The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a UNESCO heritage site due to its biodiversity, and it’s the most popular national park in the world. However, the elusive 900 Miler Club currently has just over 800 members. The club is reserved for those who have completed every trail within the park, and they must have hiked at least 900 miles in the process. Founded in 1995 by “Louisiana” Lou Murray, those who wish to enter the club have to apply.

The brother/sister duo joins what appears to be a trend of “toddler treks”—children heading out on long and difficult expeditions with their parents, like 10-year-old Sawyer Howard, who is hiking multiple mountains at 4,000 feet, and five-year-old Bellamy Korn, who is attempting 100 hikes during her leukemia treatment.

Brought up in the outdoors, the two siblings have enjoyed exploration from a young age—as young as 18 months, in Landon’s case. The kids’ mother, Jennifer Stoneking-Stewart, hikes alongside the kids, enthusiastically supporting their thirst for adventure. Hiking 900 miles is no small feat for grown-ups, and these two have spent months pushing themselves to complete their 900 miles across North Carolina and East Tennessee. 

The two young hikers completed a distance of 1,165 miles by the time they were done with their expedition and hiked around 150 trails, including every trail in the park, some of which are quite difficult and/or extensive. The two were not deterred and spent countless hours on the trail to reach their goal. Now, they’ve got their 900 Miler Club medals to commemorate their wonderful experience.

The post 8 and 10 Year Olds Join Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 900 Miler Club  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

He talked about the new look and more on Britain’s morning talk show, Good Morning Britain, during a 2019 interview, sharing that his facial hair had prompted some funny reactions from friends, family, and royalty alike. In the interview, Bear says Prince William, upon seeing the survivalist sporting his new mustache at a wildlife-conservation event, made an “ew” cringe face. Bear also says his wife was not thrilled with the change. 

The ‘stache has appeared on Bear’s face on and off since that first Movember, and, sometimes, by looking at his social media, it’s hard to tell if he has a mustache right now or not. For instance, a recent post shows him posing next to a wax figure of himself in Madame Tussauds, and he has a mustache (the wax figure does not). He wrote in the caption, though, that he misses the ‘stache and his family doesn’t, suggesting the picture is an old one. 

And yet (the plot thickens), he has since posted a Reel starring the ‘stache. While we can’t definitively say whether Bear has a mustache right now or not, it’s very possible that he’ll stop shaving this month to celebrate Movember, like he has in the past. 

If you’re adventuring this month, will you lighten your pack and join the cause by leaving the shaving kit at home?

The post Does Bear Grylls Have a Mustache?  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a non-profit organization that oversees the trail, says they’re looking for volunteers at three different offices. Volunteers help educate visitors about the AT and the work the Conservancy does. Positions are now available in these offices:

• Damascus, VA
• Harpers Ferry, WV
• Monson, ME (seasonally)

Besides greeting visitors, volunteers take phone calls and answer emails and are the go-to people for all things Appalachian Trail. The role is pivotal for the millions of people who hike parts of the trail annually and thousands of thru-hikers.

Learn more about the roles in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maine.

Ready to hike the trail instead? Here’s what you need to know to get started.

The post Be Part of an Appalachian Trail Adventure By Volunteering to Help Thru-Hikers and Other Visitors appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Fastest Half Marathon Hula Hooping

As if hula hooping wasn’t hard enough, the fastest half marathon run while hula hooping took three hours, three minutes, and 48 seconds. Betty Shurin—aka Betty Hoops—from the U.S. holds the world record for her hula-run at the Hollywood Half Marathon in Los Angeles, California back in 2012.

Longest Bicycle Wheelie

A bicycle wheelie is when the front wheel of a bicycle is raised off the ground and kept in the air while riding. The longest bicycle wheelie on record lasted for one hour and covered a distance of 19.23 miles. That’s faster than most people ride a bike with two wheels on the ground. The record was set in 2020 by Swiss rider Manuel Scheidegger in Bern, Switzerland in support of the organization Wheels4Nepal.

Highest Slackline Walk

It doesn’t get more crazy than slacklining between two hot-air balloons. Rafael Zugno Bridi from Brazil walked 59 feet on a slackline between two hot-air balloons over the Praia Grande in Santa Catarina, Brazil at an altitude of 6,236 feet, breaking the record for the highest slackline walk.

