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Trekking Iceland’s Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls Trails—A Photo Gallery
By Michael Lanza We followed the trail upward through innumerable, short switchbacks to the summit of a battleship-gray, steep-sided peak called Bláhnúkur in the remote Fjallabak Nature Reserve of Iceland’s Central Highlands, one of the most active geothermal areas on Earth. At the summit, we... -
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The Best Plan for Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc
By Michael Lanza You want to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, but you’re not sure how hard it is, whether you can do it all, or even whether to hire a guide? One of the world’s great treks, the TMB is easy to do self-supported—but it’s not easy to figure out how to do that. When I hiked it with 12... -
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15 Adventures on Earth That Will Change Your Life
By Michael Lanza Can travel “change your life?” How many experiences have such an enormous impact? I can name several that shifted my perspective on adventure or expanded how I view the world and other people. Exploring the surreal landscapes of Iceland and Patagonia. Walking among Earth’s... -
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Hiking and Backpacking the Canadian Rockies—A Photo Gallery
By Michael Lanza While I always prefer to get as far from any road as possible whenever I visit a mountain range, one truth that may—and perhaps must—be said of the Canadian Rockies is that they will leave you smitten with an lifelong, unshakeable love before you even step out of the car... -
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10 Great John Muir Trail Section Hikes
By Michael Lanza Like moths to a flame—or perhaps pikas to talus—at some point, many serious backpackers will decide they must thru-hike the John Muir Trail. But some will wonder whether they’re ready or have the time for a 221-mile hike that may take up to three weeks—and many will fail to get... -
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Review: Hoka One One Speedgoat 6 Trail Running Shoes
Trail Running/Hiking Shoes Hoka One One Speedgoat 6 $155, 1 lb. 3 oz./539g (US men’s 9) Sizes: US men’s 7-15, women’s 5-12 backcountry.com Hoka’s popular trail-running shoe, the Speedgoat, has passed through several updates since it first emerged on the scene in 2015, named for the American... -
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10 Tips For Getting Outside More
By Michael Lanza Do you get outside as much as you’d like, either locally or on longer trips away from home? Who does? For many of us, work, home, and other responsibilities erect roadblocks to getting out as much as we’d like—even as spending time outdoors feels ever more urgent and necessary... -
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The Best Headlamps of 2025
By Michael Lanza A headlamp is unquestionably essential gear for hiking, backpacking, climbing, trail running, ultra-running and ultra-hiking, ski touring, and other backcountry activities that sometimes push into darkness (whether intentionally or not). But with so many to pick from, how do... -
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Paria Canyon—A Top 5 Southwest Backpacking Trip
By Michael Lanza Walls of searing, orange-red sandstone towered hundreds of feet overhead in a chasm at times no more than a dozen strides across. A shallow river flowed like very thin chocolate milk down the canyon, spanning it from wall to wall in spots. And the spectacle had only just begun... -
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The Best Short Backpacking Trip in Grand Teton National Park
By Michael Lanza As we backpacked up Paintbrush Canyon on the first day of a three-day family hike on the nearly 20-mile loop of Paintbrush and Cascade canyons in Grand Teton National Park, I kept a close eye on our kids. Our son, Nate, then eight years old, had taken a few backpacking trips... -
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Backpacking Yosemite: What You Need to Know
The first major Western national park I backpacked in was Yosemite. I wanted to begin exploring America’s big, iconic wilderness parks—and like a lot of backpackers, I thought: Where else would I start but Yosemite? The name alone conjures mental images of walking for days through wild... -
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The Best Ultralight Backpacks of 2025
By Michael Lanza Do you need an ultralight backpack? Many backpackers might answer “no” when, for many reasons, their answer should logically be “yes.” These packs aren’t just for thru-hikers. Typically weighing roughly between under two pounds and three pounds empty, ultralight packs have... -
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Backpacking—and Sandbagging—Utah’s Uinta Highline Trail
By Michael Lanza The strongest signal that late afternoon has begun its inexorably precipitous October slide into a freezing evening comes as my son, Nate, and I step from almost-warm sunshine into the deep shade of a peak whose shadow tops out at over 13,000 feet in eastern Utah’s High Uintas... -
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A Good Time to Buy Hiking and Backpacking Gear? Right Now
By Michael Lanza If you’ve been thinking you need—or want—a new backpack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, rain shell, down jacket, or some other piece of hiking or backpacking gear or apparel, right now is one of the two or three best times of year to grab excellent deals. Most online and... -
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The 12 Best Down Jackets of 2025
By Michael Lanza Whatever you need an insulated jacket for, there’s a down or synthetic puffy for your needs, within your budget. And whether you want a puffy jacket for outdoor activities like backpacking, camping, skiing, climbing, and hut treks, or just to keep you warm around town or at... -
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The Best Clothing Layers for Winter in the Backcountry
By Michael Lanza There’s one thing we can confidently say about the clothing layers we use in winter: We get our money’s worth out of them. While a rain shell or puffy jacket may rarely come out of our pack on a summer hike or climb, we almost invariably wear every article of clothing we carry... -
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12 Pro Tips For Staying Warm Outdoors in Winter
By Michael Lanza Staying warm while skiing or riding at resorts or in the backcountry, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, or running in winter is a constant challenge: We sweat, our clothes get damp, and then we have periods of reduced exertion like riding a ski lift or walking or running... -
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How to Get a Permit to Backpack the Teton Crest Trail
By Michael Lanza For backpackers, the Teton Crest Trail really delivers it all: beautiful lakes, creeks, and waterfalls, high passes with sweeping vistas, endless meadows of vibrant wildflowers, a good chance of seeing wildlife like elk and moose, some of the best campsites you will ever pitch... -
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Review: Montem Ultra Light 100% Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
Trekking Poles Montem Ultra Light 100% Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles $90, 14 oz./396.9g $One size, adjustable 105-135cm montemlife.com The biggest question with inexpensive gear is always: Will it work? And best way to answer that question is to field test it in places that are hard on gear... -
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A Survival Guide For the Outdoors Lover Who’s a New Parent
By Michael Lanza So, you’ve been an avid [circle all appropriate terms: hiker/backpacker/climber/trail runner/skier/kayaker] for years, and now you’re spending big chunks of your days changing diapers and your nights wondering when you’ll sleep again. You’ve never gone this long without getting...