Get kids outside, and the entire family reaps the benefits. Reconnect with Nature for better health, and because it’s fun too! Explore outdoor education through hiking, biking, skiing, surfing, and other family adventures.
Mother Nature has given notice: ski season countdown is on. Jiminy Peak, our backyard ski mountain, says snowmaking is just 45 days away (give or take a week) and their final season pass deadline looms on October 15th. Liftopia’s pre-season ticket sale is in full swing, and this is the time to get the best deals on 100+ ski …
Earning entry into the Adirondack High Peaks Forty-Sixers club has long been on my bucket list, and considering the proximity of the 46 mountain peaks, there was no good reason not to give a go. Last weekend, I finally embarked on what will likely be a very long term quest when I took on Cascade Mountain, …
Read morePeak Bagging Cascade Mountain, the Easiest of Adirondack High Peaks
My sister refused to join us at Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California. Her husband, an Orange County native, warned that it was going to be a “zoo,” and didn’t think it would be a good environment for their young children. But even he didn’t expect to wake up to headlines about …
Read moreThe Sweeter Side of Surf City; Huntington Beach Riot Notwithstanding
I’ve been thinking a lot about why family vacations seem to bring us closer. Developing shared interests and just having time to spend together are big factors, but I think the main reason is that we bond over outdoor adventures with kids. Seven Reasons for Outdoor Adventures with Kids When I first read Extreme Kids: How to …
There’s one good thing about rainy days–waterfalls. New York has many waterfalls, including the spectacular ones found at Niagara Falls. But in New York’s Capital Region, we’re lucky to have the impressive waterfalls of the historic Indian Ladder Trail in Thatcher Park. What a scenic overlook! On a clear day you can see Vermont’s Green …
Of all the places I most enjoy in New York’s Capital Region, few surpass the Albany Pine Bush. When I was new to the area, hardly a day passed that I didn’t pack my young toddler, Kayla, into the Kelty carrier so that I could explore the hiking trails with my Yellow Lab, Mowgli, by my …
Read moreA Grand Adventure in the Pine Bush Ends with a Little Moxie
If you thought that the only way to capture great Niagara Falls photos was on a Maid of the Mist boat ride, think again. Having previously done the Maid of the Mist tour with kids on the New York side of the border, I wanted to experience the popular waterfall attraction in a new way. I …
The Great Maple Syrup Caper of 2012 brought worldwide attention to a little known major industry. Quebec, which produces up to 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup, was reputed to have 10 million pounds–valued at $30 million– of the golden liquid in the warehouse that was hit. The New York Maple industry isn’t yet on that …
Read moreCornell Program Shines Light on New York Maple Industry
When the Wild Center opened near Lake Placid, New York in 2006 it was hailed as “the place to go” by the The Boston Globe. A crowd of more than 5000–the largest Adirondacks gathering since the 1980 Olympics–attended the opening celebrations. By the time that I arrived with my family in 2011, the Wild Center …
For the first time in decades, a version of the rugby sport will be played at the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Despite being the world’s most popular sport, Rugby USA has an uphill climb to capture American hearts. Rugby for Women When I first told my parents that …
Read moreRough and Rugged, Rugby is an Emerging Sport in the USA