HEAVYWEIGHTS  
Nine Outside icons, in their own words.

THE SKI GENE
Some have ice in their veins, but Nick Paumgarten has snow in his blood. Gear up for a wild father-and-sons adventure in steepest, deepest British Columbia.

AN INCONVENIENT EXPERT
What's behind the influx of atmospheric carbon and potentially catastrophic climate change? According to MIT physicist Richard Lindzen, it ain't me, babe.
By Juliet Eilperin

THE KINGDOM OF THE LOTUS  
On a quest to see the fabled utopia of Shambhala, Patrick Symmes traces an ancient path once described by a long-dead Tibetan prince, heading north from Nepal to Tibet to western China and far, far beyond.

ANYONE FOR A DIP?  
It's into the mighty Mississippi with you as Hampton Sides heads down south to tangle with Old Man River. You say only a fool would try to swim across that monster? No comment.

OUTFOXING THE FOX
Hey, George, if you wanna find supervillain Osama bin Laden, there's only one thing to do: sic a seasoned hunter and consummate outdoorsman on him.
By Ian Frazier

DOWN, BOY  
Mmm, them dogs is good eatin'. Or so say many Vietnamese, and Steven Rinella is bound to find out if they're talking crazy or actually on to something.

BETWEEN THE LINES

EXPOSURE: Outside's Icons, Class of 2017.
FIRST LOOK: Chris Davenport & Co. ski a little hill called Denali.
THE BIG IDEA: Everest, schmeverest. By Jack Handey
ADVENTURE: The envelope has been pushed before; the athletes and explorers of tomorrow will rip that thing wide open.
MEDIA: After 30 years of reading, we present the cream of the literary crop.

DESTINATIONS:
The best of travel—today, tomorrow, and before it's too late—in a giant foldout atlas.

OUT OF BOUNDS: Eric Hansen grows a 'stache and travels back in time as a rowin', ridin', dancin' '70s Guy.  

REVIEW: They say the market is always right, and here's proof. We present the best in adventure tech, apparel, and travel gear.

BODYWORK: In three decades, we've learned a few things about fitness. Here's the best advice you'll ever get.

OUT THERE: Braving the ice-cold waters of McCovey Cove, Randy Wayne White rubs kayaks with the crazies gunning for Barry Bonds's record-breaking homer.

PARTING SHOT: Our reader-decreed worst cover.