I wanted to learn how to push through. I dropped out of college; it wasn’t my thing. Then I tried to become a Navy SEAL, but I quit during Hell Week. I couldn’t hang, and I’ve regretted not finding a way. All my pursuits now, from ultrarunning to big mountain link-ups, are about building the mental strength to break through to the other side. These challenges are more mental than physical, and I want to show hikers and runners everywhere what’s possible.
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Have Gear, Will Travel
These eight products are versatile companions for every adventure.
I Survived A Polar Bear Attack
In July 2013, Matt Dyer was lucky enough to see a polar bear in Canada’s Torngat Mountains. His good fortune ended there.
A New Path
When Covid canceled their wedding, one hiker and her fiancé went backpacking instead.
CHRISTOPHER FISHER
In October 2021, Christopher Fisher, a 26-year-old, Texas-born endurance athlete living in Breckenridge, Colorado, climbed a whopping 400,332 vertical feet in one month. That’s the equivalent of summiting a 13,000-foot peak from sea level every day for 31 straight days. It’s likely a world record, too (he’s submitting it to Guinness), and maybe just a bit, well, crazy. Here’s what Fisher had to say about the feat.
Finding My Footing
A hiker pulls confidence from an unsolicited gear critique in the Catskills.
Light in the Darkness
In winter, as the nights stretch and daylight disappears, there’s a certain beauty to be found in the darkness.
Off-Season Tempo Training
During the winter, focused training can help ensure your next hiking season will be even better than the last—and help snowsport performance, too. Tempo training allows you to zero in on issues like shaking quads on descents, sore glutes after ascents, or tender calf muscles. Complete the following workout once or twice a week.
Standing at the Edge
A winter trip through Crater Lake National Park nets a once-in-a-lifetime photo.
The Best Hikes for Spotting Winter Wildlife
These ten routes will show you that nature never stops bustling, no matter how much snow is on the trail.
Emerging from Darkness
For one hiker, nature is the best place to confront her past and consider her future.
