Another One Bites The Dust

It came as a saddening shock when I heard Monday that one of my favorite magazines, National Geographic Adventure, was going under.

The magazine brought simple advice to travelers: thinking of trekking Machu Picchu? Instead of just showing up and conquering the civilization in the sky, volunteer with locals by helping them to do things like restore their homes and plant gardens before climbing to the Inca’s lost city.

Upon hearing the news, I hoped, rather foolishly, that my friend was mistaken and that the magazine which gave great ideas for adventures – like leaving Monday to hike the Art Loeb Trail when I had to be back by graduation on Saturday – wouldn’t be folding. It turned out to be three thunderstorm-filled days culminating in a hitched ride back to my car at the Davidson Campground.

Without Nat. Geo. Adv. I won’t be able to save the day, like when a coworker couldn’t find an affordable flight home for Christmas and said, “Don’t bother. Everybody thinks they know a special site to use but none are helpful.” I told her to try voyija.com, bing.com/travel, and optifly.com from the “Meta, Book ‘em Even Better” article in the August/September 2009 edition. She bought her ticket from bing and will be flying home today (assuming the winter storm developing in the midwest allows it).

Recently, I’ve been torn between whether the John Muir Trail, Long Trail, or the Colorado Trail would be best to attempt a thru hike on this summer when I picked up the edition with the top 50 adventures in America and saw resting in 26th place “Hike the Colorado Trail.” Suddenly, my replacement hike for Appalachian Trail became an opportunity for a real adventure.

Stephanie Clifford reported for The New York Times that the magazine closed because of the poor advertising market. The magazine downsized from 10 publications a year to 8 this year in an unsuccessful attempt to gain enough revenue to stay afloat. Attempts were also made at selling the magazine but having National Geographic in the name complicated and a sale was never made.

National Geographic Adventure you will be missed.