Chris Collard
- CEO, Adventure Architects LLC
- Experience President, President 1941 Media LLC
Colfax
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Articles by Chris Collard
The White Desert: The Expeditions 7 Team Crosses Antarctica
Photography by Chris Collard and Scott Brady To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2015 issue, this article is part of that celebration. Beyond the windscreen, I can barely make out the edge of the hood; the rest is white upon white. I glance at the thermometer; it reads -25°C, and then at Gísli, my driving partner for the past 12 days.
Luminous Flux: Swim, Sink, or Shine; We Test Nine LED Driving Lights to Their Limits
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2013 issue, this article is part of that celebration. I distinctly remember the moment I became aware of auxiliary lights. I was 15 years of age and sitting on the school bus. It was a fall morning, and we rounded the corner of the local auto row near my high school.
Luminous Flux: Swim, Sink, or Shine; We Test Nine LED Driving Lights to Their Limits
26:03 2 hours ago ‘Coloured’ identity in South Africa: History, culture and a new generation DW English • 2h In this week’s show we look at what it means to be ‘Coloured’ in South Africa. We explore the history, culture and evolving meaning of a complex identity.
We Join Jeep Jamboree USA on the Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail Through Nevada’s Black Rock Desert
In the Northern Nevada desert, history isn’t buried very deep. We joined Jeep Jamboree USA on their 7th Annual Emigrant Trail Adventure to retrace the Applegate-Lassen — the notorious ‘Death Route’ that lured thousands of gold-rush pioneers into one of the most punishing landscapes on the continent. Some never made it out. The Death Route: Jeep Jamboree USA’s Emigrant Trail Adventure Retracing the Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail through Nevada’s Black Rock Desert and High Rock Canyon.
Classic Kit: The Hi-Lift Jack
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2012 issue, this article is part of that celebration. It is the unsung hero of expedition travel, an essential piece of kit that any mindful backcountry regular carries. If they don’t, they should.
Classic Kit: The Hi-Lift Jack
East Africa 22 hours ago Inside the business of gony bags, Madagascar's ubiquitous plastic sacks RFI • 22h Go anywhere in Madagascar and you'll find gony – large woven polypropylene sacks used to transport and store everything from vanilla to cement. For the past 50 years, these hard-wearing bags have been manufactured and sold by a family-run business outside the capital.
Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Launches Future Legends Scholarship Program
The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) recently announced the launch of the Future Legends Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to invest in the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of off-road motorsports. The program will award five scholarships totaling $25,000 to individuals and organizations demonstrating excellence in media, advocacy, and technical education.
Ram’s Supercharged 1500 Rumble Bee SRT Returns With 777 Horsepower, Aiming for Production Truck Speed Record
After retiring the Hemi V8 and facing declining sales, Ram brings back both the legendary engine and the iconic Rumble Bee nameplate for 2027. The result is a trio of track-focused muscle trucks led by a supercharged 777-horsepower Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT variant gunning for the production truck speed record at 170 mph. Could the 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT be the fastest production truck ever made?
Eastern Oregon Overlanding: Cattle Kings, Outlaws & Hot Springs
Southeastern Oregon remains one of America’s most unpopulated regions—a vast expanse of high desert, volcanic mountains, and alkali flats where cattle barons built empires, outlaws made their final stands, and the spirit of the Wild West refuses to die. We traced 700 miles of remote two-tracks through a land of ghost towns, hot springs, and headlines, discovering that out here, history isn’t something you read about—it’s something you drive through.
Ketchikan Alaska Adventure Guide: Bears, Eagles, Fishing & UTV Exploration
Beyond the cruise ship crowds lies the real Ketchikan—a rugged rainforest realm where black bears feast on salmonberries, bald eagles snatch salmon from creeks, and the spirit of Alaska’s frontier past still echoes through cedar-planked streets. We traded the tourist junkets for Yamaha Wolverines and charter boats to explore the wild heart of Alaska’s First City.
Firestone Destination X/T All-Terrain Tire Review: 1,200-Mile Oregon Test
Firestone’s Destination X/T all-terrain tire didn’t look aggressive on paper—narrow lug voids, modest shoulders, two-ply construction. But across 1,200 miles of Eastern Oregon’s demanding terrain, from highway miles to volcanic rock and spring mud, this unassuming tire delivered surprising performance and a 6.3 percent fuel economy gain. Here’s what we learned during our initial shakedown. I’ll admit I was a bit apprehensive when the Destination X/Ts landed on my driveway.
