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Hiking in the White Mountains

There’s a reason they call New Hampshire the Granite State. But surprisingly most of the rock you find on the trails is quartz, gneiss, and schist, not granite. Nevertheless, if you’re hiking at the higher elevations of the Whites, you’re going to encounter rocks in every shape and size and every form of obstacle. Trails like the Crawford Path, the oldest hiking trail in use in the country, circa 1819, start off as dirt, but quickly change to rock. Once you rise above treeline after summiting Mount Pierce on the famous ridge walk, you’re entering an alpine wilderness of wildflowers, gnarly krumholz, and a mind-boggling panorama of mountains and ridges in every direction. Everywhere you look is a carpet of green, rising and falling along the slopes. 
 
Water was our friend on the first three days of hiking, from the Gale River Trail all the way up to Mizpah Springs Hut. At first, the rushing stream was just a delight to look at while walking along water’s edge or crossing over rivers on countless rock bridges. By Day Two, you want to soak your feet in the water of Zealand Falls after a long hike, dip your bandana into the cool waters every chance you get on a hot humid climb up to Mizpah. Thankfully, there were numerous opportunities to cool down and relax. 
 
Then you reach Lakes of the Clouds Hut and it’s all hardscrabble rock the last 1.4 miles to the summit of Mount Washington. Strong winds were thrusting against the windows of our room at the hut the night before our ascent. When we woke to Emily playing violin, we were socked in to a cloud. The thought of attempting to summit Washington, the highest peak in New England and a beast of mountain to bag in often volatile conditions, put many ill at ease. But off we went, and lo and behold, the winds subsided, the clouds opened up at the 6,288-foot summit and we were treated to wondrous views of Mounts Jefferson, Adams, and Madison. 
 
In a col between Adams and Madison, a stone hut was built 125 summers ago announcing the debut of the Appalachian Mountain Club. We wouldn’t make it to Madison Spring Hut on this journey, but there’s always another challenge, another memorable experience waiting in the future. I’d like to thank the AMC for a great week of hiking hut-to-hut and getting my summer off to the perfect start. 
         
 
 

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This is the Summer to Finally Raft the Chilko River in BC

It was 20 years ago when I first met Brian McCutcheon, owner of Rivers, Oceans, and Mountains, or simply ROAM. I had been hired by Men’s Journal magazine to write about the first descent of the Klinaklini River in British Columbia. It was a spectacular journey down a rip-roaring river dwarfed by snowcapped peaks and glaciers. I was accompanying Johnny Morris, the owner of Bass Pro Shops, who came to the Northwest with his entourage to hook salmon on the fly. The fish weren’t biting but the scenery and excitement of riding the Klinaklini more than made up for the lack of salmon. 

 
Like the rest of the West Coast, British Columbia got slammed with snow and rain this past winter. So the rivers are bulging at the seams, ideal for a memorable multi-day paddle. One of the most exciting whitewater rafting runs in North America and a personal favorite of McCutcheon is the weeklong jaunt down the Chilko River in southwestern BC. Take an hour seaplane flight from Vancouver to 4,000-foot high Chilko Lake where a $10 million lodge now stands. Then let the rollercoaster ride begin. You’ll cruise 130 miles, dropping 3,000 feet through a tumultuous blur of lava gorges and narrow chutes. Looming overhead are sloping carpets of forest and jagged peaks. And, on those rare moments when you slow down, you might find yourself staring at an eagle or grizzly. BC also stands for serious Bear Country, home to 12,000-plus grizzlies.
 
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Scull Hosmer Pond, Vermont

Sandwiched between the hills of Vermont’s remote Northeast Kingdom, Hosmer Pond is the idyllic setting for the Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s sculling school. Now in its 35th year, Craftsbury is the first rowing camp in America. If you ever wanted to learn the sport of sculling or already scull and want to perfect your stroke, Craftsbury is arguably the best place in the States to do just that. The 5-day course goes over all aspects of rowing, and depending on expertise, splits groups up on the lake with instructors. Balancing the boat is always the hardest part for beginners, many of whom will spend the better part of the first day swimming. Oar handles have to be together at all times or the boat quickly tips to the left or right. Legs are thrust up against a board to scoot back as you propel the oars forward. Indeed, many of the coaches have immense quad muscles proving that legs are more important than arms in the stroke. 5-day programs including room, board, and training start at $1037.
 

