Every year, we publish hundreds, if not thousands, of stories. And every year, a few stay with us long after we’ve shipped the magazine or hit publish online. They’re often the ones that you, our readers, read, share, and spend the most time on, and they’re the ones that we especially love writing and editing.
This year’s best and most-read stories range from high mountains to grief, joy, and movement. They include deeply reported investigations, unforgettable personal narratives, and the gear and science that shape how—and why—we go outside in the first place.
In no particular order, here are the Outside stories that defined our year.
In Search of Michelle Vanek
She was the only hiker ever to die while seeking the summit of central Colorado’s most famous 14er. A member of the successful search team investigates who she was, how her death—and her recovery 19 years later—impacted her family, and what we all need to consider before heading into the alpine.
Written by: Ted Katauskas
Excerpt: “A spine. I think I found a spine.”
On the radio I ask Anya Minetz, who’s exploring nearby caves with Dave Weisman, to vector over to Zach and inspect the find, and verify that it’s not from a bighorn sheep like so many other bones we’ve found scattered around the basin.
A note from the editor: It’s not often that you get to collaborate with a writer on an investigative piece like this who actually worked on the scene to help recover the missing person’s remains. Ted is an incredible writer who, as a cadaver dog handler, is also very knowledgeable about the search process. I learned a lot about what it takes to find people by talking with him and reading his drafts; it brought me an entirely new level of respect for the folks on these search teams that Outside frequently covers. Ted’s attention to detail is outstanding, and throughout it all, his compassion shone. Through rounds of edits, I felt like I got to know Michelle: she was a mother, a wife, and an athlete. She is, and will forever be, missed by many people. As Ted and I went through the editing process, doing her justice was our north star. I’d like to think we did.
—Abigail Wise, brand director, Outside
Michelino Sunseri Found Guilty of Cutting a Switchback in Grand Teton National Park
Last year, Sunseri broke the speed record for ascending and descending the 13,775-foot peak. The record was shortly revoked
Written by: Owen Clarke
Excerpt: Sunseri broke the speed record in 2024 for ascending and descending the 13,775-foot Grand Teton trail in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, completing the ascent and descent in two hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds. He edged out the previous time set by Andy Anderson in 2012 by just two minutes.
But official chronicler Fastest Known Time rejected Sunseri’s record after his GPS track showed he cut a switchback while descending.
A note from the editor: The saga of Michelino Sunseri vs. the National Park Service was a story that spanned two years and tapped into mainstream topics that are always of interest: personal challenge, ego, politics, and crime and justice. I think a lot of readers were surprised when a judge found Sunseri guilty of violating the law, because by then, the forces of politics and culture were beginning to steer sentiment behind Sunseri.
—Fred Dreier, articles editor, Outside
Lindsey Vonn Has Nothing Left to Prove
Freed from years of pain by a knee replacement—she’s back racing at 41, chasing Olympic glory in Cortina. Here’s how one of the world’s most dominant skiers is reclaiming what her legacy means beyond the podium.
Written by: Sierra Shafer
Excerpt: Vonn’s coach, Svindal, says people often underestimate her record. Because she won so often, it’s easy to assume it came easily. “It’s never easy. She fought for all those victories,” he says. “Success in Cortina would be one of the best stories ever in winter sports.”
A note from the writer: Writing this story felt less like chasing a comeback narrative and more like listening to someone who’s already made peace with her legacy. It was also genuinely challenging, because Lindsey is one of the most well-known athletes in the world, has told her story many times, and was in the middle of a huge press cycle when this ran. I wanted this piece to feel specific to Outside readers—people who push themselves in the outdoors not for medals, but because it brings them joy. Lindsey spoke openly about pain, identity, aging, and what it’s taken to keep showing up, and what stayed with me most was her clarity about who she is as a person, medals aside. I was especially moved by the way her story pushes back on the idea that women are on the decline as they age, and by her reminder that whether it’s ski racing at the highest level or taking a walk in a park close to home, there’s no wrong way to get outside.