Learn, Listen, Connect: 'The Big Thing' Overland Event Goes Beyond Gear
While in Montana, attending a demonstration with Warn Industries’ Justin Walker, he asked what the most important piece of equipment for winching was. Although his answer was a pair of gloves, someone chimed in with, “Your mind.” I can’t argue with having a good set of work gloves on hand, but I also believe the participant was spot-on.
Roaming Reckless: Woman & Dog Travel America in Military Land Rover
After trading her corporate career for life on the road, Maria and her Australian Shepherd Blue have spent years exploring America in their ex-military Land Rover Defender. Their journey represents the ultimate escape—proving that with courage and determination, the road less traveled can become home. We were stepping out of a Maverik gas station during the Easter Jeep Safari when we spotted this OD green Defender in the parking lot.
Overlanding to Buenos Aires: Breakdowns, Borders & Surgery
I dropped to the floor in excruciating pain and curled up in a semi-fetal ball, the sensation of a red-hot pitchfork gyrating around my stomach like a blender of sulfuric acid. My wife Suzy and I had just crossed the border into Argentina from Northern Chile and stopped at a roadside hotel for the night. Although most nights thus far were spent camping, a nagging ache in my right side mandated a respite. She had stepped out to grab something to eat when it hit.
Sierra Trek 2025 Adds New Overland and Rocklanding Runs
Sierra Trek 2025 Adds New Overland and Rocklanding Runs By Chris Collard27 June 2025 Join the 2025 Sierra Trek for guided overland adventures like the Gold Country Expedition, Rubidyce, and Rocklanding—history, trails, and camping await!
Pole to Pole: Transglobal Car Expedition Begins Journey
In the world of adventure travel there are but a handful of overland routes that have risen to the status of global icons. The Canning Stock Route, Road of Bones, and Silk Road top that list, but if we look toward the latitudinal extremes, 90 degrees north or south, a trek to one of the poles trumps all contenders. But what if you could combine both poles into a single epic journey? And what if it had a greater purpose than checking boxes on a personal bucket list?
Escaping the Chaos: OVR Outpost at King of the Hammers
During the past few weeks, we’ve shared with you all of the dusty, crazy, gear-grinding action of the 2025 King of the Hammers in Southern California’s Mojave Desert. While some revel in the action-packed bustle of Hammertown (think 100,000 off-roaders amped up high-octane fuel and Monster energy drinks), some of us prefer to escape to dust-free starlit nights and the camaraderie of friends around a quite campfire. The OVR Outpost was just such a haven.
2025 Ram 1500 First Drive: Hurricane Power Replaces the Hemi
A few years ago I drove a Ram Rebel 1500 from California to Tuktoyaktuk, a small Inuit settlement on the frozen shores of the Arctic Ocean. For three weeks I relished the sweet timbre of the 5.7-liter Hemi as I navigated 7,000 miles of snow-covered pavement, the desolate Dempster Highway, and the famous Mackenzie River ice road.
Rovicon V: Joining the Northern California Land Rover Club for the Annual Rubicon Adventure
The Canning Stock Route, Pamir Highway, and Road of Bones are some of the most highly acclaimed off-road routes in the world, but while traveling in Botswana 20 years ago I met two gents in a Defender 110 who asked, “Do you know about the Rubicon… have you driven it?” When I shared that I live in California and “The Con” was just two hours from my home, they nearly fell over. Being that I’d grown up nearby, the Rubicon was a natural venue for learning how to navigate technical terrain.
Ancient Maghreb: Exploring Morocco with a 21st Century Sahrawi Nomad
We starred at each other for what seemed like eternity. Neither made a sound, blinked, or raised an eyebrow, his dull gaze manifesting an existence of toil and servitude. Though face-to-face with a resolute adversary in a no-win stare-down, I knew I’d be the only one to walk away alive. It felt like hours, but was probably less than 30 seconds before a woman entered from a dark hallway at the end of the room. I looked up, back at my antagonist, blinked, and my focus was gone.
