Scott Yorko

Freelance journalist at Freelance

Freelance journalist and Rennaisance man at large

Articles

The Best Satellite Communicators to Keep You Safe and Connected

1 month ago | backpacker.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Whether you're triggering an emergency SOS signal, messaging a fellow backcountry traveler to coordinate a meetup, or simply letting folks at home know you'll be late for dinner, satellite communicators allow us to stay out longer and get back safely. The very best in the category work reliably, have simple interfaces, and don't take up much room in our packs.
The Best Avalanche Airbag Packs of 2025

Nov 13, 2024 | skimag.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Airbag packs, which float avalanche victims to the top of the slide once inflated, have become a lot more popular in the past few years thanks to their lifesaving technology. Recently, they have also won backcountry recreationists over with new tech that has made avalanche airbag packs a lot lighter.
The Raide LF 30L Is Our Favorite Backcountry Pack of All Time

Nov 8, 2024 | skimag.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Founded by rocket engineer-turned-product manager Kyle Siegel, this small garage company has finally made the pack that ski mountaineers have been waiting for.
The Best Backcountry Ski Packs of 2025

Nov 8, 2024 | skimag.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. When moving through the mountains in winter, you can’t afford to have a junk show on your back. Organization is key, but so is comfort when it comes to having a functional system that you don’t need to think about while navigating terrain, weather, layering, and face shots.
Can an iPhone Really Replace Your Satellite Messenger?

Oct 14, 2024 | backpacker.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. In-the-know backpackers have been awaiting the release of Apple's iOS 18 since its announcement earlier this spring. As of September 16, with an iPhone 14 or newer, Apple users now have the ability to send non-emergency text messages using only their phones. On its own, this is a huge deal for the lives it will save in wilderness areas and dead zones across the country.
The Heist that Nearly Sank a Beloved Outdoor Brand

Oct 7, 2024 | outsideonline.com | Scott Yorko

Matt McAdow was sitting on a cardboard box in a Montana warehouse, tapping out emails on a laptop and waiting for his shoes to arrive. It was Monday, September 18, 2023, a pivotal moment for Bedrock Sandals, a boutique footwear company headquartered in Missoula. The shoes, Bedrock’s first to be manufactured overseas, were supposed to have arrived four days earlier.
Ode to the Janky, Dilapidated Roof Box

Aug 17, 2024 | outsideonline.com | Scott Yorko

Whenever I spot a minivan cruising down the road with a discolored, duct-taped roof box on top, I can almost hear the sound of my family’s white Sears Xcargo car-top carrier rattling on the roof of our Toyota Previa while blasting down I-95 en route to our grandparents’ house when I was a kid. Over the years, that thing got janky, with rotting straps tied in sketchy knots to hold the box down and bent nails latching the shell closed.
Ode to the Janky, Dilapidated Roof Box

Aug 2, 2024 | skimag.com | Scott Yorko

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Whenever I spot a minivan cruising down the road with a discolored, duct-taped roof box on top, I can almost hear the sound of my family’s white Sears Xcargo car-top carrier rattling on the roof of our Toyota Previa while blasting down I-95 en route to our grandparents’ house when I was a kid.
Tof Henry Remembered as Legendary Skier and Loving Father

Oct 24, 2023 | outsideonline.com | Scott Yorko

Christophe Claude Michel Henry, known as Tof, an accomplished professional big mountain skier from Chamonix, France, famous for his fast, bold skiing style on steep, exposed terrain, died on October 11 while skiing a northeast-facing line on 8,179-foot Puntiagudo Volcano in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. He was 38. A procession through Chamonix occurred on October 23, during which the community and Henry’s loved ones paid their heartfelt tributes.
Tof Henry Remembered as Legendary Skier and Loving Father

Oct 23, 2023 | skimag.com | Scott Yorko |Sierra Shafer

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Christophe Claude Michel Henry, known as Tof, an accomplished professional big mountain skier from Chamonix, France, famous for his fast, bold skiing style on steep, exposed terrain, died on October 11 while skiing a northeast-facing line on 8,179-foot Puntiagudo Volcano in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. He was 38.