Magazine, April 2023
“Be Free” — How skiing became one family’s unlikely American dream. Meet sisters Cúc and Liên Hùynh, who raised their daughters to become skiers in a country they did not know.
The Ski Journal, February 2023
“The Gnarcissist” — Legendary backcountry skier Noah Howell has been cracking jokes in the mountains for decades. But these days, he’s finding out who he really is—and it isn’t always funny.
Backcountry, January 2023
“Blowing Up The Box With Rainbow Confetti” — Up-and-coming ski photographer Stephen Sheleksy, who quit a corporate marketing job to try his hand behind the camera, is the maker of the brightest images in the bunch.
Backcountry, January 2023
“When Canada Finally Opened Its Gates” — For a year and a half during the COVID pandemic, the Canadian border was closed to U.S. travelers, the longest border restriction in the two countries’ history. That left a lot of skiers frothing.
Backcountry Magazine, Dec. 2022
“Off Grid Upgrades — The newly built, off-the-grid cabins at the base of Frog Lake, in the Castle Peak backcountry near Truckee, California, come complete with a chef’s kitchen and a hutmaster who brews coffee for you each morning.
Backcountry Magazine, Dec. 2022
“Into the Deep End” — Getting naked in the outdoors isn’t for everyone. But for some swimmers, it’s the best way to go. I begrudgingly bare all in the water in an effort to better understand skinny dipping culture and learn why a bit of nudity may be good for all of us.
Mountain Gazette, Fall 2022
“I’m a Travel Writer, and Here's Why I Reveal Your Favorite Places” — Sorry for sending the crowds your way, but sharing special places in the outdoors is my job, and if it’s done right, it’s for the greater good.
Outside Online, October 2022
“This Film About a 40-Year-Old Avalanche Helped Me Process My Own Trauma” — The new documentary ‘Buried’ looks back at 1982 tragedy at Alpine Meadows ski resort, and finds lessons that are as relevant as ever about surviving a traumatic event.
Outside Online, September 2022
“Yes, You Should be Eating Bugs for Breakfast” — Insect protein is good for you and for the planet. Or, at least, that’s a cultural shift we need to accept if the future of food is going to include granola made from mealworms.
Adventure.com, July 2022
“Pushing the Limits” — If you think about it, the soul of adventure is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and into new territory. Here, I write about surviving a very long run.
Red Bulletin, June 2022
“What’s Lurking in Lake Tahoe?” — The answer: a ton of trash. One of America’s most beautiful lakes is harboring a dirty secret. Let’s dive into the legends—and the reality—of the world beneath the waters of Lake Tahoe.
Adventure.com, May 2022
“By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Gone” — Tiffany Thiele, a rock climber from Reno, Nevada, took her life after posting a Facebook message saying she’d been raped by a ski patroller.
Outside Online, May 2022
“When Your Adventure Partner Keeps Demanding Gummy Bears” — Having kids has made exploring the outdoors, well, different.
Deseret Magazine, May 2022
“It’s Getting Hot In Here” — Wildfires are burning up the West, while record temperatures are melting snow quicker than ever. What does all this mean for backcountry skiers and riders?
Backcountry, February 2022
“Till Death Do Us Part” — It took 178 days for pro skier Hadley Hammer to fall madly in love with Austrian alpinist David Lama. It took one day to lose it all. The mountains brought them together, ripped them apart, and carried her back from the gutter of grief.
Backcountry, January 2022
“Fire and Ice” — Mountain biker Rebecca Rusch makes a historic winter crossing of Iceland by bicycle.
Hi Hey Hello, December 2021
“No Easy Task” — The man whose job it is to save winter wants to mobilize millions of people. An interview with Protect Our Winter’s executive director Mario Molina.
Backcountry Magazine, January 2022
“Take Me Home, Tahoe”— A lake studded by ski resorts presents the opportunity to find yourself—or get totally and wonderfully lost. Also, where I want to go when this pandemic is finally over. Ski Magazine, December 2021
“Full Speed Ahead” — Former ski racer Lauren Samuels has set her sights on a new finish line: helping the outdoors be a space for everyone.
The Ski Journal, October 2021
“Your Ski Jacket is Way Greener Than It Used to Be” — Imagine outerwear made from recycled plastic bottles and sugarcane waste, and a manufacturing process powered by renewables. That future is already here.
