Be Outdoors Challenge
Many outdoor enthusiasts have long known that time outside makes you feel good. In fact, spending 120 minutes a week in green spaces boosts your well-being, according to a 2019 study published in the journal…
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AMC’s First Youth Climate Summit
On April 10th, more than 120 high school students from across northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine gathered at the Highland Center for the Appalachian Mountain Club’s inaugural Youth Climate Summit. The event included a...
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How to Find Local Winter Recreation Activities
There are many ways to get outdoors all year round, including winter. Amid the social, physical, and mental health challenges presented by COVID-19, spending time outdoors may be more important this winter than ever. (Check…
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How to Plan a Winter Hike
Winter hiking is ideal for those who crave the peaceful, restorative qualities of being outdoors. The crowds of tourists that flock to popular trailheads in the summer and fall—along with the occasional swarms of…
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The Closed Outdoors
This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Appalachia Journal. My first impulse was to flee to the mountains. “The Appalachian Trail, here I come!” The Quarantine My first impulse was to…
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The Vertical Mile
This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Appalachia Journal. At a secluded crag near my house, there’s a climbing route called Malevolent Eye. It’s 32 feet high, with a 3-foot overhang…
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Going Small
This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Appalachia Journal. In a small patch of crumbly dirt and mulch, near the weather-worn trellis where the hydrangea had begun to bloom, my 5-year-old…
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Winter Hiking Essential Gear List
Hiking in the winter demands more. More preparedness and more planning. More outdoor experience and ability, and—perhaps most easily overlooked—more time. The cold months require better decision-making and a more cautious mindset. The same trail…
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Winter Outdoor Activities for Kids
Maybe you’re feeling it already, fellow moms and dads: the dread of not knowing how you’re going to keep your kids occupied and active through the long Northeast winter and early spring. These feelings…
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How to Leave No Trace in Winter
Leave No Trace is a practice that applies to any outdoor activity, providing hikers, bikers, skiers, and other users with the tools they need to ensure minimal impact on the environment during their trip. While…
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