Survival

Latest Stories

Exploration & Survival

California Regulators Have Hit a Guiding Company with Hefty Fines for the Tahoe Avalanche

The California workplace safety agency alleges Blackbird Mountain Guides failed to properly train employees and evaluate avalanche hazards before a February slide killed nine people in the backcountry.

Suzie DundasAugust 24, 2026

Exploration & Survival

Crews Just Found the Remains of Sarah Mallory Geis, the American Climber Killed on Broad Peak

High-altitude porters located the remaining missing climber three weeks after the July 30 catastrophic slide, which claimed ten lives on the world’s 12th-highest mountain.

Suzie DundasAugust 24, 2026

Hiking

A Hiker Was Dying of Heat Stroke. Rescuers Saved Her with a Mobile Cold Plunge.

Cold water immersion is the best way to stave off heat stroke. The Phoenix Fire Department recently used its mobile cold plunge to save a stricken hiker.

Frederick DreierAugust 18, 2026

Exploration & Survival

Bill Ott Vanished 14 Years Ago Searching for Ancient Grand Canyon Art. I Was on the Team Sent to Find Him.

Bill Ott was a legendary canyon soloist driven by a passion for ancient rock art. When he disappeared deep in Mohawk Canyon, anthropologist Scott Thybony joined Search and Rescue to track his final steps. Fourteen years later, he revisits his field notes.

Scott ThybonyAugust 4, 20262

Hiking

A Hiker Was Impaled by His Trekking Pole. This Is a Mile-by-Mile Account of His Hike to Help.

Facing a costly helicopter rescue, David Cifaldi spent hours navigating ten miles of rough backcountry terrain with a steel-tipped pole lodged in his torso.

Katie JacksonJuly 31, 2026

Exploration & Survival

We Now Know Which Mushroom Poisoned 11 Foragers Outside Yellowstone

Seven victims remain in serious condition following a foraging incident in Park County, Montana.

Madison DapcevichJuly 31, 2026

Exploration & Survival

3 Injured and 1 Dead on Mount Rainier's Most-Traveled Route. Here's Why Popular Doesn't Always Mean Safe.

Daihong Chen, 44, died after two unguided parties were struck by rockfall near 11,600 feet on the Disappointment Cleaver. RMI guide Peter Whittaker weighs in on the unavoidable dangers of Rainier's most popular summit trail.

Suzie DundasJuly 29, 20261

Exploration & Survival

A Tree Fell on a Camper's Tent, Prompting a Late-Night Backcountry Rescue

When a falling tree crushed a camper’s tent on a remote multi-day backcountry rafting trip on Idaho’s Salmon River, search and rescue specialists faced a race against time, darkness, and smoke.

Madison DapcevichJuly 29, 20261

Exploration & Survival

A Lightning Strike Set the Forest on Fire. Twenty Teenage Campers Fled With Minutes To Spare.

As the Fish Creek Fire closed in on Camp Batel Ranch, camp hosts and counselors evacuated the facility within ten minutes, leaving behind belongings. Swift decision-making likely saved the teenagers' lives.

Suzie DundasJuly 27, 2026

Exploration & Survival

New Details Emerge About the Deadly Bear Attack That Killed Anthony Pollio in Glacier National Park

An official report into the death of 33-year-old Florida hiker Anthony Pollio shows what happened the night a grizzly bear charged and killed him in Glacier National Park.

Suzie DundasJuly 23, 20266

Exploration & Survival

A Viral Video Claims a Yosemite Hiker Was Billed $70,000 for a Helicopter Rescue. Here's What Really Happened.

Rumors on social media claim a heat-exhausted hiker faces a massive bill after being airlifted off the Mist Trail. The National Park Service set the record straight.

Suzie DundasJuly 21, 20261

Exploration & Survival

What Happens If You’re Caught in a Wildfire? 10 Things Veteran Firefighters Want You to Know.

If you're trapped by a backcountry blaze, minutes matter. Veteran fire experts Bill Kaage and Riva Duncan share the essential tools, strategies, and survival skills that could save your life.

Madison DapcevichJuly 20, 2026

Exploration & Survival

A Cat Vanished for 39 Days Near Great Sand Dunes. A Feline Survival Expert Explains How She Stayed Alive.

When Fridge the cat disappeared near Great Sand Dunes National Park, rangers gave her zero odds. A feline behaviorist explains to Outside how the instincts, physiology, and hunting tactics of the cat kept her alive for 39 days in apex-predator territory.