—Sierra Shafer, editorial director, Lifestyle
The 11 Best Coolers of 2025
Chill out by packing these coolers full for your hottest car camping trips this year
Written by: Joe Jackson
Excerpt: For as much as we didn’t want to deliver yet another win to Yeti, it felt like betting with the house. We could not ignore how well the Roadie 32 Wheeled Cooler performed in every aspect of our test, and it became my family’s favorite cooler for five months of adventures. This model is a smaller, upgraded version of the Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler, which we also tested and loved. While testers initially questioned why a 32-liter cooler needs wheels, they quickly realized the benefits. Five-inch-diameter, off-road-capable wheels made navigating rough terrain manageable. We also appreciated the 26.5-inch-long telescoping handle—five inches above the height of the cooler—which made it easy to maneuver even when the cooler was fully loaded.
A note from our Gear director: One of our most popular Gear articles of the year, our hands-on cooler testing proved one thing to be true about the Outside audience: We all really, really needed a cold one in 2025. While you’ll see the usual big names and heavy hitters in the cooler space in our guide, our tester was also supremely impressed by one $60 option in particular, proving to us that good gear doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
—Kristen Geil, Gear and Affiliate director, Outside
How Alexi Pappas Found Freedom in Embracing Every Side of Herself
Olympian Alexi Pappas refuses to be boxed in by labels or expectations. Her secret? Trusting the universe, wearing glitter, and never asking permission to be exactly who she is.
Written by: Christine Yu
Excerpt: “I feel like myself when I’m running. There’s no way I’m not in a better mood after I get back from my trail run than I was before running. I have the best conversations, the best views, the best shower after because I’m so covered in dust and I’m moving with my body.
It just takes a long time for me to get to that fitness place where I can feel most myself. It’s why I’m getting in shape for the first time since the Olympics, because I know there’s an expression of me inside that can be best expressed when I’m able to do more with my body.”
The 13 Most Magical Long Walks In the World
We’re not talking about big thru-hikes, but extended pathways through glorious landscapes in some of the most stunning places in the world
Written by: Megan Michelson
Excerpt: These long walks, on byways and moderate terrain, are more like scenic tours of spectacular landscapes, or adventurous journeys through cities and forests. They are not so much to be completed as experienced.
And I think they’re the most beautiful in the world.
A note from Outside’s Travel editor: There’s nothing better than disconnecting from the world—and hopefully, your phone—on a long walk outside. Even better, if the walk takes you a few days or more. But not all multi-day hikes need to be big physical feats tackling mountainous terrain. Some of the best journeys are long, purposeful walks that aren’t necessarily strenuous, but still offer spectacular views. From island-hopping on the Stockholm Archipelago Trail to the new Camino de Costa Rica, these long walks around the world are some of our favorites.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Travel and Culture senior editor, Outside
The Man Who Held His Breath for 24 Minutes
After his daughter’s diagnosis, Budimir Šobat gave up drinking and devoted himself to her care. Years later, he found a new obsession: holding his breath longer than anyone in history.
Written by: Sean Williams
Excerpt: This isn’t good, he thought. For 30 minutes before the attempt, Šobat had filled his lungs with bottled pure oxygen. That meant he could go 20 or more minutes on a single breath, a near-magical feat. But it also raised the danger of blacking out, which could set off a deadly chemical chain reaction, toxifying the oxygen and destroying blood vessels, his lungs, or even his brain.
Šobat slammed his mouth shut. He assumed the worst. He saw his life flash by in a heartbeat.
The Total Joy and Mayhem of Being Albert Lin
A relentless explorer and celebrated TV host, Lin has built his on-camera identity on movement, resilience, and inspiration. But on a volcano in Ecuador—surrounded by fellow amputees—he finally lets himself be seen.
