The eager kindergartener in front of me was pulling her backpack on wheels behind her as we made our way up from the middle falls to the upper falls at Wallace Falls State Park. I turned to the 5th grader dragging his feet slowly up the steep steps behind me with a pokey attitude and…
Tag: Public Lands
A Haleakala Sunrise: A Moment of Love On Public Lands
I remember reading a guide book while planning our vacation to Maui in 2010 about what to do if you wanted to visit Haleakalā National Park for the sunrise. It was best to go when you first arrived to the island as the time change was in your favor. Also, I would probably have to…
How Much Do YOU Give A Crap About Public Lands?
Have a told you about my dear friend Laura Wild? I know I have mentioned her in general terms in posts like The Definition of Courage but I don’t think I have talked about her directly by name. I want to take this opportunity as part of the #NatureWritingChallenge to share a little of our…
Why You Have To Visit The World’s First Nuclear Power Plant. No, Really.
This might be stretching the definition of the Nature Writing Challenge but nuclear energy can be natural and this is a national historic landmark. Plus, the kids thought it was pretty cool. The topic for the challenge tonight is my favorite part of National Park history but since I already wrote The National Parks: America’s…
Finding Oneself Being Present In Nature
We had eaten dinner at our campsite after a long day of trail work in the North Cascades National Park, installing new signage for the Pacific Crest Trail and brushing huckleberry bushes back from the trail as it made its way around Howard Lake. I warily walked down the steep boot path to the water…
We Can’t Ensure The Protection of Public Lands During Government Shutdowns And That Is The Whole Point
If the question is how do we ensure the protection of our public lands’ needs during a government shutdown, the answer is we can’t.