We didn’t make it to our campsite in the 18-Road Trail system until after dark. Howls of joy echoed through the campgrounds as we hammered in the tent stakes. The Book Cliffs campground is nestled among the stacked looping trail system, making it an irresistible base for nocturnal riders seeking late night jollies. It’s a good thing manufacturers have figured out how to design tents for nearly foolproof erection because we’re almost always setting up by moonlight and headlamp. When you arrive in Fruita, you are welcomed by a larger-than-life mural of a mountain biker painted on a silo you…
Author: Melissa McGibbon
Melissa McGibbon
Melissa McGibbon is the Senior Editor of Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine. She is an award-winning journalist and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Her work also appears in Outside Magazine, Lonely Planet, SKI Magazine, Backpacker Magazine, Elevation Outdoors, Scuba Diving Magazine, and Matador Network. She is usually in pursuit of adventure, travel, or some daring combination of the two. IG @missmliss // melissamcgibbon.com
Ice Climbing and Skiing Montana’s Mighty Lines I have always wanted to experience the many splendored slopes at Big Sky Resort and I had a hankering to swing my new Black Diamond Viper Ice Tools into some frozen waterfalls in Hyalite Canyon. This urge conveniently coincided with the 18th Annual Bozeman Ice Festival. There are plenty of reasons to visit Bozeman, Montana, and the beckoning ice climbing and skiing are just two of them. [dropcap style=”square”]S[/dropcap]ince 1996, the Bozeman Ice Festival has attracted thousands of ice climbing enthusiasts from across the globe ranging from first-time participants to some of the…
Utah Ski & Snowboard Resorts Roundup [dropcap style=”square”]T[/dropcap]hough there has been much vicissitude in Utah’s ski industry over the past year or two, what hasn’t changed is that Utah remains a spectacular place to ski. With the addition of Utah’s newest resort, Cherry Peak in Cache Valley, we now have 15 easily accessible resorts with slopes to slide down. Nevermind the lawsuits and exchange of property deeds—focus on waxing your shredding devices and building up your quad muscles because very soon we will be blessed with that white fluffy stuff that falls from the sky. Here’s Where the Winter Things…
What motivates big risk? My nerves are surging as we approach the middle of the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. My heart is beating fast. I take a few deep breaths and run through my mental checklist. I’m suited-up and wearing possibly irrelevant protective gear. It’s hot and windy (too windy), and I have to pee—again. It’s only been 20 minutes since the last time I went, but when I get nervous I have to go frequently. There’s no chance of going now, unless I pee myself during the jump, which is not outside the realm of possibility. Despite…
[dropcap style=”square”]I[/dropcap] truly dig all kinds of biking, but downhill riding has earned my heart. It’s not just that downhill mountain biking is cooler than cross-country riding—it’s also more menacing, has a lower grunt-to-grin factor, there’s no silly climbing, and it brings me whole minutes of palpable joy. The full-face helmet and body armor only add to the badassery. I feel like one of those medieval infantry soldiers who went into battle with jousting poles on horses. Except in my case, instead of plate armor, I’m wearing the latest in über-technical lightweight, yet durable protective gear. And my steed is…
Adventures in the Grand Canyon I fancy myself a world traveler, but as they say, you never visit the giant, gaping hole in your own backyard. I have been to more than 40 countries and countless destinations in the States. I have seen the sun rise or set at the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Great Wall, Machu Picchu, Haleakala, Table Mountain, and Sydney Opera House, to name a few. I’ve had dinner at Fidel Castro’s place in Havana (really) and gone diving with sharks in Fiji. They were harmless whitetip reef sharks, but still. Given its proximity to my homebase…
The Best Adventure Races in Utah If running a standard 26.2 marathon isn’t your jam, no worries, there are plenty of other races that will spike your adrenaline and challenge your will to survive. If you’re game, sign up for a finish line attempt at one of these adventure races and see what it’s like to experience the edge of your human potential.
It’s a starry Tuesday night. It’s wintry, it’s dark, and there’s an overwhelming sea of spandex and skinny skis forming at the base of Brighton Ski Resort’s Great Western Trail. As the countdown ends an amoeba of determined athletes—who are exceptionally fast and fit—morphs into a procession of headlamps storming full speed ahead up the mountainside. It’s fluid and graceful. Frontrunners emerge and are rapidly separated from the pack. It’s a struggle to decipher who’s who, let alone track intervals. Racers flash by, reach the transition point, peel off their skins without the pesky task of actually removing their ultralight…
Wonderful Wintry Ways to Spend Your Holiday Break Let’s face it, around the time Santa is loading up his sleigh, not much gets done at the office. That’s why it’s the most wonderful time of the year to take advantage of the icy weather. Here are a few rousing ways to spend the holidays. Fair warning: None of them involve standard American entertainment, like how best to portion a bird carcass or how to get the best deals on electronics at 2:00 a.m. If an alpine start is involved, there had better be a snowy magic carpet ride to go…
Exploring the Lifestyle Side of Outdoor Fashion All of us take breaks from mastering the mountains to go about the rest of our daily lives. When traveling from trail to town before you settle for the standard plaid, puffy, beanie combo, check out these classy threads that will spice up your fall wardrobe so you can go from bro to pro in style.