Brian and I were less than a week into our adventure north when, during a brief phone call, my dear friend’s children insisted I read their favorite poem, "the Yukon Song." Though written for children extolling the virtues of leaving civilization and...
With the Stewart-Cassiar Highway in our rearview mirror, we had finally reached the Yukon. This was our third trip to Canada’s westernmost territory in a calendar year, and we knew that it would feel incomplete without...
Brian and I had spent four days hiking in Tombstone Territorial Park the previous summer on a trip that just scratched the surface and whet our appetites for more. Throughout the past year, we dreamed of returning to see the classic spires and tundra...
The arctic landscape has an allure that is difficult to describe; not only is it reminiscent of being in the alpine—stunted trees, big skies, and unimpeded vistas—but the utter remoteness and rawness is palpable...
In a rolling grassy landscape reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, I stop and let out a startled gasp. Just 20 feet in front of me, a kangaroo stands on the trail and looks casually at my hiking partner and me. Then, as if slowly transposed upon...
“Remember: sea level is for sissies,” we call out, referring to a sticker we’d purchased the previous day as a nod to our North Vancouver home that sits across the street from the ocean. We repeat this mantra...
“No!” I groan, a wince breaking across my face. I’m in the middle of a swiftly flowing river, but my raft sits immobile as water rushes past me on both sides...
Peru’s Ausangate Trek is epic, and we aren’t throwing that term around lightly. The region is loaded with glacier-capped peaks that reach over 20,000 feet in elevation, yet despite good infrastructure...
Don’t undo your bootlaces until you have seen the river. As we sit in dusty, windswept Ulgii, one of Mongolia’s westernmost cities, and await our delayed flight back to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar...
Beams of light shine through the musty windows at the Seven Sisters Tea House in Tilje, Nepal, illuminating tendrils of smoke wafting about the room. The glowing dust and particulates move like an indoor aurora borealis. I momentarily...
I wake at the crack of dawn. Only the faint outline of Aoraki/Mount Cook is visible from my bunk, but its sheer volume is enough to pull me from my sleeping bag. I eagerly nudge Brian awake and we tiptoe outside...
“Do you think that rain is coming our way?” We pedal under the bright sun, constantly glancing nervously over our shoulders as if being chased by a predator...
We wake at 6am to the faint jingle of Lorna’s watch muffled by her sleeping bag. My body creaks as I pull my sore arms from my sides, grab my headlamp, and light the JetBoil that I had carefully placed outside our tent the night before...
Tracing canyon bottoms and following passageways carved by water and time, Utah’s trails meander across the state, connecting one dramatic landscape to the next...
I was poking around the internet, wasting time as usual, getting too steamed about a world too far beyond my control. Bears Ears. Politics. Scanning through an uplifting article...
Peru has always peaked our interest, with towering whitewashed mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and more ancient history than we Canadians know what to do with. However, after seeing a few pictures...
Millions travel just to stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon, gaze across the expanse, and peer into the abyss. When you’re lucky enough to see the river far below, it seems like...
I can’t think of a better way to experience a unique coastal landscape of crashing waves, tide pools, rock formations, old growth forest, birds, and wildlife...
From our campsite, the green valley rises, steepens, and becomes rocky and cold. Eventually it turns to glacier and then vast, snow-blanketed mountain. I pull the hood of my down jacket tight...
It’s summer in Colorado, and we’re smack dab in the middle of a heat wave. The mountain bike trails are dry and cracking, and monsoonal rains provide only a short relief on most afternoons. For dedicated skiers like myself, there are...
A shadow passes over. “What was that?!” “I don’t know. But it was big. Not big. HUGE. And it was close.” “Did you hear that rush of wind?” “Yeah… like a parachute opening!” “But where did it go?” Megan and I look around...
Norway’s Lofoten Islands are referred to as the Lofoten Wall because, quite literally, they are vertical rows of granite shooting out of the Arctic Sea. A number of colorful fishing villages hug the shoreline and a majority...
The Hardangervidda Plateau is one of Norway’s and Europe’s most wondrous open spaces, encompassing nearly 10,000 square kilometers of varied Arctic wilderness—bigger than Yellowstone...
The Dovrefjell-Rondane corridor is Norway’s closest approximation of Montana’s Big Sky Country in the United States: a supreme stretch of wide-open, rolling mountainous terrain. The area is home to the mighty musk ox...
Europe’s true wilderness is found in Norway, and some of the country’s wildest terrain is in its northern reaches. Above the Lofoten Islands are the Arctic regions of Troms (home to the bustling island city of Tromsø)...