Backcountry, Sept. 2021
“Guest Lectures” —What they wish they knew: advice and tips from legends like Mikaela Shiffrin, Jessie Diggins, Gus Kenworthy, Bill McKibben, Rue Mapp, and more.
Outside, Summer 2021
“How to Reserve a Campsite, Even at the Last Minute” — Who says you can’t get a reservation for the great outdoors this weekend?
The New York Times, April 2021
“Get Wet!”— This should be the summer you become a swimmer, a paddler or a sailor — it’s easier than you think.
New York Times, May 2021
“What Really Matters” — An essay on life, death, motherhood, and skiing.
Bomb Snow, Winter 2021
“The Double Life” —How the owner of Tahoe City, California’s Alpenglow Sports hosted backcountry festivals and events—all while secretly too sick to ski.
Backcountry Magazine, February 2021
“Ginger Spice”—Meet skier and runner Madison Rose Ostergren, a fiery redhead with a baking addiction.
Hi Hey Hello, Winter 2021
“The Fourth Wall is Coming Down” — Swedish skier and filmmaker Bjarne Salén is flipping the script and shaking up the way we watch ski movies.
Backcountry, December 2020
“15 Ways to Play in the Snow This Winter” — After a challenging summer, we’re all wondering what the winter has in store. Don’t worry: There are plenty of ways to play in the white stuff.
Outside, December 2020
“Until Next Time”— I’m on the plane headed home right now. The melancholy is starting to set in. It feels like a pair of sunglasses that make the world less sparkly…
Powder, December 2020
“Finding Transitions”— Tom Wallisch was skiing’s first Internet sensation. More than a decade later, he’s proving he’s way more than a one-hit wonder.
The Ski Journal, October 2020
“Everything You Need To Know About Skiing Tahoe During the Pandemic”—A resort guide for what is shaping up to be an odd winter in the mountains.
San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 2020
“The Wright Way” — Former competitive freeskier Crystal Wright is now the whipping the rest of us into shape for ski season.
Ski Magazine, November 2020
“Solid Goldie” —Pro skier Michelle Parker doubles as a skilled photographer. Her new photo book shows all.
The Ski Journal, February 2020
“Fire On the Mountain” — A hardcover book about the Grateful Dead and a trippy film project involving skiers, surfers, and a talented guy named Chris Benchetler.
Published November 2020
“The Penalty Box” — Inside the tiny, closet-size gateway to the gnar at Big Sky, Montana.
Powder Magazine, October 2020
“The Walls That Silverton Built” —Closed boundaries have divided skiers as those inside the borders and those outside.
Powder.com, April 2020
“Pirate Party in Iceland’s Westfjords”—On a boat in the fjords of northwest Iceland, a group of skiers learn you don’t need your own skis or all that much snow to have a good time. You just need each other.
The Ski Journal, January 2020
“If You Build It, They Will Come” — Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is positioning itself to be the next mega-resort and year-round adventure hub.
“The Outsiders of the Year” — I wrote about a 10-year-old girl who climbed the Nose in Yosemite and a couple of farmers who made a big-time film.
Outside Magazine, December 2019
“The Universe Has Something to Say” —And pro skier, filmmaker, and artist Chris Benchetler is listening.
Freeskier Magazine, December 2019
“You Know Her as Shane’s Wife— In the past decade, Sherry McConkey has raised a teenage daughter and built a non-profit from the ground up.
Powder Magazine, November 2019
“Obsessed” — Cody Townsend doesn’t do anything half-hearted. Including his latest project, trying to ski the 50 classic ski descents in North America in just three years.
Powder Magazine, October 2019
“Inside the Mind of Ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter” — She runs 200-mile races without flinching and has a dogged unwillingness to give up. But what powers long-distance runner Courtney Dauwalter?
REI Co-op Journal, October 2019
“The Compositional King” — Nic Alegre quickly accelerated from cubicle-bound city dweller to one of the top action sports photographers in the world. Here’s how.
Ski Journal, September 2019
“100 Best Adventures in America’ Public Lands” — From hiking across Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park to digging for clams in South Carolina’s shellfish grounds, these adventures highlight how massive and disparate America’s public lands are.
