Mark Lebetkin
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Stories By Mark Lebetkin
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11 Scenic Trails That Showcase The Best Of America
Spring is only a week away and it can't come soon enough.A seemingly endless series of storms has turned much of the U.S. into a nation of...
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What NOT To Put In Your Pack
Ask two different backpackers what they need for a few days on the trails (or off them) and you're likely to get two different answers.Talk to an...
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10 Spectacular Ice Caves You Can Visit Year Round
Last month images of the ice caves on Lake Superior went viral. The lake had frozen over to its greatest extent in decades, and for the first...
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10 Spectacular Year-Round Ice Caves
These incredible caves are constantly on the move as the glacier inches towards Mendenhall Lake and changes shape along the way. The best way to access them...
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Nepal To Everest Climbers: Bring Back Your Trash—Or Else
Mount Everest isn't just littered with corpses. It's littered with actual litter—as much as 50 tons of it, according to one estimate.Rusty oxygen bottles, ruined trekking equipment,...
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10 Of The Wildest Places In America
The lower 48 states are a huge swath of territory, spanning over 3.1 million square miles from coast to coast.[slideshow:921] But even across this seemingly limitless...
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Wildest Places In The Lower 48
The "River of No Return" in this pristine wilderness in central Idaho refers to the Salmon River, a famous whitewater rafting destination known for its powerful current....
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Most Popular National Parks
Move over, Blue Ridge Parkway: the Golden Gate National Recreation Area was the most popular national park unit of 2013, according to visitation data released by the...
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Will Ice Climbing Be The Next Winter Olympic Sport?
Now that the closing ceremony in Sochi has gone off without a hitch, it's time to look forward to 2018, when the Winter Olympics move to PyeongChang,...
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Climber Chad Kellogg Dies
We've got some sad news to report today: celebrated speed climber and Active Times favorite Chad Kellogg died Friday while climbing in Patagonia. A falling rock struck...
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13 Easy, Scenic Winter Hikes
Another storm has come and gone, leaving its icy mark on much of the United States and many of us wondering if spring will ever arrive.Alas, there's...
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Alex Honnold Is INSANE
We're no strangers to the climbing feats of Alex Honnold. The 28-year-old climber has made a career of tackling the world's scariest climbs, sans rope, earning him...
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Colorado Resorts Not Liable For Inbounds Avalanches: Court
If you get caught in an avalanche on an open ski run, should the resort be held liable?For that matter, should a resort be required to close...
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Reminder: It's Still Illegal To Toke Up In National Parks In CO And WA
Attention, stoners: getting a Rocky Mountain high in Rocky Mountain National Park is still illegal.And that goes double if you work there.Although possessing and smoking marijuana was...
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5 Ski Destinations Squeezed By Drought
The West is wracked by drought. Last month California governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and asked Californians to reduce their water usage by 20...
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The Sochi Tragicomedy, In Meme Form
Well, folks, the Sochi Games are underway and all anyone can talk about is the American sweep of the brand-new snowboard slopestyle competition, sans Shaun White. (Congrats...
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11 Summer Jobs That Could Change Your Life
Imagine spending your summer on an idyllic guest ranch in the old West, or paddling along the tranquil shores of Lake Superior, or riding in a helicopter...
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Summer Jobs That Could Change Your Life
How's this for your morning commute: waking up in the backcountry and hiking to the top of a mountain. Summit stewards for the Adirondack Mountain Club do...
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Cool Summer Job: Wrangler On A Dude Ranch
This is a job for anyone who loves horses and the American West. Paradise Ranch in Bighorn National Forest is one of the oldest dude ranches in...
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Cool Summer Job: Summit Steward In The Adirondacks
How's this for your morning commute: waking up in the backcountry and hiking to the top of a mountain. Summit stewards for the Adirondack Mountain Club...
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Cool Summer Job: Trip Leader With Backroads
One of the widest reaching adventure travel companies on the planet, Backroads leads hiking, biking, walking and multisport trips on five continents and 38 countries. Working...
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Did The Flying Tomato Just Chicken Out?
Shaun White announced Wednesday that he will drop out of the first-ever Olympic slopestyle event in order to focus on winning gold in the halfpipe.From his press...
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13 Unlikely Countries In The Winter Olympics
There's little doubt at this point that the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi will be the biggest in history. Not only will Sochi cost more than every...
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