Category: Adventures
As an elite slalom kayaker who will represent the United States in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, I travel a lot for races. Competitive whitewater races are almost always run on artificial courses with rapids shaped by plastic blocks and very few live trees. When I am home in Bryson City, N.C., nestled in […]
My hike had been tough that first day out in Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range. In the 12 years of these journeys in the West I’d always hiked right up front, just behind the leader. But this time I found myself bringing up the rear, an involuntary “sweep,” barely able to keep up with John, a […]
Excerpted and adapted from the newly updated Quiet Water New York, 3rd ed., out now from AMC Books. Although few places in the United States surpass the wildness of Adirondack lakes and meandering flows, New York offers many other outstanding paddling destinations. From the tidal estuaries of Long Island to the wild and marshy […]
This article contains sensitive content about Anorexia Nervosa and body dysmorphia that may be triggering for some. Please proceed with caution. And don’t hesitate to contact the National Eating Disorder Association during a crisis by calling (800) 931-2237 or texting “NEDA” to 741741. Early one morning in 2014, the scale flashed a number […]
Joe Cruz pedals into the unknown. His mud-caked shoes slosh with river crossing ice melt as he spins up loose scree toward the Tian Shan range in Kyrgyzstan. The Mountains of Heaven lance the clouds at a peak of 24,406 feet and bound the country from neighboring Kazakhstan and China. Cruz is cycling 600 […]
Excerpted and adapted from the newly updated Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide and Map, 5th ed., out now from AMC Books. The trails in southern New Hampshire offer great variety, from easy strolls along the seacoast to strenuous trips ascending the bare, rocky crests of Mount Monadnock and Mount Cardigan. Notable benefits […]
Note: “Redlining” also refers to the discriminatory practice of denying services, such as bank loans, to residents of a certain area based on their race or ethnicity. For this reason, this story will use the term “tracing” to describe the White Mountain hiking tradition. Two months into her attempt to hike 1,420 miles of […]
Terry Berntsen is legendary in AMC’s Delaware Valley Chapter for her ability to plan group trips to interesting destinations that also include fantastic hiking. In 2017, after completing both the Loyalsock and Laurel Highlands Trails end-to-end with day hiking groups, Berentsen was looking for a new trail challenge. She engaged fellow chapter members Rich Pace […]
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I just had to feed several hungry, freezing teenagers,” says Michelle Sommers as she picks up the phone at her home in Maryland. She describes the row of wetsuits hanging next to her family’s hot tub as her children rustle in the background. “We just got back from surfing. […]
In the late 1970s and early ’80s AMC’s Cardigan Lodge was my wife Joyce’s and my favorite place to spend a couple weeks every summer. We were drawn to its rustic and intimate atmosphere, the camaraderie of a shared interest in the outdoors, and of course the hiking. We had developed a proprietary feeling about […]
Pockets of thick fog ebb and flow across the steep slope of false summits on the way up Saddleback, along the Appalachian Trail in Maine. I’ve been trying to keep my son in my sights, but the mountain seems to know my mission, and its futility. I look up again, and he’s gone. I make […]
This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Appalachia Journal. At a secluded crag near my house, there’s a climbing route called Malevolent Eye. It’s 32 feet high, with a 3-foot overhang and a difficulty rating of 5.10–. It’s tricky enough to challenge a good climber, with several blade-thin holds and a […]
With many downhill ski resorts in the Northeast expected to be closed or restricted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, backcountry skiing is booming. In fact, going back to the early spring, outfitters across the region reported shortages of backcountry equipment as skiers skipped the crowded resorts in favor of more remote options. The sport […]
This story was originally published in the Summer/Fall 2020 issue of Appalachia Journal. The dog and I were climbing up the Manning Trail on the way to Firescrew Mountain. We were somewhere between the trailhead and the first view when we came upon about a dozen and a half young teenagers resting on rocks. It […]
Many of the trail systems in New England and the mid-Atlantic are rich in history as well as beauty and versatility. From repurposed railroads to ancient foot paths used by Indigenous peoples, history-lovers and hikers alike will enjoy these 6 fascinating and beautiful walks sure to transport you to a bygone era. MACKWORTH ISLAND […]
The New Normal Pre-departure: June 1, 2020 Are the AMC huts distant? The first thing that comes to mind is their location. Situated miles into the wilderness of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the huts are cut off from the outside world with the exception of a radio and, if the clouds clear, occasional glimmers of […]
As temperatures start to drop, hardwood forests across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic stand ablaze with color. Deep azure skies, cooler weather, and the changing leaves draw many biking enthusiasts outside, especially in 2020 as we navigate physical distancing regulations. Biking allows riders to easily maintain a six-foot berth and spend time outdoors in circulating […]
If you asked Judi Desire (a Haitian-Creole name pronounced “dez-a-ray”) ten years ago if she ever considered bike touring in Africa, Asia, or South America, she would have thought you confused her with someone else. Traversing a country on two wheels, with all her belongings stuffed into pannier bags on bicycle racks seemed unthinkable […]
The following is an excerpt from AMC’s Best Day Hikes in the White Mountains, 3rd edition, by Robert Buchsbaum. MIZPAH SPRING HUT AND MOUNT PIERCE LOCATION Carroll, NH, to Hart’s Location, NH RATING Strenuous DISTANCE 6.6 miles ELEVATION GAIN 2,450 feet ESTIMATED TIME 5.0–6.0 hours MAPS AMC White Mountain National Forest Map & Guide, […]
From his backyard in Augusta, Maine, astronomer Jon Silverman can look into the night sky and see light emitted from stars hundreds, thousands, even millions of years ago. Anyone can. All it takes to see light coming from, say, the Andromeda Galaxy, our closest galactic neighbor at 2.5 million light-years away, is a simple pair […]