The backcountry is full of great stories, and we’re proud to bring you this collection of some of our favorites. From an award-winning tale of a daughter confronting her family’s dark past to a tongue-in-cheek romp through the one of the country’s oldest outdoor stores, these stories exemplify the power of quality writing and the transformative experience of the outdoors. Table of Contents: I’m Hiking With Stupid A Buddy Story By Steve Friedman Secret Agent Man Animals can’t talk, but Ed Newcomer can. As an elite U.S. Fish & Wildlife detective, he goes undercover to protect threatened raptors, bears, even butterflies—and bring poachers and smugglers to court. Inside the agency’s latest covert operation. By Bruce Barcott (Don’t) Pay at the Pump Gas prices are soaring. glaciers are melting—what’s a conscientious hiker to do? Take the bus, says our reporter, who did just that to escape downtown L.A. By Dan Koeppel Walking the Talk First, John Francis stopped riding in cars. Then he stopped talking. More than three decades, two continent-spanning hikes, and countless trail miles later, he’s still following his remarkable path of protest—only now he’s not alone. By Bill Donahue Live Earth The planet’s most dynamic landscape is full of bubbling hot springs, steaming geysers, and kaleidoscopic lava flows. Hike Iceland’s epic Laugevegur Trail, and join the action. By Michael Lanza The Source of All Things (winner of the National Magazine Award) What if your favorite place in the world was ground zero for your greatest strengths and your deepest fears? What if that place was deep in one of North America’s most remote and beautiful wilderness areas? The author and her father trek into Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains to grapple with a tragedy that has haunted them for decades. By Tracy Ross 24 Hours of L.L. Bean It’s the gear world’s ultimate endurance event: a full day and night roaming the aisles at Bean’s flagship store in Freeport, Maine. Will our man survive? By Dan Koeppel Rescue Me On a snowy night in New Hampshire, a Congressional candidate crashed his car, wandered into the woods, and collapsed. Twenty-seven hours later, rescuers carried him out. And then the real drama began. By David Howard The Hardest Miles Survivors of the Bataan death march overcame one of history’s most grueling walks. What kept them on their feet? And could you do the same? Every year, more than 4,000 people hike through the New Mexico desert to find out. By Evelyn Spence I Will Survive Flesh-eating bears. Dive-bombing eagles. Can a regular guy escape certain death armed with only the clothes on his back and the skills he’s learned on T.V.? By Steve Friedman The Onion vs. Mr. Magoo Competition boils over during a 5,600-mile footrace on the country’s hardest trail. By Andrew Tilin Shock and Awe You think climbing Rainier is tough? Try it blind. Or with one leg. Then see who you pity. By Michael Perry Destination Nowhere The most remote spot in the Lower 48 is inside Yellowstone National Park. It’s also the goal of our correspondent, who travels deep into the ancestral home of grizzlies, wolves, and elk to gauge the state of wilderness in our nation’s first preserve. What he encounters—and what it says about the solitude backpackers treasure—will surprise you. By Mark Jenkins

Vanished Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with the joyful excitement of a pilgrim entering the Promised Land. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about. Now her family can’t rest until they know how she disappeared. By Tracy Ross Thru-Hiking: When More is Better For long-haul hikers, time has a way of putting things into perspective. By Casey Lyons X Marks the Spot A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt. By Brian Mockenhaupt The Kids Are Alright The only thing you’ll regret about taking the brood backpacking is not doing it sooner—and more often. By Dennis Lewon Hike Forever After four decades of backpacking and climbing in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, 75-year-old Joe Kelsey is living proof that, while time may stop for no one, it might just slow down for hikers. By Mark Jenkins Depth of Field: Canyoneering Little rain and stable weather make fall the ideal time to play in Utah’s slot canyons. By Steve Howe My Partner Ate My Socks Is goatpacking the ultimate ultralight solution or a surefire way to ruin a good hike? By Casey Lyons Mush! You don’t need to tackle the Iditarod to enjoy dogsledding, a fast and fun winter adventure. By Molly Loomis The Quest The only way to truly appreciate America’s vast wilderness? Hike it all. By Mark Jenkins Bella Vita A trek on Italy’s Alta Via 2 might just be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky. By Brendan Leonard The Other Himalaya Someday, the Manaslu Loop will be just as famous as the Annapurna Circuit. Better hike it now. By Dougald Macdonald Walk of Ages Past meets present on a trek to Petra, Jordan’s 2,300-year-old desert metropolis. By Rachel Zurer Fresh Tracks It’s prime time to visit Patagonia’s brand new park—before anyone else even knows it’s there. By Tomas Dinges A Ghost Among Us One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail. By Megan Michelson

Backpacker brings the outdoors straight to the reader's doorstep, inspiring and enabling them to go more places and enjoy nature more often. The authority on active adventure, Backpacker is the world's first GPS-enabled magazine, and the only magazine whose editors personally test the hiking trails, camping gear, and survival tips they publish. Backpacker's Editors' Choice Awards, an industry honor recognizing design, feature and product innovation, has become the gold standard against which all other outdoor-industry awards are measured.

Backpacker brings the outdoors straight to the reader's doorstep, inspiring and enabling them to go more places and enjoy nature more often. The authority on active adventure, Backpacker is the world's first GPS-enabled magazine, and the only magazine whose editors personally test the hiking trails, camping gear, and survival tips they publish. Backpacker's Editors' Choice Awards, an industry honor recognizing design, feature and product innovation, has become the gold standard against which all other outdoor-industry awards are measured.

Don't hit the trail hungry! Go beyond granola bars with 110 easy and delicious lunch and dinner recipes from the BACKPACKER archives. Whether you're craving a perfectly cooked fish or a hearty backcountry stew, this book is sure to satisfy even the most discerning campfire gourmet.

Cheesecakes NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE SANDWICHES NO BAKE OREO CHEESECAKE MIX & MATCH CHEESECAKE Fruit-Based BANANAS FLAMBE CHERRIES FLAMBE CAMPFIRE-BAKED APPLES CREAMY PEACH (OR BERRY) PIE PEACHES AND SUNSHINE DESSERT CHOCOLATE DIPPED GINGER AND MANGO CHERRY COBBLER COCONUT MANGO RICE PUDDING Cakes, Crepes, and Breads SPEEDY BANNOCK (MOUNTAIN BREAD) HUSH PUPPIES CINNAMON ROLLS NO-FRILLS CREPES BANANUTELLA CREPES CACHE PEAK CRUMBLE DONUTS HANGING-BY-YOUR-BOOTS UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND HONEY APPLE CAKES Chocolate & Peanut Butter EARTHWORM PUDDING BLACK CANYON CHOCOLATE CAKE FABULOUS FRY BROWNIES FUDGE-IN-A-BAG MEXICAN S’MORES 5 MAJOR S’MORES UPGRADES GREEN MOUNTAIN GRASSHOPPER DESSERT TRAIL TIRAMISU NO-BAKE COW CHIPS PEANUT BUTTER TWIGS PEANUT BUTTER BOWL CHEWY FUDGY NUTTY NO-BAKE COOKIES Other Sweet Treats IRISH POTATO CANDY JELLY DOUGHBOYS NIAGARA TRAIL BAR