Backpacker - September - October 2021

In this issue

FLOWING INTO SILENCE
During a career photographing the world’s most remote places, the author had experienced nature’s deepest silences. But it was on this trip to a normally dry stretch of the Colorado River where he heard something profound.
BY PETE MCBRIDE

IF THESE HILLS COULD TALK
The concept of environmental personhood—giving human rights to areas of land—has been part of indigenous governance for centuries. Now, it’s beginning to emerge as a legal tactic in environmental cases. Does this approach have any chance of success?
BY ELIZABETH MILLER

When the Humans are Away

Montana’s remote Crazy Mountains are a playground for more than just hikers.

4 mins

Chasing the Light

A photographer bushwhacks towards dawn in the Dolly Sods. Martin Radigan, as told to Kristin Smith

1 min

An Unexpected Autumn Rainbow

These 10 hikes bring kaleidoscopic hues to overlooked places.

4 mins

A Land Away From Time

Channel Islands National Park is a window into California’s wild past.

1 min

Kill a Plant.

Humans have unmatched power to alter natural landscapes. Let’s use it for good.

4 mins

Seeking Refuge

A father confronts his grief in the Adirondacks.

6 mins

Improve Your Aerobic Fitness

Want to be more efficient on the trail? Start by developing your aerobic base (how well your body uses oxygen to burn fat), which allows you to do sustained cardio without gasping for breath. Hiking sometimes requires anaerobic fitness—short bursts of effort where your body produces energy without oxygen—but by and large, it’s an aerobic endeavor. During aerobic training, your heart rate should be elevated above resting, but not so high that you have to catch your breath.

3 mins

Roasted Red Pepper and Lentil Stew

Charred pepper lends a punch of smoky flavor in this hearty, veggie-stuffed meal.

1 min

Broken and Alone

When his brother turned back a few miles into their overnight hike, Jacob Velarde decided to continue solo. Then, he fell.

5 mins

Flowing Into Silence

The natural world has a lot to say, if we're willing to listen.

7 mins

IF THESE HILLS COULD TALK

Environmental activists are pursuing legal steps that would allow natural entities to sue in their own defense through a human spokesperson. But maybe it’s the conversation, and not the law, that matters most.

9 mins

Emerging from Darkness

For one hiker, nature is the best place to confront her past and consider her future.

6 mins

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Backpacker Magazine Description:

The Outdoors at Your Doorstep
Backpacker connects with 1.1 million readers for whom outdoor adventure is the centerpiece to a vibrant, experiential lifestyle. Within the pages of Backpacker, readers find the very best in close-to-home trip ideas and done-in-a-day adventures that they can easily schedule into their busy lives. But beyond hiking and backpacking, Backpacker features the latest in a wide variety of outdoor sports, including cycling, fly-fishing, mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing and more.he Outdoors at Your Doorstep
Backpacker connects with 1.1 million readers for whom outdoor adventure is the centerpiece to a vibrant, experiential lifestyle. Within the pages of Backpacker, readers find the very best in close-to-home trip ideas and done-in-a-day adventures that they can easily schedule into their busy lives. But beyond hiking and backpacking, Backpacker features the latest in a wide variety of outdoor sports, including cycling, fly-fishing, mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing and more.he Outdoors at Your Doorstep
Backpacker connects with 1.1 million readers for whom outdoor adventure is the centerpiece to a vibrant, experiential lifestyle. Within the pages of Backpacker, readers find the very best in close-to-home trip ideas and done-in-a-day adventures that they can easily schedule into their busy lives. But beyond hiking and backpacking, Backpacker features the latest in a wide variety of outdoor sports, including cycling, fly-fishing, mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing and more.