Men’s Journal, April 2019
“Best Places to Live” — America’s new adventure capitals, including Los Angeles and Reno—two cities I wrote about.
Outside Magazine, July 2019
“My Kids Turned Me Into an Electric Bike Convert” — A cycling purist discovers the beauty of electric bikes while towing her two kids—and all their stuff—around town.
REI Co-op Journal, June 2019
“This Backcountry Hut has a Story to Tell”— The long-awaited Kees and Claire Hut finally opens in British Columbia. Here’s how the hut got its name.
REI Co-op Journal, September 2019
“Child’s Play” — From a barrier island off South Carolina’s coast to a remote ski town in British Columbia, we’ve rounded up our favorite family-friendly adventures,
Outside Magazine, May 2019
“Her Name is Grace” — Western States Endurance Run has adopted a new policy for runners who are transgender. They created it in part to welcome one runner in particular: Her name is Grace Fisher.
REI Co-op Journal, July 2019
“Going Rogue” — Sure, ski instructors selling under-the-table private lessons will save you money. But at what cost?
Ski Magazine, Februry 2019
“Josh Who?” — Meet the most underrated skier in America: a humble, hard-charging guy from Michigan whose name you probably don’t know, even though he’s one of the best damn skiers on the planet.
Freeskier Magazine, Dec. 2018
“Carry Your Own Damn Gear” — On why even toddlers, the elderly, and the super-rich should haul their own skis.
Ski Journal, January 2019
“Foreign Aid” — An inside look at the short-term foreign workers who make ski resorts go round—and what will happen if the J-1 visa goes away?
Powder Magazine, Nov. 2018
“His Best Friend’s Camera” — Elliott Bernhagen was on his way to becoming a pro snowboarder when suddenly, his friend, ski photographer Patrick Orton, died. Bernhagen almost quit it all but then he inherited his late friend’s camera—and that changed everything.
Ski Journal, December 2018
“The Rescuer In Need of Saving” — What happens when a highly trained search and rescue volunteer from the Tetons sees one too many accidents in the field? It sends him into an emotional spiral he says he could barely climb out of.
REI Co-op Journal, October 2018
"Whitney Has Turned Into an Overcrowded Catastrophe" - Summit fever, a lack of mountaineering skills, and the allure of social media are leading to serious accidents on the lower 48's highest peak. Can anything be done to stop the injuries and deaths?
Outside Online, June 2018
"The Queen of Green" — She helped the federal government become more eco-friendly, now Kate Brandt is turning to her biggest project yet: Converting Google to clean energy.
Outside Magazine, June 2018
"Lead With Your Heart" — Lel Tone built a reputation in the ski guiding community by calmly managing extreme situations. But even the brave have their demons.
Powder Magazine, Sept. 2018
"Inside Yosemite" — Yosemite National Park staff geologist Greg Stock shares his favorite spots in the park.
San Francisco Chronicle, April 2018
"The Gatekeeper" — What does it take to get a large ski resort to open its still-locked boundaries to the backcountry? Mountain guide Adrian Ballinger finds out.
Backcountry, March 2018
"Walk It Off" — From day trips to five-month treks, hiking is more popular than ever. Each year, there's a new crop of trails waiting to be explored. Here are 10 of our favorites.
Outside, July 2018
"The Life Aquatic" — What compels a couple to spend life at sea with their young family? A desire to do something different.
Outside Magazine, Sept. 2018
"Mikeala Shiffrin is Done Apologizing" - Olympic ski racing phenom Mikaela Shiffrin said she wanted to win five gold medals. And she meant it.
Men's Journal, February 2018
"The Love Story of Joe and Mikki Zuiches" — One year after the death of Squaw Valley ski patroller, Joe Zuiches, his wife, Mikki, tries to make sense of it all.
REI Co-Op Journal, Jan. 2018
"Skier's Lunch" - Skiers around the world eat lunch, that much we know. But what they eat and where they dine varies widely.
Powder Magazine, Nov. 2017
"Arrested Development" — Squaw Valley is in the midst of a massive overhaul, and the community is sharply divided.
Ski Magazine, November 2017
"How to Go Big" — Hailey Langland, teenage snowboard phenom, on mastering something you've never done before.