4WD tyre pressure guide
Tailoring the air pressure in your tyres to suit different terrain types has many benefits, for both you and your rig 28 Aug 2023, 12:37 pm Gallery 37 Just about every motorist has (or should have) an understanding of the importance of running the correct air pressures in their vehicle’s tyres for on-road driving, no matter what type of vehicle they drive.
2025 RAM 1500 review: HEMI V8 dropped for 313kW/638Nm straight six
RAM dumps beloved HEMI for a six-banger. Have they buggered things up? 8 Apr 2024, 12:37 pm Gallery 36 I recently joined Ram Trucks in Texas for the launch of the refreshed fifth-generation 1500, and just about fell out of my boots when I cracked the hood and read ‘Twin Turbo’ on the engine cover. Did Ram turbo the HEMI? Not the case, my V8-loving friends. We’ll get into a host of other upgrades, but the big news is that 2025 marks the end of a multi-decade run for the HEMI-powered 1500.
An Overland Tale Of Elephants, Smugglers & Extortionists in Kenya: On the Hunt in the African Bush
Flat on my back with my ear pressed against the transmission shifter, the beam from my headlamp pierced the omnipresent blackness that surrounded us. My eyes followed light from the throttle pedal to the brake as I shoehorned my Leatherman pliers into a tangle of electrical wires in pursuit of the accelerator cable. My legs stretched out the open door into the land of the Boogieman.
Transglobal Car Expedition begins epic round-the-world journey
Hopping out of his 6x6 Ford Super Duty F-350, fitted with 44-inch tyres no less, we headed through a pair of weathered iron doors into hallowed ground. TEC is a place of legends, where a stroll through the membership archives reveals exploration icons such as Roald Amundsen, Robert Peary, Edmund P. Hillary and Neil Armstrong.
Off-road legend Rod Hall restores and races one of his vintage Stroppe Broncos
In the world of automotive sports, whether it be strip, street, or track, the lightning-fast wonders of yesteryear can often be picked up for a smidgen more than scrap value. They are run hard and put away wet, and when their bodies and frames will no longer support another heart transplant or bone graft, we retire them to the back forty for a multi-decade research program on dust collection.
Not so tired: Tyre life support
Well, you probably have a better shot at finding a Bitcoin in your backyard, but there we were pulling the offending metal shaft from my mate’s tread block. Back then (the late 80s) we didn’t carry tyre plugs or patches, so we swapped in his spare and continued… now spareless. This month we review a few high-quality tyre repair kits, then dive into everything from simply plugging a nail hole to performing major surgery.
Racing the Devil Horse: A Baja Adventure with Caballo del Diablo
Saddling up on Caballo deL Diablo in the wilds of Baja A tornado of dust swirled over the hood as we came to a stop next to an old Ford Bronco with its hood up. A large decal on the door read “Caballo del Diablo,” encircling the number 26, and another decal under the spare tire read “SLAGIATT?” The driver, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a beer in hand, looked into the engine bay and shook his head.
Ford Bronco: A Chronicle of the Legendary 4×4’s History
Several years before he landed a legal driver’s license, author Todd Zuercher began his Bronco life in the mountains of Northern Arizona behind the wheel of his parents’ 1969 wagon. Those backcountry adventures cutting firewood and camping planted a seed of inspiration which germinated into a 40-year love affair with the breed. As a collector and ardent disciple of all things Bronco, his encyclopedic knowledge of Ford’s off-road pony rendered him the perfect candidate to pen its chronicle.
Lowering the bar: tyre air pressure essentials
Sometime in the early 1980s I was on one of my first four-wheel drive trips with my new Toyota HiLux. Stopping at the trailhead, everyone started letting air out of their tyres. Clueless as to why I asked one of the guys, “Whatcha doing?” With his two-word reply, “Airing down,” I asked the next dumb question… “Why?” His brief explanation, which included something about traction, began a multi-decade edification on the merits of reduced air pressure.
Tire Pressure How-To: Does one size fit all?
A Helpful Guide to Lowering Your BAR Sometime in the early 1980s, I was on one of my first four-wheel-drive trips with my new Toyota Hilux. Stopping at the trailhead, everyone started letting air out of their tires. Clueless as to why I asked one of the guys, “Whatcha doing?” With his two-word reply, “Airing down,” I asked the next dumb question… “Why?” His brief explanation, which included something about traction, began a multi-decade edification on the merits of reduced air pressure.