Longest Ski Jump

Ski jumping is a winter sport in which athletes jump off a manufactured hill, pursuing both style and distance. Olympic and World Championships don’t encourage pushing hill sizes, so the records in this sport are usually set elsewhere. The official world record for the longest ski jump was set by Stefan Kraft, who jumped 832 feet at Vikersundbakken in Vikersund, Norway in 2017. The women’s world record is held by Ema Klinec who jumped 741 feet in Vikersund in 2023.

Largest Wave Surfed

If you’ve ever had a huge wave crash over you, then you know how bold it is to surf big waves. Sebastian Steudtner holds the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed—86 feet, which is equivalent to surfing an eight-story building.

Fastest Land Speed Record

Formula 1 cars travel between 200 and 234 miles per hour, but the land speed record holder clocked in at 763.035 miles per hour. It doesn’t even seem possible, but Andy Green, a retired British Royal Air Force fighter pilot, defied sanity in a twin turbofan jet-powered car, which he drove at this speed for over one mile in October 1997. This insane record is also the first supersonic record, meaning he was driving so fast that it actually broke the sound barrier.

Deepest Free-Dive

Free-diving is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, since rescues can be nearly impossible at certain depths. That doesn’t bother Alexey Molchanov, who broke the world record for deepest free-dive with a mono fin in 2023. In Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, Molchanov dove to an unbelievable 436 feet deep with a single breath.

Longest Breath Held Underwater

After years of training, Budimir Šobat from Croatia set the record for longest time spent underwater without breathing. Šobat was able to hold his breath underwater for 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds, and the record was set back in 2021. 

Longest Slackline Walk

The longest slackline walk covered a distance of 8,943 feet—a seemingly impossible distance between Puy de l’Angle and Roc de Cuzeau near Mont Dore, France. This record is held by multiple talented athletes from all over Europe and Canada—Julien Roux, Augustin Moinat, Arthur Lefebvre, Benoît Brume, Mattis Reisner, Joseph Premoselli, Tania Monier, and Mia Noblet performed a “team send” of this challenging slackline in 2022. Rigged at 965 feet, it wasn’t the highest slackline walk, but it was undoubtedly the longest. 

Longest Stand-Up Paddleboard Journey

Peter Charlesworth planned for more than 18 months to attempt and complete this world record, paddling 1,663.62 miles on his paddleboard. After a triple bypass surgery, he took on the challenge to bring awareness to heart health. The Australian paddled from March 4 all the way to June 11, 2023 along the Murray River, mostly rowing the length of the river. He traveled alone, camping every night of his trek.

Most BASE Jumps in 24 Hours

There’s nothing more wild than cramming in as many BASE jumps as possible in a single day. Dan Schilling from the U.S. still holds the record from back in 2006, when he made 201 jumps in just 24 hours at the Perrine Memorial Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Highest Space Jump

It’s considered a “space jump” when a skydiver or parachute jumper starts from such a high distance that they are almost in space. Technically, no one has actually jumped from space, which is defined as 100 meters above Earth, but Alan Eustace gets the record for the closest. In 2014, he set the current world record for the highest and longest-distance free fall, jumping from 41.422 kilometers or 135,898 feet above the earth. 

Longest Distance Traveled on a Unicycle

Lars Clausen from the U.S. traveled the longest distance without handlebars in the 1980s, setting a record of 11,315.8 miles upon a unicycle. This unicycling expert set a record so high that no one has come close since.

Longest Ice Swim

If you think you can handle cold water, how about ice water for more than an hour and a half? In 2023, the longest distance ice swim record was set by Krzysztof Gajewski from Poland in a lake at Czarna Góra Resort near Sienna, Poland. Gajewski swam for one hour, 46 minutes, and 16 seconds. The water temperature average was 40.7 degrees Fahrenheit. (It must be under 41 degrees Fahrenheit to qualify as an ice swim.) Gajewski was only allowed to wear a regular swimsuit, cap, and goggles.