Written by: Peter Frick-Wright
Excerpt: “I remembered that feeling when I was lying in that hospital bed, like, wondering what I was going to be able to do,” he said. “You get your limb ripped off of you. That’s a big change. I think for a lot of us, we tell ourselves that anything’s possible. But then there’s those moments of doubt. You suppress and sort of push them away and don’t really deal with them.
“When I lost my leg, I just went through it. And now, being around a bunch of other people who can relate, trying to do something audacious is just churning up all this stuff. I can’t put it into words, but it’s all coming out in tears.”
A note from the editor: Peter Frick-Wright’s feature, “The Total Joy and Mayhem of Being Albert Lin,” reveals the side of Albert that cameras usually miss: the vulnerability behind the bionic explorer. Seeing him drop the “motivational icon” armor to find true community with fellow amputees on an Ecuadorian volcano is an exploration of human potential that is less about climbing peaks and more about getting in touch with your true self. Albert reminds us that the summit isn’t the point—the joy is.
—Kevin Sintumuang, editorial director, Outside
Want to Live Longer? You Better Start Moving—All Day Long.
Scientists crunched the numbers to come up with the single best predictor of how long you’ll live—and arrived at a surprisingly low-tech answer
Written by: Alex Hutchinson
Excerpt: The goal of self-measurement is to scrutinize which factors truly predict longevity, so that you can try to change them before it’s too late. A new study from biostatisticians at the University of Colorado, Johns Hopkins University, and several other institutions crunched data from the long-running National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), comparing the predictive power of 15 potential longevity markers. The winner—a better predictor than having diabetes or heart disease, receiving a cancer diagnosis, or even how old you are—was the amount of physical activity you perform in a typical day, as measured by a wrist tracker. Forget pee speed. The message to remember is: move or die.
A note from Outside’s Health editor: Longevity is more than just a buzzword. During and after COVID, we became more serious about our health, and the desire to live as long and as healthily as possible hasn’t slowed. With the advent of new gadgets, wearables, and trackers, living a long life doesn’t seem so far-fetched. But because we’re consistently inundated with longevity hacks and social media challenges touted as the key to a long life, it can be challenging and almost discouraging to figure out what actually works for us on a personal level. This article keeps longevity simple. Instead of tracking our pee and hundreds of biomarkers (though doing so can be helpful), it says: keep moving every day, and whatever movement looks like for you, do that.
—Ayana Underwood, Health senior editor, Outside
The Founder of the Viral Tarzan Movement Instagram Account Wants You to Embrace Play
He climbs trees, runs barefoot, and covers himself in mud for his 1 million followers. Here’s what we can learn about movement and play from Victor Manuel Fleites Escobar.
Written by: Ryleigh Nucilli
Excerpt: Earlier you mentioned that you feel like we are bringing people outside… As a matter of fact, I’m doing the opposite. I’m trying to bring people inside where there’s a whole universe. For me, the fundamentals start with your own understanding with your own body. How do I deal with thing? How do I feel with myself? [When I asked myself those questions], I was able to validate the things that open my heart, the things that felt more natural to my animal background. That was my journey into the trees, into silence, into doing nothing.
The Surprising Cause of Hawaii’s Snorkeling Deaths
Snorkeling deaths caused by rapid onset pulmonary edema may be as common, or more so, than the accidental inhalation of water.
Written by: Jen Murphy
Excerpt: It’s easy to blame inexperience on the unusually high number of deaths, but many fatalities have involved experienced swimmers and snorkelers, like Ray Johnson. In February 2022, Johnson, then 64, took his fifth vacation to Hawaii with his wife Patti and four friends. The Michigan couple had snorkeled the waters of Hawaii many times before, Patti told me. “Ray was an incredible snorkeler; it’s what he loved to do,” she said. “We planned vacations around snorkeling. He’d snorkel the lakes in Michigan and always kept his fins and snorkel in the car.”
So how do things go wrong?
The post Our Top Stories of 2025 appeared first on Outside Online.