International Overlanding Advisory: Parachutes & Passports
The tips and tricks of creating an international fly-in-and-drive adventure. Several decades ago, my doctor informed me I would have six weeks off work before going under the knife for knee surgery. During the drive home I thought about the long list of house projects I could tackle, but my mind kept gravitating to the world map that hung in my office. Australia was on my bucket list, but how would I get there, how would I get around, how much would it cost?
Ram’s new Rebel HD 2500... Cummins?
Hear this Rebel Yell In 2016 when Ram introduced the Rebel 1500, industry scuttlebutt swirled that Rebel was Ram’s answer to the Raptor. They dismissed said claims and snickered as they quietly developed the 702-horspower TRX. As it was, the HEMI-powered Rebel 16 was so much fun we borrowed one for a 4,000-mile blast through Canada and up the Ice Road to the Arctic Ocean. Our wish list, however, was the option for a solid axle up front. We’ve also spent time in the Power Wagon 2500.
A Backcountry Welding Lesson
Jump into the fire by adding welding to your backcountry skill set. In the early ‘90s I was on the Fordyce Trail in the Northern Sierra Nevada with a friend. We had winched a tree off the trail and after stowing my gear and turning the key, the steering wheel went limp like a wet noodle. Crawling underneath we found the J-arm between the pitman arm and the knuckle had broken.
Video Capture: Viewfinder
Set your adventures in motion with video capture. Having been a still shooter for decades, I will admit I had a hard time syncing with the video world. The still images I’m used to shooting must convey elements of a storyline captured a fraction of a second at a time. Video, on the other hand, allows us to share that story with multiple animated clips which span 15 seconds to several minutes.
Smartphone Photography: Viewfinder
Explore the gadgets and gizmos that can take your smartphone photography to a new level. If we flash back to the inaugural Viewfinder, we took the position that the best camera for any shot is the one in your hand. And that, my friends, is usually our smartphone, and we refer to them as “smart” for good reason, especially when it comes to photography.
Rubicon Trail Action at the 70th Jeepers Jamboree
The Jeepers Jamboree returned to the Rubicon Trail for its 70th year, bringing off-road enthusiasts together for a celebration of history and recreation on the trails. On a cool summer morning in the Northern Sierra, a few dozen flatfenders lined up in front of the Georgetown Hotel. Excitement was in the air as the sun crested high granite peaks to the east, illuminating the rough-and-tumble foothill settlement. Drivers grabbed a cuppa joe and gathered around for a trail briefing.
How To Rebuild a Jeep Dana 30 Front Axle
Restoring one of the most notable Dana axles. Follow along as we look at how to rebuild the Dana 30 Jeep axle, dive into some backstory on its design, and share some tips and tricks you can use. Related:Sterling vs. 14-Bolt Rear Axles—Who Wins? You Decide Of all mechanisms designed to propel the horseless carriage, the venerable Dana 30 axle has enjoyed one of the longest tenures in the industry.
Overlanding Adventure on the Trails of Baja Sur
Using our 2002 Toyota Tacoma with a 3.4-liter V-6, we embarked on a Baja overland adventure through one of the last frontiers on the North American continent. Read on for our account. We awoke to the cries of coyotes in the distance as the sun illuminated the eastern horizon. Rekindling the campfire and pouring a cuppa joe, we thought about our previous afternoon's debacle deep in the Sierra La Giganta.
How To Rebuild an AMC 20 Jeep Axle
In 2021 we acquired one of the five CJ-7s from Mark Smith's 1978-79 Expedicion de las Americas trek from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska—a Jeep affectionately referred to as Edla. After surviving 21,000 miles across the Americas, and the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, Edla hadn't seen a lot of maintenance love.
How To Rebuild an AMC 20 Jeep Axle
In 2021 we acquired one of the five CJ-7s from Mark Smith's 1978-79 Expedicion de las Americas trek from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska—a Jeep affectionately referred to as Edla. After surviving 21,000 miles across the Americas, and the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, Edla hadn't seen a lot of maintenance love.