Fastest Kayak Down the Mississippi

Long-time kayaker Traci Lynn Martin, the “Mississippi Mermaid,” has attempted many world records. Martin holds the record for the fastest kayak down the Mississippi—a feat that took her 55 days. Martin defies all odds as she has scleroderma, an autoimmune disease. The journey spanned 2,316.17 miles.

The post Extreme Feats: 15 of the Craziest Outdoor World Records appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

While the dates vary, and you’ll want to check with your local offices, most permits go on sale at the start of November and range from about $5 to $15. Both National Forests and BLM lands require permits beforehand. 

Obviously, Christmas tree permits aren’t available on every public land as not every landscape is covered in pine trees. The rules for each public land’s tree availability can change yearly as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management prioritize protecting natural resources.

Rules for Cutting Down Your Own Christmas Tree

Here are some general guidelines for cutting down your own Christmas tree:

• Most holiday tree permits are issued in November. Know your location, the weather, and your ability to traverse through snow.
• Dress for the season. Always be prepared for the cold and snow, and start tree hunting early in the day to have plenty of daylight hours.
• Bring emergency supplies, including water and food and a first-aid kit.
• Remember to tell someone where you are going. Your cell phone may not work on many forests.
• The tree you choose must be at least 200 feet from main roads, recreation sites and campgrounds, and stay away from areas along the sides of streams, rivers, lakes, and wet areas. Check with the ranger district for the proper distance.
• Select a tree with a trunk six inches or less in diameter, and prepare to cut the tree no more than six inches above ground level.
• Never cut a tall tree just for the top.
• Select a tree from overstocked areas and thickets. Watch restricted areas. Cut only one tree per tag.
• Attach your tree tag to harvested tree before placing in vehicle.
• Bring a rope and tarp to move your tree from the harvest area to your vehicle.

Most National Forest permits are available on Recreation.gov. Most BLM permits can be purchased here.

Have you cut down your own Christmas tree before?

The post Want to Chop Down Your Christmas Tree From a National Forest This Year? Here’s What You Need to Know appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

A new article from Travel Awaits highlights the best cities for dogs. West Coast destinations dominate the results, with Sacramento, California topping the list. Portland, Oregon came in second. Rounding out the top five are three cities in the Golden State: San Francisco, Bakersfield, and Long Beach.

The rankings were formulated by looking at dog services, dog-friendly restaurants, places to hike with your pet, and more.

See more about the study and find out which city ranks near the bottom on Travel Awaits.

The post Is Your Dog Your Adventure Buddy? These Are the Best Cities to Visit appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Throughout the season, Gebrewold’s game plan has been to emit “golden retriever energy” to disarm other players and make them easier to attack. And in the first five episodes, he’s done exactly that. However, with Survivor being a game show and all, the other players singled him out as the biggest threat because of his schmoozing, alliance-building, and vocal strategizing. 

So who actually went home if not Gebrewold and why? The answer is one of the more innocuous players of the season, and the reason was she was an easy target. 

Survivor 45 Episode 6 Recap

By the end of episode 6, the teams began merging but before they could complete the merger, they were separated into two random teams for a competition. The winners of the said competition received a meal and immunity while the losers went hungry and had their names added to the ballot for that night’s vote. 

The names that came up throughout most of the conversations were Gebrewold and Janani “Jay” Krishnan-Jha, a 24-year-old singer from Los Angeles. Although she did struggle through the physical part of the competition, the reasons Jay came were mostly petty. 

Former teammate Sifu Alsup wanted revenge because he believed Jay voted for him in a past episode. Another former teammate, Julie Alley, who revealed in secret that it wasn’t actually Jay who voted for Sifu, didn’t think Jay was totally trustworthy. And Austin Li Coon was still sour at Jay because, during a contest, she opted to accept an ineffective idol rather than a sandwich. 

At the tribal council, though, Gebrewold made a more compelling argument, calling Jay the “most dangerous” player because of her alliance with two of her former teammates. He argued that they would vote as a group in the future. 

“There’s an opportunity for you guys to let go of Jay and lower your guys’ threat level a lot,” he told the two players. He added that although he was a threat that night, he wouldn’t be in the future because his strategy had been exposed. 

To counter his logic, Jay said: “I just want to remind everyone that this is now an individual game and this is a player (Kaleb) that was losing and losing and losing and is still sitting here.” She added, “He will be a threat to your game.”

