‘The tallest Polar Cub’: My life as a 28-year-old Junior Nordic skier
I didn't set out to become a Junior Nordic skier at age 28. But sometimes, that's how the Cookie Tour crumbles.
Porcupine cuddles and flooded tents: Readers share their outdoor rude awakenings
Cautionary Tales: There's no feeling like that moment you wake up in the morning on a camping trip and realize something has gone terribly wrong.
Intro to fat biking: Tires churning, legs burning, miles away from my comfort zone
Cautionary Tales: When you have a poor track record with bicycles, riding a fat-tire bike loaded with overnight gear is a lesson in character building.
The joy of spending Christmas in North Pole with family, even if it’s not your own
Cautionary Tales: Sometimes, it takes a bag of leftover holiday ham to remind you that you can find a taste of home anywhere if you look hard enough.
My knee itched, and then there was all this blood
Cautionary Tales: On the virtues of checking out minor annoyances — an itch here, an uncomfortable hot spot there — sooner rather than later.
An Alaska life: He paddled the Yukon to get here in 1973 and hasn’t looked back
Cautionary Tales: In fourth grade, Chicago kid Jim Dore resolved to get to Alaska, one way or another. Thirteen years later, Dore crafted his plan -- which involved an $89 inflatable raft bought from Sears.
When you miss Alaska so much, gravel mounds look like mountains
Consider this an installment of "Cautionary Tales: City Edition."
Sleeping with bears? More tales and tips from outdoorsy readers
Cautionary Tales: Here are some of the most memorable misadventures and lessons learned readers have shared.
For this amateur climber, being belayed is the ultimate trust exercise
Cautionary Tales: If you're not used being belayed by a climbing partner, every moment you're roped up can feel like a life-or-death situation. Relax.
Studs, spikes, snowshoes, skis: Which tools to use for tackling winter’s slippery slopes
Cautionary Tales: Here's a breakdown of different winter trail conditions, and what I'll use to make backcountry travel less of a headache.
Uncomfortably numb: If you like your fingers and toes, keep them warm on wintry adventures
Cautionary Tales: After a particularly frigid day skiing at Turnagain Pass, my hands and feet will never feel the same in the cold again.
He survived a stormy solo water crossing in 1961 — but missed his own memorial service
Cautionary Tales: This is a story about hubris blinding you to your limitations.