It’s nearly impossible to envisage the scope of Norway's fjords. Many of us have seen photos of the country’s most famous fjords—the Geirangerfjord, Sognefjord, and Hardangerfjord—but even the best images can’t do justice...
The Jotunheimen Mountains are a place of superlatives. Translating to the “home of the giants,” they are the highest mountains in Norway and Northern Europe, Jotunheimen National Park is the country's...
The UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord may be Norway’s single most dramatic stretch of water. It’s particularly narrow and steep with tall surrounding mountains—the closest thing in the country to a “box” fjord. The walls...
Finnmark is vast and barren country—it's the coldest and least populated region in Norway. The Finnmarksvidda Plateau dominates the interior, while the coastal areas on the Barents Sea...
When people imagine New Zealand, the scenery of the Fiordland Region often comes to mind. Situated in the southwestern corner of the South Island, Fiordland is dominated by the verdure of rainforests blanketed in ferns, the snow...
Otago on the South Island is one of New Zealand’s most varied regions, from high alpine terrain to remote coastline and almost everything in between. The outdoorsy towns of Queenstown and Wanaka are most popular...
The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island has a way of sneaking up on travelers and becoming one of their favorite destinations in the country. Just up the road from Queenstown, Fiordland, and Milford Sound...
On the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island is the warm coastal region of Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman National Park is one of New Zealand’s smallest and most visited parks, renowned for pristine beaches, turquoise...
Located at the top of the South Island east of Abel Tasman National Park, the Marlborough Sounds are as easy going as anywhere in New Zealand. Most of the wooded hillsides and peaceful bays are inaccessible by road...
Tongariro National Park on the North Island is a place far removed from the lush rainforests of the South Island, yet this volcanic wonderland is among New Zealand’s most striking landscapes. Established in 1887...
The laid-back Coromandel Peninsula juts out east of Auckland separating the Hauraki Gulf and Pacific Ocean. It is known for white-sand beaches, lush native forests, and small towns with...
New Zealand’s Northland region, often referred to as the Far North, stretches to the uppermost tip of New Zealand’s North Island. Bordered to the west by the Tasman Sea and to the east by the Pacific Ocean, this slender sub-tropical peninsula...
The Bay of Islands is a peaceful subtropical micro-region located on the northern tip of the North Island. All together, the area is home to 150 islands, over 800 kilometers of coastline, countless bays and inlets, and plentiful...
New Zealand firmly has established itself as one of the world’s top adventure destinations. Queenstown receives much of the attention—it is indeed chock-full of adventure opportunities—but a host of other...
For those visiting Queenstown, hiking is a great way to stretch your legs, see the famous South Island scenery, and spend far less than you would on any of the area’s many adrenaline activities. A number of trails...
Many visitors to Fox Glacier pay for a guided walk on the ice, but there also are a number of free hiking trails that lead to excellent viewpoints. All of the trails listed below are within close proximity to the Fox Glacier...
Choose an adventure activity and New Zealand likely has world-class terrain to match. From Milford Sound at the bottom of the South Island to Ninety Mile Beach at the top of the North Island...
The Everest Base Camp trek passes through the land of the Sherpas to the foot of the world’s highest mountain, Sagarmatha, Nepalese for Mount Everest. The fullest views of Mt. Everest actually are from the Tibetan side, but...
The Annapurna Circuit was once a three-week journey through the pristine valleys and villages of the Annapurna range, but the construction of two roads encroaching up both sides has shrunken the route significantly. When...
The Annapurna Sanctuary trek, also known as Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek, is a powerhouse—it’s one of the shortest major treks in Nepal and gets up close and personal with some of the biggest mountains. The trek begins with...
The Manaslu Circuit is the trekking jewel of Nepal. Bordering the Annapurna Conservation Area to the west and the Tibetan Plateau to the north and east, the region was closed to foreign tourists until 1991, effectively blocking the...
For those looking for the cutting edge of adventure travel, Nepal’s Great Himalaya Trail presents the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s one of the longest and highest footpaths on earth...
With the highest mountains in world and latitude similar to the state of Florida, Nepal has tremendous variation in climates. The lowland plains are tropical, the midland hills are temperate, and the high mountains have sub-arctic and arctic conditions...
Kathmandu's tourist district of Thamel (and to a lesser extent, the city of Pokhara) is chock-full of shops offering every type of outdoor gear imaginable. Many of the items are under the guise of the major...
Quite simply, drink a minimum of five liters of water per day, no matter what. This is easier at lower elevations when it’s hot, but becomes more burdensome when temperatures cool off and you perspire less...