While they seemingly agreed with her — hence the 11 to zero vote to send him home — we got the twist ending. Gebrewold played his shot-in-the-dark, a sacrifice of a vote to be declared safe or unsafe from votes, and forced the players to revote. In the end, a majority voted Jay out. 

In her exit interview, Jay called herself “collateral damage” and described the event as “upsetting” but also “pretty freaking wild.”

“This was the greatest adventure of my entire life,” Jay said. “I have no regrets here. Just smiles, so I’m just happy I got to come out here and play a great freaking game.”

Watch Survivor on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. on CBS.

The post Survivor 45 Episode 6 Recap: Did Kaleb Delay the Inevitable? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In the video, the animal grabs the deer’s neck and drags it to the ground. Although some find the video unsettling, it’s a prime example of nature.

The response to the video, which was posted on the @natureismetal Instagram account, was less about people being upset about the deer – but rather a debate erupted around whether the predator was a wolf or coyote.

What animal do you think it is? Check out the video below:

Wold of Coyote? An Expert Assessment from Voyageurs National Park

Those arguing that it’s a wolf suggest the animal looks too large for a coyote and mention the shape of its head. Others believe it could be a “coywolf,” which is a wolf and coyote hybrid. The video is from Alberta, Canada, where you can find both animals.

Outdoors.com skipped the pseudo-online experts and asked an actual wolf researcher for his opinion. 

Thomas Gable is the lead researcher who runs the Voyageurs Wolf Project. He and his team track wolves around Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota to better understand their habits. Gable knows a lot about wolves.

He says while the video is far enough away to be ambiguous enough for a debate, he’s quite sure it’s a coyote.

“My impression is that it is a coyote and not a wolf. Of course, the animal is a fair bit away from the camera, so it’s hard to tell with 100% certainty, but I would say I am 98% confident that is a coyote,” wrote Gable in an email this morning.

Check out this other viral video to see how large wolves are.

The post Is it a Wolf or a Coyote? Wildlife Expert Weighs in on Divisive Viral Video appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

A 2022 study found a 16% increase in vehicle and deer collisions the week after daylight saving time. One of the leading arguments for a permanent DST is the decreased risk of crashes. 

However, for now, we’ll see another end to daylight saving. So, in the meantime, state agencies like Colorado Parks & Wildlife want to remind drivers to be extra vigilant.

“This is the time of year when we start seeing more animals on the move at our state parks and on our roads,” said CPW Fishers Peak State Park Manager Crystal Dreiling in their official press release. “Drivers across the state can expect to find wildlife on or near the roadways as winter approaches and they can do their part in helping to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions with bear, elk and deer by traveling at slower speeds and staying vigilant.”

Wildlife officials are partnering with the state’s Department of Transportation for their message and offered these tips to drivers:

• Slow Down. Driving more slowly increases reaction time and reduces the chance of a collision.​
• Stay Alert while driving at dusk and dawn. This is when many of Colorado’s wildlife are the most active and are likely to be crossing roadways.
• Scan Ahead and watch for movement along roadsides. When driving at night, watch for shining eyes in headlights. Always look and be prepared for more than one animal.
• Obey traffic signs and watch for wildlife warning signs.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife says the best action the state can take is creating more animal-safe infrastructure. These designs include wildlife overpasses, underpasses, and fences along busy roadways.

The post Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend – and That Means an Increased Risk for Collisions With Wildlife appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Wildlife officials say they had to tranquilize the animal to remove the net. However, with limited time until the buck woke up, officials had to act quickly. Officers decided to remove the antlers instead.

“In a perfect world, we could walk up and easily remove the netting, but wildlife rescue is rarely that straightforward,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife in a social media post. “The decision to remove the antlers was made with the deer’s well-being as our top priority.”

Officials say the antlers will grow back by next year. In the meantime, the deer gets to live a life free of obstructions that could have hindered it from eating.

Earlier this fall, wildlife experts warned homeowners of items like hammocks and holiday decorations that can often get stuck in deer antlers. The warning is something to remember as we head towards the winter holiday season.

The post Colorado Deer Loses 8 Pounds After an Entire Hammock Is Removed From Its Antlers appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.