FEATURES
MJ Expedition
Panama's Pacific Coast | 48
With a team of professional surfers and a fleet of sail-equipped sea kayaks on his side, the author thought nothing could stop his quest for Central America's last untouched waves. Then the real adventure began. BY MARK ANDERS

Hollywood's Gentleman Explorer | 54
Ewan McGregor has motorcycled around the world and tracked polar bears in the wild, but the star of The Island and Star Wars had never fulfilled his dream of solo flight -- until now. Our correspondent goes paragliding with Hollywood's most relaxed leading man. BY MATTHEW POWER

2007 Adventure Planner Your Best Year Ever | 58
MJ scoured the globe and spoke with hundreds of experts and outfitters to find the world's greatest adventures. A season-by-season guide to the top 50, from swimming with whale sharks on Australia's Ningaloo Reef to heli-biking in Squamish, British Columbia.

The Impossible Journey | 72
When three Mexican fishermen lost at sea for nine months turned up alive 1,200 miles from the Marshall Islands -- minus two of their mates -- some declared it a miracle. An investigation into what may -- or may not -- be the greatest survival epic ever lived. BY MIKE GUY

ADVENTURE
16 Utah's Best Backcountry Skiing
Diehards brave the Beehive State's Mount Timpanogos for untouched powder.
18 What's New
Caribbean golf spots; energy cocktails; the return of Wayfarers, yacht timeshares.
20 The New Pro Ski Tour
A former banker brings the party to competitive skiing.
22 Easy Getaways
New Year's trips to Whistler, Alaska, the Bahamas, and Costa Rica.
24 City Guide: Miami
Kiteboarding, beach-cruising, and gallery-hopping in the Magic City.
26 Cars: One Awesome Hatchback
Small, affordable, and insanely fast: the new Mazdaspeed3.
28 Books & Screen
Terror in the Arctic; Thomas Pynchon's return; Imax on the bayou.
32 My Favorite Things: Carl Hiaasen
The newspaper columnist and prize-winning novelist on the Everglades, the Rolling Stones, and bonefishing.

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
34 Exxon's Campaign to Deny Global Warming
In the face of the undeniable evidence that carbon emissions are overheating the planet, the oil giant has resorted to covert propaganda. MJ investigates.

HEALTH AND FITNESS
39 Burn More Calories
Make your exercise more efficient.
42 High Altitude in a Tent
Our correspondent goes inside the bubble to see whether controversial altitude simulators really work.
44 Health News
How processed foods are killing you; why rabbit's the new chicken; which natural cold remedies are worth the money (and how to spot the frauds); winter grooming tools; more.
46 Ask Dr. Bob
Advice on how to prevent hearing loss, spot heart problems, more.

GEAR GUIDE
79 MJ Holiday Gifts
Digital cameras, MP3 players, coffee-table books, stocking stuffers, a classic mountain bike, and more.
86 Ask the Gear Guy
High-def TVs; equipping your car for snow; the right way to layer clothes for winter.

Mail 10
Contributors 14

On the Cover: Ewan McGregor, photographed exclusively for Men's Journal by Jeff Lipsky in Middletown, New York, with Fly High Hang Gliding Inc. (flyhighhg.com).