AMC’s Maine Woods holds a unique role in the preservation of night sky—nestled within a more secluded part of northern Maine, it’s in the heart of one of few remaining dark skies in the Eastern United…
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Meet Me at the Trailhead: Stories of Love and Friendship in the Outdoors
Nothing says “I love you” like breaking trail, offering up your stash of trail mix M&M’s, or cheering each other up a mountain. For so many in the AMC community, the trailhead has been the...
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If you were hiking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, you wouldn’t notice Robbins’ cinquefoil. It’s too small: an entire plant the size of a quarter that blooms with sunshine-colored flowers. It’s also rare, surviving above…
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What were you doing 17 years ago? For Brood X cicadas, 2004 was the last time the notoriously loud insects saw the light of day. But this spring, the skies will be buzzing across the…
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Above tree line, conditions can be extreme. Temperature swings, high winds, icy winters, blowing snow, and acidic soil all make the so-called alpine zone a tough place for plants to live and grow. Yet many…
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Editor’s note: Each spring, AMC volunteer and professional trail maintenance crews take to the trails across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to get them ready for the summer hiking season. The following article is excerpted…
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Reaching the summit after a long hike can feel like entering another world: amazing views, occasionally wild weather—and unique plants. Despite the harsh conditions associated with being above tree line in the so-called alpine zone…
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The following was published in the 2016 Winter/Spring edition of Appalachia. Twelve years ago, in December 2003, the Appalachian Mountain Club bought Little Lyford Pond Camps (as it was called then) and the surrounding 37,000…
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Permanent ponds are scattered across the highest elevation ridges and ravines in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. All of these ponds are accessible by hiking trails, and many feature AMC overnight facilities nearby. The best known…
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Late in the summer of 1996, by the banks of the Colorado River where it crosses through Austin, Texas, a group of researchers demonstrated something remarkable. While examining how water moves underground through a karst…
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