Author Archives: Dianne Fallon

About Dianne Fallon

Maniacal Traveler Dianne Fallon writes from a house in the Maine woods in . Her interests include travel, hiking and the outdoors, and history. Find her on Instagram @themaniacialtraveler.

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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Spooky solitude: The lonely trail to Owl’s Head

When I finally arrive at the rock slide, after six miles of hiking, I hear a tiny voice in my head: “Maybe doing this hike alone wasn’t a great idea.” It’s not that the steep slide up the face of … Continue reading

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If People Magazine existed in 1776: cast your ballot for the hottest Patriot!

Patriot John Hancock is the King of memorable signatures, so much so that his name has become synonymous with signing a document.  As President of the Continental Congress, he was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence on July … Continue reading

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Moriah, my Moriah: Why did I wait so long to climb thee?

As I hike through a lacy hemlock forest, I wonder why I have waited so long to hike 4,049-foot Mount Moriah. The Carter-Moriah Trail climbs 3,400 feet from its base in Gorham, N.H., but the trail doesn’t feel as steep … 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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On my own on the Osceolas with Captain Samuel Willard

On the Osceola Trail, I’m on my own, but hiking in footsteps more than 250 years old  — maybe.  As I hike uphill on a moderate-grade-by-White-Mountain-standards, I wonder if this slope is the same one that Captain Samuel Willard and … Continue reading

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