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Idaho’s Often Overlooked Sawtooth Mountains

Near the Oregon border, the Sawtooth Mountains are 10,000 foot peaks that are just as majestic as the Tetons, but with 1/10th the traffic. Fly into Sun Valley (1-hour drive) or Boise (3-hour drive) and make your way to the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, a vacation retreat for close to eight decades. Then get ready to play. Immerse yourself in the stunning surroundings by climbing 1700 feet to shimmering Sawtooth Lake, the “crown jewel” of the Valley. In July, the wildflowers are at their peak, and you can find lupine, sego lilies, Indian paintbrush, shooting stars, blue penstemon and many others. The region is also known for epic mountain biking, hooking brookies, rainbow, and cutthroat trout, rafting on the nearby Salmon River, and this being a ranch, guided half-day and full-day horseback riding adventure. Afterwards, you can soak yourself in the hot spring-fed pool, before dinners of elk, salmon, and Dungeness crab from the Washington coast. At night, people gather on the outdoor patio to gaze at the sparkling sky and listen to foot-stomping live music. This is mountain living at its best. 

 

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Adventure Travel Trends in 2018

The Adventure Travel Trade Association or ATTA just released their annual report on the world of adventure travel, stating that the industry is thriving, thanks to travelers who yearn to be part of the local fabric when visiting new locales. "The tendency to adopt slow travel means visitors are staying in destinations longer, and more people are venturing out by themselves, driving an upswing in solo offerings from adventure tourism providers," the report says. Other popular trends they expect to see blossom in 2018 and 2019 is "an increase in trail tourism, women-only itineraries, and more winter exploration." Here at ActiveTravels, we’re certainly seeing an increased demand in the winter product, with more and more people heading to Iceland, Alaska, and Yellowstone in winter to cross-country ski, dogsled, snowmobile, hike, and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. 
 
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Favorite Fall Outings in New England, A Stop at B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill in Mystic, Connecticut

Off the beaten track, Somewhere in Time might feel like somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But once you arrive and see the slew of people lined up for breakfast, you realize this is a local institution. Grab a mug of coffee and get ready to dig into the large selection of omelets, pancakes, and French toast. Then head nearby to B.F. Clyde’s. Open in 1881, B. F. Clyde’s is home to the oldest steam powered cider mill in America and what a contraption it is. Walk around the machinery, amazed that it still runs. Then hit the store to try the sweet cider, pumpkin bread, apple pies, and maple syrup. A perfect fall outing. 

I’m off to Chicago next week, back Monday, October 17th. Enjoy Columbus Day Weekend and keep active! 

 

 
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Saturday, September 18, is Maine Lighthouse Day




This coming Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, 25 lighthouses around Maine that are usually closed to the public will open their doors for the second annual Lighthouse Day. The list includes my personal favorite, Portland Head Light, made famous by Edward Hopper, Curtis Island Lighthouse overlooking Camden Harbor, and a lighthouse I saw close up earlier in the summer, the red and white West Quoddy Head in Lubec. Lighthouse historians Bill Thomson and Jeremy D’Entremont will do a presentation at Portland Head Light at 10 am. 


Illustration created by Alan Claude

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Sail the BVIs

We had considered canceling our sailing trip to the BVIs earlier this month, but were grateful we pushed ahead. Classic sailing bars like Foxy’s (where we watched the Super Bowl), Soggy Dollar, Pirates on Norman Island, and Setting Point Reef Hotel on Anegada (known for their classic lobster dinner) were all open and grateful for our business. Taxi drivers, servers, and store owners all thanked us for coming so they can continue to work. Yet, everywhere you look, you find devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Upon arrival in Tortola, boats were capsized in the harbor, roofs were ripped off houses, and locals were driving cars with broken windows. The horrific aftermath of Irma would follow us throughout the trip—classic resorts like Bitter End and Peter Island in tatters, large tankers beached, homes destroyed wherever you looked. That’s why it’s important for sailors and boaters to return and thankfully they did. Over the next 2 years, it will be the sailors who can live aboard their boats that will greatly enhance the recovery of this classic cruising ground. 
 
We chose to rent a 41-foot monohull from the Tortola sailing charter, Horizon Yacht Charters. We also made the wise move of hiring a Captain, “Boss,” a 51-year old grandfather of 4 who grew up on Tortola sailing boats and ferries for a living when he wasn’t tending to his goats and sheep. Boss exuded an heir of confidence and calm aboard Island Karma, even during 27-knot winds in the open sea, when the rain and swells left us soaked. We would spend the week sailing to Jost Von Dyke, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada, which was worth the long sail over. We savored the chance to dine barefoot on lobster and conch fritters and making our way to both beaches on the island, Cow Wreck and the equally enticing Loblolly, stopping to see a large flock of flamingoes in the distance. We ended with stops at Cooper Island and Peter Island, before one last Dark and Stormy on Norman Island. A memorable trip that we’re happy to recreate for ActiveTravels clients upon request. 
 
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My Life as Travel Writer is Woven into the Landscape of Maine

Heading back to Maine last week with the family, it’s hard not to think of all the stories I crafted on the adventures in this state. The vast wilderness of the interior and rambling ocean shoreline has provided the inspiration for at least 100 stories and many chapters of travel guidebooks. Paddling on Long Pond and listening to loons in Maine’s North Woods, it was hard not to think of the time I paddled with the Conovers on the Allagash River or Kevin Slater on the West Branch of the Penobscot, still one of my favorite stories for Sierra Magazine. Slipping into the waters of Boothbay Harbor, I was reminded of the time I wrote a piece for Men’s Journal on inn-to-inn sea kayaking along the Sheepscot River with Jeff Cooper, a flawless paddler and the so-called Director of Fun. Maine has been my playground for the past quarter century, and if last week’s roster of activities is any indication, bagging a peak, paddling a lonely waterway, and sea kayaking along the rugged coast, I know it will spur my sense of adventure the next 25 years. 

 
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Top 5 Wine Regions for Bicyclists, Napa and Sonoma Valley, California

Based in San Francisco since the company started in 1979, Backroads has reaped the benefits of being so close to Napa and Sonoma Valley. Their bike tours to the region are still the industry standard. Ride through the vineyards and soaring redwood forests in the company of new friends, have numerous opportunities for wine tastings at the dozens of wineries that line the cycling routes, get those tired legs worked on at award-winning spas, and then indulge in gourmet meals inspired by local vintages and fresh California ingredients. I call that a recipe for success, the reason why Backroads has become an active travel industry leader. They now offer trips all over the globe, but it’s hard to top the ones in their backyard to California Wine Country. 

 

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