Located in Chile’s Aysén region, Patagonia National Park (Parque Patagonia, in Spanish) is comprised of three parcels of protected land: Tamango and Jeinemeni National Reserves and the newly established Patagonia Park...
The Huemul (pronounced [wey-mool]) Circuit is a challenging, 40+ mile hike located in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, just outside of the Patagonia trekking mecca of El Chaltén, Argentina...
Torres del Paine (pronounced PIE-nay) National Park in southern Chile is the crown jewel of Patagonia. Rising high is the Cordillera del Paine, one of the world’s most dramatic mountain ranges, including the famed rock formations...
El Chaltén is a dusty climbing town with a contagious outdoor vibe. The self-proclaimed “trekking capital of Argentina” sprang up in the 1980’s for political purposes but is now supported entirely by outdoor tourism. Towering above...
A shadow passes over. “What was that?!” “I don’t know. But it was big. Not big. HUGE. And it was close.” “Did you hear that rush of wind?” “Yeah… like a parachute opening!” “But where did it go?” Megan and I look around...
The town of El Calafate is the hub for the mammoth Perito Moreno glacier, one of Patagonia’s most impressive sites. Located 80 kilometers west of town, the terminal face...
Northern Patagonia is home to the Lake District, a region encompassing parts of both Chile and Argentina with a high concentration of ancient forests, blue lakes, volcanoes, and picturesque alpine villages. Compared to the windswept...
The new Patagonia National Park in southern Chile’s XI (Aysen) region is scheduled to officially open in 2015 (you are welcome to visit now but the park is still under construction). This one-of-a-kind project led by Conservacion...
Ushuaia, located at the southern reaches of Argentina on the island of Tierra del Fuego, often is referred to as, "The End of the World." It’s arguably the world’s southernmost city (the small Chilean settlement of Puerto Williams...
Argentina’s legendary Ruta 40, also known as RN 40 or Route 40, is one of the world’s great driving adventures, running parallel to the Andes Mountains for nearly 5,000 km from La Quiaca in the north down to Cabo Virgenes...
Switchback Travel has not yet been to Antarctica, but we have been organizing information, talking with people who have, and keeping an eye out for good leads. With perfect timing..
Spanning two countries and covering an area of over 400,000 square miles, the fabled land of “Patagonia” encompasses everything from desert and pampas to coastline and towering mountain ranges...
With more trails than stoplights, Kaua’i is a far cry from the bustle of Waikiki or romantic resort life of Maui’s west coast. “The Garden Isle” is best known for its natural and untouched beauty, making it our favorite island for the adventurous...
Millions travel just to stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon, gaze across the expanse, and peer into the abyss. When you’re lucky enough to see the river far below, it seems like...
No place on Earth is bigger or wilder than the state of Alaska. For scale, 70 percent of America’s national park land and 85 percent of its wildlife refuge acreage lies within the state’s borders. Wrangell–St. Elias National Park...
For the adventure-minded traveler, California is a state that requires little introduction. From Joshua Tree in the south to Mount Shasta in the north, over 600 miles of dramatic coastline in the west to the rugged Sierra Nevada in the east...
It is difficult to think of mountains, and mountain sports in the United States, without thinking of Colorado. For many, especially vacationers from the East, Colorado is the first and last stop for adventure. Nearly one-third of the state is flat...
From ski bums to cross-country transplants who moved here for the outdoors, nobody loves their mountains more than Coloradans. Below are our picks for the best day hikes from Denver...
What do mountains and rivers have in common? Open plains and endless sky? Sparse population and untouched land? Wilderness and beauty? Besides the fact that one always goes hand-in-hand with the other, these things are...
So much has been written, sung, filmed, and said about New York that it is in many ways synonymous with the country itself. When most people think of New York, however, they typically think of New York City. The massive mixing bowl...
Utah is best known as a ski state—and a darn good one at that—but what truly makes Utah so unique, and special, is its vast and colorful desert. It’s true that resorts such as Alta, Park City, and Snowbird are world-class ski hills, and all within...
Suppose for a moment that you wanted to begin a life full of outdoor adventures. You’re ready to take up activities like backpacking, whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, rock climbing, mountaineering...
From the peaks of the Cascades, across the coastal rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula, to towering volcanoes like Mt. Rainier, hiking Washington’s diverse landscapes...
If the West is holding on to the fading light of its once proud appellation, “The Wild West,” then Wyoming is one of the final strongholds. Its terrain is harsh and unforgiving: the plains collide boldly with mountains, raging rivers, and...
