Sam Anderson

Sam Anderson

Sam Anderson takes any writing assignments he can talk his way into while intermittently traveling the American West and Mexico in search of margaritas — er, adventure. He parlayed a decade of roving trade work into a life of fair-weather rock climbing and truck dwelling before (to his parents' evident relief) finding a way to put his BA in English to use. Sam loves animals, sleeping outdoors, campfire refreshments and a good story.
artist's rendering of the bizarre tully monster

Dinosaur Worm: Weird ‘Tully Monster’ Had No Bones

For some, there’s little doubt the so-called “Tully monster”...
nanuq the australian shepherd

Lost Dog Ventures Across Bering Strait to Safety — 240Km Away

A month on the sea ice in the Bering...
dane jackson santo domingo gorge

Dane Jackson Paddles Absolutely Crazy Stretch of Waterfalls

For kayakers, the Santo Domingo Gorge in Mexico is...
a rendering of the ultra-luminous x-ray source M82 X-2

Tiny, Ultra-Bright Star Breaks the Laws of Physics

There's a neutron star out there that — if...
Three stills of a dwarf reed snake cartwheeling

Small Snakes Can Cartwheel Away From Predators

You’d have to be a much better acrobat than...
sarah mcnair-landry on arctic ice with her sled dogs

Sled Dogs and Sunsets: a Year in the Life of Sarah McNair-Landry

Sarah McNair-Landry is a household name in arctic adventure....
steve mcclure leading le voyage on the striped sandstone of annot

Steve McClure Clings, Fights, Scraps for Wild Send on ‘Le Voyage’ (E10 7a)

Steve McClure hunts joy on terrifying climbs. From GreatNess to...
lucien martinez on playboy rode sans complexe 9a+

Prized Seb Bouin Line Sees First Repeat by This Quirky Climber

What’s the word for Lucien Martinez’s mental approach to...
a fallen block of ice with a carabiner visible below one corner

Woman Crushed While Saving Belayer From Falling Block of Ice

The Utah climbing community at large today mourns a...
Rescue workers use heavy equipment to dig out avalanche victims in Sikkim

Himalayan Avalanche Kills Seven Tourists, ‘Affects’ up to 80

Indian rescue personnel in the state of Sikkim scrambled...
snailfish eating bait in the deep ocean

Camera Catches Deepest Fish Ever Off Coast of Japan

A scientific expedition near Japan caught footage that marks...
two mountaineers take a selfie on a snowy summit

Iconic Polish Climb Finally Goes Free in Winter ‘Classic’ Style

When the Heinrich-Chrobak went up in 1964, it stood...
Photos of some of the burial items, including twisted and bent nails, bone fragments, and a coin

Twisted Nails in Roman Tomb Show Fear of ‘Restless Dead’

Ancient Romans widely held superstitions involving nails. And researchers...
artist's rendering of the elongated asteroid 'oumuamua

The Possible ‘Alien Spaceship’ That Puzzled Astronomers is a Hydrogen-Farting Rock

A splinter-like object darting around deep space captured astronomers’...
benjamin vedrines in the french alps

French Phenom Enchains Three Peaks In Ecrins Massif

When Benjamin Vedrines sees a “logical, elegant line traveling...
prone paddleboarders in an ocean race

Iconic Paddling Race Returns to Hawaii’s ‘Channel of Bones’

Heavy water and wild weather often wrack the 51-kilometer...
a supposed goblin shark and a toy replica

Scientists Squabble Over Dubious ‘Goblin Shark’

In August 2020, a man walking along a Grecian...
a woman surfer in twilight silhouette

Weekend Warm-Up: Liquid Lines, Entrancing Tunes, Mesmerizing Moments in ‘MALIA’

Surfing is an ancient sport — but I’m glad...
a rock composed partly of ocean plastic

Scientists Find ‘Plastic Rocks’ on Remote Turtle Refuge

Scientists say they have discovered rocks made of plastic...
a nasa image of the rounded sand dunes on mars

Mysterious Sand Dunes on Mars Form Almost Perfect Circles

Leave it to the Red Planet to serve up...
nick ray kayaking

Man, 59, Kayaking Around Scotland Suffers Medical Emergency

Nick Ray was cruising along in his kayak, about...
mount michael with clouds and sun in background

A First Ascent of ‘Earth’s Loneliest Volcano’

There’s a lonely volcano in the South Atlantic Ocean,...
eric hanson in the dark with headlamp on

Weekend Warm-Up: The Grand Canyon Almost Kills a Hiking Influencer

Lo-fi hiker footage captures the imagination. I’m not here to...
a drone with a cell phone attached

Stranded Man Uses Drone to Get Cell Signal, Summon Rescue

Anyone familiar with life hacks? What about saving-your-own-life hacks? That’s...

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