Outdoors & Adventure | HISTORY
The great outdoors has shaped history and history has shaped the outdoors. Explore stories and video about humans in nature—from survival to exploration to adventure.
History Outdoors
What Is the Oldest Evidence of Ice Fishing?
Humans in the subarctic have ice fished on lakes for survival for thousands of years.
When the US Army Tried Bombing Open a Frozen River
In 1920, bombers dropped 5,000 pounds of TNT on the Susquehanna River to prevent catastrophic flooding.
The Man Who Jumped From the Edge of Space
In 1960, Joe Kittinger ascended more than 19 miles above Earth—then leapt.
These American World War II Troops Trained to Fight on Skis
Recruits trained in Colorado and Washington and then captured peaks in northern Italy in support of Allied victory.
“A light exists in Spring/ Not present in the year/ at any other period/ When March is scarcely here.”
– Emily Dickinson
Earth's Extremes
Colorado claims 18 of the 20 highest towns in the United States, but not the highest state capital.
The longest cave system winds for more than 400 miles, but others on the list haven't even been fully explored yet.
The exact location of the ancient, gnarled bristlecone pine is kept secret for its protection.
In 1934, wind gusts of 231 miles per hour roared over the top of Mount Washington, rattling the weathermen who managed to record it.
Mountain Men
Tom Oar's Secrets From the Wild
Tom Oar shares his hard-earned survival secrets forged through a lifetime of experience living in the wild.
Digital Exclusive
From forge to finish: everything you need to craft blades like a pro.
Featured Video
How Yosemite’s Half Dome Became the Most Iconic Rock in America
Discover how Yosemite’s Half Dome rose from a massive granite formation to one of the most recognizable natural landmarks in the United States.
At the Bottom of the Earth
The Stunning Survival Story of Ernest Shackleton and His Endurance Crew
The discovery of Ernest Shackleton's ship at the bottom of Antarctica's Weddell Sea recalls a grueling expedition when men endured entrapment, hunger, frigid weather, angry seas—and near madness.
What Did Antarctica Look Like Before It Was Frozen?
Though now almost fully covered by ice, Antarctica once hosted lush forests and a plethora of wildlife—including dinosaurs.
The Expedition That Proved Antarctica Was a Continent
Charles Wilkes' discoveries redrew the map of the world.
Hitler’s Secret Expedition to Antarctica
In preparation for war, Hitler wanted to find substitutes for fat-based products—including margarine—in case imported sources were cut off.
Man vs. Wild
Playlist
America's National Parks
America's national parks were established to protect the country’s most beautiful natural landscapes for all to enjoy.
How a Camping Trip Created our National Parks
When John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt spent three nights in Yosemite, it would soon pave the way for a National Park Service.
Landmarks of America
What Is the Most Iconic American Landmark?
Play our new bracket game and put the contenders—from the Grand Canyon to the Gateway Arch—head-to-head.
Yellowstone's stunning natural beauty inspired the 19th-century push to set aside the land, where Indigenous people had been present for millennia.
A little-known chamber concealed behind the head of Abraham Lincoln was intended to contain a shrine to America.
You know these sites, but have you noticed these details?
Digital Exclusive
Experts offer tips and tricks in "How to Survive Alone."
Explore related articles
These apex predators ate whales, dolphins and maybe other megalodons.
10 surprising facts about the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A plane crash...self-amputation...438 days at sea.
Humans in the subarctic have ice fished on lakes for survival for thousands of years.
After Hitler’s forces invaded Denmark in 1940, a Canadian ship sailed through the Northwest Passage to assert sovereignty in the Arctic.
These gripping tales recount survival in Earth’s coldest realms.
Though people have been skiing for thousands of years, mechanical lifts only recently began carrying them upslope.
James Beckwourth was born into slavery, but forged a life as a 19th-century pioneer in the American West.
The use of military ski troops fueled the popularity of biathlon and mountaineering as competitive sports.
Explore some of the key developments in our love-hate history with the wonderful (awful) white stuff, snow.
In the early 20th century, park policies were unclear—or even encouraging—when it came to feeding wild bears.
