28 articles tagged with solo hiking
There's something magical about Maine that goes beyond the postcard-perfect coastline most travelers flock to. As someone who's summited peaks across three continents, I've developed a particular fondness for the underrated mountain trails surrounding Auburn. This central Maine gem offers...
The human brain responds powerfully to elevation—both literal and metaphorical. Standing 2,300 feet above Rio de Janeiro on my first morning atop Pedra Bonita, watching hang gliders launch themselves into the void, I experienced what psychologists call 'awe'—that rare emotion...
After fifteen years orchestrating entertainment on luxury cruise liners, trading the endless ocean for New Mexico's rugged mountain terrain felt like swapping a tuxedo for hiking boots—surprisingly comfortable once you get used to it! Last spring, I spent a gloriously...
There's something about the Appalachian Mountains that reminds me of the Japanese concept of *mono no aware*—an acute awareness of the transience of things and the bittersweet feeling it evokes. Perhaps it's the ancient, rounded peaks that have witnessed centuries...
There's something about autumn in the Rhodope Mountains that speaks to the soul. The ancient forests ablaze with gold and crimson, morning mist clinging to valleys where legends of Orpheus once echoed, and villages seemingly forgotten by time. After years...
After two decades optimizing websites in air-conditioned offices, trading Florida's flatlands for Australia's rugged terrain was my midlife recalibration. The Grampians—or Gariwerd, as the traditional owners know it—has become my go-to weekend escape from Darwin's tropical heat. This ancient mountain...
The first time I saw the Organ Mountains rising abruptly from the Chihuahuan Desert floor, I was reminded of nature's engineering prowess. These jagged granite spires—named for their resemblance to pipe organs—represent a geological masterpiece some 32 million years in...
Coming in for landing at Idaho Falls Regional might not seem like you're about to touch down in a hiker's paradise, but trust me – this corner of Idaho packs some serious trail cred. As a pilot with perpetually itchy...
The mountains have always spoken to me in the language of healing. Perhaps that's why, after decades of helping others navigate their trauma in sterile office settings, I found myself drawn to Albuquerque's dramatic skyline—where the Sandia Mountains rise like...
Standing at the edge of a rust-colored cliff face in eastern Montana, I couldn't help but think of Brecht's *Mother Courage* – how landscapes, like theatrical sets, can completely transform our perception of reality. Miles City, Montana is perhaps the...
As someone who spends most workdays surrounded by network cables and server rooms in Newark, there's nothing that resets my mental cache quite like disconnecting from the digital world and reconnecting with nature. Last fall, I stumbled upon St. Albans,...
Standing at the base of Arizona's highest peaks, I couldn't help but view the San Francisco Peaks through both my climber's and anthropologist's lenses. These volcanic mountains aren't just a playground for outdoor enthusiasts—they're sacred to at least 13 Indigenous...
There's something structurally perfect about the Blue Ridge Mountains in autumn. As an engineer, I find myself analyzing not just the trails beneath my boots, but the geological formations that have withstood millennia of erosion to create these rounded, ancient...
Standing at the edge of Tierra del Fuego, with the Antarctic winds whipping my ponytail and the Beagle Channel stretching toward the horizon, I couldn't help but think of the indigenous Yámana people who once called this harsh landscape home....
The first light of dawn breaks over Cadillac Mountain, casting long shadows across granite peaks that rise dramatically from the Atlantic. The rhythmic percussion of waves against rocky shores creates what I call the 'Acadian heartbeat' – a natural symphony...