Kristy HamiltonJuly 20, 20261

Exploration & Survival

This Veteran’s Cure for Soldiers with PTSD: Go Build an Earthship in the Desert

Ryan Timmermans, an Army veteran who did multiple tours in Afghanistan, invites former soldiers to live away from running water and the power grid in a self-sufficient community in Northern New Mexico. Timmermans believes the simple lifestyle is more therapeutic than anything the government can provide.

Nick AspinwallJuly 17, 2026

Hiking

An Injured Hiker Spent the Night on a Colorado Peak. These 7 Survival Items Kept Her Safe.

When a seasoned hiker injured her knee on Colorado’s chossy Broken Hand Pass, her 13-hour rescue in the dark became a testament to why prep isn't just for beginners.

Kristy HamiltonJuly 15, 20262

Opinion

The Nolan Wells Tragedy Reminds Us That the Most Dangerous Moment on Any Adventure Is When the Group Splits Up

The tragic death of Nolan Wells on a Mississippi island raises painful questions. Here is what search-and-rescue data teaches us about the high cost of outdoor separation.

Ayana UnderwoodJuly 13, 20266

Exploration & Survival

They Kept a Perfectly Clean Camp. A Black Bear Attacked Their Tent Anyway.

Two Wyoming campers did everything right—keeping food out of their tents and using deterrents—but a black bear refused to back down.

Owen ClarkeJuly 9, 20261

Exploration & Survival

A Misstep in Glacier National Park Led to a High-Stakes Helicopter Rescue. Here's How SAR Saved Two Hikers.

After a summit success turned into a terrifying fall and severe injury, the helicopter crew tells Outside how they executed a precision high-altitude rescue on one of Glacier’s most unforgiving mountains.

Madison DapcevichJuly 9, 2026

Exploration & Survival

How an Off-Duty Colorado Firefighter Survived Being Crushed by a 400-Pound Boulder

Climbing North Apostle Mountain, an off-duty first responder freed their own fractured leg from a massive dislodged rock before an intricate iPhone-facilitated Black Hawk rescue took flight.

Madison DapcevichJuly 8, 20262

Exploration & Survival

The Colorado Wildfire Tragedy Highlights the Limits of a Firefighter's "Last Resort" Gear

Following the tragic deaths of three Rifle Helitack crew members on the Snyder Fire in Colorado, experts explain the mechanics of emergency shelters, and how they can reach a breaking point.

Madison DapcevichJuly 27, 2026

Survival

Latest Stories

California Regulators Have Hit a Guiding Company with Hefty Fines for the Tahoe Avalanche

Crews Just Found the Remains of Sarah Mallory Geis, the American Climber Killed on Broad Peak

A Hiker Was Dying of Heat Stroke. Rescuers Saved Her with a Mobile Cold Plunge.

Bill Ott Vanished 14 Years Ago Searching for Ancient Grand Canyon Art. I Was on the Team Sent to Find Him.

A Hiker Was Impaled by His Trekking Pole. This Is a Mile-by-Mile Account of His Hike to Help.

We Now Know Which Mushroom Poisoned 11 Foragers Outside Yellowstone

3 Injured and 1 Dead on Mount Rainier's Most-Traveled Route. Here's Why Popular Doesn't Always Mean Safe.

A Tree Fell on a Camper's Tent, Prompting a Late-Night Backcountry Rescue

A Lightning Strike Set the Forest on Fire. Twenty Teenage Campers Fled With Minutes To Spare.

New Details Emerge About the Deadly Bear Attack That Killed Anthony Pollio in Glacier National Park

A Viral Video Claims a Yosemite Hiker Was Billed $70,000 for a Helicopter Rescue. Here's What Really Happened.

What Happens If You’re Caught in a Wildfire? 10 Things Veteran Firefighters Want You to Know.

A Cat Vanished for 39 Days Near Great Sand Dunes. A Feline Survival Expert Explains How She Stayed Alive.

This Veteran’s Cure for Soldiers with PTSD: Go Build an Earthship in the Desert

An Injured Hiker Spent the Night on a Colorado Peak. These 7 Survival Items Kept Her Safe.

The Nolan Wells Tragedy Reminds Us That the Most Dangerous Moment on Any Adventure Is When the Group Splits Up

They Kept a Perfectly Clean Camp. A Black Bear Attacked Their Tent Anyway.

A Misstep in Glacier National Park Led to a High-Stakes Helicopter Rescue. Here's How SAR Saved Two Hikers.

How an Off-Duty Colorado Firefighter Survived Being Crushed by a 400-Pound Boulder

The Colorado Wildfire Tragedy Highlights the Limits of a Firefighter's "Last Resort" Gear

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