Over the last few years, students at Utah State University built a weekly ritual at their school gym to grow the climbing community on campus. When Utah’s legislature passed a contentious bill last year, that routine was stripped away after. Students rallied to raise awareness, fighting to keep their weekly meet-up alive. Support comes from Kuat Ra…

Shifting paradigms is hard work, but sometimes it can be a whole heap of Type II Fun as well. In 2019, Stratton Matteson sought to find out if he could get away with only human powered mountain access for a whole year. Five years into his quest, he shares what he’s learned. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your f…

What does it take to run an ultramarathon? Or top out a boulder that makes you stretch what you think you're capable of? Tenacity. From our seat, we see it happen all the time in our community. Today, Coleman Wood and Brian Laidlaw bring us two stories about rising up and meeting the challenge that they laid out for themselves. Support comes from K…

Just 10 years ago, the director of the Barkley Marathons declared that the race was too tough for any woman to complete it. Meanwhile, Jasmin Paris, a mild-mannered veterinarian from Scotland was smashing records in the ultramarathon world. It wasn’t too long before Jasmin set her sights on the Barkley. It’s not everyday you make history. For Jasmi…

Erik Grams has been taking trips to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota for over 30 years. It's his favorite place in the world. But last year, a fatal accident on a fishing trip that Erik was leading changed his life. On this episode from our friends at Points North, we hear Erik's harrowing story and how he has wrestled with his feelings about a pla…

After his personal life takes a surprise turn, Luis Alonzo dares to reinvent himself by trying something far outside his comfort zone– climbing Mt. Rainier. With a crew of other novice climbers, Luis spends six months prepping for summit day. Will the climb move him closer to being the person he wants to be? Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use …

Loss. Grief. Healing. It’s part of being human. The emotions that almost tear us apart have the power to bring us together. Today, we bring you two powerful stories from Alison Kaplan and Monica Nigon. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your first order Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- than…

It started so harmlessly. Four years ago, professional skier Brody Leven embarked on a simple challenge – exercise outdoors everyday. In a complicated moment in time and life, it was a way to exert some control over his day to day. It was never supposed to last forever. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your first…

Matt Martin and his fiancé, Hannah, were just starting out on their shared life, when a breast cancer diagnosis rewrote the script they’d imagined for life. Matt stepped into a new role – caregiver. Life became a blur of treatment, worry and existing with unknown outcomes. After a year of caring for Hannah, Matt received the chance to attend one of…

Raised in the hollers of West Virginia, coal ran deep in Corey Lilly’s family, but it was the local ski hill with 600 feet of vertical that sparked his imagination and started an improbable run into professional skiing. After a head injury permanently impacted his vision and ended his career, Corey returned home to a struggling economy and the dept…

Welcome to Good Good Bad, our series kickstarted by our Diaries+ Members. Every adventure has its good parts, even better bits and its difficult moments. These memories create rich experiences, friendships and learning. Today, we tackle the Cape Loop, a rugged, but rewarding bikepacking loop around the southern tip of Baja. Support comes from Kuat …

To celebrate a new year and new ideas, we bring you a conversation with Alastair Humphreys, adventurer, writer, and connoisseur of the microadventure. His new book, Local, flips the idea of what it means to explore on its head. Sometimes, you can go bigger by going smaller. Submissions for The Shorts are open through January 19, 2025. Learn more or…

As the year comes to a close, two beautiful stories about stepping back, reflecting and moving forward from Phil Herbert and N.S. David. “I had one roll of film for the whole trip, which gave me eight frames. Nine if I was lucky,” begins Phil. “I’ve done my fair share of wishing I was warm in my bed while strapped to the side of a granite monolith …