Author: Kelleigh Welch
As part of a global plan to stop the extinction of species and habitats, help solve the climate crisis, and filter out pollution, President Biden joined other world leaders in June 2021, to launch the ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative that seeks to preserve 30 percent of the United States’ lands and waters by 2030, known […]
Sarah Goodnow says she was lucky the first time she saw a natural avalanche. Lucky, as in she and others around her were in a safe place, allowing them to witness the phenomenon without fear.“It was after a snowstorm and there wasn’t much wind,” she recalls. “I could see Hillman’s Highway (a ski route […]
Most birds start singing just before sunrise, and in June, that means 4 a.m. Dave Cowan had already cleaned up his campsite and was close to the summit of Maine’s Baker Mountain when he heard a flute-like “shreee.” “It was a Bicknell’s thrush,” Cowan, a longtime volunteer for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies Mountain Birdwatch […]
Measuring a person’s carbon footprint includes a number of factors. Choices we make, from the food we eat, to the products we use and industries we support, to the distances we travel, play into the amount of greenhouse gases we add into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, […]
Every day, the average American family uses 300 gallons of drinking water, for consumption, bathing, cooking, laundry, and other household chores, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Where that water originates and how it is cleaned are questions we rarely consider, though, and we forget that much of the process starts at the […]
AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative now encompasses nearly 75,000 acres of forest land in the 100-Mile Wilderness region. While timber harvesting on a portion of these lands provides the major source of revenue to defray the costs of land ownership, AMC has also invested in an additional source of income to support land conservation—forest carbon offset […]
To slow the spread of COVID-19, countries around the world now require citizens to practice “social distancing.” Many are confined to their homes for most of the day, with offices, schools, gyms, bars, restaurants, and public spaces closing for weeks. Daily lives and routines have been upended, and we seek creative ways to stay […]
When rescue teams found James Clark on Mount Washington’s Lion Head Trail at 1:15 a.m. on June 14, 2019, the 80-year-old Dublin, Ohio, resident was barely clinging to life. The day before, Clark had set out with his two teenage grandsons on what was supposed to be a day hike to the summit of New […]
Obtaining an accurate measurement of a mountain’s elevation has become something of an obsession among hikers. Whether you’re tagging New Hampshire’s 48 peaks above 4,000 feet, the 46 4,000-footers in New York’s Adirondacks, or each state’s high point, your list is ultimately determined by elevation. But how, exactly, do geodesists—scientists who measure and monitor Earth […]
A man stands at the edge of the campfire, illuminated by the orange glow of an ever-growing flame as it licks the rock ring surrounding it. I’m nervous for his safety. He has been drinking for some time now, and one wrong step could result in injury. But he maintains his balance, cupping his hands […]
The scars of domestic violence are not always visible. One traumatic act can have a lasting effect on a survivor, with the road to recovery requiring time and attention. For families, part of that healing involves regaining a sense of hope—a process AMC is helping nurture by offering survivors and their children a safe place […]
You’ve likely heard of New Hampshire’s 4000-footers, those peaks in the White Mountains with summits cresting 4,000 feet in elevation. Thousands of hikers flock to them each year in search of a challenge. For some, the goal is to complete all 48. For others, it might be a single mountaintop. But where to start if […]
A lot more goes into planning a day hike than choosing your target elevation. Here’s a starter checklist. Consider the group. When choosing a route, think about the companions with whom you’ll be hiking. If you’re hiking with a novice, choose a trail that’s beginner-friendly; if you’re hiking with an experienced mountaineer, choose a hike […]