
The May 1997 cover of Outside Magazine, less than a year after it published “Into Thin Air.” (Outside Magazine)
Colorado’s own bestselling author John Krakauer last week sued Outside Magazine after it republished online his 20-year-old article about a deadly expedition on Mount Everest.
Krakauer filed a copyright infringement suit in November against Mariah Media Network LLC, which publishes Outside. He claims the magazine republished his âInto Thin Airâ article on its website in September 2015, breaking the copyright agreement.
âInto Thin Airâ first was published in the print edition of Outside in September 1996. The article follows Krakauerâs journey up Mount Everest and a storm that stranded and killed eight mountaineers. He published a book on the events with the same title in 1997.
âMNSâs publication of âInto Thin Airâ on Outside Online violated Mr. Krakauerâs exclusive right to reproduce that copyrighted work,â the suit says.
The suit says a large portion of Krakauerâs income comes from books and magazine articles, and that he is entitled to profits from views of âInto Thin Airâ on Outsideâs website. The suit included a list of Krakauerâs other articles and books, saying the author has the exclusive rights on republications of those works as well.
Krakauer, who lives in Boulder, could not be reached for comment. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court. William D. Meyer and Colleen M. Koch of Boulder law firm Hutchinson Black and Cook filed the suit on behalf of the author. They did not respond to requests for comment.
Krakauer is asking for damages and wants to prevent Outside from digitally republishing any of his other works.
Outside Magazine did not respond to a request for comment.

The May 1997 cover of Outside Magazine, less than a year after it published “Into Thin Air.” (Outside Magazine)
Colorado’s own bestselling author John Krakauer last week sued Outside Magazine after it republished online his 20-year-old article about a deadly expedition on Mount Everest.
Krakauer filed a copyright infringement suit in November against Mariah Media Network LLC, which publishes Outside. He claims the magazine republished his âInto Thin Airâ article on its website in September 2015, breaking the copyright agreement.
âInto Thin Airâ first was published in the print edition of Outside in September 1996. The article follows Krakauerâs journey up Mount Everest and a storm that stranded and killed eight mountaineers. He published a book on the events with the same title in 1997.
âMNSâs publication of âInto Thin Airâ on Outside Online violated Mr. Krakauerâs exclusive right to reproduce that copyrighted work,â the suit says.
The suit says a large portion of Krakauerâs income comes from books and magazine articles, and that he is entitled to profits from views of âInto Thin Airâ on Outsideâs website. The suit included a list of Krakauerâs other articles and books, saying the author has the exclusive rights on republications of those works as well.
Krakauer, who lives in Boulder, could not be reached for comment. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court. William D. Meyer and Colleen M. Koch of Boulder law firm Hutchinson Black and Cook filed the suit on behalf of the author. They did not respond to requests for comment.
Krakauer is asking for damages and wants to prevent Outside from digitally republishing any of his other works.
Outside Magazine did not respond to a request for comment.
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