Op-Ed: Los Alamos Trails Deserve A Higher Standard
View of the washed out Perimeter Trail. Courtesy/Chris Collard View of the washed out Woodland Trail. The trough shape of this trail traps water and forces it to run along the trail bed, cutting deeper and causing more damage with each rain storm. Fixing this kind of damage with hand tools will take many hours and many volunteers.
How Outdoor Photography Lenses Make a Photo: Viewfinder
Compression, f-stop, and bokeh: what does it all mean, and how can your outdoor photography lenses accomplish it? In previous Viewfinders we’ve discussed what I feel are the most important elements of creative photography: distilling a scene into its various components, how to frame a unique composition of those elements, working with light, camera settings, and methodology.
Sand Dune Adventures in Mexico
Exploring Mexico’s Gran Desierto de Altar with the Sonora Rally A gentle breeze drifted through the open screen of my rooftop tent, washing me with a much-needed reprieve from the desert heat. Climbing down the ladder, I fired up the stove and waited for my morning fix of caffeine. I settled into my camp chair with a cuppa joe to witness the eastern horizon transition from inky black to shades of blue and purple. My traveling mates would not be up for another hour, which suited me fine.
2022 solar panel comparison
The sun, that spinning ball of magma nearly 150 million miles away, is the reason our blue planet exists as we know it. Plants photosynthesise its energy to create oxygen, early humans tapped its warmth to dehydrate food, and its gravitational force keeps us from spinning off in to the next galaxy. Without the sun, we would be a spinning orb of human popsicles.
Vintage Race Vehicles of the 2022 NORRA 1000 Off-Road Race
The best part of the annual NORRA 1000 is (arguably) all of the vintage race vehicles that come out to play. Off-road racing is arguably among the most extreme of motorsports, and it's only gotten more competitive in recent years with the top teams sporting high-tech, multi-million-dollar vehicles and programs.
Vintage Race Vehicles of the 2022 NORRA 1000 Off-Road Race
Off-road racing is arguably among the most extreme of motorsports, and it's only gotten more competitive in recent years with the top teams sporting high-tech, multi-million-dollar vehicles and programs. As cool as the sport is, there's still a part of us that longs for simpler times, the good old days when Baja was more akin to the Wild West and the race trucks and buggies still sported carbureted engines.
Wildlife Photography: Capturing The Wild Side
Photographing the animal kingdom … without becoming part of the food chain A midday sun beat down on the northern reaches of Australia’s Top End, tapping the desiccated soil for any remaining moisture and sending the mercury toward the century mark. We were somewhere between Cairns and Darwin, skirting the Bay of Carpentaria, during a three-week “Down Under” adventure. Cresting a rise, I glimpsed what appeared to be a log in the road … but it was moving— a large, yellow-spotted goanna.
Treasure Hunters, Mines, Mustangs and Ghost Towns
Exploring the storied chronicles of Nevada’s tungsten treasure hunters Peering over the edge, my eyes slowly adjusted to the inky abyss below—a wormhole in the earth that seemed to spiral into oblivion. I glanced up at my traveling mates and treasure hunters near the mouth of the crevasse, reaffirmed my snowy footing and carefully backed away to safer ground. This was not a cave or natural grotto but a deep fissure formed by the hands of men with picks, shovels and dynamite.
Jeep Wagoneer: Return of a Legend
Luxury, performance and capability … this is not your granddaddy’s Jeep Wagoneer. Story and photos by Chris Collard If we rolled back the calendar to fall 1962, we’d find Kaiser-Willys releasing a vehicle that would change the future of backcountry travel. Designed by the famous Brooks Stevens, it was large and had an automatic transmission and single-speed transfer case. Equipped with the new Tornado inline 230 six-cylinder, it was also powerful—propelled down the road by 140 hp.
Run out of Talent, Trash a 1.8-Million Dollar Piece of History
In the early ‘70s, off-road racing was gaining traction in the automotive world, and the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) was leading the charge with the Mexican 1000, a point-to-point contest of speed down the Baja peninsula. It had attracted the likes of actors Steve McQueen and James Garner, and Indy car luminaries such as Parnelli Jones. While most were running modified production cars, Jones had another plan for the toughest race on the planet.
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