Author
Marcus Callahan
Some outdoor experiences stay with you long after the activity is over. For Marcus Callahan, years spent on Colorado's rivers, climbing routes in Patagonia and the Canadian Rockies, and adventure trips across four continents have shaped his interest in the world of adventure sports.
With 7 years of experience and more than 400 guided expeditions behind him, he has seen just how different each outdoor activity can be.
His interest isn’t limited to guiding others. He earned a B.S. in Exercise Science from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, where the Health and Human Performance program gave him a deeper understanding of physical fitness, strength, and endurance. He also spent his first summers in Durango guiding rafts on the Animas River. He has put that knowledge to the test himself, completing three Spartan Ultra races that required serious stamina and mental grit.
His time on rivers, mountains, and racecourses has given him plenty of stories and lessons to share. Today, he brings the perspective of both an outdoor professional and an endurance athlete to his full-time writing career, drawing on years of experience to help readers understand different adventure sports, what makes each one unique, and what they can expect when trying them for themselves.
Years in adventure sports have taught him that every new activity brings something to learn and a challenge to take on. He hopes to pass those lessons on through his writing, helping readers be better prepared to take on new activities.
Most people assume cross-country skiing is something you figure out naturally. Strap on skis, push off, done. Then the first downhill hits. Learning how to cross-country ski the right way, weight forward, poles timed, rhythm locked in, changes everything about the experience. Let’s walk through the gear you actually need,
Before ski resorts had dedicated slopes for it, snowboarding was something kids did on makeshift boards in their backyards. What is snowboarding? At its core, it is a winter sport in which a rider straps both feet to a single board and descends a snow-covered slope, using body movement and
Snowboarding has its own language. And if you’re new to it, hearing words like “goofy stance,” “halfpipe,” or “buttering” for the first time can feel like everyone else got a handbook you didn’t. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, though. Every term has a simple explanation. Once the basics
Standing at the top of a snowy slope for the first time can feel exciting and a little nerve-racking. If you have been asking yourself, “Is skiing easier than snowboarding?”, you are not alone. It is one of the first questions many beginners have before booking a lesson or renting
Skateboarding traces its roots to California, sometime between the late 1940s and early 1950s. When was skateboarding invented, exactly? Nobody can pin down the year, and the story shifts depending on who you ask. Surfers wanted something to do when the waves went flat, so they nailed roller skate wheels
Most people show up at the mountain expecting to glide. What actually happens on day one? They fall, repeatedly, and wonder why their bodies refuse to cooperate. That’s the honest reality of snowboarding for beginners, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Figuring out how to learn snowboarding takes time, and
You see skaters rolling past, making it look effortless. Flips, grinds, smooth cruising down the street. You want that feeling too. Figuring out how to learn skateboarding isn’t as scary as it looks. Sure, you’ll fall. Your ankles might feel weird at first, and balance takes practice. But once you
Skateboarding brands aren’t just companies selling decks and wheels. They’re tribes, each with its own vibe and history. Some were born in empty pools in California. Others started in garages with nothing but a dream and a heat press. The brands you ride say something about who you are as
Skateboarding burns up to 450 calories an hour, keeps your heart rate in the cardio zone, and works your legs, core, and ankles all at once, and most people who do it don’t think of it as exercise at all. That’s the point. Is skateboarding good exercise? Yes, and the
Few sports have a messier, more rebellious origin story than snowboarding. What began as a father’s backyard experiment in the 1960s grew into one of the most watched winter sports on the planet, complete with Olympic medals, billion-dollar brands, and a culture entirely its own. The history of snowboarding is
