A Breath of Fresh Air: 8 Hikes on the...
In early August 2020, amid the necessary isolation and semi-isolation brought on by COVID-19, I was feeling anxious and blue. I needed a change of scenery and a project. I set my mind to…
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The Right Time to Bail: Outdoor Safety Tips Every Hiker Should Know
On a freezing night in early May, a search and rescue crew set off into a squall on a high-stakes mission: a 63-year-old man had vanished somewhere near Franconia Ridge. He’d been missing for three...
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AMC Backcountry Caretaker Program Turns 50
Perched high in the rugged boreal forest in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch, Liberty Springs Tentsite is a haven for backpackers seeking a place to bed down for the night and rest their aching muscles…
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6 Transit-Accessible Outdoor Spaces in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., is known for its monuments, museums, and historic sites, but the nation’s capital also has its share of beautiful parks and trails to explore. Whether you’re a biker, hiker, or just looking…
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How to Poop in the Woods
You’re out in the backcountry, miles from the nearest AMC composting privy and without a toilet-in-a-bag, and nature is calling. It’s a bowel movement. Never fear: if you know how to dig a hole…
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8 Transit-Accessible Outdoor Spaces Near New York City
Central Park may be one of the world’s most famous, but it is by no means the only one in New York City. The best part? You don’t need a car to get to…
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Go Off-Road: Trail Running for Beginners
Trail running has experienced a boom in recent years. According to the American Trail Running Association, the number of Americans who tried trail running doubled between 2007 and 2017 to 3 million. Participation in ultramarathons—defined…
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I Love to Walk: A Hiker’s Journey Through Love,...
The following essay—adapted here for length and style—appears in an anthology being published by members of Lois’s all-girls high school in Philadelphia. I love to walk. It is what I do. It is who…
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Water: Love It, Protect It.
“I found water!” That’s what I often type next to photos I post social media posts each time I come across and photograph a body of water, whether intentionally or not. Over the past…
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Know Before You Go: Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park has it all: craggy granite peaks rising from pastoral valleys, hushed wooded hollows that open up onto spectacular cascades, and fields bristling with wildflowers. It’s also closer than you might think….
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