New York Times, May 2017
"Resilience" — Big mountain skier Jackie Paaso spent years in a dark, depressed state. Through skiing, she found the light.
Powder, September 2017
"Sheltered" — Affordable housing in ski towns is gone. Can resort communities stop the crisis from running locals out of town?
Powder Magazine, December 2016
"Travel: Nevada County" — Swaths of the Sierra opening to adventurers through new trails, huts, and (finally) home sharing.
San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 2017
"Meet Your Maker" - What does it take to make a good product? I interviewed designers from GoPro, Hoka, Arc'teryx and DPS Skis to find out.
Outside Buyer's Guide, Winter 2017
"Skiing Down Demons in Stairs Gulch" - Pro skier Caroline Gleich returns to the line that killed her brother 15 years ago in the Utah backcountry.
Vice.com, April 2016
"Take the Plunge" - How to snorkel in polar waters, with tips from a woman who's planing the first snorkel expedition of Canada's Northwest Passage.
RedBulletin.com, July 2016
"Don't Just Sit There" - How to master a new skill — like cooking with grasshoppers — on your next beach vacation.
Men's Journal, February 2016
"In the Wake" — Six athletes died for adventures they loved. Six widows remain. When a world is shattered. The noise silenced. What lies beyond?
Mountain Outlaw, Summer 2016
"Beyond the Gold" — Heartbreak and loss may come with any high-stakes sport, but Olympians also experience a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, and joy.
Live Happy, September 2016
"Refresh" — Is hyperconnectivity enhancing our world or destroying its meaning? A feature story about skiing in the digital age.
Powder, February 2016
"Skiing on the Side" - How South Lake Tahoe is transforming from a has-been gambling hub to a 24-hour mountain town that just wants to have fun.
Ski Magazine, January 2016
"Riding the Volcano" - It sounds insane: Spend your vacation time by tempting fate and visiting an active volcano. But is it?
Red Bulletin Magazine, January 2016
"Lost and Found" - How one family found home off the grid in the Sierra. A profile of the Lost Trail Lodge and the family that runs the place.
Backcountry magazine, December 2015
"First in Flight" — Pro skier Rory Bushfield lost his wife, freeskiing legend Sarah Burke, three years ago. But he hasn't lost his zest for life. I interviewed Rory about giving back and living large.
ESPN.com, February 2015
"Missionaries of the Mountains" — Nobody spreads the gospel of the backcountry like Noah and Jonah Howell, the brothers behind Powderwhore Productions.
Backcountry, Dec. 2014
"Oral History of Kona" — An oral history of the Kona Ironman World Championships, as told through some of the event's most legendary athletes.
Red Bulletin, October 2015
"Mack Attack" — How a barber in Portland, Oregon, has fought bipolar disease, homelessness, and troubles with the law to become a father of four and a pioneer of river surfing.
Coast Mountain Culture, Winter 2015
"Blind Spot" — The best ski area in Colorado? It must just be Loveland, the place you've always driven by. I followed Loveland's hardiest locals around on a powder day last winter.
Powder, Nov. 2014
"Sky's the Limit" — A new Google-backed wind energy startup, built by a couple of kiteboarders, is aiming to revolutionize alternative energy.
Outside, August 2014
"Waves That Save" -- How surfing can not only make you happier and healthier, it can actually save your life.
Live Happy, August 2014
"Running for Joy" — What is runner's high and does it actually work? A look into why exercise not only makes you healthier, it makes you happier, too.
Live Happy, January 2015
"At the Altar" — One month after being involved in a fatal avalanche, I married my best friend. I wrote about that in an editor's letter in Backcountry Magazine.
Backcountry, February 2014
"Tunnel Vision" —What started as a glorious powder day ended in a desperate fight for survival after three skiers were buried by a killer avalanche in the backcountry of Stevens Pass, in Washington's Cascades.
Outside Magazine, Nov. 2012
"A Ghost Among Us" — A woman named Anish smashed the speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail last summer. But what was driving her?
Backpacker, August 2014
"In a House by the River" — Sixteen years ago, the man who helped raise me was shot to death at a remote kayaking lodge in northern California. I set out on a painful search to find out what happened.
Outside Magazine, Oct. 2011