Category Archives: Family and Kids

family life, activities, family travel

Three Hills for Mother’s Day

I have long wanted to hike to Third Hill, the far outpost of York, Maine’s rangy Mount Agamenticus. Third Hill has a reputation for being challenging to find.  I’ve known more than one person who has ended up in South … Continue reading

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King Pine, the Little Mountain That Could

Here we are in the depths of January, and more than six weeks have passed since a major snowfall.  Up north, snowmakers and groomers bust their tails trying to work their magic, but variable weather makes it difficult to write … Continue reading

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Bretton Woods: birches, beautiful snow, and bargains

In this new year, I’m taking some time away from longer projects to write about New England ski areas. I’ve been skiing since junior high (back in the days when kids went to junior high) and over the years have … Continue reading

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Intersecting slopes on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire

As we hauled ourselves up the granite cone of New Hampshire’s 3,478-foot Mount Chocorua, a middle-aged woman picking her way down the granite ledges groaned as she stretched out her legs to ease herself down an especially large slab. My … Continue reading

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Up in the air at Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory

The clearing weather presented both a threat (mostly to our wallets) and an opportunity.  As we pulled into Haines Junction, we debated our options. The circle was nearly complete.  Along with my 13-year-old son, my Alaskan friend Elizabeth and I … Continue reading

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A trip to Bennett Lake, British Columbia, then, and now

In 1986, when I arrived at Bennett Lake, my body was beat up, but my spirit was soaring.  After four days of backpacking on “the meanest 33 miles of history,” I’d conquered the  Chilkoot Trail to reach this legendary destination … Continue reading

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A slew of seals at LeConte Glacier

The blue icebergs bobbed and floated seductively, dangerous but enticing, clues that somewhere upstream lay a glacier.  But in Southeast Alaska, navigating a field of icebergs field is dangerous is any season, all the more so in November, with its … Continue reading

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Bears, bears everywhere: AnAn Alaska adventure

From the platform, we could see the drama at the outhouse unfolding, predictably, almost comically, if not for the fact that the climax could be a dangerous human-bear encounter. The older gentleman had scurried across the boardwalk to the outhouse, … Continue reading

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Goodbye, antibiotics, hello summer: travels with Lyme Disease

After the phone call, I realized that our pediatrician had an approach, a way of talking about a delicate subject that he had used many times before. After ten years of near-perfect health, my daughter had become a high-maintenance patient, … Continue reading

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Snow babies, seals, and maniacal Arctic travelers: A visit to Eagle Island

Even maniacal travelers need a respite once in a while, if only to plan their next adventures.  Eagle Island, in Maine’s Casco Bay, was such a haven for big adventurers Admiral Robert and Josephine Peary. Admiral Peary, as many know, … Continue reading

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