John Goodman (3)

Number 1 has been up and down Everest five times. Number 25 published the best sports autobiography of the year and won the Tour de France for the second time in a row. Number 9 walked across Antarctica, alone. Number 23 sailed 200 miles back into the teeth of a deadly Southern Ocean storm to rescue a fellow competitor. In assembling our list of today's 25 most extraordinary adventurers, outdoor athletes, and explorers, it was the existential question—the big "Why?"—that made the nomination and selection process such a blast. Ours is a roster of supreme equals: remarkable men and women who excel in sports that aren't played between lines, inside domed stadiums, or under artificial lights. Hype is anathema to these elite spirits; freedom and humility are absolutes in their world. Best of all, these folks challenge us to go out there and do it ourselves—even as they redefine our notions of the possible. Meet our Dream Team: Where they go, we follow.

Roll call: mountaineer Ed Viesturs, rock climber Tommy Caldwell, paddler Shannon Carroll, skier Francine Moreillon, snowboarder Jeremy Jones, and whitewater paddler Eric Jackson.