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Self-Guided Inn-to-Inn Bike Trips in New England

The rhododendrons are already in bloom and the yellow warblers just arrived at my birdfeeder in the Boston burbs. With temps hitting the mid-80s today, it’s time to break out the bike for a ride. For riders looking for a little inn-to-inn action this summer, it’s never been cheaper to bike in New England. Two outfitters, Bike the Whites in New Hampshire, and Country Inns Along the Trail in Vermont, are offering three days of riding for as low as $299 per person. What does that 300 bucks get you?  Detailed maps depending on you ability, from 20 to 80 miles a day, emergency roadside assistance, two nights lodging, two dinners, two breakfasts, and transport of your luggage from one inn to the next. Country Inns has rides in several of my favorite spots in Vermont, including Addison along Lake Champlain, where you spend the night at the Barsen House Inn. See the story I wrote on biking in this part of Vermont for The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine.
 

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The Far From Perfect Honeymoon

“Goreme? You stop in Goreme?” I asked the bus driver as I pointed to our ticket. 

“Yes, Goreme. Coming,” he replied as he continued to drive like a maniac. Something was wrong. We had passed Nevsehir about an hour before, and, according to my guidebook, Nevsehir is only five miles from Goreme, the heart of Turkey’s intriguing Cappadocia region.
 
“Goreme, we’re going to Goreme!” my wife repeated, nearing hysteria. The driver nodded and grinned.
 
There was nothing wrong with the guidebook. The driver had indeed sped past Goreme to the next city. Frustrated, we arrived at the bus station there, only to learn that the bus to Goreme didn’t leave for five hours. We got there eventually – seven hours later in the middle of the night.
 
So much for the perfect honeymoon, the one advertised in glossy bridal magazines with couples strolling hand-in-hand in some European capital, locals having been conveniently blotted out.
 
All we wanted now was a bed on which to lay our weary heads. Surrounded by barking dogs, we walked up a hill and miraculously found our hotel. Rooms were carved out of the soft tufa rock Cappadocia is known for. But, of course, there was nobody at the front desk. Thoroughly exhausted and borderline delirious, we saw that a door to one of the rooms was ajar. We peeked in . . . the bed was empty. Good night!
 
Originally published in The Boston Globe, “Writers’ tales of 12 trips gone wrong.”
 
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Trustees Sites Not To Be Missed, The Guest House at Field Farm, Williamstown

Two of the finest art exhibitions in New England will take place in the Berkshires this summer. “Splendor, Myth, and Vision: Nudes From the Prado” will be on display at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown from June 11th through October 10th. Twenty-eight Old Master paintings, including works by Titian, Velasquez, Rubens, and Tintoretto will be on display. Just down the road in North Adams, Mass MoCA will feature “Explode Every Day: An Inquiry Into the Phenomena of Wonder.” Opening on May 28th, the ambitious show will exhibit works designed to explore wonder through the eyes of 20 contemporary artists. 

 
Once you’ve had your fill of art, relax at the Guest House at Field Farm in Williamstown, a 5-bedroom inn run by the Trustees. The Bauhaus-era home is also an art piece, a perfect example of American modernism. Walking into the living room is like walking into a post-modern early 60s museum set where Don Draper is your host. Unlike the rectilinear architecture, all furniture seems to have curves, from the Isamu Noguchi glass coffee table to the swan-backed couch by Vladimir Kagan. Large glass windows take in the stunning views of Mount Greylock. Grab a glass of wine, sit outside on the patio, and take it all in. 
 
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Purchase Membership to ActiveTravels and Proceeds Will Go to World Central Kitchen

Since we started ActiveTravels in 2012, we’ve always had a Holiday push in November and December to help spread the word and to share the yearly membership fee with a worthy cause. In the past, we have donated to Heifer International and Ryan’s Well Foundation. This Holiday Season, if you purchase a membership to ActiveTravels for you, a friend or family member, we will donate half of the proceeds to World Central Kitchen. Founded by renowned Chef José Andrés, the World Central Kitchen team arrived in Puerto Rico September 2017 just a few days after Hurricane Maria wiped out the entire power grid. After cooking a few thousand meals at his friend’s restaurant, Andrés began receiving calls for aid from all over the island. He quickly expanded operations, mobilizing a network of emergency kitchens, food trucks, and partner organizations to make sure that communities in need received quality meals. They want on to serve over 150,000 meals in a single day, becoming the largest fresh meal operation following the hurricane. They have since served a mind-boggling 3.6 million meals in Puerto Rico and have moved on to help other regions hit by hurricanes and earthquakes, like Florida, North Carolina, and Indonesia. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday all coming up this week, consider purchasing the gift of travel and all the memorable experiences associated with your vacations. 

 

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