Huts, Igloos, Campervans, and More

I've been writing a weekly travel story for Outside's website—essentially lists of some of the coolest places to travel to now—and I wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces here. Hopefully this will inspire all of us to get outside this summer and discover a new place to explore, whether it's in your own backyard or a foreign locale a 10-hour flight or a three-day road trip from home. 

The Best Hike-To Lodges: From backcountry shacks to full-scale catered hotels miles from nowhere, here's a collection of rustic and plush lodges you have to earn your way into by foot. 

Where to Sleep in an Igloo: Want to experience snow camping but don't actually want to camp ... in the snow? Good thing there are places in Finland, Canada, and elsewhere where you spend a night in a glorified igloo hotel. 

5 Rad Surf Lodges Around the World: Whether you want to learn to surf or you're a lifelong surfer, here's a collection of some of the coolest spots to post up near a quality break, from Bali to Mexico to British Columbia. 

Craft Breweries Worth Visiting: Whether you're in Colorado, Vermont, or Oregon, there are small-batch breweries that offer quality beer for after any adventure. Here are some high altitude breweries from Big Sky to Park City. 

Where to Rent a Campervan for your Next Road Trip: So you want to experience van life but you don't want to invest in a costly VW that may or may not break down hundreds of miles from the nearest mechanic? Problem solved. Check out these campervan rental outfitters all over the U.S. that'll rent you everything from a deluxe Sprinter van to a vintage Vanagon. 

That Time I Wore a Pink One Piece

Sometimes, we do embarrassing things all for the sake of a story. I recently wrote a piece for Powder.com about the new share economy of outdoor gear—essentially the Airbnb for skis and ski clothes. To see if these new sites actually deliver what they're promising, I decided to test them out for myself.

So I rented a vintage, pink one-piece ski suit from a site that delivers ski clothes to your door and I borrowed a pair of skis from a girl in her garage. There were a few glitches along the way, but overall, I was impressed. If I didn't own ski gear or I didn't want to travel with my gear for some reason, these sites definitely offer a viable alternative. 

You can read the whole story here on Powder.com. 

Then It Went Dark

JT Holmes. Photo by Jason Abraham

It's been almost four years to the day since the Tunnel Creek avalanche that killed three incredible men and could have killed me, and not a day goes by that I don't think about it still. The horrifying moments from that day haunt me when I try to fall asleep, when I'm out in snow-covered mountains, when a storm blows in and the wind whips through the trees. 

I recently interviewed pro skier JT Holmes, who was caught and buried in a slide in the Tahoe area in January, for a story for Powder magazine's website. JT's story could have ended up very differently, but thankfully, he got lucky. His partners dug him out in around six minutes and although he'd blacked due to lack of oxygen, he was still alive and eventually was able to ski out of the incident, more or less unharmed. 

"I could see bits of light outlining the snow chunks while I tried to smash my head back and forth to create an air pocket. But that quickly became futile," JT told me. "Then it went dark. The last thing I heard was snow moving above me, like the sound of wind blowing snow around. Then nothing. Silence. Zero visibility. I was alone with my thoughts."

You'll have to read JT's interview to understand even just a fraction of what he went through and what he'll continue to go through as he moves on from this avalanche. 

It's all a reminder to be safe out there in the backcountry. Get educated and properly equipped. Read the forecast. Make smart decisions. Don't be afraid to say no and turn around.