Author: Allison Qiang
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared “that all persons held as slaves” in Confederate states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” However, more than two and half years would pass before this news reached African Americans in Texas, on a day that we now know as Juneteenth. What […]
George Masa, a Japanese immigrant to the United States, is often referred to as the Ansel Adams of the East Coast. His work photographing and mapping the southern peaks of the Appalachian Trail proved crucial for the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the U.S. today. In […]
In 1955, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood told her children that she was “going for a hike in the woods” – little did they know that this hike would be the entire 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Though hiking the entire A.T. is already an impressive feat, Gatewood’s trip was […]
Despite making many meaningful contributions to outdoor recreation and environmental movements, women are often less celebrated than their historical male counterparts. These nine adventurers and conservationists are just a few examples of women who have paved the way for a more equitable and inclusive outdoors. Arlene Blum Arlene Blum is a renowned alpinist and chemist. […]
It might be hard to believe that the now lush White Mountain National Forest was, just a century ago, barren and heavily logged. By the 1850s, about 70% of the land south of the White Mountains had been cleared of trees, due to the arrival of European settlers who used the area for agriculture […]
The Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is one of the most iconic mountain ranges in the United States. It comprises thirteen mountains, nine of which are over 4,000 feet in elevation, and seven of which are named after U.S. Presidents. One of the most challenging hikes in the White Mountains […]
For centuries, public lands have served as the backdrop for important moments in civil rights history. Several civil rights leaders have marched on the streets of our nation’s largest cities, stood their ground in national parks, or sought refuge and inspiration in nature, all in the name of justice and equal opportunity for disenfranchised groups. […]
For centuries, hikers traveling in the Nancy Brook Scenic Area of the White Mountain National Forest have reported hearing cries and shrieks of laughter. These strange noises are thought to belong to a young woman named Nancy Barton, who had been hiking through Crawford Notch in the winter of 1778, when she succumbed to frostbite […]
Each year, half a million people visit Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau, one of the most prolific authors of his time and a leading transcendentalist, escaped to Walden Pond to live a simpler life. In “Walden” he writes: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, […]
Update, August 2022: Additional maps are now available for purchase! Maps from AMC’s Massachusetts Trail Guide are now available. AMC has partnered with Avenza Maps to make some of our maps available to download on your Android or Apple mobile device. Simply download Avenza’s free app and you’ll find AMC’s maps available for purchase. Even […]
In September of 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving from Montreal, Canada to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the way home from their belated honeymoon. While driving through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the couple experienced an extraterrestrial phenomenon that would launch them into the international spotlight and help shape the dialogue around future […]
In 1825, Samuel Willey Jr. and his family moved into a house nestled in the heart of Crawford Notch. The events that transpired there unknowingly turned the White Mountains into one of the biggest tourist attractions on the East Coast. Born in 1788, Samuel Willey Jr. was a New Hampshire local. He and his […]
Peakbagging is the concept in which hikers and climbers attempt to reach a specific set of summits as defined by a list or a set of criteria. Some peakbaggers, known as “highpointers,” try to reach the highest point in every state, country, continent, or national park, while other peakbaggers attempt to climb all summits over […]
The arrival of spring has brought many new changes to our environments: flowers are in bloom, trees are growing leaves, and animals are arriving in our backyards. Here are a few of the common plants and animals you’ll see in the Northeast this spring and some fun facts about them. Honeybee Honeybees communicate with their […]
A properly pitched tent can protect you from adverse weather conditions and give you a comfortable night of sleep before or after an outdoor adventure. Before heading to your next campsite, it is important to familiarize yourself with your tent and practice setting it up at home. Here are the steps to get you started: […]
In The White Mountains: A Handbook for Travelers, a guidebook from the 1890’s, Tuckerman Ravine is described as “the most remarkable piece of scenery of this character in all of New England.” Today, Tuckerman Ravine remains one of the most famous destinations in the White Mountains, attracting tens of thousands of hikers and skiers each […]
John Vials, also known as English Jack or the “Hermit of Crawford Notch”, was one of the most notable 19th century figures in the White Mountains. After a tumultuous life at sea and a vagabond lifestyle, Jack found his home at Crawford Notch in the 1870s and stayed until his death in 1912. Though it’s […]
Katahdin is one of the most notable landmarks in the Northeast. As the centerpiece of Baxter State Park, the tallest mountain in Maine (reaching 5,269 feet in elevation), and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), Katahdin attracts thousands of eager hikers each year. However, those who choose to summit Katahdin must use caution: […]