Living large on the lava fields at the Fimmvörðuháls Pass, Iceland
When we arrive at the lava flows, I am so glad that we opted to make the trek from Þorsmork (pronounced “Thorsmork”) to this misty pass between the Eyjafjallajökull and […]
Hiking
Posts about hiking in New England and beyond.
Finding the fountain of youth (maybe) on Iceland’s Laugavegur trek
As we begin our hike from Landmannalaugar, I feel like I am 25 again, discovering new worlds for the very first time: vast green alpine fields, steaming fumaroles, a wide […]
Bushwhacking on Mount Tecumseh
Impossible as it may seem, within a few minutes of our hike up Mount Tecumseh in Waterville Valley, my friend and I have lost the trail, and now find ourselves […]
Brutal Beauty on Beaver Brook, Mount Moosilauke
Be careful, to avoid tragic results. Great. A punishing hike is exactly what I hoped to avoid when I set out on this day in mid-June to climb a 4,000-footer and […]
Refuge in the sands
As all hell broke loose that Friday in Boston, the beach at Morris Island stretched for miles, empty and unpeopled, like the city in lockdown. Instead of fear, the beach […]
White elephant in a green valley
Here at Evergreen Valley, the outside temperature is 12 degrees, but a full 28 degrees warmer, at 40, inside our “villa.” We lost power yesterday (2/17), late in the afternoon […]
Winter dreams of summer days on Mount Washburn
On this cold winter afternoon in Maine, I am dreaming about summer days on Mount Washburn. The temperature is even colder today at Mount Washburn, but this past August, we […]
Exploring Caves and Climbing Ladders in the New Hampshire Lakes Region
Our only regret is that we have arrived at the cave too late. This roomy cavern, formed by boulders and slabs of rock that fell from the mountain long […]
In the Wild River Valley, a November blizzard, deep snow, and a man who perseveres to save his cat
We are hiking along Blue Brook and up the Basin Trail through a golden forest of beech trees, the color made more vibrant by the gray background of an overcast […]
Rock scrambling on Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
After a mile of hiking at a moderate grade, we burst into sky as we reach the open ledges on the side of Welch Mountain. My three 11-year-old hiking companions […]