outdoors news stories on Newser

Columbia Sportswear's 'Tough Mother' Foils Burglar

Nick McMaster — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:04:06 CST

Gert Boyle, chairperson of Columbia Sportswear and the "one tough mother" of its ad campaigns, lived up to her motto when she calmly outwitted an armed burglar, the Oregonian reports. The 86-year-old was immediately suspicious of the man who showed up at her door bearing a gift basket. She declined...

Technology Makes Us Really Bad Campers

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:15:00 CDT

Technology appears to be making some people a lot stupider when it comes to the great outdoors. Thanks to GPS, cell phones, and emergency devices, more people are heading into the wild ill-equipped…then, at best, wasting rangers’ time with their problems—or, at worst, getting injured or killed. The New...

Outdoor Workouts Improve Mental Health

M. Morris — Sun, 02 May 2010 16:46:12 CDT

Moving your workout outdoors improves overall mental health, and the benefits kick in within the first 5 minutes, researchers say. To get the greatest mood boost from exercise in fresh air, work out near a body of water, British scientists advise. In an analysis of 10 studies involving 1,250...

Top Towns to Raise Outdoorsy Kids

Harry Kimball — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:45:02 CDT

Backpacker combed through info on outdoor programs and proximity to national forests and parks to find the best cities in the US to raise active, crunchy kids. The results: Boulder, Colo.: "Yes, we live here, but Boulder wins on its merits." Close to woods, glaciers, and mountains, the population of...

Monster Fish Becomes Hunters' Fave

Kevin Spak — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:20:00 CDT

Fish don’t get much uglier than the alligator gar, but lately the dinosaur-like monstrosity has attracted a following… of crossbow-wielding sportsmen trying to kill it, the Wall Street Journal reports. Part fishing, part monster hunting, bagging an alligator gar is a thrilling exercise, and at up to 8 feet long,...

Naked Hikers Enjoy Solstice Au Naturel

Harry Kimball — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:49:19 CDT

The summer solstice is upon us, but for certain enthusiasts, today bears a different name: Naked Hiking Day. “No way to explain it until you experience it,” one fan told the AP. “Traditional” hikers might feel the same upon encountering backpackers in the buff. “It’s just rude,” one Appalachian Trail...

Campgrounds Add Perks, Redefine 'Roughing It'

Harry Kimball — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:11:35 CDT

The purer pleasures of the outdoors don’t seem to be enough for some campers anymore, the New York Times reports. Increasingly, campgrounds are offering amenities like pizza delivery, air-conditioning, kiddie rides, and valet service to the delight of families and owners’ balance sheets. “The objective is to maximize dollars,” one...

Blonds Have More Skin Cancer

Jess Kilby — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:56:51 CDT

Blonds and redheads are three times more likely to develop skin cancer, as are those who worked jobs outside through their teenage years, the Age reports. A new study has identified six factors that increase the likelihood of developing a melanoma, which also includes a significantly freckled upper back. For...

Candidates Go Hunting (Not Each Other) in Field & Stream

Nick McMaster — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:05:01 CDT

Barack Obama and John McCain will talk fishing and hunting in the October issue of Field & Stream magazine. (Coincidentally or not, the cover feature implores readers to “Find Your Bull,” the Swamp notes.) In the interview, both candidates profess to be big fans of the outdoors, with McCain...